Welcome to Paradox (TV series)
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SERIES PREMISE
Welcome to Paradox was a series produced and aired on the Sci Fi Channel premiering in August 1998. It only aired for one season and though the stories were all filmed in Canada it was only shown on the U.S. Sci Fi Channel affilates. The Series was anthology hybrid, bascially the stories all took place in a fictional city of the future called "Betaville" however the majority of the stories were adapted from short stories whose details didn't have anything outwardly to do with the fictionalized city. The stories that were adapted were meant to be thought provoking and were probably once controversial as most of the stories were from old works by famous scifi authors. Themes that were basically explored were the impact of certain technologies on the human body and psyche as well as the role of humanity in the face of being overwhelmed by hostile technologies. Each episode had a "Host", an actor (Michael Philip) that served as a narrator, adding a prologue and epilogue to the show much like was done with the Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. As this was part of a crop of new shows produced in 1998 by Sci Fi Channel strictly for the channel and it was not successful beyond the first season, nor has never been shown on USA Network or placed in syndication like some of the other more popular Sci Fi Channel shows. To this date there is no manufactured USA release on video format of any type, nor is any plan to make one known. An Austrailian PAL version box set of the entire series exists but its popularity still remains unrealized.
THE CITY: BETAVILLE
Betaville is the host city where all the stories of Welcome to Paradox take place. A fictional city in a unspecified time in the future, Betaville is a city of Utopian ideals. There is no crime, violence, disease or any other social problems of modern society. However, there is a dark underbelly welling up in Betaville that for some, impacts them head on. Technology in various forms has invaded life to the point that simulated reality is taking over reality, perfect machines are wrenching control from the people that can afford such luxury and the very fabric of humanity is challenged with genetic engineering and social engineering programs that push the boundaries of hubris if not sanity.
THE PLAYERS
Welcome To Paradox had a nice roster of established stars from both American and Canadian stables. Actors like Steven Bauer, Blu Mankuma, Roma Maffia, Alice Krige, Monika Schnarre, Ice-T, Megan Leitch, Henry Rollins, Mayim Bialik, Zachary Ansley and Rodney Rowland were just a few of the familiar faces to bring the stories to life.
CREATED BY
Lewis Chesler = Executive producer Jeremy Lipp = Executive producer
Produced by: Chesler/Perlmutter Productions Inc. Distributed by: Sci Fi Channel
EPISODE SYNOPSIS
1-1 Our Lady Of The Machine
Director: Clark Johnson
Original Writer: Alan Dean Foster
Adapted by: Miguel Tejda-Flores
Airdate: August 17, 1998
A fully 3D hologram of the Holy Madonna is being used by someone to extort money from the citizens of Betaville. Luckily Detective Angel Cardenas is on the case. His intuition comes in handy at what looks like an easy case, but in reality he will soon discover that the hologram is not a hologram at all and the the Holy Madonna may be real.
1-2 Research Alpha
Director: Charles Wilkinson
Original Writers: James H. Shmitz, A.E. Van Vogt
Adapted by: Jeremy Lipp
Airdate: August 24, 1998
At a secure facility for genetic research the scientists are getting bored with the simple and unexciting new genetic therapies they have come up with. That is when one of the scientists decides to test his human evolution acceleration therapy on himself. This of course is going to be fraught with undesireable consequences.
1-3 The Winner
Director: Charles Wilkinson
Original Writer: Donald E. Westlake
Adapted by: George Melrod
Airdate: August 31, 1998
The maximum security prison of the future has arrived. The nice thing is that the prison needs no bars. Pain inducing implants can control the prisoner's will thus locking the prisons inside their minds any time they try to leave the electronic perimeter. But like all prisons there is always one inmate that has a plan to get out.
1-4 News from D Street
Director: Guy Magar
Original Writer: Andrew Weiner
Adapted by: Miguel Tejda-Flores
Airdate: September 7,1998
Another detective story set in Betaville, however this time the P.I. must find a missing person. It soon becomes apparent to him that he and the citizen he is looking for are living in an alternate reality. A simulated reality of advanced cybernetic design.
1-5 The Girl Who Was Plugged In
Director: Jorge Montesi
Original Writer: James Tiptree Jr.
