The Unit

The Unit: Preview of "The Spear of Destiny"

editor@buddytv.com — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Last week on The Unit, Jonas and the team were deployed to a casino in Macau, tasked to regain the services of a vital CIA asset who's gone over to the other side. Other than this, though, there was more at stake in this mission. Since if they were successful, the charges against Bridget would be dropped. Meanwhile, they also had to break into the casino's safe deposit vault in order to ruin the mark's reputation with his Chinese patrons. Of course, things didn't go according to plan, as Bob was kidnapped mid-caper and tortured in a terrifying way that made him want to give up the mission and the team.

Now after catching terrorist money launderer Isaac Reed, Tom Ryan found himself unable to break Reed and get him to admit that he had something to do with the terrorist attacks.

The Unit: No Repeat Tonight--At Least There's A New Episode Next Week

editor@buddytv.com — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:30:00 GMT

Last week, like most other channels on the remote, CBS went to “holiday special” mood. Sweep out some of the shows, they figured, and plug in the stuff that you'll only see once in a while—last week, for instance, they aired a television movie on someone suffering from Tourette's syndrome and proving himself to the world. Which means, it's an interruption of your regular programming. So, you most probably had to contend with a repeat of The Unit a day earlier than expected.

Yeah, it can work well sometimes. Of course, some people might not be able to catch the episode when it originally aired; to add to the mess they probably were sleepy enough to forget to set the DVR to record the entire thing, football overruns and all, and end up with no way of catching up. Or, you might feel like watching it again—either you want a second look (I'm guilty of that), or you'll probably go, “ahh, I don't want football and I don't want cop chases, so I'll just watch this then.” It still draws some eyeballs, and networks love eyeballs. It does serve its purpose, after all.

The Unit: Where Have The Black Families on TV Gone?

editor@buddytv.com — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT

While looking for the latest updates on CBS' military drama The Unit, a write-up about something a little different caught my eye. Well, it relates to the show because of Dennis Haysbert, who obviously plays an African-American character, Jonas Blane. His wife, Molly, is played by another African-American actress, Regina Taylor. The article pointed out that it's the closest we have to a black family on prime time television nowadays, and apart from that, most minorities are still given supporting or recurring roles on these shows.

So, where exactly have the black families gone? It's been a while since we've seen these kind of folks on television—the closest that come to mind are the stars of Everybody Hates Chris and, further back, The Bernie Mac Show—but apart from that, they aren't really represented prominently on screen. Although The Unit doesn't have to trot out the fact that their primary protagonist is black, it certainly works in their favor—Haysbert is a good actor, does his role wonderfully, and (thanks to his role on 24) provides a subtle sense of elegance and sophistication in an otherwise gritty, bloody setting.

The Unit: Underappreciated?

editor@buddytv.com — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:30:00 GMT

Four seasons later, The Unit is still The Unit. It is not a big hit (although it averaged at #14 on the ratings during its first season), but it isn’t an embarrassing failure either. It’s just there, cruising along, although the change of time slot for the current season put some viewers in a little panic frenzy about its future. I t’s doing what it does best, and the expectations aren’t really pitted against them.

But the show’s got a dedicated following, and the move to its current Sunday night time slot hasn’t made much of a dent on the ratings. It’s in a pretty comfy position—nobody really worries about it, and nobody bothers about it. (But don’t take me wrong: the fans care, of course.) The question is pretty simple: is The Unit underappreciated?

The Unit: When Football Gets in the Way...

editor@buddytv.com — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 08:30:00 GMT

This is just a personal observation, but I can't really help but share. CBS' Sunday night drama, The Unit, is performing reasonably well on its time slot. In theory it's supposed to air at 10pm, but thanks to coverage of NFL games, things have moved around quite often. Two weeks ago, the games ended 20 minutes after it was supposed to, and ratings results for the show aren't exactly definitive—ratings tables show a merged entry for The Unit and Cold Case, which preceded it.

Last week, things were a little more different. Football ran for an extra thirty minutes, and CBS' schedule got incredibly bumped off. 60 Minutes began at 7:30pm rather than 7pm, and viewers of The Amazing Race had to watch a little bit of current affairs before seeing teams get lost in some foreign country. But ratings were good for the network, with them getting a really big lead over the other networks. Point that towards the Barack Obama interview and the football that preceded it.

