''Ringer'' is an American
thriller crime drama
Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
that initially aired on
The CW
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
from September 13, 2011 to April 17, 2012. The series stars
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Prinze ( ; born April 14, 1977) is an American actress. After being spotted at the age of four in New York City, she made her screen acting debut in the television film ''An Invasion of Privacy'' (1983). A leading role on the te ...
, who plays twin sisters Bridget Kelly and Siobhan Martin. On May 13, 2011, it was reported that the project had been picked up to series by The CW.
[CW 2011-12 Primetime Schedule Announced – "Nikita" Moves to Fridays, "90210" to Tuesdays](_blank)
''TV By the Numbers'', May 19, 2011 On October 12, 2011, The CW ordered a full first season of 22 episodes.
''Ringer'' received mixed reviews, though most critics praised Gellar's performance. On May 11, 2012, The CW canceled the series after one season.
Series synopsis
Bridget Kelly (
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Prinze ( ; born April 14, 1977) is an American actress. After being spotted at the age of four in New York City, she made her screen acting debut in the television film ''An Invasion of Privacy'' (1983). A leading role on the te ...
) is a recovering drug addict and stripper in
Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
. She is under the protection of
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 ...
Agent Victor Machado (
Nestor Carbonell
Nestor may refer to:
* Nestor (mythology), King of Pylos in Greek mythology
Arts and entertainment
* "Nestor" (''Ulysses'' episode) an episode in James Joyce's novel ''Ulysses''
* Nestor Studios, first-ever motion picture studio in Hollywood, ...
), having agreed to testify against her employer, local crime boss Bodaway Macawi (
Zahn McClarnon
Zahn Tokiya-ku McClarnon (born October 24, 1966) is an American actor known for his performances in the Western crime drama series '' Longmire'', the second season of '' Fargo'', and the second season of ''Westworld''. In 2022, he played the le ...
), whom she witnessed committing murder. Fearing that Macawi, who has already murdered several witnesses linking him to previous crimes, will also kill her, Bridget flees to New York to meet her estranged twin sister Siobhan (also played by Gellar).
Soon after Bridget's arrival in New York, Siobhan, who had kept her sister's existence secret from her family, appears to commit suicide by jumping into the ocean. Bridget then assumes Siobhan's identity and tries to fit in among Siobhan's wealthy social circle, including Siobhan's husband Andrew (
Ioan Gruffudd
Ioan Gruffudd (; (born 6 October 1973) is a Welsh actor. He first came to public attention as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in ''Titanic'' (1997), and then for his portrayal of Horatio Hornblower in the '' Hornblower'' series of television films ...
), stepdaughter Juliet (
Zoey Deutch
Zoey Francis Chaya Thompson Deutch ( ; born November 10, 1994) is an American actress. She is daughter of director Howard Deutch and actress-director Lea Thompson. She gained recognition for her roles in the film '' Everybody Wants Some!!'', t ...
), best friend Gemma (
Tara Summers
Tara Summers (born 19 December 1979) is an English actress.
Summers was educated at Heathfield St Mary's School, in Berkshire. She later attended Brown University, where she graduated with a B.A. in history in 2001. Her grandmother was Fritzi ...
), and Gemma's husband Henry (
Kristoffer Polaha
Kristoffer Polaha is an American actor and author. He is known for his starring roles on television as Jason Matthews in '' North Shore'', Nathaniel "Baze" Bazile in ''Life Unexpected'', and Henry Butler in '' Ringer''. He has also appeared in ...
) with whom Siobhan had been having an affair. The only one who knows that Bridget is passing as Siobhan is Bridget's
Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous (NA), founded in 1953, describes itself as a "nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem." Narcotics Anonymous uses a 12-step model developed for people with varied subst ...
sponsor Malcolm (
Mike Colter
Mike Randal Colter (born August 26, 1976) is an American actor best known for his role as Luke Cage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in the streaming television series ''Luke Cage'' (2016–2018), '' The Defenders'' (2017), and ''Jess ...
). Bridget's life becomes more complicated as she discovers that her sister was hiding secrets of her own and that someone is trying to kill Siobhan as well.
Cast and characters
Main
*
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Prinze ( ; born April 14, 1977) is an American actress. After being spotted at the age of four in New York City, she made her screen acting debut in the television film ''An Invasion of Privacy'' (1983). A leading role on the te ...
as Bridget Kelly and Siobhan Martin. Bridget, a troubled young woman who goes on the run, after she is wanted dead by the mob, to her twin sister, Siobhan for help. Siobhan appears to commit suicide by jumping into the ocean soon after Bridget's arrival in New York. Bridget assumes her identity only to learn that Siobhan had secrets of her own.
*
Kristoffer Polaha
Kristoffer Polaha is an American actor and author. He is known for his starring roles on television as Jason Matthews in '' North Shore'', Nathaniel "Baze" Bazile in ''Life Unexpected'', and Henry Butler in '' Ringer''. He has also appeared in ...
as Henry Butler, Gemma's husband, a writer unhappy with his life and had an affair with Siobhan.
