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

M.A.N.T.I.S.
Intertitle
Genre	Superhero [1]
Created by	Sam Raimi Sam Hamm
Developed by	Bryce Zabel
Directed by	David Nutter
Starring	Carl Lumbly Roger Rees Christopher Gartin Galyn Görg
Composers	Joseph LoDuca 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
Production locations	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Cinematography	Rodney Charters
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	44 minutes
Production companies	Wilbur Force Productions Renaissance Pictures Universal Television
Original release
Network	Fox (TV Movie & Episodes 1-20) Syfy (Episodes 21 & 22)
Release	August 26, 1994 (1994-08-26) – September 14, 1997 (1997-09-14)

M.A.N.T.I.S. is an American superhero television series that aired for one season on the Fox Network between August 26, 1994, and March 3, 1995, with its final two episodes airing on Syfy on September 7 and 14, 1997.

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

Plot

Wealthy, outspoken scientist Dr. Miles Hawkins is shot in the spine by a police sniper during a riot while trying to rescue a child, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down and using a wheelchair.

After losing a lawsuit against the police department and discovering evidence of a vast conspiracy against the black community, he angrily undergoes a change in political philosophy and uses his company's resources to invent a formfitting combination powered exoskeleton and bulletproof black body armor that not only enables him to walk while wearing it but in the process also endows him with superhuman strength, speed and agility, plus the ability to fire nonlethal paralysis darts from his wrists.

Using a vast array of technology, including a secret underwater lab called the Seapod deep beneath his secluded seaside mansion and a flying car/submarine called the Chrysalis to travel around the city at night, he secretly assumes the persona of the metal-masked vigilante known as the "M.A.N.T.I.S." ("Mechanically Augmented Neuro Transmitter Interception System", changed to "Mechanically Augmented NeuroTransmitter Interactive System" for the series) to find justice for himself and others.

The pilot featured strong roles for a variety of African-American actors, including Gina Torres as dedicated pathologist Dr. Amy Ellis, Bobby Hosea as ambitious reporter Yuri Barnes, Wendy Raquel Robinson and Christopher M. Brown as African students of Hawkins who act as his secret support staff in his fight against crime, and Steve James as handsome inner city youth club manager Antoine Pike.

The series that followed recast all the characters, save for the hero, to include British scientist and exoskeleton co-inventor John Stonebrake (Roger Rees) and smart-mouthed, streetwise young bicycle courier Taylor Savage/Savidge (Christopher Gartin), with police detective Lt. Leora Maxwell (Galyn Görg) being the only other person of color as a regular on the show, and the plot was completely rebooted and simplified from that of the pilot. ^[2]

Initially, the series depicted the M.A.N.T.I.S. operating as an often-reluctant vigilante who only got involved in criminal situations when there was some sort of personal connection to him and his friends. While the costumed crimefighter was still pursued by police, the aforementioned conspiracy was now reduced down to the Machiavellian machinations of one man, evil industrialist and Miles' former business partner Solomon Box (Brion James / Andrew J. Robinson). ^[3]

However, poor ratings led to an extensive retooling of the concept. Midway through the show's run, minor recurring characters like Miles' clichéd sassy black housekeeper Lynette (Lorena Gale) were dropped, 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 called the City Eye which has enslaved the Port Columbia population. He destroys it and sets the human population free before returning to his own time.

In the series' finale, a trapped Miles and Leora are tragically killed battling an invisible dinosaur. John seals off the records and technology that had created the M.A.N.T.I.S., thus averting an apocalyptic future.

Cast

• Carl Lumbly – Dr. Miles Hawkins (22 episodes, 1994–1995)
• Roger Rees – John Stonebrake (22 episodes, 1994–1995)
• Christopher Gartin – Taylor Savage/Savidge (22 episodes, 1994–1995)
• Galyn Görg – Lt. Leora 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)
• Lorena Gale - Lynette (3 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)

Production

While the pilot was filmed in Los Angeles the series itself was produced in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Many Vancouver landmarks, such as the dome of Science World, appear, as do CN Rail cars on the railroad tracks.

It took three years to film due to Carl Lumbly being busy filming Nightjohn .

There were a number of differences between the pilot and the series.

In the pilot Hawkins wore a stylish suit and brown leather trenchcoat over the exoskeleton which lacked a skullcap, leaving the top of his hair bare, and the mask/headpiece was larger with special glowing green lenses which could hypnotize anyone who looked into his eyes, an ability dropped from the subsequent series as was his habit of leaving behind a small metal mantis as a calling card.

The setting was changed from Oceania City to Port Columbia, and all of the characters, with Miles Hawkins being the sole exception, were changed.

