''Deception'' is an American
crime procedural drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...
television series created for
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
by Chris Fedak. The series was produced by
Berlanti Productions
Berlanti Productions is an American film and television production company founded by screenwriter, producer and filmmaker Greg Berlanti and producer Mickey Liddell.
History
The company was founded in 2000 as Berlanti-Liddell Productions by ...
and VHPT Company in association with
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...
, with Fedak serving as
showrunner
A showrunner (or colloquially a helmer) is the top-level executive producer of a television series production who has creative and management authority through combining the responsibilities of employer and, in comedy or dramas, typically also th ...
. The series premiered on March 11, 2018.
The series starred
Jack Cutmore-Scott
Jack Cutmore-Scott (born 16 April 1987) is an English actor. He is known for his roles in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC drama series ''Deception (2018 TV series), Deception''.
Early life
Born in London to two accountants, he spent a ga ...
as Cameron Black, a superstar magician who joins the
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...
as a consulting
illusionist
Magic, which encompasses the subgenres of illusion, stage magic, and close up magic, among others, is a performing art in which audiences are entertained by tricks, effects, or illusions of seemingly impossible feats, using natural means. It ...
to help them solve crimes after his career is ruined by a scandal.
Ilfenesh Hadera
Ilfenesh Hadera (born December 1, 1985) is an American actress.
Early life
Hadera was born on December 1, 1985 in Harlem to Kim Nichols and Asfaha Hadera. She identifies as half Ethiopian and half white. Her father is a Tigrayan refugee and foun ...
,
Lenora Crichlow
Lenora Isabella Crichlow (born 4 January 1985) is a British actress. She became known for her starring roles as Maria "Sugar" Sweet in the Channel 4 comedy-drama series '' Sugar Rush'', Annie Sawyer in the BBC Three supernatural drama series '' ...
,
Justin Chon
Justin Jitae Chon (born May 29, 1981) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has directed three films, ''Gook'' (2017), '' Ms. Purple'' (2019), & ''Blue Bayou'' (2021). He is also known for portraying Eric Yorkie in '' The Twilight Saga'' film ...
,
Laila Robins
Laila Robins is an American stage, film and television actress. She has appeared in films including ''Planes, Trains and Automobiles'' (1987), ''An Innocent Man'' (1989), ''Live Nude Girls'' (1995), ''True Crime'' (1999), ''She's Lost Control'' ( ...
,
Amaury Nolasco
Amaury Nolasco Garrido (born December 24, 1970) is a Puerto Rican actor and producer, best known for the role of Fernando Sucre on the Fox television series '' Prison Break'', and for his role in ''Transformers''.
Early life
Nolasco was born ...
, and
Vinnie Jones
Vincent Peter Jones (born 5 January 1965) is a British actor, presenter, and former professional footballer.
Jones played professionally as a defensive midfielder from 1984 to 1999, notably for Wimbledon, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Chelse ...
also star in the show. In September 2016, the series received a
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
production commitment at ABC, and received a pilot order in January 2017. The cast was filled out in early 2017, and filming on the pilot began in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
in March 2017. The series was officially ordered by ABC in May 2017.
On May 11, 2018, ABC cancelled the show after one season.
Premise
After his career as a magician is ruined by a scandal, Las Vegas
illusionist
Magic, which encompasses the subgenres of illusion, stage magic, and close up magic, among others, is a performing art in which audiences are entertained by tricks, effects, or illusions of seemingly impossible feats, using natural means. It ...
Cameron Black becomes the world's first "consulting illusionist" as he works with the
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...
to solve odd crimes.
Cast and characters
Main
*
Jack Cutmore-Scott
Jack Cutmore-Scott (born 16 April 1987) is an English actor. He is known for his roles in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC drama series ''Deception (2018 TV series), Deception''.
Early life
Born in London to two accountants, he spent a ga ...
as Cameron Black, a Las Vegas illusionist who works with the FBI to solve crimes.
Cutmore-Scott also portrays Cameron's twin brother, Jonathan Black.
** Danny Corbo as young Cameron Black
** Sonny Corbo as young Jonathan Black
*
Ilfenesh Hadera
Ilfenesh Hadera (born December 1, 1985) is an American actress.
