ABC Quietly Reactivates The Assets

ABC tried to capitalize on the success of FX's 1980s-set Cold War spy hit The Americans with a period spy drama of their own last winter, the ambitious 8-part miniseries The Assets. Based on the book Circle of Treason, The Assets told the true story of the hunt for the most damaging Soviet mole in the CIA's history, Aldrich Ames. Unfortunately, none of the success of The Americans rubbed off on The Assets. With little or no advertising behind it, the miniseries netted the lowest ratings in the network's history, and got pulled after just two episodes. Which was a shame, because the viewers who did tune in found that after a rocky pilot, The Assets was becoming pretty compelling in its second episode. And those of us who liked it were left hanging as to how we might ever be able to see the remaining eight episodes. Now, six months later, with as little promotion as accompanied its inauspicious debut, ABC has quietly snuck The Assets back into its schedule. The third episode, "Trip to Vienna," aired Saturday night at 9. The fourth, "What's Done Is Done," is currently scheduled for next Saturday at the same time. Hopefully it won't be pulled from the summer schedule as well, and we'll get to see the whole series. And hopefully the network will put it On Demand as well, so that fans who missed the unpromoted return last night can still catch it. And while we're hoping all these hopes, I also still hope that a DVD set eventually materializes. For now, though, I'm just grateful that it's back on the air.