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Drive (2007 TV series)
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
| Drive | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Drama Action |
| Created by | Tim Minear Ben Queen |
| Starring | Nathan Fillion Kristin Lehman Mircea Monroe Riley Smith Kevin Alejandro J. D. Pardo Dylan Baker Emma Stone Rochelle Aytes Taryn Manning Melanie Lynskey |
| Opening theme | "Can't Stop the World" by Gavin Rossdale |
| Composer | Keith Power |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 (plus unaired pilot) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Tim Minear Ben Queen Greg Yaitanes |
| Running time | 42 minutes |
| Production companies | Reamworks 20th Century Fox Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | Fox |
| Release | April 13 – July 15, 2007 |
Drive is an American action drama television series created by Tim Minear and Ben Queen, produced by Minear, Queen, and Greg Yaitanes, and starring Nathan Fillion. Four episodes aired on the Fox Network in April 2007. Two unaired episodes were later released directly to digital distribution.
The series is set against the backdrop of an illegal cross-country automobile road race, focusing on the willing and unwilling competitors and, as the plot develops, the unseen puppet masters who sponsor the race. Minear has described the show's thematic tone by saying "a secret, illegal, underground road race can be anything from Cannonball Run to The Game to North by Northwest to Magnolia-on-wheels. Ours is all those things."[1]
Drive was the first TV show in history to have a live Twitter session during an episode.[2] The account @foxdrive still exists.
The show premiered on April 13, 2007, on CTV in Canada.[3] It debuted in the United States on April 15, 2007 on Fox, and moved into its regular time slot on Mondays the next day; in that slot it faced stiff competition from NBC's Deal or No Deal and ABC's Dancing with the Stars. On April 25, Fox cancelled Drive after only four episodes had aired.[4] The series has not yet been released to international markets (with the exception of Canada) or on DVD.
Cast and characters
[edit]
| Actor | Role | Vehicle | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan Fillion | Alex Tully | 1972 Ford F-100 (tan) 1972[5] Dodge Challenger (black) |
Protagonist |
| Kristin Lehman | Corinna Wiles | Partners with Alex Tully | |
| Kevin Alejandro | Winston Salazar | 1964 Chevrolet Impala lowrider (gold) | Half-brothers |
| J.D. Pardo | Sean Salazar | ||
| Dylan Baker | John Trimble | 1999 Ford Taurus (silver-blue) | Father and daughter duo |
| Emma Stone | Violet Trimble | ||
| Michael Hyatt | Susan Chamblee | Land Rover LR3 (light blue) Ford Focus (red) |
|
| Rochelle Aytes | Leigh Barnthouse | Pontiac Solstice (black) | Originally partners with Susan Chamblee and Ivy Chitty |
| Melanie Lynskey | Wendy Patrakas | Dodge Grand Caravan SXT (silver) | |
| Taryn Manning | Ivy Chitty | Originally partners with Susan Chamblee and Leigh Barnthouse, then partners with Wendy Patrakas, then steals the Trimbles' Ford Taurus | |
| Riley Smith | Rob Laird | 1979 Pontiac Trans Am (white) | Husband and wife team |
| Mircea Monroe | Ellie Laird | ||
| Wayne Grace | Jimmy Cousins | Harley Davidson touring motorcycle (black) | Husband and wife team |
| K Callan | Ceal Cousins | ||
| Brian Bloom | Allan James | 2007 Dodge Charger (black) 2002 Chevrolet Impala (red) |
Not a race participant |
| Richard Brooks | Detective Ehrle | Not a race participant | |
| Charles Martin Smith | Mr. Bright | One of the race organizers; not a race participant | |
| Katie Finneran | Becca Freeman | Alex Tully's sister; not a race participant | |
| Amy Acker | Kathryn Tully | Alex Tully's wife; not a race participant |
Route
[edit]The following are the checkpoints passed, clues or instructions before arrival, and the specifics regarding them.
