Darkroom 1.01.A

Closed Circuit

starring Robert Webber, Mary Frann, Richard Anderson

directed by Rick Rosenthal

Television news reporter Greg Conway (Robert Webber) is concerned about Arthur Desmond, one of his colleagues. Producer Linda Beckwith (Mary Frann) tells him not to worry about it. She says Desmond is fine and has been broadcasting from a remote location so that he can stay close to his family. Greg finally gets a call from Arthur who reassures him that everything is okay but Greg doubts that it was really Arthur on the phone.

Greg later learns that he was right, everything is not normal. The Arthur he has been seeing on TV isn't really Arthur but a computer generated copy of his colleague. Bill Bellamy (Richard Anderson), the chairman of the board of the corporation for which Greg works, approaches him and tells him all about it.

Bellamy explains that Arthur is dying of cancer and is now living it up elsewhere while the computer copy of him is covering his job. Greg still doesn't like it but then Bellamy shows him a computer generated version of himself. Greg likes that even less. Linda knows all about it and encourages Greg to let them do the same for him. He is resistant but after seeing a live demonstration on national television he decides to accept the offer.

Greg is getting ready to leave the building, take off on a vacation when he is approached by security. They take him down to one of the lower levels of the building where the news programs are recorded. Bellamy is waiting for him. He explains that they need to keep him under wraps. Greg can have what ever he wants, except his freedom.

Thoughts

I watched this story, the first of two stories in the premiere episode of the series, on the Internet Archive. The quality of the video was fair at best but it was good enough to follow the story. I don't believe this show was ever released on DVD. I doubt that it was ever syndicated considering that it only lasted for 7 episodes. I believe I saw this episode when it first aired in 1981 but I have no memory of this story.

I think this story holds up quite well. It is isn't spot on accurate but I think most people watching it today would be able to see the parallels to today where many people are being technologically cloned. Robert Webber is quite good. The other characters are fairly one note but well played. I just wish that I could see a cleaner version of this episode where the video quality was not quite so degraded.

Notes

Robert Webber I know best from Moonlighting. He played Maddie's father in one episode from season 2 and appeared in a few more episodes from season 4, also playing her father. He was also in a couple episodes of The Phil Silvers Show that I have seen but I honestly don't remember him from that show. I might have to go back and skim through them. He made guest appearances on lots of other shows including episodes of The Rockford Files and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Mary Frann I know best from Newhart. She played Bob Newhart's wife. She also made guest appearances on episodes of Fantasy Island, The Incredible Hulk, and The Rockford Files. She was a regular on Days of Our Lives for about 6 years prior to Newhart.

Richard Anserson I know best from The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman. He played the part of Oscar Goldman on both shows. He's been in at least a couple films I have seen and made guest appearances on numerous shows that I have watched.

08/24/25 - 22:10