The Invisible man is a show everybody s gotta love! It reminds me of the old school 80's series(a-team,airwolf,knightrider) The special effects are small but very effective!! but what is most important is the fun they had shooting this series. It really shows! the entire cast fit perfect in there roles and it looks like they can do whatever they want!! especially Paul Ben Victor and Vincent Ventresca. Ventresca really shines in this one! for me its unbelievable that an actor with so much sarcasm is his acting style Doesn't get a shot in a big movie (mr Tarantino this was the show you should have directed! instead of that major boring grave danger(c.s.i)) Get this show if you can. well worth it!!!
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JimmyCamel11 January 2006
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pumpkinemily18 October 2017Basically if you like action, comedy, and sci-fi then this is pure gold (or should I say silver--sorry) to watch! The dialogue, at least to me, was witty and the entire concept of an invisible "criminal" makes it even more amusing. While it's not a show that would jump to my mind if someone asked me for the "best" series, I'd rather watch an episode of this than of many "better" shows out there. Like I said, worth trying.
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stefanozucchelli11 November 2021I am amazed that this series has reached its second season.
It seemed pretty mediocre to me even though the way they developed the concept of invisibility and the story behind it is interesting. -
aegm6 September 2000This is one show I hope won't be disappearing anytime soon. I originally didn't think I would be interested in it at all. It's an old idea and I kept getting Vincent Ventresca's character from Boston Commons in my head when I saw the promos. What happened? A friend sat me down and told me I had to watch at least one episode. I am incredibly grateful. I went from that one episode to watching it devotedly.
I've had to reappraise Vincent Ventresca. I'd seen him in Boston Commons and Friends but never really put them together as being the same actor. He is quite good at being a variety of very different people. Darien is nothing like good time bobby or the snooty professor from Boston Commons. Ventresca has quite the job for him in this role. Darien is a fun loving, good guy with a past in theft and a cloudy future. The same Quicksilver gland that allows him to go invisible can also drive him insane.
No superhero is complete without his sidekick and so we have Paul Ben-Victor as Bobby Hobbes. I thought this was brilliant. Bobby Hobbes is a blast. I love the idea of assigning a paranoid agent a partner who can turn invisible. Bobby grows on you. Some people think the character is a little... annoying but he's a great guy and he's good at what he does despite being fired from several government agencies. Paul Ben-Victor does an excellent job with this character. His performance is a good part of why I'm watching. He's made Bobby into a very lovable character.
The supporting cast is good but we don't get as much of them as we do the main two. There are also well done special effects and some truly fun plot lines. If you want to watch something good on Friday night, this is it. -
muffingoddess3817 February 2008Intelligent, wry, and thrilling, "The Invisible Man" stood out in 2000 among Sci-Fi's usual lineup, balancing out "Farscape"'s fantastical art direction and sometimes melodramatic script with gritty, cynical plots and modern noir dialogue. The show sat between "Law and Order" and "Doctor Who" on the believability meter, but there was no denying the fact that "I-Man"'s characters went beyond caricature. Even characters that verged on predictability like the Keeper, the Official, and Eberts were given reprieves from the formulaic. Paul Ben-Victor and Vincent Ventresca had a chemistry that evolved and shifted elegantly, made even more remarkable by the revolving door team of writers and directors. The effects are never allowed to overwhelm the plot, and the science only sometimes verged on the totally unbelievable. The show's low points are still entertaining, and I've never seen such taut pilot episodes. Matt Greenberg and Sci-Fi should be commended, and fans have the right to demand a comprehensive DVD edition of the show. Every time I come across a marathon of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" on Sci-Fi, I roll my eyes and sigh, mourning the excitement and possibility of science fiction television that "Invisible Man" and its ilk represented.
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gentihawk12 August 2006I loved this show from it's first airing, and I always looked forward to watching each episode every week. The plot, characters, writing, special affects were outstanding! Then the sci-fi channel screwed up yet again and canceled a very entertaining, well written show. I say bring it back, I know all of the actors would come back. I would suggest buying the DVD's, I am. I hope the sci-fi channels executives get word of these comments, and realize that they need to be more involved with their viewers. I only watch one show on that channel now, (Ghost Hunters), but I am fairly sure that shortly they will cancel that too.
