Customer Reviews

Black Scorpion - The TV Series

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

At the time of its filming, Roger Corman described the Black Scorpion tv series as his ultimate life's work. He believed in it so much that he poured his life savings into making all 22 episodes without going through the usual procedure of making a pilot episode and approaching television channels. As a result there was a two-year gap between the filming of the series and its first airing. Was it worth it?

First of all, what was the goal of the series? It was meant as a respectful homage to the 60's Batman series, combined with the sexy fighting females so common in Corman's films. The bat became a scorpion, the man became a woman. The tongue-in-cheek humour and camp nature of Batman were to be retained.

As a crime-fighting icon, Black Scorpion is an immediate success. While the 60's needed a male hero, our 21st Century is better fitted with a powerful female to bring law and order. Michelle Lintel proves to be an adequate replacement to Joan Severance, who played Black Scorpion in the previous films. Her self-confident entrances with corny jokes are the equal of Batman at his best. The colourful villains are made even better by their inherant lack of credibility. This is escapism at its best, not reality! The references to Batman are strengthened by casting Adam West as Breathtaker and Frank Gorshin as Clockwise. Other elements used as sub-plots to the series are the incompetent police force, the corrupt politicians, and the budding love affair between Black Scorpion's alter-ego and a police detective.

However, the series has weaknesses that need to be addressed. Despite the large budget, the car chase scenes are constantly re-used, which I find grating. Gangster Prankster's character is based so closely on the Joker that Corman can be accused of plagiarism. But the greatest weakness is that the comic elements are overdone. It's one thing that the police are incapable of dealing with super-villians -- that's why Black Scorpion is needed -- but it's another to portray the police as layabouts who throw baseballs about in the station instead of trying to solve crimes. Scott Valentine is a credible detective, but Shane Powers and Steven Kravitz are totally out of place. The running humour between the scientific genius (B.T.) and his scatty girlfriend (Enya Flack) is so silly that it just isn't funny. How could a man like that love a woman like that?

Overall, the series is a success, and the DVD box set is good value for money. It's a crime that until now Black Scorpion has rarely been aired and still remains unknown. If Roger Corman has any money left, he should make a second, improved series of Black Scorpion, toning down the sillier humour. The series has the potential to become a classic, but based on the evidence of the first series, it isn't quite there yet.

Michelle Lintel is the funnest tv super heroine ever She's great to look at too. if you are a fan of Black Scorpion then you gotta get this collection. All the episdes of Black Scorpion are here and the box set is almost as very nicely put together as Ms Lintel. Well almost. She's pretty impressive. The episodes look fantastic and everything you loved about the show is here. Lots of campy humor, a great car, sinister over the top bad guys, and Ms Lintel kickin' major butt. This set is a must for B movie and comic fans. Thanks for the fun Michelle and thanks to you too Mr Corman.

This is a great show and a wonderfuly packaged box set with great extras. Yes it is incredibly cheesy, but that's what makes it so fun! Michael Lintel is BEAUTIFUL, Scott Valentine is perfect as her partner, the villans are classic campy comic book characters, the vixens are too and are HOT, ADAM WEST ROCKS, FRANK GORSHIN IS AWESOME, and the writing is extremely fun and humorous. Check out Black Scorpion the movie and Black Scorpion II if you are a fan of the show. I enjoyed the films and fell in love with the show too. For fun escapist 'B movie' styled viewing you can't beat the Black Scorpion.

This show isn't afraid to go over the top. So many television series are conservative these days. The plots, characters, stunts and special effects have to be realistic. Add in a TV-sized budget, and you're in for some boring, low-key footage. Even recent superhero shows have villains in plain clothes who often do nothing but talk.

What I admire with Roger Corman is what he can do on such a small budget. Don't expect blockbuster polish. But do expect explosions, natural disasters, fistfights, villains with colorful costumes and gimmicks, super powers in action.

The Black Scorpion is like the 60's Batman series, updated to today's technology. The costumes are better; the fights are better; the special effects are better, and the props are much more realistic.

This isn't drama. It isn't Emmy material. And it never tries to be realism.

But it's fun. The most fun television has been in years!

I agree with seawasp's review. This is very entertaining with tongue firmly in cheek. The set comes with excellent artwork and the 16 page booklet is full of colorful stills of the super villains. An added bonus is Behind The Sting: The Making Black Scorpion hosted and narrated by none other than our favourite hero ADAM WEST, who also happens to appear in four episodes as 'The Breathtaker'. Interviews with Roger Corman and other cast members are both informative and entertaining as is the audio commentary on the first two episodes.
It is also good to see Frank Gorshin as Clockwise make a memorable appearance.
Buy it now you will not be sorry.

