Total Recall 2070
Encyclopedia
Total Recall 2070 is a science fiction television series first broadcast in 1999
on the Canadian
television channel CHCH-TV
and later the same year on the American
Showtime channel. It was later syndicated in the United States
with some editing to remove scenes of nudity, violence and (in most cases) strong language. The series was inspired by the film Total Recall
, based on Philip K. Dick
's short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale
", and by Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
, with a visual style heavily influenced by the film Blade Runner
, itself very loosely based on the same novel. The series shares no major plot points with any of these works.
The series was filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
. It was a Canadian/German
co-production. Only one season, consisting of 22 episodes, was produced.
for the Citizens Protection Bureau (CPB), a police agency. After his first partner is killed by self-aware androids, he is partnered against his wishes with Ian Farve, an earnest and upright officer new to the department. Hume and the CPB often have conflicts with the Assessor's Office (the investigative agency that has sole jurisdiction over crimes related to the Consortium) and with the private security forces of Consortium companies. The main story arcs of the series concern the agendas of the Consortium, Farve, Hume's wife Olivia, and the mysterious manufacturer of Alpha Class androids (including Farve himself). Significant plot elements remain unresolved due to the cancellation of the series; a crucial story arc from the series was the suggestion that the memory expansion used on self-aware androids was part non-human DNA and that a material found by a remote base on Mars could create a hybrid of human and android DNA.
By the year 2070, Earth and Mars (as well as space stations) are ruled by a unified government known as the Interplanetary Council. However, much of the real power is held by the Consortium, composed of at least six multi-global companies that financed the colonization of Mars.
The known six companies are:
studio, at the location of a former Canadian Forces Base
in north Toronto. An entire futuristic environment of different sets was constructed for the production.
DVD
(Canada and the United States) since 2000. The series was broadcasting in Italy as of 2010 on Fantasy channel (Sky pay-tv), dubbed in Italian language.
On February 22, 2011, Alliance Home Entertainment
released the complete series for the first time on DVD (uncut) in Canada only.
's official Hulu
-based "FanCast" streaming video online service. The whole series was also formerly available online through the beta version of the Joost
online TV content distribution system.
1999 in television
The year 1999 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1999.For the American TV schedule, see: 1999-00 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:...
on the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
television channel CHCH-TV
CHCH-TV
CHCH-DT, channel 11, is a television station originating in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, with transmitters located throughout Ontario. CHCH currently operates as an independent station, having previously served as a CBC Television affiliate, and more recently as the flagship station of the...
and later the same year on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Showtime channel. It was later syndicated in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with some editing to remove scenes of nudity, violence and (in most cases) strong language. The series was inspired by the film Total Recall
Total Recall
Total Recall is a 1990 American science fiction action film. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside, Ronny Cox & Mel Johnson, Jr.. It is based on the Philip K. Dick story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale”...
, based on Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
's short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale
We Can Remember It for You Wholesale
"We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" is a novelette by Philip K. Dick first published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction in April 1966. It features a classic meshing of reality, false memory and real memory...
", and by Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick first published in 1968. The main plot follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter of androids, while the secondary plot follows John Isidore, a man of sub-normal intelligence who befriends some of the...
, with a visual style heavily influenced by the film Blade Runner
Blade Runner
Blade Runner is a 1982 American science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K...
, itself very loosely based on the same novel. The series shares no major plot points with any of these works.
The series was filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. It was a Canadian/German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
co-production. Only one season, consisting of 22 episodes, was produced.
Story
Total Recall 2070 takes place in a dark, crowded, industrial and cosmopolitan setting. The government mostly runs at the behest of a small number of extremely powerful companies called "the Consortium" (including computer memory and virtual-reality vacation provider Rekall and android manufacturer Uber Braun). David Hume is a senior detectiveDetective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
for the Citizens Protection Bureau (CPB), a police agency. After his first partner is killed by self-aware androids, he is partnered against his wishes with Ian Farve, an earnest and upright officer new to the department. Hume and the CPB often have conflicts with the Assessor's Office (the investigative agency that has sole jurisdiction over crimes related to the Consortium) and with the private security forces of Consortium companies. The main story arcs of the series concern the agendas of the Consortium, Farve, Hume's wife Olivia, and the mysterious manufacturer of Alpha Class androids (including Farve himself). Significant plot elements remain unresolved due to the cancellation of the series; a crucial story arc from the series was the suggestion that the memory expansion used on self-aware androids was part non-human DNA and that a material found by a remote base on Mars could create a hybrid of human and android DNA.
Main characters
| Character | Actor | Description |
|---|---|---|
| David Hume | Michael Easton Michael Easton Michael Easton is an American television actor, poet, author and photographer.-Career:Easton has made appearances on television shows such as Ally McBeal and The Practice. He had a recurring role on the science fiction television series Mutant X... |
CPB Detective |
| Ian Farve | Karl Pruner Karl Pruner Karl Pruner is a Canadian actor whose most notable work is in portraying Canadian Prime Minister John Turner in the 2002 mini-series Trudeau. He did not play Turner in the sequel Trudeau II: Maverick in the Making but did portray Frank Scott. Amongst his other work, he did voice acting as Beta Ray... |
Hume's partner |
| Olivia Hume | Cynthia Preston Cynthia Preston Cynthia Preston , sometimes credited as Cyndy Preston, is a Canadian television and film actress.Preston was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada... |
Hume's wife |
| Martin Ehrenthal | Michael Anthony Rawlins | Hume's superior |
| Olan Chang | Judith Krant | CPB forensic Forensics Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action... and computer scientist Computer science Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems... |
| James Calley | Matthew Bennett Matthew Bennett Matthew Ray Bennett is a Canadian actor, writer and director. At the age of 20 he moved from his hometown of Toronto, Ontario to Vancouver, British Columbia to pursue an acting career... |
Assessor's Office representative |
The Consortium
The known six companies are:
- Rekall, the information technology powerhouse of the 21st century. Rekall also provides the Operating Systems for the Androids manufactured by Uber Braun.
