Now and Again
Encyclopedia
Now and Again is an American television series that aired in the US from September 24, 1999 until May 5, 2000 on CBS
. The story revolves around the United States
government engineering the perfect human body for use in espionage
, but not being able to yet perfect the brain
. In an attempt to get the project up and running, they take the brain of overweight family man Michael Wiseman, who is killed in a subway accident.
Given a new life, Michael is kept in an apartment where he is trained by government experts, led by Dr. Theodore Morris, in the art of espionage. Despite his new life and new abilities, Michael longs to return to his wife Lisa and daughter Heather, who are themselves discovering that not all is as it seems with Michael's death.
The show mixed action with comedy (particularly in the relationship between Dr. Morris and Michael), and focused largely on Michael's emotional connection to his family.
Both of the show's main stars, Eric Close
and Dennis Haysbert
, went on to have regular roles in successful series (Without A Trace
and 24
respectively).
s for;
Now and Again was also nominated for an Emmy in 2000 for Outstanding Main Title Design
.
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. The story revolves around the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government engineering the perfect human body for use in espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
, but not being able to yet perfect the brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
. In an attempt to get the project up and running, they take the brain of overweight family man Michael Wiseman, who is killed in a subway accident.
Given a new life, Michael is kept in an apartment where he is trained by government experts, led by Dr. Theodore Morris, in the art of espionage. Despite his new life and new abilities, Michael longs to return to his wife Lisa and daughter Heather, who are themselves discovering that not all is as it seems with Michael's death.
The show mixed action with comedy (particularly in the relationship between Dr. Morris and Michael), and focused largely on Michael's emotional connection to his family.
History
The show ran for one season. The reasons cited by CBS for its cancellation included the unjustifiable expense of the program.Both of the show's main stars, Eric Close
Eric Close
Eric Close is an American film and television actor.-Early life:His father is an orthopedic surgeon, and Close is the eldest of three brothers. His family moved to Indiana, then to Michigan, and finally settled in San Diego when Close was seven years old.Close graduated with a B.A...
and Dennis Haysbert
Dennis Haysbert
Dennis Dexter Haysbert is an American film and television actor. He is known for portraying baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the Major League film trilogy, President David Palmer on the American television series 24, and Sergeant Major Jonas Blane on the drama series The Unit, as well as his work...
, went on to have regular roles in successful series (Without A Trace
Without a Trace
Without a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series was set in New York City and concerned a fictitious FBI Missing Persons Unit.-Premise:...
and 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
respectively).
Main
- Eric CloseEric CloseEric Close is an American film and television actor.-Early life:His father is an orthopedic surgeon, and Close is the eldest of three brothers. His family moved to Indiana, then to Michigan, and finally settled in San Diego when Close was seven years old.Close graduated with a B.A...
as Michael Wiseman - Dennis HaysbertDennis HaysbertDennis Dexter Haysbert is an American film and television actor. He is known for portraying baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the Major League film trilogy, President David Palmer on the American television series 24, and Sergeant Major Jonas Blane on the drama series The Unit, as well as his work...
as Dr. Theodore Morris - Margaret ColinMargaret ColinMargaret Colin is an American actress. She is known for her role as Margo Montgomery Hughes # 1 on As the World Turns and for her role as Eleanor Waldorf-Rose on Gossip Girl.-Early life:...
as Lisa Wiseman - Heather MatarazzoHeather MatarazzoHeather Amy Matarazzo is an American actress. Her breakthrough role was as a geeky girl in the film Welcome to the Dollhouse . She played Lilly in The Princess Diaries and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement...
as Heather Wiseman - Gerrit GrahamGerrit GrahamGerrit Graham is an American actor and songwriter. He's appeared in such films as Used Cars, TerrorVision, National Lampoon's Class Reunion, and Greetings, where he worked with Brian DePalma for the first time...
as Roger Bender
Guest
- John GoodmanJohn GoodmanJohn Stephen Goodman is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for appearances in the films of the Coen brothers, with prominent roles in Raising...
played the original Michael Wiseman in the first episode and in flashbacks in some subsequent shows. - Kim ChanKim ChanKim Chan also known as Kim S. Chan, was a Chinese-American actor and producer. He was most notable for his role as The Ancient in Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.-Early life:...
played The Eggman, a recurring antagonist. - Christine BaranskiChristine BaranskiChristine Jane Baranski is an American stage and screen actress, and is perhaps best known for her Emmy Award winning portrayal as "Maryanne Thorpe" in the sitcom Cybill, and her Emmy nominated portrayal of "Diane Lockhart" in The Good Wife...
as the voice of Ruth Bender, an unseen characterUnseen characterIn fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
. - Chip ZienChip ZienChip Zien is an American actor. He is best known for playing the lead role of the Baker in the original Broadway production of Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim...
guest starred in several episodes as Gerald Misenbach, Lisa's suitor. - Chad LoweChad LoweCharles Conrad "Chad" Lowe is an American actor. He is the younger brother of fellow actor Rob Lowe. He won an Emmy Award for his supporting role in Life Goes On as a man suffering with HIV. He has also had recurring roles on ER, Melrose Place, and Now and Again...
had a recurring guest role as Craig Spence, Roger and Michael's boss. - Timothy Devlin had a recurring role as "Special Agent #1," ostensibly Dr. Morris' right-hand man.
- Reiko AylesworthReiko AylesworthReiko M. Aylesworth is an American film, television and stage actress, best known for her role on the television series 24 as Michelle Dessler.-Life and career:...
had a guest role as Dr. Taylor, a physical therapist for Michael Wiseman, also designed to test his romantic attachment to his former wife. - Mick FoleyMick FoleyMichael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
appeared in the final episode as the Eggman's cellmate, and assists in the Eggman's escape from prison.
Awards
In 2000 Now and Again won three Saturn AwardSaturn Award
The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within...
s for;
- "Best Genre TV Actress" - Margaret Colin
- "Best Genre TV Supporting Actor" - Dennis Haysbert
- "Best Network Television Series"
Now and Again was also nominated for an Emmy in 2000 for Outstanding Main Title Design
Emmy Award for Main Title Design
This is a list of the winning and nominated programs of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Design presented for the best main title sequence in television programming...
.
Episodes
- Origins - Michael Wiseman's brain is taken from his dead body to go inside the "perfect man", created by the U.S. Government. Dr. Theodore Morris, his caretaker, instructs him he will never see his family again.
- On The Town - Desperate, Michael breaks free and kidnaps his old business partner, Roger, forcing him to drive to his old house. Roger, however, is unaware of who this young man is.
- Over Easy - The city receives a threat from "The Eggman" who claims he will release a poison gas. Dr. Morris takes Michael to try and stop him, unaware that Roger and Lisa - joined by Heather - are following Michael to find out who he is.
- One for the Money - Michael is given a mission by Dr. Morris but his moral feelings on the issue don't help his relationship with his captor; and Lisa and Heather run into money troubles.
- The Insurance Man Always Rings Twice - Michael learns that Lisa is selling his house and pleads with Dr. Morris to find out what is happening, and to save his wife by "convincing" his former boss Craig Spence to pay his insurance policy.
- Nothing to Fear, but Nothing to Fear - Michael is stunned when Lisa shows up at his apartment to ask him out, but Dr. Morris forbids his involvement; while a wave of seemingly random acts of dangerous nonchalance sweeps the city.
- A Girl's Life - When Heather is struck by lightning, a distraught Michael convinces Dr. Morris to let him go to her bedside where she wakes and sees him outside her window, leading her to claim that an angel saved her.
- Pulp Turkey - Three separate Thanksgivings collide into one eventful evening for Michael, Dr. Morris, Lisa, Heather and Roger.
- By the Light of the Moon - Dr. Morris is replaced by a new doctor, Dr. Taylor (Reiko AylesworthReiko AylesworthReiko M. Aylesworth is an American film, television and stage actress, best known for her role on the television series 24 as Michelle Dessler.-Life and career:...
) who intrigues Michael; while Lisa considers her romantic feelings for her suitor, Gerald Misenbach. - I've Grown Accustomed to His Face - On the morning he is supposed to be doing a 'survival' test, Michael wakes to find his front door open and his apartment empty. Unsure if it is a test or the result of some kind of accident, Michael is given the chance to flee into the outside world.
- Fire and Ice - While doing dangerous tests on Michael, Morris approaches him for help in wooing a lady colleague.
- Disco Inferno - Michael investigates a church that is seemingly the nexus of an apparent spontaneous human combustionSpontaneous human combustionSpontaneous human combustion describes reported cases of the burning of a living human body without an apparent external source of ignition...
. - I Am The Greatest - Lisa starts her daunting new job in real estate; while Michael and Morris track down the first man the government experimented on: the one who got away (Charles Malik WhitfieldCharles Malik WhitfieldCharles Malik Whitfield is an American actor from Bronx, New York. He is best known for his role as Otis Williams in 1998 miniseries The Temptations. He also appeared in 33 episodes of The Guardian as character James Mooney. He has appeared in dozens of other television series as well as a handful...
). - Film at Eleven - While out in the park, Dr. Morris is called away to meet with the President. Given that it is February 14, Michael decides to send flowers to Lisa but, to save a life at a bank robbery, he uses his super-strength, which is caught on film...
- Deep in My Heart is a Song - General Irving (James RebhornJames RebhornJames Robert Rebhorn is an American character actor who has appeared in over 100 television shows, feature films and plays.-Personal life:...
) is in the area to view Michael's progress, and just at this time Michael slips into an apparent coma. While Morris desperately attempts to discover what is wrong, we see flashbacks to Michael before he became superhuman and a similar health scare that occurred then. - Everybody Who's Anybody - Roger invites Lisa to a reception when his wife is unavailable; and General Irving makes a request of Michael which rubs him the wrong way.
- Boy Wonder - A mentally-challenged teenager follows Michael home after he sees him using his super-strength; and Roger's investment portfolio becomes the subject of Craig's envy.
- Lizzard's Tale - At a medical conference, an old colleague of Morris's - trying now to recruit him into his organ-harvesting business - becomes very interested in Michael.
- There Are No Words - The city, and then the country, slowly devolve into madness after a mysterious virus appears in places Dr. Morris frequently visits, which removes the words from books.
- The Bugmeister - Roger is kicked out by Ruth, and comes to stay with Lisa, soon getting on her nerves; Heather befriends an insect expert with a secret; and Morris takes charge in investigating a plague of mosquitoes who seem very specific in their targets.
- The Bugmeister, Part Bee - Dr. Morris and Michael desperately attempt to thwart a series of attacks by a bug expert.
- The Eggman Cometh - For a brief period, Michael is without a tracking device and he is determined now more than ever to flee and take his family with him. Meanwhile, the Eggman is plotting to escape from prison and revenge himself upon the "superman" who thwarted his blackmail scheme. Lisa discovers more information than she expected on Dr. Morris and Michael and, determined to prove what she believes, decides to confront Dr. Morris. The series ended on a cliffhanger, with Michael reuniting with his wife and daughter in their home and fleeing with them while the military and Dr. Morris burst into the house to capture him.