Motive

53
Metascore
2013-2016
4 seasons
ABC
Suspense, Drama
TV-14

A feisty female homicide detective matches wits with killers in a deadly, cerebral game of cat-and-mouse. An unconventional story-telling model, each episode begins by revealing the victim and the murderer. Viewers then follow the homicide detective through twisted, complicated and at times diabolical mazes on her quest to analyze the evidence and to ultimately discover - the Motive.

53
Metascore
2013-2016
4 seasons
ABC
Suspense, Drama
TV-14

Exclusive Motive Sneak Peek: What's Guest Star Jennifer Beals Hiding?

Jennifer Beals revisits her Flashdance days on this week's episode of Motive — only this time she's the teacher, not the student. Beals guest-stars as a dance instructor who finds herself the target of Angie's (Kristin Lehman) investigation into a killing that initially seems like a case of self-defense during a home invasion, but quickly morphs into something more sinister. What does she have to hide?

Mon, May 26, 2014

Exclusive Motive Sneak Peek: What's Guest Star Jennifer Beals Hiding?

Motive's Kristin Lehman: Angie's Love Life Will Never Be Her Main Focus

Detective Angie Flynn is married to her work on ABC's Motive, and that's completely fine with actress Kristin Lehman. "I love the fact that people just want to see this woman not fall into the same conventions so easily," Lehman tells TVGuide.com. "I go back and forth on [wanting her to have a love interest]. ... I don't want to say no to a romance just for the sake of avoiding convention, but I just feel like if we do ever explore that, that won't be her main focus, ever. And I think that's really interesting, because I don't know very many female protagonists on television where their romantic relationship isn't their main relationship. And I really value that. 

Wed, May 21, 2014

Motive's Kristin Lehman: Angie's Love Life Will Never Be Her Main Focus

Thanks, Canada! Motive is Back for Season 2

It's not a whodunit, it's a whydunit! ABC's Motive returns for its sophomore season on Wednesday, May 21 (10/9c), doing what most crime shows wouldn't dare: The killer is revealed in the opening moments of each episode. "It's so much more compelling than having eight suspects," says Dennis Heaton, showrunner of the Canadian import series. "When things happen in life — whether it's something as tragic as a death or as trivial as a parking ticket — one of our most important questions is: 'Why did this happen?'"

Tue, May 20, 2014

Thanks, Canada! Motive is Back for Season 2

ABC Sets Summer Premiere Dates

ABC has announced its summer lineup, including the premiere of The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, Mistresses, and new shows Rising Star and The Quest. With a heavy reality TV lineup, ABC plans to launch The Quest, an adventure series from the Lord of the Rings producers, on Thursday, June 19. Singing competition show Rising Star will bow on Sunday, June 22. As previously announced, The Bachelorette returns on May 19 with the series' latest spin-off, Bachelor in Paradise, debuting Monday, August 4.

Mon, Mar 24, 2014

ABC Renews Motive for Season 2

ABC's summer cop drama Motive has been renewed for a second season, TVGuide.com has confirmed. The Canadian drama, which stars Lauren Holly and Kristin Lehman, was already renewed by Canada's CTV. In America, the first season capped off with...

Wed, Oct 2, 2013

Exclusive Motive Sneak Peek: Who's This Week's Victim?

Sometimes a healthy diet gets you nowhere. On this week's episode of ABC's Motive, a nutrition guru (guest star Cameron Bancroft) is found dead in his hot tub — and it's the result of some vigilante justice, according to Kristin Lehman, who stars as Det. Angie Flynn.

Tue, Jul 9, 2013

Exclusive Motive Sneak Peek: Who's This Week's Victim?

Motive's Brendan Penny: Viewers Will "Really Sympathize" with This Week's Killer

ABC's Motive returns from a brief hiatus on Thursday, and star Brendan Penny says the episode, titled "Against All Odds," may present a moral quandary for viewers. "I think in all of our episodes, you can kind of relate to the decisions of the killers at times," Penny, who plays young Det. Brian Lucas, tells TVGuide.com. "I like this one a lot because this is one of the stories where you really, really, really do sympathize with the killer."

