ROBOCOP (TV pilot)

ROBOCOP (TV pilot). Premier movie-length episode, "The Future of Law Enforcement," 17 March 1994, Star TV (in Cincinnati area, Star 64: WSTR). Paul Lynch, dir. Based on characters created by Edward Neumeier & Michael Miner. Initial script(s) by Michael Miner and Edward Neumeier. Richard Eden as Robo/Murphy; Yvette Nipar, Blu Mankuma, Sarah Campbell, Andrea Roth, David Gardner, featured players. *

Retains some of the satire of the original ROBOCOP (1987), and contains Robo, rather more robotic and less lethal than in the films (at least the first film). Neat image of little girls's hand in Robo's hand. Features a city-managing supercomputer developed by a mad scientist dreaming of a "cybernetic interface neurobrain" utopia of mind control, where everything is binary: Yes/No, Black/White—no spirit, no spontaneity (identified by the scientist with Chaos); scientist views cybernetic city as an organism run by neurobrain and metronet. Human mind + AI ("a brain married to a computer . . . . a living machine"), which can be deadly for some homeless humans of Old Detroit: the brains are removed and interfaced with machine—for a disembodied brain motif. Metronet produces image of Diana (Andrea Roth), the secretary whose brain was used for the brain/AI link, producing a quite literal "ghost in the machine." Note motif of resurrection of secretary (twice) and of Robo. Note merger of "Ghost" in computer and Robo: she thinks they've got a lot in common. Interesting gender politics of male mad scientist with going against female Ghost with a virus.