'The Unit' Newcomer Talks about Her Role

editor@buddytv.com — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Blonde 5-foot-11 actress Nicole Steinwedell, who plays Bridget Sullivan on The Unit, revealed that she landed the role, which went from a guest spot to recurring to eventually a regular one on the CBS show, thanks to her gig as a math tutor. She moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting professionally in 2002 after obtaining a double major in history and theater from Northwestern University. Then after three years of tutoring a teenager who lived her mom, she said she was “floored” when she found out that her father was playwright, filmmaker – and The Unit creator – David Mamet.

"Here I'd been dispensing all that wisdom about acting and the business, while her dad is a staple in the performing arts, a living legend!"

The Unit: Regina Taylor Talks to Ann Cusack

editor@buddytv.com — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Last week on The Unit, fans watched as the team created false evidence of a terrorist attack in Boston to mislead an extremist into revealing his accomplices who attempting to blow up a tunnel in the city during rush hour. Mack also confessed to Tiffy that he had affairs in the hopes of getting her to confess to him as well.

Tonight, the action and drama ensues as the first part of “Into Hell” airs at 10pm on CBS. Fans will get to see Jonas' daughter Betsy as she deals with her kidnapping in Iraq while he and the team go in to rescue her. Back at home, Mack plots his revenge against Ryan for having an affair with Tiffy.

The Unit: More Spoilers for Upcoming Episodes

editor@buddytv.com — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Last week on The Unit's fifth episode, we saw the team as they took on a complex transaction that required extensive planning. In fact, the team needed to give up something as valuable to get what they wanted. Last week, we saw the unit as they were assigned to retrieve a nuclear scientist. The task wasn't as east as it sounded as the scientist initially refused to cooperate. When he finally succumbed to their demands, they came to an agreement in which the team had to get vital information from him concerning a terrorist attack.

The Unit: Episode Preview of "Dancing Lessons"

editor@buddytv.com — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 08:00:40 GMT

More action and drama will be featured on The Unit as it returns tonight for the episode “Dancing Lessons.” The fifth installment of the show's fourth season continues the story of team's top-secret pursuits tonight, on CBS. They will have to learn that sealing a deal with someone requires extensive planning, as well as striking the right balance to perfectly close an agreement. In order to get what they want, the team has to give up something as valuable.

On “Dancing Lessons” tonight, the unit is assigned to retrieve a nuclear scientist. However, it's not as easy as it seems since he initially refuses to go with them. He makes a proposition, which is that he'll only agree if they do something for him as well. The team needs vital information from him, concerning a terrorist attack in a major U.S. city. The scientist though, turns them down until they accomplish what he asks of them.

The Unit: Nicole Steinwedell Toughs It Up and Proves She's Right for the Role

editor@buddytv.com — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:30:00 GMT

Recently, we let you in on the scoop with Nicole Steinwedell, the newest recruit of CBS' The Unit. In fact, based on the comments of our last article, it seems that the viewers like her presence in the show. Steinwedell is a fairly new actress who first appeared on television on the drama Dawson's Creek. She recalls her stint on the show in a recent conversation with TV Guide, saying, “That was my first job in Hollywood and I had watched Dawson's Creek in high school, so it was sort of surreal. Joshua [Jackson] was incredibly sweet to me, and very helpful one educating me on how to work with things. I was so new, it was ridiculous — I was such a dork!”

The Unit: Can Bridget Sullivan Become One of the Boys?

editor@buddytv.com — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:30:00 GMT

We recently reported that a new recruit on The Unit will come in the form of a blonde woman named Bridget Sullivan, who will be played by Nicole Steinwedell. TV Guide was the first to grab an interview with the former Dawson’s Creek actress, who is honored to be The Unit’s first female crew member.

"Women aren’t supposed to be in the Unit, or people underestimate their strength or fortitude," Steinwedell told TV Guide in a recent interview. "[Bridget] illustrates the 'constantly surprising' in the first episode by being resourcefulness in the line of duty and under pressure. She keeps on surprising them with her education and her ability to help out in certain situations."

'The Unit' Star Talks About the Upcoming Season

editor@buddytv.com — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 06:30:00 GMT

Recently, we reported on the events to come in the anticipated new season of The Unit, which returns to television screens tonight at 10pm. On the show’s third season, we saw Jonas in the middle of an investigation involving the link between a Russian uranium dealer and his old friend at MI5. The show’s third season spanned 11 episodes due to the writers’ strike, but this time, they’re ready to come back with new episodes that would pick up where we left off last season.

