RoboCop: The Series

RoboCop: The Series
Genre Action/Adventure
Cyberpunk
Mystery
Created by Stephen Downing
Starring Richard Eden
Yvette Nipar
Ending theme "Future to This Life" by Joe Walsh and Lita Ford
Country of origin Canada
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 21 episodes and 1 Pilot
Production
Producer(s) Jay Firestone
Running time 44 minutes
Production company(s) Rysher Entertainment
Skyvision Entertainment
Rigel Entertainment
Release
Original network CTV (Canada)
syndicated (United States)
Original release March 18 – November 26, 1994

RoboCop: The Series is a 1994 Canadian television series based on the RoboCop film series. It stars Richard Eden as the title character. Made to appeal primarily to children and young teenagers, it lacks the graphic violence that was the hallmark of RoboCop (1987) and its sequel RoboCop 2 (1990).

The series takes place between the original film and RoboCop 2. The RoboCop character has several non-lethal alternatives to killing criminals, which ensures that certain villains can be recurring. The OCP Chairman and his corporation are treated as simply naïve and ignorant, in contrast to their malicious and immoral behavior from the second film onward.

Background

While RoboCop was initially an American property, Orion Pictures received a $500,000 cash infusion for TV licensing rights to Canada's Skyvision Entertainment. This allowed access to co-production treaties and possible partnerships with other countries. The series was filmed in Toronto and Mississauga, Ontario and originally planned for a January 1994 debut, several months after the unsuccessful release of RoboCop 3. Skyvision was also in negotiation with Peter Weller, the original RoboCop, but this did not come to fruition. Twenty-two episodes were made, but the series was not renewed for a second season. Expense played a significant part in this; according to Skyvision VP Kevin Gillis, episodes would be produced at $1.2 million to $1.5 million each.[1]

The pilot episode runs two hours. It was adapted from a discarded RoboCop 2 script, Corporate Wars, by the writers of the original RoboCop, Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner.

Villains on the series include Dr. Cray Z. Mallardo, OCP executive Chip Chayken, William Ray Morgan aka Pudface, Vlad Molotov.

The series gave writers more of an opportunity to develop the central characters and to extend the human interest aspect through the introduction of Gadget; the station mascot and the adopted, insightful daughter of station Sergeant Parks. Gadget, along with the presence of Jimmy Murphy did much to shift the focus from the adult to the youth target audience. The writers also introduced an element of virtual romance in the character Diana, formerly a secretary to crooked Vice-President Chip Chayken, who is unwillingly turned in to the 'mind' of Metronet and OCP's city-running super-computer, NeuroBrain.[2]

Many of the characters' names were altered from their movie counterparts due to rights issues.

Cast

Main

Recurring cast

Villains

Episodes

Episode Name Alternate Titles Synopsis
0 (Pilot) The Future of Law Enforcement Robocop and Madigan uncover a conspiracy by an insane genius and an OCP executive to develop a computer linked to a human brain designed to run the entire city.
1 Prime Suspect (First Suspect) When a person is killed and the murder weapon is Robocop's gun, he is arrested and placed on trial.
2 Trouble in Delta City (Delta City) A new miracle drug gets rushed to the market by OCP, but more thorough testing reveals that it has powerful mind-altering properties.
3 Officer Missing (Absence of Police) Feeling like the Chairman has been enjoying the spoils of OCP for too long, Robocop decides to take him on a tour of the rundown part of Old Detroit.
4 What Money Can't Buy A sickly boy who was rescued from the slums of Old Detroit desperately needs a lung transplant to stay alive.
5 Ghosts of War A band of mercenaries begins terrorizing Delta City, and Robocop must put a stop to them before they carry out a terrorist attack.
6 Zone Five OCP appoints a vigilante group as new neighborhood watch team in order to solve an ongoing drug problem.
7 Provision 22 Robocop is shocked when he learns his estranged wife and son are living on welfare.
8 Faces of Eve A new miracle product from OCP offers consumers new identities via gene transplant therapy.
9 When Justice Fails Robocop and Officer Madigan race to save the lives of four astronauts.
10 The Human Factor Robocop teams-up with his unsuspecting father, a retired police captain, to stop an insane bomber from unleashing a campaign of terror against OCP.
11 Inside Crime Pudface Morgan pulls in boffo ratings for OCP's new hit reality show which follows the exploits of criminals, but the maniac has plans to take on Robocop live on prime time.
12 Robocop vs Commander Cash Children are rioting and stealing all over the city as RoboCop faces his most formidable opponent, a nut case who believes he's a real live version of OCP's super hero, Commander Cash.
13 Illusions Robocop guards the Chairman of OCP against a mysterious assassin.
14 Tin Man Armed ice cream trucks and lunch catering vans wage a gang war for control of illegal gambling and Gadget falls victim to Lotto-fever.
15 Sisters in Crime When his sexist views anger feminists, the OCP Chairman is kidnapped by a band of shapely rebels and forced to do housework.
16 Heartbreakers It's love at first "byte" when Lippencott enters Virtual Reality and falls for Diana Powers.
17 Mother's Day Gadget's caught in a custody fight and leaves Sergeant Parks to be reunited with her real mother.
18 Nano While arresting a thief, who is suddenly run down by a runaway bus, Detective Madigan is seriously injured and paralyzed.
19 Corporate Raiders The city's rocked by anti-corporate violence as Robocop and Officer Madigan are assigned to bring in a charming ex-terrorist.
20 Midnight Minus One Robocop and Officer Madigan race the clock to prove a killer is innocent before he's executed.
21 Public Enemies Robocop must save the President and First Gentleman from an assassination plot.

