The Six Million Greenback Man featured Lee Majors as Colonel Steve Austin, who’s critically injured in a NASA take a look at flight gone mistaken after which reconstructed with bionic implants that give him superhuman power, pace, and imaginative and prescient, on the (now) bargain-basement worth of six million {dollars}. The story of Frankenstein not often varies throughout a number of variations, the place a mad physician locations a human mind in a physique crafted with stitched-together components from corpses. Captain America sees Steve Rogers get injected with an experimental “super-soldier-serum” that augments his skills exponentially. 27 years in the past, Now and Once more combined all of them collectively in an ideal sci-fi comedy-drama procedural with an overarching conspiracy, and it bought cancelled far too quickly.
John Goodman’s Mind Enters a Tremendous New Physique in ‘Now and Once more’
Now and Once more begins with Michael Wiseman’s (John Goodman) workday routine, following him as he will get up, says goodbye to his spouse, Lisa (Margaret Colin), and his daughter Heather (Heather Matarazzo) and goes to work. He is an govt at an insurance coverage firm, and finds out he is been handed over for a promotion as a consequence of his unwillingness to struggle claims made by victims of a bridge collapse, costing the corporate hundreds. Upset, he and his buddy Roger (Gerrit Graham) head out for a drink following work, after which he makes his technique to the subway to go residence. Sadly, a random sequence of occasions results in Michael being knocked off the platform and into the trail of an oncoming prepare.
Useless? Properly, you’d assume, however when he wakes up, he’s met by Dr. Theodore Morris (Dennis Haysbert), sitting in a chair on the finish of his hospital mattress. He is speaking, however what he is saying would not make sense, telling Michael that his funeral was actually stunning. “However,” Michael asks, “how can I be in a hospital if I’ve already had a funeral?” Dr. Morris solutions the query in a grandiose, roundabout vogue, speaking about how billions of {dollars} (properly greater than Steve Austin’s measly six million) went into researching and dealing with biochemicals and bio-engineering to construct an artificial man. An actual American man, one who can do the issues mortal males cannot, with the pace of Michael Jordanthe power of Supermanand the grace of Fred Astaire.
The one factor they cannot construct is a mind, which is the place Michael suits in. They managed to rescue Michael’s mind, and positioned it inside their creation (sound acquainted?). Michael’s actually been given a second likelihoodin a state-of-the-art physique absolutely financed by the American authorities. All they need in return is for him to remain useless. It is the proverbial cope with the satan, along with his new lease on life solely legitimate if he would not contact anybody from his previous life. Ever. If he does, he is assured his personal demise, and the demise of these he is contacted. However it would not sink in for Michael till he seems to be into the mirror. There, trying again, is a youthful, thinner man: the brand new Michael Wiseman (Eric Shut).
‘Now and Once more’ Fully Nails Its Unusual Sci-Fi Premise
Michael is in awe of his new physique, watched by Dr. Morris and a gaggle of scientists from the opposite facet of the one-way mirror (resulting in the primary laugh-out-loud second within the pilot, with Dr. Morris calling the second Michael checks out his “bundle,” to thunderous applause when he is proper). He seemingly can do something besides flywith Dr. Morris sarcastically apologizing that, in throwing billions of {dollars} and analysis into his physique, they “forgot to shove a rocket up his ass.” It is solely when he is alone in his new settings that the true weight of what is being requested of him hits arduous.
It is the perpetual battle between the craving for his previous life and the duty to tackle the missions the key department of the federal government duties him with that drives Now and Once more. He has little selection, however clandestinely, and typically recklessly, reaches out to Lisa, Heather, and Roger, main them to query if what they have been instructed about Michael’s demise is true. And it isn’t, with Dr. Morris and the federal government withholding the reality not solely from Michael’s household, however from Michael himself. Complicating issues is the Eggman (Kim Chan), an aged terrorist who makes use of eggs containing a quick-acting, lethal toxic fuel, who has already killed dozens in Tokyo and Paris, and now threatens their metropolis.
Now and Once more is wise, humorous, and intense, nailing its unusual premise completely. One nice instance is when Lisa turns to social help, with the insurance coverage firm refusing to pay out Michael’s life insurance coverage coverage. She would not qualify, and is instructed she wants a job, however the one ones obtainable are minimal wage jobs, which do not pay sufficient for Lisa to maintain the household residence and even feed themselves. It is such a intelligent dig on the ridiculousness of paperworkand one in every of many all through the collection.
The solid is great, with each Shut and Haysbert main the pack. Haysbert lends Dr. Morris depth: he isn’t a villain, neither is he a hero, however fairly a person torn by the obligation of toeing the road whereas watching one other man whose life is actually in his fingers. Shut is flat-out excellent, balancing the humor, motion, and emotional journey the position requires with an innate attraction and roguishness. But Now and Once morewhich sits at 100% on Rotten Tomatoeswas cancelled after one season, ending on an enormous cliffhanger. It stands as one in every of many collection cancelled manner too quicklywhich does occur, from time to time.