Valentine is a romantic

Romantic Comedy

Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...

 comedy

Comedy

Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...

/drama

Drama

Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...

 television series created by Kevin Murphy

Kevin Murphy (screenwriter)

Kevin Murphy is an American screenwriter, television producer, lyricist and composer. He wrote the book and lyrics of the musical Reefer Madness, as well as its television adaptation...

, who also serves as executive producer alongside Courtney Conte. The show is produced by Media Rights Capital

Media Rights Capital

Media Rights Capital II LP is an independent film, television and digital studio founded by Mordecai Wiczyk and Asif Satchu. MRC specializes in the creation of premium content. It has full in-house physical production, legal, finance and sales teams, and a complete marketing infrastructure...

. It premiered on October 5, 2008 at 8:00pm on The CW Television Network

The CW Television Network

The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...

 and Citytv

Citytv

Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...

 in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 and after four episodes went on hiatus. In late June 2009, CW announced that the canceled series would return on Sunday, June 28 to begin burning off the remaining unaired episodes. The show's first and only season averaged 0.72 million viewers and 0.2 demo in Adults 18-49.

Premise

The show focuses on the Valentine family, a group of gods living amongst humans. They must keep their true identities secret as they do whatever it takes to bring soulmates together. In modern times however the gods' methods have become less effective, and unless they improve their matchmaking skills they will end up becoming mortal. As a result Grace, aka the goddess Aphrodite

Aphrodite

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....

, has decided to recruit romance novelist Kate Providence to help them adapt their skills. With help from the fates and the Oracle of Delphi, now housed in a hot tub, it is up to the gods and Kate to help bring love back into people's lives.

Production

The show was ordered into production after Media Rights Capital

Media Rights Capital

Media Rights Capital II LP is an independent film, television and digital studio founded by Mordecai Wiczyk and Asif Satchu. MRC specializes in the creation of premium content. It has full in-house physical production, legal, finance and sales teams, and a complete marketing infrastructure...

 (MRC) took over programming Sunday nights on The CW. The show was originally titled Valentine, Inc. but dropped the "Inc." from the title prior to the fall 2008 television season. The 13-episode first season filmed in the Los Angeles area, with filming primarily taking place at the Los Angeles Centre Studios. The show is filmed on Sound Stage 1, which has previously been used to film Women's Murder Club

Women's Murder Club

Women's Murder Club is an American police procedural and legal drama, which ran on ABC from October 12, 2007, to May 13, 2008. The series is set in San Francisco, California and is based on the 'Women's Murder Club' series of novels written by James Patterson...

and also Mad Men

Mad Men

Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...

.

On October 13, 2008, MRC stopped production on Valentine for 4–6 weeks, due to failure to secure a bridge loan to complete the order. This meant that only eight of the 13 episodes ordered were filmed prior to the hiatus. Two weeks later, MRC canceled both Valentine and Easy Money. On November 20, 2008, The CW announced that it was ending its Sunday Night agreement with MRC, instead programming the night itself.

Casting

Autumn Reeser

Autumn Reeser

Autumn Alicia Reeser is an American actress and blogger. She has portrayed Taylor Townsend on the Fox series The O.C., Lizzie Grant on HBO's Entourage and most recently appeared as Katie Andrews on ABC's No Ordinary Family....

, Kristoffer Polaha

Kristoffer Polaha

Kristoffer Caleb "Kris" Polaha is an American film and television actor who starred on the Fox TV series North Shore. He recently played Nathaniel "Baze" Bazile on the CW series Life Unexpected....

 and Robert Baker

Robert Baker (actor)

Robert Baker is an American actor known for his roles in Valentine, Grey's Anatomy, Out of Time and a supporting role in the film Special.-Credits:- External links :...

 were the first actors announced to join the series on July 15, 2008. Just days after the first announcement on July 18, 2008 The Hollywood Reporter

The Hollywood Reporter

Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...

 announced that Jaime Murray

Jaime Murray

Jaime Murray is an English actress, best known for playing Stacie Monroe in Hustle and Lila Tournay in season two of the Showtime series Dexter. She has also had recurring roles as H.G...

 would also be part of the cast, playing the show's title character Grace Valentine. On July 19, The CW

The CW Television Network

The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...

 formally announced the shows cast, adding Nikki Snelson

Nikki Snelson

Nikki Snelson is an American actress, who works mainly in stage musicals.-Biography:Snelson is originally from St. Louis, Missouri and received her training at the Boston Conservatory. Snelson's first major role on Broadway came as "Winnie Tate" in the 1999 Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun...

