True Lies has delivered some standout spy action on the small screen in 2023 as the TV take on the beloved 1994 film that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis. The next episode has a treat in store for fans of the show and movie alike: Tom Arnold guest-starring! He played Gib in the ‘94 movie, and his new character for the CBS series will be a former Omega spy. In an exclusive first look (seen above), the ex-spy wastes no time in causing trouble for Harry and Helen, and viewers may catch a reference to Arnold Schwarzenegger that will be the first of multiple nods to the movie.
Tom Arnold is definitely no Gib in this first look at the newest episode of True Lies, called “Bitter Sweethearts,” which will air on CBS on Wednesday, April 26. Instead, he’s a former Omega operative who clearly is in no rush to return to the job and reprise a certain relationship from back in his spy days. His comments about not mixing romance with Omega may be more meaningful to Harry and Helen than he could possibly know, and he proceeds to cause trouble for everybody when he makes a break for it. As for the Arnold Schwarzenegger reference… well, the character is named “Arnie” for a reason, and it's not for Tom Arnold's surname!
While viewers will have to tune in to see everything that the show has in store with bringing the former True Lies movie star (who was cast in the film on director James Cameron’s insistence) to TV, you can plan on seeing “Arnie” using some of the dialogue that Tom Arnold improvised for the ‘94 comedy nearly three decades ago.
Whether the former Gib shares an in-person scene with the TV Gib (played by Omar Miller on CBS) is a question that I for one can’t wait to see answered. A lot may depend on how cooperative Arnie will be after getting that punch in the face from Harry after trying to flee.
Fortunately for him, the punch wasn’t quite as forceful as some of Harry’s stunts that required what leading lady Ginger Gonzaga described as “really, really hard work” from star Steve Howey. Plus, Arnie seems more anxious to avoid an ex by the name of Sharon than the actual dangerous Omega spycraft.
Sharon will be played by Kate Vernon, whose expansive career as an actress includes multi-episode TV roles on shows including Falcon Crest, Nash Bridges, and Battlestar Galactica. Based on Arnie’s descriptions of Sharon (and her going so far as to take the ice cube trays when she left all those years ago), she’s bound to be an interesting character.
Luckily, the wait to see Tom Arnold (who recently had a role on ABC’s The Rookie: Feds) in the world of True Lies’ particular brand of spycraft is nearly over. The “Bitter Sweethearts” episode of True Lies airs on Wednesday, April 26 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. Since the show has been mostly separate from the movie (to the point that one star was “completely in the dark” about it before auditioning), Arnold appearing as a guest star is bound to be a fun twist, and one not to be missed.
In fact, with the two-part Season 1 finale coming up on May 17, now is the time to be sure not to skip any new episodes, and stream any you might have missed so far with a Paramount+ subscription. The freshman series has not yet been renewed for the 2023-2024 TV season, so you’ll want to keep tuning in!
