TV ShowEndedNBCDramaMysterySci-Fi & Fantasy

The Pretender

1996 – 1999 · 45m per ep · TV-14 · English

Raised in a secret facility built for experimenting on children, Jarod is a genius who can master any profession and become anyone he has to be. When he realizes as an adult that he's actually a prisoner and his captors are not as benevolent as he's been told, he breaks out. While trying to find his real identity, Jarod helps those he encounters and tries to avoid the woman sent to retrieve him.

7.4(347 reviews)

23.1475% popularity

At a glance

Details

First air date: Sep 19, 1996
Last air date: May 13, 2000
Status: Ended
Seasons: 4
Episodes: 86
Episode runtime: 45m
Original language: English
Country: —
Network / platform: NBC
Creator / showrunner: Craig W. Van Sickle, Steven Long Mitchell
Certification: TV-14
Production companies: 20th Century Fox Television, NBC Studios, MTM Enterprises

Where to watch

Streaming availability has not been added yet.

Keywords

undercoveranti heroinvestigationgeniusconspiracyevil corporationimpostorjusticeboy geniusmanhuntprodigy

Seasons & episodes

Season 1

1996 · 22 episodes

0 of 22 watched0%

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Cast

Michael T. Weiss

Jarod

Andrea Parker

Miss Parker/Catherine Parker

Patrick Bauchau

Sydney/Jacob

Jon Gries

Broots

Media

Reviews & ratings

7.4

347 community reviews

AR
Alex Rivera6.4/103/18/2026
Binge-worthy
Every episode leaves you wanting more. The character arcs are exceptional.
52 found helpful
JK
Jordan Kim7.4/103/14/2026
Peak television
One of the best shows in its genre — tightly written and beautifully acted.
44 found helpful
SP
Sam Patel8.4/103/10/2026
Must-watch series
The season finales alone are worth the watch.
36 found helpful
ML
Morgan Lee6.4/103/6/2026
Brilliant writing
Gripping from the first scene. Already recommending to everyone.
28 found helpful
CW
Casey Wong7.4/103/2/2026
Slow burn payoff
Takes a few episodes to hit stride, then it's unstoppable.
20 found helpful