| Checkpoint | Clue/Instructions | Specifics |
|---|---|---|
| Key West, Florida | Text message: "Mainland Go" (announced the start of the race, not a destination) | The starting line of the race. |
| Jupiter, Florida | Text message: "Fly to Jupiter and find the red eye." | The Jupiter Inlet lighthouse. |
| Cape Canaveral, Florida | Text message: "Kennedy killed in '73." The message is accompanied by a countdown clock. | In 1973, Cape Kennedy was renamed to Cape Canaveral, thus "killing" the name "Kennedy." Drivers met at the Kennedy Space Center, where the countdown corresponded with a Space Shuttle launch. |
| Rome, Georgia | Each driver was given a red ticket stub with instructions to go to Rome, "After sunset, before dark." NOTE: in the ticket was written "ADMIT". |
After Sunset drive-in movie theater. |
| Appomattox Court House, Virginia | Text message: "Surrender, America" | Appomattox Court House was where Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union general Ulysses S. Grant, thus ending the Civil War. |
| Cleveland, Ohio | Most of the racers received two hot candies, while Alex, Corinna, Sean and Winston, who had taken advantage of their head start, received a note reading "Great Balls of Fire: The Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame - Cleveland" | The Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. |
| Unknown | Alex Tully received the address to the next checkpoint on a slip of paper after arriving at The Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. | The slip of paper is passed hand-to-hand, and the checkpoint is never revealed in the six produced episodes. |
Episodes
[edit]A total of six episodes of Drive were produced; four of them were aired prior to its cancellation. The series premiered on April 13, 2007 in Canada and on April 15, 2007 in the United States.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | US viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Unaired Pilot | Greg Yaitanes | Tim Minear & Ben Queen | Unaired | 1AMP79 | TBD |
| 1 | "The Starting Line" | Greg Yaitanes | Tim Minear & Ben Queen | April 13, 2007 (CTV) | 1AMP01 | 6.04[6] |
|
An illegal cross country race is being run. Contestants in the race are not all there by their own choice – Alex Tully is searching for his missing wife; a mother is somehow involved for her baby's safety--others may simply be after the 32 million dollar prize. | ||||||
| 2 | "Partners" | Greg Yaitanes | Tim Minear & Tom Szentgyörgyi | April 13, 2007 (CTV) | 1AMP02 | 6.04[6] |
|
The race continues in Jupiter, Florida, where Tully, Wiles, and the other racers prepare for the next clue. Wendy Patrakas prepares to kill Ivy Chitty to stay in the race. Corinna's interest in the race is revealed. | ||||||
| 3 | "Let the Games Begin" | Marita Grabiak | Eoghan Mahony & Ben Queen | April 16, 2007 (Fox)[7] | 1AMP03 | 5.66[8] |
|
The race continues on the next stage. Alex meets an old acquaintance after getting in trouble with the police while Wendy gets a new co-driver. | ||||||
| 4 | "No Turning Back" | Elodie Keene | Lauren Schmidt & Craig Silverstein | April 23, 2007 (Fox)[9] | 1AMP04 | 4.60[10] |
|
Alex and Corinna are offered a chance to move ahead of the other racers; Corinna is unsure of how safe the move would be. Susan and Leigh wish to stay in the race even after their betrayal by another. Wendy fears for her baby's safety. Susan and Leigh are eliminated from the race. | ||||||
| 5 | "The Extra Mile" | Paul Edwards | Salvatore J. Stabile & Juan Carlos Coto | July 15, 2007 (Online) | 1AMP05 | N/A |
|
Alex, Corinna and the Salazar brothers are faced with the ramifications of their jump-start; Leigh gets a new partner; and Ivy puts Sam in danger. | ||||||
| 6 | "Rear View" | Michael Katleman | Kristen Reidel & Scott M. Gimple | July 15, 2007 (Online) | 1AMP06 | N/A |
|
Alex risks everything to find Kathryn; Violet picks up a hitchhiking Ivy; Wendy hurries to save Sam from her husband; and the military finally catches up with Rob. | ||||||
Production notes
[edit]Fox greenlit series production on Drive in October 2006. In addition to the series pilot, another twelve episodes were ordered as a midseason replacement for spring 2007.[11]
Filming locations
[edit]Drive was shot in the Los Angeles area, using road footage and green-screen technology. According to Tim Minear, "because of technology, we can actually create a cross-country road race and shoot it all in Santa Clarita."[12] This led to geographic inconsistencies in the series, including mountains and desert settings visible during highway scenes set near Gainesville, Florida, when there are no actual mountain ranges or deserts in that area.
Highway scenes were shot on Interstate 210 in Rialto, California on the finished but unopened portion between Alder Ave. and Linden Ave. The exit for Alder Ave can be seen as the exit in most of the freeway scenes. In the first episode, the Alder Ave. sign for the exit is clearly legible. Scenes at the "Kennedy Space Center" were filmed at the Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, California.
