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Starhunter: The Complete Series (DVD series review).

I pulled ‘Starhunter: The Complete Series’ more out of curiosity than anything. Released in 2000 and created by a multi-country co-operation, including the UK, France and Canada. Other than the American Michael Paré, the rest of the cast was international but minor people although you might recognise the odd English actor like Leon Herbert, Tracy-Ann Oberman and Ray Lonnen, even if you have to think a decade or more later to remember where you saw them next.

In 2275, there is still a need for bounty hunters and Dante Montana (actor Michael Paré), with fellow hunter with agenda Lucretia ‘Luc’ Scott (actress Claudette Roche) and his niece and ship engineer, Percy Montana (actress Tanya Allen), travel in the spaceship Tulip, with its AI Caravaggio (actor Murray Melvin) mostly to pay off its rental to their boss, slob and screen-stealer, Rudolpho deLuna (actor Stephen Marcus). Dante also has an ulterior motive.

Raiders killed his wife and abducted his 10 year-old son, Travis, to become one of them. He’s been looking for a decade and it’s a big Solar System. I did wonder on that because Travis would have to be an adult by now and without the genetic blood test gear they have, I wonder if they would recognise him. It’s revealed late in the series that Montana was an off-world farmer and his wife a scientist but that’s getting spoiler.

It isn’t until the fourth episode when things really take off so don’t be put off until then. A lot of it is character establishment and their activities. Seems there was a spot of genetic manipulation at the dawn of mankind and 4 genes, called the Divinity Cluster, is now coming to the fore which when activated gives people some god-like abilities. This tends to be an underlayer to the overall stories until later in the series and even the bounty hunting is pretty laid back.

My favourite episode has to be ‘Super Max’ when Montana finds out that Rudolpho has sold the Tulip from under him to be used as a prisoner transporter. It allowed all the cast to act against type and actress Tracy-Ann Oberman is a scene-stealer and away from her normal hair style and a lot of humour.

In many respects, many of the episodes are bottle shows, mostly to control the budget and amount of special effects required. There are, however, some superb Science Fiction stories, like the two-part, ‘Twist In Time’ and ‘Eat Sin’, where a space warp messes up everything.

I did think Michael Paré was a little too laid back in his role and wasn’t sure if that was a part requirement or his acting but this episode tends to lay that down. Over the entire series, the stories are laid back as well but that might be the result of the cross-country input. Montana controls his temper and not macho in the bounty hunter sense of the word. Considering they travel between the planets a lot, the last thing you want is people who are hot-tempered. It can be a bit off-balancing but you do get a liking for the characters.

Claudette Roche is also laid back but dubious in her role. Tanya Allen plays the petulant teen and resists being dislikeable and probably explains why she was carried over to the following season. Murray Melvin is also a scene-stealer as the visual AI.

The second season, ‘Starhunter 2300’ is practically impossible to get cheap if at all and even ‘Starhunter Dedux’ which is more like a director’s cut of the entire series also impossible. When you consider the accessibility of this DVD set, although with an odd region requirement, you do have to wonder what is going on. Yes, they had new management with the second season and research shows it wasn’t a happy ship (sic) with many cast changes but it leaves nothing to judge.

GF Willmetts

August 2021

(pub: Echo Bridge Entertainment, 2000. Region 1 4 DVDs 22 *  minute episodes. Price: I pulled my copy for about £22.00 (UK). ASIN: 118397)

cast: Michael Paré, Claudette Roche, Tanya Allen, Murray Melvin and Stephen Marcus

[note – The music in the trailer is not used in the series.]

UncleGeoff

Geoff Willmetts has been editor at SFCrowsnest for some 21 plus years now, showing a versatility and knowledge in not only Science Fiction, but also the sciences and arts, all of which has been displayed here through editorials, reviews, articles and stories. With the latter, he has been running a short story series under the title of ‘Psi-Kicks’ If you want to contribute to SFCrowsnest, read the guidelines and show him what you can do. If it isn’t usable, he spends as much time telling you what the problems is as he would with material he accepts. This is largely how he got called an Uncle, as in Dutch Uncle. He’s not actually Dutch but hails from the west country in the UK.

2 thoughts on “Starhunter: The Complete Series (DVD series review).

  • Thank you for reviewing one of our favorite science-fiction television series, Starhunter. You may be interested to know that Starhunter Redux is now available on Amazon Prime in the UK and US (all 44 episodes). And the producers are preparing a new, special edition blue ray and dvd release of the complete series. In addition, there is the possibility of a new season. You should check out the STARFIELD INDIE Audiences facebook page. Thanks again.

    Reply
    • Hello Carol
      That I didn’t know. As I don’t use Prime, looks like I’ll be waiting for the DVD or blu-ray.
      Thanks
      Geoff

      Reply

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