Max Headroom Episode Guide
[This is my own personal Max Headroom episode list that is cobbled
together from a variety of internet sources including two old SF-LOVERS
Max Headroom lists and other interesting tidbits of information from
alt.tv.max-headroom.]
Compiled by Joe Struss
MAX HEADROOM PROGRAM GUIDE (U.S.)
First Season
1. ** Blipverts ** 03/31/87 L
Directed by: Rocky Morton & Annabel Jankel Teleplay: Steve Roberts
Story: George Stone, Rocky Morton & Annabel Jankel
Debut: In the near future, when TVs can't be shut off and ratings are all
that matter, investigative reporter Edison Carter (Matt Frewer) and his
computer- generated alter ego Max Headroom battle to keep the "blank"
generation informed. In the opener, Carter stumbles across his own
network's cover-up of a sometimes deadly new form of TV advertising called
"blipverts". Chris Young (Bryce), Amanda Pays (Theora), Jeffrey Tambor
(Murray), Charles Rocket (Grossberg), Ken Swofford (Gorrister), Billie Byrd
(Florence), Virginia Kiser (Ms. Formby).
2. ** Raking ** 04/07/87 L,S
Directed by: Farhad Mann Teleplay: Joe Gannon & Steve Roberts
Story: Steve Roberts
Theora may lose her job when she runs off to help her estranged brother,
who's competing in a brutal sport that promoters want legalized and
televised. Peter Cohl (Shawn), Wortham Krimmer (Jack Friday), JW Smith
(Rik), Arsenio Trinidad (Ped Zing). [Though this is one of my least favorite
episodes it is my favorite Max Headroom script.]
3. ** Body Banks ** 04/14/87 L,S
Directed by: Francis DeLia Written by: Steve Roberts
Carter races against time to save a woman who was shanghaied and sold to a
"body bank" for experimentation. Meanwhile, Network 23's largest sponsor
wants Max as spokesman. George Coe (Cheviot), Virginia Kiser (Formby),
Morgan Sheppard (Blank Reg), Concetta Tomei (Dominique), Scott Kraft (Mel),
John Winston (Plantaganet), JW Smith (Rik).
4. ** Security Systems ** 04/21/87 L
Directed by: Tommy Lee Wallace Written by: Michael Cassutt
Carter is accused of credit fraud and becomes a fugitive after delving into
the hostile takeover of Security Systems, the world's most powerful
corporation. George Coe (Cheviot), JW Smith (Rik), Concetta Tomei
(Dominique), Morgan Sheppard (Blank Reg), Carol Mayo Jenkins (Valerie
Towne), Sally Stevens ( Voice of A-7).
5. ** War ** 04/28/87 L,S
Directed by: Thomas J. Wright
Written by: Martin Pasko, Rebecca Parr, Michael Cassutt & Steve Roberts
Network 23 finds that the fine line between news and entertainment may very
well be the bottom line. Dancing on that line is Braddock, a double
dealing program packager who offers to sell Network 23 the exclusive rights
to cover an urban-guerilla group's terrorist activities during a crucial
24-hour global ratings-sweep period. The network turns Braddock's offer
down, but a smaller rival accepts. Broadcasting from a terrorist bombing
site, its ratings soar -- as Network 23's plummet. Barred from that site
is Network 23 ace reporter Edison Carter, to the annoyance of some Network
23 board members. But network head Ben Cheviot knows Braddock's reputation
and assigns Carter to investigate. Gary Swenson (Braddock), Robert
O'Reilly ( Croyd Hauser), Lisa Niemi (Janie Crane), J Michael Flynn(Lucian).
6. ** The Blanks ** 05/05/87 L
Directed by: Tommy Lee Wallace Written by: Steve Roberts
As the "blanks" -- undesirables with no computer records -- are rounded up
and arrested, the networks face permanent cancellation by hackers who
threaten to crash the city's entire computer system if their companions
aren't released. Howard Sherman (Peller), Peter Crook (Bruno), Hank Garret
(Ashwell), Morgan Sheppard (Blank Reg), Concetta Tomei (Dominique).
Second Season
7. ** Academy ** 09/18/87
Directed by: Victor Lobl Written by: David Brown
Edison must challenge Bryce and his classmates at the Academy of
Computer Sciences when they frame Blank Reg on a charge of zipping,
interrupting a network satellite feed.
