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* DeadpanSnarker: Austin is often this, and it soon rubs off on Mickey, particularly when she's dealing with Austin.
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* SubliminalAdvertising: The "mystery" in "Quit-It" is that a young girl gets hold of her salesman's father's subliminal advertising tapes, and uses them on all of the adults in the neighborhood.
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* DeadpanSnarker: Austin is often this, and it soon rubs off on Mickey, particularly when she's dealing with Austin.
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* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Austin is typically a sarcastic misanthrope, but occasionally shows a softer side, and Mickey seems to accept that.
-->'''Mickey:''' I'm sure falling in love is not on your list of scientific priorities.
-->'''Austin:''' I spent ten years designing a prosthetic device so that people without legs could walk. Maybe you and I just don't have the same definition of "love"
-->'''Mickey:''' I'm sure falling in love is not on your list of scientific priorities.
-->'''Austin:''' I spent ten years designing a prosthetic device so that people without legs could walk. Maybe you and I just don't have the same definition of "love"
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** In "Metamorphic Anthropoid Prototype Over You", Mickey is jealous of Austin's groupie.
-->'''Mickey:''' I think she may want to tap more than your brain.
-->'''Mickey:''' I think she may want to tap more than your brain.
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* {{Hologram}}: The murderer uses these in "Now You See It", concealing the Emitter in modern pieces of metal sculpture. They are a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volumetric_display volumetric display,]] rather than a "true" hologram.
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** In "Quit-It", a young girl uses Austin and Mickey to fall for each other. At the end, Austin uses subliminals to make Mickey fall for him. She gets over it.
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** In "Quit-It", a young girl uses subliminals to make Austin and Mickey to fall for each other. At the end, Austin uses subliminals to make Mickey fall for him. She gets over it.
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* SubliminalAdvertising: The "mystery" in "Quit-It" is that a young girl gets hold of her salesman's father's subliminal advertising tapes, and uses them on all of the adults in the neighborhood.
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** In "Quit-It", Austin uses subliminals to make Mickey fall for him. She gets over it.
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** In "Quit-It", a young girl uses Austin and Mickey to fall for each other. At the end, Austin uses subliminals to make Mickey fall for him. She gets over it.
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** In "Quit-It", Austin uses subliminals to temporarily make Mickey fall for him. She gets over it.
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** In "Quit-It", Austin uses subliminals to temporarily make Mickey fall for him. She gets over it.
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* WillTheyOrWontThey: Once the relationship between Austin and Mickey stabilizes, the writers often toy with this.
** Austin undermines Mickey's date, by doing a projection of how the man will look in the future. Afterward, he admits to himself that he included car crash results.
** In "Quit-It", Austin uses subliminals to temporarily make Mickey fall for him. She gets over it.
** Austin undermines Mickey's date, by doing a projection of how the man will look in the future. Afterward, he admits to himself that he included car crash results.
** In "Quit-It", Austin uses subliminals to temporarily make Mickey fall for him. She gets over it.
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** The episode aired as a single 90-minute episode when it originally premiered.
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* InsufferableGenius: Austin James, from this short-lived '80s sci-fi mystery show, is the smartest man on the planet. And he never lets you forget it. Ever.
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* InsufferableGenius: Austin James, from this short-lived '80s sci-fi mystery show, is the smartest man on the planet. And he never lets you forget it. Ever.
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YMMV
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* TooGoodToLast: The pilot episode aired the same day as the start of [[UsefulNotes/TVStrikes the 1988 writer's strike]]. It managed to limp on for a few more weeks, but ''Probe'' was killed off, despite having Creator/IsaacAsimov's notoriety and fanbase to support it.
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[[quoteright:251:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/probe.jpg]]
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Not to be confused with the direct-to-video Creator/BBVProductions film series ''P.R.O.B.E.'', based on ''Series/DoctorWho'' in 1994.
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Not to be confused with the direct-to-video Creator/BBVProductions film series ''P.''[[Series/BBVProbe P.R.O.B.E.'', ]]'', based on ''Series/DoctorWho'' in 1994.
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* BluffingTheImposter:
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* BluffingTheImposter:BluffTheImpostor:
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-->'''Michelle Castle:''' Why do you enjoy tormenting people so much?
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-->'''Michelle Castle:''' Why do you enjoy tormenting people so much?much?\\
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''Probe'' was a short-lived television series that aired on Creator/{{ABC}} Television in 1988. Co-created by famed sci-fi writer Creator/IsaacAsimov, it starred Parker Stevenson as Austin James, a misanthropic genius who ran his own high-tech consulting firm. With the help of his wide-eyed secretary Mickey Castle (Ashley Crow), Austin would use his scientific expertise to solve baffling crimes as a modern-day version of Franchise/SherlockHolmes. As expected, the show featured heavy doses of scientific knowledge and logical reasoning, and may have contributed to the series' demise.
The show originally premiered as a two-hour pilot, with six one-hour episodes afterward, before a writer's strike came along and ended the series.
Not to be confused with direct-to-video ''Series/DoctorWho'' spinoff ''P.R.O.B.E.''
The show originally premiered as a two-hour pilot, with six one-hour episodes afterward, before a writer's strike came along and ended the series.
Not to be confused with direct-to-video ''Series/DoctorWho'' spinoff ''P.R.O.B.E.''
to:
First published in 1988, created by Creator/IsaacAsimov and Creator/MichaelWagner for {{Creator/ABC}} Television. An AmateurSleuth series drawing upon the usual [[BunnyEarsLawyer quirky detective]] and [[TheWatson clueless assistant]] dynamic.
Austin James (Creator/ParkerStevenson) is [[IntelligenceEqualsIsolation a reclusive genius]] and President of Serendip, a high-tech consulting firm he founded. However, he's too irritated by average people to come up with solutions for them and instead [[MadScientist conducts random experiments]] in his [[MadScientistLaboratory warehouse full of devices]] (most of which he appears to have designed on his own) ForScience
Michelle Castle (Creator/AshleyCrow), also known as Mickey, is his BeleagueredAssistant. Serendip hired her to be Austin's secretary and uses her to get Austin involved in things outside of his warehouse, like his job. Conventionally intelligent, she's the latest in a line of secretaries sent to Austin by the CEO of Serendip.