The Unit star Scott Foley recently talked to IGN, sharing his thoughts about the new season and how he has adapted to the show, given his drama series roots.

'The Unit' Set To Return with Season 4 on September 28

editor@buddytv.com — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 06:30:00 GMT

Fans of CBS' The Unit are gearing up for September 28, when the series comes back for its fourth season. The show, which stars 54-year-old Dennis Haysbert as Sergeant Major Jonas Blane, follows a group of counter-terrorists as they risk their lives going into missions that take them undercover in various parts of the world.

The operative group is led by Blane, and is composed of Colonel Tom Ryan (Robert Patrick), Mack Gerhardt (Max Martini), Charles Grey (Michael Irby), Hector Williams (Demore Barnes) and Bob Brown. Blane's wife, Molly (Regina Taylor) is a base matriarch acting as a counselor for other wives as they deal with the fear for their husbands' security.

BuddyTV Fall 2008 Preview: The Unit

editor@buddytv.com — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:15 GMT

For exclusive on-set videos and hot features on the new TV season, check out BuddyTV's Fall 2008 Preview.

Network: CBS

Premiere: Sunday, September 28, 10pm

Cast: Abby Brammell, Audrey Marie Anderson, Dennis Haysbert, Max Martini, Michael Irby, Regina Taylor, Robert Patrick, Scott Foley

Previously on The Unit: Jonas investigated the link between a Russian uranium dealer and his old friend at MI5. Bob was promoted to Sergeant First Class, and Charles Name

'The Unit' Renewed

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 20 May 2008 06:30:00 GMT

Fans of the CBS military drama, The Unit, got wind of some extremely gratifying news by the middle of last week. The series was among a host of shows CBS deemed fit for renewal. The official word came just as some of the stars of the series were returning from a weekend of spreading goodwill and cheer to United States troops stationed in Kuwait and Iraq.

The Unit got the nod for another run along with comedy favorites How I Met Your Mother and The New Adventures of Old Christine.

Stars of 'The Unit' Visit Troops in Iraq and Kuwait

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 13 May 2008 06:30:00 GMT

While CBS has announced its pickup and confirmation of a number of shows, many of which are new series, we continue to await the final word on the fate of The Unit. There are reports that the network is considering bringing it back on a Friday 9pm time slot but the definitive say is yet to come down shortly.

As the show wallows in limbo for now, several cast and crew have found good use of their time with a series of visits to United States forces stationed in Iraq and Kuwait.

The Unit: New Episodes May Air in the Fall

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:00:00 GMT

The Unit is certainly not returning with new episodes this spring but there is a possibility that Jonas Blane and the rest of the team will return next season. While the CBS military drama's fate will not be decided for a few more weeks, executive producer Shawn Ryan remains positive about the show's chances for renewal.

The Unit has enjoyed three seasons of moderately successful ratings, averaging about 10 million viewers, but the program has become one of the CBS shows that seems to be on the bubble. Production of the show has been halted during the WGA strike with only 11 episodes produced and aired for the latest season. At present, it is unknown if any more episodes are to be produced since no official confirmation regarding the fourth season has been announced. As expensive as it is to produce, it needs to be doing consistently better.

Fate of 'The Unit' Remains in Limbo

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 05:00:00 GMT

While CBS has already brought some of its beloved series back into production, The Unit is still among the shows whose fate remains to be seen. Production of the show has been halted during the WGA strike with only 11 episodes produced and aired for the third season. At present, it is unknown if any more episodes are to be produced since no official confirmation regarding the fourth season has been announced.

Created by David Mamet, The Unit is an action-drama series that centers on a top-secret military unit patterned after the real life Delta Force. The show features both the domestic lives of the team members and their perilous missions abroad that primarily aim to counter terrorism. The show stars Dennis Haysbert, Regina Taylor, Scott Foley, Audrey Marie Anderson, Abby Brammell, Max Martini, Robert Patrick, and Michael Irby, just to name a few.

'The Unit' Actor Stars in a String of New Films

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Television actor Robert Patrick has been a very busy bee. Not only did he spend the previous year working on the third season of CBS' The Unit, he also split his time between portraying roles on various film productions.

