The BEST episodes of The Pretender
Every episode of The Pretender ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Pretender!
The Pretender is an American television series that aired on NBC from 1996 to 2000. The series starred Michael T. Weiss as Jarod, a genius and former child prodigy with the ability to become anyone he wants to be, i.e., to flawlessly impersonate anyone in virtually any line of work. Patrick Bauchau and Andrea Parker co-starred as Sydney, Jarod's childhood teacher and mentor, and Miss Parker, a childhood friend. They are both operatives for a mysterious organization called "The Centre", which took Jarod from his parents as a child and developed his special talents with the intention of making him one of their agents, while also using his brilliant intellect for their own evil purposes. After escaping from their custody, Jarod begins traveling the country, searching for clues to his true identity while posing as a doctor, police officer, attorney, or some other character who helps those in trouble. The Centre's directors are determined to return Jarod to The Centre to further their mysterious plan. A team of operatives, led by Miss Parker, attempts to find and capture The Pretender. Jarod's extreme intelligence combined with his childlike innocence create a memorable and endearing character that was popular with viewers.
#1 - Bazooka Jarod
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/8/1997
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA - Jarod joins the Navy to investigate the drowning of a ship's engineer, but he must outwit a security officer who doubts his credentials. Meanwhile, the latest lead on Jarod pushes Miss Parker to follow clues regarding the children her mother saved.
#2 - Toy Surprise
Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/7/1998
TURNERS RIDGE, IDAHO - Jarod helps a troubled teenager by becoming an outdoor counselor. But back at The Centre, Miss Parker is grieving the anniversary of her mother's death. The day just gets worst when she's tipped off by Jarod that there's going to be an assassination attempt on her father. With only 2 hours to stop it and trapped in the Sub-levels, Miss Parker has to get to the tower before her father arrives by helicopter.
#3 - Ranger Jarod
Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/15/1997
TOLUCA NATIONAL FOREST, OREGON - Jarod falls in love with his hiking partner while on a seach-and-rescue for a boy who disappeared in the mountains. Jarod also befriends a man named Big Bob who has many stooge-ish qualitites. Back at The Centre, Miss Parker reminisces about how she loved Jarod when they were children.
#4 - Prison Story
Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 2/1/1997
MARYLAND OAKFIELD PENITENTIARY - Jarod pretends to be a prison guard who is trying to prove a man on death row didn't commit the crime he's sentenced to death for. Meanwhile, Miss Parker, Sydney, and Broots all get a clue that makes them believe they're now one step ahead of Jarod.
#5 - Cold Dick
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 2/12/2000
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - After being contacted by Argyle, Jarod becomes a Las Vegas private investigator to save a showgirl in trouble with with the mob. Meanwhile, Broots and Miss Parker try to outwit Jarod by posing as a newlywed couple and checking into the honeymoon suite. But come sunrise, they find they've gotten more involved with each other then they ever have chasing Jarod...
#6 - Under the Reds
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/22/1997
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - Jarod checks into a fellow paramedic whom he believes is responsible for a graduate student's coma. But he first has to outsmart a pushy, investigative tax official who won't stop digging up everything on Jarod. After their follow-up to a lead on Jarod, Sydney disappears from the Centre. He holes himself up with his twin brother Jacob using a technique Jarod discovered in an attempt to bring him out of his coma. Miss Parker is put in charge of finding Syd and when she does, to make matters worst, Mr. Raines commands her to do eliminate Jacob.
#7 - The Dragon House (2)
Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/17/1997
UPSTATE NEW YORK - Jarod discovers more about his family through Harriet, and decides that he must return to The Centre to free his brother Kyle. Meanwhile, Miss Parker convinces Broots and Sydney in helping her find the answers to her mother's death and believes Kyle may be the key. Finally, Jarod gets the opportunity to reunite with his family, including his sister. But The Centre becomes aware of the rendezvous and intends to stop it.
#8 - A Virus Among Us
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/16/1996
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - Miss Parker finds that she just missed Jarod posing as a High School biology teacher, and is then subjected to the flu virus. Jarod now poses as a virologist at an infectious disease laboratory trying to figure out the story behind the disappearance of another virologist. He also befriends Ben, a musician who is trying to prefect his musical talent on various instruments, althought his neighbors don't care for it.
#9 - The Paper Clock
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/2/1996
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - Aiming to help a man wrongly sentenced for murder, Jarod becomes a lawyer and goes after the arrogant attorney protecting the real killer. Meanwhile, Sydney is trying to reach an agreement with The Centre to make a trade with Jarod: A piece of Jarod's past for some of the simulations.
#10 - Potato Head Blues
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/18/1997
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - Jarod poses as a member of the bomb squad, searching for a serial bomber who left a woman blind from one of his attacks. Meanwhile, the Centre puts Mr. Reines in charge of finding the person who's leaking information to Jarod. By utilizing Angelo, he puts Miss Parker, Sydney, and Broots to the test.
