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The Emmy®-nominated breakout hit STRIKE BACK returns for its ten-episode third season FRIDAY, AUG. 9 (10:00-10:50 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on CINEMAX, followed by other episodes debuting subsequent Fridays at the same time. Philip Winchester (“Crusoe,” “Camelot”) and Sullivan Stapleton (“Animal Kingdom,” the upcoming “300: Rise of an Empire”) reprise their onscreen partnership as counterterrorism operatives Sgt. Michael Stonebridge and Sgt. Damien Scott. HBO/CINEMAX again teams up with the production company Left Bank Pictures and the British channel Sky on the action series.
The returning cast also includes Rhona Mitra (“Underworld: Rise of the Lycans”) as Maj. Rachel Dalton, Michelle Lukes (“Alexander”) as Sgt. Julia Richmond and Liam Garrigan (“Pillars of the Earth”) as Sgt. Liam Baxter.
New cast members include Robson Green (“Wire in the Blood”) as Col. Philip Locke, Dougray Scott (“Desperate Housewives”) as rogue operative James Leatherby, Milauna Jackson (“Blood Done Sign My Name”) as, Kim Martinez, a key player who crosses paths with the counterterrorism team, and Zubin Varla (“Little Dorrit”) as mysterious person of interest Leo Kamali.
Returning directors are Michael J. Bassett (who also serves as a writer and co-executive producer), Julian Holmes and Paul Wilmshurst; returning writers are Simon Burke, James Dormer, John Simpson and Richard Zajdlic. New director Stephen Woolfenden and new writers Tim Vaughan and Ben Newman join the production.
In STRIKE BACK’s third season, stealth counterterrorism unit Section 20 pursues a deadly terrorist network from Colombia to Lebanon to Eastern Europe, uncovering deadly plots that threaten the West. The team tracks the elusive terrorist al-Zuhari and his well-financed drug cartel partners as they target European and American interests, both at home and abroad, including Section 20 itself. The Section 20 team is often forced to resort to extraordinary measures to protect the greater good, making some members question their future with the unit.
As with season two, the show will kick off the new season with exclusive events for fans at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2013, to be held at the San Diego Convention Center. On Saturday, July 20 (7:00-8:00 p.m.), the stars of the show will offer insights about shooting and present exclusive never-before-seen clips of the new season in a panel in Room 6DE. They will also participate in an autograph session on Friday, July 19 at 12:30 p.m. at Warner Bros Booth #4545.
Watch Strike Back on Season Three Cinemax Trailer
Upcoming episodes:
Episode #21
Debut: FRIDAY, AUG. 9 (10:00-10:50 p.m. ET/PT)
Other playdates: Aug. 9 (11:00 p.m., midnight), 10 (9:00 p.m., 11:45 p.m.), 11 (noon, 11:00 p.m.), 12 (12:15 p.m., 11:45 p.m.), 13 (10:15 a.m., 12:05 a.m.), 14 (8:00 p.m.), 15 (9:00 p.m.), 21 (7:15 p.m.), 28 (6:30 p.m.), 30 (9:00 p.m.) and 31 (7:20 p.m.), and Sept. 4 (6:20 p.m.), 11 (5:30 p.m.), 18 (4:45 p.m.) and 25 (4:00 p.m.)
Enjoying a long-deserved vacation, Scott (Sullivan Stapleton) and Stonebridge (Philip Winchester) are recalled after a fellow Section 20 member dies while pursuing the elusive terrorist al-Zuhari in Beirut. A new lead sends them into the remote jungles of Colombia in pursuit of a known associate of al-Zuhari’s and deep in territory controlled by a powerful drug cartel.
Written by Simon Burke and Tim Vaughan & Michael J. Bassett; directed by Michael J. Bassett.
Episode #22
Debut: FRIDAY, AUG. 16 (10:00-10:50 p.m.)
Other playdates: Aug. 16 (11:30 p.m.), 17 (9:00 p.m., 11:45 p.m.), 18 (noon), 19 (10:30 a.m., 11:45 p.m.), 20 (2:10 p.m., 11:45 p.m.), 21 (8:00 p.m.), 22 (9:00 p.m.), 28 (7:20 p.m.), 30 (9:45 p.m.) and 31 (8:10 p.m.), and Sept. 4 (7:10 p.m.), 11 (6:20 p.m.), 18 (5:30 p.m.) and 25 (4:50 p.m.)
Out of options and hunted by the resourceful cartel, Section 20 goes for a longshot and attempts an assault in downtown Bogota, hoping to obtain intel on one of al-Zuhari’s key people. Meanwhile, Dalton (Rhona Mitra) looks for the source that exposed her team in Beirut, but discovers a surprising ally and a piece of al-Zuhari’s plan.
Written by Simon Burke and Tim Vaughan & Michael J. Bassett; directed by Michael J. Bassett.
Episode #23
Debut: FRIDAY, AUG. 23 (10:00-10:50 p.m.)
Other playdates: Aug. 23 (11:30 p.m.), 24 (9:00 p.m., 11:50 p.m.), 25 (noon), 26 (10:20 a.m., 11:45 p.m.), 27 (2:20 p.m., midnight), 28 (8:10 p.m.), 29 (9:00 p.m.), 30 (10:30 p.m.) and 31 (9:00 p.m.), and Sept. 2 (12:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m.), 3 (11:50 a.m., midnight), 4 (8:00 p.m.), 5 (9:00 p.m.), 11 (7:10 p.m.), 18 (6:20 p.m.) and 25 (5:35 p.m.)
Although they are uncertain of others’ loyalties, the team must work with an asset in Beirut to get a lead on James Leatherby (Dougray Scott), a dangerous and unpredictable operative with ties to al-Zuhari.
Written by James Dormer; directed by Julian Holmes.
Episode #24
Debut: FRIDAY, SEPT. 6 (10:00-10:50 p.m.)
Other playdates: Sept. 6 (11:30 p.m.), 7 (9:00 p.m., 1:15 a.m.), 9 (1:15 p.m., 12:10 a.m.), 10 (11:45 a.m., 11:40 p.m.), 11 (8:00 p.m.), 12 (9:00 p.m.), 18 (7:10 p.m.) and 25 (6:25 p.m.)
Section 20 attempts a risky rescue for a potential new ally. Now veering close to the edge, but determined to find the truth, Dalton goes AWOL with a detainee.
Written by James Dormer; directed by Julian Holmes.
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