Whiz Kids (1983–1984)

The adventures of a group of young kids who are amateur computer experts and detectives.

Creators:

Philip DeGuere, Bob Shayne

Stars:

Matthew Labyorteaux, Todd Porter, Jeffrey Jacquet

5 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Matthew Labyorteaux	...	Richie (18 episodes, 1983-1984)
Todd Porter	...	Hamilton (18 episodes, 1983-1984)
Jeffrey Jacquet	...	Jeremy (18 episodes, 1983-1984)
Andrea Elson	...	Alice (18 episodes, 1983-1984)
Melanie Gaffin	...	Cheryl (18 episodes, 1983-1984)
Max Gail	...	Llewellen Farley, Jr. (17 episodes, 1983-1984)
A Martinez	...	Lt. Neal Quinn (17 episodes, 1983-1984)
Madelyn Cain	...	Irene Adler (14 episodes, 1983-1984)

Storyline

Richie, Ham, Jeremy and Alice are teenagers living outside Los Angeles. They are also computer hackers who worked as amateur detectives in their spare time. Llewellen Farley is a reporter who is a source for the kids and sometimes asks them for help on stories he is writing. Farley's brother-in-law is Lieutenant Quinn who also provides the kids with help.

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Plot Keywords:

computer | detective | computer cracker | child detective | teen

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Genres:

Adventure

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

I ragazzi del computer

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal TV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 60 min (18 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Simon & Simon: Fly the Alibi Skies (1983)

User Reviews

I really enjoyed it in 1983

I probably haven't seen this show since 1983, but I still remember it. I don't recall when I started watching. I think possibly some summer friends whose father owned a small electronics equipment chain recommended it. I seem to recall also that Matthew Laborteaux was on the cover of an early children's computer magazine called K-Power I initially learned about, I think, from scholastic book fairs at my elementary school. I recall the magazine had a BASIC program you could type into your computer to have it simulate the exchange between Richie and his talking computer during the opening of the show. K-Power later got absorbed into Family Computer just as a small section, and then Family Computing changed its name to something else and dropped the K-Power section at which I stopped subscribing.

Incredibly, I can still replay the instrumental theme song to this show in my head. But apart from these bits of trivia, I don't remember the show itself too well!