After being reminded of this show, as well as exactly how much I liked it as a kid, I was able to discover a set of Automan episodes online. There were only 13 of them, aired in 1983-1984.
Automan puts a slight science fiction overlay onto the traditional hour-long police officer show. Desi Arnaz, Jr. plays Walter Nebicher (a name that exists only so people can “accidentally” phone call him Nebbish), a authorities policeman who’s stuck in the computer space when he wishes to be out fighting crime. (And I do mean space — this is from the age where a computer filled one, as well as you communicated with it with a terminal desk. type of weird watching it on my laptop that has more power than all of that.)
So Walter produces Automan, an “automatic man” who’s a living, solid hologram played by Chuck Wagner. as well as Cursor, a blinking sphere of light who’s capable of producing a vehicle or a helicopter or a airplane or a disguise for Automan just by drawing their outlines in the air. Cursor was kept in a breast pocket scarf or digital watch when not needed, as well as it was likewise girl-crazy, hovering around whatever cleavage was near.
Automan can do anything he’s seen on the videotapes he watches (sometimes on his own breast display) as well as talk with any type of computer system. sometimes these capabilities were taken a bit as well far — I can comprehend disappearing as well as reappearing in a new location, as well as perhaps the electric hand blasts, however I’m still unsure on exactly how being a hologram makes you able to get whatever dice roll you want at a craps table.
After a while, I believe the writers just treated him as magic. particularly when Walter needed protection. Walter would walk into Auto, “merging” with him, as well as then auto might go ahead as well as walk with a wall or let bullets pass with him without harming Walter. I question where Walter’s mass went.
Automan’s Kryptonite was power. electric power, which he utilized a great deal of to exist. When he appears, the lights blink on as well as off as well as the space shakes, like in an old movie when they throw the switch on the electric chair. When they needed to put Walter in danger, the writers sent them to a place with spotty electric coverage, which made auto go poof. Recharging him resulted in a shower of sparks as well as minor explosions. Makes you concern about the specify of the power grid, really. as well as who’s paying the electric business for all this?
The rest of the cast were wooden as well as forgettable. There was the crotchety chief who kept sending Walter back to the computer room, up until he saved the day anyway; the detective, whose function was mainly to bring in the police officer cavalry; as well as the woman cop, who was treated more like a secretary. She was there to provide a like interest, although that was astonishing as well.
I believe she was just a beard. There’s a specific amount of boy-boy bonding between Walter as well as Otto that can be quickly misread by those with a bent for such things. (I’m not the only one who believes that way; the only Automan fanfic I discovered on the internet was slash between the two.)
I mean, almost every episode has a scene where auto is demonstrating some capability he chosen up from the movies, such as limboing or disco’ing like John Travolta, to an adoring audience. auto gets brought away as well as takes off his shirt as well as jacket, exposing his radiant computer torso, as well as Walter runs up, fussing at him. Walter then covers him up as well as leads him off somewhere personal so the two can “discuss the case” confidentially.
Oh, I didn’t mention the glow, did I? That’s perhaps the most unique thing about the series. Automan had an unearthly blue glow, triggered by utilizing reflective tape as well as black lights instead of post-production effects. It’s still impressive as a visual. even when dressed “normally”, the character’s collar glowed.
There’s an air of jealousy around Walter, as though Walter wishes to keep the gorgeous, skilled guy all to himself. That’s understandable, since auto was his creation, as well as he was developed to be whatever Walter wasn’t. add in the “merges”, as well as you have some indications of a extremely close friendship. then there’s the episode where Walter winds up with his head in Auto’s lap… The vehicle made 90-degree turns as well as moved like it was in a video game. Normally, this threw Walter up against the window, however at least once, he went the other way. (The vehicle is reported to have been the only utilize of a Lamborghini Countach on TV.)
Overall the show is cheesy, as well as wooden, except for Wagner’s performance. Well, that’s stiff, too, however in an old-fashioned Hero method that works for him. There was likewise an action figure! The rest of the suggested line were three interchangeable guys in suits, which sums up the show to me. A radiant peacock of a gunull