Ringer is an American crime thriller drama television series that aired on The CW from September 13, 2011, to April 17, 2012. The series stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, who plays twin sisters Bridget Kelly and Siobhan Martin. On May 13, 2011, it was reported that the project had been picked up to series by The CW.CW 2011-12 Primetime Schedule Announced – "Nikita" Moves to Fridays, "90210" to Tuesdays, TV By the Numbers, May 19, 2011 On October 12, 2011, The CW ordered a full first season of 22 episodes.
Ringer received mixed reviews, though critics praised Gellar's performance. On May 11, 2012, The CW canceled the series after one season.
Series synopsis Bridget Kelly (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is a recovering drug addict and stripper in Wyoming. She is under the protection of FBI Agent Victor Machado (Nestor Carbonell), having agreed to testify against her employer, local crime boss Bodaway Macawi (Zahn McClarnon), whom she witnessed committing murder. Fearing that Macawi, who has already murdered several witnesses linking him to previous crimes, will also kill her, Bridget flees to New York to meet her estranged twin sister Siobhan (also played by Gellar).
Soon after Bridget's arrival in New York, Siobhan, who had kept her sister's existence secret from her family, appears to commit suicide by jumping into the ocean. Bridget then assumes Siobhan's identity and tries to fit in among Siobhan's wealthy social circle, including Siobhan's husband Andrew (Ioan Gruffudd), stepdaughter Juliet (Zoey Deutch), best friend Gemma (Tara Summers), and Gemma's husband Henry (Kristoffer Polaha) with whom Siobhan had been having an affair. The only one who knows that Bridget is passing as Siobhan is Bridget's Narcotics Anonymous sponsor Malcolm (Mike Colter). Bridget's life becomes more complicated as she discovers that her sister was hiding secrets of her own and that someone is trying to kill Siobhan as well.
Cast and characters Main Sarah Michelle Gellar as twin sisters Bridget Kelly and Siobhan Martin. Bridget, a troubled young woman wanted dead by the mob, turns to Siobhan for help. When Siobhan appears to commit suicide soon after Bridget's arrival, Bridget assumes her identity—only to learn that Siobhan has secrets of her own. Kristoffer Polaha as Henry Butler, Gemma's husband, a writer unhappy with his life who had an affair with Siobhan. Ioan Gruffudd as Andrew Martin, a self-made millionaire whose marriage to Siobhan is struggling as he deals with his work and keeping his daughter out of trouble. Nestor Carbonell as Victor Machado, an FBI agent whose job is to keep Bridget safe. Mike Colter as Malcolm Ward, a recovering addict who is Bridget's Narcotics Anonymous sponsor. He knows about Bridget's double life.
Recurring Zoey Deutch as Juliet Martin, Siobhan's 17-year-old stepdaughter Tara Summers as Gemma Butler, Siobhan's best friend Zahn McClarnon as Bodaway Macawi, the mob boss who's after Bridget Darren Pettie as Detective Jimmy Kemper, Machado's partner in Wyoming Jaime Murray as Olivia Charles, Andrew's business partner. It is revealed that Olivia is involved in a relationship with Catherine. Justin Bruening as Tyler Barrett, a man who sets his sights on Siobhan Billy Miller as John Delario, who is working for Siobhan and meets Bridget during her NA meetings under the Alias Charlie Young. He kidnaps and murders Gemma and while he tries to hide the body, Siobhan kills him. Jason Dohring as Mr. Carpenter, a teacher at Juliet's high school Gage Golightly as Tessa Banner, Juliet's frenemy Andrea Roth as Catherine Martin, Andrew's ex-wife and Juliet's mother. It is revealed that Catherine is involved in a relationship with Olivia. Gregory Harrison as Tim Arbogast, Gemma's wealthy father Sean Patrick Thomas as Solomon Vessida, Bridget's bodyguard Jordan Marder as Rex Barton, a hitman hired by Catherine
Guest Nicole Gale Anderson as Monica Reynolds, Juliet's friend Amber Benson as Mary Curtis Kether Donohue as Waitress Mädchen Amick as Greer Sheridan, a friend of Siobhan Misha Collins as Dylan Morrison, the father of Siobhan's deceased son Nikki DeLoach as Shaylene Briggs, a stripper who was Bridget's co-worker and Machado's informant/girlfriend Matthew Del Negro as Grady Torrance, Machado's superior Jonathan Banks as Remy Osterman, dangerous criminal Dylan Neal as Washburn Milter
Development and production
The pilot was announced in early 2011 for CBS. Filming for the pilot began in March 2011 in New York City. The pilot was directed by Richard Shepard and written by Eric Charmelo and Nicole Snyder. The remainder of the series was filmed in Los Angeles. Gellar served as executive producer alongside Peter Traugott and Pam Veasey.
In a surprise, the pilot was picked up to series on May 13, 2011, not by CBS, but by their sister network, The CW. This caused ABC Studios to drop out of co-producing the show, citing that it cannot produce a series for the economics of The CW. Warner Bros. Television stepped in as co-producers instead. On the CW's 2011-12 schedule the series was paired with 90210 and aired Tuesday nights at 9:00 pm Eastern/8:00 pm Central. The network initially ordered thirteen episodes.
The series premiered on September 13, 2011. On October 12, 2011, the series was picked up for a full season of 22 episodes.
Casting Casting announcements for the series began in January 2011. First to be cast was Sarah Michelle Gellar, who also served as executive producer. Gellar plays Bridget and her twin sister Siobhan Martin.Sarah Michelle Gellar set to star in CBS pilot, "Ringer" , Zap2It.com, January 15, 2011 Gellar said, "The joke is that I'm playing five characters" – Bridget and Siobhan in the present, both women in flashbacks, and "Shivette" (which it says on her chair on set), Bridget impersonating Siobhan. The series was Gellar's return to television following the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer eight years earlier.
