"M.A.N.T.I.S." (1994) TV series

Creators:

Sam Hamm
Sam Raimi

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

26 August 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Call me... the Mantis!

Plot:

A paralyzed African-American scientist builds a powerful exo-skeleton in order to walk again, and uses his new abilities to fight crime.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | African American | Acronym In Title | Paraplegic | Exoskeleton

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

 (Series Cast Summary - 5 of 23)

Carl Lumbly	...	Dr. Miles Hawkins (22 episodes, 1994-1997)
Galyn Görg	...	Lt. Leora Maxwell (22 episodes, 1994-1997)
Roger Rees	...	John Stonebrake (11 episodes, 1994-1997)
Christopher Gartin	...	Taylor Savage (11 episodes, 1994-1997)
Gary Graham	...	Capt. Ken Hetrick (9 episodes, 1994-1995)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Renaissance Pictures

Trivia:

In the pilot, "M.A.N.T.I.S." stood for: Mechanically Augmented Neuro-transmitter Interactive System. Otherwise known as the "exo-skeleton". But the network felt that the public would get confused by this, and would always be asking themselves, "What's that suit called again?" So the actual series producers, Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo (who had previously done "The Flash") had one of the supporting characters in the first episode of the actual series run, upon seeing the title character in the suit for the first time, say "Wow, you know? It kinda looks like a Mantis!" thus removing the need for an acronymic title. No mention is ever made of the original acronym's meaning in the entire run of the series. Yet the producers retained the spacing between the letters of the original title.

Movie Connections:

Follows M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994) (TV)

A show with promise

Now I have for the longest time had trouble understanding some people who have watched shows like this and come a way with a bad taste in their mouth. I just don't understand them. Carl Lumberly played the part excellently, and the storyline had an almost perfect premise, with almost unlimited possibilities for advancement. Like the Batman and The Shadow, MANTIS would have been a show you could count on for awesome gadgets, super heroics and knockout action, all with complicated and interesting story lines to boot. But, sadly, the show was cancelled, and some people say it was a good thing. I say, "You're crazy!" this show could have been great. Just like so many others, it was shut down before it had a chance. GO MANTIS GO