*
Ioan Gruffudd
Ioan Gruffudd (; (born 6 October 1973) is a Welsh actor. He first came to public attention as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in ''Titanic'' (1997), and then for his portrayal of Horatio Hornblower in the '' Hornblower'' series of television films ...
as Andrew Martin, a self-made millionaire whose marriage to Siobhan is struggling as he deals with his work and keeping his daughter out of trouble.
*
Nestor Carbonell
Nestor may refer to:
* Nestor (mythology), King of Pylos in Greek mythology
Arts and entertainment
* "Nestor" (''Ulysses'' episode) an episode in James Joyce's novel ''Ulysses''
* Nestor Studios, first-ever motion picture studio in Hollywood, ...
as Victor Machado, an
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 ...
agent
Agent may refer to:
Espionage, investigation, and law
*, spies or intelligence officers
* Law of agency, laws involving a person authorized to act on behalf of another
** Agent of record, a person with a contractual agreement with an insuranc ...
whose job is to keep Bridget safe.
*
Mike Colter
Mike Randal Colter (born August 26, 1976) is an American actor best known for his role as Luke Cage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in the streaming television series ''Luke Cage'' (2016–2018), '' The Defenders'' (2017), and ''Jess ...
as Malcolm Ward, a recovering addict who serves as Bridget's
Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous (NA), founded in 1953, describes itself as a "nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem." Narcotics Anonymous uses a 12-step model developed for people with varied subst ...
sponsor. He knows about Bridget's double life.
Recurring
*
Zoey Deutch
Zoey Francis Chaya Thompson Deutch ( ; born November 10, 1994) is an American actress. She is daughter of director Howard Deutch and actress-director Lea Thompson. She gained recognition for her roles in the film '' Everybody Wants Some!!'', t ...
as Juliet Martin, Siobhan's 17-year-old step-daughter
*
Tara Summers
Tara Summers (born 19 December 1979) is an English actress.
Summers was educated at Heathfield St Mary's School, in Berkshire. She later attended Brown University, where she graduated with a B.A. in history in 2001. Her grandmother was Fritzi ...
as Gemma Butler, Siobhan's best friend
*
Zahn McClarnon
Zahn Tokiya-ku McClarnon (born October 24, 1966) is an American actor known for his performances in the Western crime drama series '' Longmire'', the second season of '' Fargo'', and the second season of ''Westworld''. In 2022, he played the le ...
as Bodaway Macawi, the mob boss who's after Bridget
* Darren Pettie as Detective Jimmy Kemper, Machado's partner in Wyoming
*
Jaime Murray
Jaime Erica Murray (born 21 July 1976) is an English actress. She is known for playing Stacie Monroe in the BBC series '' Hustle'' (2004–2012), Lila West in the Showtime series ''Dexter'' (2007), Gaia in the Starz miniseries '' Spartacus: ...
as Olivia Charles, Andrew's business partner. It is revealed that Olivia is involved in a relationship with Catherine.
*
Justin Bruening
Justin Bruening (born September 24, 1979) is an American actor and former fashion model. He was originally discovered at McDonald's in Escondido, California, by Sue Nessel, a scout for Scott Copeland. Within a week, he was shooting photos with Br ...
as Tyler Barrett, a man who sets his sights on Siobhan
*
Billy Miller as John Delario, who is working for Siobhan and meets Bridget during her NA meetings under the Alias Charlie Young. He kidnaps and murders Gemma and while he tries to hide the body, Siobhan kills him.
*
Jason Dohring
Jason William Dohring (born March 30, 1982) is an American stage, television and voice actor who is best known for his role as Logan Echolls on the television show ''Veronica Mars'' (2004–2007, 2019) and the 2014 film continuation as well as ...
as Mr. Carpenter, a teacher at Juliet's high school
*
Gage Golightly
Gage Golightly (born September 5, 1993) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Hayley Steele in the Nickelodeon series ''The Troop'', Erica Reyes in the MTV series ''Teen Wolf (2011 TV series), Teen Wolf'', and Karen in the Am ...
as Tessa Banner, Juliet's frenemy
*
Andrea Roth
Andrea Roth (born September 30, 1967) is a Canadian actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Janet Gavin, the wife of main character Tommy Gavin, on the FX television series '' Rescue Me'' (2004–2011), as Victoria Chase in ''The Co ...
as Catherine Martin, Andrew's ex-wife and Juliet's mother. It is revealed that Catherine is involved in a relationship with Olivia.
*
Gregory Harrison
Gregory Neale Harrison (born May 31, 1950) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Chandler in the 1987 film ''North Shore (1987 film), North Shore'', as Dr. George Alonzo "Gonzo" Gates, the young surgeon assistant of Dr. Trapper John ...
as Tim Arbogast, Gemma's wealthy father
*
Sean Patrick Thomas
Sean Patrick Thomas is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Derek Reynolds in the 2001 film ''Save the Last Dance'' and as Jimmy James in '' Barbershop'' (2002), '' Barbershop 2: Back in Business'' (2004), and '' Barbershop: The Ne ...
as Solomon Vessida, Bridget's bodyguard
* Jordan Marder as Rex Barton, a hitman hired by Catherine
Notable Guest Stars
*
Nicole Gale Anderson
Nicole Gale Anderson (born August 29, 1990) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Heather Chandler on The CW series ''Beauty & the Beast''. She is also known for her roles as Macy Misa in the Disney Channel series ''Jonas'' ...
as Monica Reynolds, Juliet's friend
*
Amber Benson
Amber Nicole Benson (born January 8, 1977) is an American actress, singer, writer, director, and producer. She is best known for her role as Tara Maclay on the TV series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1999–2002), and has also directed, produced ...
as Mary Curtis
*
Mädchen Amick
Mädchen Elaina Amick ( ; born December 12, 1970) is an American actress and television director. She is known for her starring role as Shelly Johnson on the television series ''Twin Peaks'' (1990–1991), its prequel film '' Twin Peaks: Fire ...
as Greer Sheridan, a friend of Siobhan
*
Misha Collins
Dmitri "Misha" Collins "My mom went to Russia when she was in college, and she had a boyfriend whose name was Mitya, which she thought was the same as Misha, which it's not. And his real name was Dmitri, so my real name, actually—my birth c ...
as Dylan Morrison, the father of Siobhan's deceased son
*
Nikki DeLoach
Nikki DeLoach is an American actress.
Early life
DeLoach was born in Waycross, Georgia. She is the eldest of three children of Terri, Pierce County School superintendent and David DeLoach, an owner of a wood products company. She has a sister L ...
as Shaylene Briggs, a stripper who was Bridget's co-worker and Machado's informant/girlfriend
*
Matthew Del Negro
Matthew Del Negro (born August 2, 1972) is an American actor.
Life and career
Matthew Del Negro was born in Mount Kisco, New York, as the youngest of three children. He grew up in Westchester County. He is a graduate of Boston College, where h ...
as Grady Torrance, Machado's superior
*
Jonathan Banks
Jonathan Ray Banks (born January 31, 1947) is an American actor. Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Chillum Heights, Maryland, while attending Indiana University Bloomington Banks did theatre. In 1974, he moved to Los Angeles where he be ...
as Remy Osterman, dangerous criminal
*
Dylan Neal
Dylan Jeremy Neal (born October 8, 1969"Catching up with....Dylan Neal". ''Soap Opera Digest''. July 22, 2013. p. 73.) is a Canadian/American actor. He holds dual citizenship in Canada and the United States. He is known for his portrayal of the ...
as Washburn Milter
Development and production
The pilot was announced in early 2011 for
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
. Filming for the pilot began in March 2011 in New York City. The pilot was directed by
Richard Shepard
Richard Shepard (born 1965) is an American film director, film and television director and screenwriter.
Biography
Shepard was born in New York City, New York (state), New York. Shepard's father was from an Austro-Hungarian-Hungarian Jews, Jewi ...
and written by Eric Charmelo and Nicole Snyder.
The remainder of the series was entirely filmed in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. Gellar served as executive producer alongside
Peter Traugott
Peter Scott Traugott (born November 16, 1965) is an American television producer who is currently the President of Keshet Studios.
Career
Born in Los Altos, California, Traugott majored in business at UC Berkeley in California. He then worked a ...
and
Pam Veasey.
[
In a surprise, the pilot was picked up to series on May 13, 2011 not by CBS, but by their sister network, ]The CW
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
. This caused ABC Studios
ABC Signature is an American television Filmmaking#Production, production studio that is a subsidiary of Disney Television Studios, a division of Walt Disney Television, which is part of the List of assets owned by The Walt Disney Company#Disne ...
to drop out of co-producing the show, citing that it cannot produce a series for the economics of The CW. 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 ...
stepped in as co-producers instead. On the CW's 2011-12 schedule the series was paired with '' 90210'' and aired Tuesday nights at 9:00 pm Eastern/8:00 pm Central. The network initially ordered thirteen episodes.
The series premiered on September 13, 2011. On October 12, 2011, the series was picked up for a full season of 22 episodes.
Casting
Casting announcements for the series began in January 2011. First to be cast was Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Prinze ( ; born April 14, 1977) is an American actress. After being spotted at the age of four in New York City, she made her screen acting debut in the television film ''An Invasion of Privacy'' (1983). A leading role on the te ...
, who also served as executive producer. Gellar plays Bridget and her twin sister Siobhan Martin. Gellar said, "The joke is that I'm playing five characters" – Bridget and Siobhan in the present, both women in flashbacks, and "Shivette" (which it says on her chair on set), Bridget impersonating Siobhan. The series was Gellar's return to television following the end of ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film of the same name, also written by W ...
'' eight years earlier.
Next to be cast was Nestor Carbonell
Nestor may refer to:
* Nestor (mythology), King of Pylos in Greek mythology
Arts and entertainment
* "Nestor" (''Ulysses'' episode) an episode in James Joyce's novel ''Ulysses''
* Nestor Studios, first-ever motion picture studio in Hollywood, ...
as Victor Machado, followed by Ioan Gruffudd
Ioan Gruffudd (; (born 6 October 1973) is a Welsh actor. He first came to public attention as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in ''Titanic'' (1997), and then for his portrayal of Horatio Hornblower in the '' Hornblower'' series of television films ...
as Siobhan's husband Andrew Martin, and Mike Colter
Mike Randal Colter (born August 26, 1976) is an American actor best known for his role as Luke Cage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in the streaming television series ''Luke Cage'' (2016–2018), '' The Defenders'' (2017), and ''Jess ...
as Bridget's sponsor Malcolm Ward. Tara Summers
Tara Summers (born 19 December 1979) is an English actress.
Summers was educated at Heathfield St Mary's School, in Berkshire. She later attended Brown University, where she graduated with a B.A. in history in 2001. Her grandmother was Fritzi ...
later joined the series as Gemma Butler.[Laura Benanti To Star In NBC's "Playboy" And Other Pilot Castings]
''Deadline Hollywood'', February 16, 2011 Kristoffer Polaha
Kristoffer Polaha is an American actor and author. He is known for his starring roles on television as Jason Matthews in '' North Shore'', Nathaniel "Baze" Bazile in ''Life Unexpected'', and Henry Butler in '' Ringer''. He has also appeared in ...
was the last actor to be cast in March 2011, as Henry Butler.
It was reported on July 19, 2011, that Jaime Murray
Jaime Erica Murray (born 21 July 1976) is an English actress. She is known for playing Stacie Monroe in the BBC series '' Hustle'' (2004–2012), Lila West in the Showtime series ''Dexter'' (2007), Gaia in the Starz miniseries '' Spartacus: ...
had been cast as Olivia, Andrew's business partner, who first appeared in episode two and became a recurring character. On July 26, 2011, it was announced that Zoey Deutch
Zoey Francis Chaya Thompson Deutch ( ; born November 10, 1994) is an American actress. She is daughter of director Howard Deutch and actress-director Lea Thompson. She gained recognition for her roles in the film '' Everybody Wants Some!!'', t ...
had been recast as Juliet, Siobhan's step-daughter and Andrew's daughter. In August, several other recurring roles were cast.
Justin Bruening
Justin Bruening (born September 24, 1979) is an American actor and former fashion model. He was originally discovered at McDonald's in Escondido, California, by Sue Nessel, a scout for Scott Copeland. Within a week, he was shooting photos with Br ...
would be joining Ringer as a recurring character named Tyler, who will pursue Siobhan; Billy Miller as John Delario, who met Bridget during her NA meetings; Jason Dohring
Jason William Dohring (born March 30, 1982) is an American stage, television and voice actor who is best known for his role as Logan Echolls on the television show ''Veronica Mars'' (2004–2007, 2019) and the 2014 film continuation as well as ...
as Mr. Carpenter, a teacher at the high school Siobhan's step-daughter Juliet attends; and Gage Golightly
Gage Golightly (born September 5, 1993) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Hayley Steele in the Nickelodeon series ''The Troop'', Erica Reyes in the MTV series ''Teen Wolf (2011 TV series), Teen Wolf'', and Karen in the Am ...
was cast in a recurring role as Tessa, "a tough teenager who tangles with Siobhan's step-daughter Juliet (Zoey Deutch
Zoey Francis Chaya Thompson Deutch ( ; born November 10, 1994) is an American actress. She is daughter of director Howard Deutch and actress-director Lea Thompson. She gained recognition for her roles in the film '' Everybody Wants Some!!'', t ...
) at her new inner-city school". On September 3, Nicole Gale Anderson
Nicole Gale Anderson (born August 29, 1990) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Heather Chandler on The CW series ''Beauty & the Beast''. She is also known for her roles as Macy Misa in the Disney Channel series ''Jonas'' ...
revealed on her official Twitter that she joined ''Ringer'' and will play the role of Monica. Mädchen Amick
Mädchen Elaina Amick ( ; born December 12, 1970) is an American actress and television director. She is known for her starring role as Shelly Johnson on the television series ''Twin Peaks'' (1990–1991), its prequel film '' Twin Peaks: Fire ...
has been cast as Greer Sheridan, Siobhan's old friend. On October 26, it was announced that Andrea Roth
Andrea Roth (born September 30, 1967) is a Canadian actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Janet Gavin, the wife of main character Tommy Gavin, on the FX television series '' Rescue Me'' (2004–2011), as Victoria Chase in ''The Co ...
has been cast to play Catherine, Andrew's ex-wife and Juliet's mother. Brody Hutzler
Ian Brody Hutzler (born April 20, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Patrick Lockhart on '' Days of Our Lives''. Hutzler has also appeared in '' 7th Heaven'', ''She Spies'', ''Birds Of Prey'', '' Charmed'', ''Las Vegas'', ...
was cast as Greer Sheridan's husband Jason.
