M.A.N.T.I.S.

M.A.N.T.I.S.
File:MANTIS (intertitle).jpg Intertitle
Genre	Science fiction
Created by	Sam Raimi Sam Hamm
Developed by	Bryce Zabel
Directed by	David Nutter
Starring	Carl Lumbly Roger Rees Christopher Gartin Galyn Görg
Composers	Randy Miller Christopher Franke Edgar Rothermich Joseph Conlan
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	22
Production
Executive producers	Sam Hamm Sam Raimi Robert G. Tapert Coleman Luck
Producers	David Roesell Paris Qualles
Cinematography	Rodney Charters
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	44 minutes
Production companies	Wilbur Force Productions Renaissance Pictures Universal Television
Original release
Network	Fox
Release	August 26, 1994 (1994-08-26) – March 3, 1995 (1995-03-03)

M.A.N.T.I.S. is an American science fiction television series that aired for one season on the Fox Network between August 26, 1994 and March 3, 1995.

The original two-hour pilot was produced by Sam Raimi and developed by Sam Hamm.

Overview

The wealthy, mild-mannered doctor Hawkins is shot in the spine during a riot, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

After losing a lawsuit against a police officer he holds responsible, he uses his company's resources to invent a powered exoskeleton that not only enables him to walk but gives him superhuman abilities.

Using a vast array of technology, including a large underwater lab and a hovercraft called the Crysalid to fly around the city, he assumes the persona of the vigilante "M.A.N.T.I.S." (Mechanically Augmented Neuro Transmitter Interception System).

There were a number of differences between the pilot and the series. For example, in the pilot, Hawkins wore a suit over the exo-skeleton, it lacked a skullcap, and the headpiece was larger. The setting was changed from Oceania City to Port Columbia, and all of the characters, with Hawkins being an exception, were changed.

The pilot featured Gina Torres as pathologist Dr. Amy Ellis, Bobby Hosea as reporter Yuri Barnes, and Wendy Raquel Robinson and Christopher M. Brown as a pair of African students studying under Hawkins.

In the series, the supporting cast was changed to John Stonebrake, Taylor Savage and Lt. Maxwell, with the plot being completely rebooted.

The bulk of the series' run depicted the M.A.N.T.I.S. operating in a vigilante role, frequently pursued by police, and battling industrialist Solomon Box (Brion James / Andrew J. Robinson).

Poor ratings led to an extensive retooling of the concept. Midway through the show's run, minor characters were jettisoned, and more fantasy adventure elements were incorporated into the premise, including parallel universes, time travel, super-villains, and monsters. In one particular episode, the M.A.N.T.I.S. is accidentally thrown 32 years into the future, where he finds that his own technology has been exploited to create a supercomputer that is being used to enslave the Port Columbia population. He destroys it and sets the human population free before returning to his own time.

In the series' final installment, Miles Hawkins and Lt. Maxwell are killed disposing of an invisible prehistoric dinosaur. John Stonebrake seals off the records and technology that had created the M.A.N.T.I.S., thus averting an apocalyptic future. While the title character's death was given a sense of finality, the story was left open in one respect: when Miles Hawkins returned to 1994 from the year 2026 (a 32-year difference), he did so precisely 32 seconds after his vehicle sent him forward in time, thus altering the computer-controlled future that his disappearance had led to. As such, Miles Hawkins, while dying in the reality that he returned to, was also sent forward in time to an unknown future.

Cast

• Carl Lumbly - Dr. Miles Hawkins (22 episodes, 1994–1995)
• Roger Rees - John Stonebrake (22 episodes, 1994–1995)
• Christopher Gartin - Taylor Savage (22 episodes, 1994–1995)
• Galyn Görg - Lt. Maxwell (22 episodes, 1994–1995)
• Gary Graham - Capt. Ken Hetrick (9 episodes, 1994–1995)
• Jerry Wasserman - Det. Paul Warren (6 episodes, 1994)
• Garry Chalk - Detective Reid (4 episodes, 1994–1995)
• Blu Mankuma - Chief Grant (4 episodes, 1994–1995)
• Clabe Hartley - Tony (4 episodes, 1994)
• Robert Hooks - Mayor Lew Mitchell (3 episodes, 1994–1995)
• Andrew Kavadas - MIB #2 / ... (3 episodes, 1994–1995)
• Martin Cummins - Paul Benton / ... (3 episodes, 1994)
• Peter Brost - Young Dr. Miles Hawkins (3 episodes, 1994–1995)

