when I spoke to the co-creator of the ’96 “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” in 2024, he admitted he could see how someone might jump to that conclusion.
Who did Olyphant play in the series? Sadly, he didn’t play the titular Mr. Smith — that role went to Scott Bakula. Instead Olyphant played Scooby, a guy who’s part of Mr. Smith’s spy team and certainly seems like a cool, loyal dude. Unfortunately, Scooby turns out to be a double agent, and the pilot ends with him going full evil and trying to murder Mr. and Mrs. Smith with a gun.
I hate to spoil this minor plot point of a nearly 30-year-old show that’s no longer available anywhere on streaming, but rest assured, it’s still fun to watch Olyphant here, even if you know exactly what happens. Olyphant’s Scooby is the best part of that “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” pilot, providing a major spark of energy in an episode that was otherwise a little slow by today’s standards.
This was Olyphant’s last episode on the series, and the show itself would soon be canceled and sadly forgotten. But although it was hardly the big breakout role Olyphant likely hoped for, it may have helped the actor find his next big thing. Within a year, he was cast in “Scream 2” (the best “Scream” movie, in my humble opinion) as Mickey Altieri, and it’s hard not to wonder if “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” was the reason he got the part.
