Peter Krause is back on network TV, and the new drama Line of Fire premiered with critics given only two episodes to judge it on. That is a thin sample, but the show is leaning heavily on the fact that it is. Its creator, Joshua Safran, has a track record on Gossip Girl, Quantico, and Smash.
Krause Returns After 9-1-1
Krause left ABC’s 9-1-1 last year after eight seasons as Firefighter Captain Bobby Nash. That is a long run. Now he plays Mike Hollingsworth, a Secret Service Agent and patriarch of a family that runs across the FBI, the Secret Service, and the DOJ. Hope Davis plays his estranged wife, Jane Hollingsworth, a U.S. Marshal. They still have feelings for each other, but the reason they split is one of the show’s mysteries.
The pilot opens with a U.S. Marshal — a guest star who is exciting, though you should not get too attached — walking up to a home at night and ringing the doorbell, claiming to be an Uber Eats employee. It is a hook.
The Case And The Family
The show is a procedural with a twist: a family of federal agents is being targeted by an assassin. Mike believes former President Thomas Barnes’ life is in danger and cannot shake the suspicion. His son, Secret Service agent Mike Jr. aka Micah, is in a secret affair with Sydney, daughter of current President Kayana. Micah’s career is on the line. Their sister Clare is an FBI agent, and their brother Russell works at the DOJ. The family is hiding secrets from each other while chasing the truth.
Then there is Terry, Jane’s boyfriend and U.S. Senator, who is on his way to shake up the family dynamic even more. That is a lot of moving parts for one show.
What Safran Says It Is
Safran is the creator and writer, and he has a track record on Gossip Girl, Quantico, and Smash. In his letter to the press, he said the show should be thought of as Six Feet Under meets The Fugitive, but with the criminal hunting Tommy Lee Jones instead of the other way around. He also framed it as a “procedural soap” with serialized mysteries and case-of-the-week structure, hoping audiences raised on Desperate Housewives, Parenthood, and This Is Us might find comfort in it.
That is a bold comparison.
What Critics Have Seen
Critics were given the first two episodes, which makes forming a full opinion hard. But the early father-son and mother-daughter dynamics between Mike and Micah and Jane and Clare are compelling enough to keep people coming back, according to Decider’s review. The review also pointed to other shows that found success after twisty premieres, like This Is Us (six seasons with a big premiere twist) and Krause’s own 9-1-1 (10 seasons with regular disbelief required).
Those shows gave viewers early trepidation, but they thrived. The hope is that Line of Fire can find its groove and follow the same path.
The Cast And The Creator
Jenna Bush Hager serves as an executive producer, and her experiences as First Daughter loosely inspired certain aspects of the show. The cast is stacked, with Sam Waterston as the former President, Chris Chalk as the current one, and Campbell Scott as the U.S. Senator. The show also draws on My Date with the President’s Daughter, First Daughter, and Chasing Liberty for its White House romance flashbacks.
Safran has a track record of weaving stories with scandal, drama, and comedic levity. The first couple of episodes have all of that.
Who To Watch
Tommy O’Brien’s Micah has layers and a lot to prove. The review calls him a standout, and the father-son relationship with Krause’s Mike is worth watching. Kat Cunning is also a standout as Clare in the first two episodes.
The Show’s Promise
The review argues that the secrecy in the first two episodes is intentional. It is hard to tell where Line of Fire is headed based on two episodes, but the show is taking viewers on a soapy rollercoaster ride with exciting twists, intriguing cases, romance, and a stacked cast. The promise of the show is intriguing, and it is nice to see Krause on screen again in a familiar yet unique patriarchal position.
The Call
The review’s verdict is to STREAM IT. The show is worth a watch for the cast alone, and the creator has built his career on procedural soaps with family drama. The promise of the show is intriguing.
| Episode | Critic Access | What Critics Saw |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Full pilot | Pilot guest star, Hollingsworth family dynamics, first twist |
| 2 | Full | Father-son and mother-daughter chemistry, lingering questions |
The show’s premise is intriguing, and it is damn good to see Krause on my screen again in a familiar yet unique patriarchal position.
Source material: “Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Line of Fire’ on NBC, Where Peter Krause And Hope Davis Lead A Family Of Law Enforcement Agents Being Targeted,” Decider.
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