Honestly, looking back at 2016, ABC really thought they had the next Scandal on their hands. They almost did. When you revisit the cast of The Catch, you aren't just looking at a list of actors; you’re looking at a masterclass in chemistry that somehow got lost in the shuffle of peak-era TGIT (Thank God It's Thursday) programming. It was sleek. It was fast. It featured Mireille Enos in high-end designer labels chasing Peter Krause through Los Angeles galleries.
But why do we still talk about them?
It’s because the show didn't just cast "types." It cast heavyweights. You had a lead actress fresh off the gritty, rain-soaked gloom of The Killing and paired her with the guy who made us all weep in Six Feet Under. It was a gamble. It paid off creatively, even if the ratings eventually flickered out after 20 episodes.
Mireille Enos as Alice Vaughan: The Steel Behind the Style
Most people knew Mireille Enos as Sarah Linden. You know, the detective in the oversized wool sweaters who never smiled and lived in a permanent state of Seattle overcast. So, seeing her transform into Alice Vaughan for the cast of The Catch was a total trip. Alice was the top private investigator in LA. She was poised. She was rich. She was, quite frankly, a badass in a cocktail dress.
Enos brought a specific kind of vulnerability to Alice that a lesser actress might have missed. When Benjamin Jones—the man she was supposed to marry—disappears with her life savings and her heart, Enos doesn't just play the "woman scorned." She plays the hunter. It’s that internal friction between her professional brilliance and her personal devastation that grounded the show's flashier moments. She made you believe that a woman who identifies "long-con" artists for a living could actually fall for one. Love is blind, sure, but Alice Vaughan made it look like a high-stakes chess match.
Peter Krause and the Art of the Likable Grifter
Then there’s Peter Krause. As Benjamin Jones (or Christopher, or whatever alias he was using that week), Krause had to do something nearly impossible: he had to make us root for a guy who stole millions from the woman he supposedly loved.
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Krause has this midwestern charm that masks a lot of complexity. In The Catch, he used that "everyman" quality to play a chameleon. One minute he's a doting fiancé, the next he’s a calculating operative for a mysterious international crime syndicate. His chemistry with Enos was the engine of the series. If you didn't believe they were obsessed with each other, the show would have fallen apart in the pilot. Instead, they gave us this "cat and mouse" dynamic where both parties were somehow both the cat and the mouse at the same time.
The Supporting Players Who Stole the Spotlight
You can’t discuss the cast of The Catch without talking about Rose Rollins. As Valerie Anderson, Alice’s best friend and business partner, Rollins was the voice of reason we all needed. She was the anchor. While Alice was spiraling or chasing ghosts, Valerie was actually running Vaughan/Anderson. Rollins brought a necessary weight to the office scenes, ensuring the show didn't float away into pure fantasy.
And let's talk about the villains—or "antagonists," because in Shonda Rhimes' world, everyone is a bit gray.
Alimi Ballard as Reginald Lennox III was suave, dangerous, and perfectly composed. But the real scene-stealer? Sonya Walger as Margot Bishop. If you remember her as Penny from Lost, this was a total 180. Margot was cold. She was British royalty in the criminal underworld. Her relationship with Benjamin was messy, layered, and filled with the kind of power dynamics that make for great TV. Watching her and Alice face off was like watching two grandmasters play for keeps.
- Jay Hayden as Danny Yoon: He provided the tech-savvy wit and much-needed levity.
- Elvy Yost as Sophie Novak: The firm's lawyer/hacker who brought a youthful, slightly chaotic energy to the group.
- John Simm as Rhys Williams: Joining later, Simm (of Doctor Who fame) brought a manic, dangerous energy that shifted the show's DNA in Season 2.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Show’s Tone
A lot of critics at the time tried to compare it to How to Get Away with Murder. That was a mistake. Where HTGAWM was dark, sweaty, and anxious, The Catch was sunny and technicolor. The cast of The Catch was directed to move with a certain 1960s caper vibe. Think To Catch a Thief or The Thomas Crown Affair.
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The dialogue was snappy. The split screens were everywhere. If you go back and watch it now, you’ll notice that the actors are having fun. There’s a lightness to Peter Krause’s performance in the second season—especially when he starts working with the FBI—that shows a range he rarely got to explore in his more somber dramas.
The Season 2 Pivot and the John Simm Factor
When John Simm was promoted to a series regular for the second season, the dynamic of the cast of The Catch shifted. Simm played Rhys, Benjamin’s "brother" (in the criminal sense) and the son of the big bad. His inclusion turned the show into more of an ensemble heist comedy than a straight romantic thriller.
This is where the show really found its footing, oddly enough, right before it was canceled. The banter between Krause and Simm was electric. They played off each other like a classic comedy duo, which balanced out the high-tension romance between Alice and Ben. It’s a shame we didn't get more of that.
Why the Ensemble Worked (Even When the Plot Didn't)
Sometimes a show's writing can be a bit "formulaic," but a great cast can elevate it to something memorable. That was the case here. The writers threw a lot of twists at the wall—secret families, international conspiracies, faked deaths—but because the cast of The Catch felt like real people with history, we bought it.
The friendship between Alice, Valerie, Danny, and Sophie felt earned. It didn't feel like a group of actors thrown together by a casting director; it felt like a boutique firm that had spent years in the trenches together. That’s a testament to the actors spending time building those off-screen bonds.
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"We really liked each other. It sounds like a cliché, but that set was one of the most professional and joyful environments I've worked in." — (Paraphrased from various cast interviews during the 2017 press tour).
Tracking the Cast Today: Where Are They Now?
If you’re wondering why these faces look so familiar while you're scrolling Netflix or Hulu, it's because the cast of The Catch is basically TV royalty now.
Mireille Enos went on to star in Hanna and the massive hit Good Omens. She’s consistently one of the most sought-after dramatic actresses in the business. Peter Krause, of course, moved straight into the massive procedural hit 9-1-1, where he’s been a staple for years. Jay Hayden became a fan favorite on Station 19, another ShondaLand production.
It’s almost like The Catch was a finishing school for high-level TV talent. Even the smaller roles featured actors who have popped up in everything from Succession to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Practical Legacy of The Catch
So, what can we take away from this? If you’re a fan of heist tropes or romantic thrillers, The Catch is a goldmine. It’s a reminder that even "short-lived" shows can have a lasting impact through their casting choices.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Binge-Watch:
- Watch for the Chemistry: Pay attention to the scenes between Enos and Krause in the pilot. It’s a lesson in how to establish a high-stakes relationship with very little screen time.
- Appreciate the Style: The costume design for Alice Vaughan is still cited by stylists today. It’s "Power Dressing 101."
- Don't Skip Season 2: Even if you heard the show changed, the addition of John Simm makes the second half of the series a completely different, and arguably better, experience.
- Check Out the Creators: Follow the work of Jennifer Schuur and Allan Heinberg. Their ability to blend romance with procedural elements is what gave this cast the room to breathe.
The show may be over, but the cast of The Catch remains a benchmark for how to put together a stylish, sophisticated ensemble. If you haven't seen it, it's currently streaming on various platforms. It’s a quick watch—perfect for a weekend when you want something that looks expensive, moves fast, and doesn't take itself too seriously. Check out the first three episodes to see if the Alice/Ben dynamic hooks you. It usually does.