Fancy some action-adventure drama with a perfect blend of comedy and suspense? Then you’ve got to see the CBS drama series “Blood & Treasure.” Creators Stephen Scaia and Matthew Federman take you on a journey into strange stories of ancient evils, blood relics, apocalyptic cults, and treasure hunts — the “Indiana Jones” kind.
“Blood and Treasure” made its debut on May 21, 2019, and aired for 13 episodes. The premiere episodes attracted over 5 million viewers and very strong reviews and ratings. Watchers heaped praise on the cast of the drama series for beautifully interpreting their characters.
This article aims to introduce you to the characters of “Blood & Treasure” and the actors who play them — along with other fresh updates about the show.
Main Cast and Characters of “Blood & Treasure”
Below is a list of the main characters of “Blood & Treasure” and the cast members who played them.
Danny McNamara:
Danny McNamara is the main character in “Blood & Treasure” alongside Lexi Vaziri. McNamara is a former FBI agent, which ordinarily should mean that his crime-fighting days are over.
But when news broke that terrorist Karim Farouk was after one of the world’s greatest treasures — Cleopatra — McNamara’s skills were called upon.
For McNamara, this is more than just crime-fighting — owing to his special interest in artifacts. Jay describes him in the series as someone who “has to save beautiful, broken things.”
McNamara must find Cleopatra before Farouk does. Farouk is known to fund his terrorist program with money raised from selling antiquities like Cleopatra.
To do this, he enlists the help of art thief Lexi Vaziri. Danny McNamara was portrayed by American actor and producer Matt Barr. Barr is renowned for his roles in “Hatfields & McCoys” and “The Layover.”
Lexi Vaziri:
Sometimes, you need a thief to catch a thief. This is the case with McNamara’s ally, Lexi Vaziri.
Vaziri is a professional art thief, but why would a thief volunteer to help track down another thief? Well, Farouk killed Vaziri’s dad, so this adventure is about vengeance.
Sofia Pernas played the role. Pernas was born in Fes, Morocco, but moved to America at age 5. She is renowned for playing the character Hannah Archer in NBC’s “The Brave.”
Lexi Vaziri (left), Danny McNamara (right)
Simon Hardwick:
Simon Hardwick is a cunning black market dealer and an expert at purchasing stolen artifacts.
As the series unfolds, Hardwick’s true identity is revealed and his hidden links with Farouk and the mysterious Brotherhood of Serapis become clearer.
The character was portrayed by English actor and writer James Callis. Callis is best known for “Bridget Jones’s Diary” (2001) and “Battlestar Galactica” (2004).
Gwen Karlsson:
Gwen Karlsson was portrayed by Katia Winter, the actress who played Katrina Crane in FOX’s “Sleepy Hollow” and Nadia in Showtime’s award-winning series “Dexter.” Karlsson is a fourth-generation Interpol agent assigned to Farouk’s case.
Aiden Shaw (Dwayne Coleman):
Speaking of villains showing up as heroes, Aiden Shaw is another character like Lexi Vaziri. Although Shaw is an arms dealer with ties to Farouk, he reluctantly agrees to assist Danny and Lexi. Their relationship soon became a working one when Shaw decided to start a new life.
The role is played by actor and writer Michael James Shaw — best known for his roles in “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018), “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), and “The Walking Dead.”
Karim Farouk (Rasheed Hegazi):
“The Mummy” actor Oded Fehr is the notorious terrorist Karim Farouk. The storyline begins with Farouk kidnapping Dr. Castillo after it was reported that she found Anthony and Cleopatra’s tomb.
This plot leads viewers straight into the global chase that follows. Farouk paints the picture of a religious patriot or extremist on a mission to undo the power of the West.
Dr. Ana Castillo:
Dr. Ana Castillo is an adventurer archaeologist. Although the character isn’t a main character, her role is key in the storyline.
As mentioned earlier, Castillo and her research team discovered the tomb of Antony and Cleopatra, which led to her kidnapping. Farouk ambushes Castillo and her research team, but he keeps her alive because he needs her to get to the tomb.
American actress Alicia Coppola portrayed the character. Coppola is renowned for playing the role of Lorna Devon in “Another World” from 1991 to 1994.
Father Chuck:
Mark Gagliardi portrayed the character Father Chuck Donnelly, Danny’s old friend who now works as a priest in the Vatican foreign ministry.
Father Chuck would do anything to help his friend Danny with his investigation. The character also offers some comic relief along the way — Mark Gagliardi excels at this.
If you’ve seen the comedy series “Drunk History,” where Gagliardi was a frequent narrator, you’ll know why he was chosen for this role.
Recurring Cast and Characters of “Blood & Treasure”
The show features a few recurring characters, some of which are highlighted below.
Jay “Jacob” Reece:
Jay Reece is your typical cool old guy, a corporate executive, and a mentor or father figure to Danny. The wealthy philanthropist sponsors Danny and Lexi’s quest to find Farouk and rescue Dr. Castillo.
However, this is not some good Samaritan adventure for Reece, as he is later revealed to be Farouk’s father — and a villain. Reece had a fling some years back with a young woman named Zara, and Farouk is the result of that affair. Reece murders Dr. Castillo when she finds out the truth about his connection with Farouk.
In the finale of season one, Farouk poisons Reece (and Lexi saves him). Veteran actor John Larroquette portrayed the character.
Captain Bruno Fabi:
Antonio Cupo portrayed Captain Bruno, an officer in the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage — aka Carabinieri TPC. Captain Bruno is, however, also a secret member of the Brotherhood of the Serapis.
Captain Bruno Fabi (left), Lexi Vaziri (right)
Omar:
Omar is the second-in-command to Farouk. He was close to betraying his master after he surrendered himself to the police and threatened to expose all of Farouk’s secrets. Omar was taken out by one of Farouk’s female accomplices before he could confess.
The character was portrayed by Tony Nash.
Taj bin Yusef:
Yusef is a member of Farouk’s network. He took over from Farouk after his death but did not reign for long, as he was killed in the season finale.
Canadian stand-up comedian and CBC’s radio show “Laugh Out Loud” host Ali Hassan played the role.
Roarke:
Roarke is an ex-Black Ops agent Reece hires to take out Danny and Lexi. In a turnaround event, Lexi captures Roarke.
The character was portrayed by Canadian actress Anna Silk.
Where Can You Watch “Blood & Treasure”?
Season one of “Blood & Treasure” streamed live on CBS. However, we are told that the show will move to Paramount+ for subsequent seasons. You’ll find more info about the possibility of a new season below.
Right now, you can watch all the episodes of season one with an Amazon Prime Video or Paramount+ subscription. You can also watch the show on a streaming service when you rent or purchase it on Amazon Instant Video.
How Many Seasons and Episodes of “Blood & Treasure” Are There?
There’s been just one season of “Blood & Treasure.” The season finale, “The Revenge of Farouk,” aired on Aug. 6, 2019, and fans of the CBS hit action-adventure series expect the commencement of a second season. Read what we know about whether the show will renew for a second season below.
Is there a Season 2 of “Blood & Treasure”?
Yes, “Blood & Treasure” will renew for a second season. CBS made the announcement in 2019 while the first season was still running. Of course, the show had to return with new episodes due to the large viewership the first season enjoyed. Season two was initially scheduled to premiere in 2020. However, production was stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But, there’s good news: The TV series is finally set to premiere on Paramount+ July 17, 2022. The announcement was made public some days before the third debut anniversary of the series. The 13-episode sophomore season will air two episodes on the premiere date, followed by weekly Sunday releases.
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(images courtesy of CBS)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
