Watch Weird Science
- Approved
- 1994
- 5 Seasons
-
6.8 (3,388)
Weird Science is a mid-1990s comedy series that aired on the USA Network. The show is based on the 1985 John Hughes' movie of the same name. The series has John Mallory Asher taking on the part of Gary Wallace, originally played by Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Manasseri as Wyatt Donnelly, originally played by IIan Mitchell-Smith, and Vanessa Angel as the computer created drop dead gorgeous Lisa, originally played by Kelly LeBrock in the movie. Lee Tergesen assumes the role of Chett Donnelly, Wyatt's militant brother, originally played by Bill Paxton. Lisa, who is created on Wyatt's computer, acts as the boys' personal genie once she comes alive. She has the ability to grant them any wish they choose, but she can also deny a wish at her will. One problem... no wish can be unturned by Lisa, no matter how badly it is going. There were both subtle changes and moments of more obvious poetic license from the movie version. One example is the socially inept Gary and Wyatt are now residing in California rather than Illinois. Film director John Hughes was not involved in the TV series. Tom Spezialy and Alan Cross, who had most recently worked on the FOX comedy series Parker Lewis Can't Loose, were the creative forces behind the Weird Science TV series. Hughes is referenced in the pilot episode when the Wyatt character acknowledges that he knows a woman can be created via computer because it happened in a John Hughes movie. This, of course, was a homage to the original film. Weird Science aired for 88 episodes, from March 1994 to July 1998, and many find the TV series cast to be more likeable and fun than the original film actors, although the movie version tends to be remembered much more and maintains pop culture relevancy. The series was one of the USA Network's first original programming successes, setting up the network as destination for original programming for decades to come.
