Review: CTV's Intelligence

Intelligence follows the adventures of Gabriel Vaughn (Josh Holloway) an Intelligence Agent with a computer chip inside his brain and a cyber security division supporting him led by Lillian Strand (Marg Helgenburger).  The first episode introduced the characters, and followed them as they struggled to keep the technology behind the chip from getting into the hands of the Chinese.

The chip makes him the most valuable asset to American security, even in need of his own body guard.  Enter Megan Ory as Riley, the capable Secret Service agent whose job it is to guard him.  Ory and Helgenburger signal a new age of strong female roles.  Helgenburger's Lillian isn't without a heart encouraging Gabriel to go after his wife, a missing and presumed dead deep cover agent.

That's one of the long-term story lines, the "is she/isn't she alive" is meant to keep people guessing.  The other is Gabriel's back story, how did the intelligence chip program start? And what's going to happen to the Chinese agent? What's Lillian's back story?
  Through the chip Gabriel sees the whole picture, and walks himself through the situation so that the audience sees it too.

Overall I love it.  It's very topical: How close are we to putting these chips inside human beings?  What lengths would people go to in order to possess that technology? After developing a phone as small as a watch the chip inside someone's head isn't that far behind.  I love the perspective too; Gabriel is able to see a three-dimensional model of an event, and walk himself through it.

 A new episode of Intelligence airs Monday at 10pm on CTV, and CBS.  CBS is re-airing the pilot tonight at 8pm.  Can't catch it tonight?  Watch a 3 minute preview below.