, Patrick Fabian

Patrick Fabian

Patrick Fabian is an American actor. He has played numerous roles in TV shows , and after twenty years of acting achieved a breakthrough of sorts in the 2010 movie The Last Exorcism.-Life:...

 and Greg Ellis

Greg Ellis (actor)

Greg Ellis is an English actor known for his TV, movie, and video game voice over work. He has appeared in films such as the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the 2009 Star Trek film , Titanic, Beowulf, To End All Wars, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith...

 to the previously announced actors on the show. Prior to production of the pilot Nikki Snelson had to leave the cast due to conflicts with her role in the 2008 tour of A Chorus Line

A Chorus Line

A Chorus Line is a 1975 musical about Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. The book was authored by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics were written by Edward Kleban, and music was composed by Marvin Hamlisch....

. As a result Christine Lakin

Christine Lakin

Christine Helen Lakin is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Alicia "Al" Lambert on the 1990s ABC/CBS situation comedy Step by Step and as Joan of Arc in Showtime's Reefer Madness...

 joined the cast, replacing Snelson as romance novelist Kate.

Characters

Name	Actor or actress	Episode count
Grace Valentine	Jaime Murray Jaime Murray Jaime Murray is an English actress, best known for playing Stacie Monroe in Hustle and Lila Tournay in season two of the Showtime series Dexter. She has also had recurring roles as H.G...	8
Family matriarch and the goddess Aphrodite Aphrodite Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia.... . Grace oversees the Valentines' Earthly operations and is the one to bring Kate on board after she discovers that their lack of success has made them start to become mortal. She was recently involved in a relationship with her former husband Ray Howard, the god Hephaestus. She left him for Ari thousands of years ago, and has regretted the decision ever since: suffering psychological abuse, and unable to get a divorce. She tells Kate that Ray is the only man she has every truly loved, and she considers Ari nothing more than a fling. She is attacked by the Egyptian Goddess Bastet, who wields the Adamantium Blade, after Bastet fatally stabs Ari. She is last seen weeping over Ari's body.
Danny Valentine	Kristoffer Polaha Kristoffer Polaha Kristoffer Caleb "Kris" Polaha is an American film and television actor who starred on the Fox TV series North Shore. He recently played Nathaniel "Baze" Bazile on the CW series Life Unexpected....	8
The god of erotic love, Eros Eros Eros , in Greek mythology, was the Greek god of love. His Roman counterpart was Cupid . Some myths make him a primordial god, while in other myths, he is the son of Aphrodite....  and son of Grace. Danny is the loose cannon amongst the Valentines and spends his nights seducing the ladies. His classic bow and arrow has now been replaced by a gun, which shoots magic to help create feelings of love in his targets. However, his gun was destroyed by Grace who has gotten fed up with his behavior. He was initially resistant to the idea of Kate joining their operation, but has begun to warm up to her, even to the point of having a slight crush (whether he knows it or not). He eventually marries Kate in order to bring two former lovers together, as one is a wedding planner and the other is a rabbi. However, he kisses her with passion, indicating that he has developed feelings for her.
Kate Providence	Christine Lakin Christine Lakin Christine Helen Lakin is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Alicia "Al" Lambert on the 1990s ABC/CBS situation comedy Step by Step and as Joan of Arc in Showtime's Reefer Madness...	8
A mortal romance novelist. Kate is brought into the Valentine's world after meeting Grace at a book reading. At first resistant to the idea of the Greek gods being on Earth, a display of magic from Grace soon convinces her the gods are real, and she chooses to help them reunite soul mates. However, Phoebe begins receiving signs from the Oracle that Kate has more sinister intentions, and it has been suggested that she kills Grace at some point in the near future. However, it is revealed that the woman Phoebe saw was in fact the Egyptian Goddess Bastet, who had been hiding in the Valentine house in her cat form. Kate eventually marries Danny in order to bring two former lovers together, as one is a wedding planner and the other is a rabbi. However, she kisses him with passion, indicating that she has feelings for him.
Phoebe Valentine	Autumn Reeser Autumn Reeser Autumn Alicia Reeser is an American actress and blogger. She has portrayed Taylor Townsend on the Fox series The O.C., Lizzie Grant on HBO's Entourage and most recently appeared as Katie Andrews on ABC's No Ordinary Family....	8
The Titan Titan (mythology) In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of powerful deities, descendants of Gaia and Uranus, that ruled during the legendary Golden Age....  Phoebe Phoebe (mythology) In Greek mythology "radiant" Phoebe , was one of the original Titans, who were one set of sons and daughters of Uranus and Gaia. She was traditionally associated with the moon , as in Michael Drayton's Endimion and Phœbe, , the first extended treatment of the Endymion myth in English... . Phoebe serves as the Goddess of the Oracle at Delphi Pythia The Pythia , commonly known as the Oracle of Delphi, was the priestess at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The Pythia was widely credited for her prophecies inspired by Apollo. The Delphic oracle was established in the 8th century BC... . Phoebe is much older than the other gods, but being a Titan means her soul has been reborn many times, hence her childlike nature. It is she who communicates with The Fates Moirae The Moirae, Moerae or Moirai , in Greek mythology, were the white-robed incarnations of destiny . Their number became fixed at three...  to match soul mates and also sees what will happen if they don't find one another. She is immediately suspicious of Kate's motivations, but her concerns aren't taken seriously after she openly shows jealousy towards her. She seems to harbor a crush on Leo and was happy when he told her he would marry her if she was still single by the time she was 80.