Together, [[TheyFightCrime these two encounter out-of-control experiments, supernatural events, and mysterious deaths]]. As you might expect, ''Probe''was a short-lived television series that aired on Creator/{{ABC}} Television in 1988. Co-created by famed sci-fi writer Creator/IsaacAsimov, it starred Parker Stevenson as Austin James, a misanthropic genius who ran his own high-tech consulting firm. With the help of his wide-eyed secretary Mickey Castle (Ashley Crow), Austin would use his scientific expertise to solve baffling crimes as a modern-day version of Franchise/SherlockHolmes. As expected, the show featured features heavy doses of scientific knowledge and logical reasoning, and may have contributed but was [[ShortRunners cut short]] due to [[UsefulNotes/TVStrikes the series' demise.
The show originally premiered as a two-hour pilot, with six one-hour episodes afterward, before a1988 writer's strike came along and ended the series.
strike]].
Not to be confused with the direct-to-video''Series/DoctorWho'' spinoff Creator/BBVProductions film series ''P.R.O.B.E.'''', based on ''Series/DoctorWho'' in 1994.
Austin James (Creator/ParkerStevenson) is [[IntelligenceEqualsIsolation a reclusive genius]] and President of Serendip, a high-tech consulting firm he founded. However, he's too irritated by average people to come up with solutions for them and instead [[MadScientist conducts random experiments]] in his [[MadScientistLaboratory warehouse full of devices]] (most of which he appears to have designed on his own) ForScience
Michelle Castle (Creator/AshleyCrow), also known as Mickey, is his BeleagueredAssistant. Serendip hired her to be Austin's secretary and uses her to get Austin involved in things outside of his warehouse, like his job. Conventionally intelligent, she's the latest in a line of secretaries sent to Austin by the CEO of Serendip.
Together, [[TheyFightCrime these two encounter out-of-control experiments, supernatural events, and mysterious deaths]]. As you might expect, ''Probe''
The show originally premiered as a two-hour pilot, with six one-hour episodes afterward, before a
Not to be confused with the direct-to-video
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!!''Probe'' featured the following tropes:
* BatDeduction: In the pilot Austin deduces a number of things about Mickey that he fails to provide his reasoning behind, such as how he knows about her allergy to chocolate.
* BrutalHonesty: One of Austin's quirks.
* CloudCuckoolander: Austin comes across like this fairly frequently.
* CuteButCacophonic: Mickey's voice may have also contributed to the show's short run.
* EightiesHair: Both leads have this going on. Austin's designer mullet and Mickey's post-dryer frizz with bangs.
* ElevatorFailure: in episode "Now You See It...", two businessmen fall to their deaths in elevator shafts. It turns out [[spoiler:the culprit tampered the elevators to stop the cabs in the wrong floor, and used [[{{hologram}} holographic projectors]] to make his victims believe the cabs were there.]]
* EurekaMoment: Usually triggered by a seemingly innocuous comment from Mickey.
* ForScience: Austin's primary motive.
* FramingTheGuiltyParty: A category 3, by an ''orangutan'' -- an extremely smart orangutan that has been taught to communicate via sign language, and educated itself by watching TV. When it kills someone, it plants evidence that points to itself as the guilty party, because in the TV shows it watched, the obvious suspect that everyone thinks did it at first, is always found innocent.
* TheGadfly: One of Austin's ways of amusing himself, such as tricking Mickey into believing that he had a lie-detecting plant.
* GeniusCripple: John Blane, Austin's only friend and creator of Crossover.
* IHaveMyWays: In one episode, the BigBad has Austin isolated from his friends, taunting him through a radio implant. Suddenly, the friends break in on the frequency:
-->'''Villain:''' Who is this?!\\
'''Mickey:''' Probe Control.\\
'''Villain:''' How did you find me?\\
'''Mickey:''' We have our ways.
* InfraredXrayCamera: Done in one episode with a piece of AppliedPhlebotinum which could, among other things, see a lock mechanism inside its metal casing.
* InstantAIJustAddWater: The pilot episode, "Computer Logic", had a classic "newly-sentient computer goes on rampage" episode that ended with Austin demolishing said machine with a sledgehammer while shouting [[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey "Sing 'Daisy'!"]]
* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation: Read misanthropic.
* AnOddPlaceToSleep: Austin James sleeps in a cupboard; he explains this because he wanted a sensory deprivation tank when he was young, but couldn't afford one. By the time the series starts, he can afford as many as he likes, but he's gotten used to cupboards.
* OmnidisciplinaryScientist: Austin's job as it is.
* OnlySmartPeopleMayPass: Played with in the pilot episode. The door of Austin's private workspace is secured by an electronic lock which issues a challenge that appears to be testing the visitor's intelligence but is actually designed to be impossible to solve; although there is a response that will unlock the door, its exact form can't be arrived at by logic or any other systematic process. [[spoiler:Mickey gets through by sheer luck; confronted with a puzzle she barely understands and has no idea how to solve, she mutters a dejected remark--which happens to be the required pass phrase.]]
-->'''Austin James''': There once was a poet named Gunderson, whose rhymes were exceedingly cumbersome. With each botched refrain, his complaint was the same, Blah, blah... blah, blah... blah, blah, blah! You have ten seconds to give me the last line to get in. Otherwise, go away.\\
'''Michelle Castle''': [[spoiler:...How do I get into these situations?]]\\
''(door opens)''\\
'''Austin James''': How did you get in here?\\
'''Michelle Castle''': Me? I... uh, I finished the limerick at the door...\\
'''Austin James''': That's impossible! Nobody can finish it. It's too idiosyncratic. It doesn't even rhyme! I made it to keep people out!
* PhotographicMemory
* SassySecretary / GirlFriday: Mickey's job.
