WITHOUT A TRACE is a fast-paced procedural drama about the Missing Persons Squad of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The sole responsibility of the special task force is to find missing persons by applying advanced psy... more »chological profiling techniques. The team reconstructs a "Day of Disappearance" timeline that details every minute of the 24 hours prior to the disappearance, following one simple rule: learn who the victim is in order to learn where the victim is.« less
Russ B. (Happyfeet) from BENSALEM, PA Reviewed on 5/30/2023...
Darn- it went missing, without a trace. Just kidding. I DID enjoy watching it again.
K. K. (GAMER) Reviewed on 3/28/2023...
Solid and entertaining series! A must watch!
Diane M. from SALEM, OR Reviewed on 4/3/2013...
Loved the second season of Without a Trace... am really unhappy that it was taken off the air. It is an awesome series.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Linda M. (bonbons99) from GLEN, NH Reviewed on 2/26/2013...
love this show
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
I was starting to wonder ...
A. Grace | Michigan | 12/14/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"... if we would ever get another Without a Trace season in region 1. And this season contains some fascinating cases: a bus of kids abudcted, a satire-laden fake kidnapping, a murderous twin (but who knows which one?), and many more. We're also treated to some great character moments. Martin loses control and ends up shooting a suspect; Vivian makes an irreversible choice to lie to protect both their careers, and both have to deal with the consequences in later episodes. Samantha is forced into counseling after being shot in the Season One finale; she says she's fine, but we know she isn't. Danny has to choose whether to testify on his brother's behalf, or abandon him the way he once abandoned Danny. An Alzheimer's diagnosis forces Jack to re-evaluate the strained relationship with his father (wonderfully played by Martin Landau), and a certain case causes him to relive his painful adolescence with an emotionally unstable mother.
Overall, this season continues the watchability and excellent writing begun by Season One.
For the curious, here is the episode list, first aired 09/25/03-05/20/04.
The Bus
Revelations
Confidence
Prodigy
Copycat
Our Sons And Daughters
A Tree Falls
Trip Box
Moving On
Coming Home
Exposure
Hawks And Handsaws
Life Rules
The Line
Wannabe
Risen
Gung Ho
Legacy
Doppelganger
Shadows
Two Families
The Season
Lost And Found
Bait"
One of the TV's best dramas finally gets it's well deserved
A. G. Corwin | 12/09/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"TV is filled with procedurals of all types and covering ever genre one can imagine, from medicine to homicide. When it first debuted, Without a Trace was something of an unknown. The premise of a team of FBI agents search for missing people in the NYC area was excellent, but could the show beat the expectations that is wasn't another CSI clone? One viewing of the first episode and I knew this was something very different.
Anthony LaPaglia as Jack Malone is one of the most intelligent casting choices in the past 5 years. He brings a charm, gravitas, and emotion to the character that feels authentic. Poppy Montgomery does a very nice job as Agent Samantha Spade, with solid supporting work from Marianne Jeanne-Baptiste, Enrique Murciano, Eric Close. As an ensemble, this is one of the best currently on television. Plot wise, this show is also one of the most interesting. The stories are well thought out, and thankfully stay away from the Law and Order type "ripped from the headlines". Each search for a missing person is done in a way the keeps the watcher intrigued until the very end, and refreshingly for a procedural, the good guys don't always win. The missing are often found dead or never found at all, which is sadly how it is in real life.
The Season Two DVD set contains twenty-four full length episodes, mastered in dolby surround and presented in widescreen. Don't expect too much as far as featurettes or commentaries go, the first season was pretty bare bones, and CBS is likely refraining from spending too much money on this box set until it can be shown to be profitable. Clearly the current run of Without a Trace on USA is having an impact on ratings and viewership, and that is likely the big reason behind this release two and one half years after season 1. So pick it up on March 13, and show them this show deserves more releases. Highly Recommended.
A.G. Corwin
St.Louis, MO
"
Excellent as ever
Konstanze Allsopp | Great Britain | 02/12/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The second Season of Without A Trace does not disappoint. The plots are believable, often shocking and never dull, and the five main actors have fine-tuned their interaction. The delicately crafted imbalance of five agents, with Poppy Montgomery's character not being able to forget her former lover Jack Malone (the chemistry between the two actors is a delight to see) and unable to commit to her new man Martin Fitzgerald, adds extra spice to an already nail-biting series. Incredible that the entire series was filmed in Los Angeles, I would have sworn it had been shot in the Big Apple where it is meant to take place. Keep up the good work. And please release Seasons 3 and 4 which are already available at Amazon.co.uk but without the extras and 5 minutes shorter per episode."
A Great Sophmore Season
J. Lucero | UnSub Fan | 03/15/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Season Two was a wonderful continuation of the series: from the wonderful connection between the stellar cast to the flawless way that they manuevered through casefiles and personal issues. And, for me, it showcased the reason I started watching the series: the burgeoning relationship between Martin and Sam. From 2.1 "The Bus" to the finale, 2.2 "Bait" it showed the chemistry that made the show enjoyable to watch. With the added element of the affair Sam once had with her boss, Jack, it made the series sizzle even more. This was the season that got me hooked. I highly rec it. Particularly for the deleted scenes - especially the ones from "Shadows.""
Without a Trace-Second Season
R. Eden -. Relations | 05/22/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I have enjoyed this show since its debut and hope they will put out all seasons on DVD. Strong writing and excellent cast that balances character development with intrigueing stories and manages not to go down the slippery path to becoming another prime time soap opera. There is a good reason that it has had strong and respectable ratings for several seasons."