Movies - TV
How The Original Mr. & Mrs. Smith TV Series Was Erased From History
By MICHAEL BOYLE
In 1996, a decade before Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's iconic on-screen dynamic, Scott Bakula and Maria Bello starred in the CBS Television series based on “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.”
The show's premise introduced the Smiths, two spies entwined in a forced fake marriage, as they navigated dangerous missions and unexpectedly developed a romantic connection.
Despite its familiar premise, the '96 series remains largely forgotten, outshined by the 2005 film and the recent Amazon series. Co-creator Kerry Lenhart dismissed any connection.
Originally pitched as "The Kiss," the series faced challenges, and the show was eventually canceled after nine episodes due to poor ratings and CBS's inconsistent scheduling.
Lenhart discussed the correlation between “The Kiss” and the '05 flick with /Film, stating, “I know my writing partner went to the movie and went, ‘They've ripped us off!’”
“I wish it could have been a little sexier, I wish it could have been a little bit more international, a little darker," Lenhart expressed. Luckily, the film did all of this.