Music
[edit]- Gavin Rossdale – "Can't Stop the World"
- The Doors – "Roadhouse Blues (Crystal Method Remix)"
- Bloc Party – "Kreuzberg"
- Nine Pound Hammer – "Radar Love"
- X – "The Hungry Wolf"
- Lunatic Calm – "Leave You Far Behind"
- Ghost in the Machine – "King of My World"
- Yonderboi – "Soulbitch"
- The Rhones – "Quitter"
- Crystal Method – "Bad Ass"
Cancellation
[edit]The two-hour premiere of Drive in the United States, broadcast on April 15, 2007 at 8:00 pm, was watched by six million viewers.[13] The program did not deliver the ratings Fox desired, and on April 25, 2007, the network announced that it had cancelled Drive.[4] The final two remaining unaired episodes of Drive were made available for online streaming on Fox on Demand beginning Sunday, July 15, 2007, in addition to the previously aired episodes. All six episodes of the show were previously made available for purchase and download from the iTunes Store[14] and Amazon Video on Demand[15] exclusively for United States residents, but are no longer available since then. It is (in October 2023) available via Amazon Prime.[16]
Fox initially announced that the final two episodes would air on July 4, 2007. The network rescheduled them for July 13 and later pulled them entirely.[17] The two remaining episodes were posted online on July 15, 2007. Executive producers Tim Minear and Craig Silverstein subsequently gave an interview that described what might have happened if the series had continued.[18]
To the question "Which single work of yours do you feel didn't get the attention it deserved?", Nathan Fillion said: "I would say I did a series called Drive that would've been a really good TV series if more than two episodes had aired. It was a lot of fun and it was very short lived. Sometimes I forget I was in it."[19]
Awards and nominations
[edit]Drive, while short-lived, is the first series to be nominated for an Emmy Award under the organization's new "broadband" eligibility guidelines. The show's title sequence had originally been submitted for consideration in the category of "Outstanding Visual Effects in a Drama Series". However, Emmy regulations require a series to air at least six episodes in order to be eligible, whereas Drive had only aired four episodes prior to its cancellation. After the sequence was posted for streaming on the Internet, it became eligible under the new "Outstanding Visual Effects in a Television Miniseries, Movie, or Special" category.[20]
In popular culture
[edit]- In the September 2007 issue of Marvel Comics' Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Peter Parker comments that "ever since Fox cancelled Drive, it's been one piece of bad luck after another."[21]
Citations
[edit]- ^ "The Tim Minear Interview". The Drive News Blog. July 1, 2006.
- ^ Yaitanes, Greg (November 15, 2013). "TV Showrunner Reveals Lessons From Investing in Twitter (Guest Column)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
- ^ "CTV adds 'Drive' to schedule, premieres April 13". CTV.ca. April 9, 2007. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
- ^ a b Schneider, Michael (April 25, 2007). "'Drive' runs out of gas". Variety. Retrieved April 26, 2007.
- ^ While referred to in the show as a 1972 model, the vehicle's distinctive front and rear mark it as a 1970 model, markedly different from the 1972–1974 models.
- ^ a b "WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 04/09/07 THROUGH 04/15/07" (Press release). ABC Medianet. April 17, 2007. Retrieved October 16, 2010.
- ^ "(DRV-103) "Let the Games Begin"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved June 23, 2007.
- ^ "WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 04/16/07 THROUGH 04/22/07" (Press release). ABC Medianet. April 24, 2007. Retrieved October 16, 2010.
- ^ "(DRV-104) "No Turning Back"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved June 23, 2007.
- ^ "WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 04/23/07 THROUGH 04/29/07" (Press release). ABC Medianet. May 1, 2007. Retrieved October 16, 2010.
- ^ Adalian, Josef (October 30, 2006). "Fox springs into 'Drive'". Variety.
- ^ Miller, Gerri (April 12, 2007). "Inside "Drive"". HowStuffWorks. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
- ^ Bauder, David (April 17, 2007). "Ratings: NBC Sinks; Fox's 'Drive' Stalls". Forbes. Retrieved April 18, 2007.[dead link]
- ^ "Drive, Season 1". Retrieved August 17, 2007.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Drive: Unbox Video". Amazon. Retrieved August 17, 2007.
- ^ "Drive". IMDb.
- ^ "Drive: Fox Hijacks Last Two Episodes". TVSeriesFinale.com. July 6, 2007.
- ^ "Drive: What Would've Happened on the Cancelled Series". TVSeriesFinale.com. July 11, 2007.
- ^ Alex McLevy (July 19, 2018). "Nathan Fillion on being a Monkees fan and why he gets nervous in a crowd of drinkers". The A.V. Club.
- ^ Michael Schneider (July 20, 2007). "'Drive' makes primetime Emmy history: Fox show the first broadband nominee". Variety. Retrieved March 3, 2008.
- ^ David, Peter (w). Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, vol. 2, no. 22 (September 2007). Marvel Comics.
General and cited references
[edit]- Official website
- Shales, Tom (14 April 2007). "Fox's 'Drive': It Can't Get There From Here". The Washington Post, p. C1.
External links
[edit]Drive (2007 TV series)
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Drive is an American action drama television series created by Tim Minear and Ben Queen that premiered on the Fox network on April 15, 2007, with a two-hour pilot episode.[1] The series follows a diverse group of drivers coerced or compelled to participate in an illegal, underground cross-country road race offering a $32 million prize, where each contestant harbors personal stakes such as searching for missing loved ones, escaping abuse, or fleeing a criminal past.[1] Led by Nathan Fillion as Nebraska family man Alex Tully, who enters the race after his wife is kidnapped, the show features an ensemble cast including Kristin Lehman as fellow racer Corinna Wiles, Mircea Monroe as Ellie Howe, Riley Smith as Rob Laird, Kevin Alejandro, Melanie Lynskey, and an early appearance by Emma Stone.[1]
Produced by 20th Century Fox Television and Reamworks Inc., with executive producers Minear, Queen, and director Greg Yaitanes, Drive was initially ordered for 13 episodes but only six were completed due to production decisions amid declining viewership.[1] Following its two-hour Sunday premiere on April 15, 2007, the series aired two additional episodes on consecutive Monday nights at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT before Fox canceled it on April 26, 2007, citing poor ratings that averaged a 2.3 household rating and 6 share among adults 18-49, drawing about 5.6 million viewers per episode.[2][3] The network's decision also impacted lead-out programming like 24, which saw its lowest ratings ever during the slot.[3] The two unaired episodes were later made available online via Fox's broadband platform on July 15, 2007, marking a historic first for Primetime Emmy consideration in the interactive media category.[4]
Despite its short run, Drive received generally positive critical reception for its stylish action sequences and intriguing premise, earning a 65% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 17 reviews, though some critics noted its derivative elements reminiscent of films like The Cannonball Run and challenges in sustaining serialized storytelling.[5] The series has since gained a cult following for its high-concept blend of automotive thrills and interpersonal drama, with Fillion's performance highlighting his post-Firefly transition to leading man roles under Minear's direction; as of 2025, it is available for streaming on platforms including Amazon Prime Video and Tubi.[1][6][7]
This roster of racers underscores the series' focus on ordinary people thrust into extraordinary peril, with their vehicles serving as extensions of their precarious situations.[9]
Premise and setting
Plot summary
Drive is an American action drama television series centered on an underground, illegal cross-country automobile road race across the United States, featuring a diverse ensemble of participants who are either drawn by the allure of a $32 million prize or coerced into competing.[8][9] The race begins in Key West, Florida, where drivers receive initial instructions from a mysterious race liaison, setting them on a secretive route filled with checkpoints and high-risk maneuvers.[10] Participants navigate the competition in everyday vehicles, facing constant threats from law enforcement and the race's enigmatic organizers, who enforce rules through surveillance and severe penalties for rule-breakers.[11][12] The narrative unfolds as personal stakes and interpersonal dynamics intensify amid the high-speed pursuit, blending elements of action and suspense with character-driven drama.[13] Drivers form uneasy alliances and rivalries while evading capture, as the unseen sponsors behind the event manipulate outcomes to heighten the tension.[8] Inspired by films such as Cannonball Run and The Game, the series explores themes of desperation and redemption through the racers' evolving stories during the grueling journey.[8]Race structure
The race in Drive is structured as an illegal, underground cross-country automobile competition with a $32 million prize for the winner, designed to test participants' driving skills, endurance, and strategic decision-making across the United States.[1] It begins in Key West, Florida, and follows a predefined route featuring checkpoints at iconic locations, including the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse in Jupiter, Florida; the Kennedy Space Center launch site in Cape Canaveral, Florida; a drive-in theater in Rome, Georgia; the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park in Appomattox, Virginia; and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, serving as the final destination.[14] These checkpoints are revealed progressively through cryptic clues delivered via text messages to participants' devices, requiring teams to interpret riddles tied to historical or cultural significance at each site.[15] Participants compete in pairs or teams using their own personal vehicles, ranging from everyday minivans and pickup trucks to high-performance sports cars and SUVs, without any standardization or modifications mandated by the organizers.