Coming out in August is the animated movie Fly Me to the Moon, in which Robert Patrick voices the character Louie. The film revolves around three tween houseflies who become stow aways on the Apollo 11. Other cast members include Nicollette Sheridan (Desperate Housewives), Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., Christopher Lloyd, Tim Curry, Ed Begley, Jr, and Kelly Ripa (All My Children).

'Unit' Star Golfs for Charity

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:00:00 GMT

The Unit star Dennis Haysbert is gearing up to once again participate in the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament (MJCI), where he will compete against other personalities from the both the entertainment and sports industries.

The five-day event will kick off on Wednesday, January 16, at the Atlantis, Paradise Island in the Bahamas, with guest arrivals and registration, and practice rounds taking place during the day. At night, there will be a welcome reception hosted by Jordan Brand.

Abby Brammell Talks About Her Character on 'The Unit'

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 11:00:00 GMT

Aside from the top-secret military group that embarks on dangerous missions abroad, the appeal of The Unit also comes from wives of the team members and how they deal with their lives as part of the military.

Among the female cast members of The Unit, Abby Brammell has distinctly established herself as Tiffy Gerhardt, the wife of MacDonald Gerhardt (Max Martini) who is hiding her own dark secrets. Though she has played various roles on Six Feet Under, The Shield, Birds of Prey, and CSI, just to name a few, Brammell says that there's something special about playing Tiffy that has attracted her more with the role.

The Unit: Demore Barnes Talks About His Character's Death

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

It's been a little over a month since Hector Williams was killed by a sniper as the team made its escape from Hezbollah during the rescue mission in Beirut in the episode “Five Brothers,” yet many fans are still saddened by this tragic incident that will fatefully change The Unit forever.

While many have expressed their frustrations on writers of The Unit for taking out one of the key players of the group, there are those who consider Williams' death a clever twist that confirms the authenticity of the show's depiction of the real military world. After learning about fans' sentiments, Demore Barnes shares his own views about the death of his character and the commotion it caused on the internet.

The Unit: Preview of Episode 3.11 "Side Angle Slide"

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:00:00 GMT

Previously on The Unit, Bob got caught in a moral dilemma, while Tiffy (Abby Brammell) and Annie discovered a shocking story about Molly's (Regina Taylor) father. On December 18, the military drama returns to give its fans a fresh episode entitled “Side Angle Slide,” where a person's loyalty is tested as another conspiracy arises.

Read on to find out what's in store for the upcoming episode of The Unit.

The Unit: Preview of Tonight's Episode

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

In last week's episode of The Unit, Grey went undercover to penetrate a Hispanic street gang serving in the United States Army that has been stealing weapons from a California base, while Jonas and Bob dealt with the army's Criminal Investigative Department to impede a volatile explosive before it lands in the wrong hands. This week, the team will be in Southeastern Europe to tackle yet another perilous mission. The action unfolds in the episode “Gone Missing.”

Read on for a preview of tonight's episode of The Unit.

The Unit: Tonight's Episode Preview

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

After painfully dealing with Hector's (Demore Barnes) death, Jonas (Dennis Haysbert) and the rest of the top-secret squad go on board for yet another dangerous assignment in tonight's episode of The Unit entitled “Binary Explosion.”

Created by David Mamet, The Unit is a military series that follows a covert team of Special Forces operatives as they embark on classified missions around the world, putting their lives at stake while their wives maintain the home front protecting their husbands' secrets. The show features Dennis Haysbert (Jonas Blane), Regina Taylor (Molly Blane), Scott Foley (Bob Brown), Audrey Marie Anderson (Kim Brown), Max Martini (Mack Gerhardt), Abby Brammell (Tiffy Gerhardt), Robert Patrick (Tom Ryan), and Michael Irby (Charles Grey), just to name a few.

The Unit: The Aftermath of Hector's Death

editor@buddytv.com — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 08:00:00 GMT

After watching Sergeant First Class Hector “Hammerhead” Williams (Demore Barnes) die last week, fans are now eager to find out how this shocking tragedy will shape the future storylines of The Unit. Mourning viewers will hopefully gain some perspective of the show's intent and credibility in tonight's episode entitled “Play 16,” which depicts the impact of Hector's death on his colleagues, friends and family.

Read on for a preview of tonight's episode of The Unit.