What do folks think about the mainstreaming of MK stories? In the "real world" we are told that there are "Sleeper Agents" working for Al-Qaeda. The mainstream use of that phrase, which has previously largely only been used among conspiracy researchers focused on MK-Ultra and beyond type strategems, seemed telling.
And now, we have two primetime TV shows dealing with induced alters and MK style data downloading:
CHUCK on NBC
http://www.nbc.com/Chuck/
From executive producer, Josh Schwartz and executive producer-director McG comes a one-hour, action-comedy series about Chuck Bartowski -- a computer geek who is catapulted into a new career as the government's most vital secret agent.
The world's nerdiest secret agent is back! Executive producer Josh Schwartz ("Gossip Girl," "The O.C.") and executive producer-director McG ("Charlie's Angels," "We Are Marshall") team up again to bring back the one hour action-comedy series about Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi, "Less Than Perfect") -- a computer geek who is catapulted into a new career as the government's most vital secret agent.
When Chuck opens an e-mail subliminally encoded with government secrets, he unwittingly downloads an entire server of sensitive data into his brain. Now, the fate of the world lies in the unlikely hands of a guy who works at a Buy More Electronics store. Instead of fighting computer viruses, he must now confront assassins and international terrorists.
With the government's most precious secrets in Chuck's head, Major John Casey (Adam Baldwin, "My Bodyguard") of the National Security Agency resumes his responsibility of protecting Chuck. Casey's partner is the CIA's top agent (and Chuck's dream girl), Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski, "Gone"). They try to keep him safe by trading in his pocket protector for a bulletproof vest.
Also starring are Joshua Gomez ("Without a Trace") as Morgan Grimes -- Chuck's best buddy, Sarah Lancaster ("What About Brian?") as Chuck's ever-supportive sister Ellie, and Ryan McPartlin ("Living With Fran") as "Captain Awesome," Ellie's fiancé. Chuck's Buy More team consists of Big Mike (Mark Christopher Lawrence, "The Pursuit of Happyness") and the Nerd Herd, which includes Lester (Vik Sahay, "Time Bomb"), Jeff (Scott Krinsky, "The O.C.") and Anna (Julia Ling, NBC's "ER").
Schwartz and Chris Fedak wrote "Chuck," which is produced by College Hill Pictures, Wonderland Sound and Vision, in association with Warner Bros. Television.
http://www.nbc.com/Chuck/about/about.shtml
My Own Worst Enemy
http://www.nbc.com/My_Own_Worst_Enemy/
teams up with executive producer/director David Semel on NBC's new drama "My Own Worst Enemy," a show that raises the question: who can you trust when you can't trust yourself? Starring Christian Slater ("Bobby") as both Henry Spivey and Edward Albright, "My Own Worst Enemy" explores the duality of a man who is literally pitted against himself.
Henry (Slater) is a middle-class efficiency expert living a humdrum life in the suburbs with his wife, Lily (Yara Martinez, "The Hitcher"), their two kids, a dog, and a minivan. Edward (Slater) is an operative who speaks 13 languages, runs a four-minute mile, and is trained to kill. Albright works at Janus Headquarters for Mavis Heller (Alfre Woodard, "Desperate Housewives"), a tough, extremely intelligent woman with a hidden compassionate side. Henry and Edward are polar opposites who share only one thing in common - the same body. When the carefully constructed wall between them breaks down, Henry and Edward are thrust into unfamiliar territory where each man is dangerously out of his element.
Tom Grady (Mike O'Malley, "Yes, Dear") is Henry's best friend and co-worker with an alter ego named Raymond (O'Malley), a sadistic and violent secret agent. Dr. Norah Skinner (Saffron Burrows, "The Bank Job") is the smart and savvy psychologist who is in tune with the inner workings of both Edward and Henry.
The series is produced by Universal Media Studios. Jason Smilovic ("Kidnapped") is the executive producer; David Semel (director of "American Dreams," and NBC's "Heroes" and "Life" pilots) is the director and executive producer.
http://www.nbc.com/My_Own_Worst_Enemy/about/