[16] The rules permit a no-holds-barred approach, where rivals may engage in sabotage—such as tampering with vehicles or misleading clues—to gain advantages, while the mysterious organizers occasionally intervene with penalties for overt rule violations, like excessive violence or deviation from the route, potentially resulting in disqualification or worse.[1] There is no fixed time limit, shifting the focus from pure speed to survival amid mechanical failures, law enforcement evasion, and interpersonal conflicts, though arriving last at a checkpoint often triggers elimination risks.[17] The format loosely draws inspiration from real-life unsanctioned endurance runs like the Cannonball Run, but incorporates fictional elements such as coercive recruitment tactics—where some drivers are blackmailed into joining—and opaque oversight by an enigmatic organization that monitors progress via satellite tracking.[15] This structure heightens tension by blending high-stakes driving with psychological drama, as teams must balance aggressive tactics against the need to maintain vehicle functionality over thousands of miles.[16]Cast and characters
Main competitors
The main competitors in Drive comprise a diverse ensemble of drivers and teams, each drawn into the clandestine cross-country race by deeply personal stakes, ranging from familial obligations to financial desperation and quests for personal renewal. These characters drive the narrative through their interpersonal tensions and individual arcs, highlighting themes of risk, loyalty, and survival.[18]| Competitor(s) | Actor(s) | Vehicle(s) | Core Motivation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Tully | Nathan Fillion | 1972 Ford F-100 (tan); 1972 Dodge Challenger (black) | Racing to protect and reunite with his family after his wife's kidnapping.[16][19][20] |
| Corinna Wiles | Kristin Lehman | Shares with Alex Tully (1972 Ford F-100 or Dodge Challenger) | Seeks answers about her husband's death in a previous race and partners with Alex Tully.[19] |
| Winston and Sean Salazar | Kevin Alejandro; J.D. Pardo | 1964 Chevrolet Impala lowrider (gold) | Half-brothers evading overwhelming debts and a shady criminal past.[19][10] |
| John and Violet Trimble | Dylan Baker; Emma Stone | 1999 Ford Taurus (silver-blue) | Father-daughter duo fleeing unspecified threats while concealing family secrets, including the father's health issues.[19][21] |
| Susan Chamblee | Michael Hyatt | Land Rover LR3 (light blue); Ford Focus (red) | One of three Hurricane Katrina survivors from New Orleans competing for the prize money, originally partnered with Leigh Barnthouse and Ivy Chitty.[19][22][16] |
| Leigh Barnthouse | Rochelle Aytes | Pontiac Solstice (black) | One of three Hurricane Katrina survivors from New Orleans competing for the prize money, originally partnered with Susan Chamblee and Ivy Chitty.[19] |
| Wendy Patrakas and Ivy Chitty | Melanie Lynskey; Taryn Manning | Dodge Grand Caravan SXT (silver) | Close friends entering the race while hiding mutual secrets that threaten their bond.[19] |
| Rob and Ellie Laird | Riley Smith; Mircea Monroe | 1979 Pontiac Trans Am (white) | Newlyweds pursuing adrenaline-fueled excitement to strengthen their young marriage post-military service.[19][23] |
| Jimmy and Ceal Cousins | Wayne Grace; K Callan | Harley-Davidson touring motorcycle (black) | Elderly couple embracing the race as a testament to their lifelong partnership and zest for adventure.[19][24] |
Supporting roles
Charles Martin Smith plays Mr. Bright, the enigmatic primary organizer of the clandestine cross-country race, who employs subtle coercive tactics—such as veiled threats and manipulative oversight—to ensure competitors remain committed despite the high risks involved.[25] His shadowy presence underscores the mysterious forces driving the event, maintaining control from afar without directly participating. Richard Brooks portrays Detective Ehrle, a persistent law enforcement investigator who tracks the racers' movements, introducing external pressure and the constant threat of exposure to the illegal competition.[26] Ehrle's pursuit amplifies the narrative tension, forcing participants to navigate not only the race but also evasion from authorities.[27] Family members provide crucial emotional grounding for the main competitors. Katie Finneran appears as Becca Freeman, the estranged sister of racer Alex Tully, whose interactions reveal personal histories and motivations that heighten Alex's stakes in the race.[19] Similarly, Amy Acker plays Kathryn Tully, Alex's wife, whose kidnapping prompts him to enter the race; her interactions prior to the disappearance highlight family dynamics and stakes.[19] Brian Bloom depicts Allan James, a shadowy figure affiliated with the race organizers, serving as a potential rival enforcer who monitors and influences the proceedings from the periphery.[28] His role contributes to the web of intrigue surrounding the event's administration.[19]Production
Development
