Saying {that a} piece of media is extremely “of its time” can really feel passe, however some exhibits simply scream the interval they got here out in. That’s Automan — virtually to the letter. This program was an try at doing one thing near superhero comedy with stable motion in a police story, one thing that felt new, modern, and attractive, capitalizing on the pc pattern.
Automan was the proper creation. But does that translate into good tv?
The story follows Walter Nebicher (Desi Arnaz Jr.), a younger police officer who focuses on pc sciences and does some recreation programming on the facet. His creation begins as a online game, however after plugging in info on all the nice heroes of tv and movie, Walter creates a hard-light hologram with synthetic intelligence named Automan (Chuck Wagner) and a small digital polyhedron helper named Cursor (as himself). This new assemble is able to studying virtually something, and Cursor can create every thing from garments and devices to money and autos to assist out with circumstances.
Viewers additionally meet Roxanne Caldwell (Heather McNair), a fellow officer and Walter’s love curiosity. She’s the one different one who is aware of what Automan actually is and sometimes should run interference for him. There’s Lt. Jack Curtis (Robert Lansing), top-of-the-line cops in L.A., and the man normally taking level on most of those adventures, however he tends to seek out hassle and wishes Walter and Agent Mann’s (Automan’s alternate id inside regulation enforcement) help. To spherical out the forged, we now have Captain E.G. Boyd (Gerald S. O’Loughlin), boss of the station who doesn’t like computer systems, has hassle giving credit score the place it’s due, and refuses to get Nebicher’s title proper. That stated, he looks as if a secret softie and will get in on the jokes generally.
Part of the present’s allure is the actors and the chemistry they share. Each of those characters interacts nicely with the others, having some stable moments, and in response to Wagner, the three foremost actors are nonetheless shut. The present additionally had a handful of notable visitor stars for the time, some acquainted faces for individuals who love ‘70s and ‘80s tv. The soundtrack for the present was stuffed with in style music, and a few episodes featured notable performers. The greatest instance was Laura Branigan, who sang “Gloria.”
Songs like “Maniac,” “Sweet Dreams,” and “Beat It” pop up whereas keen-eyed observers might even spot somebody from the “Thriller” music video in a single episode. The Bee Gees get fairly the point out, and John Travolta is very regarded for his dancing, a lot that Automan steals it from the films. The rating is pleasurable, leaping round in tone from pulp journey to whimsical fancy and pc video games. Since Automan began as a online game within the story, there are different quirky references, just like the characters strolling previous a Joust cupboard, him showing as an overlay to a recreation of Burger Time, and claiming to know Pac-Man and Donkey Kong fairly nicely.
Automan is the primary star right here, and Wagner did a wonderful job with him. The specialised hologram physique made for a powerful look (even when it mirrored on his face oddly at occasions) and the already tall actor wore further four-inch heels to safe his imposing measurement. His singing, dancing, and different skills had been largely pure, as Wagner was educated in musical comedy and was fairly acquainted with theater work, although generally he was pressured to make use of a double. The expressions and refined performing he does along with his eyes and facial options are nicely carried out, making him really feel like somebody who remains to be recent and new to the world, however though this character is meant to be a bit inhuman, I can’t assist however suppose he’s a bit creepy at occasions as nicely. A lot of Automan’s sub-plots contain romance, always being hit on by stunning ladies, and it doesn’t assist that Cursor is a little bit of a pervert as nicely, analyzing ladies close to their breasts.
The good man additionally wants the perfect wheels. Cursor ensures Automan has no matter he requires in any scenario, whether or not that be a motorbike, helicopter, tank, or that slick-looking jet. But the true attraction was the Autocar. It was an actual automobile outfitted with reflective tape, a Lamborghini Countach owned by Executive Producer Glen A. Larson, so the actors needed to be very cautious, barely attending to drive it. A faux inside was made for pictures contained in the car. The Countach has that basic wedge form that might grow to be stylish, hugging the pavement a lot it appeared to glide alongside the highway, reducing by way of the air with its sharp strains and low-profile chassis. What made it exceptionally cool had been these mounted hidden headlights and scissor doorways, sealing it as a standing image of cash and magnificence.
It isn’t all flash, although, as there may be some substance to those episodes. Most are basic police tales coping with high-level criminals. They aren’t laborious to determine, however just a few episodes have some additional twists and turns, placing the characters in fascinating conditions. People die, foremost characters get roughed up, however the tone by no means will get too darkish and there may be normally a corny second or two to chortle at. It’s dated in a number of methods, and gained’t appeal to many new followers, however I discovered revisiting it to be fairly entertaining.
Why did such an formidable present with an incredible spectacle fizzle out after solely 13 episodes (the final one in all which wasn’t aired)? It was costly, in fact. Automan apparently prices round one million {dollars} per episode, which needed to be a tough promote for a present popping out in 1983. They had been additionally put in an extremely aggressive Monday time slot up towards different in style exhibits like Magnum P.I., Scarecrow and Mrs. King, and several other sports activities occasions, at a time when networks had been on the lookout for cheaper exhibits to provide like TV’s Bloopers & Practical Jokes. The L.A.-based manufacturing didn’t have horrible rankings, particularly by as we speak’s requirements, however its finances and lack of dominance doomed the proper man to an early retirement.
Larson admits to desirous to carry TRON’s visible stylings to the tv and one of many movie’s producers (Donald Kushner) was even concerned with the present. The similarities had been so thick on the time that some referred to the present as a sort of religious successor, however Automan was completely different sufficient to be its personal factor. “Ours was a CGI concept before CGI effects, and a lot of the magic was done with old-school film tricks,” in response to Wagner. The forged does a wonderful job of explaining how the magic labored, but it surely seems like on the time it took an outlandish variety of hours for taking pictures and post-production to make it occur. This is another excuse why the present was such a stand-out pre-green display.
Automan made an impression. There was some merchandising; even when all the toys weren’t launched, we acquired some odd equipment. A 1985 recreation for the Commodore 64 by Bug-Byte Software was additionally made, which appears acceptable contemplating the character’s background, bringing every thing full circle. Wagner says that Brent Spiner of Star Trek: The Next Generation fame based mostly a few of Data off of Automan, which is kind of the respect.
There are nonetheless followers who bear in mind these adventures and I definitely wouldn’t thoughts seeing what a contemporary model of one thing resembling this is able to appear to be (or did we already get that with Almost Human?). Automan was a sophisticated supercop defending the streets in type, however generally the brightest applications crash prematurely — and that’s a disgrace.
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