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VR.5

VR.5
Sydney Bloom sitting at a computer and wearing virtual reality glasses
VR.5 DVD cover
Created by Jeannine Renshaw
Starring Lori Singer
Michael Easton
Will Patton
Anthony Head
David McCallum
Louise Fletcher
Tracey Needham
Composer(s) John Frizzell
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of episodes 13 (3 unaired in original run) (list of episodes)
Production
Running time 44 min (approx.)
Production company(s) Samoset Productions
Rysher Entertainment
Release
Original network Fox
Original release March 10 – May 12, 1995

VR.5 is an American science fiction television series first broadcast on the Fox network from March 10, 1995 to May 12, 1995. Ten of its thirteen episodes were aired during its original run. The title of the show refers to the degree of immersion the protagonist experiences in virtual reality.

Prior to the events of the series, Sydney Bloom (Lori Singer) was the daughter of Dr. Joseph Bloom (David McCallum), a computer scientist who was working on developing virtual reality. His wife Nora Bloom (Louise Fletcher), a neurochemist, was also involved in the project. Sydney's father, and her sister Samantha (Tracey Needham), died in a car accident.

Now Sydney is a telephone lineworker and computer hobbyist. One day she accidentally discovers that she can enter an advanced type of virtual reality, where she can interact with other people. Her actions in the virtual world have an effect on the real world. She subsequently agrees to use her abilities to help a mysterious secret organization called the Committee. She receives her covert assignments from Frank Morgan (Will Patton), and later from Oliver Sampson (Anthony Head). Sydney's friend Duncan (Michael Easton) advises her and helps her when he can.

The show frequently uses inconsistencies in continuity and a distinctive color scheme as clues to suggest what is actually happening at various points throughout the series.

VR.5, a mid-season replacement, debuted shortly after the rise to popularity of The X-Files, and executive producer Thania St. John stated that "VR will try to capture that same, creepy feeling."

The show's visual effects for when characters were inside virtual reality were created by shooting on black-and-white film and then manually adding color to each image. This effect took four weeks to create for each episode and added to the cost of the show, which was about US $1.5 million per episode. While distributor Rysher Entertainment never confirmed it, the high cost of the production, coupled with a difficult time slot, contributed to the show's commercial failure.


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