Created by the brilliant Buck Henry, this extremely hip, clever, and often sidesplitting sci-fi spoof series was quite simply too ahead of its time to catch on with a mass audience in the late 70's. Back then send-ups of big hit movies and various pop culture phenomenon weren't as prevalent as they are now, so this show's appeal was pretty much limited to mainly hardcore science fiction fans. Chronicling the misadventures of bumbling, but eager outer space garbageman Adam Quark (marvelously played to dry'n'deadpan perfection by Richard Benjamin) and his colorful crew of engaging misfits, the eight entertaining episodes of this sadly short-lived series cheerfully poked fun at such famous sci-fi fare as "Star Wars," "Star Trek," "Flash Gordon," and "2001: A Space Odyssey" with a knowing wink that was always good-natured and affectionate instead of smug or condescending. Benjamin's amiable low-key presence served as an ideal anchor for all the inspired lunacy happening around him. The rest of the top-rate cast likewise did well in their more off-the-wall roles: Tim Thomerson put his stand-up comedian skills to expert use as Gene/Jean, a wildly erratic "transmute" who switched from his macho and hyper-aggressive male personality to his more demure and passive female persona at the most inopportune moments; Richard Kelton was in fine stoical form as resolutely pragmatic and emotionless humanoid plant science officer Ficus (this character was clearly a neat caricature of Mr. Spock), gorgeous blonde real-life identical twin siblings Cyb and Tricia Barnstable were quite sexy, charming, and vibrant as two pilots named Betty (one's human while the other is a clone, but poor smitten Quark could never figure out which was which); Bobby Porter was an absolute hoot as abject coward robot Andy, a spineless and sniveling bucket of bolts made out of spare parts who turned into instant jello the moment things got even remotely hairy; and Conrad Janis was a deliciously smarmy treat as Quark's fretful and unctuous boss Otto Palindrome. The rinky-dink (not so) special effects and groovy disco theme further added to the considerable tongue-in-cheek charm. A highly amusing and enjoyable program.
Review of Quark
