You're going to see a lot of comparisons between Allegiance and The Americans. Both are about Russian spies living in America and trying to avoid being caught by the FBI. FX’s The Americans came out first. So should viewers think NBC’s Allegiance is ripping off the cable drama?
Not at all, producers say.
Allegiance centers around a young, idealistic CIA analyst who is unaware that his parents as well as his sister are part of a dormant Russian sleeper cell that has just been reactivated.
“Watch one or two episodes and I think it’s pretty clear that we’re going in a different direction,” EP George Nolfi said Friday at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. “This is, fundamentally a family drama about people who really do not want to be spies. They’re forced into this situation. That’s just an extremely different setup and then where we take it is really different, as well.”
Scott Cohen also noted that Allegiance is “dealing with an imminent danger” and “a post-9/11 generation” in its central character of Alex, “which is a bit different than what The Americans is.”
Added star Gavin Stenhouse, “A lot of shows, I feel, have superficially similar premises. They’re based on similar things, but they’re a different emotional journey for the viewer. It’s born out of a completely different equation of actors and writers.”
Allegiance is based on an Israeli format, The Gordin Cell, which came out in 2012—one year before The Americans.
See previews at http://www.nbc.com/allegiance
This high-octane thriller revolves around the O'Connor family and their son, Alex (Gavin Stenhouse), a young idealistic CIA analyst specializing in Russian affairs. Unbeknownst to him, both of his parents and his sister are part of a dormant Russian sleeper cell that has just been reactivated.
Years ago, Russian-born Katya (Hope Davis) was tasked by the KGB to recruit American businessman Mark O'Connor (Scott Cohen) as a spy, and the two fell in love. A deal was struck: as long as Katya remained an asset for Russia, she would be allowed to marry Mark and move to America. After years in America building a happy life and without word from Moscow, they thought they had escaped. Now it seems the new Mother Russia has one more mission - turning Alex into a spy. The SVR (Russian Intelligence) has re-enlisted the entire family into service as they plan a terrorist operation inside U.S. borders that will bring America to its knees. For these anguished parents, the choice is clear: betray their country... or risk their family.
The series also stars Margarita Levieva (Natalie O'Connor), Morgan Spector (Victor Dobrynin), Kenneth Choi (Sam Luttrell) and Alex Peters (Sarah O'Connor).
Based on an Israeli format, "Allegiance" is a production of Universal Television, Keshet Media and Yes! and comes from Executive Producer, Showrunner and Producing Director George Nolfi ("The Adjustment Bureau") and Executive Producers Avi Nir, John Glenn, Rashad Raisani, Ron Leshem, Amit Cohen, Giyora Yahalom, and Yona Wisenthal.
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