The Handler(2003)

The Handler is a crime series that follows Joe Renato, an FBI agent tasked with training and managing young undercover operatives. Created by Canadian writer-producer Chris Haddock, the show aired on CBS during the 2003-04 season and starred Joe Pantoliano in the lead role, alongside Hill Harper, Anna Belknap, Lola Glaudini, and Tanya Wright. The series explores the high-stakes world of undercover work, balancing the tension of field operations with the mentorship dynamics between seasoned agents and their recruits. Though short-lived, The Handler showcased the procedural crime drama format that dominated American television at the time, with cast members going on to prominent roles in other major network dramas.