Adapted by: Jeremy Lipp
Airdate September 14, 1998
A suicidal girl has come to realize that her existance is worthless because of her lack of beauty. She is given a second chance when her brain is used as an advanced remote control for a Artifically grown beautiful young bio organic robot who will become a media sensation. The only question is can she now handle all the freedom she has never known?
1-6 The Extra
Director: Rod Pridy
Original Writer: Greg Egan
Adapted by: William Harrison
Airdate: September 21, 1998
A wealthy old man has himself cloned so that he can transplant his brain into younger versions of himself. This would insure him perpetual youth and perhaps eternal life. His life gets an unexpected turn when the target clone begins to realize who he is and what he was created for.
1-7 Alien Jane
Director: Jorge Montesi
Original Writer: Kelley Eskridge
Adapted by: Rick Drew
Airdate: September 28, 1998
A girl that has the uncanny ability to feel no pain tries to hold on to her sanity when she becomes a human test subject. As the tests intensify she finds her self trying to hold on to her humanity.
- The title card in this episode labels it as "Rage Clinic". Compulsively hostile Rita (Mayim Bialik) and catatonically depressed Jane (Gabrielle Miller) are troubled patients in the clinic. Rita develops uncharateristic compassion as Jane's treatment takes a sinister turn.
1-8 Hemeac
Director: Paul Ziller
Original Writer: E.G. Von Wald
Adapted by: Micheal Thoma
Airdate: October 5, 1998
Hemeac is a student at a school run entirely by machines. Computer controlled androids teach the students mind expanding educational material as well as mechanical precision and computer logic. Unfortunately the Dean of Students is breaking down thus forcing Hemeac to react beyond his learning, but is the time to act too late?
1-9 All Our Sins Forgotten
Director: Bruce McDonald
Original Writer: David Ira Cleary
Adapted by: Miguel Tejada-Flores
Airdate: October 12, 1998
A therapist develops a device that can erase the bad memories of his patients. But at what cost?
1-10 Acute Triangle
Director: Jorge Montesi
Original Writer: Rob Chilson
Adapted by: Micheal Thoma
Airdate: October 19, 1998
A wealthy scientist falls in love with a biologicaly enhanced robot (Biorobe). His marriage failing, his wife struggles with the fateful decision to leave him. The Biorobe however desires to be much more than a compliant companion and in the end she could be just what the husband and wife need.
1-11 Options
Director: John Greyson
Original Writer: John Varley
Adapted by: Scott Frost
Airdate: October 28, 1998
Technology has enabled the populace of Betaville to change gender as easily as changing ones clothes. So when Cleo Lawson finds that her husband is a philanderer she takes the opportunity to change gender as a means to understanding what it is to be a man, and perhaps why her husband is the way he is.
1-12 Blue Champagne
Director: John Greyson
Original Writer: John Varley
Adapted by: Jeremy Lipp
Airdate: November 2, 1998
Q.M. a worker in a futuristic healing resort called "Blue Champagne" becomes smitten with virtual reality superstar Megan Galloway when she arrives for some convalesence. The relationship takes a passionate turn but soon fails after he realizes that his emotions are sold to the VR producers as part of her performance contract.
1-13 Into The Shop
Director: Jorge Montesi
Original Writer: Ron Goulart
Adapted by: Andrew McEvoy
Airdate: November 9, 1998
The future of law enforcement has arrived in Betaville. Called "Lawagons" the black artificially intelligent vehicles patrol the streets with their human partners dispensing justice throughout the city. Federal Police Marshal Stu Clemens' Lawagon however has developed a glitch in its systems and now at the behest of his human partner has become judge, jury and executioner.
TRIVIA
- The series was originally going to be titled "Betaville" referring to the fictional city of Betaville where all the episodes are based.
- The name Betaville is a nod to Jean-Luc Goddard 's Alphaville.
- The host was to be named "Paradox" but this is never mentioned in the series nor the credits.
- The Volkswagen New Beetle was choosen to be the transportation of Betaville. Any time it was called for a car to be featured in an episode, they had a New Beetle ready to go.
- The final episode "Into The Shop" had a prop of a green sqeezable alien head stress toy that was played with by the episode's lead. This was a promotional item given at trade shows by the Sci Fi Channel, it even had the channel's name written on it.
- Director Jorge Montesi had a cameo appearance in the series finale "Into The Shop" as the Federal Police Captain Kepling.
LINKS
