In a world where terror lurks around every corner, only one super agency can save us. In a country where ship containers and drone bees threaten our very existence, ABC gives us the best unknown guardians: the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security.

Everybody scoffed at the birth of the newest government agency, wondering how exactly they planned to safeguard the nation. But no more! ABC's "Threat Matrix" seeks to show the world that Tom Ridge's baby is one bad mother.

They hunt down bad guys with little evidence; they brave the toughest of situations to get their man. When a drug trafficker compromises national security, these agents flaunt their technological skills to trace a single terrorist cell ... halfway around the world!

Oh yes, they certainly are smarter than the average bear, but they're not without heart either. While Agent Frankie Kilmer (Kelly Rutherford) dodges bullets and assassins in Jakarta, her ex-husband John (Jamie Denton), conveniently also her colleague in the department, stops at nothing to get her back safely, even if it means releasing three young terrorists back to their homeland.

Despite its role as Bush-era propaganda, it still finds the action-packed charm to capture wanting viewers. It's got the fancy camera work and fast-paced plots, much like its competitor "CSI," and like "CSI" did for forensic scientists everywhere, "Threat Matrix" successfully glamorizes a seemingly banal job.

However, with its all-too-complicated storylines and elusive supporting characters, "Threat Matrix" has a lot of growing to do before it can survive in the big leagues against time-slot enemies like NBC's "Friends."

Rating: 1 1/2 stars.