The Max Headroom Glossary
Network 23's
star reporter. He is tough, savvy,
and compassionnate. He also has a fierce journalistic
integrity, such that he will not compromise his ideals
even in the face of overwhelming practical difficulties.
He is a big enough
ratings-generator that
he can usually get his own way around the Network,
but if Ben or the
Board has their own agenda they will attempt to
manipulate him.
Edison is much like the classical hero of myth, or perhaps
the modern hero of 50's detective fiction. Like
Raymond Chandler described his Phillip Marlowe, Edison
is "..the best man in his world, and a good enough man
for any world." He is a loner, despite occasional attempts
at romance with Theora, and fiercely
independent. Though he is famous and important, he feels
strongly for the common man and suffers under wrongs to
blanks and other fringers as if they
were wrongs to himself. (see episodes
1,
6, and
13 especially.)
Put simply, Edison is the classical protagonist; strong,
often quiet, and action-oriented. He will always find the
truth, and woe be to those who try to hide it.
Edison lives in a building called the Barclay Apartments.
Edison's personal ident code is 74928B DG6629.
In every sense of the word, a virtual
person. Not precisely artificial intelligence, he is
actually a representation of the components of
Edison's mind as downloaded to computer
memory by Bryce.
At first,Grossberg wanted a simple download of
memories before Edison woke up so he could find out how much
Edison knew. However, the data that came to be called Max
became self aware when it was activated and has roamed the
global computer network ever since.
The name arose because the last thing Edison saw before
he was injured was a sign
saying "Max Headroom," meaning maximum clearance, and so when
his memories were downloaded and activated the computer
construct was muttering "Max Headroom" over and over.
Later,
Network 23 wanted Max as a virtual
announcer, but he turned out much too independently minded
(if the term applies) and now roams the telecommunications
network pretty much as he pleases, with some power over various
operations (c.f. Wintermute in Neuromancer). He shares Edison's dry,
sarcastic wit, and often breaks into Network 23's programming
to make caustic commentary. However, he is popular and
generates ratings when he does so, so
the network allows it (Not that they have a choice).
Two minds, but with one single memory! (
episode 1)
[speaking to the Network 23 executive board] Ah, you mean you're the
people who execute audiences? (
episode 1)
Zik-Zak's new one thousand volt Christian Converter! Plug yourself
in, and your friends will see the light! (
episode 1)
Converts are the worst kind of bigots. (
episode 7)
Edison's
controller at Network 23.
She is the best at what she does, which is why she works with
Edison. She and Edison also occasionally appear to have
sparks of romance, though not for any sustained amount of
time.
Theora is basically sensible and pragmatic, unlike Edison.
That is not to say that she doesn't care about the truth in
journalism, but her main concerns are keeping Edison out of
(or at least sufficiently apprised of) danger and getting
supplementary information when Edison needs it. She is adept
with computers and information systems, and can often find a
quick hack around barriers in the way of getting information
Carter needs. Also, though they have their arguments, when
the chips fall she clearly cares deeply for Edison, as does
he for her.
Incidentally, if anyone cares, The actress who played Theora,
Amanda Pays, played an almost identical role in the TV
series "The Flash."
Edison's producer and head
of the news division at
Network 23. He was also once a
controller and occasionally tries to do the job if
Theora can't.
Basically, Murray
shares Edison's journalistic ideals and moralistic approach
to news, but middle management has made him more of a
pragmatist. When a story gets killed from way up, Murray is
more likely to back down and maintain job security while
Edison is more likely to pursue the truth even if it means
ending his career. Though usually not too much a dynamic
character, when put in tough situations Murray will show that
he hasn't lost all of his drive or integrity (episode
10, for example).
[in response to Edison's question, "Since when has news become
entertainment?"]
Umm.. since it was invented?
(episode 5)
The head of research and development at
Network 23. A graduate of ACS,
he is a child prodigy in all areas of technology and
some other topics as well. His office is on the secret
thirteenth floor of the Network 23 building.
Bryce is unique. He has spent his life with computers,
and as such he sometimes has problems "interfacing" with
fellow people. He hasn't seen his parents since age 10.
(His age in the show is unspecified, but in the novelization
of the British version of the pilot, he is said to be 16.)