* ScoobyDooHoax: A regular staple of the series, wherein someone approaches Austin with apparently supernatural events, only to have them debunked by Austin in the climax.
* BatDeduction: In the pilot Austin deduces a number of things about Mickey that he fails to provide his reasoning behind, such as how he knows about her allergy to chocolate.
* BrutalHonesty: One of Austin's quirks.
* CloudCuckoolander: Austin comes across like this fairly frequently.
* CuteButCacophonic: Mickey's voice may have also contributed to the show's short run.
* EightiesHair: Both leads have this going on. Austin's designer mullet and Mickey's post-dryer frizz with bangs.
* ElevatorFailure: in episode "Now You See It...", two businessmen fall to their deaths in elevator shafts. It turns out [[spoiler:the culprit tampered the elevators to stop the cabs in the wrong floor, and used [[{{hologram}} holographic projectors]] to make his victims believe the cabs were there.]]
* EurekaMoment: Usually triggered by a seemingly innocuous comment from Mickey.
* ForScience: Austin's primary motive.
* FramingTheGuiltyParty: A category 3, by an ''orangutan'' -- an extremely smart orangutan that has been taught to communicate via sign language, and educated itself by watching TV. When it kills someone, it plants evidence that points to itself as the guilty party, because in the TV shows it watched, the obvious suspect that everyone thinks did it at first, is always found innocent.
* TheGadfly: One of Austin's ways of amusing himself, such as tricking Mickey into believing that he had a lie-detecting plant.
* GeniusCripple: John Blane, Austin's only friend and creator of Crossover.
* IHaveMyWays: In one episode, the BigBad has Austin isolated from his friends, taunting him through a radio implant. Suddenly, the friends break in on the frequency:
-->'''Villain:''' Who is this?!\\
'''Mickey:''' Probe Control.\\
'''Villain:''' How did you find me?\\
'''Mickey:''' We have our ways.
* InfraredXrayCamera: Done in one episode with a piece of AppliedPhlebotinum which could, among other things, see a lock mechanism inside its metal casing.
* InstantAIJustAddWater: The pilot episode, "Computer Logic", had a classic "newly-sentient computer goes on rampage" episode that ended with Austin demolishing said machine with a sledgehammer while shouting [[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey "Sing 'Daisy'!"]]
* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation: Read misanthropic.
* AnOddPlaceToSleep: Austin James sleeps in a cupboard; he explains this because he wanted a sensory deprivation tank when he was young, but couldn't afford one. By the time the series starts, he can afford as many as he likes, but he's gotten used to cupboards.
* OmnidisciplinaryScientist: Austin's job as it is.
* OnlySmartPeopleMayPass: Played with in the pilot episode. The door of Austin's private workspace is secured by an electronic lock which issues a challenge that appears to be testing the visitor's intelligence but is actually designed to be impossible to solve; although there is a response that will unlock the door, its exact form can't be arrived at by logic or any other systematic process. [[spoiler:Mickey gets through by sheer luck; confronted with a puzzle she barely understands and has no idea how to solve, she mutters a dejected remark--which happens to be the required pass phrase.]]
-->'''Austin James''': There once was a poet named Gunderson, whose rhymes were exceedingly cumbersome. With each botched refrain, his complaint was the same, Blah, blah... blah, blah... blah, blah, blah! You have ten seconds to give me the last line to get in. Otherwise, go away.\\
'''Michelle Castle''': [[spoiler:...How do I get into these situations?]]\\
''(door opens)''\\
'''Austin James''': How did you get in here?\\
'''Michelle Castle''': Me? I... uh, I finished the limerick at the door...\\
'''Austin James''': That's impossible! Nobody can finish it. It's too idiosyncratic. It doesn't even rhyme! I made it to keep people out!
* PhotographicMemory
* SassySecretary / GirlFriday: Mickey's job.
* ScoobyDooHoax: A regular staple of the series, wherein someone approaches Austin with apparently supernatural events, only to have them debunked by Austin in the climax.
to:
!!''Probe'' featured provides examples of the following tropes:
tropes:
*BatDeduction: In EightiesHair: Austin's designer mullet and Mickey's post-dryer frizz with bangs are classic examples of the contemporary styles for men and women of the 1980s.
* AffectionateNickname:
** Austin calls Michelle Castle "Mickey".
** Michelle (in private) calls Austin James "Jimmy".
* AmateurSleuth: Austin James is constantly trying to learn what he doesn't already know. This includes discovering how various people [[AlwaysMurder are murdered]]. The first episode establishes him to have a good working relationship with the police coroner, but his actual job is President of Serendip (which he hates and actively avoids so he can do scientific experiments instead). Michelle Castle [[WelcomeEpisode is hired to be his secretary]] and she [[GirlFriday helps him solve each episode's mystery]].
* AlwaysMurder: While Austin is fascinated with a diverse array of interesting topics, the plot of the episode always revolves around at least one murder. Because the pilot episode is a two-parter, it has two murder mysteries to solve.
* BluffingTheImposter:
** [[Recap/ProbeBlackCatsDontWalkUnderLaddersDoThey "Black Cats Don't Walk Under Ladders (Do They?)"]]: During TheSummation, Austindeduces a number uses the killer's own knowledge against them, causing them to believe that they've been affected by the same [[TamperingWithFoodAndDrink poisoned tea]] that was used to kill Marty Corrigan. He has to do it because until the killer confessed, he wasn't sure which of things about the suspects had done it.
** [[Recap/ProbeNowYouSeeIt "Now You See It...."]]: At the climax of the episode, Austin James has recreated the murder method that was used to kill the previous two businessmen. He confronts his prime suspect with the situation (which includes an [[ElevatorFailure empty elevator shaft]] covered by a {{Hologram}}) and tricks him into confessing. The murderer does, but then tosses Austin down the empty shaft. Serendip's CEO and several police come out from around corners to arrest him. (Austin is fine, having [[InsufferableGenius anticipated this]], lying safely on a crash cushion.)
