Series synopsis
Viper is an American action & adventure drama sci-fi & fantasy television series that premiered on NBC on January 2, 1994. It ended on May 22, 1999. It was created by Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo. It stars James McCaffrey, Jeff Kaake, Dorian Harewood and Heather Medway.
Viper is an action-adventure TV series about a special task force set up by the federal government to fight crime in the fictional city of Metro City, California that is perpetually under siege from one crime wave after another. The weapon used by this task force is an assault vehicle that masquerades as a Dodge Viper RT/10 roadster and coupe. The series takes place in "the near future". The primary brand of vehicles driven in the show were Chrysler or subsidiary companies.
The Viper Defender " ...
Premise
Viper is an action-adventure TV series about a special task force set up by the federal government to fight crime in the fictional city of Metro City, California that is perpetually under siege from one crime wave after another. The weapon used by this task force is an assault vehicle that masquerades as a Dodge Viper RT/10 roadster and coupe. The series takes place in "the near future". The primary brand of vehicles driven in the show were Chrysler or subsidiary companies.
The Viper Defender "star car" was designed by Chrysler Corporation engineers. The exterior design of the car was produced by Chrysler stylist Steve Ferrerio.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- James McCaffrey as Michael Payton / Joe Astor
- Jeff Kaake as Thomas Cole
- Dorian Harewood as Julian Wilkes
- Heather Medway as Cameron Westlake
- Joe Nipote as Frankie Waters
- Dawn Stern as Allie Farrow
- J. Downing as Sherman Catlett
- William Russ as Townsend
Supporting cast
- Alan Scarfe as Flagler
- Jack Stauffer as Phil
- Parley Baer as Finch
- Stephen Macht as Alan Reece
- Frank John Hughes as Bobby Finn
- David Dean as Matt Conlon
- Bruce A. Young as Administrator
- Dale Wilson as John Talmadge
- Cam Clarke as Pulse (voice)
- Nancy Valen as Bianca Carson
- Mackenzie Gray as Fred Tyler
- Reggie Theus as Jeff Desmond
Guest cast
- William Russ as Townsend
- Alan Scarfe as Flagler
- Jack Stauffer as Phil
- Parley Baer as Finch
- Stephen Macht as Alan Reece
- Frank John Hughes as Bobby Finn
- David Dean as Matt Conlon
- Bruce A. Young as Administrator
- Dale Wilson as John Talmadge
- Cam Clarke as Pulse (voice)
- Nancy Valen as Bianca Carson
- Mackenzie Gray as Fred Tyler
Episodes
This series spans 4 seasons with 78 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 12 | January 2, 1994 | April 1, 1994 |
| Season 2 | 22 | September 27, 1996 | May 17, 1997 |
| Season 3 | 22 | September 23, 1997 | May 12, 1998 |
| Season 4 | 22 | September 22, 1998 | May 22, 1999 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pilot City Commissioner Strand is desperate to get the Viper on the road. He plans on using the Viper's crime-fighting abilities to bolster support for his campaign to become mayor. After stealing a satellite, Michael Payton flips his black Dodge Stealth in a spectacular crash. Strand hears about the accident and has Payton pronounced dead at the scene. Payton is the best getaway driver the Outfit had. Commissoner Strand orders that Payton's memory be erased and his appearance altered. When Payton awakes, he is told that he is a police officer named Joesph Payne Astor. |
January 2, 1994 |
| 2 |
Once a Thief ... Joe faces a terrifying choice when the doctor who performed memory-altering surgery on him offers to restore his criminal identity. |
January 7, 1994 |
| 3 |
Ghosts Joe's former partner in crime (Jason Carter) is sprung from prison by the Outfit in order to locate the Viper. |
January 14, 1994 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Winner Take All The Viper returns to the streets of Metro City. The new prototype is given to Ex-CIA operative Thomas Cole (Jeff Kaake) and his team: Technician Frankie Waters (Joe Nipote) and systems programmer Dr. Allie Farrow (Dawn Stern). After the death of her partner, police officer Cameron Westlake (Heather Medway) joins the Viper team. The team then concentrates on taking Dekker, a rogue trucker who has been terrorizing the city. |
September 27, 1996 |
| 2 |
MIG-89 Cameron uncovers an illegal arms-smuggling ring---but not before Allie and a visiting scientist are kidnapped and forced to develop a highly advanced fighter jet. |
October 5, 1996 |
| 3 |
Condor The massacre of four undercover cops, all of them set to share information regarding the mob, leads the team to seek help from a helicopter squad that's Viper's aerial equivalent. |
October 12, 1996 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Triple Cross Cole's former fiancée, who says she's dying and needs a bone-marrow transplant, convinces Cole to temporarily release a prisoner whose marrow matches hers. |
September 23, 1997 |
| 2 |
Cat and Mouse Westlake kills the lover of a professional assassin during a prison break, and soon finds herself targeted for revenge. |
September 30, 1997 |
| 3 |
The Best Couple A simple background check on Westlake's friend's new husband turns up information suggesting that the groom may not be what he seems. |
October 7, 1997 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Return Joe Astor returns to drive the new Viper when Thomas Cole is reassigned after blowing up the old Viper. |
September 22, 1998 |
| 2 |
Once a Con A small-time con artist helps Astor and Westlake catch a money launderer in an elaborate sting operation. |
September 29, 1998 |
| 3 |
Wisegal Astor infiltrates a security-tight mafia conference; a labor negotiator tries to seduce Westlake. |
October 6, 1998 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | NBC |
|---|---|
| First aired | January 2, 1994 |
| Last aired | May 22, 1999 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Status | ended |