Country of origin United States Original network ABC | No. of episodes 22 | |
 | ||
Starring Priyanka Chopra
Josh Hopkins
Jake McLaughlin
Aunjanue Ellis
Yasmine Al Massri
Johanna Braddy
Tate Ellington
Graham Rogers
Anabelle Acosta Original release September 27, 2015 (2015-09-27) – May 15, 2016 (2016-05-15) | ||
Quantico is an the American television thriller series; it is about recruits to the FBI's anti-terrorism program. The first season was ordered on May 7, 2015, by ABC. It was picked up with an order of 13 episodes, but ABC later paid for an additional six episodes, increasing the episode count to 19, and in November to 22 episodes.
Contents
Overview
Alex Parrish, a promising FBI recruit, became a prime suspect following a terrorist attack on Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Alex was taken into custody, where she found out that she had been charged with the terrorist attack on Grand Central. Her initial escape was orchestrated by Deputy Director Miranda Shaw, her primary instructor at Quantico, who refused to believe that she was guilty. Flashbacks showed her and fellow agents' training at the Quantico Academy. Alex met Ryan Booth on her way to the Academy. Booth was later revealed to have been ordered by Liam O'Connor, former partner/friend of Alex's father, to spy on Alex. While living at the Academy, she learned of her father's double agent identity. She became friends with Shelby Wyatt and other recruits.
Alex was able to prove her innocence in the New York bombing with the help of classmates from Quantico. She discovered that the suspected bomber was former FBI analyst-trainee Elias Harper, who had planted the bomb under the instruction of a mastermind terrorist. Having cleared her name in a congressional hearing, Parrish was reinstated as an FBI agent and assigned to the field office in New York. In the operations section, she works to learn who is the true mastermind behind the bombings, as the 2016 Presidential election looms closer.
O'Connor is eventually revealed to be the person responsible and is killed by both Parrish and Booth. Parrish resigns from the FBI due to the bombing and subsequent publicity. Two months later, she is approached by Mathew Keyes, who offers her a position at the CIA.
Development
On September 17, 2014, ABC announced the network had bought the original concept for the drama series written by Joshua Safran and produced by Mark Gordon Company, described as Grey's Anatomy meets Homeland. ABC ordered the pilot on January 23, 2015 for the 2015–16 television season. The pilot episode was filmed in Atlanta and directed by Marc Munden. On May 7, 2015, ABC picked up the pilot to series with an order of 13 episodes. ABC picked up the show for a full season on October 13, 2015, with an additional six episodes, increasing the episode count to 19 and in November to 22 episodes. On March 3, 2016, ABC announced that Quantico had been renewed for a second season.
Casting
Casting advertisements began in February 2015. Tate Ellington was the first actor, cast as an FBI trainee on February 9, 2015. On February 9, Graham Rogers joined the series as another FBI trainee. On February 25, it was announced that Aunjanue Ellis would play the leading role of Miranda Shaw, the assistant director of the training academy; Ellis was cast in this role following the success of ABC's How to Get Away with Murder, which also features an African American lead. Later, it was announced that Dougray Scott, initially cast as Ellis' character's former partner, had been re-cast as her subordinate. On February 25, Indian actress Priyanka Chopra landed the role of FBI trainee Alex Parrish, the series' young female lead. On March 3, it was announced that Jake McLaughlin would play Alex Parrish's love interest, while Johanna Braddy and Yasmine Al Massri were cast in the final co-starring roles.
After picking up the pilot, ABC began making casting changes. On May 19, 2015, it was announced that Dougray Scott, who played FBI Special Agent Liam O'Connor, had left the show and the role would be recast; Josh Hopkins replaced him in that role on July 17, 2015. On July 15, 2015, it was announced that Anabelle Acosta was cast for a multi-episode arc as a Quantico recruit and former cop. On July 20, 2015, Rick Cosnett signed on to play a recurring role as a gay former defense attorney and analyst recruit.
On September 4, 2015, it was announced that Acosta had been promoted to series regular. On September 11, 2015, Jacob Artist was cast in the recurring role of a friendly and confident FBI Agent in Training, who is a former quarterback from a wealthy, prominent family. It was announced on November 6, 2015, that Marcia Cross was cast as Claire Haas, Caleb's mother and wife of FBI Deputy Director Clayton Haas, who is a high-ranking senator and now Vice Presidential candidate. It was also announced in November 2015 that three people were cast for recurring characters, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Lenny Platt, and Li Jun Li, to be added after the first seasons midseason break.
Filming
The pilot episode was filmed in Atlanta. Later episodes were filmed in Quebec province, specifically the Montreal area, in late summer 2015. They used settings within downtown Montreal and Sherbrooke to stand in for New York and Quantico, respectively. Production of the first 13 episodes began on July 20, 2015 and ended on December 17, 2015. Production of the latter half of season one continued in Montreal through to the season finale.
Critical reception
Quantico was well received, with the first season acquiring a rating of 84% fresh based on 55 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. The series received a rating of 70% based on 25 critics on Metacritic.
Home media release
The first season of Quantico was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on September 13, 2016 in Region 1.