** [[Recap/ProbePlan10FromOuterSpace "Plan 10 from Outer Space"]]: Because he didn't have any evidence to determine if Trish or Helga committed the murder, Austin has to trick the murderer into confessing, by using the victim's sunglasses, which he says created a photonegative when the victim was electrified. When the murderer sees herself on the wall, she immediately starts trying to defend herself.
* BeleagueredAssistant: Mickey is hired at Serendip to be Austin's assistant. He really doesn't want one, and tries to chase her off like he's done to the previous secretaries sent to him by the CEO. Note that Austin is founder and President of the company; Mickey finds herself in the unenviable position where if she doesn't make Austin happy, he will fire her, and if she doesn't make Austin do at least some work for the company, the CEO will fire her. She slowly grows out of this role, becoming more confident in her ability to get productivity from Austin and keep him engaged in interesting experiments.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: Austin is a genius, holding enough patents and royalties from his inventions that hefails founded Serendip without any investment help. He's also socially awkward, callous, and, by self-admission, mildly schizophrenic. It becomes Mickey's job to provide [[GirlFriday manage Austin's quirks so that he remains a net benefit to his reasoning behind, such as how own company]].
* DaintyLittleBalletDancers: One of Michelle's childhood photos shown in the TitleMontage depicts her in ballet clothes, practicing. It's a [[MotherNatureFatherScience feminine contrast to Austin's mechanical masculinity]].
* EurekaMoment:
** "[[Recap/ProbeComputerLogic Computer Logic]]": When Mickey tells Austin that the broken rose petal reminds her of a piece of glass, he finally makes the connection to what happened; this episode's death was caused by liquid nitrogen.
** "[[Recap/ProbeComputerLogicPart2 Computer Logic, Part 2]]": Michelle tells Austin to think about who can dial a phone, but doesn't like to talk, and knowsabout her allergy to chocolate.
* BrutalHonesty: Oneall of Austin's quirks.
* CloudCuckoolander:unlisted telephone numbers. He immediately realizes that the mysterious figure who has been prank calling him and causing the mysterious electrical behaviour must be Crossover, the {{AI}}.
** "[[Recap/ProbeUntouchedByHumanHands Untouched by Human Hands]]": When Mickey points out that Austin can't be aware when every acorn falls, he thinks of tea. That chain of random thoughts helps him realize that there was something wrong with the tea in the radiation lab. The glass of tea in the video was full, but they sent the robot in when it was half-empty.
** "[[Recap/ProbeMetamorphicAnthropoidicPrototypeOverYou Metamorphic Anthropoidic Prototype Over You]]": While decoding Josephine's writings, Austin realizes that she thinks [[GenreSavvy all of reality is just like on television]]. Her morality is based on things like {{Soap Opera}}s, where [[spoiler:killing romantic rivals is acceptable behaviour]]. He immediately calls Mickey and tells her to lock down the warehouse for her protection.
** "[[Recap/ProbePlan10FromOuterSpace Plan 10 from Outer Space]]": Reading the letter from [[LightningCanDoAnything the lightning rod company]] helps Austin figure out what really happened to Truman. He tells Mickey to get the other two characters and he's going to show them who "[[ImaginaryEnemy Rexel 14]]" and the murderer really are.
%%** "[[Recap/ProbeQuitIt Quit-It]]":
* FirstNameBasis: Before the end of the first episode, Austin and Michelle are familiar enough with each other that they use first names and [[AffectionateNickname nicknames]].
* ForScience: Austin is often more interested in the pursuit of scientific research instead of whatever other demands on his time are being made, demands like running his company, socializing, or paying bills.
* TheGadfly: Austin's [[IntelligenceEqualsIsolation intelligence and self-diagnosed schizophrenia cause him problems when it comesacross like to relating with other people]]. Because of this, he intentionally provokes responses from people with a disrespectful attitude to amuse himself and [[PerpSweating get answers]] to his questions. People in the scientific field tend to admire him, while his business contacts tend to hate him.
-->'''Michelle Castle:''' Why do you enjoy tormenting people so much?
'''Austin James:''' Because when I torment them, I get what I need. Answers! It's nothing personal.
* GirlFriday: Michelle Castle was hired by Serendip to be Austin's secretary. She manages his appointments, provides [[RomanticismVersusEnlightenment a different point of view]] (often leading to a EurekaMoment), and things Austin can't begin to describe.
* InsufferableGenius: Austin James, from thisfairly frequently.
* CuteButCacophonic: Mickey's voice may have also contributed toshort-lived '80s sci-fi mystery show, is the show's short run.smartest man on the planet. And he never lets you forget it. Ever.
* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation: Austin hates being around other people, finding them to be irritants and distractions from his pursuit of more knowledge. Except Mickey, whom he [[MotherNatureFatherScience respects]] despite not being as knowledgeable.
*EightiesHair: Both leads have this going on. Austin's designer mullet and Mickey's post-dryer frizz with bangs.
* ElevatorFailure: in episode "Now You See It...", two businessmen fall to their deaths in elevator shafts. It turns out [[spoiler:the culprit tamperedMirroredConfrontationShot: At the elevators to stop end of the cabs in the wrong floor, and used [[{{hologram}} holographic projectors]] to make his victims believe the cabs were there.]]
* EurekaMoment: Usually triggered by a seemingly innocuous comment from Mickey.
* ForScience: Austin's primary motive.
* FramingTheGuiltyParty: A category 3, by an ''orangutan'' -- an extremely smart orangutan that has been taught to communicate via sign language, and educated itself by watching TV. When it kills someone, it plants evidence that points to itself as the guilty party, because in the TV shows it watched, the obvious suspect that everyone thinks did it at first, is always found innocent.
* TheGadfly: One of Austin's ways of amusing himself, such as tricking Mickey into believing that he had a lie-detecting plant.
* GeniusCripple: John Blane, Austin's only friend and creator of Crossover.
* IHaveMyWays: In one episode, the BigBad hasTitleMontage, Austin isolated from his friends, taunting him through and Michelle are looking at each other across a radio implant. Suddenly, the friends break in table while a glass (half-full or half-empty?) with water sits between them.
* MotherNatureFatherScience: Michelle is a secretary whose scientific education is rather low, and would insist on some answers [[StrawmanEmotional only being felt]], rather than relying on thefrequency:
-->'''Villain:''' Whoscientific method of recording and replication. Her {{Foil}} is this?!\\
'''Mickey:''' Probe Control.\\
'''Villain:''' How did you find me?\\
'''Mickey:''' We have our ways.
* InfraredXrayCamera: Done in one episode withAustin James, a piece genius who gets excited when he doesn't know the answer and believes that observation and replication will provide the answer to all of AppliedPhlebotinum which could, among other things, see a lock mechanism inside its metal casing.
life's mysteries.
*InstantAIJustAddWater: MultiPartEpisode: The pilot episode, [[{{Premiere}} first episode]] is titled "[[Recap/ProbeComputerLogic Computer Logic]]", while the [[Recap/ProbeComputerLogicPart2 second episode]] (initially airing immediately after the first) is titled "Computer Logic", had Logic [-Part 2-]". In order to have [[AlwaysMurder a classic "newly-sentient computer goes on rampage" episode that ended with murder solved in each episode]], the first part has a subplot about a woman who supposedly died of exposure solved by Austin demolishing said machine with a sledgehammer while shouting [[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey "Sing 'Daisy'!"]]
* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation: Read misanthropic.
* AnOddPlaceToSleep: Austin James sleeps in a cupboard; he explains this because he wanted a sensory deprivation tank when he was young, but couldn't afford one. Bybefore the time end of the series starts, he can afford as many as he likes, but he's gotten used to cupboards.
first hour.
* OmnidisciplinaryScientist:Austin's job as it is.
* OnlySmartPeopleMayPass: Played with in the pilot episode. The door of Austin's private workspaceAustin is secured by an electronic lock which issues a challenge that appears to be testing the visitor's intelligence but is actually designed to be impossible to solve; although there is a response that will unlock the door, its exact form can't be arrived at by logic or any other systematic process. [[spoiler:Mickey gets through by sheer luck; confronted familiar with a puzzle she barely understands wide variety of scientific fields of study. He demonstrates computer programming skills several times, is interested in neurological [[UpliftedAnimal uplift]] programs, and has no idea how tries to solve, she mutters a dejected remark--which happens to be the required pass phrase.]]
-->'''Austin James''': There once was a poet named Gunderson, whose rhymes were exceedingly cumbersome. With each botched refrain,solve mysteries in his complaint was the same, Blah, blah... blah, blah... blah, blah, blah! You spare time.
* OneWordTitle
* OncePerEpisode: Every episode, Austin will solve a [[AlwaysMurder murder mystery]].
* PhotographicMemory: Austin claims to haveten seconds to give me the last line ability to get in. Otherwise, go away.\\
'''Michelle Castle''': [[spoiler:...How do I get into these situations?]]\\
''(door opens)''\\
'''Austin James''': How did you get in here?\\
'''Michelle Castle''': Me? I... uh, I finishedrecall everything perfectly, an aspect of his high intelligence. Mickey is pissed when she finds out because he's been having her write down everything that's been said (for no purpose, since he remembers it perfectly). When it's brought up again later, he claims to have been certified by the limerick at government for having a recall that is five times more effective than the door...\\
'''Austin James''': That's impossible! Nobody can finish it.best computerized directory.
* RobotMe: The TitleMontage includes a picture of a young Austin between two [[TinCanRobot blocky robots with flexitubes for arms]] that are made to resemble a man and woman. It'stoo idiosyncratic. It doesn't even rhyme! I made it to keep signed with love from his parents. Michelle finds this photo in the {{Premiere}} while Austin is taking a nap.
* RomanticismVersusEnlightenment: Austin James gets aggressive when he hears peopleout!
* PhotographicMemory
* SassySecretary / GirlFriday: Mickey's job.
* ScoobyDooHoax: A regular staplearound him repeating pseudo-scientific claims and trans-dimensional mumbo-jumbo. Unfortunately for him, his secretary Michelle Castle has almost no understanding of current scientific models or the series, wherein scientific process. They conflict over this issue several times during the {{Premiere}}, but have a much more settled relationship for subsequent episodes. Austin remains an Enlightenment supporter and Michelle is more into Romanticism.
* SassySecretary: Michelle has no problems talking back to her boss Austin (it helps that her initial contact was coloured by the fact that the Director who hired her said she wasn't to let Austin fire her, so she had to come up with a few creative excuses why he had to let her follow him). Midway through the series they're more respectful to one another, but the first episode has them yelling at each other fairly often.
* ScoobyDooHoax:
** "[[Recap/ProbeBlackCatsDontWalkUnderLaddersDoThey Black Cats Don't Walk Under Ladders (Do They?)]]": Austin, along with several other scientists, have been invited to be on the ShowWithinAShow, ''The Marty Corrigan Show'' while [[WitchClassic local witch]], Sabrina Stillwater, tries to hex the host. They're supposed to be debunking her "magic", but when [[FatalMethodActing the host actually dies after she casts the hex]], Austin and Mickey being to look for evidence to prove [[MurderMystery who really killed Corrigan]].
** "[[Recap/ProbePlan10FromOuterSpace Plan 10 from Outer Space]]": Austin has been called to [[ClosedCircle a mansion in the desert of New Mexico]]. The mansion's owner, Truman, claims that [[ImaginaryEnemy an alien is trying to kill him]]. Unfortunately, Truman dies before Austin can prove him wrong (because someoneapproaches else killed him). Austin with apparently supernatural events, only has to have them debunked by explain who killed Truman and what Rexel 14 [[LightningCanDoAnything really is]].
* SmartHouse: Austinin has wired up his workshop/warehouse with the climax.ability to respond to complex voice-activated commands, but not quite [[SapientHouse autonomous responsiveness]]. He uses it to answer the phone, play music, and do intensive research.
