Sci Fi TV Obscurities: H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man (1958)

johnnyjay

5 months ago

Whatever happened to the 1958 sci fi TV series The Invisible Man?

Sci Fi TV Obscurities: A look at sci fi and fantasy TV shows that made it to the air only briefly before getting cast to the television wasteland.

What Is It?

This series follows Dr. Peter Brady, a scientist who becomes permanently invisible after a laboratory experiment goes wrong. Unable to reverse the process, he uses his condition to assist the government and help those in need, often getting drawn into espionage and crime-fighting adventures.

Aired: ITV/Syndication, 1958-59, 2 Seasons, Totaling 26 Episodes

Starring: Tim Turner, Lisa Daniely, Deborah Watling

Developed By: Ralph Smart

Is It Must Watch Sci Fi?

No. It is an interesting curiosity from the 1950s and worth a look, but not an essential sci fi TV entry.

The Skinny:

Not to be confused with 1975’s The Invisible Man (which is also a Sci Fi TV Obscurity), this was the first attempt to create a television series derived (loosely) from the H.G. Wells novel, and it delivers an interesting spy-fi entry. Created by Ralph Smart (who would go on to do Danger Man with Patrick McGoohan), this show focused less on the sci fi elements of the concept and instead turned the Invisible Man into an international spy. Dr. Peter Brady finds himself involved in numerous espionage adventures throughout the series, though he is also looking for a cure to his condition.

One interesting twist they introduced is that the Invisible Man becomes publicly known early on, and he actually turns into something of a celebrity. The show also mixed some subtle humor into the episodes so that it did not have a dour tone, though it still delivered plenty of action and adventure. It was also an example at that time of sci fi “growing up” on television, as it had a broader appeal than the for-kids-only space operas that preceded it, like Captain Video and His Video Rangers and Space Patrol. It mixed well-crafted spy stories and character drama with sci fi elements, and it appealed to an adult audience as well as younger viewers. And while it may not quite count as a genre classic, it was a decent sci fi TV entry for its time and a rather fun watch.

Cancelled Too Soon?

This show ran for two seasons and twenty-six episodes, which was about standard for British TV at that time. But it was also targeted at international syndication, so it is likely that it was cut short. The invisible special effects made it more expensive to produce than the typical TV series at that time, and it may not have drawn a large enough audience to justify keeping it around for a third season. The show also never had a concluding episode where Peter Brady regained his visibility, but a series finale was not common on television in those days. The Invisible Man probably could have gone for another season or so if the audience was there, but ITV instead moved on to other properties.

Should It Be Rebooted?

The Invisible Man concept has been revisited on television two more times, starting with the 1975 series mentioned above (more on that one at this link), and the 2000 series that ran on The Sci Fi Channel for two seasons. There is probably no reason to reboot the 1958 version because it has mostly faded into memory, but there is plenty to mine from the basic concept, and that could be turned into a successful sci fi TV show.

Interesting Facts:

When the series originally aired, no credit was given to the actor playing Peter Brady to make the character seem that much more mysterious. Tim Turner provided the voice (for most of the series), and Johnny Scripps was one of several actors who portrayed his body while visible (when he was wearing clothes, but his head was invisible).

The visibility of Peter Brady’s clothes varied throughout the series. Originally, it was determined that natural material would turn invisible but synthetic or artificial clothes would stay visible. But that changed with later episodes.

Where Can You Watch It?

The entire series is available for streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video, and you can also purchase it VOD. You can watch it for free (with ads) on The Roku Channel, Fawsome, and Pluto TV.