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I loved this series when it was on, I watched it all the time when it was on sci-fi channel. For its time they did pretty darn good with the special effects; these days it would be all CG and a ton cheaper I'm sure. From what I've read it wasn't a matter of being canceled so much as a matter of it was getting too expensive to keep shooting it and there was apparently some squabbling amongst those in control. For the record they didn't kill the main character off, and, they actually "ended" the series with a happy ending. Fawks is still walking around, if they wanted to they could do a movie or a mini series, I just hope they could get the same cast. Fawks and Dobbs played off each other wonderfully, Keeper was really good in her role too. The official...well sometimes you wanted to throttle him but he was good in his role too and he did end up softening a bit to his charges at many points during the series. I can't really think of a single episode that could be called silly or hokey. I just got the whole series to watch all over again, I remember a lot of them but I guess I missed a few too. I'm enjoying them all over again, the stories are not dated, the same sorts of things are still going on today. I don't think I've seen any other movies the lead was in but he's pretty darn good now I've got to go looking for his other stuff. This is a family show, no cursing, a minimum of violence (as shows go today) and thought provoking stories that even most kids will understand while there's also something in there for the older crowd watching with them.
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jlogan-2402814 February 2018No Annoying Characters!!! How many shows can say that? Let's see... Firefly was one of them... they just never last for some reason. What is the issue with shows that don't stress the viewer? If the show is well done & has a vibe that doesn't call for Xanax after viewing, it gets cancelled. We live in Backwards World. If more shows like this were on the air, I would not have given away all 4 of my TVs!!!
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This was an incredible show that ended way too soon. I became a lifelong fan of Vincent Ventresca after watching this. 22 years later, and I still keep hoping that the 2nd season will be released to buy somehow, digitally or via DVD. I don't understand why it never has been.
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lonewolf892 November 2002This is one of the few shows I've seen where I liked all of the characters. Fawkes and Hobbs were great together, I loved how they would finish each others sentences, and how they always seem to be thinking the same thing. The Keeper was a interesting character too, I liked the episodes that explored her personality. It's a shame the show was canceled, it had a good plot and solid actors.
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sataft-24 August 2000After viewing several episodes of this series, I have come to the conclusion that television producers are completely devoid of any form of originality. Here is an old science fiction standby, ingeniously wrapped in the form of a truly original concept - and still they can only -almost - make it work.
The dialog is good! The male actors are reasonably proficient at their professions. Most of the characters are well drawn, with special kudos to the hero and his more than likeable side-kick. And most of the episode plots come across as palatable. So what could be wrong? How about the, the female characters and the cosmeticly perfect actresses who are chosen to portray them.
The producers insist on portraying the female characters in this - almost good - series, in a manner that makes the end product appear to be a misplaced cheerleader. Why, I ask, why?
The episodes all fall flat whenever the female guest star or recurring character comes on screen. These actresses are all totally unbelievable in their roles, and you don't actually have to see them to know they are incapable of their acting assignments. A blind person could tell. Just listen to them talk. They deliver their dialog with all the drama and effect of a 16 year old at the high school prom. Who would believe these women are Phd scientist, senators, corporate executives and medical doctors?
In a nut shell, if the producers have their choice of a Stockard Channing or a Morgan Fairchild, guess who they'll choose - every time? And of course, the series suffers for it. Too bad! -
anonjay13 May 2020God I love this show but can't find it anywhere used to be on YouTube but someone decided I should never be able to watch it again
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I watched this series about a decade after it was made, and I still liked it. I suspect that series like this got canceled in the post 911 era where subjects for crime series become heavier .
The actor that plays the of I-man does an incredible job creating an invisible man that is believable given his background. The side kicks are also fantastic.
This show has some similarities with Chuck in terms of both the humor and scripts.
Some of pseudo science content of the scripts makes you laugh just thinking about it.
What makes the show is the dialog between I-man and his sidekick. -
I stumbled upon this excellent series just recently; having only seen the original 1933 film, BBC TV adaptation and the clever 'Memoirs' 1992 film.
This is a very solid, thought provoking adaptation and closely aligned to the original premise.
The mono solarisation effect to show the world through Darien's eyes and that when he sloughs off the quicksilver are well constructed and the visually support the story line well.
At the time of writing, I am only 2 episodes in to the series but the characters are well established and it is interesting to see how Darien's initial reluctance to have any involvement with the Dept. of Fish and Game has now been tempered by his wish to help put right various 'wrongs'! -
mightyfastpig29 November 2003Somebody finally perfected the "guy with superpowers working for the government" premise. This is a near perfect blend of humor and action, with well-realized characters, sharp dialogue and intelligent plots. This is the show "Jake 2.0" and a bunch of others try to be, and it might have developed a bigger audience on a network.
A thief with a conscience tries to get out of life in prison by volunteering for an experiment. He winds up with the power to turn invisible and a dependency on a drug that keeps him from going psychotic. A low-rent government agency partners him with a guy who keeps a copy of "Lithium and You" in his van.
This show had me when the agents got their briefings through "tri dimensional data viewers", which turn out to be ViewMasters. There's even a reasonably plausible explanation for invisibility that also creates a cool visual effect. (Think about it: how do you make a guy turning invisible look interesting?) -
chibirinoa3 March 2002The Invisible Man. When you see the title, you would never expect it to be a great show. But it is. I have never fallen in love with a tv show like I've fallen in love with I-Man.
