Max Headroom

Max Headroom is a fictional character, played by actor Matt Frewer, who made his television debut in the British-made cyberpunk TV movie Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future, on April 4, 1985, on Channel 4. Channel 4 advertised Max as the "first computer-generated TV presenter" and Frewer was initially under contract to withhold his identity in the role.

Set in a near future world, it focuses on Edison Carter (Frewer), a crusading and witty journalist who openly challenges the corporations that rule the world, including his own employer Station 23. Max Headroom is a secondary character, an AI created from Carter's basic brain patterns and memory fragments. As Carter exposes corruption in Station 23, Max rises as a host on independent, public access television. In the movie, Max and Edison Carter never meet.

The following day, The Max Headroom Show debuted. It features music videos with Max Headroom as video jockey (VJ or "veejay"). The show was an immediate hit in the UK, doubling Channel 4's viewing figures for its time slot within one month. In its second year, the programme broadened the original concept to include a live studio audience and celebrity interviews. Frewer filmed in another room as Max Headroom and appeared before the audience and guests on television screens via a live feed, maintaining the illusion of an AI living in broadcast signals and computer systems. A Christmas special was written by George R R Martin, later famous for his book series A Song of Ice and Fire, the basis for Game of Thrones. Channel 4 ended The Max Headroom Show after its third year. US cable channel Cinemax then produced six more episodes for US audiences in 1987, rebranded as The Original Max Talking Headroom Show.

American TV network ABC acquired the rights to create an ongoing series titled Max Headroom. Rather than a music programme, this was based on the story and concepts of the original TV movie. By this time, it was known to the general public that Max was not a computer generated character or puppet but rather actor Matt Frewer in prosthetics, so press for the show openly spoke of him as a lead cast member in both roles of Max Headroom and Edison Carter. Amanda Pays reprised her role from the original film.

The pilot is largely based on the original movie. The hacker who creates Max Headroom is innocent and manipulated rather than overtly villainous and callous. Max's origin is slightly different and he more strongly shares Carter's drive to expose corruption rather than only comment on it. In the pilot, Max and Carter meet, leading them to work as allies for the rest of the series. It regularly parodies and criticises media corporations and topical news events. Max Headroom was broadcast for two short seasons from 1987 to 1988. Producer Peter Wagg attempted to sell a movie concept called Max Headroom for President, but it was not picked up.