What Might've Been: The Invisible Man (1975)

H. G. Wells' The Invisible Man was adapted for television a second time, this time in the US, and, as we alluded to in reviewing the British series, it didn't last.

Harve Bennett (The Six Million Dollar Man) adapted Wells' novel, this time with a scientist, Daniel Weston (David McCallum, ex-The Man From U.N.C.L.E.), who's experimenting with invisibility for noble purposes, not realizing his employers have a contract with the government. When his boss, Walter Carlson, decides to give Weston's formula to the military, Weston turns himself invisible, but the process is unstable......

The pilot aired in the spring of 1975, with Jackie Cooper (ex-Hennessey) as Carlson. When NBC picked up the series, Cooper was replaced by Craig Stevens (ex-Peter Gunn). Henry Darrow (ex-High Chaparral) appeared in the pilot as Dr. Maggio, a plastic surgeon and friend of Weston. Maggio only appeared one other time, with Charles Aidman taking over the role.

Edit, 1/5/21: The only videos available now, even for the intro, are in foreign languages. Instead, we'll use a title card:

Other creative personnel on the show included Leslie Stevens (ex-The Outer Limits, Search) and a future icon in Steven Bochco.

So where did it go wrong? Wrong night of the week. NBC slotted it on Mondays, opposite Rhoda & Phyllis on CBS, which also dismantled ABC's Barbary Coast. Ballgame over.

It was fun while it lasted.

Rating: B.