Max Headroom 

In the near future, an intrepid investigative TV reporter does his job with the help of his colleagues and a computerized version of himself.

Stars:

Matt Frewer, Amanda Pays, Chris Young

Won 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Matt Frewer	...	Edison Carter / ... 14 episodes, 1987-1988
Amanda Pays	...	Theora Jones 14 episodes, 1987-1988
Chris Young	...	Bryce Lynch 14 episodes, 1987-1988
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Murray 14 episodes, 1987-1988
George Coe	...	Ben Cheviot 14 episodes, 1987-1988
Lee Wilkof	...	Edwards 13 episodes, 1987-1988
Hank Garrett	...	Ashwell / ... 12 episodes, 1987-1988
William Morgan Sheppard	...	Blank Reg 7 episodes, 1987-1988
Concetta Tomei	...	Blank Dominique 7 episodes, 1987-1988
Sharon Barr	...	Lauren 7 episodes, 1987-1988

Storyline

20 minutes into the future, the world has become imbued network-television. It's illegal to turn off your TV, and televisions are given to the needy. In this world, Network 23 has a highly-rated news program with a roving reporter named Edison Carter. But Carter uncovers a plot to cover up lethal "blipverts" and is almost killed. In the process his mind is copied into a computer and the computer-generated personality "Max Headroom" is born. Together, Max and Edison, along with Edison's controller (Theora), their boss (Murray), their boss' boss (Ben Cheviot), and Network 23's boy-genius (Bryce) combat crime, placate sponsors, defeat rival networks, and turn in stories. 14 episodes.

---

Plot Keywords:

character name as series title | max headroom character | two word series title | g4tv | future | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

---

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the first episode, the name "Max Headroom" came about when Edison Carter was fleeing from security guards on a motorcycle, and he ran into a parking garage exit gate labeled MAX HEADROOM. While he was in a coma his memory was downloaded into a computer by Bryce Lynch and the computer-generated personality chose this to be its new name.

---

Quotes

[Bryce and Grossman watch as Max is turned on for the first time]
Max Headroom: Say, would someone mind checking the ratings? I seem to have an audience of two.

---

Alternate Versions

The first episode is a remake of the British film Max Headroom (1985) (TV).

---

Connections

Referenced in Stitchers: Friends in Low Places (2015)

---

Soundtracks

Golf
Words and Music by Michael Bramon
Performed by Matt Frewer and Michael Bramon

User Reviews

Ahead of Its Time, Natch

Everyone seems to remember Max Headroom, the character and Coke pitchman, but a lot of people forget about the series Max was in. The other thing a lot of people forget is that Max in the TV screen was _not_ cgi; Max was pre-cgi, and Matt Frewer did incredibly good acting as Max. Besides that, Matt also was the lead in the series and did a lot of work as Edison Carter as well as Max.

The series didn't last nearly long enough for me; the original title, "Twenty Minutes Into the Future" is very accurate-- technologically, stylistically, and in terms of content and post-production, "Max Headroom" was ahead of its time. It was a mid-season replacement and never found its audience; the database lists the tv-movie, the series (14 or 15 eps), and the original talk show which started the whole thing. I'm still amazed at the wisdom (or lack thereof) of television execs who can cancel a series halfway through a season. Then again, "Max Headroom" was about television, making some eerily accurate predictions (CNN, tabloid talk shows), and television execs are nothing if not chickens.

Still, it would be too, too cool to see Max pop up to comment about the millennium...

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 March 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into the Future

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chrysalis/Lakeside, Lorimar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min (14 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1