The only bad thing about this is that it changed so drastically the next season. In spite of this being listed separate from the later seasons, it has the same car and characters (although Joe and Julian didn't return until season 4.) But this first one was the best and most unique. While I loved Westlake being added in later seasons, I'm sorry the show in later seasons lost the 'rogue' edge it had and that so many characters vanished. I liked the way it was developing and always felt Joe was (as Frankie put it) part of the Defender. Just as the car went from ordinary Viper to Defender, Joe was a guy from the wild side that no one would've suspected had a 'defender' mode. I liked how the team had their independence but were gradually gradually able to work with the law but not UNDER anyone's authority. I am really thrilled its finally on DVD. It had a nice mix of sci fi, mystery, action and...that rogue element that just made it unique. Shame on NBC for letting it go!

The show should have had lots of potential and that show was originally broadcast on NBC. As the show had a much darker wit and a much darker view on crime. As it shows in the future. For it also had a much better cast and better writing than the syndication version that was to come in two years.James McCaffrey is the only original driver as a former criminal turned cop. Dorian Harewood is the wheelchair bound inventor. Who originally created it. Joe Napote is the comic relief liaison who will help both characters out as vigilantes.As the team steal the Viper after law enforcement turn them down. In their own private war on crime. NBC just never gives shows like those a chance. But then again never does any other network!

In the future when the police are out gunned, out manned and out run, there's one last hope . . . VIPER. A high tech futuristic crime fighting vehicle with extraordinary weapons, the VIPER has an array of hidden weapons and also has some nifty tools to help solve that crime problem. The driver Joe Astor was a reformed criminal, originally named "Michael Payton," he was attached to a gang known as "the outfit". The creator of this illustrious crime fighting vehicle is a paralyzed man named Julian Wilkes. Having trouble finding a driver Wilkes found out that a man accepted the position as the VIPER's Co-Pilot. Astor got cocky one night and jumped a curb and kissed a wall. Later became the driver of the VIPER.

Okay, so the morphing effect was kinda cool. But what was the point, plotwise? Was the Viper supposed to be a kind of "superhero car" complete with a secret identity?? It's been a while, but I remember at least one pursuit scene where the Viper was in "plain clothes" and then Joe had to morph it just to use the Acme Stop-That-Car Device (tm). Which btw was pretty cool too...