Leo Francisci	Robert Baker Robert Baker (actor) Robert Baker is an American actor known for his roles in Valentine, Grey's Anatomy, Out of Time and a supporting role in the film Special.-Credits:- External links :...	8
A bartender and the hero Hercules Hercules Hercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene... . Leo is the moral compass for Danny and an all around good person. He assists the Valentines on their mission to bring love to the world, acting as the muscle of the group, and he destroys Danny's love gun after Grace orders him to. Phoebe convinces him to help her discover Kate's true intentions, but comes to regret it after they accidentally start a fire in Kate's apartment. He seems to have a crush on Phoebe and is very protective of her. He is injured by the Adamantium Blade when he is protecting Grace from the Goddess Bastet.
Ray Howard	Patrick Fabian Patrick Fabian Patrick Fabian is an American actor. He has played numerous roles in TV shows , and after twenty years of acting achieved a breakthrough of sorts in the 2010 movie The Last Exorcism.-Life:...	7
A handyman who is also known as the god Hephaestus Hephaestus Hephaestus was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan. He is the son of Zeus and Hera, the King and Queen of the Gods - or else, according to some accounts, of Hera alone. He was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes... . Ray is Grace's ex-husband from an arranged marriage. Grace cheated on him frequently and married one of her lovers, Ari. Ray and Grace recently had an affair, but he broke up with Grace when he realized she couldn't choose between Ari and himself. After Danny discovers the affair, he convinces Ray to repair his love gun so her can use it to drive Grace into leaving Ari, not knowing that Ari threatened to hurt him if Grace ever tried to get a divorce. He makes a chink in Ari's armor and eventually finds the Adamantium Blade, and hides its discovery from Ari. After the Goddess Bastet ambushed him and stole the blade, he told Ari and warned him about the chink in his armor.
Ares>Ari Valentine	Greg Ellis Greg Ellis (actor) Greg Ellis is an English actor known for his TV, movie, and video game voice over work. He has appeared in films such as the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the 2009 Star Trek film , Titanic, Beowulf, To End All Wars, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith...	6
A very high powered man who is also known as the god Ares Ares Ares is the Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek literature, he often represents the physical or violent aspect of war, in contrast to the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of intelligence include military strategy and... . Ari is Grace's second and current husband (formerly her lover). Grace cheated on her first husband Ray frequently with Ari and eventually married him. He knows that Ray and Grace have recently had an affair, but he also cheats on her as well. When Grace threatens to leave Ari, he threatened to hurt Ray if Grace ever tried to get a divorce. He warned Danny about evil coming after the gods and tells him that the one blade that can hurt the gods, the Adamantine Blade. He convinced him to get his love gun fixed in order to protect the gods. He found out that Circe held the Blade and attacked her when she tried to summon the titans. After the Goddess Bastet ambushed Ray and stole the blade, he told Ari, who decides to go after her. He is warned about the chink in his armor but doesn't listen. He eventually finds Bastet and the blade, and they eventually begin to fight. Grace calls out his name in fear, which distracts him, letting Bastet fatally wound him.
Bastet>Jezebel	Noa Tishby Noa Tishby Noa Tohar Tishby is an Israeli actress, producer, model and singer, currently residing in Los Angeles, California, in the United States.-Career:In her homeland of Israel, Noa Tishby’s name is well known...	5
Jezebel is Kate's seemingly ordinary housecat. In the first few episodes, she exhibits strange behavior, such as intently watching Ari and Kate make out and leaping into the air to knock over a candle, setting Kate's apartment on fire. It was eventually revealed that Jezebel is actually the Egyptian goddess Bastet, who has been planning on murdering Grace and other gods using the Adamantine Blade. After Phoebe becomes suspicious of Kate, she steals some hair off of Kate's sweater that was actually Jezebel's and the Oracle sends her a vision of Grace lying dead on a table. Afterwards, Bastet returned and poured something into the Oracle. In human form, she knocks out Danny and steals his love gun, and uses it to overpower Ray and steal the blade. After arriving at the Valentine Estate, she is confronted by Ari and fatally stabs him.
Circe>Aunt Circe	Ann Magnuson Ann Magnuson Ann Magnuson is an American actress, performance artist, and nightclub performer who first gained prominence in the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan...	1
Danny's Aunt who is also known as the god Circe Circe In Greek mythology, Circe is a minor goddess of magic , described in Homer's Odyssey as "The loveliest of all immortals", living on the island of Aeaea, famous for her part in the adventures of Odysseus.By most accounts, Circe was the daughter of Helios, the god of the sun, and Perse, an Oceanid... . She is a goddess and an oracle as well. She is well known for turning men into pigs. She currently makes her income by selling weed. She seems to have had a sexual relationship with Danny. She seems to have her own agenda, as she held the Adamantine Blade and didn't tell the gods about it. Ari eventually found out and attacked her as she tried to summon the titans.