Early life
Hadera was born on December 1, 1985 in Harlem to Kim Nichols and Asfaha Hadera. She identifies as half Ethiopian and half white. Her father is a Tigrayan refugee and foun ...
as Kay Daniels, a take-charge, hard-working FBI
special agent who teams up with Black
*
Lenora Crichlow
Lenora Isabella Crichlow (born 4 January 1985) is a British actress. She became known for her starring roles as Maria "Sugar" Sweet in the Channel 4 comedy-drama series '' Sugar Rush'', Annie Sawyer in the BBC Three supernatural drama series '' ...
as Dina Clark, Black's producer/makeup artist
*
Justin Chon
Justin Jitae Chon (born May 29, 1981) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has directed three films, ''Gook'' (2017), '' Ms. Purple'' (2019), & ''Blue Bayou'' (2021). He is also known for portraying Eric Yorkie in '' The Twilight Saga'' film ...
as Jordan Kwon, a street magician who works on Black's team
*
Laila Robins
Laila Robins is an American stage, film and television actress. She has appeared in films including ''Planes, Trains and Automobiles'' (1987), ''An Innocent Man'' (1989), ''Live Nude Girls'' (1995), ''True Crime'' (1999), ''She's Lost Control'' ( ...
as Deakins, an FBI special agent and Daniels and Alvarez's unit's commander
*
Amaury Nolasco
Amaury Nolasco Garrido (born December 24, 1970) is a Puerto Rican actor and producer, best known for the role of Fernando Sucre on the Fox television series '' Prison Break'', and for his role in ''Transformers''.
Early life
Nolasco was born ...
as Mike Alvarez, a classic FBI agent who is secretly a huge fan of magic, and of Cameron Black in particular
*
Vinnie Jones
Vincent Peter Jones (born 5 January 1965) is a British actor, presenter, and former professional footballer.
Jones played professionally as a defensive midfielder from 1984 to 1999, notably for Wimbledon, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Chelse ...
as Gunter Gastafsen, hailed as the "world's greatest illusion builder"
Recurring
*
Stephanie Corneliussen
Stephanie Corneliussen (; born April 28, 1987) is a Danish actress and model, best known for her role as Joanna Wellick in ''Mr. Robot''.
Early life
Corneliussen was born in Copenhagen. She attended Johannesskolen in Frederiksberg and studied ba ...
as "the mystery woman", a mysterious woman from Jonathan's past known as "
The Sorceress with Magic Eyes"
** Alexandra Lenarchyk as young girl
*
Naren Weiss
Naren Weiss (born March 15, 1991) is an actor, playwright, and former model. He played Osama bin Laden in Kamal Haasan's film on terrorism ''Vishwaroopam'', Dekker in the ABC series ''Deception'', and is known for his work in theatre in India ...
as Dekker, the "weapons visionary" for the mysterious woman
*
Evan Parke
Evan Dexter O'Neal Parke (born January 2, 1968) is a Jamaican-born American actor perhaps best known for his role as Hayes in ''King Kong''. Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, he was raised in Brooklyn, New York, and then on Long Island. He atte ...
as Winslow, an inmate who coerces Jonathan to do odd jobs for him
*
Billy Zane
William George Zane Jr. (born February 24, 1966) is an American actor. His breakthrough role was in the 1989 Australian film ''Dead Calm'', a performance that earned him a nomination for the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promi ...
as "Switch", an artist with ties to the mysterious woman
*
Tanc Sade
Tanc Sade (born 28 July 1980) is an Australian actor, writer and director. Sade worked in several theater productions in Australia before landing a recurring role on ''Gilmore Girls'' in 2005.
Early life
Sade was born in Sydney, New South Wal ...
as Lance Bauer
Guest
*
Brett Dalton
Brett Patrick Dalton (born January 7, 1983) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Grant Ward and Hive in ABC's series ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'', as well as Michael Munroe in the 2015 video game ''Until Dawn''.
Early life
Dalton gr ...
as Isaac Walker, a
CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...
agent who has a romantic past with Kay
*
Jack Davenport
Jack Arthur Davenport (born 1 March 1973) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in the television series ''This Life'' and ''Coupling'', and as James Norrington in the '' Pirates of the Caribbean'' series. He has also appeared ...
as Sebastian Black
*
Mario Van Peebles
Mario Van Peebles (born January 15, 1957) is an American film director and actor best known for directing and starring in ''New Jack City'' in 1991 and '' USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage'' in 2016. He is the son of actor and filmmaker Melvin Va ...
as Bruce Conners
Episodes
Production
![Chris Fedak by Gage Skidmore](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Chris_Fedak_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg)
''Deception'' was given a
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
production commitment by ABC on September 14, 2016, with the project being developed by Chris Fedak and magician
David Kwong
David Kwong (born 1980) is a magician, puzzle creator, writer, and producer.
Kwong is known for creating illusions and puzzles for film and television and for functioning as a producer and consultant in the field. He produced ''Deception'', ...
