"Harsh Realm" (1999) TV series 1999-2000

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Creator:

Chris Carter

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

8 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Lt. Hobbes is sent into a VR wargame simulation where he is to terminate a renegade General who has taken control of the program.

Plot Keywords:

Virtual Reality | Short Lived | Cyberpunk | Television Flop | Based On Comic

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Scott Bairstow	...	Lt. Thomas Hobbes (9 episodes, 1999-2000)
D.B. Sweeney	...	Mike Pinnochio (9 episodes, 1999-2000)
Terry O'Quinn	...	General Omar Santiago (9 episodes, 1999-2000)
Rachel Hayward	...	Florence (7 episodes, 1999-2000)
Max Martini	...	Waters (5 episodes, 1999-2000)
Vinnie	...	Dexter the Dog (5 episodes, 1999-2000)
Samantha Mathis	...	Sophie Green (4 episodes, 1999-2000)
Sarah-Jane Redmond	...	Inga Fossa (4 episodes, 1999-2000)

Runtime:

45 min (9 episodes)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 (DVD release) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

Despite its plot similarities, "Harsh Realm" was created and shot prior to the release of "The Matrix" (1999). It was aired, however, about three months after the release of the movie.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the title sequence, Hobbes's military ID card lists his rank and military pay grade as "LT/03". Hobbes is Army, and that rank/pay grade is consistent for the Navy.

Quotes:

Mike Pinnochio: Whatever you're looking for here, somebody has already eaten it, banged it or burned it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Millennium: Creating the Logo & Title Sequence (2004) (V)

A big disappointment from Chris Carter.

I was trying to decide what it was about this show that seemed so familiar to me. Then it struck me...this is simply a high-tech version of the old TV show, "Time Tunnel".

This show just doesn't hold together for me. For one thing, it is just too self-conscious, in spite of using the same old clichés from "The X Files". (Hey, instead of having a mysterious Cigarette Man, why don't we have a mysterious dark lady? You know, they can't figure out whose side she is actually on....)

Lt. Hobbes is selected to participate in the war simulation because he is supposedly such a great soldier, but he acts like a civilian dweeb when given the opportunity. His character is one of the huge flaws in this series.

On the other hand, some of the FX are pretty cool. They just don't compensate for the poor writing and lousy characters.

I rented the entire series on DVD, but I could only watch the pilot and the first two episodes. It was clearly going nowhere.

If you want to watch a show that is far superior in every respect, go rent Josh Whedon's "Firefly".

** out of *****