Episodes

#		Title		Writer(s)		Director		Viewers (millions)		Original air date

Notes

• "Summer Nights" was originally slated to air on November 2, 2008, and was advertised as such on the CW following the broadcast of "The Book of Love". At the last minute, the episode was pulled and replaced with a rerun. This coincided with the announcement that Media Rights Capital would be taking a 4-6 week break in filming to catch up on writing scripts. The show ultimately did not resume production. The four remaining episodes of Valentine were aired in the summer of 2009.

International airings

Valentine premiered in Portugal's Fox Life

Fox Life

Fox Life is a television network, launched by the Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs across Latin America, Europe and Japan . Its basic programming include numerous television series, sitcoms and movies, among others, which includes some original programming in certain regions...

 on February 12 and in Greece's Fox life

Fox Life

Fox Life is a television network, launched by the Fox Broadcasting Company, which airs across Latin America, Europe and Japan . Its basic programming include numerous television series, sitcoms and movies, among others, which includes some original programming in certain regions...

 on March 3. All 8 episodes have now been aired in Portugal.The series finale was aired in Greece on April 28, 2009. The program is due to air in South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

 on Pay-tv operator DStv

DStv

DStv is MultiChoice's multi-channel digital satellite TV service in Africa, launched in 1995. It operates from two satellites over Africa, broadcasting on Ku band via Eutelsat W7 and Intelsat 7 , which only requires a small satellite dish...

, beginning January 2010.