"Search" (1972) TV series 1972-1973

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Creator:

Leslie Stevens

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

13 September 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure

Plot:

"World Securities", an international high-tech private investigation company, employs field operatives...

Plot Keywords:

High Tech | Operative | Computer Cracker | Mission | Intrigue

Cast

Burgess Meredith	...	Cameron (13 episodes, 1972-1973)
Byron Chung	...	Kuroda (8 episodes, 1972-1973)
Hugh O'Brian	...	Hugh Lockwood (7 episodes, 1972-1973)
Anthony Franciosa	...	Nick Bianco (7 episodes, 1972-1973)
Doug McClure	...	C.R. Grover (7 episodes, 1972-1973)
Tony De Costa	...	Ramos (7 episodes, 1972-1973)
Tom Hallick	...	Harris (7 episodes, 1973)
Pamela Jones	...	Miss James (7 episodes, 1973)

Also Known As:

"Probe" (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min (23 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Warner Bros. Studios, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Television

Trivia:

The pilot was a TV movie titled Probe (1972) (TV), which was intended to be carried over to the series. However, when NBC bought it, a little-seen science series on public television claimed rights to the title. Consequently, not only did this series air as "Search," but the pilot was so retitled for the network rerun and subsequent syndication.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: SST: Death Flight (#1.13)" (1989)

A one-season wonder that missed its audience

"Search" is a series that failed to find its audience mainly because most of that audience was already in bed (time slot 9 or 10 PM on a school night; it was the first series I got to stay up late for!). It's also a series that could not have existed before the world watched Neil Armstrong set foot on the Moon, since the concept of a room full of specialists monitoring and assisting the agent is, of course, based on the room full of specialists in Houston who monitor and assist our astronauts.

Note that Bob Justman (of Star Trek fame) was involved; undoubtedly it was because of Star Trek's influence that the aforementioned room full of specialists included African-Americans, Asian-Americans and women.

All in all, it's a shame it didn't catch on, but then again, most of the audience had to be in bed early on school nights. Incidentally, the pilot film used to show up on local stations every year or so, though not for quite a few years.