RoboCop

Now, I know that many people have been knocking the '94 RoboCop series.

As much as I'd like to put a stop to that, I sadly cannot. I saw the series back when I was about 10 or so, so I can't remember much, and I only saw occasional glimpses, and maybe an episode or two in '98, or around that area.

I grew up with RoboCop, needless to say. The Series had a big influence on me, and since I was 10 (around there), I was astounded. Violence didn't matter much to me, but I always looked up to RoboCop as my hero. RoboCop had became a household name in my family, and I can recall watching the original movie endless amounts of time when I was 5 or so.

But this isn't about the original RoboCop.

It's about the supposedly live-action series made in '94. (I honestly couldn't tell the difference, I was too young.)

Though I noticed that the violence had been toned down a bit, it didn't matter to me. It was RoboCop, simply put, my childhood hero (whom is still my hero), and that was all there was to it. RoboCop: The Series was a finely done project, and I'm sure many think that way. Many seem to think violence is what made RoboCop so good, and I agree in many situations.

RoboCop: The Series is a classic. In fact, aside from Prime Directives, which, might I add, came out this year, or around there (I can't recollect the date.), The Series is one of the best RoboCop sequels/continuations of the 'franchise'.

It goes deeper into Murphy's past, explaining much more, but it only had 23 episodes. People just got sick of it, I guess, but, I loved every second of it.

Remember, friends, before you bash RoboCop: The Series, remember the positive things about it and the little things that made it at least a smidgen good. It was made in 1994, not now.



... If they could have only gotten Peter Weller back...

I remember watching this as a young teenager and thinking it was pretty enjoyable but after approximately 15 years, I decided to watch this with a fresh perspective. I'm a big fan of the original movie and while the series is toned down a lot from the movie, the show is still a great Robocop production. Plus, if you have kids, you can watch this with them in the same room. I don't understand the critic reviews being so harsh on this show. Most of the episodes are good. A few great. Some fair. I can't say there was an episode that didn't keep me entertained.

Richard Eden does a great portrayal of Robo/Alex Murphy. Yvette Niper as Lisa Madigen is more than just a smoke show. The rest of the cast perform well for the most part. The effects are great and the sets look good although the CGI has aged pretty poorly but it's admissible given the age. The show deserved at least another season.

I was recently at a used video/bookstore where I bought a video thinking it was RoboCop the movie. After further inspection on the ride home, I realized I had accidentally bought the pilot episode of the old TV series I used to watch in my earlier years. I decided on watching on it. If I didn't like it, I would bring it back and buy the movie.

I didn't.

This pilot is so stupid and outlandlishly ridiculous, that the only plausible explanation for it was that the producers were trying to recreate a RoboCop version of the old Batman show. That's the only way I can explain the campy quips, the ridiculous villains (Pudface Morgan, hah!) and the bad acting. The whole experience just felt to me like something for the kids whose mothers wouldn't allow them to see the very violent, sometimes disturbing 1988 movie. I have heard that the later TV movies and animated series were better. I certainly hope so.

This excellent sci-fi TV show is highly recommended for all RoboCop fans. Casual Sci-Fi fans may find the show hard to follow, since there is not much background given outside of the opening theme sequence. The show is somewhat violent, but not graphically so. Parental Guidance suggested. This show is currently re-running on the Sci-Fi Channel.

Although there is more than one way RoboCop could have been adapted for television, this is a very good way to do it. Although movie director Verhoeven's touch is missing on the series, the original writers Miner and Neumeier return (at least for the pilot) to put Robocop back on track. The content is somewhat toned down over the original movie (both because of its conversion to television and because it is aimed at a younger audience), but the spirit of the original is in most ways preserved: the satire, personal drama (mostly regarding Alex Murphy/Robocop), and the good-guy vs. bad-guy action. The drama regarding Murphy is expanded on, as we get more exposure to his memories and to his family, and there is added a character, in the form of Delta City's new brain, who shares in many ways Murphy's plight. Ultimately, the television series comes off closer to the original movie than either of the two theatrical sequels.

The television series does take a slightly different spin than the movie, but ultimately it works out for the best. Robocop here is more of a comic book superhero, but not necessarily in a bad way. He is superhuman both physically and morally, and yet we remain sympathetic to his plight throughout. He is someone we really want to root for. (Personally, I think RoboCop makes the most interesting superhero since Batman.) The villains are more comic-bookish as well, but they do not seem out of place given the change in tone. The series can be serious and yet be silly in an almost Batman-like way at times, without the two ever seeming at odds with each other. Also changed is the tone; the series moralizes more, and has cut the graphic violence of the original. It is sort of RoboCop with more of a conscience.

In addition to its other virtues, the series adds surprisingly high production value and more than tolerable acting (Richard Eden especially does an interesting job as Robocop - very mechanical, quite appropriate). For fans of RoboCop or of comic-book-style action shows like Batman and Superman or hardcore sci-fi fans this is a must see. For anyone willing to experience something out of the ordinary, this is very good viewing. It is a shame it only made it one season, I would have loved to see more.