Who is Simon Miller?, the family espionage adventure airing tonight on NBC (8:00 PM ET) and the seventh of the Walmart-P&G Family Movie Night series, has been virtually ignored by the mainstream media (almost like they’re afraid to let people know about it) but it has been receiving strongly positive reviews from outlets concerned with quality family programming.

I’d like to add my voice to  that chorus. I recently had the opportunity to preview the movie starring Robin Lively as Meredith Miller, mother of two resourceful teens (Skyler Days and Drew Coles) and wife of a secret agent named, you guessed it, Simon (Loren Dean).  At the start of the film neither Meredith or the kids are aware that dad is super spy. And that’s where the fast-paced, family-friendly ride begins.

The film, a backdoor pilot for a potential TV series, holds your interest as its characters race across Europe in a tense game of cat-and-mouse involving an enigmatic U.S. agency head (Christine Baransky) who may not be what she seems.

The performances by all involved are strong, the storytelling is brisk  and the lead characters are likable. In short, it’s old-fashioned why-don’t-they-make-shows-like-this-anymore entertainment you can watch with your entire family.

On a night usually offering little more than repeats of stale oh-so-edgy crime dramas, Simon Miller is fresh and worth your time.

Here’s the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pObr8PQCmcg