J.R. Mankoff/NBCHow far would you go to uncover the truth?
It's Revenge meets Veronica Mars in Deception, NBC's new soap about an undercover cop returning to the home she grew up in to find out who murdered her socialite best friend. Was it her grief-stricken father? Or maybe her boozy stepmother? Also suspects are her two brothers, one who was accused of raping and murdering a girl years ago, the other a troubled playboy.
Now that Deception has finally premiered, we're curious to know what you thought of the new series. Plus, we've got some fun scoop from stars Victor Garber and Tate Donovan on why they joined the show and whether or not we'll ever get reunions for Alias and The O.C.!
Joanna (Meagan Good) must become a lie to discover the truth says Deception's tagline, so she goes undercover to investigate the rich, powerful and seriously messed up Bowers family, with whom she shares a complicated past. The pilot had it all: romance (Joanna reconnects with her former partner/FBI agent Will Moreno [Laz Alonso] and her childhood love Julian Bowers [Wes Brown]), conspiracy, as Bowers patriarch Robert (Garber) has some shady business practices, and death (So long, tabloid reporter!).Oh, and we can't forget the big twist: Vivian's little sis Mia (Ella Rae Peck) is actually her daughter!
While flashbacks can sometimes be a distraction, the ones in Deception provide the audience with a glimpse into who Vivian was, why Joanna cared so much for her and what went wrong between them. We'll admit, we were super intrigued by the pilot, which is one of our favorites of this winter's newbies, and loved Deception's big mystery and gorgeous New York scenery (Revenge's fake Hamptons this is not). But our favorite part of the new drama is Donovan's portrayal of oldest Bowers sibling Edward, who was accused of murder and rape 10 years ago and isn't too concerned with making people like him, which makes him all the more fun to watch.
Now, we don't know if you can tell from the interview above, but Garber and Donovan share quite the chemistry, on- and offscreen! "He was the first person cast," Donovan says of Garber. "I've worked with Victor before and I've known him for many years. I was like, I gotta do this show." Garber adds, "He's playing my little boy!"
Of course, we couldn't let these two men, who played iconic fathers on Alias and The O.C., go without asking for their thoughts on reunions for their respective fan-favorite shows. "It would have to be the next generation. We're too old!" Garber says. "Spy Daddy is Grampy!" He then corrects himself and changes the name to "Spy Pappy" as that's what Jennifer Garner calls him, he reveals. Cuteness. Overload.
And while Donovan didn't seem quite as excited about the idea of a reunion for The O.C. as we are, he did throw us a bone: "I played beach volleyball with Ben McKenzie yesterday." When pressed for details, Donovan says, "He kept his shirt on, but it was fun." (But did he wear Ryan Atwood's iconic white tank?!)
Deception: Save It or Sink It?
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)