I ragazzi del computer

I loved this show when it came out. I also got all the computer mags back then. Wired, 99'er (I had the TI-99 4/A computer), Compute, Family Computing, etc... I had over 800 computer mags from back then that I lost recently in a flood. :( This show is available if you just look. Youtube has some eps, but you can find the entire series (only one season) on torrent sites if you look hard enough.

I agree with the comment, that the show started to NOT be as good once they were 'employed.' Yes, just like the hardy boys shows...

This series is worth seeing again. It is a fun show. REALLY brings back memories.. Directly because of this show, my best friend and I started our own computer company writing software for the TI and then the Amiga computers... We won the 3rd party game of the year in 84 for the TI. We were between junior and senior year of high school.. There is a REM line in the game that makes a reference to Whiz Kids...

Go find the show, and enjoy!!!!

Hello,

I've been following the discussion with interest - Whiz Kids was my favourite show on British TV when I was growing up. This and Tron left a big impression!

Just a quick note: the music isn't Rossini, it's adapted from Mozart's 'Elvira Madigan' (Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major). It's an amalgam of highlights from Part I of the concerto.

My favourite theme of all time :)

I do love Whiz Kids. I wish they'd release the DVD already!

• Dave

Search for "Whiz Kids" on YouTube.com and you'll find 8 full episodes (broken into 5 parts each). Don't know if they've entered the public domain or if the powers that be haven't found them yet.

Seeing this show brought back some great memories. This show also cemented my computer interest and headed me towards to a Computer Science degree for me as well.

Yeah it's cheesy but very little of what was being described in the show was possible in the early to mid 80's. Today it's pretty common place and the security is nearly as bad.

I'd love to see this come out on DVD. I'd like to have a decent quality copy.

The problem wasn't with O'Herlihy (it never is), it was his character. Prior to his coming on, the show was an entertaining adventure about a quartet of junior crimefighting computer experts that was every bit as much fun as Philip DeGuere's other then-current show "Simon & Simon" (Jeffrey and company even joined forces with A.J. Simon in one episode) - it was closer in tone to "WarGames" than "Scooby-Doo," which was fine with me even then; it also had some good writing to boot, such as one episode ending with their teacher informing the class that even though the FBI had commended them for their work that week, she was still going to punish the boys (the token female had done the homework) for not doing an assignment!

Unfortunately, when they were recruited to work for O'Herlihy's organisation (in secret of course), the thrill of their being freelancers was gone. It was the same mistake made when the Hardy Boys (Stevenson and Cassidy version) were taken on by the Justice Department - they went from playing outside the system to being part of it, and the show was never the same. But it was fun while it lasted...

Another reviewer mentions having trouble following the show because it kept being preempted and moved around.

Considering the flack this got for having teenage hackers doing whatever they wanted, I suspect the network either intentionally sank it or at least didn't seem to mind doing things that would harm any new show.

It's basically Wargames for TV. It leans more into fantasy at times, but much of the hacking shown was reasonably accurate.