Music
The show mostly broadcasts indie music
Independent music (also commonly known as indie music or simply indie) is music that is produced independently from commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, a process that may include an autonomous, DIY ethic, do-it-yourself approach to r ...
. During the Pilot, in order to accentuate the neo-noir aspect of the show, the 1960 song "I Fall to Pieces
"I Fall to Pieces" is a song written by Hank Cochran and Harlan Howard that was originally recorded by Patsy Cline. Released as a single in 1961 via Decca Records, it topped the country charts, crossed over onto the pop charts and became among C ...
" by Patsy Cline
Patsy is a given name often used as a diminutive of the feminine given name Patricia or sometimes the masculine name Patrick, or occasionally other names containing the syllable "Pat" (such as Cleopatra, Patience, Patrice, or Patricia). Among I ...
and a cover of the 1969 song " 25 or 6 to 4" by Pacifika
Pacifika is a Canadian world music band formed in Vancouver, British Columbia by high school friends Silvana Kane (vocals) and Adam Popowitz (guitar) in 2004 and joined by Toby Peter (bass and drums) in 2006. According to Kane, who sings in ...
were played during key scenes. Later in the season, along with "Glory Box
"Glory Box" is a song by English electronic band Portishead, released on 2 January 1995 as the third and final single from their debut album, '' Dummy'' (1994). It samples " Ike's Rap II" by Isaac Hayes.
Critical reception
James Masterton sa ...
" by Portishead, "Video Games
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...
" was featured for the first time on prime spot on ''Ringer'' on September 28, 2011 during a pivotal scene. Adele
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...
's song "Set Fire To The Rain
"Set Fire to the Rain" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele for her second studio album, '' 21'' (2011). The song was written by Adele and Fraser T. Smith while the production was handled by the latter. It became Adele's third ...
" was used for the promotional campaign of the show and " Rumour Has It" during the last scene of the mid-season finale. The song "Riverside" by the Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
lover, Agnes Obel
Agnes Caroline Thaarup Obel (born 28 October 1980) is a Danish singer, songwriter, and musician based in Berlin.
Her debut album, '' Philharmonics'' (2010), was released by PIAS Recordings, and was certified gold in June 2011 by the Belgian E ...
is played during Episode 12 and another Lana Del Rey
Elizabeth Woolridge Grant (born June 21, 1985), known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer-songwriter. Her music is noted for its cinematic quality and exploration of tragic romance, glamour, and melancholia, with frequent ...
song, "Blue Jeans", was played on February 14, 2012 during the last scene of the episode. The new Regina Spektor
Regina Ilyinichna Spektor (russian: Регинa Ильинична Спектор, ; born February 18, 1980) is a Russian–born American singer, songwriter, and pianist.
After self-releasing her first three records and gaining popularity in ...
single, "All the Rowboats", was featured on Episode 17. Season one ended with a song from the rock band The Black Keys
The Black Keys are an American rock duo formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. The group consists of Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums). The duo began as an independent act, recording music in basements and self-producing their ...
called "She's Long Gone".
The main title music was composed by Gabriel Mann
Gabriel Mann (born Gabriel Mick; May 14, 1972) is an American actor and model, known for his role as Nolan Ross on the ABC drama series '' Revenge''. He has co-starred in several films, including '' The Life of David Gale'', '' The Bourne Iden ...
, who also scored the pilot and the first four episodes; Mark Snow
Mark Snow (born Martin Fulterman; August 26, 1946) is an American composer for film and television. Among his most famous compositions is the theme music for science fiction television series ''The X-Files''. The theme reached no. 2 on the UK Si ...
assumed scoring duties thereafter.
Episodes
Promotion
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ioan Gruffudd and Kristoffer Polaha were at the 1st Critics' Choice Television Awards on June 20, 2011 at the Beverly Hills Hotel to support ''Ringer'' and receive "The Most Exciting New Series" award.
The series made its debut at Comic-Con
A comic book convention or comic-con is an event with a primary focus on comic books and comic book culture, in which comic book Fan (person), fans gather to meet creators, experts, and each other. Commonly, comic conventions are multi-day events ...
2011 with cast members Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nestor Carbonell, Ioan Gruffudd and Kristoffer Polaha. Executive producer Pam Veasey and co-executive producers Nicole Snyder and Eric Charmelo also appeared. In addition, Gellar was featured in a photo shoot for ''The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' entitled ''Comic-Con: TV's 6 Most Wanted Women''.
