Seven season show about an FBI unit that finds missing people. As they must be missing for at least 24 hours to be missing and the authorities can go out and search for them. As the authorities have a 72-hour window to find them.Some people come out alive in this. And finally reunite with their families. And some do not come out alive. As it gives it to the authenticity of the show. That all of the episodes, most do not come out with happy endings.The great Anthony LaPagila heads an ensemble cast. As the troubled head of the NY Field office. With fellow Australian Poppy Montgomery as the young Samantha Spade, who flirts with LaPagila's Jack Malone and Eric Close's Martin Fitzgerald.Rounding out the team of Jean Marie Baptise an UK actress doing an American actress as mother hen, Vivian Johnson who had health problems early on. Enrique Muricano as Dannhy Taylor who is best friends with Martin.Rose Sanchez as Elena Delgado as the new rookie agent. Really the team did not need her. As she kind of brought a damper to the already close knit team no offense to Sanchez fans.It shows also the personal lives of the team members. And how their experience got them that far.Really a great ensemble show! Still missed by many!

I had never watched the show until it went into syndication, and I was intrigued by the show's plot and premise, becoming a regular viewer. Some have complained that the show lost some of it's edge as time went on, and I tend to agree. I rate it a 5 out of 10 overall, but much higher for the first few seasons and proportionately much lower for the last few.Rather than concentrate on intricate and intriguing plot lines, they did turn it into some kind of pathetic soap opera. To make matters worse, they bring in a new character half way through, who did nothing for the "team" or storyline, merely add more cost and essentially baggage to the process.They had a good group of actors and some good writing, but rather than moving forward with that, they instead de-evolved into something that was boring and tedious to watch. It is sad when a good show turns into something like this. The good actors from the show will move on to different roles. Perhaps the best news is that the writing team for the last few years will have a blot on their resume, and will hopefully prevent them from working industry again. Given Hollywood's penchant for lousy scripts these days, however, I doubt it, and that is the sad part.

A little while ago,I'd written a user comment that was faintly praising and perhaps a little more than cruel in dismissing this show as a sort of pedestrian,superficial attempt at sincere drama that is acted well-enough and scripted competently enough to be interesting. After watching more episodes(mostly in re-runs) and getting roundly unsupported by those who bothered an opinion of my review,I decided to do a rewrite.While I still stick by my assertion that this show isn't quite as innovative or searing as it aspires to be,it's still quite compelling a drama. While the acting varies,from superb and sublime(mostly Anthony LaPaglia as the chief,but Marianne Jean-BAptiste and Poppy Montgomery are good as fellow agents),to completely flat(mostly Roslyn Sanchez,who IS easy on the eyes but not much more),the stories DO draw the viewer in,and the earnest and deliberate means of spelling out the Bureau's investigating a missing case. Good storytelling that is not (ordinarily) as graphic or de-humanizing as a CSI episode,that still handles the subject manner soberly(if sometimes short-sighted),this show may not be my favorite on the telly,but I will watch it if it's on more often than not. That,to me,seems like a more accurate assessment.

I've come to hate this show--the agents are so over the top and the events are so badly done that to say it stretches reality is greatly beyond an understatement. Malone is off-kilter so much he should be in jail for all the stuff he pulls. The personal drama between the characters detract too much from what's going on. The agents consistently abuse, threaten, and brow-beat suspects, witnesses, and victims that that whole unit should be looking for new jobs...or suspension at the least. I've stopped watching this show...no originals, no reruns, no more TiVo season pass.I started watching because of Eric Close--I thought this show would give him a chance to truly develop into a top-tier actor, but that just has not happened. LaPaglia is good as Jack Malone, but the overdone maverick behavior of Malone so distracts from the show--greatly so. However, the one actor that truly shines in the show is Marianne Jean-Baptiste as agent Vivian Johnson. She is the only one on the show that acts like an FBI agent with the portrayal of the character's personal side being the most believable.And to the CBS directors and writers, you guys need an FBI technical adviser for more than just a few shows...or fire Mark Llewellyn for doing such a poor job.