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Future Cop

Cleaver & Haven

Future CopVeteran Los Angeles beat cops Cleaver and Bundy have been partners for 23 years, so it amuses Bundy – and annoys Cleaver – to discover that the LAPD commissioner is assigning Cleaver to train a rookie named Haven. But Haven’s first day on the mean streets is almost more than he can handle, as he and Cleaver find themselves pursuing car thieves running a chop shop with international customers, including one known cop killer. When Haven falls in the line of duty, Cleaver discovers the truth: Haven is a biosynthetic android, programmed to look and act as human as possible, being beta-tested as a policeman for the future. The commissioner assigned Haven to Cleaver knowing that the rookie would never pass muster with the grizzled, curmudgeonly veteran. Cleaver takes exception to this and takes on the repaired Haven as a partner again. While Cleaver could learn to use some of Haven’s logic in his police work, Haven has just as much to learn about human instinct.

Order the complete series on DVDwritten by Anthony Wilson
directed by Jud Taylor
music by Billy Goldenberg

Future CopCast: Ernest Borgnine (Cleaver), Michael Shannon (Haven), John Amos (Bundy), John Larch (Forman), Herbert Nelson (Klausmeier), Ronnie Clark Edwards (Avery), James Luisi (Paterno), Stephen Pearlman (Dorfman), James Daughton (Young Rookie), Lorry Goldman (First Terrorist), Tony Burton (Second Terrorist), Nancy Belle Fuller (Cocktail Waitress), Ruth Manning (Della), Eddy C. Dyer (Hippie), Shirley O’Hara (Grandmother), Sandy Ward (Fowler), Sandy Sprung (Evans), Michael Francis Blake (Teenager), Bill Dearth (Fugitive), Michael Goodrow (First Kid), Eric Suter (Second Kid)

Future CopNotes: The mention that “1984 is only eight years away” places the story in the “present day” of its broadcast airate in 1976. Though aired under the title Future Cop, the DVD release indicates that the pilot episode was titled Cleaver & Haven.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Future Cop

Fighting O’Haven

Future CopThe murder of an up-and-coming prize fighter (after he fails to take a dive during a rigged fight he was intended to lose) hits close to home for Cleaver and Bundy, but when Haven demonstrate his superior strength and agility in a couple of incidents on the beat, they realize they can give the rookie his first undercover assignment. Cleaver has to handle this delicately, as Haven can barely convincingly act human, let alone play the part of an Irish boxer. But Haven’s abilities make his boxing “career” explode quickly, and he too is approached to take a dive. When he misunderstands that instruction, it puts him (and his two undercover “trainers”) in serious danger.

Order the complete series on DVDwritten by Mann Rubin
directed by Robert Douglas
music by J.J. Johnson

Future CopCast: Ernest Borgnine (Cleaver), Michael Shannon (Haven), John Amos (Bundy), Irene Tsu (Dr. Tingley), Herbert Nelson (Chief Skaggs), Michael V. Gazzo (Charlie Willis), Rod McCarty (Jack Cassey), Steve Gravers (Kurtz), Angela May (Waitress), Mwako Cumbuka (Gang Leader #1), Stan Shaw (Ollie Dawson), Jesse Emmett (Man), Morris Buchanan (Airport Security Man), Wally Rose (Referee #1), Gene LeBell (Referee #2), Jimmy Joyce (Bartender), Giles Douglas (Reporter #1), Dorothy Dells (Reporter #2), Darren Dublin (Reporter #3), Victoria Carroll (Woman), Jim Healy (TV Commentator)

Future CopNotes: Herbert Nelson appears here in a very different role from the somewhat Gepetto-like android programmer he played in the pilot. (It had been nearly a year since the broadcast of the pilot, and there was no home video market for television in 1976-77, so it was unlikely that anyone would notice.)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Future Cop

The Mad Mad Bomber

Future CopA stink bomb goes off in the police precinct, but this means more than Cleaver not getting to enjoy Bundy’s corned beef sandwich; an anonymous note indicates that this was just a test run for something far more dangerous. Haven turns his analytical abilities toward finding hidden clues in the note, and determining the identity of the suspect. But the suspect is growing bolder with each incident, and not all of Haven’s logical deductions are correct: the department is dealing with a random, deranged mind. By the time Haven puts all the clues together, Chief Skaggs is tired of listening to him, and demands that Cleaver return the android to his manufacturer.

Order the complete series on DVDteleplay by Ken Kolb and Harold Livingston
story by Ken Kolb
directed by Ted Post
music by J.J. Johnson

Future CopCast: Ernest Borgnine (Cleaver), Michael Shannon (Haven), John Amos (Bundy), Irene Tsu (Dr. Tingley), Herbert Nelson (Chief Skaggs), Harry Guardino (Brad Bannock), Albert Salmi (Chief Ross Wheeler), Gerrit Graham (Cliff Yancey), Dennis Bowen (Red), Jack Bannon (Deputy Mayor), Bill Zuckert (Lt. Fisk), Bob Hanley (Roberts), Rick Sawaya (Zack), Mike Lally Sr. (Warehouse Clerk), Bob Golden (Sports Arena Policeman), Paul Schumacher (Desk Sergeant), John Andersonjo (Bramlett), John Kirby (Young Patrolman), Mary Moon (Cindy), Guy Remsen (Shore Patrol Guard #1), Michael Payne (Shore Patrol Guard #2), George Sawaya (Spector), Fred Draper (Lt. Commander), Sharon McGee (Wave)