Distribution

Home videos and merchandise

The first five episodes were released on VHS in 1995. Episodes of the series were also released in a Japanese laserdisc set. They include "First Suspect," "Delta City," and "Absence of Police."

An action figure collection for the series was produced by little-known Toy Island, a company that would continue making RoboCop figures in the future. The basic series includes RoboCop, Madigan, Stan Parks, Commander Cash (also released as "Commandant Cash"), and Pudface. It also features the OCP Interceptor, Tactical Field Vehicle, Tactical Field Ambulance, Mobile Armored Detention Vehicle, and Cyrochamber playset. In 1995, the Power Glow figure series was released. This includes RoboCop variations with illuminating armor such as a basic RoboCop (blue), Thermo Shield RoboCop (red), and Xicor Shield RoboCop (lime green). Each figure in the collection includes various accessories and several points of articulation.

Soundtrack

Robocop - The Series Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by various artists
Released 24 January 1995
Genre Punk rock
Label Rhino Entertainment / Wea

A soundtrack entitled A Future to This Life: Robocop - The Series Soundtrack was released 24 January 1995, on both CD and cassette by Pyramid Records. Aside from the show's theme writers, Joe Walsh & Lita Ford, it features classic rock songs from groups like The Band, The Flamingos, Iron Butterfly, and KC & the Sunshine Band.

  1. "A Future to This Life (feat. Lita Ford) - Joe Walsh" (3:34)
  2. "Guilty of the Crime - Joe Walsh, Miller Hopkins" (3:24)
  3. "Fire & Brimstone - Joe Walsh (4:47)"
  4. "Chutes and Ladders - Dave Edmunds" (4:06)
  5. "Flannel Jacket - EJ Waters" (3:53)
  6. "We Gotta Get You A Woman - Todd Rundgren" (3:09)
  7. " I Only Have Eyes for You - The Flamingo" (3:23)
  8. "Stuff Ya Gotta Watch - The Band (2:50)
  9. "In A Gadda Da Vida - Iron Butterfly" (2:55)
  10. "Shake Your Booty - KC and The Sunshine Band" (3:04)
  11. "Overture Robocop - Delta City Orchestra" (1:49)

DVD

Release name No. of discs Region 1
(Alliance Home Entertainment)		 Region 2
(Stax Entertainment)		 Region 4
(Madman Entertainment)		 Notes
Robocop the Complete Series 6 27 July 2010[3]
(Canada only)		 20 March 2006[4]

Re-release
22 January 2007[5]
14 October 2013[6] 		25 July 2006[7] Episode synopsis, actor profiles, from cinema to the small screen,
The history of Robocop, fun facts and info, weapons, the car, the suit.

Digital

The complete series including the pilot episode is available on Amazon Instant Video (UK only).[8]

References

  1. ↑ Ayscough, Suzan Orion signs 'RoboCop' series deal Variety (April 29, 1993). Retrieved January 25, 2008.
  2. ↑ Cook, Flynn A look back - RoboCop: The Series RoboCopArchive.com. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Robocop Complete Series". amazon.ca. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  4. ↑ "Robocop - The Series". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  5. ↑ "Robocop - the Complete TV Series DVD". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  6. ↑ "Robocop - The Complete TV Series (6 Disc Set) DVD". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  7. ↑ "Robocop: The Series (5 Disc Set) (DVD)". ezydvd.com.au. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  8. ↑ "RoboCop The Series 1 Season 1994". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 7 March 2014.

External links

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