Tue, Jun 25, 2013

Motive's Brendan Penny: Viewers Will "Really Sympathize" with This Week's Killer

Ask Matt: Orphan Black, Merlin, Borgias, Nashville vs. Smash

Send questions and comments to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter! Question: After finishing Saturday's season finale of Orphan Black, many thoughts come to mind, but the most obvious is that if Tatiana Maslany doesn't walk away with the Emmy for best actress — or is it five nominations in the best supporting actress category? — then the people who vote just aren't watching TV. Every character she plays has such varied distinction from hair, voice, even walks, and other minor mannerisms and played them all with a determination like it was her only character. It might have been easy to phone one or two in and at times you could forget it all one person. Matt, I know you enjoy the show, but I was curious: Did you ever at any time find yourself picking a favorite? I think mine came to be Alison, because while they all have a dark side, the one who seemed to be the most sunshine and light was probably the darkest of all with a heavy dose of comedy thrown in. Can the show sustain excellence in Season 2? — Jeffrey

Mon, Jun 3, 2013

Ask Matt: Orphan Black, Merlin, Borgias, Nashville vs. Smash

The Thursday Playlist: Dog Days of Pre-Summer: Save Me, Does Someone Have To Go?

It's going to be a long off-season, especially where network TV is concerned, if the offerings don't soon improve from the dregs on display on this inauspicious opening night. Think of it as an excuse to catch up on repeats — or to dive into your DVR and/or On Demand archive to see what's new to you. The only advice I have after enduring the pilot episode of NBC's woeful comedy Save Me is: Save yourself. This shrill parable of redemption, being burned off in back-to-back episodes (Thursday, 8/7c), is like a spiritual Enlightened for the tone deaf. Anne Heche, at her most manic (and that's saying something), stars as Beth Harper, a heroine possessed with an unbearable lightness of being — or you could just stop at unbearable — when she is suddenly transformed from an "angry drunken bitch" (her words) into a cockeyed optimist seemingly filled with a holy spirit after nearly choking to death on a sandwich.

Thu, May 23, 2013

The Thursday Playlist: Dog Days of Pre-Summer: Save Me, Does Someone Have To Go?

The Monday Playlist: Mel Brooks on Masters, Finales (Rectify, Bates Motel), Motive

At 86, Mel Brooks is still the life of the party, a consummate ham and peerless joke-spinning storyteller. "I've come to stop the show," announces the irrepressible comic dynamo as he does just that, breaking into song mid-interview and reinforcing why PBS' American Masters titled its latest must-see career profile Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (Monday, check tvguide.com listings). His brilliant career in TV (Your Show of Shows, Get Smart), the movies and Broadway makes him an overdue American Masters subject, and his unflagging comic energy keeps everyone amused — including an intrusively visible camera crew. "I'm head over heels in love with myself," Brooks says, only half-joking.

Mon, May 20, 2013

The Monday Playlist: Mel Brooks on Masters, Finales (Rectify, Bates Motel), Motive

Motive: Will Canada's No. 1 New Show Connect with U.S. Audiences?

On ABC's new police procedural Motive, the question at the start of each episode is not who committed a crime, but why. But the looming question on the minds of the show's cast and crew is whether the Canadian show, which was the highest-rated series premiere in Canada last season, can find equal success in the States.

Sun, May 19, 2013

Motive: Will Canada's No. 1 New Show Connect with U.S. Audiences?

ABC Announces Summer Premiere Dates

Summer is almost here! On Thursday, ABC announced its summer schedule, which will kick off Thursday, May 9 with the premiere of Wipeout (8/7c). Other returning shows will come later in the month, with Rookie Blue kicking off on Thursday, May 23 (10/9c) and The Bachelorette debuting in a special time period on Monday, May 20 (9/8c). ABC announces season finale dates New series...

Thu, Mar 21, 2013