*
* AffectionateNickname:
** Austin calls Michelle Castle "Mickey".
** Michelle (in private) calls Austin James "Jimmy".
* AmateurSleuth: Austin James is constantly trying to learn what he doesn't already know. This includes discovering how various people [[AlwaysMurder are murdered]]. The first episode establishes him to have a good working relationship with the police coroner, but his actual job is President of Serendip (which he hates and actively avoids so he can do scientific experiments instead). Michelle Castle [[WelcomeEpisode is hired to be his secretary]] and she [[GirlFriday helps him solve each episode's mystery]].
* AlwaysMurder: While Austin is fascinated with a diverse array of interesting topics, the plot of the episode always revolves around at least one murder. Because the pilot episode is a two-parter, it has two murder mysteries to solve.
* BluffingTheImposter:
** [[Recap/ProbeBlackCatsDontWalkUnderLaddersDoThey "Black Cats Don't Walk Under Ladders (Do They?)"]]: During TheSummation, Austin
** [[Recap/ProbeNowYouSeeIt "Now You See It...."]]: At the climax of the episode, Austin James has recreated the murder method that was used to kill the previous two businessmen. He confronts his prime suspect with the situation (which includes an [[ElevatorFailure empty elevator shaft]] covered by a {{Hologram}}) and tricks him into confessing. The murderer does, but then tosses Austin down the empty shaft. Serendip's CEO and several police come out from around corners to arrest him. (Austin is fine, having [[InsufferableGenius anticipated this]], lying safely on a crash cushion.)
** [[Recap/ProbePlan10FromOuterSpace "Plan 10 from Outer Space"]]: Because he didn't have any evidence to determine if Trish or Helga committed the murder, Austin has to trick the murderer into confessing, by using the victim's sunglasses, which he says created a photonegative when the victim was electrified. When the murderer sees herself on the wall, she immediately starts trying to defend herself.
* BeleagueredAssistant: Mickey is hired at Serendip to be Austin's assistant. He really doesn't want one, and tries to chase her off like he's done to the previous secretaries sent to him by the CEO. Note that Austin is founder and President of the company; Mickey finds herself in the unenviable position where if she doesn't make Austin happy, he will fire her, and if she doesn't make Austin do at least some work for the company, the CEO will fire her. She slowly grows out of this role, becoming more confident in her ability to get productivity from Austin and keep him engaged in interesting experiments.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: Austin is a genius, holding enough patents and royalties from his inventions that he
* DaintyLittleBalletDancers: One of Michelle's childhood photos shown in the TitleMontage depicts her in ballet clothes, practicing. It's a [[MotherNatureFatherScience feminine contrast to Austin's mechanical masculinity]].
* EurekaMoment:
** "[[Recap/ProbeComputerLogic Computer Logic]]": When Mickey tells Austin that the broken rose petal reminds her of a piece of glass, he finally makes the connection to what happened; this episode's death was caused by liquid nitrogen.
** "[[Recap/ProbeComputerLogicPart2 Computer Logic, Part 2]]": Michelle tells Austin to think about who can dial a phone, but doesn't like to talk, and knows
* BrutalHonesty: One
* CloudCuckoolander:
** "[[Recap/ProbeUntouchedByHumanHands Untouched by Human Hands]]": When Mickey points out that Austin can't be aware when every acorn falls, he thinks of tea. That chain of random thoughts helps him realize that there was something wrong with the tea in the radiation lab. The glass of tea in the video was full, but they sent the robot in when it was half-empty.
** "[[Recap/ProbeMetamorphicAnthropoidicPrototypeOverYou Metamorphic Anthropoidic Prototype Over You]]": While decoding Josephine's writings, Austin realizes that she thinks [[GenreSavvy all of reality is just like on television]]. Her morality is based on things like {{Soap Opera}}s, where [[spoiler:killing romantic rivals is acceptable behaviour]]. He immediately calls Mickey and tells her to lock down the warehouse for her protection.
** "[[Recap/ProbePlan10FromOuterSpace Plan 10 from Outer Space]]": Reading the letter from [[LightningCanDoAnything the lightning rod company]] helps Austin figure out what really happened to Truman. He tells Mickey to get the other two characters and he's going to show them who "[[ImaginaryEnemy Rexel 14]]" and the murderer really are.
%%** "[[Recap/ProbeQuitIt Quit-It]]":
* FirstNameBasis: Before the end of the first episode, Austin and Michelle are familiar enough with each other that they use first names and [[AffectionateNickname nicknames]].
* ForScience: Austin is often more interested in the pursuit of scientific research instead of whatever other demands on his time are being made, demands like running his company, socializing, or paying bills.
* TheGadfly: Austin's [[IntelligenceEqualsIsolation intelligence and self-diagnosed schizophrenia cause him problems when it comes
-->'''Michelle Castle:''' Why do you enjoy tormenting people so much?
'''Austin James:''' Because when I torment them, I get what I need. Answers! It's nothing personal.
* GirlFriday: Michelle Castle was hired by Serendip to be Austin's secretary. She manages his appointments, provides [[RomanticismVersusEnlightenment a different point of view]] (often leading to a EurekaMoment), and things Austin can't begin to describe.
* InsufferableGenius: Austin James, from this
* CuteButCacophonic: Mickey's voice may have also contributed to
* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation: Austin hates being around other people, finding them to be irritants and distractions from his pursuit of more knowledge. Except Mickey, whom he [[MotherNatureFatherScience respects]] despite not being as knowledgeable.
*
* ElevatorFailure: in episode "Now You See It...", two businessmen fall to their deaths in elevator shafts. It turns out [[spoiler:the culprit tampered
* EurekaMoment: Usually triggered by a seemingly innocuous comment from Mickey.
* ForScience: Austin's primary motive.
* FramingTheGuiltyParty: A category 3, by an ''orangutan'' -- an extremely smart orangutan that has been taught to communicate via sign language, and educated itself by watching TV. When it kills someone, it plants evidence that points to itself as the guilty party, because in the TV shows it watched, the obvious suspect that everyone thinks did it at first, is always found innocent.
