Otherworld
[January 25 - March 16, 1985] [related: Roderick Falconer, Annihilator]
Science fiction television series canceled midway through its debut season. The Otherworld [1] pilot centers on events stemming from a suburban family's visit to the Great Pyramid of Giza. Due to an unforeseen once-in-ten-thousand-year alignment with Alpha Draconis, the family is transported to Thel, a parallel reality divided into isolated Zones, patrolled by Zone Troopers. Thel is governed by the Church of Artificial Intelligence (CAI) - a state-mandated religion centering on the principles of cybernetics as applied to technological development. The CAI practices are facilitated by electronic "worship modules and no other belief system is permitted. At the center of Thel and surrounded by one-eyed Egyptian obelisks is the scenic and utopian city of Imar[2]. Otherworld was created and directed by the auteur American poet, screenwriter, and recording artist Roderick Falconer. After signing a recording contract with Geffen Records, Falconer's career in television again faltered with the unsold Android-focused pilot Annihilator [3].
- ↑ In comparative mythology, "otherworld" is seen to represent a parallel or alternate reality, often involving the afterlife. See also: Hades, Osiris, Valhalla.
- ↑ Portrayed in the Otherworld opening credits by what appears to be a reverse negative stock footage video of New York City.
- ↑ In 1986 Annihilator became the first unsold pilot to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award (Outstanding Achievement for Hair and Make-up for a Mini-series or Special). The make-up director, Zoltan Elek, is known best for his work on Max Headroom.