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Gemini Man (TV series)

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Gemini Man
Genre
Based onThe Invisible Man
by H. G. Wells
Written by
Directed by
Starring
Opening themeLee Holdridge
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes11 (+two-hour pilot)
Production
Executive producerHarve Bennett
ProducerFrank Telford
Cinematography
  • Enzo A. Martinelli
  • Vincent A. Martinelli
Editors
Running timeApprox. 50 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 23 (1976-09-23) –
October 28, 1976 (1976-10-28)
Related
  • Riding with Death
Partial shot from the opening sequence, showing Ben Murphy as Sam Casey and the countdown digital watch that served as his DNA stabilizer

Gemini Man is a short-lived American action-adventure drama series that aired on NBC in 1976. The third television series based on H. G. Wells' 1897 science-fiction novel The Invisible Man, Gemini Man was created to replace the previous season's The Invisible Man using simpler and less expensive special effects.

Plot

The series starred Ben Murphy as laid-back, denim-clad, motorcycle-riding secret agent Sam Casey, who while diving to retrieve a fallen Soviet spy satellite, was exposed to radiation in an underwater explosion, which rendered him invisible. The agency for which he worked, a high-tech government think tank called Intersect (International Security Techniques), found a way to return him to visibility and control his new power by the use of a special wristwatch referred to as a "DNA stabilizer", which was invented by scientist Abby Lawrence (Katherine Crawford). Pressing a button on the digital watch would make him vanish, clothes and all, which was a helpful tool in his line of work, but he could only do this for 15 minutes per day or else he would die.[1][2]

Reception

A pilot of the series aired on May 10, 1976, and the series began airing on September 23 of that year. The show was cancelled after five episodes due to low ratings and relatively high production costs. Although 11 episodes were produced, the remaining six were not aired in the United States, although the entire series was seen in Britain with somewhat greater success that led to a record album and hardcover annual based on the show. Richard Dysart played Casey's boss, Leonard Driscoll, in the pilot and William Sylvester played Driscoll during the series.

Cast

Episodes

Pilot

TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
"Code Name Minus One (or Gemini Man)"Alan J. LeviLeslie StevensMay 10, 1976 (1976-05-10)

Series

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Smithereens"Alan J. LeviFrank TelfordSeptember 23, 1976 (1976-09-23)
Used as part of Riding with Death
2"Minotaur"Alan J. LeviStory by : Robert Bloch & Robert F. O'Neill
Teleplay by : Robert F. O'Neill & Frank Telford		September 30, 1976 (1976-09-30)
3"Sam Casey, Sam Casey"Michael CaffeyJames D. ParriottOctober 7, 1976 (1976-10-07)
4"Night Train to Dallas"Alan J. LeviSteven E. de SouzaOctober 14, 1976 (1976-10-14)
5"Run, Sam, Run"Charles R. RondeauFrank TelfordOctober 28, 1976 (1976-10-28)
6"Escape Hatch"Paul StanleyLeslie StevensUNAIRED
7"Eight-Nine-Ten, You're Dead"Andy Sidaris & Alan CroslandStory by : Richard Fielder
Teleplay by : Frank Telford & Richard Fielder		UNAIRED
8"Targets"Michael CaffeyJames Carlson & Terrence McDonnellUNAIRED
9"Suspect Your Local Police"Paul KrasnyStory by : Rick Mittleman & Steven E. de Souza
Teleplay by : Steven E. de Souza		UNAIRED
10"Buffalo Bill Rides Again"Don McDougallFrank TelfordUNAIRED
Used as part of Riding with Death
11"Return of the Lion"Alan J. LeviSteven E. de SouzaUNAIRED

Television movie

Two episodes, "Smithereens" and "Buffalo Bill Rides Again", were re-edited into one 90-minute television film titled Riding with Death, released in 1981.

The film used scenes from Colossus: The Forbin Project as establishing shots for sweeping computer-room scenes. The "Guardian" logo ("Guardian" was the Russian version of "Colossus") appears in at least one segment. Though not immediately verifiable, at least one segment uses the "Colossus" speaker/microphone.

Production had to deal with Crawford departing the series by the latter episode, the length of time between filming (Sylvester had grown a thick, bushy mustache in the interim), and the appearance of an arch-villain in the second "half" who did not exist in the opening (covered by an overdub referring to the villain's elusiveness in the final minutes of the first segment). Both parts feature singer Jim Stafford as a trucker named Buffalo Bill, who befriends and helps Sam.

In 1997, Riding with Death was featured in an eighth-season episode of movie-mocking television show Mystery Science Theater 3000. Mike Nelson and his robot friends highlighted the thin connection between the two halves, and the general incoherence of the plot.

Home media

The complete television series was released as a region 2 DVD in the French territory in November 2013 by Elephant Films with two language tracks, French and English.[3] The episodes are uncut.

References

  1. ^ John Kenneth Muir (21 August 2008). The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television, 2d ed. McFarland. p. 287. ISBN 978-0-7864-3755-9.
  2. ^ "'Gemini Man'". tv.com. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  3. ^ "Le Nouvel homme invisible (1976) - DVD Gemini Man". dvdfr.com.
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