Two promotional posters for the series were unveiled on July 20, 2011; one with Gellar, Carbonell, Gruffudd and Polaha, and one with only Gellar, both with the tagline "The Ultimate Double Cross". Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nestor Carbonell, Ioan Gruffudd, Kristoffer Polaha and Mike Colter attended "The Television Critics Association
The Television Critics Association (TCA) is a group of approximately 200 United States and Canadian television critics, journalists and columnists who cover television programming for newspapers, magazines and web publications. The TCA accepts app ...
Summer Tour" to promote ''Ringer''. Throughout August several ''Ringer'' billboards were displayed in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago and two huge mirrors were launched in New York and Los Angeles to allow passersby to create visual doppelgangers of themselves.
On September 1, 2011, a new promotional poster was released with the whole cast. Sarah Michelle Gellar was featured on the cover of the September 2, 2011 ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' with the tagline "The Return (Yay!) of Sarah Michelle Gellar. One of TV's most iconic stars is back with a twisty new drama, ''Ringer'': 'It's what audiences want to see me do – It's ''Cruel Intentions
''Cruel Intentions'' is a 1999 American teen romantic drama film written and directed by Roger Kumble and starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Selma Blair. The film is a modern retelling of Pierre Choderlos d ...
'' meets '' Buffy". On September 7, 2011, Eric Charmelo, Nicole Snyder, Mike Colter, and Nestor Carbonell were at the Paley Fest 2011: Fall TV Preview Parties in Los Angeles to preview the pilot following an introductory Panel. On September 10, 2011 the whole cast (except Gellar) was at the CW Launch Party. On September 11, 2011, Sarah Michelle Gellar made the cover of The New York VUE, the TV magazine included every Sunday in '' The Daily News'' with the tagline "Doubling Back. Sarah Michelle Gellar returns to TV playing twins on ''Ringer''". On September 12, 2011, Sarah Michelle Gellar was on ''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon.[ About pag ...](_blank)
'' and on ''Regis and Kelly
''Live with Kelly and Ryan'' (or simply ''Live'') is an American syndicated morning talk show hosted by Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. Executive produced by Michael Gelman, the ''Live with...'' show formula has aired under various hosts since ...
'' the following day to promote the pilot. On September 26, 2011, Gellar was a guest on ''Chelsea Lately
''Chelsea Lately'' is an American Late night television, late night Television comedy, comedy talk show created by Brody Stevens and hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler which was broadcast on E! The show debuted on July 16, 2007, and was produced ...
'' to promote the series and on ''Rachael Ray
Rachael Domenica Ray (born August 25, 1968) is an American cook, television personality, businesswoman, and author. She hosts the syndicated daily talk and lifestyle program '' Rachael Ray'', and the Food Network series ''30 Minute Meals'' ...
'' the following day. On October 13, 2011, Gellar was a guest on the late-night talk show '' Conan'' and on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, Los ...
on November 14, 2011. On February 6, 2012, Gellar was a guest on Andy Cohen
Andrew Joseph Cohen (born June 2, 1968) is an American radio and television talk show host, producer, and writer.
Cohen is the host and executive producer of Bravo's late night talk show, '' Watch What Happens Live!'' He also has a pop culture ...
's "Watch What Happens Live" with Ryan Murphy and on the ''Late Show with David Letterman
The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the The Late Show (franchise), ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by ...
''. The following day she was on the morning show Live! with Kelly and on February 21, 2012 on ''Rachael Ray
Rachael Domenica Ray (born August 25, 1968) is an American cook, television personality, businesswoman, and author. She hosts the syndicated daily talk and lifestyle program '' Rachael Ray'', and the Food Network series ''30 Minute Meals'' ...
''.
Reception
Critical reception
The pilot was met with mixed to positive reviews, dividing critics, with an initial score of 59 out of 100 (based on 29 critics) from 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 ...
.
In a review at TV.com
TV.com was a website owned by Red Ventures that covered television series and episodes with a focus on English-language shows made or broadcast in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Origin ...
, Tim Surette was enthusiastic about the show's pilot, deeming it over-the-top with its "convoluted mystery" and "Outrageous. But potentially delicious fun." ''After Elton
TheBacklot.com (TheBacklot), founded in January 2005 as AfterElton.com (AfterElton), was a culture website that focused on the portrayal of gay and bisexual men in the media and was the companion site of AfterEllen.com (AfterEllen). TheBacklot wa ...
'' also gave ''Ringer'' a positive review, calling it "the single best new show of the year". ''People Magazine
''People'' is an American weekly magazine that specializes in celebrity news and human-interest stories. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC (company), IAC. With a readership of 46.6 million adults in 2009, ''People ...