Next to be cast was Nestor Carbonell as Victor Machado,Development Update: Wednesday, February 9, The Futon Critic, February 9, 2011 followed by Ioan Gruffudd as Siobhan's husband Andrew Martin, and Mike Colter as Bridget's sponsor Malcolm Ward. Tara Summers later joined the series as Gemma Butler.Laura Benanti To Star In NBC's "Playboy" And Other Pilot Castings, Deadline Hollywood, February 16, 2011 Kristoffer Polaha was the last actor to be cast in March 2011, as Henry Butler.Kris Polaha Among Latest Pilot Additions, Deadline Hollywood, March 10, 2011
It was reported on July 19, 2011, that Jaime Murray had been cast as Olivia, Andrew's business partner, who first appeared in episode two and became a recurring character. On July 26, 2011, it was announced that Zoey Deutch had been recast as Juliet, Siobhan's step-daughter and Andrew's daughter. In August, several other recurring roles were cast.
Justin Bruening would be joining Ringer as a recurring character named Tyler, who will pursue Siobhan; Billy Miller as John Delario, who met Bridget during her NA meetings; Jason Dohring as Mr. Carpenter, a teacher at the high school Siobhan's step-daughter Juliet attends; and Gage Golightly was cast in a recurring role as Tessa, "a tough teenager who tangles with Siobhan's step-daughter Juliet (Zoey Deutch) at her new inner-city school". On September 3, Nicole Gale Anderson revealed on her official Twitter that she joined Ringer and will play the role of Monica. Mädchen Amick has been cast as Greer Sheridan, Siobhan's old friend. On October 26, it was announced that Andrea Roth has been cast to play Catherine, Andrew's ex-wife and Juliet's mother. Brody Hutzler was cast as Greer Sheridan's husband Jason.
Music The show mostly broadcasts indie music. During the Pilot, in order to accentuate the neo-noir aspect of the show, the 1960 song "I Fall to Pieces" by Patsy Cline and a cover of the 1970 song "25 or 6 to 4" by Pacifika were played during key scenes. Later in the season, along with "Glory Box" by Portishead, "Video Games" was featured for the first time on prime spot on Ringer on September 28, 2011 during a pivotal scene. Adele's song "Set Fire To The Rain" was used for the promotional campaign of the show and "Rumour Has It" during the last scene of the mid-season finale. The song "Riverside" by the Alfred Hitchcock lover, Agnes Obel is played during Episode 12 and another Lana Del Rey song, "Blue Jeans", was played on February 14, 2012 during the last scene of the episode. The new Regina Spektor single, "All the Rowboats", was featured on Episode 17. Season one ended with a song from the rock band The Black Keys called "She's Long Gone".
The main title music was composed by Gabriel Mann, who also scored the pilot and the first four episodes; Mark Snow assumed scoring duties thereafter.
Episodes
Promotion Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ioan Gruffudd and Kristoffer Polaha were at the 1st Critics' Choice Television Awards on June 20, 2011 at the Beverly Hills Hotel to support Ringer and receive "The Most Exciting New Series" award.
The series made its debut at Comic-Con 2011 with cast members Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nestor Carbonell, Ioan Gruffudd and Kristoffer Polaha. Executive producer Pam Veasey and co-executive producers Nicole Snyder and Eric Charmelo also appeared. In addition, Gellar was featured in a photo shoot for The Hollywood Reporter entitled Comic-Con: TV's 6 Most Wanted Women.
Two promotional posters for the series were unveiled on July 20, 2011; one with Gellar, Carbonell, Gruffudd and Polaha, and one with only Gellar, both with the tagline "The Ultimate Double Cross". Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nestor Carbonell, Ioan Gruffudd, Kristoffer Polaha and Mike Colter attended "The Television Critics Association Summer Tour" to promote Ringer. Throughout August several Ringer billboards were displayed in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago and two huge mirrors were launched in New York and Los Angeles to allow passersby to create visual doppelgangers of themselves.
On September 1, 2011, a new promotional poster was released with the whole cast. Sarah Michelle Gellar was featured on the cover of the September 2, 2011 Entertainment Weekly with the tagline "The Return (Yay!) of Sarah Michelle Gellar. One of TV's most iconic stars is back with a twisty new drama, Ringer: 'It's what audiences want to see me do – It's Cruel Intentions meets Buffy". On September 7, 2011, Eric Charmelo, Nicole Snyder, Mike Colter, and Nestor Carbonell were at the Paley Fest 2011: Fall TV Preview Parties in Los Angeles to preview the pilot following an introductory Panel. On September 10, 2011 the whole cast (except Gellar) was at the CW Launch Party. On September 11, 2011, Sarah Michelle Gellar made the cover of The New York VUE, the TV magazine included every Sunday in The Daily News with the tagline "Doubling Back. Sarah Michelle Gellar returns to TV playing twins on Ringer". On September 12, 2011, Sarah Michelle Gellar was on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and on Regis and Kelly the following day to promote the pilot. On September 26, 2011, Gellar was a guest on Chelsea Lately to promote the series and on Rachael Ray the following day. On October 13, 2011, Gellar was a guest on the late-night talk show Conan and on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on November 14, 2011. On February 6, 2012, Gellar was a guest on Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live" with Ryan Murphy and on the Late Show with David Letterman. The following day she was on the morning show Live! with Kelly and on February 21, 2012 on Rachael Ray.
Reception
Critical reception On Metacritic the show has a score of 59 out of 100 based on reviews from 29 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.