Aaron M. Abelto’s Hypersonic operates in a world of geopolitical espionage. There is a global threat, and the only ones who can stop it are a determined FBI director and a pair of broken dark operatives.
The series opens in the middle of a clean, professional break-in. A clandestine team — led by a mysterious figure (Janelle Marie Rodriguez) — slips into a top-secret government installation, takes out the guards, and walks away with classified data. No alarms, no witnesses, and mere days before anyone even realizes what happened.
When the breach finally comes to light, FBI Director Karen Smith (Melissa Ann Hubicsak) gets pulled in to investigate. What was actually stolen? That’s above her clearance. Vice President Emerson (Joseph P. Gamble) and her direct superior, Samuel Chalmers (Bryan G. Thompson), tell her she doesn’t need to know — just find the people responsible. To do that, Chalmers points her toward two former black ops soldiers living off the grid: Wade Washington (Woody Deant) and James Depp (Aaron M. Abelto). Neither is jumping at the chance to work for the government again, but both want the same thing — their freedom.
Both men use their unique military skills and their connection to the underground to identify and locate their target. At the same time, they are forced to confront their checkered pasts.
As the investigation deepens, it becomes clear that the information stolen is tied to a hypersonic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Whoever this mysterious figure is, they’re not just a hacker — they’re sitting on the keys to World War III. And complicating things further, an agent is working angles of her own to gain access to those on top.
“…the information stolen is tied to a hypersonic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads.”
Hypersonic strikes a nice balance between a geopolitical thriller where millions of lives are on the line and a deeply personal story about four very specific people. The series moves briskly — never boring, never dragging — and a big reason for that is the performances. Melissa Ann Hubicsak, Woody Deant, Aaron M. Abelto, and Janelle Marie Rodriguez are all outstanding. The fun is watching them play tough people in the face of danger, while carrying an emotional burden that guides every step.
What’s impressive is what writer-director Aaron M. Abelto manages to pull off: a global threat on a modest budget. The sets — a command center here, a data center there, a drug kingpin’s lair — are fairly simple, but they get the point across. There are very good ideas behind the whole production, and Abelto knows how to make a small room in an industrial complex or office building feel like something far more sophisticated.
At the center of it is a tough FBI director forced to battle corruption at the very top, flanked by two dark agents wrestling with their own demons as they dive back into the world that broke them in the first place. It’s a fairly complex setup, but simple enough to follow. Things don’t end so smoothly for our heroes, making for a great setup for season two.
Strong performances and a story that balances global stakes with deeply personal ones make Hypersonic punch well above its budget. Abelto has built a world worth coming back to, and that unresolved ending makes sure you will.
For screening information, visit the Hypersonic official website.
"…Things don't end so smoothly for our heroes..."