- Minacon, the energy supply company, provides both the oil on Earth and the deuterium on Mars.
- Tashimo-Pacific, the transport company, created "Johnny Cab".
- Uber Braun, the rocket and robotics corporation, build the service androids.
- Variable Dynamics, the medical and bio-tech company, is interested in creating synthetic humans.
- Tillman Heath advertising boards are around the city in the series. Tillman Heath is the agriculture and chemicals giant but its real purpose was not unveiled in the 1st series. Its slogan is "Bringing the world's food supply to you".
Production
Most of this series was filmed at the Downsview ParkDownsview Park
Downsview Park is a former Canadian Forces Base in the community of Downsview in Toronto, Canada. It contains about 231.5 hectares of land, of which more than 130 hectares are earmarked for traditional parkland, recreational and cultural amenities...
studio, at the location of a former Canadian Forces Base
CFB Downsview
Canadian Forces Base Downsview is a former Canadian Forces base in Toronto, Ontario. The airfield is currently operated as Toronto/Downsview Airport.-RCAF Station Downsview:...
in north Toronto. An entire futuristic environment of different sets was constructed for the production.
Episode list
| Episode | First airdate | Plot |
|---|---|---|
| 1. "Machine Dreams" (part 1) | January 5, 1999 | David Hume and his new partner Ian Farve must track down a gang of androids. |
| 2. "Machine Dreams" (part 2) | January 12, 1999 | The detectives' hunt for the androids takes them to Mars. |
| 3. "Self-Inflicted" | February 2, 1999 | CPB investigates a potential biohazard situation. |
| 4. "Infiltration" | February 16, 1999 | Hume and Farve investigate the murder of an Uber-Braun employee. |
| 5. "Allure" | February 9, 1999 | Hume investigates a puzzling suicide. |
| 6. "Nothing Like the Real Thing" | January 19, 1999 | A motiveless murder leads Hume to investigate black-market memory implants. |
| 7. "Rough Whimper of Insanity" | February 23, 1999 | Farve starts behaving erratically. |
| 8. "First Wave" | March 2, 1999 | The CPB computer network goes haywire. |
| 9. "Baby Lottery" | March 9, 1999 | A baby is taken from his parents because of a genetic disposition towards crime. |
| 10. "Brain Fever" | March 16, 1999 | The head of the Mars Miners Union is shot by a member who then attempts to kill himself. |
| 11. "Begotten Not Made" | March 23, 1999 | Dr. Latham is starting to cooperate, when a lawyer from Rekall shows up demands his release. |
| 12. "Brightness Falls" | March 30, 1999 | Farve and Moralez investigate the death of a cult leader. |
| 13. "Burning Desire" | April 6, 1999 | CPB investigates the death of a man who was fried in his sublimator. |
| 14. "Astral Projections" | April 13, 1999 | Hume and Farve investigate a cargo transport that went down in the freezing "New Territories". |
| 15. "Paranoid" | April 20, 1999 | Farve and Hume investigate the murder of the head of the Nexus dating service. |
| 16. "Restitution" | April 27, 1999 | Brant is kidnapped on his way to a Mars safe house. |
| 17. "Bones Beneath My Skin" | May 4, 1999 | Farve and Hume investigate the destruction of an android at a chemical company. |
| 18. "Assessment" | May 11, 1999 | Farve and Hume are ambushed and captured by a rogue section of the assessor's office. |
| 19. "Eye Witness" | May 18, 1999 | Olivia finds a friend's rich husband standing over a bloody corpse. |
| 20. "Personal Effects" | May 25, 1999 | Olan decides to keep a vial found on a corpse in a crashed shuttle out of her report. |
| 21. "Virtual Justice" | June 1, 1999 | After witnessing a fellow cop kill a cornered prison escapee, Hume looks into the dead man's case. |
| 22. "Meet My Maker" | June 8, 1999 | Farve takes Hume to meet the alpha-android's creator. |
DVD releases
In 1999, the complete series was briefly released on DVD in Japan (in English and dubbed in Japanese), but was subsequently deleted. The 2-hour series pilot ("Machine Dreams") has been available on region 1DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
(Canada and the United States) since 2000. The series was broadcasting in Italy as of 2010 on Fantasy channel (Sky pay-tv), dubbed in Italian language.
On February 22, 2011, Alliance Home Entertainment
Alliance Films
Alliance Films is a major Canadian motion picture distribution/production company, which serves Canada, the United Kingdom, and Spain.-History:It was formed in 1984 by Stephen Roth, Denis Heroux, John Kemeny, Robert Lantos and Jay...
released the complete series for the first time on DVD (uncut) in Canada only.
Online
Since September 2009, the entire 22-episode series (in the censored US versions, and with advertising) has been available in low-resolution Flash Video format via ComcastComcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
's official Hulu
Hulu
Hulu is a website and over-the-top subscription service offering ad-supported on-demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, webisodes and other new media, trailers, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage from NBC, Fox, ABC, and Obstacle on October 20th 2011 Nickelodeon and CBS and many other...
-based "FanCast" streaming video online service. The whole series was also formerly available online through the beta version of the Joost
Joost
Joost is an Internet TV service, created by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis . During 2007-8 Joost used peer-to-peer TV technology to distribute content to their Mozilla-based desktop player; in late 2008 this was migrated to use a Flash-based Web player instead.Joost began development in 2006...
online TV content distribution system.