Cyber hybrids of ‘Intelligence’ not so far-fetched, says Canuck co-star

TORONTO – The super-tech hero of CTV’s new action drama “Intelligence” is always wired and always connected, thanks to the microchip implanted in his brain.

And although his globe-trotting escapades are entirely fiction, Canuck co-star Meghan Ory says the technology on display really isn’t all that far-fetched.

“The thing that’s really cool about the show is it’s not science that’s 100 years in the future — we’re maybe 10 or 20 years away from this being possible,” Ory said during a visit to Toronto last June.

“We’re getting there. And this is just sort of the first peek at what may be to come, which is what I think is really exciting. We’re all going to have chips in our brains,” she added, chuckling.

Former “Lost” star Josh Holloway returns to TV as intelligence agent Gabriel Vaughn, a human super-computer whose digital capabilities offer a reboot of sorts to the ’70s drama “The Six Million Dollar Man”

The Victoria-bred Ory noted the CTV/CBS series has been billed as “The Six Billion Dollar Man,” but said Gabriel’s powers highlight all sorts of modern dilemmas about the role technology increasingly plays in our day-to-day lives.

“It brings up the question of: What is our relationship with technology? What is too much and how much invasion of privacy do we want and how much access do we want all the time?” said Ory, most recently seen on the fantasy series “Once Upon a Time.”

And Gabriel struggles with that constantly.

“He’s the most expensive weapon that’s ever been built, anything with an electronic signature he can access with his brain, so he’s very powerful but he’s also a human,” Ory noted.

“He’s led by his emotions and that makes him a little bit unpredictable and he’s a bit reckless. He doesn’t like to follow the rules and that’s where (my character) comes in because (she’s) very by the book.”

The 31-year-old Ory plays Riley, a whipsmart secret service agent who is brought on to protect the intelligence agency’s biggest investment. And though she seems green, there’s more to her than meets the eye, said Ory.

“She’s been through some stuff, she’s a tough cookie and she knows how to handle herself. She’s gotten to where she is in life because she’s worked very, very hard to be there and it’s important to her.”

Their tense relationship offers a bit of humour and extra drama to the weekly missions, added Ory.

And since every super-hero needs a worthy adversary, she promised there will be a “super-villain” to challenge Gabriel’s unique abilities.

“Intelligence” joins a slew of other specially enhanced crime-fighters already on the small screen, including the espionage experts of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” the part-robot cop and his android partner in “Almost Human” and the super-powered kids on “The Tomorrow People.”

Ory mused on this explosion of extraordinary heroes, noting that it could be a sign of the times, or merely network TV’s latest bid to ramp up small screen drama.

“Maybe somewhere in our consciousness we think that’s where we’re headed and so it resonates with us somehow,” said Ory.

“It kind of ups the ante a little bit, it’s a little bit more unpredictable because … it’s regular life but then something’s a little bit different so you never really know what’s going to happen.”

“Intelligence” debuts Tuesday on CTV and CBS.