The core of it is of course the purest science fiction. But what makes it so great is the reality and honesty of the characters. They're not perfect, in fact, they're far from it. Darien Fawkes, the Invisible Man himself (Vincent Ventresca), is an ex-con, a thief. His partner, Bobby Hobbes (Paul Ben-Victor), is an ex-FBI agent who suffers from paranoia. And the list goes on, every character beautifully flawed in their own unique way.
And the cast has such excellent chemistry. From the hilarious boss-and-yes-man relationship between The Official (Eddie Jones) and Eberts (Mike McCafferty), to the budding romantic triangle between Darien, Hobbes, and The Keeper (Shannon Kenny), to the excessive banter and joking between the two main characters, a great part of which is ad-libbed. Of course the writers have been an important part of the show as well, with their great, innovative, and witty stories and dialogue. And special kudos goes to Craig Silverstein, who has written 11 episodes, every single one a gem. If you're only ever going to watch one episode, be sure to make it one of Craig's.
It's a story about invisiblity, but like you've never seen before. A major part of the story is the fact that the substance that makes Darien invisible also acts as a cerebral disinhibitor, effectively driving him insane. This puts a severe price on the usage of invisibility, not to mention the fact that it is a perfect way to control him, since the only thing that stops him from going insane is a special counteragent, which only the agency Darien works for possesses. So The Official holds his sanity hostage, blackmailing him into performing missions for the agency only known as The Agency.
Another thing that is unusual is the hero-sidekick relationship between Darien and Hobbes. You'd think that Darien as the invisible man is always the hero and Hobbes is only second best. But that's not true. In fact, it is usually Hobbes, as the more experienced agent, who takes the lead and tells Darien what to do. And Darien is often the one who gets himself injured or captured. Of course, the fact that many people are interested in getting their hands on the invisibility gland does have something to do with that.
All in all, this show is very, very good. Unfortunately, it's also very cancelled. The unofficial fanclub, the Imaniacs, of which I am a member, have been campaigning for its return from the moment they heard this news. Their latest effort is Operation: Visible Ink, a full-scale media campaign to attract as much attention as possible to the wonderful little show that could, but never got a chance.
This is a show that never should have been cancelled.
~Muse -
TheWraith2 July 2001The Invisible Man is a demonstration of a great show built on a classic foundation. Wonderful characters, humor, plot, atmosphere, the works. It and the Sci-Fi Channel's other top series, Farscape, are great examples of how SF is at it's core about telling good stories, some old some new, with the twists of imagination only sci-fi can bring.
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For some anonymous reason, the sci- fi channel decided to stop airing new episodes of their hit series "the invisible man", but that's not the point of this review. Turning invisible had always been a bit of a childish fantasy of mine and I was excited to see how they would work out the show. It turned it to be a superb job. The cast, especially Darian is great doing exceptional dark and sarcastic humor. Also, the narration by the main character sums up things quite well. The writers have out- done themselves by not creating a show simply about the ability but other things as well such as government conspiracy as well as sometimes romantic sub- plots. The show feels real, and instead of resorting to a cheap unbelievable gimmick for the protagonist to survive, it still stays true to realism. One other great thing is the special effects, once Darian turns invisible he has black and white vision but it's extremely cool to see things through his eyes. In some ways, it looks like the alien's vision from the 1998 movie "Pitch Black". Some minor flaws include too boring episodes or episodes that simply repeat, but everything else is exceptional. 9.5/10
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nbitters24 October 2002I-Man is the best show that Sci-Fi had every undertaken. It was not only inventive, taking a well used story (of course H.G. Wells fabulous novel, and the many movies) and taking it to a whole new level. Who would have ever thought that a story about: an awful (though awfully cute) cat burglar who got caught "molesting an elderly man" who became a oh-so top secrect government agent, that no one besides his boss, partner and keeper, even know about him; would turn into a smash hit. The show had so much further to go, that it is a shame that Sigh-Fi didn't see it.
Take the lead: Vincent Ventresca. Vinny (to the throngs of loyal fans) declared himself the king of the pilot (not an exact quote, but close). He has yet to find the show that EVERYONE (and I do mean everyone) sees as he perfect role. If you never saw I-Man, find it somewhere. Vinny is perfect as Darien Fawkes. No one could do they role any better. It is like taking Fun Bobby (of course Vinny) (who anyone who watches Friends remembers) and sending him through rehab, personality classes, and then major sci-fi brain surgery and seeing what you come up with.