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Prod. code
1	"First Steps"	David Nutter	Bryce Zabel	August 26, 1994 (1994-08-26)	69601
In the series opener, Miles puts his exoskeleton to use to foil the plans of Solomon Box.
2	"Tango Blue"	Joe Napolitano	Paris Qualles	September 2, 1994 (1994-09-02)	69602
3	"Days of Rage"	Les Landau	Story by : Bryce Zabel & John M. Collins Teleplay by : Bryce Zabel & Brad Markowitz	September 9, 1994 (1994-09-09)	69603
4	"Cease Fire"	Rob Bowman	Mark Lisson	September 16, 1994 (1994-09-16)	69604
A group of teenagers addicted to an intelligence enhancing drug kidnap the head of the company....and Taylor, whose friend is part of the group, end up hooked while looking into it.
5	"Soldier of Misfortune"	Kim Manners	Story by : Jackie Zabel Teleplay by : James Kramer	September 23, 1994 (1994-09-23)	69606
6	"Gloves Off"	Michael Caffey	Story by : Coleman Luck & Brad Markowitz Teleplay by : Bryce Zabel & Mark Lisson	September 30, 1994 (1994-09-30)	69608
7	"The Black Dragon"	Mario Azzopardi	Story by : Nick Corea & David Ransil Teleplay by : David Ransil	October 7, 1994 (1994-10-07)	69607
8	"To Prey in Darkness"	Cliff Bole	Story by : Brad Markowitz & Marc Scott Zicree Teleplay by : Marc Scott Zicree	October 14, 1994 (1994-10-14)	69605
9	"Fire in the Heart"	Rob Bowman	Paris Qualles	October 21, 1994 (1994-10-21)	69609
A slumlord uses a teenager with pyrokinetic abilities to commit arson acts.
10	"Thou Shalt Not Kill"	Michael Caffey	Bryce Zabel & Brad Markowitz	November 4, 1994 (1994-11-04)	69610
11	"Revelation"	David Grossman	Bryce Zabel & Brad Markowitz	November 11, 1994 (1994-11-11)	69611
12	"Through the Dark Circle"	Kim Manners	Coleman Luck & Carel Gage Luck	November 18, 1994 (1994-11-18)	69612
13	"The Eyes Beyond"	Richard Compton	Coleman Luck & Carel Gage Luck	December 9, 1994 (1994-12-09)	69616
M.A.N.T.I.S. is accidentally hurled into a future where Port Columbia is ruled by an evil super computer.
14	"Faces in the Mask"	Neill Fearnley	Story by : Scott Curtis & Coleman Luck Teleplay by : Coleman Luck	December 16, 1994 (1994-12-16)	69614
A masked madman seeks revenge on his former business partners.
15	"The Sea Wasp"	John Nicolella	Paris Qualles	January 6, 1995 (1995-01-06)	69618
Miles becomes the target of a scientist who has genetically altered herself to create a new amphibious race.
16	"Progenitor"	Mario Azzopardi	Bryce Zabel	January 20, 1995 (1995-01-20)	69619
The clone of an old associate of Miles (Vincent Schiavelli) kidnaps Miles and replaces him with a clone in order to start up a long dead project.
17	"Switches"	Neill Fearnley	Coleman Luck & Carel Gage Luck	January 27, 1995 (1995-01-27)	69621
The mind of a mad scientist exacts revenge on those responsible for his death via electricity.
18	"The Delusionist"	Tucker Gates	Coleman Luck III	February 10, 1995 (1995-02-10)	69617
A deranged magician uses a hypotic device to brainwash the teenagers of Port Columbia, among them Taylor and Leora's sister.
19	"Fast Forward"	Cliff Bole	David Kemper	February 17, 1995 (1995-02-17)	69620
A criminal with super speed (Curtis Armstrong) plagues Port Columbia. How can M.A.N.T.I.S. stop a villain who moves faster than the human eye?
20	"Spider in the Tower"	Kim Manners	Coleman Luck & Coleman Luck III	March 3, 1995 (1995-03-03)	69623
21	"Ancestral Evil"	Cliff Bole	Paris Qualles & Brad Markowitz	September 7, 1997 (1997-09-07)	69624
22	"Ghost of the Ice"	Kim Manners	David Kemper	September 14, 1997 (1997-09-14)	69625

Production

The series was produced in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Many Vancouver landmarks, such as the dome of Science World, appear. It took three years to film due to Carl Lumbly being busy filming NightJohn.

DVD release

The series was released on Amazon's Digital Download service Unbox on April 2, 2008. A DVD release of the series was released on January 27, 2009.

External links

• M.A.N.T.I.S. at IMDb