Drive was created by Tim Minear and Ben Queen, with production overseen by Minear, Queen, and Greg Yaitanes as executive producers, under the banner of 20th Century Fox Television and Reamworks.[29] The series was developed for Fox as a limited drama blending high-stakes action with character-driven narratives, centered on a secretive, illegal cross-country road race offering a $32 million prize to participants who are either invited or coerced into competing.[29] Announced on November 1, 2006, the project drew inspiration from reality competition formats like The Amazing Race and classic road movies, aiming to explore ensemble dynamics amid thriller elements.[30] The concept originated as an ensemble road trip thriller, with Minear and Queen penning the script for the pilot episode, which Yaitanes directed.[31] An initial pilot was produced but ultimately scrapped and reshot to deepen character backstories and emotional connections, allowing viewers to better understand the racers' personal stakes before the race intensifies.[30] As Minear noted, "In the new version we do [visit the worlds from which these people came] so we're more emotionally connected to who they are."[30] This revision emphasized the series' focus on diverse individuals thrust into a high-pressure scenario, heightening the dramatic tension beyond mere vehicular action. Pre-production ramped up in early 2007, with casting announcements highlighting key roles such as Nathan Fillion as lead racer Alex Tully and Emma Stone as Violet Trimble, alongside other ensemble members.[32] Budget planning prioritized innovative techniques for vehicle stunts and effects to manage costs effectively on a television scale, incorporating extensive green-screen work to simulate dynamic road sequences.[33] This approach, utilizing virtual environments and CGI integration by Zoic Studios, reduced shooting expenses by 30-40% compared to on-location filming—cutting multi-day real-road productions that could cost $100,000 per day down to single-day studio sessions.[30] Yaitanes explained, "We've created virtual environments, so we do all the driving without taking the cars and people on the road," enabling ambitious chase scenes within practical constraints.[30] Such methods marked a technological leap for TV action dramas at the time, as visual effects supervisor Loni Peristere observed, "This could not have been done last year."[33]Filming
Principal photography for Drive took place primarily in the Los Angeles area from January to March 2007, utilizing green-screen technology to simulate the cross-country race's highway scenes.[24] The production was based at Santa Clarita Studios in Santa Clarita, California, where interior driving sequences were filmed inside a large barn-like facility, with vehicles mounted on air-filled bladders that allowed them to slide across a coated floor for realistic motion.[33] Actual road footage was captured on Interstate 210 in Rialto, California, specifically on the unopened section between Alder Avenue and Linden Avenue, as well as in Fontana, California.[34] Filming faced several challenges, including geographic inaccuracies that arose from combining California locations with the scripted East Coast route; for instance, desert landscapes and distant mountains appeared in scenes set in Florida, where such terrain is absent.[35] To depict high-speed chases and vehicular action, the production blended practical effects—such as real stunt driving—with computer-generated imagery (CGI) provided by Zoic Studios, creating dynamic sequences that merged studio performances with on-location footage.[36] This approach, while innovative for television, was relatively untested at the time and required extensive post-production to integrate elements seamlessly.[33] A total of six episodes were shot, although the network had initially ordered 13.[37] Direction was led by Greg Yaitanes, who helmed multiple episodes including the pilot, with additional episodes directed by Paul A. Edwards, Marita Grabiak, and others.[19] The visual effects team, supervised by Loni Peristere and Raoul Yorke Bolognini at Zoic Studios, received a Primetime Emmy nomination in 2007 for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special, recognizing their work on the show's title sequence and action sequences.[38]Music and soundtrack
The opening theme song for Drive is "Can't Stop the World", performed by Gavin Rossdale, the lead singer of the rock band Bush.[39] The track, originally written for the series, plays during the opening credits and underscores themes of relentless pursuit and freedom on the open road. Later included on Rossdale's 2008 solo album Wanderlust, it features driving rock instrumentation that aligns with the show's high-stakes racing premise. The original score for Drive was composed by Keith Power, who provided music for all six produced episodes.[19] Power's contributions include dynamic cues tailored to the series' action elements, such as elevated tension in pursuit scenes, alongside subtler motifs for interpersonal drama.[16] One notable licensed track in the soundtrack is "Soulbitch" by Yonderboi, which appears in an episode to heighten atmospheric intensity.[39] No official soundtrack album was released for the series. The music's integration supports the narrative's blend of adrenaline-fueled races and personal stakes without overshadowing the dialogue or visuals.[16]Broadcast and episodes
Airing history
The series premiered on CTV in Canada on April 13, 2007, with the first two episodes airing back-to-back.[40] It debuted in the United States on Fox the following day, April 15, 2007, as a two-hour special from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. ET/PT featuring episodes 1 and 2, which drew an average of 6.04 million viewers according to Nielsen ratings.[41] The program then shifted to a regular Monday slot at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, with episode 3 broadcast on April 16 and episode 4 on April 23.[42] Viewership declined steadily after the premiere, reflecting challenges in retaining audience interest amid competition from established shows.[43] The third episode averaged 5.64 million viewers, while the fourth dropped to 4.60 million, marking a 24% decline from the pilot and contributing to the network's decision to pause the series after just four episodes.[44] Airing was primarily limited to the United States and Canada during its initial run, with no widespread international broadcast at the time.[13] The full six produced episodes later became available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video in the United States in 2023.[6] As of November 2025, the series is also available for free streaming on Tubi in the United States.[45]Episode list