'' gave the series 4/4 stars. E! News
''E! News'', previously known as ''E! News Daily'' and ''E! News Live'', is the entertainment news operation for the cable network E! in the United States. Its former on-air weekday newscast debuted on September 1, 1991, and primarily reports ...
called the show "intense", commending the "film noir-ness" of the show. They described Sarah Michelle Gellar as "awesome" and "fantastic". Their verdict was "watch, watch, watch!" '' The Insider'' included ''Ringer'' in its list of "10 Best New Fall TV Shows". Matt Mitovich of TV Line
''TVLine'' is a website devoted to information, news, and spoilers of television programs.
History
In late 2010, ''Entertainment Weekly''s Michael Ausiello announced that he would be leaving ''EW'' after nearly two years in their employ to est ...
gave the pilot a positive review stating, "the set-up is sound, with some loose ends addressed and nice details sprinkled in. Tackling multiple roles, Gellar does a fine job as in-too-deep Bridget, icy Siobhan, and Bridget-as-Siobhan, and the supporting cast presents no weak link." ''Ringer'' was one of the Editor's Picks of Yahoo!
Yahoo! (, styled yahoo''!'' in its logo) is an American web services provider. It is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California and operated by the namesake company Yahoo Inc., which is 90% owned by investment funds managed by Apollo Global Man ...
saying "the first episode delivers so many shocking twists and turns, you won't be able to catch your breath. Heck, we're still catching ours." The ''New York Post
The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com.
It was established ...
'' gave a positive review giving 3/4 stars saying the pilot is "so good that it's CBS' bad" for having given away ''Ringer'' to the CW. ''USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' gave 3/4 stars thanks to "two very good, well-defined Gellar performances" their bottom line was "you've been given a good show, CW. Don't mess it up."
''Las Vegas Weekly
''Las Vegas Weekly'' is a free alternative weekly newspaper based in Henderson, Nevada, covering Las Vegas arts, entertainment, culture and news. ''Las Vegas Weekly'' is published by Greenspun Media Group. The paper was founded in 1992 by James P ...
'' gave a mixed review, saying it was "a little silly but also juicy and well-acted". ''The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' concluded that although Gellar was "projecting gravitas" the show "really doesn't have a lot of weight". ''Newsday
''Newsday'' is an American daily newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, although it is also sold throughout the New York metropolitan area. The slogan of the newspaper is "Newsday, Your Eye on LI", and f ...
'' likewise commented that while Sarah Michelle Gellar looks "stunning", the show doesn't fit the network as "it's inert, lackluster and a trifle old-fashioned", and gave it a C+ grade. Matthew Gilbert of 'The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' was more negative about ''Ringer'', handing it a "D" grade as well as calling the special effects "lousy" and "sloppy", and "the story line – ripped from a cheesy daytime soap".
Ratings
The pilot episode drew 2.84 million viewers, a 1.2 Adults 18-49 demo rating and a 1.6 in The CW's target demo of Women 18-34. The ratings reached a three-year high for The CW in the Tuesday 9:00pm time slot. The Friday after its debut, The CW broadcast an encore of the pilot episode which drew 1.87 million viewers and a 0.6 Adults 18-49 rating. The mid-season finale drew 1.6 million viewers and a 0.6 Adults 18-49 rating, with DVR figures increasing its 0.6 A18-49 rating by 67% elevating it to 1.0 A18-49 rating.
Cancellation and aftermath
After a decline in ratings and viewership from the three-month hiatus over the holiday break, it was deemed that ''Ringer'' would likely be cancelled. The CW put the Canadian series '' The L.A. Complex'' in its time slot after the finale, in hopes that show would produce higher ratings. ''Ringer'' was nominated in the E! Save One Show campaign and came in third place. Multiple petitions were thus created, with one that had over 16,000 signatures. After about a month of the show's uncertainty, the CW officially cancelled the series on May 11, 2012.
The show was subsequently nominated for four more awards, including a Teen Choice award for Choice TV Actress in a Drama for Sarah Michelle Gellar, a Zap2it award, and two E! Online awards. The show has now been nominated for sixteen awards, thus quadruple the other freshman shows on the CW; and recently the show became the third-highest-selling TV show on iTunes amongst all CW shows. On May 24, 2012, it was officially revealed that ''Ringer'' was the CW's fifth-highest-rated series, with its viewership ratings and demographics beating out the network's renewed series, from fellow programs ''Nikita
Nikita may refer to:
* Nikita (given name)
* Nikita, Crimea, a town in Crimea
* Nikita the Tanner, a character in East Slavic folklore
Film and television
*''Little Nikita'', a 1988 film
* ''La Femme Nikita'' (film), also known as ''Nikita'', a 19 ...
'', ''America's Next Top Model
''America's Next Top Model'' (abbreviated ''ANTM'' and ''Top Model'') is an American reality television series and interactive competition in which a number of aspiring models compete for the title of "America's Next Top Model" and a chance to b ...
'', and ''Gossip Girl
''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series, developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, ran on The CW network for six sea ...
'' in overall viewership.
