In 1990 Warner Brothers and Pet Fly Productions, the creators of Viper and The Sentinel, developed the Human Target franchise into a one hour crime drama along the lines of A-Team and Mission Impossible. Airing on ABC, the show starred former pop star Rick Springfield as Christopher Chance.

The original pilot cast another rock and roll legend, Clarence Clemons from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and well known actress Frances Fisher. When the production was delayed the series was recast with Signy Coleman who starred as Libby Page an ex-CIA agent who helped Chance coordinate his missions. Clemons was replaced by Sami Chester who starred as Jeff Carlyle Chance's pilot, cook and confidant. And lastly, Kirk Baltz starred as Philo Marsden the computer wiz who helped Chance create is high tech disguises.

In 1991 to prepare for the show's release a 48 page one-shot was released titled, "The Human Target Special #1" Written by Mark Verheiden, with artwork by Rick Burchett and Dick Giordano the cover advertised "Coming soon to ABC-TV"

After a delay, the TV series minus the original pilot was finally aired in the summer of 1992. Sadly ratings were poor, due much in part to the show's airing in a competing time slot to the Olympics.¹

1. Pilot

Synopsis

First aired: July 20,1992
Writer: Danny Bilson, Paul DeMeo
Director: Max Tash
Producer: Michael O. Gallant
Supervising Producer: Dan Kurt
Guest stars: Scott Paulin (Jay Palmer), Kathryn Dowling (Margaret Palmer), Luke Edwards (Sam), Vito D'ambrosio, Richard Belzer (Greene), Sara Rose Johnson, Eloy Casados, Gregg Daniel, Ricardo Gutierrez, Nick Angotti.

A construction company owner enlists Chance's help when one too many on the job accidents have him fearing someone is trying to kill him. But Jay Palmer has not told Chance the whole truth.

2. Second Chance

First aired: July 25, 1992
Writer: Rick Nathan
Director: Mario Azzopardi
Guest stars: Tim Kelleher, Felton Perry, Bibi Beech (Dr. Elaine Cosgrove), David Carradine (Harry Solow), R. Lee Ermey (General Ferris), Felton Perry (Col Riggins), Kenneth Tigar (Russ Tabler)

An American general is targeted in an assassination attempt and barley escapes with his life, his loyal aide is not so lucky. Shaken, the general calls in the Human Target who soon learns his mentor, played by David Carradine, is the would-be assassin.

3. Designed by Chance

First aired: August 1, 1992
Writer: Kevin Droney
Director: Danny Bilson
Guest stars: Amber Van Lent, Vanessa Arevalo, John Wesley Shipp (Garner St. John), Leslie Bevis (Rita), Christopher Neame (Deguerre), Borovnisa Blervague (Rochelle), Steve Franken (Quentin Firth)

Chance takes the place of a fashion designer Garner St. John, John Wesley Shipp of Dawson's Creek fame, placing himself in mortal danger while his client attempts to rekindle a romance with Libby, Chance's CIA trained operative, and lure her back to the life of fashion.

4. Mirror Image

First aired: August 8, 1992
Writer: Thania St. John
Director: Bruce Bilson
Supervising Producer: Don Kurt
Guest stars: David Clennon (Dr. Michaelson), Matt Landers (Detective Franco), Matt Levin (Kevin), Yvette Nipar (Alena), Pierre Epstein (Dr. Langford) Steve Rankin (Harper)

Chance takes the place of a psychiatrist who believes one of his patients is trying to kill him, but while probing the troubled minds of Dr. Michaelson's patents Chance finds that everything is not always as it appears.

5. Cool Hand Chance

First aired: August 15, 1992
Writer: Stephen Hattman, Scott Richardson, Rick Natkin
Director: Bill Corcoran
Guest stars: James T. Morris, Tom Dahlgren, Jimmie F. Skaggs, Ben Mittleman, Tom Simmons, Billy "Sly" Williams, Thomas Ryan, Eileen Seeley

An innocent man goes to jail when a judge is bribed to see an act of self defense as murder. To clear the mans name Chance must take the his place behind bars and lure out the inside man trying to do him in.

6. Going Home

First aired: August 22. 1992
Writer: William A. Schwartz, Don Carlos Dunaway
Director: Mario Azzopardi
Guest stars: Charles Hayward, Katie Mitchell, Charles Noland, Michael Bofshever

Chance gets the chance to reconcile with his father when he takes the place of a judge and long time friend of the family whose life is being threatened by an unknown assailant.

7. Chances Are

First aired: August 29, 1992
Writer: Howard Chaykin, John Francis Moore
Director: Danny Bilson
Guest stars: Joseph Carberry, Michael Harris, Peter Allas, Jackie Millnes, Mike Genovese, George Chakiris, Lisa Zane

Chance finds himself falling for a TV journalist whose life is being threatened by a mysterious group she has been attempting to expose.

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Footnotes