Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future

Did You Know?

• A short-lived comic book of the same name was published by Continuity Comics in 1988–1989, illustrated by Neal Adams with stories by J. Michael Straczynski.
• A video game for the series was published by Box Office Software in 1987 for the PC and 1988 for the Commodore 64.
• A revival project titled Phoenix Rising was announced in September 2012, with writer/producers Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens developing the reboot.

Central storyline

Each episode opened with actor Tim Dunigan, in his character's full Power Suit, turning to the camera and saying "Power on." A voiceover by Brad Crandall then set the scene: by 2132, advanced robotic soldiers called Bio-Mechs had replaced human armed forces, making war nearly harmless. A group of scientists led by Dr. Stuart Gordon Power worked on a supercomputer named OverMind that could override Bio-Mech control systems. Dr. Lyman Taggart, impatient with the project's pace, connected himself to the system, bringing OverMind to operational status. Taggart became obsessed with merging human consciousness with machines, and OverMind shared his beliefs as they took over Bio-Mech armies worldwide, attacking humanity in the Metal Wars. Dr. Power developed Power Suits—exoskeletal armor with advanced weapons—to stop Taggart. Power apparently died rescuing his son Jonathan from Taggart, though Jonathan believed his father was still alive. Taggart, severely wounded, was saved by OverMind's cybernetic implants and became Lord Dread.

Criticism and cancellation

Captain Power aimed to appeal to both children and adults with its dark, post-apocalyptic storyline and allegories on topics such as Nazism, but this approach led to its cancellation. It was considered too violent for children due to the toys that shot at the television and the live-action violence, while its less mature aspects, like the title, alienated adult audiences. The show's high production cost—each episode estimated at $1 million—compared to cheaper cartoons, and poor gameplay between the show and toys, also contributed to its failure. Poor time-slot choices, such as airing in syndication at 5:00–6:00 AM on Sunday mornings, resulted in low ratings. Story editor Larry DiTillio stated that the writing was always at an adult level and that the show was not designed as a video game, emphasizing that the team worked for the story. Despite these intentions, the series was perceived by the public as merely a vehicle to sell toys.

Action figures and interactive game

Mattel released a line of toys and interactive television games for the series, distributed by its subsidiary MTS Entertainment. Some ships and playsets could interact with segments of the Saturday morning TV program when fired at the screen. The first interactive toy was an XT-7 jet with a video cassette; three tapes were produced: "Future Force Training," "Bio-Dread Strike Mission," and "Raid On Volcania. The tapes featured live cast segments and an animated mission from the pilot's first-person perspective. The toy jet functioned as a light gun, scoring points by firing at targets on screen and losing points when hit. The toys could also interact with each other like laser tag, with points earned from the television show increasing hit points. A second, scarcer series was released in 1988; it is uncertain whether the Dread Trooper and Dread Commander figures were ever released, as only catalog pictures exist.

Characters

Tim Dunigan played Captain Jonathan Power, son of scientist Stuart Power, who leads the Soldiers of the Future against Lord Dread. Peter MacNeill portrayed Major Matthew "Hawk" Masterson, an air operations specialist and father figure to the team. Sven-Ole Thorsen played Lieutenant Michael "Tank" Ellis, the team's burly heavy weapons expert in a heavily armored suit. Maurice Dean Wint was Sergeant Robert "Scout" Baker, the communications expert whose power suit could disguise him as a BioDread trooper. Jessica Steen played Corporal Jennifer "Pilot" Chase, a former BioDread Youth member who pilots the Jump-Ship and shares an unresolved mutual attraction with Power; she dies in the season finale. David Hemblen played Lord Dread, formerly Dr. Lyman Taggart, who merged with the computer OverMind. Bruce Gray portrayed Dr. Stuart Gordon Power, who created the Power Suits and an AI version of himself called Mentor. A promotional video featured a sixth member, Colonel Nathan "Stingray" Johnson, a seaborne specialist cut before production due to cost. Deryck Hazel played Soaron, a flying Bio-Dread that digitizes humans.