80s Superhero Series With A Friends Superstar Was Sued By Marvel
The 70s were filled with comic book superheroes making the jump to the small screen, with Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk becoming mainstays of broadcast television, but a few years later, television studios decided there was more money to be made with their own creations. That’s why NBC went ahead with Misfits of Science, a comedy-drama following an offbeat team of superpowered teenagers (including Courteney Cox in one of her first roles) struggling to get by in a world that hates and fears them. If that sounds a little like the X-Men, that’s why Marvel promptly sued the studio.
Ice Man
The Misfits of Science teens have more in common with DC’s Doom Patrol, which was still two years away from Grant Morrison’s award-winning comic run, as the teens are all cursed with powers they never asked for and drawbacks that make it impossible to live a normal life. Marvel cared because one of the characters, Ice Man, shared the same name as X-Man, Bobby “Iceman” Drake. The two characters also have a similar power: the ability to freeze whatever they touch, which is why Misfits dropped the character after the first episode.
The Legally Distinct X-Men
Losing Ice Man wasn’t a huge problem for the series, as the rest of the team was far more interesting. Courteney Cox played Gloria, a teenage delinquent whose mom insists she is part alien with telekinetic powers limited by what she can see. She also has an adorable crush on Johnny B, the rockstar with the ability to drain nearby objects of electricity whether he wants to or not.
Dr. Elvin “El” Lincoln, played by the original Predator himself, Kevin Peter Hall, is able to manipulate his hormones and shrink down in size. He also works with the team’s leader, Dr. Billy Hayes, a scientist specializing in “human abnormalities,” which is legally distinct from “mutant,” who puts together the Misfits of Science.
Fun Case Of The Week Format
Misfits of Science embraced the laid-back “case of the week” format of most 80s network shows, with episodes ranging from finding the President’s nuclear football to helping senior citizens who suddenly develop superpowers. One of the best, though, is “Center of Attention,” which features the very tall El as a basketball player, except he’s somehow even worse than Adam Morrisson, which means Gloria has to use her powers to help him cheat.
Never Found An Audience
At the time, Misfits of Science struggled to find an audience, a common problem with every TV original superteam, with the exception of Heroes. Perhaps not coincidentally, Heroes’ creator Tim Kring wrote Episode 9 of Misfits. It was canceled after only one season as a result of poor ratings but has lived on as a fan favorite ever since.
A Fan Favorite Today But Hard To Find
Despite the lawsuit from Marvel, the comics publisher was in no rush to produce their own live-action series during the 80s, as the company was trying hard to remain in business. Comic fans had to rely on shows like The Mistfits of Science, The Million-Dollar Man, and The Greatest American Hero instead of seeing their favorites, but thankfully, those shows light-hearted, goofy natures have aged surprisingly well.
The largest problem with Misfits of Science today is that it’s not streaming anywhere, forcing fans to pick up the DVD box set to enjoy the adventures of the legally distinct X-Men.