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Prod. code
TBA	"M.A.N.T.I.S. (Pilot)"	Eric Laneuville	Story by : Sam Raimi & Sam Hamm Teleplay by : Sam Hamm	January 24, 1994 (1994-01-24)	TBA
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 (Brion James).
2	"Tango Blue"	Joe Napolitano	Paris Qualles	September 2, 1994 (1994-09-02)	69602
Miles sponsors a weapons turn-in program only to have the guns stolen by a band of ex-soldiers out for revenge.
3	"Days of Rage"	Les Landau	Teleplay by : Bryce Zabel & Brad Markowitz Story by : Bryce Zabel & John M. Collins	September 9, 1994 (1994-09-09)	69603
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, ends up hooked while looking into it.
4	"Cease Fire"	Rob Bowman	Mark Lisson	September 16, 1994 (1994-09-16)	69604
Miles discovers that an ex-girlfriend on a state visit from Africa is the target for international assassins.
5	"Soldier of Misfortune"	Kim Manners	Story by : Jackie Zabel Teleplay by : James Kramer	September 23, 1994 (1994-09-23)	69606
A virtual reality-controlled android soldier is sent out on a search and destroy mission against those who cancelled the military project that created him.
6	"Gloves Off"	Michael Caffey	Teleplay by : Bryce Zabel & Mark Lisson Story by : Coleman Luck & Brad Markowitz	September 30, 1994 (1994-09-30)	69608
M.A.N.T.I.S. comes to the aid of a man (Eric Allan Kramer) forced to participate in an underground fighting sport.
7	"The Black Dragon"	Mario Azzopardi	Teleplay by : David Ransil Story by : Nick Corea & David Ransil	October 7, 1994 (1994-10-07)	69607
When yakuza try to take over Port Columbia, Miles discovers that the only way to defeat them is to fulfill an ancient Japanese prophecy and take on the role of a legendary warrior.
8	"To Prey in Darkness"	Cliff Bole	Teleplay by : Marc Scott Zicree Story by : Brad Markowitz & Marc Scott Zicree	October 14, 1994 (1994-10-14)	69605
A government agent sent to investigate the M.A.N.T.I.S. situation is not what he seems, and Solomon Box (Andrew J. Robinson) is involved.
9	"Fire in the Heart"	Rob Bowman	Paris Qualles	October 21, 1994 (1994-10-21)	69609
A property developer uses a teenager with pyrokinetic abilities to commit acts of arson.
10	"Thou Shalt Not Kill: Part 1"	Michael Caffey	Bryce Zabel & Brad Markowitz	November 4, 1994 (1994-11-04)	69610
When M.A.N.T.I.S. is framed for a murder he didn't commit and Miles discovers the identity of the cop who shot him, a deadly trap is set. (Part 1 of 2)
11	"Revelation: Part 2"	David Grossman	Bryce Zabel & Brad Markowitz	November 11, 1994 (1994-11-11)	69611
With Miles unconscious and the M.A.N.T.I.S. suit developing a mind of its own, his friends must find and save him before an all-out police manhunt captures or kills him. (Part 2 of 2)
12	"Through the Dark Circle"	Kim Manners	Coleman Luck & Carel Gage Luck	November 18, 1994 (1994-11-18)	69612
When Taylor discovers a mysterious portal in an abandoned military facility, Port Columbia is invaded by sinister mind-controlling Men In Black from another dimension.
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 based on technology Miles created.
14	"Faces in the Mask"	Neill Fearnley	Teleplay by : Coleman Luck Story by : Scott Curtis & Coleman Luck	December 16, 1994 (1994-12-16)	69614
A masked madman seeks revenge on his former business partners using holographic disguises.
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 and her students using jellyfish DNA to create a deadly new race of aquatic humans.
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
A mad scientist uploads his mind into Port Columbia's electrical system and exacts revenge on those responsible for his execution.
18	"The Delusionist"	Tucker Gates	Coleman Luck III	February 10, 1995 (1995-02-10)	69617
A deranged magician uses a hypnotic device to brainwash the teenagers of Port Columbia, among them Taylor and Leora's younger 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
The Men in Black are back led by the half-human C. Flayton Ruell (Mark Sheppard) who has a plan to destroy M.A.N.T.I.S., starting with the murder of John Stonebrake.
21	"Ancestral Evil"	Cliff Bole	Paris Qualles & Brad Markowitz	September 7, 1997 (1997-09-07)	69624
An attempt to create a holographic family tree computer program during a lightning storm accidentally unleashes an evil Druid ancestor of John's on the modern world.
22	"Ghost of the Ice"	Kim Manners	David Kemper	September 14, 1997 (1997-09-14)	69625
When the Chrysalis crashes in the wilderness, Miles and John must escape from an invisible dinosaur that has awoken from a nearby thawing glacier.

Home media

The series was released on Amazon's Digital Download service Unbox on April 2, 2008. A DVD set of the series, including the original pilot, was released on January 27, 2009. ^[4]

References

1. Kurland, Daniel (17 January 2018). "16 Superhero TV Shows That Have Aged Terribly". Screen Rant . Retrieved 21 July 2022.
2. Braxton, Greg (1994-08-25). "'M.A.N.T.I.S.' Undergoes Pilot-to-Series Changes : New Producers of TV Series About an African American Super-Hero Cite Creative Reasons; Others Claim Racism". The Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2011-01-14.
3. Rosenberg, Howard (1994-01-24). "TV REVIEWS : 'Mantis' a Super-Hero Without a Prayer". The Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2011-01-14.
4. "M.A.N.T.I.S. – Long-Awaited Front Cover Art for M.A.N.T.I.S. – The Complete Series". TVShowsOnDVD.com . Archived from the original on 2011-10-20. Retrieved 2011-04-02.

External links

• M.A.N.T.I.S. at IMDb