The Immortal (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Immortal is an American
television series, which aired on ABC
from September 1970 to January 1971. The series is based on a pilot movie of the same name, which aired in September 1969. The pilot is based on the science fiction novel The Immortals, by James Gunn
. Although the series was canceled at midseason, episode
s were rerun
by ABC in the summer of 1971. It was later shown in reruns on the Sci Fi Channel
.
, unlikely ever to die of natural causes. When a dying billionaire is given a transfusion
of his donated blood, and is brought back from the brink of death, the billionaire decides that he has to control Richards' life so he can access his life-saving blood.
When Richards rejects all of the billionaire's offers to remain with him, the billionaire has him imprisoned, but he ultimately escapes. Richards is now on the run because although the billionaire dies, he is now being pursued by one of the billionaire's former employees, Fletcher, who is now employed by another billionaire, Arthur Maitland, who also wants access to Richards' blood.
The series' dramatic tension is based on the idea that Richards would probably never lose his life if he were to live quietly as he would never succumb to any known diseases, but his flight from Fletcher puts his life at great risk, as he constantly engages in dangerous efforts to avoid capture, and his "immortal" blood did not make him immune from losing his life from trauma
.
The series primarily focuses on Richards' journeys and the people he meets while trying to avoid Fletcher. A secondary plot involved Richards' search for a brother he has never known, with the implication that that brother may share his gift and thus be at risk from the billionaire as well.
The plotline of The Immortal is quite different from that of the book on which it is based. Instead, The Immortal bears more than a superficial resemblance to the popular show The Fugitive
, which ended its four-season run a few years before The Immortal began.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television series, which aired on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from September 1970 to January 1971. The series is based on a pilot movie of the same name, which aired in September 1969. The pilot is based on the science fiction novel The Immortals, by James Gunn
James Gunn (author)
- Further reading :James E. Gunn The Listeners, BenBella Books, ISBN 1-932100-12-1 -External links:*...
. Although the series was canceled at midseason, episode
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
s were rerun
Rerun
A rerun or repeat is a re-airing of an episode of a radio or television broadcast. The invention of the rerun is generally credited to Desi Arnaz. There are two types of reruns—those that occur during a hiatus, and those that occur when a program is syndicated. Reruns can also be, as the...
by ABC in the summer of 1971. It was later shown in reruns on the Sci Fi Channel
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
.
Series overview
Ben Richards is a test car driver for a large corporation. He's 42 years old, but looks young enough to pass for 25 -- and he's never been sick a day in his life. Ben's life changes when he donates a pint of blood. Upon further examination, it is determined that his O negative blood contains all known antibodies and immunities, which essentially makes him biologically immortalBiological immortality
Biological immortality refers to a stable rate of mortality as a function of chronological age. Some individual cells and entire organisms in some species achieve this state either throughout their existence or after living long enough. This requires that death occur from injury or disease rather...
, unlikely ever to die of natural causes. When a dying billionaire is given a transfusion
Blood transfusion
Blood transfusion is the process of receiving blood products into one's circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used in a variety of medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood...
of his donated blood, and is brought back from the brink of death, the billionaire decides that he has to control Richards' life so he can access his life-saving blood.
When Richards rejects all of the billionaire's offers to remain with him, the billionaire has him imprisoned, but he ultimately escapes. Richards is now on the run because although the billionaire dies, he is now being pursued by one of the billionaire's former employees, Fletcher, who is now employed by another billionaire, Arthur Maitland, who also wants access to Richards' blood.
The series' dramatic tension is based on the idea that Richards would probably never lose his life if he were to live quietly as he would never succumb to any known diseases, but his flight from Fletcher puts his life at great risk, as he constantly engages in dangerous efforts to avoid capture, and his "immortal" blood did not make him immune from losing his life from trauma
Physical trauma
Trauma refers to "a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident." It can also be described as "a physical wound or injury, such as a fracture or blow." Major trauma can result in secondary complications such as circulatory shock, respiratory failure and death...
.
The series primarily focuses on Richards' journeys and the people he meets while trying to avoid Fletcher. A secondary plot involved Richards' search for a brother he has never known, with the implication that that brother may share his gift and thus be at risk from the billionaire as well.
The plotline of The Immortal is quite different from that of the book on which it is based. Instead, The Immortal bears more than a superficial resemblance to the popular show The Fugitive
The Fugitive (TV series)
The Fugitive is an American drama series produced by QM Productions and United Artists Television that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1967. David Janssen stars as Richard Kimble, a doctor from the fictional town of Stafford, Indiana, who is falsely convicted of his wife's murder and given the death...
, which ended its four-season run a few years before The Immortal began.
Cast
- Christopher GeorgeChristopher GeorgeChristopher John George was an American television and film actor who was perhaps best known for his starring role in the 1966-1968 TV series The Rat Patrol. He was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1967 as Best TV Star for his performance in the series...
as Ben Richards - Don KnightDon Knight (actor)Donald Knight was an English film, television, and stage actor.Born in Manchester, Knight moved to North America where he studied at Sir George Williams University in Montreal, Canada, and later Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. Knight was also an ordained minister, and during his...
as Fletcher - David BrianDavid BrianDavid Brian was an American actor and dancer.-Career:Brian was signed by Warner Bros. in 1949 and appeared in such films as The Damned Don't Cry! and Flamingo Road with Joan Crawford, and Beyond the Forest with Bette Davis...
as Arthur Maitland