'Treadstone' premiere to introduce key players of Jason Bourne spin-off; So-Hyun, Doug McKenna, Tara Coleman and General Kwon
'Treadstone' is a spy thriller series and to be specific, it is a spin-off of the Jason Bourne world. The trailers and the teasers of the show that have been shared so far have painted broad strokes about 'Treadstone's plot.
A special preview of the show aired on the USA Network September 24 and the first episode of the show will further build on the preview. The first episode will build on this further and give audiences a look at the key players of the show, their past lives and their present, and how operation Treadstone will ultimately change their future.
We will see Jeremy Irvine as John Randolph Bentley, who was probably one of the first test subjects of original operation Treadstone by Russia's KGB in the late 70s. The role Bentley played in helping the research and development team regarding Treadstone will be one of the plotlines that can be expected to be explored. The makers had over time revealed that Treadstone, a buried CIA operation, was originally the product of KGB research.
We have So-Hyun played by Han Hyo-joo, a piano teacher and a mother. So-Hyun's dossier that was released clearly indicated she was one of the covert agents who were given undercover lives to lead until the need for them arose in the future when they would be wakened up.
So-Hyun's cover story includes a husband who works in a factory plant with some important men in North Korea's Pyongyang. However, none of this is her real life. She has been programmed to forget who she really is so she can live her undercover life convincingly.
Now that she has been woken up, how will her life change and will So-hyun have the freedom to choose her undercover life over the mission she will be expected to handle? This is another important subplot that would be explored in the premiere episode of the show.
Then we have Brian J. Smith as Doug McKenna who is married and is working hard at an oil rig. He is also one of the covert agents who are part of operation Treadstone and this is his cover story. Just as So-Hyun woke up to find herself facing General Kwon who she combats, Doug might receive a mission soon but what that would be is not clear as of now.
Then we have Tara Coleman played by Tracy Ifeachor, a journalist whose reputation is not intact anymore because of one of the stories she pursued and published bullheadedly. It is this reputation that encourages General Kwon to head her in the direction of operation Treadstone as he believes someone is trying to change the power structure at play right now.
He wants Tara to not only pursue the story but in the process also save his daughter as General Kwon believes he has already been targeted. He is certain he will not be able to live long because of operation Treadstone.
Then we have the CIA, who have so far been successful in keeping operation Treadstone buried. While the KGB may very well have been the ones to create the technology that made Treadstone possible, their first subject was an American operative.
So the transfer of knowledge about Treadstone is not surprising. What will be interesting when it comes to the future of the show is to figure out the North Korean connection.
'Treadstone' will premiere on the USA Network October 15 at 10 p.m. ET.