Plot; A mysterious man agrees to help people in need, but only if they agree to owe him a favor that he will cash in at a future time.
This TV movie/backdoor pilot from prolific producer/creator Stephen J. Cannell (The Rockford Files, The A-Team) is very clearly informed by Miami Vice, which had debuted the year before (itself inspired by the videos and attitude of MTV). The quick-cut editing, the neon-soaked color palette and synthesizer score and pop-fused soundtrack are all rather bluntly lifted from Vice, which had caused a pop cultural earth quake when it debuted in 1984.
The basic premise is in the vein of your typical "Man for hire" series, w/a mysterious and uber-skilled hero who people turn to when no one else can help. A couple of things set Stingray apart. For one, he's not the brooding, silent type that often populates these shows. Played by Nick Mancuso, he's got a certain quirk to him that's not easy to pin down. Secondly, there's the clever hook. Stingray doesn't take money for his help, he instead trades in favors. During the course of aiding someone, he has a rolodex of those he's helped in the past and he often calls on one of them to help him in some way w/his current case. Not only is it a fun little plot device, it helps the world and the character feel fleshed out and fully formed right from the beginning.
And it was the 80s, so naturally there's a sweet car. In this case it's the titular 1965 Corvette Stingray, one of these most beautiful cars ever produced.
This was a short-lived series, running two half seasons for a total of 23 episodes. It seems like it never really got the support it needed from the network to find an audience, which is a shame because this pilot shows real potential.
This TV movie/backdoor pilot from prolific producer/creator Stephen J. Cannell (The Rockford Files, The A-Team) is very clearly informed by Miami Vice, which had debuted the year before (itself inspired by the videos and attitude of MTV). The quick-cut editing, the neon-soaked color palette and synthesizer score and pop-fused soundtrack are all rather bluntly lifted from Vice, which had caused a pop cultural earth quake when it debuted in 1984.
The basic premise is in the vein of your typical "Man for hire" series, w/a mysterious and uber-skilled hero who people turn to when no one else can help. A couple of things set Stingray apart. For one, he's not the brooding, silent type that often populates these shows. Played by Nick Mancuso, he's got a certain quirk to him that's not easy to pin down. Secondly, there's the clever hook. Stingray doesn't take money for his help, he instead trades in favors. During the course of aiding someone, he has a rolodex of those he's helped in the past and he often calls on one of them to help him in some way w/his current case. Not only is it a fun little plot device, it helps the world and the character feel fleshed out and fully formed right from the beginning.
And it was the 80s, so naturally there's a sweet car. In this case it's the titular 1965 Corvette Stingray, one of these most beautiful cars ever produced.
This was a short-lived series, running two half seasons for a total of 23 episodes. It seems like it never really got the support it needed from the network to find an audience, which is a shame because this pilot shows real potential.