Patrick J. McKenna (mckenna-7)
In 1982, I saw a commercial advertising the program "Q.E.D.," an upcoming new series about an adventurer scientist which took place in 1912 and was aired on the CBS network.Not only was "Q.E.D." a great series, but it was worth staying home to catch each episode. Considering that at the time, I was a single 27 year old man who just finished nearly five years of active duty in the U.S.Navy, that says a lot about a TV program! To this day, I can't understand how or why Joanie Loves Chachi, which was aired on ABC at the same time, fared better in the ratings.Within a year of returning to the U.S.Navy, and a tour of duty in Scotland's Holy Loch, I managed to catch "Q.E.D." on British television.I'm sure that I'm not the only one who would gladly buy a complete box set of episodes of "Q.E.D."
NumptyB
QED was shown on daytime ITV or Channel Four (Ulster Television area) and I remember that episode plots revolved around Deverill thwarting the untimely use of anachronistic inventions: one of the stories saw him trying to stop the use of an atomic missile in 1912! I can only think of 'Wild Wild West' being anywhere like this series in content, but QED had a decidedly British flavour and humour to it, even with the American actor Sam Waterston in the lead. His was a thoroughly enjoyable, frenetic presentation of a not altogether appealing character. Exciting and funny, 'QED' was cult viewing and is long overdue reappraisal. Perhaps it was scheduling, or the then current trend for 'A-Team' pseudo-violence that left this series on the shelf? Either way, it was a real showcase for Sam Waterston, whose performance might surprise those more acquainted with him in 'I'll Fly Away' or 'Law and Order.' Very definitely on my 'must get' DVD list - when that is possible - and a 'must see' if you like 'Wild Wild West' or 'Doctor Who.'
Mentat-5
I remember watching this show. Sam Waterston was recognizable as he'd played Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer in a PBS mini-series about the physicist which had aired before QED.What I recall today are certain scenes - in the first episode, Waterston's character is trying to convey the idea for television, and in a later episode, he invented a safety glass for automobile windshields. Such things appealed to me at the time, since it established that a person with ideas outside of the mainstream could still be a positive force. (Coming from a background of Dr. Who watching, this attitude should not be a surprise!) I was finishing 8th grade when this series was on, and don't recall much of the end of it. In looking on the web, there are very few web sites that even mention the series, let alone describe the episodes, or why the series was canceled. My memories are positive, and I wish there was more to find.
cristola
I haven't seen this since it was originally broadcast, but I do know my mother and I watched faithfully and often laughed out loud. I am still fond of Sam Waterston based on this series. I hope it would still hold up, but probably won't get the chance to find out.