8. ** Deities ** 09/25/87
Directed by: Tom Wright Written by: Michael Cassutt
A TV church, led by a college flame of Edison's, kidnaps Max. Edison
must retrieve Max and uncover the church's phony electronic "soul
storage" system, which claims to keep the personalities of the dead
online -- for a price. [Alternate title: Resurrection Vanna]
9. ** Grossberg's Return ** 10/02/87
Directed by: Janet Greek Written by: Steve Roberts
Rival Network 66 attempts to defeat Network 23 in a ratings-based
election by introducing a "watch while you sleep" device into its
programming to cause people to leave their TV sets on all night.
10. ** Dream Thieves ** 10/09/87 S
Directed by: Todd Holland Teleplay: Steve Roberts
Story: Charles Grant Craig
Some shady entrepreneurs are stealing people's dreams and selling them
to the highest bidders. Edison goes undercover to expose their lethal
business.
11. ** Whacketts ** 10/16/87
Directed by: Victor Lobl Teleplay: Arthur Sellers
Story: Dennis Rolfe
A video narcotic is causing people to leave their TVs tuned to Big Time
Television twenty-four hours a day. [Alternate title: The Addiction Game]
12. ** NeuroStim ** 04/28/88
Directed by: Maurice Phillips Written by: Arthur Sellers & Michael Cassutt
Zik-Zak introduces Neurostim, a device to directly stimulate the brain
and bypass the need to use television for advertising.
13. ** Lessons ** 05/05/88
Directed by: Victor Lobl Teleplay: Adrian Hein & Steve Roberts
Story: Colman DeKay & Howard Brookner
Network 23 censors go a step too far when they try to shut down a
secret school in the fringes, because it's using pirated Network 23
instructional programming.
14. ** Baby Growbags ** (never aired in USA until Bravo showing)
Directed by: Janet Greek Written by: Chris Ruppenthal
Edison Carter is on the trail of some rather dark people who are stealing
babies from the baby pods where they are grown while Bryce carefully
considers working for Grossberg and channel 66.
S - Script available from Script City (213)-871-0707.
L - Produced on laserdisk and subtitled in Japanese.
(Also produced on a limited video basis from CEL home video.(?))
V - Widely produced on video.
Unproduced Episodes:
A. ** Theora's Tale ** Unproduced S
Teleplay: Steve Roberts
Story: Eric Blakeney
As a corporate shooting war breaks out in Antartica between ZikZak and Zlin,
Theora is missing and Murray tries to calm Edison and get him aboard a
special Air Corridor shuttle to cover the story. Theora has, in fact,
been kidnapped by mercenaries of the Video Freedom Alliance who have found
out about Theora's true identity and are demanding a huge ransom for
her release.
A longer synopsis of Theora's tale is also available here.
[Script available from Script City (213)-871-0707.]
B. ** The Trial ** Unproduced
C. ** X-Max ** Unproduced
Related:
The Original Channel Four Special:
0. ** Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into the Future ** 04/04/85 V
Directed by: Rocky Morton & Annabel Jankel Teleplay: Steve Roberts
Story: George Stone, Rocky Morton & Annabel Jankel
Basically the same story as episode one of the American series but with
a more gritty feel to it. Changes to the story include a darker Bryce
with murderous intentions, a sharper-looking Max Headroom who eventually
'escapes' with Blank Reg aboard the big, pink bus and a possible blacker
ending for Grossberg and Bryce.
An Episode Pilot with Max Headroom style graphics/universe:
-1. ** Timeslip: The Block ** (Cinemax 1985)
In a dark future with high unemployment and massive street violence,
a controller with a steady job on the night shift is having an illicit
affair with a secretary in the same office block. He shuts down his own
protocol program CANDY to get some privacy but is then identified and
hunted by the building's security system. (I saw this on Cinemax. Some
of the building graphics/shots created by Rod Lord are identical to those
used in the Channel Four Max Headroom special. Rod Lord also went on do
the animation for the BBC's "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" TV series.
Also the background/plot of this one-shot with high unemployment, riots in
the streets and extended use of personalized software and hardware gives
it a very Max Headroom-like feeling.)
Other Max Headroom Related Items:
1984: Max Headroom - a talk show on Britain's Channel Four
1985: Coca-Cola - the first of many advirtisements for Coke
1985: Paranoimia - a pop song by the British group 'Art of Noise'
(from their album In Visible Silence)
1985:?The Max Headroom X-mas Turkey - Channel Four Max X-mas Special
1986: The Max Talking
Headroom Show - a talk show on Cinemax cable network
1994: Max Headroom U.S. series - reshown on the Bravo cable network
Please send me your comments and suggestions for this guide.
Sincerely yours,
Joe Struss
jastruss@vincent.iastate.edu
The WWW site for Max Headroom is: http://net23.com/
Enjoy!