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.

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Plot Keywords:

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

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Genres:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

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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

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.

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Quotes

Max Headroom: Converts are the worst bigots.

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Alternate Versions

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

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Connections

Follows The Max Headroom Show (1985)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

Absolutely one of the best shows on TV... ever!

I rarely gush about TV shows, especially when they haven't been on in over a decade, but I gush about MH. This show was beyond cool, it was beyond hip, and it was far too intelligent to have been on the air in the late 80s. I was lucky enough to be able to catch MH in sindication on cable a few years ago and to validate my high opinions of the show. It was still brilliant. A few episode summaries might help to clarify:

Blank Reg (a blank is a person who has been removed from the corporate system, they have few rights, but the 'powers that be' can't easily find them) is put on trial for hacking (a major crime). The court is a gameshow with gameshow host for a judge and an opinion poll for a jury. I am glad to see how far off this is from reality - sarcasm :(

Another episode involved a sport called rake-boarding, where skateboarders would attempt to disembowel each other while performing nifty stunts. Thank god mass media has not opted for gladiatorial shows...

My question was never why this show got cancelled, but who the hell got the idea to put it on the air in the first place. I mean, this was a show whose primary entertainment value was in skewering the very medium which presented it. I can't believe that the mucky-mucks even allowed this to be seen, nevertheless broadcast.

Each show was intelligent, witty and eerily prescient. I suppose the final irony was that the show itself was cancelled, but the problems that it warned us about have come true. If you get the chance to see the extant shows, see them. They are among the only truly visionary and artistic and entertaining things to have been on stupid-box since its inception.