Watch out evil-doers--Black Scorpion is on the prowl! This review is for BLACK SCORPION--THE TV SERIES released on DVD in 2003 by New Concorde. BLACK SCORPION is a very fun, incredibly(!!!) campy super-hero TV series. The series was filmed in 1998 but didn't premiere until early 2001 (airing on the SCI-FI Channel). The gorgeous Michelle Lintel plays the Black Scorpion to perfection and is even better as her alter ego, Darcy Walker. This series is not to be taken the slightest bit seriously and all of the performers camp it up to the max. Martin Kove ("Hard Time on Planet Earth") in particular is great as the evil Firearm and Robert Pine ("C.H.i.P.s") is hilarious as the truly worthless Mayor Worth. Any show that features a bevy of beautiful Playboy models as various super-villains is definitely must-see TV! This show looks beautiful on DVD--all of the episodes are super-clear and the audio is pristine. BLACK SCORPION is well worth purchasing--this DVD set will be in my DVD collection forever! The following is a list of episode titles and guest stars:
DISC ONE
1. "Armed and Dangerous" (guest star: Martin Kove as "Firearm")
2. "Wave Goodbye" (guest star: Athena Massey as "Hurricane")
3. "Blinded by the Light" (guest stars: Allen Scotti as "Flashpoint"
and Kimber West as "Vision")
4. "Home Sweet Homeless" (guest star: Sherrie Rose as "Aftershock")
DISC TWO
5. "Love Burns" (guest star: Brent Huff as "Inferno")
6. "Out of Thin Air" (guest star: Adam West as "Breathtaker")
7. "No Stone Unturned" (guest star: Lisa Boyle as "Medusa")
8. "Crime Time" (guest star: Frank Gorshin as "Clockwise")
DISC THREE
9. "No Sweat" (guest star: Renee Allman as "Aerobicide")
10. "An Officer and a Prankster" (guest star: Stoney Jackson as
"The Gangster Prankster")
11. "Life's A Gas" (guest star: Julie McCullough as "Pollutia")
12. "Roses are Red, You're Dead" (guest star: David Landers as
"Greenthumb")
DISC FOUR
13. "Fire and Brimstone" (guest stars: Brent Huff as "Inferno" and
Lisa Boyle as "Medusa")
14. "Virtual Vice" (guest star: Lana Clarkson as "Mindbender")
15. "Bad Sport" (guest star: Greg Keane as "Slapshot")
16. "Kiss of Death" (guest star: Nancy Valen as "Angel of Death")
DISC FIVE
17. "He Who Laughs Last" (guest star: Stoney Jackson as "Gangster
Prankster")
18. "Power Play" (guest star: Allison Armitage as "Stunner")
19. "Photo Finish" (guest stars: Allen Scotti as "Flashpoint" and
Kimber West as "Vision")
20. "Face the Music" (guest star: Shannon Whirry as "Vox Populi")
DISC SIX
21. "Zodiac Attack--Part 1" (guest stars: Soupy Sales as "Professor
Prophet", Adam West as "Breathtaker", Sherrie Rose as
"Aftershock", Brent Huff as "Inferno" and Athena Massey as
"Hurricane")
22. "Zodiac Attack--Part 2" (guest stars: Soupy Sales as "Professor
Prophet", Adam West as "Breathtaker", Sherri Rose as
"Aftershock", Brent Huff as "Inferno" and Athena Massey as
"Hurricane")
Don't hesitate to add BLACK SCORPION--THE TV SERIES to your DVD library.
A few other fun/campy TV shows that I would recommend are: SHE-WOLF OF LONDON/LOVE & CURSES, CLEOPATRA 2525, JACK OF ALL TRADES, THE MIDDLEMAN, CONAN THE ADVENTURER, MUTANT X and THE IMMORTAL starring Lorenzo Lamas.

Black Scorpion is a flash back to the style of the comic books of the 60's with one major exception: Michelle Lintel is far hotter than anything in those old comics! If you like old comics and also love beautiful women then this will do the trick. It's a beautiful DVD set too. I can't get over how great this set looks!

I've been waiting a long time for the price to come back down on this. Glad they finally worked it out.

This was a really fun series and it's quite an impressive DVD set. One of the nicest looking DVD sets I own as a matter of fact. I loved this show and every episode of the series is here on DVD to enjoy over and over. A great buy for Scorpion fans.

OMG, she is so hot! Ya there are studid plots....bad acting....poor action scenes, but we need to get past that, the sereies is great for saturday afternoon fun. Did I mention that she is SOOO HOT, as are most of the other women in the series. order this for fun and very nice looking things to look at!