January 14 (2005-01-14) – March 4, 2005 (2005-03-04)
Jonny Zero is an American television action-crime drama series, created and written by R. Scott Gemmill and executive produced by John Wells, that premiered on Fox on January 14, 2005.[1] The series principally stars Franky G as Jonny Calvo, an ex-con approached to be an FBI informant following his imprisonment for murder. The series co-stars GQ and Brennan Hesser.[1]
A single season of thirteen episodes were produced, but Fox aired only eight of the thirteen episodes, choosing to cancel the series due to low ratings after initially choosing to broadcast it in the Friday night death slot.[2] During the show's run, episodes were aired out of order, causing numerous continuity errors, including Jonny's best friend being murdered, but then turning up two episodes later alive and well, introduced as a new character.[3] The series was broadcast in its entirety in Australia on ABC in 2007.[4]
Plot
Jonny Calvo (Franky G) served four years in Sing-Sing Prison for killing a man. After release, he is determined to stay out of the criminal life; however his old boss, Garrett (Ritchie Coster), tries to lure him back to crime. FBI Agent Stringer (Chris Bauer) wants Jonny to be his informant so he can arrest Garrett on numerous criminal charges.[5] Upon his release from prison, Jonny tries to prove to his ex-wife and son that he is reliable, but his past catches up with him, causing him to have minimal contact with them. His parole officer, Gloria (Aunjanue Ellis), orders Jonny to find a job upon his release and soon Jonny ends up mopping floors at Captain Jack's, a pirate-themed restaurant for children. He soon meets another employee who calls himself, Random (GQ).[5]
The two soon become friends and Jonny decides that he will use his street smarts to help other people in need by starting his own private eye business. Random follows suit and allows Jonny to stay at his apartment. However, being a small private business, the money from clients is minimal and Jonny reluctantly decides to work for Garrett again, but making sure that crime will play no part in getting him thrown back in prison.[5] Jonny is soon sought after by a father looking for his daughter, Danni a.k.a. "Velvet" (Brennan Hesser) who works at strip joints and goth clubs. After much complications, she stops working at clubs and forms a friendship with Jonny and Random. The series concentrates on Jonny trying to redeem himself by helping other people in need, staying away from crime and proving to his ex-wife and son that he has changed.[5]
Jonny Calvo did four years for killing a man. Now he's out but without a job or a place to live. His parole officer, Gloria, orders him to get a job but his new job consists of mopping floors at Captain Jack's restaurant, a pirate themed children's restaurant. He meets another employee by the name of Random and the two become good friends. Jonny decides he will use his street skills to help other people who need it and starts a private eye business. One night he befriends a man, Martin Styles, who is looking for his runaway daughter, Danni. Jonny agrees to help this man find his daughter, but when he goes to report back to Styles, he finds him being assaulted by a thug. Subsequently, Danni is kidnapped and it is up to Jonny to find her and pass on her father's dying wish. Meanwhile, Special Agent Stringer informs Jonny that he has walked into the middle of a Mob war.
2
"Who's Your Daddy?"
Mimi Leder
R. Scott Gemmill
February 4, 2005 (2005-02-04)
JZ-102
One of Velvet's friend baby has been stolen. Jonny goes to steal it back but turns out to be the wrong baby. Jonny also uncovers a black-market baby ring.
As Jonny tries to get his life back to normal, he visits his son and gets a legitimate job at a gym. Meanwhile, Random and Velvet are hired to work at a bar mitzvah, where a gang steal everybody's belongings. The boy having the bar mitzvah, Seth, asks for Jonny's help to retrieve the stolen goods.
A music-bizz mystery occupies Jonny, who probes a drive-by shooting involving a volatile rapper with a secret past and his famous fiance, who hires Jonny as a bodyguard.
Jonny asks a tough guy in prison to watch out of a young man that's going in. The tough asks for a favor and Jonny has to dig up some money and give it to his ex-partner, ex-wife and ex-girlfriend. All hell breaks loose when Jonny tries to finish the mission as the tough's exs seem to want nothing to do with him.
Jonny helps a young girl, named Sal, learn how to box while at the same time trying to keep her from gang life. The boxing training allows Sal to make a difference with her life but when she learns the rival gangs have injured her sister, she makes decides to get revenge and Jonny must stop her before she throws her life away.
A man who's been convicted of insider trading, skips bail in order to see his pregnant wife give birth. As a bounty hunter searches for the father, Jonny is hired to keep the hunter busy until the birth.
8
"Lost and Found"
Mimi Leder
David Weinstein
February 25, 2005 (2005-02-25)
JZ-108
Jonny is tricked into tracking down a former Mafia soldier turned federal witness; Stringer turns up the heat on Jonny, wanting him to get in deeper with Garret and making Jonny fear a return to his old ways.
Jonny's parole officer, Gloria, asks for help when her husband is killed in the line of duty. Jonny gets into trouble that might send him back to jail while also trying to help Eve with her drug problem.
Jonny partners with his bounty hunter friend Aly, for what he thinks will be a quick and easy stakeout to recover a stolen ice cream truck. Nothing is what it seems as Jonny will get more than just ice cream.
11
"Sins of the Father"
Félix Enríquez Alcalá
Virgil Williams
April 16, 2007 (2007-04-16) (Australia)
JZ-111
Jonny discovers that his father was robbed and hospitalized. He furiously tracks down the culprits but can he restrain himself in order to avoid violating his parole?
FBI agents force Jonny to take part in a sting operation. The federal agents want him to record his former boss making a deal with the militia leaders.