. The pilot was ordered on January 19, 2017, followed by a series order a few months later on May 12.
On February 10, 2017,
Jack Cutmore-Scott
Jack Cutmore-Scott (born 16 April 1987) is an English actor. He is known for his roles in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC drama series ''Deception (2018 TV series), Deception''.
Early life
Born in London to two accountants, he spent a ga ...
was cast in the lead role as Cameron Black,
followed a few days later by the casting of
Ilfenesh Hadera
Ilfenesh Hadera (born December 1, 1985) is an American actress.
Early life
Hadera was born on December 1, 1985 in Harlem to Kim Nichols and Asfaha Hadera. She identifies as half Ethiopian and half white. Her father is a Tigrayan refugee and foun ...
as Kay Daniels,
Lenora Crichlow
Lenora Isabella Crichlow (born 4 January 1985) is a British actress. She became known for her starring roles as Maria "Sugar" Sweet in the Channel 4 comedy-drama series '' Sugar Rush'', Annie Sawyer in the BBC Three supernatural drama series '' ...
as Dina Clark, and
Amaury Nolasco
Amaury Nolasco Garrido (born December 24, 1970) is a Puerto Rican actor and producer, best known for the role of Fernando Sucre on the Fox television series '' Prison Break'', and for his role in ''Transformers''.
Early life
Nolasco was born ...
as Mike Alvarez.
The following month,
Justin Chon
Justin Jitae Chon (born May 29, 1981) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has directed three films, ''Gook'' (2017), '' Ms. Purple'' (2019), & ''Blue Bayou'' (2021). He is also known for portraying Eric Yorkie in '' The Twilight Saga'' film ...
joined the cast as Jordan Kwon,
while
Vinnie Jones
Vincent Peter Jones (born 5 January 1965) is a British actor, presenter, and former professional footballer.
Jones played professionally as a defensive midfielder from 1984 to 1999, notably for Wimbledon, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Chelse ...
was cast as Gunter Gastafsen.
In May 2017, it was revealed that
Laila Robins
Laila Robins is an American stage, film and television actress. She has appeared in films including ''Planes, Trains and Automobiles'' (1987), ''An Innocent Man'' (1989), ''Live Nude Girls'' (1995), ''True Crime'' (1999), ''She's Lost Control'' ( ...
had been cast as special agent Deakins.
Production on the pilot began in March 2017,
with filming taking place in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
.
Filming for the rest of the season began in September 2017,
and ended in February 2018.
The series is composed by
Blake Neely
Blake Neely (born April 28, 1969) is an Emmy Award-winning American composer, conductor, and orchestrator. He has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on ''Everwood'', '' The Pacific'', and ''Pan Am'', and won the Emmy (20 ...
and Nathaniel Blume.
Release
''Deception'' began airing on March 11, 2018, on ABC in the United States,
and on
CTV in Canada.
The pilot was screened on July 19, 2017, at
San Diego Comic-Con International
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
. On October 8, 2017, members of the cast and the executive producers attended
New York Comic Con
The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to Western comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, cosplay, toys, movies, and television. It was first held in 2006.
History
The New York Comic Con is a f ...
to promote the series and screen the pilot.
Reception
Ratings
International success
In France, under the name "Cameron Black: l'illusionniste", it became a ratings hit, becoming the number one show in its timeslot.
In Germany, after airing only 7 episodes, Deception had already broken viewing records.
Critical response
The
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
website
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
reported a 60% approval rating with an average rating of 6.01/10 based on 9 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "Deception isn't particularly original or thoughtful, but there's still some lighthearted fun to be found hidden up its sleeve." Audience reaction on the same website has a 93% approval rating.
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 51 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
According to ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', ''Deception'' scores 3 out of 5, and that it is one of the latest shows that are trying to be ''
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
''.
Awards and online polls
In
E!'s TVScoopAwards, Deception dominated categories, winning 3 awards including Worst Shocker, Breakout Actor (
Jack Cutmore-Scott
Jack Cutmore-Scott (born 16 April 1987) is an English actor. He is known for his roles in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC drama series ''Deception (2018 TV series), Deception''.
Early life
Born in London to two accountants, he spent a ga ...
), and Best new 2017/18 Show.
References
External links
*
* {{IMDb title, id=6461812, title=Deception
2018 American television series debuts
2018 American television series endings
2010s American crime drama television series
2010s American police procedural television series
2010s American mystery television series
American Broadcasting Company original programming
English-language television shows
Fictional stage magicians
Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios
Television shows set in New York City