* TheGadfly: One of Austin's ways of amusing himself, such as tricking Mickey into believing that he had a lie-detecting plant.
* GeniusCripple: John Blane, Austin's only friend and creator of Crossover.
* IHaveMyWays: In one episode, the BigBad has
* MotherNatureFatherScience: Michelle is a secretary whose scientific education is rather low, and would insist on some answers [[StrawmanEmotional only being felt]], rather than relying on the
-->'''Villain:''' Who
'''Mickey:''' Probe Control.\\
'''Villain:''' How did you find me?\\
'''Mickey:''' We have our ways.
* InfraredXrayCamera: Done in one episode with
*
* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation: Read misanthropic.
* AnOddPlaceToSleep: Austin James sleeps in a cupboard; he explains this because he wanted a sensory deprivation tank when he was young, but couldn't afford one. By
* OmnidisciplinaryScientist:
* OnlySmartPeopleMayPass: Played with in the pilot episode. The door of Austin's private workspace
-->'''Austin James''': There once was a poet named Gunderson, whose rhymes were exceedingly cumbersome. With each botched refrain,
* OneWordTitle
* OncePerEpisode: Every episode, Austin will solve a [[AlwaysMurder murder mystery]].
* PhotographicMemory: Austin claims to have
'''Michelle Castle''': [[spoiler:...How do I get into these situations?]]\\
''(door opens)''\\
'''Austin James''': How did you get in here?\\
'''Michelle Castle''': Me? I... uh, I finished
'''Austin James''': That's impossible! Nobody can finish it.
* RobotMe: The TitleMontage includes a picture of a young Austin between two [[TinCanRobot blocky robots with flexitubes for arms]] that are made to resemble a man and woman. It's
* RomanticismVersusEnlightenment: Austin James gets aggressive when he hears people
* PhotographicMemory
* SassySecretary / GirlFriday: Mickey's job.
* ScoobyDooHoax: A regular staple
* SassySecretary: Michelle has no problems talking back to her boss Austin (it helps that her initial contact was coloured by the fact that the Director who hired her said she wasn't to let Austin fire her, so she had to come up with a few creative excuses why he had to let her follow him). Midway through the series they're more respectful to one another, but the first episode has them yelling at each other fairly often.
* ScoobyDooHoax:
** "[[Recap/ProbeBlackCatsDontWalkUnderLaddersDoThey Black Cats Don't Walk Under Ladders (Do They?)]]": Austin, along with several other scientists, have been invited to be on the ShowWithinAShow, ''The Marty Corrigan Show'' while [[WitchClassic local witch]], Sabrina Stillwater, tries to hex the host. They're supposed to be debunking her "magic", but when [[FatalMethodActing the host actually dies after she casts the hex]], Austin and Mickey being to look for evidence to prove [[MurderMystery who really killed Corrigan]].
** "[[Recap/ProbePlan10FromOuterSpace Plan 10 from Outer Space]]": Austin has been called to [[ClosedCircle a mansion in the desert of New Mexico]]. The mansion's owner, Truman, claims that [[ImaginaryEnemy an alien is trying to kill him]]. Unfortunately, Truman dies before Austin can prove him wrong (because someone
* SmartHouse: Austin
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* SpyCam: Austin had various surveillance bugs concealed on his person, including a camera on one of his shirt buttons.
* StalkerWithACrush: In one episode, Austin is pursued by a stalker who murders one woman and tries to murder another she sees as an obstacle to her obsession with Austin. The twist? [[spoiler:The stalker is a mentally enhanced orangutan.]]
* TheWatson: Mickey's true role in the narrative. She asks questions. More questions than Theatre/{{Hamlet}}.
* StalkerWithACrush: In one episode, Austin is pursued by a stalker who murders one woman and tries to murder another she sees as an obstacle to her obsession with Austin. The twist? [[spoiler:The stalker is a mentally enhanced orangutan.]]
* TheWatson: Mickey's true role in the narrative. She asks questions. More questions than Theatre/{{Hamlet}}.
to:
* SpyCam: Austin had various surveillance bugs concealed on his person, including TheTeaser: Each episode starts with a camera on one {{Montage}} of his shirt buttons.
* StalkerWithACrush: In oneclips from later in the episode. They're selected from the most action-packed scenes for the episode, but the first part of the {{Premiere}} used completely unique footage, with a DramaticChaseOpening to establish a mysterious person is able to HackTheTrafficLights and indirectly kill people.
* TitleMontage: Black-and-white photos from Austin's and Michelle's childhoods are presented in {{Montage}} form, interspersed with brief colour videos from the episodes. Halfway through the opening, the black-and-white photos change to be about the two of them as they are now. The opening ends with [[MirroredConfrontationShot Austinis pursued by a stalker who murders one woman and tries to murder another she sees as an obstacle to her obsession Michelle looking at each other across a table]] while a glass (half-full or half-empty?) with Austin. water sits between them.
* TooGoodToLast: Thetwist? [[spoiler:The stalker is pilot episode aired the same day as the start of [[UsefulNotes/TVStrikes the 1988 writer's strike]]. It managed to limp on for a mentally enhanced orangutan.]]
few more weeks, but ''Probe'' was killed off, despite having Creator/IsaacAsimov's notoriety and fanbase to support it.
* TheWatson: Mickey'strue primary role in the narrative. She asks questions. More narrative is to ask questions than Theatre/{{Hamlet}}.from Austin and others so that the audience is aware of the clues.
* StalkerWithACrush: In one
* TitleMontage: Black-and-white photos from Austin's and Michelle's childhoods are presented in {{Montage}} form, interspersed with brief colour videos from the episodes. Halfway through the opening, the black-and-white photos change to be about the two of them as they are now. The opening ends with [[MirroredConfrontationShot Austin
* TooGoodToLast: The
* TheWatson: Mickey's
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* ElevatorFailure: in episode "Now You See It...", two businessmen fall to their deaths in elevator shafts. It turns out [[spoiler:the culprit tampered the elevators to stop the cabs in the wrong floor, and used [[{{hologram}} holographic projectors]] to make his victims believe the cabs were there.]]
