Total Recall 2070

As far as TV series go, this one is perfect in every detail. I particularly appreciate the way relationships between the main characters are explored and developed. At last someone has created characters that are flawed and full of insecurities; nobody is a jock or a superhero.

I have tried to participate in a "Save the Program" campaign, along with others who have enjoyed the series, but it seems that our efforts have been unsuccessful so far.

This is a great show, with underrated production values and subtlety. People who watch movies, unfortunately do not always read books. Some complains that it does not follow the Total Recall novel. But in fact it is a loving and exciting recreation of the world of Philip K. Dick--his future dystopias. It owes a lot to "Flow My Tears the Polceman Said"--with its mysterious hierarchy of androids. No, this is not an "action" series like the "Ahnold" movie "TR" was. It's a mixture of sci-fi, mystery, police procedural and a lot of Red-Serling like philosophizing and speculating about the future and human nature. Somebody who judges this series based on one episode seems to be a bit short-tempered. By the way, there are now DVDs of this episode available on the 'net.

Sadly, most people have never read any of Philip K. Dick's novels and short stories and only connect him with the movie Blade Runner. This is unfortunate because PKD's stories were more entertaining, layered and intellectually versatile than what is offered in Blade Runner. Total Recall 2070 is less of an amalgamation of Blade Runner and Total Recall, and more a mix of their literary sources: 'We Can Remember It For You, Wholesale' [short story] and 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' [novel], both by PKD. Both of these have very real, flawed characters with a quirky, inventive mood that always entertain.

The story of Total Recall 2070 was nearly that of '...Sheep.' For the benefit of the movie going masses' recognition, the names of things from the movie version of Total Recall were used. The story was about the philosophy behind automated sentiency, mechanized religion and the need for humanity to regain its sense of purpose above the machine, while also living beside it. This is something the series was only beginning to touch before it was canceled.

The lack of knowledge about the show's true roots has led to a complete misunderstanding of it. It is a near perfect representation of PKD's wonderfully strange and murky imagination. People call Total Recall 2070 a rip-off of the movies when in reality the movies were a pale shadows of their sources. Total Recall 2070 is the most genuine incarnation of Philip K. Dick's worlds to date.

If you like The man in the High Castle, Black Rain, Blade Runner, Alien, Prometheus, WestWorld and Total Recall, this show is for you.

You don't mind a little stiff acting, as long as there is a great sci-fi story and cool special effects.

You can accept some clumsy blocky stating the obvious and spilling the beans storytelling, to get you where you want to go.

You almost like, that the main character looks like Christian Bale and sounds like young Keanu Reeves, while he delivers his stiff Raymond Chandler sounding lines.

Clichés like "that is out of your jurisdiction" and "let's go downtown fo a little chat" makes you smile.

If someone tries to put a little Hannibal Lecter or Roy Batty into their character, that just makes things better, according to you.

You have missed that glossy nineties ad agency way of shooting things, with hard light directly from the side.

And if you can get all of the above, and even some R rated skin exposure too, wrapped in classic cop buddy series form, you don't want to leave until you have consumed the whole thing!

I never saw this show on cable. I only saw it as a filler show when t.v. stations would show cancelled productions as filler. However, I was working second shift and would get home after 11p. This actually made the show work for me even more.

What it seems like some people don't understand about this show is the creators didn't want to make just another spin-off. This was made by fans of Philip K. Dick's questioning of what it means to be human. The show takes the themes and style of Dick's writing and builds a unique story around it. It may be intended to be in the same universe as "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep," however, in a way that is irrelevant. The show desires to have a unique richness all its own while paying homage to its inspiration.

I would have the lights low to add to the moodiness. Having grown up immersed in the genre, I totally became enthralled with the plot. I still have memories of loving this show. If taken to its fullest production, this would have been a top notch worthy edition to the science fiction. Every episode lends to the greater texture of the overall story. Pure gold.