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RoboCop: The Series

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7.1/10
TV

Country of origin
  
Canada

First episode date
  
18 March 1994

5.8/10
IMDb

Genre
  
Action Cyberpunk

No. of seasons
  
1

Final episode date
  
26 November 1994

RoboCop: The Series cdn2wwwsuperherohypecomassetsuploadsgallery

Created by
  
Michael Miner & Edward Neumeier

Starring
  
Richard Eden Yvette Nipar

Ending theme
  
"Future to This Life" by Joe Walsh and Lita Ford

Networks
  
FOX, CTV Television Network, Broadcast syndication

Cast
  
Richard Eden, Andrea Roth, Blu Mankuma, Yvette Nipar, Susan Roman

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).

Contents

RoboCop: The Series robocopseries2jpg

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.

RoboCop: The Series Robocop The Series DVD news Box Art for Robocop The Beginning

Robocop the series 1x01 the future of law enforcement


Background

RoboCop: The Series Robocop The Series Movie Posters From Movie Poster Shop

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.

RoboCop: The Series RoboCop The Series Internet Movie Firearms Database Guns in

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.

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

Main

  • Richard Eden as Officer Alex Murphy/Robocop.
  • Yvette Nipar as Officer/Detective Lisa Madigan, of the Metro South Police Station.
  • Blu Mankuma as Sgt. Stanley Parks, Watch Commander of the Metro South Police Station.
  • Andrea Roth as Diana Powers.
  • David Gardner as OCP Chairman.
  • Sarah Campbell as Gadget, a 9-year-old girl, who was adopted by Sgt. Stanley Parks following the events of "The Future of Law Enforcement". In episode 17, "Mothers Day", her birth name is revealed as "Gertrude Modesto", ("Gadget" was just the name assigned to her by Family Services), and that at the age of 3-weeks-old she was given up for adoption by her mother, Sally Modesto, who, as a numbers runner for Russian Mafia Crimeboss, Vlad "Stitch" Molotov, could not give her daughter the life she wanted to give her. She first became friends with Jimmy Murphy in episode no. 7, "Provision 22".

    • Recurring cast

  • Ed Sahely as Charlie Lippencott, Robocop's technician.
  • Dan Duran as Bo Harlan, newscaster.
  • Erica Ehm as Rocky Crenshaw, newscaster.
  • Patrick McKenna as Umberto Ortega, talk show host.
  • Jennifer Griffin as Nancy Murphy, wife of the "late" Alex Murphy.
  • Peter Costigan as James Daniel "Jimmy" Murphy, the 13-year-old son of the "late" Alex Murphy. He first became friends with Gadget in episode no. 7, "Provision 22".
  • Jordan Hughes as young Jimmy Murphy.
  • Martin Milner as Russell Murphy, father of the "late" Alex Murphy, and a retired police captain.
  • Nonnie Griffin as Dorothy Murphy, mother of the "late" Alex Murphy, and a retired teacher.

    • Villains

  • James Kidnie as William Ray "Pudface" Morgan.
  • Cliff De Young as Dr. Cray Z. Mollardo; a cyberneticist, and a paranoid, psychopathic prima donna.
  • John Rubinstein as Chip Chayken.
  • Wayne Robson as "Shorty", one of "Pudface" Morgan's two "trigger men".
  • Donald Burda as Leo, one of "Pudface" Morgan's two "trigger men".
  • Hrant Alianak as Vlad "Stitch" Molotov, so-called because of the scar on his face which is why he doesn't like to be called "Stitch". He is the head of the Detroit branch of the Russian Mafia.
  • Daniel Kash as Reggie Braga, Brazilian crime boss.
  • Roddy Piper as Faked Commander Cash, Nutjob villain.
  • Barry Flatman as Simon Atwater

    • 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." In Germany and Italy, "The Future Of Law Enforcement" was released as a standalone film on VHS and DVD, under the name "RoboCop 4: Law & Order".

    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

    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)

    Digital

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

    References

    RoboCop: The Series Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA