Max Headroom (1985)

In the dystopic near future, a crusading TV reporter investigates news stories with the help of a wisecracking computer version of himself.

Directors:

Annabel Jankel, Rocky Morton

Writers:

Annabel Jankel (story), Rocky Morton (story),

Stars:

Matt Frewer, Nickolas Grace, Hilary Tindall

3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matt Frewer	...	Edison Carter / Max Headroom
Nickolas Grace	...	Grossman
Hilary Tindall	...	Dominique
William Morgan Sheppard	...	Blank Reg (as Morgan Sheppard)
Amanda Pays	...	Theora Jones
Paul Spurrier	...	Bryce Lynch
Hilton McRae	...	Breugal
George Rossi	...	Mahler
Roger Sloman	...	Murray
Anthony Dutton	...	Gorrister
Constantine Gregory	...	Ben Cheviot
Lloyd McGuire	...	Edwards
Elizabeth Richardson	...	Ms. Formby
Gary Hope	...	Ashwell
Joane Hall	...	Body bank receptionist

Storyline

In the post-apocalyptic future where television sets are more important than food, TV ratings are the all important currency of the nation. A new technique of preventing viewers from channel surfing proves somewhat detrimental to particularly sedentary couch potatoes. The top studio becomes concerned: dead viewers make for low ratings. Edison Carter, top news reporter, is sent to find out more. After a motorcycle accident, his mind is preserved by wizz-kid Bryce and becomes his wise cracking, computer generated alter-ego: Max Headroom, who manages to boost ratings above those of any live hosts to date. This made for TV movie was later remade (sanitized version) as the first episode of the series.

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Plot Keywords:

television | cyberpunk | artificial intelligence | media landscape | exploding body | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 April 1985 (UK)

Also Known As:

Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into the Future

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chrysalis

Technical Specs

Runtime:

57 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Did You Know?

Trivia

Amanda Pays took a typing course to prepare for her role as Theora Jones.

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Quotes

Theora Jones: How's your head?
Edison Carter: Fine. How's yours?

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Crazy Credits

The credits roll over a shot of the overpass that our heroes just passed under. After a few minutes the van owned by the thugs that "killed" Edison passes under it - apparently going after our heroes.

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Connections

Followed by Max Headroom (1987)

User Reviews

I Agree!

I looked up Max on IMDb to see if I could find any information about the powers that be putting it on DVD. This was one of my favorite shows (along with Moonlighting, Magnum PI, Thirty Something, and Murphy Brown). I agree that it was intelligent and worth taping or scheduling your time around and SHOULD be produced on DVD!!! Get to it!!

For all those who never had the good fortune of being able to view this show, I would compare it to a cross between Robocop on a computer network and combined with the comedy of Jim Carey on steroids. Max, the main character of the show, exists as the personality and life form of the computer--it's not-so-artificial artificial intelligence.

I don't remember much else about the show, which is one reason I would love to see it again, because I love to reminisce, but as the previous posting pointed out...they only seem to come up with shows that have just been running and, mostly, are of no interest to me. So, put it out, Powers That Be!