Steve Bray

"The Hulk, but he's Sherlock Holmes and he turns into animals!" That's Manimal, Glen A. Larson's 1983 cop show that sadly only lasted eight episodes. But... people still remember it. That's the power of a hook. Simon MacCorkindale had moved to the US in 1980 to pursue his acting career, but his cerebral, upper class style wasn't landing him too many parts. But the role of Professor Jonathan Chase seemed perfect for him: the English globetrotting scientist who somehow mastered the 'ancient arts' of species transformation from long hidden knowledge. Like Sherlock Holmes he became a consulting detective, but with the power to become any animal - usually a hawk or panther - to pursue villains. Melody Anderson was also having problems landing roles after the 1980 movie Flash Gordon. Brooke Mackenzie was a glamorous streetwise cop in Manimal, and Anderson gave it her best shot, but the dialogue was cheesy and the plots rather plodding. But she and MacCorkindale looked good together, the show was unusual and it hit the sweet spot between science fantasy and police procedural so hopes were high. They shouldn't have been. What's the point of the gimmick? Why is a panther essential for crime fighting? Where's the character arc? The prosthetics took a long time to do, the plots made no sense, the humour was crowbarred in. People stayed for the hook, but it wasn't catching anything. Running it opposite Dallas was disastrous, and CBS paused the show after only five episodes with the other three rushed out a month later. But... like Street Hawk and Automan fans remembered it. Hooks work. People like futuristic things. TV shows with whizzy graphics and synthesizer soundtracks get attention. I'm not sure it would work better if you brought it back with modern CGI, but imagine a show with Manimal, Street Hawk and Automan all together! Actually don't imagine it. It would be terrible, Some ideas are best left as fan fiction and bong dreams...