![]() ![]() It proved quite popular when it bowed in 1987 for a short, six-episode run, though it definitely helped to have hit series Moonlighting as its lead-in. As mentioned above, Max Headroom may have been too smart and forward-thinking for its own good, leading to its demise. It disappeared from the tube after a brief, two-season run, but the show left its mark and is still well-remembered today.Ĭancelled Too Soon? Yes. Much of Max Headroom was in fact prescient, and that likely made it too heady for television audiences and certainly ahead of its time. The corporate dystopia that the show offered certainly rang true in the ’80s, a time when the mega-corporations were getting their start, and it has since become a common theme in science fiction. ![]() The gritty look and feel along with the persistent, dark ambient music in the background got its start with this show, though it would later get much more exposure when Chris Carter adopted it for The X-Files. Max Headroom borrowed liberally from Blade Runner for its visual style, though it added plenty of its own originality that was later borrowed by other notable genre shows. The actors definitely played their roles over-the-top, but that lended itself to the underlying satire that the show delivered. Carter also gets plenty of help from his network controller Theora Jones along with the child-genius Bryce Lynch, the anarchist Blank Reg, and others. Max Headroom is the trickster in the machine who helps Edison in his endeavors while s-s-s-snapping off witty remarks with his glitchy stutter and generally causing trouble for all who encounter him. ?) Edison Carter is the crusading investigative reporter eager to expose corruption while acting as the voice of the everyman. (Wait, isn’t that the world we live in today. His popularity led ABC to greenlight an ongoing television series that more or less followed the 20 Minutes into the Future film, making a few changes here and there for American audiences.Īnd while the concept for Max Headroom may have seemed like a one-note show, it transcended its limitations and delivered some pretty biting satire on television and technology run amok in a world controlled by mega-corporations. The AI character became an immediate hit and it was not long before he was sponsoring products like New Coke (C-c-c-c-atch the Wave!). The Skinny: Max Headroom first appeared in the Channel 4 telefilm Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future which was designed to introduce the character to audiences before he started hosting the music video program The Max Headroom show. ![]() Max Headroom had a short tenure on television, but its influence lasted much longer and it still stands up well to the test of time. Why It Stands Out: This spunky and subversive show gave television its first cyberpunk entry taking place in a corporate and technology-controlled world that provided a biting satire on its era and which is still relevant today. Morgan Sheppard, Chris Young, Charles RocketĬreated By: George Stone, Rocky Morton, Annabel Jankel Together, the two then team up and fight to expose the sinister undertakings of their corporate-dominated world.Īired: ABC, 1987-88, Two Seasons Totaling 14 Episodes While trying to uncover corporate corruption, investigative reporter Edison Carter–who works for Network 23–is involved in an accident that leads to the creation of his AI alter ego Max Headroom. What Is It? This series takes place in a dystopian, near-future setting where mega-corporations control the world and keep the public distracted with television shows that live or die by up-to-the-minute ratings results. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |