Starman (1986–1987) User Reviews (15)

I was surprised

[MovieBuffMarine · 7/10 · 30 January 2004]

When I heard that Starman the TV series was coming out, I was skeptical. Why? Because so many TV series based on hit movies don't make the grade. I thought this was going to be one of those trying to cash in on the movie's success.

When it premiered in September 1986, I was surprised. While the writing wasn't super, it was decent enough to garner my interest. I found myself actually looking forward to the next episode.

My only big criticism of the series was that it wasn't consistent with the movie. This was supposed to be a sequel. The story of the movie took place in 1977. When I began watching the series, I thought hey, it's 1991 (seeing that the events in the series took place fourteen years after the movie). Then in the final episodes, they make it clear that Starman the series was taking place in contemporary (1986-87) times. A general says, "14 years ago I was flying jets in Vietnam." (The Vietnam War ended in 1975, two years before the movie's events took place) and George Fox, the NSA agent says his interview with Jenny Hayden took place in 1972. What did the writers think of viewers? As stupid? That we didn't care? Sorry, (from some of the other comments), not too many viewers were fooled and caught the inconsistencies.

Too bad Karen Allen, the one who played the original Jenny Hayden didn't come on board to reprise the role towards the end of the series. I'm an Erin Gray fan, but she just wasn't Jenny Hayden.

Anyway, the series was written well enough to garner an audience and last through the whole 1986-87 season. (Most series based on movies die before mid-season.) I just wish that either 1) they could've continued it or 2) have a better ending than the one they had (the last eps were supposed to tie up loose ends). But unfortunately, and to quote the SciFi mag, Starlog (on the fate of Starman the series), "Not even all the fan mail in world can save it."

So may this decent series rest in peace in re-runs.

Ami Dolenz

[bparker42 · 8/10 · 7 July 2006]

I remember one show with Ami Dolenz when Scott Hayden was actually attending a high school. She starred in that 80's movie with Tony Danza, "She Drives Me Crazy". She was like Christie Brinkley beautiful,as in drop-dead-gorgeous and a "dream-of-her-many-a-night-hottie" only closer to my age. Thankfully we had just gotten a VCR the year before, so I was able to watch it over and over again. I also remember that they used Huey Lewis' "The Heart of Rock and Roll" which quickly became my favorite song. It had the perfect tragic ending with Scott and his dad being forced to leave because the bad guys began to close in. I remember thinking I would not have left Ami Dolenz for any reason. But then again, my father has never truly been an alien. At least that I am aware of.

They don't make TV like this anymore

[Zaxzar · 10/10 · 25 November 2005]

This was a great show. The series was a sequel to the theatrical film of the same name, although with entirely new actors. The episodes focused on Paul Forrester "Starman" and his 14 year old son Scott Hayden, in their quest to find Scott's mother Jenny Hayden. Constantly on their tail was federal agent George Fox, seeking to capture them. Most episodes showed how Starman learned not only about living on Earth, but about being a father to Scott. There were some genuine touching moments as they both loved and lost, and always had to move on to another location. Although a sci-fi series, the episodes all had human interest stories.

Today's sci-fi shows are all about special effects and gore. No sci-fi show comes close to being what Starman was. It's a shame that this series isn't on DVD. Since it only ran one season and the studio that owns the rights seems to have an aversion to 80's shows, it most likely never will. If the sci-fi channel ever shows the reruns again, and you've never seen this show, tape them and watch them with your family. There is no gore and almost no violence. This a family viewing series.

worthy TV sequel to a theatrical film

[mattkratz · 15 September 2001]

This show picks up 14 years after the movie left off. The alien returns to earth to find the woman he had met during the movie and the child he had fathered. He finds the son, now a teenager, and together they search for the mother, while being hounded by a government agent. In the movie, the woman helped Starman (who apparantly had no corporal form of his own and assumes the body of a photographer who has just died in a helicopter accident in the show) learn about earth customs; in the tv show, the son does the same.

All in all, I thought this was a decent television show and a worthy companion to one of my favorite movies of all time.

Didn't deserve to be canceled

[Iwannano · 9/10 · 18 October 2007]

I was 14 years old when "Starman" the TV series premiered and I loved the show from the get-go. It was helpful that CB Barnes was a bit of a babe but it was the quality of writing on the show that kept me watching every week. In fact, I was so disappointed when they kept switching the time-slot that I was not surprised when they canceled it. In fact, I was incredibly upset because they kept really pathetic shows on the air and gave "Starman" the shaft.

Funny enough, there were enough people that felt the same as me that there were "Blue Lights" clubs all over North America that wrote angry letters and petitions to have "Starman" continue. After months of fighting, it was clear that ABC had no intention of giving it the opportunity it deserved. If anyone knows how I could buy the two seasons that "Starman" was on the air, please let me know. I would love to add this series to my DVD collection and finally give it the credit it deserves.

setup not quite right

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 6 April 2019]

14 year old Scott Hayden (C.B. Barnes) miraculously survived a car crash that killed his guardians. He was abandoned by his mother Jenny at the age of 3 leaving behind only an energy sphere. The sphere was activated and Starman returns to answer the distress call. He copies the body of womanizing photographer Paul Forrester (Robert Hays) who died in a helicopter crash. Evil government agent George Fox (Michael Cavanaugh) from the Federal Security Agency has been hunting for him since his first visit. The alien father and son go in search for his mother Jenny.

It's questionable to place the TV show 15 years after the movie. It's not only the logic of the movie taking place only two years earlier. It's that there is a need to watch the movie to better appreciate the TV show. I'm not saying that it's incomprehensible without the movie. It's just harder. The pilot is a bit too expository and more complicated than a simple origin story. The rest becomes a procedural until the last three episodes. It's essentially Kung Fu, the 70's TV show, about a man from another world traveling across America and doing good as he goes.

It's a bit annoying that Forrester remains the same fish out of water throughout the show. The great thing about the movie is that he is able to learn and understand humanity by the end. In the show, he's kinda the same for all the traveling with the duo. The other characters are not that great either. Fox is absolutely a cartoon villain. There is way too much over-acting. Scott is sometimes an annoying brat in the earlier episodes. All that accentuates the final issue. There is a constant disconnect between the duo's need to hide from Fox and their continued re-entering into Forrester's old life. It shouldn't be that hard to track him since he rarely uses an alias. At the very least, Fox could be suspended and therefore has no access to government computers. That would make it more realistic. It doesn't make logical sense for Forrester to constantly return to his human life since that could easily out him. It's a writer's excuse for drama but it doesn't make sense.

That doesn't automatically make it a bad show. It is a little boring but it's not all bad. I really like episode 13 with the blind girl. It's religious over-protective parents and the girl who thinks that Forrester is a faith healer. It's a great little stand alone episode. It is the model for some of the best episodes. I really love the movie and more than anything, this show is disappointing in comparison.

Great Show, Still Missed

[littlefalcon2001 · 10/10 · 15 August 2006]

Starman has a huge following! Several websites have dedicated themselves to Starman, and they are full of info about the series, fans who love the show, plus continuing efforts to keep the memory alive. Starman was full of promise, too bad it ran for a very short time. Positive messages, family content and interesting plot lines made the show good even today, when t.v. and movies are full of cynical story lines. If you suspend your disbelief, sit back and open your mind, Starman was a good watch for sure!!! BTW, some negative comments about the show should be tempered by the fact that the Movie, Starman, had some different elements, actors and writers. The t.v. series was fun, I wouldn't pass up a rerun! Not a waste of time what so ever!

Sensitively drawn

[parsifalssister · 10 August 2010]

Although the series did not get re-upped for a second season, I found it so many years later to be both inspiring, sensitive and tender.

Starman, played by Mr. Hayes, came to life and captivated me into believing an alien can take on human form and excel in all the ways we hope humanity can behave. His expressions of tenderness, not only for his son, Scott, admirably played by Barnes, but all of those he encountered was an inspiration to be more open to all human frailty.

The drama was low pitched but the messages in each episode finely drawn and memorable.

It is a pity that the simple messages in a series like this are not more appreciated and valued.

Robert Hays as Starman

[CThreePamO · 9/10 · 8 October 2013]

I just finished watching the Starman series again. I loved this show as a teenager when it first came out. However, I now realize a lot of the actual storyline and meaning of it was lost on my youth. In watching the show again, I see how well Robert Hays brought to life the character of the alien wrapped in the body of Paul Forrester.

The interactions between Paul the Alien and Paul Forrester and his old friends, family, or acquaintances are priceless. Each Paul has a different feel to him, the way he stands, the way he moves, or the way he reacts to different things. We truly believe that Paul the Alien is experiencing some things for the first time. However, it's not overkill either.

This is a great show that probably deserved at least another season. It seems like all the good science fiction shows are cut too short.

Good News!!! Starman TV Series Finally released on DVD...

[FireKnight70 · 10/10 · 4 March 2012]

Hey everyone...

Just read an article online saying STARMAN the TV show is finally going to be released on DVD. I wrote this to let dedicated fans know! The DVD is coming out April 3, 2012. It's being released by Sony and you will only be able to get it via online (will not be sold in stores). Follow the link below for more details.

I just wanted to let everyone know as we have been waiting so long for this DVD !!! I'm sure you will have a big smile on your face as I did when I first read this! Enjoy !!! :D

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Starman-The-Complete-Series/16555

Spotlight Starman International & pending DVDs

[jennyhaydenforrester · 10/10 · 17 July 2009]

The official "Fan Club", Spotlight Starman International, is still alive and well. And it's Free!

If you are a fan of the movie and the TV Show - do a search for the website.

When the series was canceled, we held major conventions at least once a year and there were many local 'mini-cons' held in different areas in the country. Including a major convention where we went to Meteor Crator, in Arizona (where Starman met his ship at the end of the movie).

Quite a few pieces of fan fiction and several music videos that have been made.

There is also information about pending DVD's of the episodes.

Blue Lights!!

Unique

[Gregorso · 28 January 2009]

I liked the way that people would expect Starman to be a jerk (because the guy who's body he copied was kind of a jerk), but he would end up inspiring hope in everyone. I was impressed with how he handled his captor, George Fox, in the next to last episode.

In the motion picture, I always felt that it was wrong for Starman to get Jennie Hayden pregnant and just leave her. The TV series sort of helped to redeem that.

It made sense that, as an alien, he had a completely fresh perspective on things, and thus was a very creative photographer.

The stories were all set in the southwest U.S. The scene of Starman first emerging in Paul's body was cool.

A unique show that appeals to lovers of peace & social justice. I remember seeing a bumper sticker after it was cancelled: "Starman will return in a moment." The show was something new under the sun.

Good TV

[mrtravis-74018 · 9/10 · 8 December 2015]

Although we are talking about aliens/scifi and the naivety of the culturistic past, Starman was 'good TV'. If you are honest with yourself, TV today is about CGI, forced action, demons, witches, werewolves and a plethora of crime based spoofs. This is what has captivated the TV viewers of today... I realize that I am from a different era, however I have the option to watch all that stuff too. I choose not to. Not always because of the questionable content that the TV shows have, but the commercial content that goes along with it. Don't you realize that crime TV is laced with commercials that encourage questionable activities, like just do it, drinking alcohol and commercials that totally disregard your health? I do not remember the commercials of yesteryear for Starman the TV series, but I do know that the commercials of today are far from being those of 1986. Starman should be an example to us that we should be conscience of our actions, we should be eager to help others that are in need and willing to do that right thing; even if that means to accept the consequences. A good TV company could resurrect the STARMAN series simply by pointing out the needs of society that are destroying us today.

A Forgotten Gem

[Bats_Breath · 4 February 2003]

"Starman" was a good, quality series. I loved this show back in 1986, and I became so used to the Robert Hays version of Starman that I remember when I looked up the 1984 Jeff Bridges/Karen Allen movie, I had a hard time accepting Bridges as Starman. And I wasn't as blown away by Bridges performance as others seem to have been. Bridges's was actually nominated for an Academy Award in acting in that 1984 John Carpenter film.

Robert Hays does an excellent job bringing the Starman back to life. Starman isn't as uncomfortable with his human body as he was in the film, and Hays brings a great gentleness and warmth to the character. Hays doesn't try and copy Bridges, but he brings a different but similar take on the Starman character. Like Bridges, Hays plays the character as if he has an IQ of 60, but at the same time possesses the genius of Albert Einstein, Mahatma Ghandi, and Stephen Hawking combined. But thankfully Hays doesn't do the annoying bird like head movements Bridges does, and he doesn't speak with the motor neuron time delay that Bridges did in the film. You can believe that this is the same alien from the movie, but one that has learned things from his first time on Earth. He's still innocent and naive, but he's been around the block a bit more. In the pilot, Hays briefly played Paul Forrester, the photographer Starman cloned to use as a human body. There was a great contrast in the performances of Forrester and Starman as Forrester. So if Bridges could be nominated for an Oscar, why couldn't Hays have been nominated for any Emmy?

I also prefered the TV series to the movie because the show was far more funny and lighthearted then the dreary and depressing movie. I think a lot of this has to do with the addition of Starman's 14 year old son Scott Hayden, played wonderfully by Christopher Daniel Barnes. In the movie, Starman gives Jenny the sphere and tells her "the baby will know what to do with". We get this sense that the baby will be born a genius and be just like Starman, a weird alien. But Scott is just a typical human kid that has a hard time accepting he is half alien. Back then, Barnes was was known as "C.B. Barnes", who for a while was a very low level teen heartthrob. In the 1990s Barnes got some mild fame playing Greg Brady in the "Brady Bunch" movies and doing the voice of Spider-Man in the Spidey animated series.

Sure the John Carpenter/Jeff Bridges movie had some funny moments, but I felt that the movie was really depressing and gloomy. It was just this gigantic tragic road love story with such sad, sad, SAD music. The TV series has Scott Hayden to let the air out of it all and there are some hilarious exchanges here between Scott, his father and the people they come across in their quest for Jenny Hayden. I highly recommend this funny, warm and intelligently written series. It was a shame that ABC gave this series the shaft after just 1 year and 22 episodes. They never gave the show any good time slots anyway. They were always yanking "Starman" around on different nights, and always putting the series up against the heavyweights of the day like "Dynasty" or something like that. Yes Sci-Fi channel IS airing "Starman". It comes on Sunday/Monday morning at 2 AM Eastern/1 AM Central.

Not Bad

[Manth_Sigdaw · 26 January 2003]

This TV show to the movie wasn't bad at all. It wasn't stellar, but it was fairly interesting, and sometimes cool. I used to be very pumped to watch this show back in 1986 when I was in 3rd grade. Here's the gist of the TV series---The Alien returns to Earth and takes up a new human form, this time the body of a dead photographer named Paul Forrester. Paul/The Alien then finds his son Scott. Though how his son aged 14 years in 2 years is beyond me. The movie took place in 1984, this TV series took place in 1986, so the age difference in the kid always baffled me. For a while I thought the kid just aged quickly, being half alien and all. But it was clear that the TV series ignored some key elements of the movie and constantly says the Alien's first visit as happening "14 years ago", aka 1972, not 1984.

Anyway, this was a good show. Though why Paul/The Alien was always searching for Jenny/His wife was confusing to me. So you find the mom and then what? I don't remember all the details of the series, but I do know that it ended on a boring note. They find the mother, and the show ended bam like that. After just one year. Very depressing. I thought this series had a lot more potential, but it never lived up to it. "Starman" basically worked like "The Incredible Hulk", with Paul/The Alien and his son Scott going from town to town looking for Jenny and helping out some strange goobers along the ways.

By the way, I heard Sci-Fi Channel has started airing this series at night on the weekends. Check your local listings.