#11 - The Dragon House (1)
Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/17/1997
FORT REXFORD, NEW YORK - Jarod becomes aware that Kyle, another pretender from The Centre, is on the run from the law. Eager to find him, he becomes an F.B.I. agent to aid the investigation. But he discovers that Kyle may have something to do with his mother. Meanwhile, Miss Parker and Sydney recruit Angelo to go through all of Jarod's red notebooks. They figure he can become Jarod and thus aiding in his capture.
#12 - The Better Part of Valor
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/11/1997
PITTSBURGH, PA - Jarod works as a firefighter while investigating the murder of another smoke-eater; Miss Parker tries to seduce a married man.
#13 - Not Even a Mouse
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/14/1996
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - Jarod investigates the mystery behind a hit-and-run death of a homeless man known as 'Christmas George' while simultaneously trying to identify a Jane Doe before Christmas. Meanwhile, Sydney anxiously awaits word from Jarod and Miss Parker gets her hopes up spending Christmas with her father.
#14 - To Protect and Serve
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/9/1996
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA - Jarod, suspecting corruption in a police department, becomes an officer himself to solve the death of a boy who had recently been reunited with his father. He also befriends an aging lady who's young at heart, but is afraid of losing her wildside due to her fading eyesight. Meanwhile, Miss Parker is spending time in jail for violating criminal code 369.7 - Unlawful Carrying and Possession of Concealed Weapon, thanks to a tip from Jarod. With her in jail, Jarod uses that window of opportunity to hire a private investigator to aid in finding information about his mother.
#15 - Pool
Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/20/1999
Jarod challenges a pool hustler to get evidence linking the man to the murder of a young woman's father; Miss Parker tries to prevent Brigitte's marriage.
#16 - Keys
Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/5/1997
MIAMI, FLORIDA - During a hurricane, Jarod is getting revenge for the deaths of a refugee's parents. He figures no one will pursue him since, after all, he's in the middle of a hurricane. But he's caught off guard when Miss Parker suddenly shows up. Even further caught off guard when his revenge backfires. Meanwhile, Miss Parker recalls the Thanksgiving before her mother's death. But she's blocked out certain details and Jarod makes her confront them.
#17 - Past Sim
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/13/1997
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - While watching the news, Jarod finds that one of his old simulations he preformed has just been utilized in kidnapping a witness in a murder trial against the Yakuza clan. Outraged, Jarod sets out to reverse the outcome of the situation he's created. Meanwhile, Miss Parker suspects the sale of the simulation came from Mr. Lyle, and begins to apply pressure in hopes of finding any other connections to Jarod.
#18 - Spin Doctor (1)
Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 2/5/2000
Jarod tries to track down the killer of a man who helped him escape from The Centre. Meanwhile, Miss Parker tries to help Sydney deal with his past. (The crossover episode, Clean Sweep, aired on The Profiler, season 4, episode 10.)
#19 - Pilot
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/19/1996
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - Miss Parker and Sydney find they had just missed Jarod helping a tanker ship in Alaska. Jarod is now posing as a doctor to uncover the truth behind an operation that resulted in a boy becoming paraplegic. Jarod also befriends a sicilian woman who has trouble with (ahem) bowel movements.
#20 - Curious Jarod
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/26/1996
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - After spending some time studying mathematics and science, Jarod becomes head of security at a the Marquee Casino in Las Vegas. While there, he attempts to solve the mystery behind the death of a showgirl. Jarod also befriends a down-on-his-luck Elvis impersonator. Meanwhile, Sydney and Miss Parker resort to finding Jarod through the mob.
#21 - Every Picture Tells a Story
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/28/1996
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - Miss Parker and Sydney once again miss Jarod at the Y.M.C.A., who is now posing as a member of the Coast Guard trying to figure out the truth behind the death of a man who died at sea waiting for rescue. Jarod also befriends a hermit who lives out at sea and refuses to come back to land.
#22 - Jarod's Honor
Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/3/1997
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - After completing a pretend, Jarod receives an email offering answers to his past. While investigating the lead, Jarod unexpectedly stumbles upon a dying hitman. When the hitman's last job comes calling, Jarod takes it. Meanwhile, Sydney and Miss Parker, following a lead from Jarod, attend a Twins Convention while Broots covers for them.
#23 - Mirage
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/4/1997
HUDSPETH COUNTY, TEXAS - Jarod pretends to be a skydiving instructor looking into the death of a survivalist who died on his annual trip into the desert. Jarod is also visited by Ernie Two Feathers, a man who may (or may not) be a spirit guide. Meanwhile, Miss Parker is given a birthday present from Jarod that leads her to information about her mother.
#24 - Scott Free
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/8/1997
MIDDLETOWN, DELAWARE - Jarod intercepts the role of a real safecracker to help a man who's being forced to participate in one more heist. Jarod also starts to feel the need of a father figure and turns to Sydney. Meanwhile, Brigitte tries to take control over Miss Parker's role in the capture of Jarod.
#25 - Flyer
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/19/1996
ARIZONA - Sydney and Miss Parker survey a wind farm in Baja, CA where Jarod was last seen testing aerodynamics. Jarod is now flying jets for Skyvionics, which is testing a defense contractor's new computer system, while trying to figure out why a test pilot died during one of the tests. Jarod also befriends Mr. Hollis, a conspirator who was involved in the Manhattan Project.