Mutant X (TV series)

Mutant X is a science fiction television series that debuted in first-run syndication on October 6, 2001. The show was created by Avi Arad, and it centers on Mutant X, a team of "New Mutants" who possess extraordinary powers as a result of genetic engineering. The members of Mutant X were used as test subjects in a series of covert government experiments. The mission of Mutant X is to seek out and protect their fellow New Mutants. The series was filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Mutant X
GenreScience fiction
Superhero
Action
Adventure
Created byAvi Arad
Starring
Country of originCanada
United States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes66 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Running time44 minutes
Production companiesFireworks Entertainment
Marvel Studios
Global Television Network
DistributorTribune Entertainment
Release
Original networkSyndicated
Original releaseOctober 6, 2001 (2001-10-06) –
May 17, 2004 (2004-05-17)

The series was abruptly cancelled in 2004 after the dismantling of Fireworks Entertainment, one of the show's production companies, ending the show with an unresolved cliffhanger.[1]

Characters

Main
  • Jesse Kilmartin (Forbes March) can alter the density of his body at will. Kilmartin is the only known New Mutant to have surpassed his "expiration date." As a Molecular New Mutant, he can become intangible, or super-dense, making him nearly impervious to harm. He can only maintain these forms for as long as he can hold his breath, and is able to extend his powers to people or objects through physical contact. He serves as the technology and computer expert of the team.
  • Shalimar Fox (Victoria Pratt) is a recombination of human and animal DNA – a Feline Feral – giving her great strength and agility, healing ability, and superhuman senses. After further mutation, she develops a sixth sense which allows her to anticipate incoming danger to herself. Adam found her starving and frightened in a sleazy motel. Like all Feline Ferals, Shalimar is extremely territorial, has a heightened fear of fire, and is immune to hypnosis.
  • Emma DeLauro (Lauren Lee Smith) is a Tele-Empath who can sense, project and manipulate the emotions of those around her. She has limited precognition, and also has the ability to induce hallucinations into the minds of others by drawing upon their own emotions. Emma later developed the power to project blasts of pure psychic energy which she uses to knock her opponents unconscious, alter and erase memories, and even kill. Before Adam Kane found her, DeLauro sold clothes and used her control of emotions to become a successful businesswoman. Initially resistant to joining Mutant X, she eventually developed an attachment to Brennan Mulwray. DeLauro was killed in an explosion at Naxcon Corporation Industries (Nicholas Fox's company). (seasons 1–2)
  • Brennan Mulwray (Victor Webster) is an Elemental Electrical with the ability to generate electricity, enough to power a small city. He can shoot electrical bolts from his hands which, if fired downward, are capable of launching him high into the air. His primary weakness is water, which causes him to short circuit. Before Adam Kane found Mulwray, he was a thief. Mason Eckhart captured him and used him to hunt down the other New Mutants. However, Mulwray escaped and managed to join Mutant X along with Emma DeLauro.
  • Adam Kane (John Shea) is the strategist and moral center of Mutant X. Head chief bio-geneticist of the scientific experiments that led to the creation of the New Mutants, Kane created Mutant X to atone for his mistakes. The group seeks to protect New Mutants and help them control their powers. Viewing the New Mutants as his responsibility, Kane is looking for treatments for their various conditions. To this end, Kane has stolen The Creator's database, which can be used to track other New Mutants. (seasons 1–2; recurring, season 3)
  • Lexa Pierce (Karen Cliche) was the first member added to the original Mutant X team. As a Chromatic Molecular, she can bend light to make herself and anything she is touching temporarily invisible. In addition, she can shoot beams of light from her fingertips and can project blinding flashes. She is searching for her long lost brother, and her methods and motives leave her untrusted by her teammates. (season 3)

Recurring
  • Mason Eckhart (Tom McCamus) is the former head of security of Genomex and the current head of the Genetic Security Agency (GSA). After an accident involving Adam and the production of the New Mutants, Eckhart's immune system has been severely weakened, forcing him to wear a white wig, synthetic skin, and thick gloves. He formed the GSA to protect the public from what he deemed as a threat from the New Mutants, capturing them to perform further genetic testing to find a "cure". He is put into stasis after being double crossed by one of his agents and Dr. Harrison, allowing Ashlocke to rise to power. Some time before the season 2 finale, he has escaped his imprisonment and convinced Shalimar's father to fund his research to cure himself, but he is ultimately killed by Brennan.
  • Dr. Kenneth Harrison (Andrew Gillies) is a biogeneticist working for Tricorp Botanicals, and a former employee of Genomex. Eckhart seeks him out to produce a mind-controlling toxin from the plants he studies so he can create New Mutants under his own control. He continues to work with the GSA, but ultimately double-crosses Eckhart to allow Ashlocke to take control of Genomex.
  • Gabriel Ashlocke (Michael Easton) is "Patient Zero" of the New Mutants. He possesses the abilities of all known kinds of New Mutants, particularly the Mutant X team. In the past, Adam was hired by Genomex to attempt to hamper the young Ashlocke's powers and psychopathy, but he failed to prevent the boy from killing his parents in a powerful rage and only damaged the young boy's genome. To prevent his death, Ashlocke was put in stasis, only to be freed by a member of the GSA to usurp Eckhart's power. Ashlocke takes his revenge against Adam and Mutant X in his attempts to prevent his own death, but is ultimately unsuccessful. However, his loyal followers known as the Links used the genetic material of four similarly powered New Mutants, including Brennan, to produce a child that would effectively be Ashlocke's second coming. However, another New Mutant whose DNA was used to make this child took the boy into her own care to raise him to be a kind person instead of the monster Ashlocke turned out to be. (seasons 1–2)
  • Lexa's Dominion contact (George Buza) is the liaison between Lexa and the organization known as The Dominion, as she and the remaining Mutant X team work for The Dominion to solve New Mutant-related mysteries and crimes. (season 3)

