10 Sci-Fi TV Shows That Wasted Incredible Premises
5. The Highwayman
A truly bonkers premise set up for this 1987 Futuristic TV series, was equally parts camp and inspired. The show followed Sam Jones character 'Highwayman', one of a group of futuristic US Marshals who tracked down vicious criminals. The Highwayman travelled in a large black, computerised truck that helped him track down notorious criminals on a weekly basis.
The darker 'Knight Rider meets Mad Max' style premise could have been a hoot, a combination of epic action and great campy Sc-Fi fun. The pilot episode for the series had the Highwayman's truck turn invisible thanks to its stealth capabilities, another great over the top idea, that unfortunately went missing as the show progressed.
Sadly the show was a bust, horrendous acting and cliched scripting turning the show into a bad joke without the campy fun. The lack of a big budget required to make the concept a success was a major issue, the adventures becoming very same-same as the show's sole season dragged on.
There were numerous issues with the show's execution, including an awful and ill thought out attempt to cash in on the recent success of Australian film Crocodile Dundee. The casting of Australian Rules footballer Mark 'Jacko' Jackson in the key role of Jetto proved to be a disaster, Jackson's fiery off screen demeanour no doubt leading to Directors being too scared to make any constructive criticism of his woeful attempts at acting.