This also affects his morals, in that he
frequently has a hard time with moral decisions because he
confuses the differences between "moral" and "efficient,"
and he has trouble seeing things other than in terms of black
and white (i.e. digitally).
However, with someone like Theora or Edison to remind him
every so often, Bryce basically tries to do the
right thing.
Extremely difficult. Virtually impossible.
However, it should take me only about ten seconds.
(episode 13)
The chairman of the board at
Network 23 since
Grossberg was forced to leave. Has had a relationship
with Julia Formby. Cheviot controls the
entire network, with the Board, and is more or less
responsible for its survival. He is also the most competent
member of the Network 23 staff, so in a crisis everyone turns
to him.
Cheviot has a strict
sense of morals but also a fierce drive for
ratings. In the end, Ben really
owes allegiance only to his conscience and to Network
23's advertisers. Generally speaking,
Ben is a shrewd businessman willing to do what it takes to
get and keep viewers, but when a strict question of ethics
arises, he is willing without a second thought to sacrifice
whatever is necessary to maintain the ethical standards to
which he thinks a network should adhere. (See episode
9 for example.)
Once the head of Network 23, Grossberg
was forced to resign after attempting to have
Edison killed. He resurfaced
on the board of rival Network 66,
and quickly manipulated himself into the chairman's seat (in
episode 9).
Fiercely competetive, Grossberg has no moral code
and will do anything he can get away with to secure
ratings, be it illegal, immoral, or
even terrorist (episode 11).
However, in this show people with no morals lose, and
Grossberg always seems to.
Friend of Edison's, and a
blank. The oldest man I have
ever seen with a mohawk, Reg is an old-school Australian(?)
punk-rocker who runs his own network,
Big Time Television out of a pink bus with his
mate Dom and a large dog, Fang.
Big Time mainly shows music videos, and mainly punk.
(though he says he shows Grateful Dead on Wednesdays)
Reg is loud and hard to manage, but fiercely independent of
authority while at the same time fiercely loyal to his
friends. When Edison is in trouble, there is nothing Reg
wouldn't do to help (including head-butt people in episodes
3 and
10).
Next up: More of the same! (episode 6)
Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, sunshine!
(episode 7)
Blank Reg's wife and would-be business
manager of Big Time Television.
Also a blank. Dominique fancies herself
a shrewd calculating business woman as head of her own
network, but thankfully is too much a person to be so. She
seems out of place in Big Time's squalid bus with her business
clothing and cigarette holders, but wouldn't for the world
leave it, Big Time, or Reg. Dominique, for all her ideas of
being firmly grounded, is prone to flights of fancy, and
easily gets carried away when she and Reg are called upon
by Edison to help (see episodes
4 and
10 for example).
Political cantidate backed by
Network 23. Elected through
Tele-elections. We don't really know much about his
convictions or platform, but he doesn't seem to be crafted of
the same moral fiber as the people generally involved with
Network 23, which makes him more or less unique in the
series. Not an overly well-defined character, Peller is a
career ploitician whose main concern is staying elected.
Chairman of Zik Zak and thus the man to
whom Network 23 owes most of its
income. Since this Max Headroom was made when people were
starting to become aware of a financial/economic threat of
dominance from the East, Xing represents sort of a faceless
threat of what will happen if Network 23 does not remain
allegiant to its corporate overlords, except for the fact
that he does have a face. Xing and Zik Zak are ruthlessly
concerned with profit and expansion, which makes them
somewhat enemies in the eyes of the series, even though they
account for more than 70% of the network's advertising
revenues.
Incidentally, the name "Ped Xing" would seem to be a reference to
R.A.Wilson and
Robert Shea's
Illuminatus! Trilogy, a cult classic written in 1975
which is full to overflowing
with similar pun names. (If you don't get the pun pay
more attention to street signs.)
There is also a decent chance that, given this allusion, the number
23 (for Network 23) was chosen in the same manner, that number
(along with 17) playing a great role in the book.
However, look as I might, I have never noticed any other
similar allusions in the Max Headroom series.
One more note, "Ped Xing" sounds like a parody of a Chinese
name, but probably Zik Zak is meant to be a Japanese company.
In episode 1, Cheviot greets
Xing with a broken greeting in Japanese, and in episode
5, during a telcom chat with
Ped, the words "New Tokyo" flash in the corner.
