Distant Signals
Mr. Smith (Lenny Von Dohlen), a mysterious and stoic individual, approaches Hollywood TV executive Gil Hurn (David Margulies) and his agent Lew Feldman (Joseph Bova) with a peculiar offer: write and direct the final episodes of failed 60s TV show Max Paradise. Though Gil complains that Max Paradise was a disaster waiting to happen, Smith and his "backers" offer him gold bars to pay for production, which they insist be recreated to the letter, complete with getting the title character's now-alcoholic actor Van Conway (Darren McGavin) out of retirement. Unknown to Gil, Van, and the others, Mr. Smith comes from a star that received TV signals from Earth 20 years after they were broadcast, and Max Paradise is huge on his homeworld.
Tropes:
- Aliens Steal Cable: Mr. Smith's people are followers of canceled TV show Max Paradise, which they've just received on their homeworld through 20-year-old broadcasts beamed from Earth. They love it so much that they're willing to do anything to get a resolution to the story.
- Amnesiac Hero: Max Paradise is said to have a fractured memory at some point in the series, turning him into a wanderer determined for revenge against Loomis for killing Amy.
- Bait-and-Switch: The opening act ends with Mr. Smith confirming that Max Paradise star Van Conway is dead. After the break, we see the washed-up Van in his apartment, declaring his old self dead.
- Breather Episode: The episode is a rather touching outing that concerns a mysterious investor, revealed to be an alien, getting the director of the unpopular and unfinished Max Paradise to film the final episodes, providing very little in the means of conflict.
- Briefcase Full of Money: Mr. Smith shows off a briefcase filled with gold bars (worth $35,000) to persuade Gil's agent Lew into scheduling a meeting with him. He also promises Gil additional gold, up to $2 million, to finish the series.
- Broken Ace: Van Conway, leading man of Max Paradise in the 60s, is now a washed-up bartender suffering from chronic alcoholism.
- Chromosome Casting: The only female character present is the one who plays Max Paradise's girlfriend Amy.
- Commonality Connection: As Van states in the closing exposition, Mr. Smith and his people inhabit a star with a wandering orbital path, and they adore the title character of Max Paradise because he's also a wanderer; someone they can empathize with and look up to.
- Cut Short: Max Paradise was canned before the final episodes were produced, and Mr. Smith comes to Gil because he and his people have only now gotten the broadcast waves of the show and demand a resolution.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: In case it wasn't obvious, the episode is an allegory for fandom, especially the fandoms who defend their favorite shows while everyone else hates them.
- Doing It for the Art: In-Universe. Under Mr. Smith's guidance, Gil finishes the final episodes of Max Paradise by remaking them just how he did 20 years ago, including using black and white footage shot on obsolete cameras.
- Gold Fever: Lew and Gil are overwhelmed by Mr. Smith paying them gold bars to respectively schedule a meeting and complete Max Paradise.
- Happy Ending: Mr. Smith and his people get the resolution to their favorite show like they've always wanted, Gil presumably gets paid gold bars, and Van breaks out of his alcoholic funk with a new appreciation for life.
- Human Aliens: Mr. Smith and his people inhabit a distant star in a constant wandering orbit, and they evidently have telepathic abilities.
- It Will Never Catch On: A big reason why Max Paradise went under was that private detective shows were seen as dated even back in the 60s.
- Lighter and Softer: The premise of this episode is that... an alien wants his homeworld's favorite TV show completed after it was Cut Short.
- Mr. Exposition: Van shares the truth about Mr. Smith and his people to Gil to give away the twist ending.
- No Antagonist: Mr. Smith just wants Gil to complete Max Paradise. Van poses the greatest challenge to the show's completion, but it's clear that his bitterness and opposition to the show's completion stem from his psychological problems, which are not his fault and are treated sympathetically.
- Self-Deprecation: In-Universe. Gil thinks that Max Paradise was a dumpster fire of a TV show that deserves to be forgotten by time.
- Show Within a Show: Max Paradise, which has a huge fanbase on Mr. Smith's planet.
- The Stoic: Mr. Smith stays monotone during his meetings with Gil and the production crew. Despite this, he still expresses great joy in seeing Max Paradise's finale.
- Telepathic Spacemen: Mr. Smith and his people evidently have psychic abilities under their belts, as he's able to nullify the portion of Van's brain that drives him to drink, when he starts panicking and bolts during the script reading.
- That Man Is Dead: Van claims this about his old character Max Paradise, and by extension, himself.
- Title Drop: Van gives one in the ending narration.
- Touched by Vorlons: When Mr. Smith removes Van's alcoholism.
- Trauma Button: Van suffers from a chronic fear of going back on TV after Max Paradise was pulled. He undergoes a PTSD-driven episode during the script-reading of the new MP episodes, and storms off to drown his sorrows. He almost gives up on the revival until Mr. Smith psychically quells his turmoil.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Mr. Smith tells Van this when he talks to him in his apartment and the former studio where Max Paradise was filmed.
