The Invisible Man

Somebody finally perfected the "guy with superpowers working for the government" premise. This is a near perfect blend of humor and action, with well-realized characters, sharp dialogue and intelligent plots. This is the show "Jake 2.0" and a bunch of others try to be, and it might have developed a bigger audience on a network.

A thief with a conscience tries to get out of life in prison by volunteering for an experiment. He winds up with the power to turn invisible and a dependency on a drug that keeps him from going psychotic. A low-rent government agency partners him with a guy who keeps a copy of "Lithium and You" in his van.

This show had me when the agents got their briefings through "tri dimensional data viewers", which turn out to be ViewMasters. There's even a reasonably plausible explanation for invisibility that also creates a cool visual effect. (Think about it: how do you make a guy turning invisible look interesting?)

The new Invisible Man series is excellent. The premise is very unique. Rather than the main character (Darien Fawkes, played by Vincent Ventresca) being turned invisible by a freak lab accident, it's really due to the Quicksilver gland put in his body. It has some interesting plot points to it. This series has great potential to be something great.

I am rarely won over so quickly as I was with I-Man. It is not only intelligent but also very entertaining. Consider Hobbes & Darien. When first we meet their characters, we think "These guys are going to kill each other!" by the end of the third episode you think, "I wish I had a friendship like those guys have."

The actors work so well off of each other, you can really believe that what you're seeing is real.

With the entertaining, you also get the heart-warming. Darien's struggle with the loss of his brother, for example. Check out the episodes "Johnny Apocalypse," and "Ralph," for some of the more touching stories.

Besides the excellent writing, stellar cast (Brandy Ledford not included, though you get to like her character but never to love her as you do Hobbes or Darien), great chemistry and a generally great show, you also have the more aesthetic pleasures. You have the lovely Misses Kenney and Ledford, and the gorgeous Misters Ventresca & Ben-Victor (If you like bald men, Ben-Victor is your man!). Plus the more humorously aesthetic "Eberts" and "Borden (a.k.a. "The Fat Man")."

Definitely check this show out. It's running on syndication and every Friday at 5/4c on Sci-Fi.

~J.

I-Man is the best show that Sci-Fi had every undertaken. It was not only inventive, taking a well used story (of course H.G. Wells fabulous novel, and the many movies) and taking it to a whole new level. Who would have ever thought that a story about: an awful (though awfully cute) cat burglar who got caught "molesting an elderly man" who became a oh-so top secrect government agent, that no one besides his boss, partner and keeper, even know about him; would turn into a smash hit. The show had so much further to go, that it is a shame that Sigh-Fi didn't see it.

Take the lead: Vincent Ventresca. Vinny (to the throngs of loyal fans) declared himself the king of the pilot (not an exact quote, but close). He has yet to find the show that EVERYONE (and I do mean everyone) sees as he perfect role. If you never saw I-Man, find it somewhere. Vinny is perfect as Darien Fawkes. No one could do they role any better. It is like taking Fun Bobby (of course Vinny) (who anyone who watches Friends remembers) and sending him through rehab, personality classes, and then major sci-fi brain surgery and seeing what you come up with.

I am running out of room, but I have to say, Paul, Shannon, Mike (who I can't wait to see again), Eddie, Spencer, Joel and everyone else that was on the show was wonderful. Look them up here, they have been in so many other things that you wouldn't believe that you had actually seen them before till after you learn to love them.

The show was a gem, a diamond in the rough, that sigh-fi was oblivious to because of the blinding glare they created for other shows, that were I-Man's equal. It was a shame that they didn't support this show as much as it should have been. It would be on a major network by now, with a major motion picture (oh keep your fingers crossed...there are still rumors) coming out soon.

This is one of the few shows I've seen where I liked all of the characters. Fawkes and Hobbs were great together, I loved how they would finish each others sentences, and how they always seem to be thinking the same thing. The Keeper was a interesting character too, I liked the episodes that explored her personality. It's a shame the show was canceled, it had a good plot and solid actors.