Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future

1985 6.4
Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future poster

In the dystopic near future, a crusading TV reporter investigates news stories with the help of a wisecracking computer version of himself.

Category
Films
Genres
Comedy, Science Fiction
Runtime
57m
Director
Annabel Jankel
Cast
Matt Frewer, Amanda Pays, William Morgan Sheppard, Nickolas Grace, Hilary Tindall
Studio
Chrysalis Films
Country
United Kingdom

Synopsis

In the post-apocalyptic future where television sets are more important than food, TV ratings are the all important currency of the nation. A new technique of preventing viewers from channel surfing proves somewhat detrimental to particularly sedentary couch potatoes. The top studio becomes concerned: dead viewers make for low ratings. Edison Carter, top news reporter, is sent to find out more. After a motorcycle accident, his mind is preserved by wizz-kid Bryce and becomes his wise cracking, computer generated alter-ego: Max Headroom, who manages to boost ratings above those of any live hosts to date. This made for TV movie was later remade (sanitized version) as the first episode of the series.