Probe is a 1988 American television pilot and subsequent TV series created by TV detective writer William Link and science fiction maestro Isaac Asimov which aired on ABC. Michael B. Wagner, a veteran television writer, wrote the two hour pilot, and became Executive Producer for the series.[1] The pilot and series starred Parker Stevenson as Austin James, a misanthropic genius who solved high tech crimes.
Some episodes of the show revolved around Serendip, a company founded by James that he's largely disassociated himself from. Mickey Castle, his Serendip-appointed secretary, plays Watson to James' Holmes.
The show began as a mid-season replacement and was canceled after a two-month run of the pilot and six episodes. The show has been considered by fans to be ahead of its time. Entire episodes have made their way on the internet through popular video-sharing sites such as Youtube.
The most distinctive aspect of this series was the plots, all based on scientific principles--a computer whose artificial intelligence program had run amok, a murder-plot utilizing genetic engineering, a super-intelligent ape accused of murder (in an episode titled "Metamorphic Anthropoidic Prototype Over You"). The police simply shook their heads and arrested whomever Austin fingered. [2]
[edit] Characters
[edit] Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by: | Written by: | Original airdate |
| 1 | "Probe (pilot)"
"Computer Logic" | Sandor Stern | Michael I. Wagner | March 7, 1988 (1988-03-07) |
| New secretary Micky is assigned to work for company owner Austin James, an eccentric scientist and investigator. The two soon become enmeshed in two mysteries: a man who died of exposure but his body is colder then the surrounding air, and an error in Austin's water bill that leads to murders by strange mechanical and electrical malfunctions. |
| 2 | "Untouched by Human Hands" | Kevin Hooks | Colman Dekay,
Howard Brookner,
Lee Sheldon | March 10, 1988 (1988-03-10) |
| Austin is called in when a reactor built by Serendip malfunctions, and a staff member inside is dead. The body is inaccessible because of the high levels of radiation flooding the chamber. |
| 3 | "Black Cats Don't Walk Under Ladders (Do They?)" | Alan J. Levi | Lee Sheldon | March 17, 1988 (1988-03-17) |
| By appealing to his scientific vanity, Micky manages to lure Austin to a talk show/expose to act as a scientific consultant as host Marty Corrigan tries to discredit a self-proclaimed witch, Sabrina. However, the witch's curse apparently comes true after Marty drinks one of her "potions". |
| 4 | "Metamorphic Anthropoidic Prototype Over You" | Rob Bowman | Robert Bielak,
Tim Burns | March 24, 1988 (1988-03-24) |
| Austin is called in to help with investigating a claim that a "mape" (a Metamorphic Anthropoidic Prototype — i.e., an intelligent ape) is as intelligent as its sponsor, Dr. Hardwork, claims. Josephine, the mape, is indeed incredibly smart, at nearly human levels. However, an animal activist breaks into Austin's warehouse where Josephine is being kept, and is found dead, shot to death. There seem no obvious culprits... |
| 5 | "Now You See It..." | Robert Iscove | James Novack | March 31, 1988 (1988-03-31) |
| Two businessman die in elevators created by Serendip, putting Austin's future with the company in danger. |
| 6 | "Plan 10 from Outer Space" | Virgil Vogel | Michael I. Wagner | April 7, 1988 (1988-04-07) |
| Micky manages to lure Austin into visiting the desert home of science fiction author Truman Smith III. He is being plagued with strange electrical apparitions. He claims that the electrical creature is an alien being whose life Truman has been using as the basis for his "fiction", and now the alien wants a share. |
| 7 | "Quit-It" | Vincent McEveety | Philip Reed | April 14, 1988 (1988-04-14) |
| Austin and Micki come to the aid of a young girl who claims everyone in her neighborhood has been replaced by impostors. |
[edit] References
- ^ "Science Fiction Television Series" (1996) Mark Phillips & Frank Garcia, McFarland & Co., Inc., p. 271.
- ^ Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle (1992). The Complete Directory To Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946-Present (5th ed). Ballantine Books. ISBN 0345377923.
[edit] External links