Future CopNotes: Filmed as a two-part story, The Mad Mad Bomber parts one and two were joined together as an ABC Friday Night Movie. With a script co-written by future Star Trek: The Motion Picture scriptwriter (and Future Cop story editor) Harold Livingston, this is an attempt at a more dramatic, less comedic story than the series’ usual format. George Sawaya, credited with a minor part, is also the series’ stunt coordinator. This episode introduces a voice-over by Ernest Borgnine over the opening credits in an attempt to clarify the series’ premise for new viewers.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Future Cop

Girl On The Ledge

Future CopA young woman rents a tenth-story hotel room and proceeds to climb out the window to sit on the ledge. As Cleaver and Haven try to track down her family, Bundy risks his own life to try to talk her back inside. Cleaver meets the girl’s mother and is confused by her lack of concern. Her father insists that the district attorney go to talk her down from the ledge. Haven quickly deduces that the people they have met, claiming to be the girl’s parents, are not related to her at all: they’re in the employ of a Chicago crime boss who wants the district attorney to make an appearance in a public place…so he can settle an old grudge.

Order the complete series on DVDwritten by Mann Rubin
directed by Earl Bellamy
music by J.J. Johnson

Future CopCast: Ernest Borgnine (Cleaver), Michael Shannon (Haven), John Amos (Bundy), Irene Tsu (Dr. Tingley), Herbert Nelson (Capt. Skaggs), Katherine Cannon (The Girl), Tracy Reed (Natalie Bundy), Gloria Manon (Darlene Montoya), Robert Symonds (Assistant Chief Joseph), H.M. Wynant (Nick Redmont), Francine York (Sal), Bill Zuckert (Fisk), Steven Marlo (Carl Jadwin), Raymond Singer (Hotel Clerk), Angela May (Peggy), Sarah Kennedy (Marge), Bob Hoy (Pedestrian / Driver), John O’Connell (Bradley), Craig Ludwin (Cummings), Richard Doyle (Ford), Dan Priest (Fire Chief), Joe Bratcher (Dr. Wallace)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Future Cop

The Carlisle Girl

Future CopWhen Bundy frees a man that Cleaver is certain is involved in a drug deal, he draws Cleaver’s disdain and suspicion. As Bundy takes some time off after their long partnership grows icy, Cleaver and Haven do some more digging and discover that Bundy’s own daughter, returning from overseas, could be framed by this suspect – hence Bundy rolling over and letting him off. Cleaver is angry enough to take drastic measures to bring the full weight of the law down on this drug ring and make sure Bundy’s daughter isn’t implicated…but the real challenge is to introduce Haven to the idea of operating somewhat flexibly within criminal law.

Order the complete series on DVDwritten by Harold Livingston
directed by Vincent McEveety
music by J.J. Johnson

Future CopCast: Ernest Borgnine (Cleaver), Michael Shannon (Haven), John Amos (Bundy), Irene Tsu (Dr. Tingley), Herbert Nelson (Capt. Skaggs), Peter Donat (Herb Conroy), Tracy Reed (Natalie Bundy), Kim Hamilton (June Bundy), Sheree North (Claire Hammond), Edward Bach (Officer Fitzgerald), Angela May (Waitress), Louie Elias (Bruce), Fred M. Porter (Gardner), Michael Edward Lally (Policeman), Morris Buchanan (Atkinson), Cynthia Wood (Carlisle Girl)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Future Cop

The Kansas City Kid

Future CopCleaver and several other cops have invested money in a benevolent trust fund, and Cleaver is angered to the point of distraction when he discovers by accident that this money has been spent rather than invested…and the caretaker of the account, the son of one of Cleaver’s oldest friends, begs Cleaver to cover for him. Not long afterward, Cleaver is summoned to the site of a car accident that has left the caretaker of the benevolent fund in serious condition. With time running out, and now on his own, Cleaver decides to put Haven’s unique talents to use in winning back the money that should be in the account. But can an android ever hope to handle the intricacies of poker?

Order the complete series on DVDwritten by Harold Livingston
directed by Robert Douglas
music by Thomas Talbert

Future CopCast: Ernest Borgnine (Cleaver), Michael Shannon (Haven), John Amos (Bundy), Irene Tsu (Dr. Tingley), Herbert Nelson (Capt. Skaggs), Joan Collins (Eve DiFalco), Joshua Bryant (Andrew), Don Reid (Tom Geary), Bill Zuckert (Fisk), Angela May (Peggy), Zachary A. Charles (Monroe), Alvah Stanley (Doctor), Michael MacRae (Nolan), Victor Izay (Phillips), Regis J. Future CopCordic (Dugan), Sharon McGee (Bank Teller)

Notes: This was the last episode of Future Cop aired by ABC; no doubt aided by slapdash scheduling, the series had failed to stick its landing with the viewing public. In a very unusual move, Future Cop would be “re-piloted” on NBC a year later under the title Cops And Robin.

LogBook entry by Earl Green