Heat Vision and Jack - Knowledge Is Power…For Real
Submitted by: Bert from the Netherlands (SoSF Fan)
Heat Vision and Jack (1999) is Rob Schrab and Dan Harman’s famous ‘failed’ pilot. Despite critical acclaim, directing by Ben Stiller, and a star cast, FOX turned down the chance for Heat Vision and Jack to be made into a TV series. Learn more about the pilot episode by clicking on the image.
Characters:
- Jack Austin (played by Jack Black) - Former employee of NASA, Jack Austin was “exposed to inappropriate levels of solar energy”, causing his brain to expand “like cookie dough”, making him “three times smarter than the smartest man in the world”.
- Heat Vision (voiced by Owen Wilson) - With Jack on the run from NASA agents, he called his roommate Doug for help. However, when Doug arrived on his motorcycle, he was shot with an “experimental ray” by the agents, merging him with his bike.
- Ron Silver (played by himself) - A “very dangerous man, a gifted actor, and a cold blooded killer”. Hired by NASA to stop Jack Austin at any cost.
- The Sheriff - At first, The Sheriff wondered how “high” Jack Austin’s rocket ship went when he “got totally baked”, nevertheless she eventually trusts Jack after Ron Silver flips a table at her.
- An alien name Paragon takes over the body of a chef (played by Vincent Schiavelli) and attempts to kill “all monkey tramps.”
Synopsis:
The basic premise of the unaired show was the story of a man and his talking motorcycle (sort of a two-wheeled K.I.T.). Due to a NASA miscalculation, astronaut Jack Austin gets too close to the sun. The rays of the sun expand his mind, making him the most intelligent person on planet Earth. He and his talking motorcycle called Heat Vision, (which contains the mind of his former roommate), are now on the run from NASA and other government types, including a mad assassin, who want to take out his brain and hilarity ensues.





This sounds like it has to be a joke… but then there was Zoolander, wasn’t there?
I think I could fall for: Snakes on the Barbie, but this is a bit to strange for even me…
I’ve seen this pilot. I thought that it was okay, though I found Ben Stiller’s monologue at the beginning the funniest part. Ron Silver playing himself was the second funniest.
Perhaps if someone is a real Jack Black fan, they would find it more amusing.
I found this in the mystical land where people sometimes go to get their BSG and Doctor Who fixes… and it’s there…
Personally - I loved it… It’s tongue couldn’t be more firmly planted in cheek, espcially given some of the dialogue.
The Pilot episode is episode 14… which just lends credence to the fact that this was really just a big hoax. They never even filmed a second episode - Stiller, Black, et al. I’m sure knew this would never fly.
i watched the pilot episode of this, very funny. Jack Black is incredible, especially his and Kyle Gass’s band Tenacious D