NBC has ordered to series the spy drama Allegiance from writer George Nolfi (The Adjustment Bureau, The Bourne Ultimatum, Ocean’s Twelve), who also directed the pilot episode. The show is adapted from the original award-winning Israeli series MICE (Gordin Cell), which is produced by Tedy Productions for Israeli satcaster YES and Keshet Broadcasting, and distributed internationally by Keshet International.
Allegiance is executive produced by Nolfi and Keshet Media Group CEO Avi Nir (Homeland) along with Yona Wisenthal from Yes and creators of the original Israeli show Ron Leshem, Amit Cohen and Giyora Yahalom. The series is a production of Universal Television, Keshet Media Group and YES.
In Allegiance, Alex O’Connor, a young idealistic CIA analyst specialising in Russian affairs, learns a shocking secret and his close-knit, affluent family is about to be split apart when it’s revealed that his parents, Mark (Scott Cohen, Necessary Roughness) and Katya (Hope Davis,The Newsroom, In Treatment) are covert Russian spies deactivated decades ago. But today the Kremlin has re-enlisted them into service as they plan a terrorist operation inside the U.S. border that will bring America to its knees. Years ago, Russian-born Katya was tasked by the KGB to recruit American businessman Mark O’Connor as a spy and the two fell in love. A deal was struck: as long as Katya remained an asset for Russia, and it was agreed that her services could be called on in the future, she would be allowed to marry Mark and move to America. After years in America building a happy life and without word from Moscow, they thought they had escaped. Now it seems that the new Mother Russia has one more mission — turning Alex into a spy. For these anguished parents, the choice is clear: Betray their country or risk their family.
Allegiance is the latest show from Keshet to be ordered to series in the US, following Tim Kring and Gideon Raff’s international thriller series Dig starring Jason Isaacs and Anne Heche for USA Networks; Tyrant, from Fox 21 of which Keshet is an executive producer, the David Yates-directed drama from Homeland executive producers Howard Gordon and Gideon Raff and Six Feet Under alum Craig Wright, for FX; and a fourth-season greenlight of the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning spy drama Homeland for Showtime.
The Israeli original was created by Ron Leshem, Amit Cohen, Giora Yaalom and Danni Sirkin and produced by Tedy productions headed by Tmira Yardeni.