I am running out of room, but I have to say, Paul, Shannon, Mike (who I can't wait to see again), Eddie, Spencer, Joel and everyone else that was on the show was wonderful. Look them up here, they have been in so many other things that you wouldn't believe that you had actually seen them before till after you learn to love them.
The show was a gem, a diamond in the rough, that sigh-fi was oblivious to because of the blinding glare they created for other shows, that were I-Man's equal. It was a shame that they didn't support this show as much as it should have been. It would be on a major network by now, with a major motion picture (oh keep your fingers crossed...there are still rumors) coming out soon. -
Op_Prime9 June 2000The new Invisible Man series is excellent. The premise is very unique. Rather than the main character (Darien Fawkes, played by Vincent Ventresca) being turned invisible by a freak lab accident, it's really due to the Quicksilver gland put in his body. It has some interesting plot points to it. This series has great potential to be something great.
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Invisableone105830 June 2002I am rarely won over so quickly as I was with I-Man. It is not only intelligent but also very entertaining. Consider Hobbes & Darien. When first we meet their characters, we think "These guys are going to kill each other!" by the end of the third episode you think, "I wish I had a friendship like those guys have."
The actors work so well off of each other, you can really believe that what you're seeing is real.
With the entertaining, you also get the heart-warming. Darien's struggle with the loss of his brother, for example. Check out the episodes "Johnny Apocalypse," and "Ralph," for some of the more touching stories.
Besides the excellent writing, stellar cast (Brandy Ledford not included, though you get to like her character but never to love her as you do Hobbes or Darien), great chemistry and a generally great show, you also have the more aesthetic pleasures. You have the lovely Misses Kenney and Ledford, and the gorgeous Misters Ventresca & Ben-Victor (If you like bald men, Ben-Victor is your man!). Plus the more humorously aesthetic "Eberts" and "Borden (a.k.a. "The Fat Man")."
Definitely check this show out. It's running on syndication and every Friday at 5/4c on Sci-Fi.
~J. -
penguin-316 June 2001The Invisible Man is my favorite show on television. Though I love the plot and it's high level of plausibility in the realm of sci-fi, the characters of this show are really what make it good. Vincent Ventresca headlines as former criminal Darien Fawkes. Because of his unruly past, Fawkes is certainly not an agent who goes by the book. Fawkes is accompanied by Bobby Hobbes, Paul Ben-Victor, who is a highly qualified, and under-appreciated agent. Hobbes' constant bickering and Fawkes attempt at reassurance is one of the best parts of the show. Any time the two are in the room together, I laugh. Their endless arguing with each other and anyone from The Agency is hilarious.
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dcsnowdog10 November 2004This truly was one of the most enjoyable sci-fi shows on TV. I used to love the line-up - Invisible Man then Farscape (another truly awesome sci-fi series). The chemistry between the characters was great, they worked very well together. That, the shows humor, intensity, and new spin on the classic Invisible Man mythos just added to it's greatness. To bad it got the axe after about only two seasons. Truly a great loss. It's a good thing we have DVD's, huh? That way we can enjoy what we were able to get and hopefully enjoy any cool extras they might give us.
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scullyliev@Aol.com25 November 2003Some good things come to an end too early, like The Invisible Man shows. Though not original in it's conception, a man that can turn invisible, it shows what the government might have done if they were in possession of an invisible man. Plus this shows great a science fiction with out an arc, for those people who never pay attention. It also has a hints (who am I kidding) . . . most episodes are comedies. It does what few true science fictions can, mix sci-fi with comedy and still maintain its sci-fi ness. I suggest ,if you have a region free DVD player, go and buy the DVDs of season one from Amazon.com or anywhere you can get it. It is definitely worth the money.
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sunshine917_323 November 2001As part of the I-Maniacs and a member of both the official and one unofficial bboards, I can't go by without commenting on HOW GREAT THIS SHOW IS! This show has interesting storylines, an (as far as I know . . . or care) unprecedented premise, and great character interaction. That has to be one of my favourite parts. The banter between Darien and Bobby makes it seem almost real. You get the feeling that these are real people and not wooden actors reciting what they memorized on a piece of paper. Oh, and SCREW YOU, SCI-FI CHANNEL! See, they didn't renew it for a third season which makes NO FRELLING SENSE WHATSOEVER! With a huge fanbase and great ratings, it was their number 2 show. If any network that might even be slightly game is out there, just know that this wonderful show is looking for a home. Over 600 willing fans will follow this show to the ends of the earth. I'm sure we'll check out some of your other shows, too. Okay. The end.
--Her Majesty Queen Tragos of the Goats, all powerful queen who could have you executed at her slightest whim. Do not anger the goat queen for she will order her loyal goat minions to throw you into the Pit of Doom which holds one, slightly angry, female chupacabra and one recently added Greek chef.