The series produced six episodes in total, four of which aired on Fox during April 2007, while the remaining two were released online via Fox's website and iTunes on July 15, 2007. An unaired pilot, directed by Greg Yaitanes, was also filmed, presenting an alternate version of the story where drivers are recruited for the illegal cross-country race, but it differed significantly from the aired premiere in casting and script details.[46] The episodes focus on the racers' alliances, betrayals, and challenges at various checkpoints across the United States.| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | U.S. viewers (millions) | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Starting Line | Greg Yaitanes | Tim Minear & Ben Queen | April 15, 2007 | 6.04 | A diverse group of ordinary people, each with personal motivations, are mysteriously recruited or coerced into participating in a secret, high-stakes cross-country road race starting in Florida, where they receive initial instructions from a race liaison and begin navigating the rules and dangers.[47][43] |
| 2 | Partners | Greg Yaitanes | Ben Queen | April 15, 2007 | 6.04 | The racers are forced to pair up with partners to continue the competition, leading to tense dynamics; Wendy faces elimination after finishing last and must choose another racer to remove, while Winston encounters his half-brother and Alex seeks a new teammate as the convoy heads toward Cape Canaveral.[43] |
| 3 | Let the Games Begin | Greg Yaitanes | Eoghan Mahony & Ben Queen | April 16, 2007 | 5.64 | As the race intensifies, partnerships fracture: Alex is arrested and separated from Corinna, Winston is kidnapped by a bounty hunter, and Ellie conceals coded messages from her husband Rob, testing their marriage amid the escalating perils of the underground event. |
| 4 | No Turning Back | Marita Grabiak | Tim Minear & Matt Reed | April 23, 2007 | 4.60 | At a pit stop, Tully and Corinna enlist Winston and Sean to rob a bank for race clues about the organizers; Wendy contemplates withdrawing to protect her son from threats, while the disqualified Susan exhibits signs of mental instability by refusing to abandon the pursuit. |
| 5 | The Extra Mile | Paul A. Edwards | Juan Carlos Coto | July 15, 2007 (online) | N/A | The competitors grapple with the fallout from an unauthorized "jump start" violation, pushing them to desperate measures as they race toward the next checkpoint, with alliances shifting amid revelations about the race's shadowy backers.[48] |
| 6 | Rear View | Greg Yaitanes | Scott M. Gimple & Kristen Reidel | July 15, 2007 (online) | N/A | Corinna and Alex devise a scheme to extract more intelligence on the race and locate a missing participant named Kathryn; Ivy reluctantly teams with Violet, while Rob surrenders to military authorities, heightening the stakes for the remaining drivers. |
Cancellation and aftermath
Reasons for cancellation
Fox canceled Drive on April 25, 2007, after airing just four episodes, primarily due to disappointing ratings that failed to meet network expectations.[37] The series premiered with a two-hour event on Sunday, April 15, drawing 6 million viewers and a 2.6 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic, but viewership declined sharply thereafter, averaging 5.6 million viewers and a 2.3 rating overall in key demos.[43][37] The Monday episodes exacerbated the issue, with the April 23 installment earning only a 1.5 rating and placing fifth in its 8 p.m. time slot, behind competitors on ABC, CBS, NBC, and even The CW.[37] This poor performance not only stalled Drive but also dragged down its lead-out, the veteran series 24, which hit season lows and contributed to Fox finishing fourth for the night.[37][49] The show aired amid intense competition on Monday nights from NBC's blockbuster Heroes, which consistently dominated the 9 p.m. hour with ratings over 6.0 in the demo during the same period.[50] Internally, production challenges played a role, as creator Tim Minear later reflected that addressing extensive network notes and other concerns consumed much of the team's focus, limiting long-term planning for the serialized ensemble narrative.[21] This occurred amid Fox's broader 2007 midseason adjustments, where the network pulled underperforming new dramas to stabilize its lineup with proven repeats like House.[51] The ensemble-driven format, centered on multiple racers in a high-stakes cross-country contest, proved risky in a landscape favoring quicker audience hooks, as the complex character arcs did not build momentum fast enough to sustain interest.[37]Unaired content release
