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NBC's My Own Worst Enemy: Pilot Episode

Prime Time Action Drama Stars Christian Slater

Oct 19, 2008 Kristin Colangelo

Last Monday night, NBC debuted a provocative new show that invites viewers to ask the following: "Who can you trust when you can't trust yourself?"

My Own Worst Enemy is a new primetime drama starring Christian Slater (Heathers, Pump Up the Volume) as Henry Spivey, a married man living in the suburbs who lives the archetypal middle-class life with a wife named Lily (Yara Martinez), a house, two children and a dog. He appears the good husband, solid co-worker and an all-around family man working to make ends meet. But all is not as it seems.

Edward Albright (also Slater) is an operative working at a secret agency (Janus Headquarters) for Alfre Woodard's character, Maeve Heller. His character is dark, full of secrets and he is efficient, athletic - and deadly. His lifestyle is fast-paced and dangerous as he moves quickly and quietly through his assignments. And guess what?

While Henry and Edward share completely different personalities and lifestyles, they share the same body. As the line between their identities blur, each man is forced to deal with a new reality. This is where the heart of the show lies - in identifying the differing personalities of each character and then morphing them into the reality of another personality sharing the same body.

Henry's best friend, Tom Grady (Mike O'Malley of Yes, Dear fame), also has a darker alter ago in the form of a vicious secret agent named Raymond. With two people sharing alternate personalities so different from each other, there are endless show options to draw out each man's character and psyche.

Rounding out the main cast is Saffron Burrows (The Bank Job), who plays Dr. Norah Skinner, a psychologist familiar with both Henry and Edward. Her role seems to be to sort all this mess out and help them keep everything straight.

The premiere episode (entitled "Breakdown") features Henry discovering that he shares a body with a secret agent named Edward. The drama is fast-paced and taut in this dark episode and Slater is coolly believable in the dual role. Woodard shines as Edward's efficient yet caring boss. O'Malley is strong in his performance and Burrows is elegant and understanding in her role.

This show promises to be a new action thriller for NBC as character layers of both Henry and Edward (as well as Tom and Raymond) are revealed each week. The first episode was highly enjoyable and the next episode is anxiously anticipated.

In summary, if you enjoy dramas that move fast, give you lots of action and keep you talking the next day about what happened, this is the show for you. Two men with alter egos and fine supporting characters make for a great new addition to NBC's prime-time line-up.

The next episode of My Own Worst Enemy is Monday, October 19 at 10 PM EST.

The copyright of the article NBC's My Own Worst Enemy: Pilot Episode in Prime Time TV is owned by Kristin Colangelo. Permission to republish NBC's My Own Worst Enemy: Pilot Episode in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

My Own Worst Enemy