There
was never any doubt in my mind who would play Sam Mazoli, the head of the psychic
spy program for the CIA, Vicki’s boss—and also the man who adopted her—as well
as Dylan Maguire’s boss.
I
always pictured Robert De Niro when I thought of Sam. Sam is brusque,
no-nonsense, the kind of boss that you don’t joke around with and you don’t
even attempt to take liberties. He is experienced, jaded, a cynic and a
skeptic. He also has an eye for talent, whether it’s taking a 12-year-old girl
with psychic abilities and turning her into a spy—or recognizing the
opportunistic, chameleon-like qualities of an Irishman who can pretend to be
someone else.
There
is much to Sam just below the surface but carefully hidden lest people discover
his true nature. He can make life-or-death decisions, interrogate suspects,
turn a blind eye to torture, and appear bored even during the most sensitive
and gut-wrenching missions. But he can also rescue a cat down-on-her-luck, care
for angelfish and their babies, recognize an illegal immigrant’s dilemma and
give her a job, and help care for a dog who needs a friend.
Sam
first appears in Vicki’s Key and continues through the rest of the series,
sometimes making life difficult for everyone involved, sometimes lending a hand
when it’s least expected… and always arriving with a new CIA mission in hand.
