MovieChat Forums > The Tomorrow Man (1999) Discussion > Failed Pilot?

Failed Pilot?

posted 21 years ago by spotts-2
2 replies | jump to latest

OK is it me or does the ending of this TV movie leave one feeling that there is scope for more. Is this one of those movies that was created to spawn a series which subsequently failed to ever transpire?

Or is this a well crafted piece of TV entertainment that rather than having everything wrapped up at the end in an ultra-tidy manner, leaves one looking at the movie as a excerpt from the whole?

Oh and finally, is there behind the whole movie a feeling of "Inspired by a Terminator-esque reality" but one with benevolent robots?

[–] BigJobMan 21 years ago

I agree. I definitely got the feeling that there was more to come. I mean, preventing the sabotage of that research plant must have been just one contributing factor to the non-elimination of the Human race. Or maybe not. Perhaps the project was never scrapped as a result, and then they went on to develop the technology required to eliminate the comet, or whatever it was. Job done.
However, if that was not the case, then there was scope for an infinite number of tasks for Kenn to perform, hence a, or some, TV series, a la Quantum Jump.

If it's a boy do you think it will look like Rodney? It doesn't matter as long as it's healthy!

[–] normfromga1 18 years ago

Yes, this was a "failed" pilot for a series. To quote from an on-line bio of its writer:

"Demonstrating versatility, Spencer wrote and produced a dramatic two-hour science fiction pilot... entitled 'The Tomorrow Man' starring Julian Sands and Giancarlo Esposito.

"Unfortunately, the CBS regime that ordered 'The Tomorrow Man' was fired before production was completed. The new management reacted with disappointment that Spencer hadn’t crafted a wild comedy.

"So far, 'The Tomorrow Man' has only aired to positive response in Europe. It's available on video outside the U.S."

It should be remembered that this was the first "serious" effort by Alan Spenser, who had successfully written for several sitcoms and stand-up comedians, and had created the satirical cop show, "Sledge Hammer!"

Also, when one searches for reviews and DVD availablity of this film, remember that there is also an unrelated theatrical film of the same name, released in 2001, which has not been as well received.