Now and Again Information

Now and Again is an American television series that aired in the US from September 24, 1999 until May 5, 2000 on CBS. The story revolves around the United States government engineering the perfect human body for use in espionage, but not being able to yet perfect the brain. In an attempt to get the project up and running, they take the brain of overweight family man Michael Wiseman, who is killed by a train.

Given a new life, Michael is kept in an apartment where he is trained by government experts, led by Dr. Theodore Morris, in the art of espionage. Despite his new life and new abilities, Michael longs to return to his wife Lisa and daughter Heather, who are themselves discovering that not all is as it seems with Michael's death.

Plot

Michael Wiseman (John Goodman in the pilot and flashbacks) was a mild mannered officer worker with a wife Lisa (Margaret Colin) and daughter Heather (Heather Matarazzo). One day, Michael falls onto the tracks of a subway and is hit by a train. Waking up he meets Dr Theodore Morris (Dennis Haysbert). Morris is head of a secret government project which has designed a "perfect" human body (Eric Close). They have implanted Michael's brain into this perfect body following his death. While this allows him to live, it also obliges him to work as a secret agent for the government, foiling terrorist attacks. It also means that he cannot return to life with his family and is, in fact, supposed to never contact them. Michael, who misses his wife and daughter terribly, soon violates this rule, but keeps his identity secret from them. Much of the drama of the show revolved around Michael's efforts to work with the gruff and demanding Dr. Morris. As the series went on the latter grew closer to Michael. Meanwhile, Lisa and Heather struggled to adapt to life after Michael's death.

History

The show ran for one season. The reasons cited by CBS for its cancellation included the unjustifiable expense of the program.

Both of the show's main stars, Eric Close and Dennis Haysbert, went on to have regular roles in successful series (Without A Trace and 24 respectively).

Cast

Main

• Eric Close as Michael Wiseman
• Dennis Haysbert as Dr. Theodore Morris
• Margaret Colin as Lisa Wiseman
• Heather Matarazzo as Heather Wiseman
• Gerrit Graham as Roger Bender

Guest

• John Goodman played the original Michael Wiseman in the first episode and in flashbacks in some subsequent shows.
• Kim Chan played The Eggman, a recurring antagonist.
• Christine Baranski as the voice of Ruth Bender, an unseen character.
• Chip Zien guest starred in several episodes as Gerald Misenbach, Lisa's suitor.
• Chad Lowe had a recurring guest role as Craig Spence, Roger and Michael's boss.
• Timothy Devlin had a recurring role as "Special Agent #1," ostensibly Dr. Morris' right-hand man.
• Reiko Aylesworth had a guest role as Dr. Taylor, a physical therapist for Michael Wiseman, also designed to test his romantic attachment to his former wife.
• Mick Foley appeared in the final episode as the Eggman's cellmate, and assists in the Eggman's escape from prison.

Awards

In 2000 Now and Again won three Saturn Awards for;

• "Best Genre TV Actress" - Margaret Colin
• "Best Genre TV Supporting Actor" - Dennis Haysbert
• "Best Network Television Series"

Now and Again was also nominated for an Emmy in 2000 for Outstanding Main Title Design.

Episodes

1. Origins - Michael Wiseman's brain is taken from his dead body to go inside the "perfect man", created by the U.S. Government. Dr. Theodore Morris, his caretaker, instructs him he will never see his family again.
2. On The Town - Desperate, Michael breaks free and kidnaps his old business partner, Roger, forcing him to drive to his old house. Roger, however, is unaware of who this young man is.
3. Over Easy - The city receives a threat from "The Eggman" who claims he will release a poison gas. Dr. Morris takes Michael to try and stop him, unaware that Roger and Lisa - joined by Heather - are following Michael to find out who he is.
4. One for the Money - Michael is given a mission by Dr. Morris but his moral feelings on the issue don't help his relationship with his captor; and Lisa and Heather run into money troubles.
5. The Insurance Man Always Rings Twice - Michael learns that Lisa is selling his house and pleads with Dr. Morris to find out what is happening, and to save his wife by "convincing" his former boss Craig Spence to pay his insurance policy.
6. Nothing to Fear, but Nothing to Fear - Michael is stunned when Lisa shows up at his apartment to ask him out, but Dr. Morris forbids his involvement; while a wave of seemingly random acts of dangerous nonchalance sweeps the city.
7. A Girl's Life - When Heather is struck by lightning, a distraught Michael convinces Dr. Morris to let him go to her bedside where she wakes and sees him outside her window, leading her to claim that an angel saved her.
8. Pulp Turkey - Three separate Thanksgivings collide into one eventful evening for Michael, Dr. Morris, Lisa, Heather and Roger.
9. By the Light of the Moon - Dr. Morris is replaced by a new doctor, Dr. Taylor (Reiko Aylesworth) who intrigues Michael; while Lisa considers her romantic feelings for her suitor, Gerald Misenbach.
10. I've Grown Accustomed to His Face - On the morning he is supposed to be doing a 'survival' test, Michael wakes to find his front door open and his apartment empty. Unsure if it is a test or the result of some kind of accident, Michael is given the chance to flee into the outside world.
11. Fire and Ice - While doing dangerous tests on Michael, Morris approaches him for help in wooing a lady colleague.
12. Disco Inferno - Michael investigates a church that is seemingly the nexus of an apparent spontaneous human combustion.
13. I Am The Greatest - Lisa starts her daunting new job in real estate; while Michael and Morris track down the first man the government experimented on: the one who got away (Charles Malik Whitfield).
14. Film at Eleven - While out in the park, Dr. Morris is called away to meet with the President. Given that it is February 14, Michael decides to send flowers to Lisa but, to save a life at a bank robbery, he uses his super-strength, which is caught on film...
15. Deep in My Heart is a Song - General Irving (James Rebhorn) is in the area to view Michael's progress, and just at this time Michael slips into an apparent coma. While Morris desperately attempts to discover what is wrong, we see flashbacks to Michael before he became superhuman and a similar health scare that occurred then.
16. Everybody Who's Anybody - Roger invites Lisa to a reception when his wife is unavailable; and General Irving makes a request of Michael which rubs him the wrong way.
17. Boy Wonder - A mentally-challenged teenager follows Michael home after he sees him using his super-strength; and Roger's investment portfolio becomes the subject of Craig's envy.
18. Lizzard's Tale - At a medical conference, an old colleague of Morris's - trying now to recruit him into his organ-harvesting business - becomes very interested in Michael.
19. There Are No Words - The city, and then the country, slowly devolve into madness after a mysterious virus appears in places Dr. Morris frequently visits, which removes the words from books.
20. The Bugmeister - Roger is kicked out by Ruth, and comes to stay with Lisa, soon getting on her nerves; Heather befriends an insect expert with a secret; and Morris takes charge in investigating a plague of mosquitoes who seem very specific in their targets.
21. The Bugmeister, Part Bee - Dr. Morris and Michael desperately attempt to thwart a series of attacks by a bug expert.
22. The Eggman Cometh - For a brief period, Michael is without a tracking device and he is determined now more than ever to flee and take his family with him. Meanwhile, the Eggman is plotting to escape from prison and revenge himself upon the "superman" who thwarted his blackmail scheme. Lisa discovers more information than she expected on Dr. Morris and Michael and, determined to prove what she believes, decides to confront Dr. Morris. The series ended on a cliffhanger, with Michael reuniting with his wife and daughter in their home and fleeing with them while the military and Dr. Morris burst into the house to capture him.