Profit (TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name = Profit


caption = The front cover of "Profit" DVD.
format = Drama
camera = Single-camera
runtime = 60 minutes
creators = David Greenwalt
John McNamara
executive_producer = Jo Swerling, Jr
David Greenwalt
John McNamara
Stephen J. Cannell
starring = Adrian Pasdar
Lisa Zane
Keith Szarabajka
Jack Gwaltney
Allison Hossack
Lisa Darr
Lisa Blount
Sherman Augustus
Scott Paulin
Jennifer Hetrick
country = USA
network = FOX
first_aired = April 8
last_aired = April 29, 1996
num_episodes = 8
imdb_id = 0115323
tv_com_id = 5531

"Profit" is a short-lived American television series that aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series was created by David Greenwalt and John McNamara, and starred Adrian Pasdar as the titular character, Jim Profit. A DVD compilation of aired and unaired Fox episodes was released on August 9 2005. The unaired episodes were shown publicly for the first time on the Trio cable network in 2002. In February 2008, episodes will air on Chiller.

Considered by many to be ahead of its time, the show was a to a cutting edge television genre that includes "Nip/Tuck", Dexter and "Mad Men". Dark themes stemming from the villainy of the central character made the show uncomfortable and unfamiliar viewing for mainstream audiences and Fox station affiliates, which ultimately led to the demise of the series.

ummary

Jim Profit is a newly promoted employee (He formerly worked in auditing, before getting his promotion to Jr. VP of acquisitions after the heart attack death of the former VP) at Gracen & Gracen (G&G), a multinational corporation that is less than ethical with some of its business practices. That doesn't worry Profit, who has even fewer ethics and isn't above blackmail, bribery, extortion, or even murder to get ahead in the company. Joanne Meltzer, the security chief, Charles "Chaz" Gracen, the president of G&G, his brother Pete, Profit's secretary Gail, and Profit's stepmother (and former lover) Bobbi Stakowski, among others round out the cast of characters. At the end of each episode, Profit would directly address the audience, speaking to camera.

Characters and actors

Main characters

* Jim Profit (Adrian Pasdar) - born James Stakowski, he was raised in a cardboard G&G shipping box with the television on at all hours by an abusive father in Tulsa, Oklahoma, until he set his father on fire and ran away. The experience left him with a complete hatred of TV and a desire to insinuate himself into the G&G family by any means necessary...but he still sleeps in a G&G shipping box in a secret room of his apartment. Worked in Auditing before ascending to junior-vice president of Acquisitions. He intends to climb the corporate ladder at G&G by secretly engineering the ruin of those who stand in his way and/or refuse to assist him.
* Joanne Meltzer (Lisa Zane) - the obsessive chief of security for G&G. Had an affair with Jack Walters after his wife had (temporarily) run-off with a lover. Remains loyal to Jack Walters, and admires him as a person. His false imprisonment (engineered by Profit) is the main thing driving her quest to bring down Profit. She is constantly trying to figure out Profit's motives and master plan, but has her own psychological issues...
* Charles Henry "Chaz" Gracen (Keith Szarabajka) - the no-nonsense, paranoid, short-tempered chief executive of G&G. Is known to take a different mistress each year. Loves money above all else. Occasionally displays a dark sense of humor.
* Pete Gracen (Jack Gwaltney) - Chaz's younger brother, and the vice president of Acquisitions. Long-standing alcoholic. He's also impotent, and seemingly incompetent.
* Nora Gracen (Allison Hossack) - Pete's insecure, lonely, yet trusting wife. She initially was seduced by Profit, then obsessed over him when he insisted on 'being just friends'. Regards Profit as a close friend and kindred spirit.
* Gail Koner (Lisa Darr) - Profit's resourceful secretary (was originally Jack Walter's secretary), and primary henchperson. Initially, Profit repeatedly blackmailed her into assisting him in his schemes. However, she feels increasingly loyal (or, obligated) to Profit, since he saved her job, covered-up her petty embezzlement, and pays 100% of her sick mother's nursing home bills. She also seems to be one of the few characters he shows any care for. In the episodes Cupid and Chinese Box he takes pride in her becoming more and more deceitful and is one of the few people he lets know about his abusive childhood. He at the very least feins caring in her mother's well being, and says in chinese box that he is grooming/paving a way for her to become an executive at G&G.
* Bobbi Stakowski (Lisa Blount) - Profit's stepmother, and former lover. Heroin addict, alcoholic, and former prostitute. She repeatedly tries to blackmail Profit (with evidence of his patricide, and, other crimes) into financing a luxurious lifestyle for her.
* Jeffrey Sykes (Sherman Augustus) - a corporate lawyer and the newest member of the G&G team. Sykes takes a more antagonistic approach to Profit.

Recurring characters

* Jack Walters (Scott Paulin) - the former President of Acquisitions at G&G.
* Elizabeth Gracen Walters (Jennifer Hetrick) - Jack's wife.
* Constance Gracen (Teryl Rothery) - Chaz's wife, though she's separated from him.

Guest characters

* Dr. Jeremy Batewell (John Hawkes)
* Kelly Hunt/Carol McKenna (Jessica Tuck)

Episodes

DVD Release

Anchor Bay Entertainment released the complete series on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time on August 9, 2005.

What would have happened

David Greenwalt gave details of plotlines from the second season in the commentaries on the DVD.
* Joanne dies early in the first episode of the never-produced second season. The phone booth from whice she is calling Sykes is set to explode. There is bomb planted there by the Irish Republican Army. It was to be revealed later that this was done at the behest of Profit.
* Jim has stolen the identity of a "real" Jim Profit. The "real" Jim Profit is in a coma after he was drowned by the protagonist Jim Profit. Later on, the protagonist comes back to finish killing his alias.
* Charles "Chaz" Gracen has a heart attack while running on his treadmill. Profit eventually convinces him that his father is trying to kill him.
* Pete Gracen was to be involved in politics as a senator, with the help of Jim.

Notes

* According to a documentary on the 2005 DVD, McNamara and Greenwalt came up with the concept for Profit while watching Sir Ian McKellen's production of "Richard III" set in the 1930's.
* In the commentary of the 2005 DVD, McNamara and Greenwalt indicated that Fox executives requested that the character of Bobbi Stakowski be revised from Profit's mother to the slightly less provocative role as Profit's stepmother.
* Jim's father idolized the Gracen family as "royalty" and the box that Jim sleeps in bears the name "Gracen & Gracen: The Family Company". This may also explain Jim's motivation to become President of Acquisitions; he wants to grow and nurture the G&G family he is a part of while protecting it from potentially disruptive additions (acquisitions).