M.A.N.T.I.S.

I don't know what they were thinking when they completely shifted the focus, tone, purpose and even the opening credit from eps 1&2 being compelling and interesting to... whatever the rest of the show was. Talk about a fail. I remember liking it as a kid but never finishing the season. Now I know why, because the rest was awful and boring. Glad I rewatched the first 2 eps though. It'd be cool to see netflix give this the daredevil treatment and actually do a good job with it start to finish. With marvel in a tailspin at the moment (for years now?) and DC flip flopping between masterpiecea and trash it'd be cool to get some lesser known, grounded heros in the mix. Mantis, static shock, maybe try again with iron fist and the punisher. Anyway, if you don't mind the whole 90s vibe, poor special effects etc. Try the first 2 episodes of M. A. N. T. I. S. even adult me enjoyed those ones.

This is somewhat compared to Batman. Only thing Miles Hawkins(Carl Lumbly) is crippled, and the only way he can walk, when he puts on the exoskeleton. And when puts it on he has great powers. He is called the superhero named M.A.N.T.I.S. An enjoyable show that tried to be up there Lois and Clark,The New Adventures of Superman, and The Incredible Hulk, but it died trying. Although Carl Lumbly held it together has long has he could. But he just could not save the show from bad writing, and bad acting. But I'll give it credit for not being campy like some of the superhero shows where. Most of the episodes in the beginning did pretty well, My personal favorite episode was Gloves Off, but the worst was Solder of Fortune. It could have lasted more seasons if it could have had better written episode. But it was enjoyable most of the time.

Sam Hamm and Sam Raimi are super heroes of Hollywood, propagating ideals of tolerance and hope through the super hero genre in prime time TV. This show isn't extra sexy like Gossip Girl, or extra morbid like CSI, or drowning in its larger than life production values like Smallville (which may or may not be sponsored by Highlighter markers, ease off on the lighting gels guys!) It's an understated super hero drama that definitely paved the way for a more realistic approach to heroes, like we see now in Iron Man and The Dark Knight. The ep, "Gloves Off," is a real turning point for the Mantis and one worth checking out on Hulu, if you've never seen one. I'd love to see this show revisited, now that we see that shows like Buffy, Smallville, and Fringe can be incredibly popular. Plus, CG has come a long way since then. Thanks guys and thanks for making it available on Hulu. Much love, from a viewer who was left changed for the better.

"A paralyzed African-American scientist builds a powerful exo-skeleton in order to walk again, and uses his new abilities to fight crime." OK, for starters; this intro rocks!

I loved that dreamy concept. Can you see the brilliant metaphor here? That paralyzed man is just you and me in front of many ugly crimes in our worlds. And now, this show just gives him, and us, the opportunity to get up, leave the chair, and be the hero who saves the city from its evils.

It managed to be peculiar. From the main character as paralyzed, to being an African-American, all wasn't familiar. For a disabled superhero, I can't remember but (Dare Devil). And for a black superhero, in the American TV, I can't remember any!

Further, unlike other shows, and naturally after the generation's hit; (The X-Files), this show was stylish and dark. It differs than many of the action shows where usual is all the style you can get. And it had such a dark sense that lead actor (Carl Lumbly)'s sullen performance got matched with perfectly.

(Lumbly), as Dr. (Miles Hawkins), owned the screen. He was charismatic and unforgettable. I thought he saw the character as someone who has great pain and bitterness, yet conceals that whenever he's the staid Dr. (Hawkins), but when he gets to be the hero, that inner suppressed rage comes out. So sorry that he couldn't be a lead of an action show again, just a supporting role in (Alias) years later.

I won't forget the moment in which the title character answers the question of "Who are you?" for the first time. He said in the most macho, cool and serious way ever: "You can call me.. The Mantis." WAW. It's real inspiring, because when I wrote my own superhero comic series, back in 2012; I put in the very first episode a similar line, but it went like this: "You can call me.. Bakir 1.".

At one of the 1990s years, I don't remember which, I used to watch it everyday at 8: PM, on the second channel of our national TV. Then one day, it vanished from the screen, and I didn't get to watch it again. Well, sure it got canceled pretty early. I don't know the reason yet (they didn't like its title?!). But I do feel rage when, at the same year, another show begin to never stop.. entitled (Friends). You can guess who were the persons that I wished for the mantis to destroy for years and years later!

Anyhow, you have to love (M.A.N.T.I.S.), and be sad for it too. It is one of 1994 most ambitious, entertaining, and unfortunate TV shows.

After watching the first ep of Black Lightning on the CW I checked out it IMDB page and it lead me to this show that I never heard of. I tracked it down and watched it and who for a show so old it blow Black Lightning out of the water, this is the hero we need on the CW. This show was so much stronger, the actors were better and even for a cheesy superhero show from the 90's made some of the newer shows look like crap. If you like Black Lightning you will love this, and if you don't you still might as the show is put together so much better.