Wednesday, July 23, 2014

A Modern Classic (?): Weird Science (1994)

The late John Hughes' 1985 film, "Weird Science" was enough of a cult hit, such that it took nearly a decade for someone to consider converting it into a TV show. Once it hit cable, Weird Science lasted 5 seasons on USA Network, though the final five episodes were farmed out to sister network Sci-Fi (now SyFy) without explanation.

Two teens create what they consider to be the perfect female on computer, but a lightning storm brings her to life, giving them what amounts to a cyber-genie, if ya will. Co-star John Mallory Asher might not have gotten another series gig after Science ended, but there was a fringe benefit----working with his mom, TV vet Joyce Bulifant (ex-The Mary Tyler Moore Show), who played Gary's mother. Series co-star Lee Tergeson later moved on to HBO's Oz, among other things, but one wonders what Vanessa Angel (Lisa) is doing these days?

Oingo Boingo's theme song carries over from the movie, but if the producers were smart, they might've been able to get lead singer Danny Elfman to compose new music for the show, as he was into creating TV themes back then (i.e. Batman: The Animated Series). Each episode brackets the credits with clips from the horror classic, "Bride of Frankenstein", but Lisa is hardly Frankenstein material.

Here's the intro to seasons 1-2.



Too bad the series now sits in NBC-Universal-Comcast's vaults.

Rating: B.

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