the spy/assassin genre resurgence

[MacLeod]

Wow it would appear that the police procedural/courtroom drama series are still happening but the spy & assassin type shows are really picking up as the next wave of popuarity.

Covert Affairs (Piper Perabo, new USA series
James Cameron 'True Lies' TV series in development
ABC making "Charlie's Angels" reboot
Chaos for Fox.
CW is making a pilot for remake of "La Femme Nikita"
ABC Family channels' "Shadows"
Legends
also just today it was mentioned a new CBS spy drama from Anthony Zuicker
Treadstone -

Treadstone, which centers on the workings of the Robert Ludlum-created fictional division of the CIA and chronicles how real spies live and operate in today’s world. "We are fascinated by the concept of the citizen spy who lives among us every day," Zuiker said.

Why has this genre come back?
Sure Alias was a good show the first 2 or 3 seasons ending in 2006 which was only 4 years ago.

Was there one show that started it off again in the last year or so, the spy more than the assassin element?

Really the spy genre has been going since the early 2000's. You had the BBC show "Spooks" which ran from 2002-2011

Also

La Femme Nikita, 1997-2001
The Agency, 2001-2003
Alias, 2001-2006
24, 2001-2010

 

[Captaindemotion]

Keri russell cast for pilot
http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/03/07/keri-russell-joins-fx-spy-drama/

and last week's update:

FX is continuing to bolster its drama lineup, on Thursday giving spy drama The Americans a 13-episode order. The series will begin production in October and premiere in early 2013.

The Americans is a period drama about the arranged marriage of two KGB spies posing as Americans in suburban Washington, D.C., during the Reagan era. The series stars Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys and Noah Emmerich. The show will be executive produced by creator/showrunner Joe Weisberg and Justified EP Graham Yost.

Wow a period 1980s TV series. Very cool twist them not being American spies. Ah yes the cold war.

Yes, the period setting and the POV definitely set it aside from the crowd. As do the very watchable leads. Here's hoping that the execution does it all justice.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

L.A. Woman - 1970s set series in development

There is a 1970s set spy show in development.
NBC Developing Spy Drama From 'Justified's' Graham Yost (Exclusive)
From Sony Pictures Television, the project revolves around a female spy in 1970s Los Angeles.

Called "L.A. Woman," the drama has received a script order form the network, which Yost will write and executive produce.

source

The project joins the Justified showrunner's growing portfolio, which includes FX's Keri Russell KGB spy drama The Americans. The project was picked up to series in August.

Well it is a female-centric show like Alias and Covert Affairs. With the failure of Charlie's Angels at ABC last year there is a market for this stuff.
Setting it in the 1970s though makes for a hard case for network TV to do a full 22 episode order. My guess is it will get a pilot and if it is greenlit only a 13-episode series will happen for mid-season January 2014.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Another show about the CIA working domestically (are there any shows where the work overseas like they're supposed to?)

The Prodigy centers on a young CIA officer who has to infiltrate the New York City field office of the FBI on the hunt for agents who are working with enemies of the U.S

This one could be entertaining because of the historical rivalry between the CIA and FBI. They probably do spy on each other all the time, though I'm not sure we're supposed to approve of it.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

Another show about the CIA working domestically (are there any shows where the work overseas like they're supposed to?)

Yeah, USA's Covert Affairs does a lot of overseas operations but they do mix in domestic stuff quite a bit.

 

[Star Wolf]

The late CHAOS had the operatives, they never said agents work overseas except when the set up the new operative who was supposed to spy on the team.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

Shaun Cassidy & Howard Gordon Adventure Drama Lands At Fox

Invasion creator Shaun Cassidy has teamed with Homeland executive producer Howard Gordon for a drama series that has received a put pilot commitment at Fox. Described as an adrenalized, dysfunctional family adventure series, the untitled project centers on two former CIA operatives — now married with teenagers — who are forced to face their past when their identities are exposed and they’re nearly killed. Now they’ll need to start over, under new cover, this time with their children in on the secret as they tackle cases, come together as a family, and elude those who would rather see them dead. Cassidy will write the script and executive produce with Gordon through his Teakwood Lane. 20th Century Fox TV, where Teakwood Lane is based, produces.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

Brendan Fraser Set To Star In TNT Pilot ‘Legends’

The Mummy star Brendan Fraser is set to topline TNT’s drama pilot Legends. Developed by Howard Gordon, Jeffrey Nachmanoff and feature writer Mark Bomback from the novel by Robert Littell, the project follows Martin Odum (Fraser), a deep-cover operative who has an uncanny ability to transform himself into a different person for each job.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

"The Blacklist" NBC spy drama

James Spader has been tapped to star in the network's psychological drama thriller The Blacklist,

The pilot revolves around Raymond "Red" Reddington, the world's most-wanted criminal who mysteriously turns himself in and offers to give up everyone he has ever worked with. His only condition is he will only work with a newly minted FBI agent Liz Keen (Blue Bloods' Megan Boone) with whom he seemingly has no connection.

Spader will play Red, who is described as a dignified, worldly and magnetic former Army intelligence offer who went AWOL. He doesn't consider himself to be a spy but instead a facilitator, who brokers deals for criminals and has no allegiance to any country or political agenda -- only the highest bidder.

Jon Bokenkamp (Perfect Stranger) will pen the pilot for Sony Pictures Television and executive produce alongside John Fox, John Davis and John Eisendrath (Alias), the latter of whom will serve as showrunner.

Glad to see former Alias alum as a showrunner.

James Spader to Star in NBC's Spy Drama 'The Blacklist'

It sounds like Persons of Interest meets Alias. I don't think it will be heavily serialized like The Americans or Homeland but have character building arcs.