laurir (03/16/83)
[Reproduced from InfoWorld magazine without so much as a by-your-leave] TV PILOT FEATURES CRIME-FIGHTING TEENAGE HACKERS by Tom Shea, InfoWorld Staff CBS has just approved production of a TV pilot program called "Whiz Kids" that features the crime-fighting adventurers of a band of teenage com- puter freaks. The network and producer Philip DeGuere hope to turn the program into a successful TV series and to establish young computer ge- niuses as the newest TV heroes -- right up there with policemen, private eyes, lawyers and doctors. DeGuere created and is the eecutive producer of "Simon and Simon", a one-hour adventure series that is one of the top-rated shows of this TV sea- son. It was a "Simon and Simon" episode featuring a young boy who broke the computer code of a bank and began stealing money via computer that sparked the idea for the "Whiz Kids" show. "Our kids are not teen cops or would-be private eyes," DeGuere says. "The fact is, youngsters of all ages are into computers today. Computer camps are becoming increasingly popular. Schools offer computer classes in the normal course of study. These are creating a generation of peo- ple who can do things through computers that were never before possible. That's what our show is all about." The show's young computer geniuses battle against the forces of evil through the amazing things they do with computers. DeGuere and Bob Shayne wrote the script for the first show. In that episode, a young com- puter hacker finds out how to use his personal computer to gain access to a large computer containing the transactions of a large and influential land developer. Something looks suspicious about the land developer's dealings, and sure enough, further investigation uncovers illegal hijinks. Deguere is negotiating with IBM, Xerox and Apple Computer for use of up-to-date computer equipment in the series, and talent scouts are look- ing for fresh new faces to play roles in the hoped-for series. David Gunn, a microcomputer expert who develops computer systems for large corpora- tions, is serving as consultant to the show. "We are developing different ways to present terminal displays," Deguere says. "Our show will accurately reflect the reality of computers, but we plan to create entirely new uses for the hardware." Shooting has just begun at Universal Television on the pilot show; the pro- ducer has promised to deliver the pilot to the network by April 25. If "Whiz Kids" is picked up as a series, it will likely begin airing this September. DeGuere is one of the entertainment industry's young filmmakers who is "into computers." He owns two home computers and uses other micros at his office for word processing and other chores. In this new show he is trying to come up with computer possibilities that are a little ahead of what's happening in the industry, so that even people who know about computers will be intrigued. If the new program turns into a successful series, it will effectively estab- lish what the TV industry calls a new "franchise." A spokesman explains: "If you study the TV dramas, they all have to have a life-and-death fran- chise. The lead character has to have the power of life and death. That's why so many shows are about doctors, lawyers, policemen and private detec- tives. DeGuere has to create his own franchise. If "Whiz Kids" works as a se- ries, that is what he will have done."