Episodes
Main article: List of Mutant X episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
122October 6, 2001 (2001-10-06)July 6, 2002 (2002-07-06)
222October 5, 2002 (2002-10-05)May 12, 2003 (2003-05-12)
322September 29, 2003 (2003-09-29)May 17, 2004 (2004-05-17)

Home media

ADV Films released all three seasons on DVD in region 1 in 2004 and 2005. In late 2008, a complete series collection was scheduled to be released by ADV Films, but it was later cancelled.[2]

In 2008, Beyond Home Entertainment also re-released each season for region 4.[3]

In 2010, Alliance Home Entertainment re-released each season on DVD in Canada. Season 1 was released on August 31, 2010,[4] season 2 on September 28, 2010,[5] and season 3 on October 26, 2010.[6]

In region 2, Revelation Films released all three seasons individually on March 25, 2013. On June 20, 2016, they released a complete series set on DVD in the UK.[7] On October 24, 2016, Revelation Films released a region free complete series Blu-ray set.[8]

Lionsgate Home Entertainment released the complete series on DVD on February 26, 2019.[9]

Comic book tie-in

In May 2002, Marvel Comics released a tie-in comic called Mutant X: Origin, which chronicled the early life of Adam Kane. In the story, Adam and a friend Paul did research on the DNA of the mustard plant in college that drew the attention of the U.S. government, who offered them the Genomex company to work on a cure to genetic diseases. During this story, Eckhart is exposed to radiation, which leads to his vulnerability to diseases.

Lawsuits

On April 15, 2001, 20th Century Fox sued Marvel, Tribune Entertainment, and Fireworks Entertainment for breach of their licensing agreement and false advertisement. Fox stated it had exclusive rights from Marvel to develop the X-Men property, and anything similar was an infringement. Fox claimed that Mutant X was too similar to X-Men, and Mutant X was being advertised as an "X-Men replacement."[10]

Marvel countersued Fox, saying that the two were dissimilar and asking the courts to allow Mutant X production to go forward. Production was allowed, as long as X-Men material was not used in the promotion of Mutant X.[11]

On March 9, 2003, Fox and Marvel resolved their differences in a confidential settlement of their suits. Meanwhile, Fox continued to pursue their case against Tribune and Fireworks. Tribune sued Marvel for fraud and breach of contract, claiming Marvel encouraged Tribune to connect Mutant X to the X-Men, misrepresented what they were getting in their license, and caused millions in losses due to the need to alter storylines and characters to ensure the mandated distance between Mutant X and X-Men, as well as fighting Fox's litigation.[12] In November 2005, the dispute was settled in private.

References
  1. "Mutant X, Andromeda Cancelled". IGN. Ziff Davis. April 26, 2004. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  2. "DVD Release Canceled for Mutant X - The Complete Collection". TVShowsOnDVD.com. September 6, 2008. Archived from the original on July 12, 2010. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
  3. "Mutant X". Beyond Home Entertainment. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  4. "Mutant X - Season 1 Coming to Canada". TVShowsOnDVD.com. June 30, 2010. Archived from the original on July 2, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  5. "Mutant X - Season 2 Date, Cost for Canadian DVD Release". TVShowsOnDVD.com. July 15, 2010. Archived from the original on July 19, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
  6. "Mutant X - The 3rd and Last Season of the Show Based on Marvel's Comics Comes Back to DVD". TVShowsOnDVD.com. August 19, 2010. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2010.
  7. "Mutant X The Complete Seasons 1-3 [DVD]". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  8. "Mutant X - The Complete Collection [Blu-ray] [ALL REGIONS]". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  9. Mutant X: Ssn 1-3 Collection. ASIN 6317642133.CS1 maint: ASIN uses ISBN (link)
  10. "277 F3d 253 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation v. Marvel Enterprises Inc Tribune Entertainment Company Fireworks Communications Inc Fireworks Television Inc". Open Jurist. October 10, 2001. Retrieved February 21, 2010.
  11. "Marvel, Fox Settle Over 'X-Men'". Huron Daily Tribune. March 3, 2003. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  12. "Mutant X Suit Settled". ICv2. GCO. March 4, 2003. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
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