Otherworld (TV series)

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For Irish Mythology, see Other World. Template:Infobox television Otherworld was a short-lived science fiction TV series that aired for only eight episodes in 1985 on CBS. It was created by Roderick Taylor as a sort of Lost in Space on Earth. Taylor gave himself a cameo role in each episode.

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Series overview

In the first episode, the Sterling family (Hal, June, Trace, Gina, Smithy) take a tour of the interior of the Great Pyramid of Giza at the same time as a once-in-ten-thousand-years conjunction of the planets. Inside, they are abandoned by their guide, and as they try to get out, they are mysteriously transported to a parallel universe Earth.

On this Earth (called 'Thel'), there are no familiar countries or states. The area they are in is divided up into self-contained "Zones," each with a wildly different style of government and way of life, although the province of "Imar" (ruled by a Praetor) appears to be the central seat of government for this entire Earth.

Travel between Zones is not permitted, and all maps have been banned by the state. The family could not know about the travel ban, and approached a soldier (the first Thel native they met) in all innocence, seeking help, while the soldier - Commander Nuveen Kroll - viewed them as lawbreakers and treated them as such. When Hal insists they need help, Kroll tells them to get into his vehicle, gets rough with Smithy, the Sterlings resist, and Kroll's weapon goes off, knocking him unconscious. The Sterlings take his access crystal (which is possessed, at least, by Zone Trooper officers to give them security access to state equipment), climb into his vehicle, and drive away. For the rest of the series, Kroll is resolute in his attempts to recover his crystal, capture the Sterlings and subject them to punishment.

The Church of Artificial Intelligence is the official state religion of Thel, and no conflicting ideologies are permitted. Very few actual details about this religion are known, except that it appears to be centered on the worship of robots, computers and technology (adherents are, in one episode, said to use "Worship Modules" which are electronic in nature).

A series of Egyptian-like stone markers, each with one eye, are supposed to mark the way to Imar, a city with beautiful buildings and a suspension bridge.

Each episode had the family dealing with the bizarre ways of life in each "Zone," and at the end of the episode, fleeing one Zone for another, pursued by Commander Kroll (Jonathan Banks) and his Zone Troopers. Kroll is intent on revenge, given that the Sterlings stole his high security access crystal, acquired during their disastrous encounter in the first episode.

While most science fiction dealing with alternate universes has a recogizable point of divergence (POD) from Earth history as we know it, Otherworld did not. Aside from everyone conveniently speaking English, there were no references to any known Earth history. However, it was implied that the ancient Egyptians either had the ability to travel between universes, or had contact with a people that did.

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Episodes

  • Rules of Attraction (originally aired Jan. 26, 1985)
    • The Sarlex province produces a radioactive material needed for industrial purposes. Since humans cannot tolerate the radiation for long, robots were built to do the mining. The robots improved themselves until they were virtually indistinguishable from humans, with human-like appearance, behaviour, sense of humour, and aspirations. However, they are still a subject people, and the Imar authority and the zone troopers can perform "memory audits" although the Sarlex android people protest it is a violation of their rights.
  • The Zone Troopers Build Men (originally aired Feb. 2, 1985)
    • Low marks in school can lead to being drafted... for life... into the Zone Troopers. Troopers (other than officers) cannot resign, do not get leave, not even for sickness in the family, and are the only ones who may operate between zones. Cmdr. Kroll is guest speaker at the graduation, and administers the oath to the top three cadets who become officers... including Trace.
  • Paradise Lost (originally aired Feb. 9, 1985)
    • The planet exhibits the odd phenomena of laser storms: laser bolts shooting from the clouds guard an island that appears to be a luxurious resort, but in fact, is a scientific station where doctors are looking for immortality.
  • Rock and Roll Suicide (originally aired Feb. 16, 1985)
    • In the Centrex province, Trace and Gina introduce rock 'n' roll music, and record songs written by the Beatles and other classic artists, taking credit themselves. The music has an emotional impact that takes the province by storm, and has the Church of Artificial Intelligence angrily protesting the idol worship of Trace and Gina. Cmdr. Kroll is sent to deal with the problem, and he likes the music! - then he recognizes the two singers.
  • Village of the Motorpigs (originally aired Feb. 23, 1985)
    • A raid by a camp of Thel-style hippies rescues the Sterlings from the zone troopers, but puts them at the mercy of the camp's leader, who intends to break up the family. Cmdr. Kroll is investigating the assault on a group of zone troopers, and arrives just a bit too late.
  • I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar (originally aired Mar. 2, 1985)
    • This episode features a province where "Women's lib" is taken to extremes and men are second-class citizens. The neighbourhood "block warden" pokes around the Sterlings' residence and finds Kroll's access crystal, word gets to Imar, and Kroll comes, but his male attitudes get him into trouble! Thel's (or, at least, this province's) equivalent of Tupperware is "Vorpleware"; the expression, "As snug as a bug in a rug" is also known on Thel.
  • Mansion of the Beast (originally aired Mar. 9, 1985)
    • The planet exhibits another odd phenomenon: a falling "star" is used as a mystically-powered substance capable of destroying a mutated beast who intends June to stay to be a companion.
  • Princess Metra (originally aired Mar. 16, 1985)
    • In the final episode, Gina is believed to be the long-lost princess Metra in a province where one of the royal household's icons is a 200-year-old John F. Kennedy dollar. Gina accepts the post, and discovers a group of malcontents who don't want to give up their control. After an abortive coup, the Sterlings introduce democracy. The Kennedy dollar's age makes the Sterlings wonder what year it will be if they ever get home - time appears to pass at a different rate in the respective universes of Earth and Thel.
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Cast

The series was re-shown several times on the Sci Fi channel.

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External links

Retrieved from "http://www.netipedia.com/index.php/Otherworld_%28TV_series%29"