Name: Deadly Games
Genre: Comedy, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Released: 1995-09-05
Rating: 8.3
Cast: Cynthia Gibb, Jim Calvert, Stephen Kay, Christopher Lloyd

Christopher Lloyd plays a pixelated villain who literally escaped your '95 PC. Camp gold.

Saturday Morning Fever DreamDIY Blockbuster EnergyTech Anxiety Before Tech

Latest Episode

45 min

Season 1 • Episode 13

Latest

The ex-Girlfriend

Jan 16, 1996

Peter plans on moving into Lauren's mother's guest-house. The university terminates Gus and Peter's grant. Belinda, the leather-clad dominatrix Ex-Girlfriend, wants revenge herself on The Cold-Steel Kid and all men. She can only be defeated by a golden bullet.

Overview

Comedy Action & Adventure Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Deadly Games is an American comedy action sci fi show that appeared on UPN as part of its 1995 season. The basic plot of the show is about video game characters that come to life, re-enacting their deadly plans for wanton destruction and world domination in the real world. The series was produced by Viacom Productions.

Content warning

villain saving the world virtual reality inventor video game trapped in a game gamer

Escapism vs RealityCreator ResponsibilityTechnology as MonsterNostalgia as Weapon

Standout Aspects

Acting

Christopher Lloyd committing to digital villainy like it's Shakespeare.

Practical Effects

Pre-CGI game effects that aged like milk in a sauna.

Writing

Meta-before-meta-was-cool premise executed with zero self-awareness.

Best for:Streaming·Background·Rewatch

Heads up:Violence

Creators

Anthony Spinner, Paul Bernbaum, S.S. Schweitzer

First AiredSep 5, 1995

StatusCanceled

Vibe

Pacefast

Intensitymedium

Tonelight

Feellight

Seasons1·Episodes13

Top Cast

Cynthia Gibb

Lauren Ashborne

Jim Calvert

Gus Lloyd

Stephen Kay

Peter Rucker

Christopher Lloyd

Sebastian Jackal

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

This was UPN's attempt to ride the 'video game panic' wave while Mortal Kombat dominated arcades. It lasted one season, as did most UPN experiments.

Cultural

Deadly Games arrived during peak 'computers will kill us' pop culture—between Lawnmower Man and Virtuosity, it was the bargain-bin entry in Hollywood's digital dread trilogy.