Danger Theatre (1993) User Reviews

Hilarious show - probably not to everybody's tastes.

[p_sandalz · 8/10 · 28 July 2005]

This show was not on for long - only a handful of episodes before being pulled; but we did get it in the UK, on BBC2, out of hours. It was a collection of 2 or 3 short themed comedy sketches crammed into twenty-five minutes.

Tropical Punch saw Adam West and co. as Hawaiin - or possibly Floridian, I can't remember - detectives, hot on the trail of a variety of small time crooks. For West, at least, it was kind of a reprise of his old Batman character but as a modern day detective. This and other skits were forgettable, but...

The Searcher, starring Diedrich Bader was pure slapstick gold. Bader played a leather clad biker-investigator with a heart of gold - a kind of one man A-team without all the guns etc. He was incredibly accident prone; the writers seemingly intent on having him really injured in any unlikely and painful way whenever possible; but like cartoon violence he was always OK and so it was dead funny.

Now, if only there was somewhere I could get these episodes to watch again - any suggestions anybody?

The Searcher!

[marypcb · 14 May 2005]

Although I remember the Robert Vaughn intros, what really stayed with me - to the point that years later I find myself trying to quote it - was The Searcher.

The Searcher could hear his own theme music (hmmm - catchy tune!) and had sound effects when he kicked, punched and jumped on his motorbike. He walked around saying things like "I search for things. I am.... The Searcher!" (whcih means the comedy was in the delivery and you had to be there!)

And no matter how many safes they pushed off tall buildings they never seemed to quite hit him. Slight but beautifully formed comedy.

Couldn't remember the name of this show for the longest time!

[princessholyroller · 10/10 · 26 June 2007]

I am so glad to have finally found the name of this show. I have been trying to figure it out for years. For a while I thought I had dreamed it up or something because NObody knew what I was talking about. When this show came out, it was my replacement for "Sledghammer" which had been canceled years earlier I think. Then when Danger Theatre was canceled, my childhood was ruined. It was then that I realized that everything good was apparently not popular. There are a few clips on YouTube! Check them out, they bring back memories. AND, one of the people hosting the clips has the 2 DVD set of the series for sale. I don't think I can list his website on here per the guidelines. I am going to order the series and cannot wait to watch it again.

Looking for a long time

[ph7301622 · 23 August 2005]

Saw this show when it was briefly broadcast and so few people saw it that I still have no one to talk with about it! Damn summer series - everyone outside enjoying the nice weather, doing things that are fun! My first exposure to Diedrich Bader - his voice range and tone were so unique that he really stood out. "I'm ... The Searcher !!!" The spirit was inspired by "Airplane" and the countless deadpan spoofs that followed it. But somehow this show was so much more clever. I would like to see the episodes again. Whoever owns this - slap the seven shows on a quick DVD and offer it up for sale. The Drew Carey fans alone should help pay the bills.

Funny stuff

[lynchboy2001 · 5 December 2001]

I accidently caught an episode of this on TV once, before it disappeared. It was hilarious comedy, with Vaughn as the presenter & Oswald from 'The Drew Carey Show' as "The Searcher", a renegade who acts exactly like Johnny Bravo. It obviously hadn't many fans, but I look forward to seeing it on TV someday!

funny show

[mcbarnicle · 13 November 2004]

I remember seeing this on fox in the summer of 1993 - probably a 4 episode summer try-out. It was shown back to back, i recall, within the same 'theatre' with a mostly forgettable Adam West lead show called "tropical punch" - a bad bad parody of 'Hawaii 5-0' insulting to Jack Lord fans everywhere.

Diedrich Bader played a leather clad 'investigator' ala the 'hitchhiker' but at every turn he was killed. Comic violence in the style of 'itchy and scratchy' purposely put to live action. Great Stuff - the lasting memory is when he's investigating a crime or something on the Universal Studios lot in LA and opens the door to the stage where they are shooting 'backdraft' with incinerating results.

one of the lost treasures

[jojokrako-1 · 21 November 2005]

THE SEARCHER is absolutely one of the true lost treasures of all time - hilarious stories , and Dietrich Bader is nothing short of a comic genius - it is amazing that this potential cult classic hasn't found its way onto DVD yet ,as i know my copies are hardly watchable , but i do , over and over - don't know how you would ever get to see this today , i as believe it was of FOX early in its lifetime , but if you get a chance do not miss it - if you have never seen it at all , i would describe it almost as SUPER DAVE MEETS THE GREATEST American HERO MEETS POLICE SQUAD in spoofs of such classics as SILENCE OF THE LAMBS AND GORILLA'S IN THE MIST - ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT ! and if you know how to get this , SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD !

Full Blown Hilarious....

[terkoss · 15 May 2005]

I saw a few of these episodes back in '93, and remember them to be 100% hilarious. If I'm not mistaken, they were only 15 minutes long. I think very few people saw it...I'm surprised I was able to find it, and I've never known anyone that's seen it. I'd buy the DVD if it were produced. And that's all I had to say about it, so since there is this retarded requirement to have 10 lines minimum, I guess I'll just use it up with totally useless verbiage, and be banned from submitting again (until I simply use one of my other 9 email addresses). I'd love to know the reasoning for a minimum comment...I can understand 10 words min., but even for people decide not whine about it like I am here, and actually try to lengthen their comments, it'll obviously be worthless banter...brilliant IMDb.

hilarious spoofing

[paulinwoodusa · 6 June 2006]

This show was on British TV (back when I lived there) for a very short period, but it was required viewing. I don't recall too much about the show, but do remember Bader's fantastic Searcher character, who always found numerous ways to get injured.

One moment that sticks out was the end of an episode that featured him looking after/adopting a monkey. He takes it back to the forest to release it back into the wild, then with moist eyes and a choked up voice says "that's the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life". A second later an 18-wheeler truck smashes into him. In the middle of the forest. Genius!!

So Very Funny

[justinaireland · 22 June 2004]

I watched this show while it was briefly on and thought it was hilarious. Keep in mind I was about twelve at the time. Bader is a black leather clad agent-type guy who goes around trying to find lost things/people. In one episode he goes to an elderly lady's house and while he is talking to her he keeps falling off of her plastic encased couch, due to the slipperiness of his leather outfit. The show is filled with lots of physical humor, probably why it was cancelled. This show was one of Fox's early mid season replacement filler's, and will go down in history right next to "Babes"

and "Herman's Head".

Topper

[otto-dude · 24 September 2002]

It appears that only British and Irish TV picked up on this one, even if it was shown at 1 am.

Too ridiculous to go into any depth, other than 'The Searcher' was a masterpiece, and the Magnum/Hawaii Five-0 mickey-take with Adam West was in the Jean Claude Van Damme territory of being so bobbins it was funny