Awards and accolades
International broadcasts
Sky Living
Sky Living was a British pay television channel owned and operated by Sky. The channel's programming was aimed mainly at women and young adults. It originally launched as UK Living in 1993 and closed 25 years later, being replaced by Sky Witness.
...
has picked up the series in the UK, Louisa Forsyth, acquisitions manager at BSkyB said of the pick-up, "Securing ''Ringer'' exclusively for Sky Living demonstrates yet again our commitment to owning the very best in primetime US drama". The first season will start airing from September 29, 2011. In Canada, it will air on Global Television Network
The Global Television Network (more commonly called Global, or occasionally Global TV) is a Canadian English-language terrestrial television network. It is currently Canada's second most-watched private terrestrial television network after ...
starting September 16, 2011. On July 28, 2011, it was announced that Mediaset España Comunicación
Mediaset Italia S.p.A., also known as Mediaset, is an Italian-based mass media company which is the largest commercial broadcaster in the country. The company is controlled by the holding company MFE - MediaForEurope. Founded in 1987 by former ...
has bought the rights to air ''Ringer'' in Spain, and it aired on April 15, 2012 on Telecinco
Telecinco is a Spanish free-to-air television channel operated by Mediaset España. The channel was previously known as Tele 5, because it had first begun its experimental transmissions on 10 March 1989, and a year later, it was officially launc ...
. On August 25, 2011, Television Business International announced that the French Group M6 has renewed its output deal with CBS, which includes ''Ringer''. In Australia Ringer also aired on Network Ten
Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...
on October 9, 2011, but has since been dropped and moved to its sister channel, Eleven
Eleven or 11 may refer to:
*11 (number), the natural number following 10 and preceding 12
* one of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011, or any year ending in 11
Literature
* ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn
*'' ...
on February 20, and airs Monday Nights at 10:30pm as of the March 12, 2012. Studio Universal
''Studio Universal'' is a specialty television channel focused on films, owned by Universal Networks International. The programming is based on films (mainly from Universal Studios movies catalogue) and related programs with interviews, insight ...
bought the exclusive rights for Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Chile among others) and RAI
RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...
bought the rights for Italy to broadcast Ringer on channel Rai 2
Rai 2 is an Italian free-to-air television channel owned and operated by state-owned public broadcaster RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana. It is the company's second television channel, and is known for broadcasting ''TG2'' news bulletins, tal ...
in 2012. DSTV
Digital Satellite Television, commonly abbreviated to DStv, is a Sub-Saharan African direct broadcast satellite service owned by MultiChoice and based in Randburg, South Africa. Launched on 6 October 1995, the service provides multiple audio, ...
has started to broadcast Ringer in South Africa on M-Net Series
M-Net Series is a defunct group of television channels broadcast by South African pay TV satellite network M-Net across Sub-Saharran Africa on DStv. Most of the programmes broadcast are repeats of episodes previously shown on M-Net.
History
...
. The series has been shown in Portugal since October 2011 on pay-TV channel TV Séries under title name 'Vida Dupla' (Double Life) and is available on video on demand in Sweden since March 1, 2012 on TV4 Play. Ringer will air in 18 countries in Asia through AXN Beyond
AXN Beyond was a pay television channel, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment in the Asia-Pacific region. It was launched on 1 January 2008.
Feeds
* Southeast Asian feed - available in Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Indonesia
* Philippine ...
starting March 15, 2012 and in India on Big CBS Love starting April 2, 2012. In the middle east, Ringer was picked by MBC4, airing with Arabic subtitles. In Israel, the series is broadcast by Hot 3
Hot 3 (styled as HOT3; he, הוט 3; also available in HD as HOT3 HD) is an Israeli television channel of the cable television company 'HOT'. First introduced as The Family Channel in the early 1990s and later simply as Channel 3, it was one of ...
starting September 28, 2012. In the Netherlands, the series is broadcast by Net5
Net5 is a Dutch free-to-cable commercial TV channel and is part of Talpa TV, formerly a part of SBS Broadcasting B.V. and now owned by Talpa Network. Other channels of the group in the Netherlands are SBS6, Veronica, and SBS9. It is aimed ...
starting September 4, 2012.
See also
* ''The Lying Game
''The Lying Game'' is an American teen drama mystery television series developed by Charles Pratt Jr. It premiered on ABC Family on August 15, 2011, and ended on March 12, 2013. The series was produced by Pratt Enterprises, Alloy Entertainment, ...
''
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ringer (Tv Series)
2010s American crime drama television series
2010s American LGBT-related drama television series
2010s American mystery television series
2011 American television series debuts
2012 American television series endings
American thriller television series
Crime thriller television series
The CW original programming
English-language television shows
Identity theft in popular culture
Neo-noir television series
Television series about sisters
Television series about twins
Television series by ABC Studios
Television series by CBS Studios
Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios
Television shows filmed in Los Angeles
Television shows filmed in New York (state)
Television shows set in New York City
Works about twin sisters