A thug, available for a price to do a variety of unsavory
tasks. He and his pal Mahler (presumably) killed
Edison's old
controller Gorrister, and they later picked up Edison's
body in Episode 1.
Breughel is the criminal element in the Max Headroom urban
sprawl, riding around doing business with everyone from urban
fixtures to corporate executives. He is sort of a go-between
when the unsavory of the corporate world want to do business
with the unsavory of the streets.
Breughel is the businessman of the pair, while Mahler
(Mauler?) is along for muscle. Incidentally, his name is
pronounced (broi' gul).
Business... is our business. [while being choked by Edison]
(episode 3)
Breughel's partner in questionably
legal practice. Rarely speaks. Mahler is the muscle of the
two, and certainly not the brains. In one later episode, he
is played by a new actor, and Breughel refers to him as "the
new Mahler," implying that Mahler is just a label for
Breughel's underling. Or it could mean that the original
actor had to leave the series. Go figure.
Probably the most powerful member of the
board of Network 23 except for
Ben, with whom she was once involved.
Julia is not basically a bad person, but she does not have
the moral resolve on the major characters in the series,
which could arguably explain her status as a secondary
character. Basically, she needs a moral leader like Ben at
the head of the board to follow behind.
Incidentally, she betrays (or tries to betray) Max in episode
3. Shame on her.
Without TV, this city would be ungovernable.
(episode 6)
A less powerful member of the
board of Network 23. Edwards
is the unscrupulous businessman, who cares for nothing
but profit. He's the weaselly balding one with the
black mustache.
We're broadcasters. In our business, morals are one thing, but
ratings are everything! (episode 5)
An even less powerful member of the
board of Network 23.
Ashwell is kind of an idiot, who never really says anything
much too intelligent in the boardroom. He also subscribes to
organized religion, (dumb, like I said) specifically Vanna
Smith's Vu Age church, causing him to try to betray Max
in episode 8.
Personally, I kind of like dogs!
(episode 5)
I know, let's fire somebody!
(episode 6)
Rick is another fixture of the urban sprawl. He is a rickshaw
driver in episodes 2 and
3, but
by 4, he has hooked his
carriage up to a motorcycle. It's kind of unclear if
he knows Edison from before or not,
but he always seems to wind up helping out.
Network 23's helicopter pilot.
He is a combat vet, though it's kind of unclear which war
he flew in.
The largest and most powerful of the
Networks. There is some reason to believe that the choice
of the number 23 could be an allusion to The Illuminatus
Trilogy, as proposed in the bio of Ped Xing.
Network 23's closest rival, most of
the time. run by Ned Grossberg.
Sort of like Governments, but more powerful. Distribute
programming to afiliate stations, in the current sense
of the word, though the networks in Max Headroom
extensively produce
their own programming.
The ultimate statement of worth of any television program.
Basically, a measure of how effectively the network is
getting viewers for it's advertisers' commercials.
The board of directors runs a network
. Network 23's Board is chaired
by Ben Cheviot and includes
Julia Formby, Gene
Ashwell, and Edwards.
Depending on who you talk to, either a way for television
to enlighten the people and expose injustice, or
a way to deliver viewers to advertisers. A famous quote:
Edison:
Since when has news become entertainment?
Murray: um.. Since it was invented?
An individual who by accident or intentional
forgery/hacking has no official records or personal data
whatsoever. Legally, blanks don't exist. Examples are
Reg,
Dominique, and Bruno.
The smalltime network run by Blank Reg
and Dominique. Is broadcast
from out of a huge pink bus, and plays (for all we know) only
music videos, specifically british sounding punk
(and Grateful Dead on Wednesdays).
A reporter's link to the network
in the reporting of news. The
controller advises the reporter from the network,
using computers, satellites, and anything else
available to track the reporter's progress.
Theora is
Edison's controller.
A monstrously large mega-corporation run by
Ped Xing. Also, Network 23's
main source of advertising revenue. As such, Zik Zak
exerts a certain amount of (read:supreme) control over
the network.
The electoral process of the future. Each cantidate is
backed by a network. At a specified
time, the cantidate of the network with the highest
ratings wins.
The Academy of Computer Sciences. The ultra prestigious
school Bryce attended beginning at
age 10.
Jamming networks transmissions, or what,
in the modern age, is termed "cracking" (NOT hacking). The
kind of mischief carried on by the prodigies at
ACS.
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