Following the cancellation of Drive after four episodes aired on Fox, the network released the two remaining produced episodes, titled "The Extra Mile" and "Rear View," exclusively online on July 15, 2007, via the show's official MySpace page and Fox's website.[14] This marked one of the earliest instances of a major broadcast network distributing unaired episodes of a scripted series directly to viewers through broadband streaming platforms.[52] The episodes were made available for free streaming, supported by advertisements, allowing fans to access the content without additional cost beyond internet connectivity. By 2023, the full six-episode season had been archived and added to streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, where it remains accessible as of November 2025.[6] However, the series has never received an official home video release on DVD or Blu-ray. This online distribution enabled completion of key narrative arcs, such as the escalating tensions in the underground race, providing closure that the truncated broadcast schedule had denied.[53]Reception and legacy
Critical response
Upon its premiere in April 2007, Drive received mixed reviews from critics, who praised certain stylistic elements while critiquing its narrative execution. The series holds a 65% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 17 reviews, with the critics' consensus noting that "while its plot may be derivative, Drive's stylish driving sequences are diverting enough to keep viewers hooked."[10] On Metacritic, it scores 52 out of 100 from 54 critics, indicating mixed or average reviews.[54] Critics highlighted the ensemble cast as a strength, particularly Nathan Fillion's charismatic portrayal of family man Alex Tully, which brought charm and relatability to the high-stakes premise.[1] The fast-paced action and innovative concept of a secret cross-country race were also commended, with Variety describing the driving sequences as "seamlessly shot" using computer-enhanced techniques that added visual slickness to the proceedings.[1] IGN's review echoed this, likening the show to an amped-up version of The Amazing Race infused with vehicular mayhem and intrigue, suggesting potential appeal for fans of adrenaline-fueled adventures.[55] However, many reviewers found fault with the convoluted plots and underdeveloped characters, which often felt disjointed and stereotypical.[1] The New York Times characterized the drama as "hollow" with an ulterior motive, comparing it to high-end propaganda that prioritized spectacle over substance.[16] Tonal inconsistencies further hampered the series, as noted in negative critiques from the Wall Street Journal, which pointed out that some driving scenes appeared "totally fake, like animation on an arcade game," undermining the realism of the race concept.[56] The New York Daily News added that the plot "strains credulity so much" that it risked alienating even action-oriented audiences.[57] Audience reception was similarly mixed, with fans appreciating the road trip vibe and ensemble dynamics in user aggregates like IMDb's 7.6/10 rating from over 5,000 votes, but overall viewership remained low, averaging a 2.3 rating in adults 18-49 and 5.6 million viewers, reflecting confusion over the serialized format and contributing to its quick cancellation.[13] Metacritic's user score of 0.7 out of 10 from 14 ratings underscored broader disappointment among viewers.[58]Awards and nominations
Drive received two notable nominations for its visual effects work, recognizing the innovative use of digital techniques in creating high-speed chase sequences and expansive environments despite the series' short run.[59] In 2007, the series earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special for the pilot episode "The Starting Line," credited to visual effects supervisor Loni Peristere, along with Raoul Yorke Bolognini, Steve Meyer, and Chris Jones from 20th Century Fox Television.[59] This marked a historic milestone, as Drive became the first program nominated for a Primetime Emmy through the Academy's new broadband eligibility pathway, after full episodes were made available online via Fox.com prior to broadcast.[4] The nomination highlighted the team's green-screen compositing and stunt integration to simulate dynamic road races across diverse U.S. landscapes.[59] It did not win, with the award going to Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King ("Battleground").[60] Additionally, in 2008, Drive was nominated by the Visual Effects Society for the 6th Annual VES Award in the category of Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program, again for "The Starting Line," with the same key team members: Raoul Yorke Bolognini, Loni Peristere, Steve Meyer, and Chris Jones.[61] This recognition underscored the subtle yet effective VFX enhancements that supported the series' action-driven narrative without overpowering the live-action elements.[61] The award was presented to Rome (Season 2, Episode 6: "Philippi").[61]| Awarding Body | Year | Category | Episode | Nominees | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2007 | Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special | The Starting Line | Loni Peristere (Visual Effects Supervisor), Raoul Yorke Bolognini (Visual Effects Producer), Steve Meyer (Visual Effects Supervisor), Chris Jones (Lead Visual Effects Artist), 20th Century Fox Television | Nominated (Winner: Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King - "Battleground") |
| Visual Effects Society | 2008 | Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program | The Starting Line (Driving Sequence) | Raoul Yorke Bolognini, Loni Peristere, Steve Meyer, Chris Jones | Nominated (Winner: Rome Season 2, Episode 6 - "Philippi") |