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* GeniusCripple: John Blane, Austin's only friend and creator of Crosswire.
to:
* GeniusCripple: John Blane, Austin's only friend and creator of Crosswire.Crossover.
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* InstantAIJustAddWater: The pilot episode, "Computer Logic", had a classic "newly-sentient computer goes on rampage" episode that ended with Austin demolishing said machine with a fire axe while shouting [[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey "Sing 'Daisy'!"]]
to:
* InstantAIJustAddWater: The pilot episode, "Computer Logic", had a classic "newly-sentient computer goes on rampage" episode that ended with Austin demolishing said machine with a fire axe sledgehammer while shouting [[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey "Sing 'Daisy'!"]]
-->'''Austin James''': There once was a poet named Gunderson, whose rhymes were exceedingly cumbersome. With each botched refrain, his complaint was the same, Blah, blah... blah, blah... blah, blah, blah! You have ten seconds to give me the last line to get in. Otherwise, go away.\\
'''Michelle Castle''': [[spoiler:...How do I get into these situations?]]\\
''(door opens)''\\
'''Austin James''': How did you get in here?\\
'''Michelle Castle''': Me? I... uh, I finished the limerick at the door...\\
'''Austin James''': That's impossible! Nobody can finish it. It's too idiosyncratic. It doesn't even rhyme! I made it to keep people out!
'''Michelle Castle''': [[spoiler:...How do I get into these situations?]]\\
''(door opens)''\\
'''Austin James''': How did you get in here?\\
'''Michelle Castle''': Me? I... uh, I finished the limerick at the door...\\
'''Austin James''': That's impossible! Nobody can finish it. It's too idiosyncratic. It doesn't even rhyme! I made it to keep people out!
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* SmartPeoplePlayChess: One of Austin's childhood photos shown in the title sequence depicts him taking part in a chess competition against several much older players.
to:
* SmartPeoplePlayChess: One of Austin's childhood photos shown in the title sequence depicts him taking part in a chess competition against several much older players. ''At the same time.''
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* OnlySmartPeopleMayPass: Played with in the pilot episode. The door of Austin's private workspace is secured by an electronic lock which issues a challenge that appears to be testing the visitor's intelligence but is actually designed to be impossible to solve; although there is a response that will unlock the door, its exact form can't be arrived at by logic or any other systematic process. [[spoiler:Mickey gets through by sheer luck; confronted with a puzzle she barely understands and has no idea how to solve, she mutters a dejected remark--which happens to be the required pass phrase.]]
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* SmartPeoplePlayChess: One of Austin's childhood photos shown in the title sequence depicts him taking part in a chess competition against several much older players.
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Short Runners is an index, not a trope
Deleted line(s) 34 (click to see context) :
* ShortRunners
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''Probe'' was a short-lived television series that aired on Creator/{{ABC}} Television in 1988. Co-created by famed sci-fi writer Creator/IsaacAsimov, it starred Parker Stevenson as Austin James, a misanthropic genius who ran his own high-tech consulting firm. With the help of his wide-eyed secretary Mickey Castle (Ashley Crow), Austin would use his scientific expertise to solve baffling crimes as a modern-day version of SherlockHolmes. As expected, the show featured heavy doses of scientific knowledge and logical reasoning, and may have contributed to the series' demise.
to:
''Probe'' was a short-lived television series that aired on Creator/{{ABC}} Television in 1988. Co-created by famed sci-fi writer Creator/IsaacAsimov, it starred Parker Stevenson as Austin James, a misanthropic genius who ran his own high-tech consulting firm. With the help of his wide-eyed secretary Mickey Castle (Ashley Crow), Austin would use his scientific expertise to solve baffling crimes as a modern-day version of SherlockHolmes.Franchise/SherlockHolmes. As expected, the show featured heavy doses of scientific knowledge and logical reasoning, and may have contributed to the series' demise.
Changed line(s) 18 (click to see context) from:
* FramingTheGuiltyParty: A category 3, by an ''orangutan:'' An extremely smart orangutan that has been taught to communicate via sign language, and educated itself by watching TV. When it kills someone, it plants evidence that points to itself as the guilty party, because in the TV shows it watched, the obvious suspect that everyone thinks did it at first, is always found innocent.
to:
* FramingTheGuiltyParty: A category 3, by an ''orangutan:'' An ''orangutan'' -- an extremely smart orangutan that has been taught to communicate via sign language, and educated itself by watching TV. When it kills someone, it plants evidence that points to itself as the guilty party, because in the TV shows it watched, the obvious suspect that everyone thinks did it at first, is always found innocent.
Changed line(s) 22,25 (click to see context) from:
-->'''Villain:''' "Who is this?!"
-->'''Mickey:''' "Probe Control."
-->'''Villain:''' "How did you find me?"
-->'''Mickey:''' "We have our ways."
-->'''Mickey:''' "Probe Control."
-->'''Villain:''' "How did you find me?"
-->'''Mickey:''' "We have our ways."
to:
-->'''Villain:''' "Who Who is this?!"
-->'''Mickey:''' "Probethis?!\\
'''Mickey:''' Probe Control."
-->'''Villain:''' "How\\
'''Villain:''' How did you findme?"
-->'''Mickey:''' "Weme?\\
'''Mickey:''' We have our ways."
-->'''Mickey:''' "Probe
'''Mickey:''' Probe Control.
-->'''Villain:''' "How
'''Villain:''' How did you find
-->'''Mickey:''' "We
'''Mickey:''' We have our ways.
Changed line(s) 27 (click to see context) from:
* InstantAIJustAddWater: The pilot episode, "Computer Logic," had a classic "newly-sentient computer goes on rampage" episode that ended with Austin demolishing said machine with a fire axe while shouting [[TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey "Sing 'Daisy'!"]]
to:
* InstantAIJustAddWater: The pilot episode, "Computer Logic," Logic", had a classic "newly-sentient computer goes on rampage" episode that ended with Austin demolishing said machine with a fire axe while shouting [[TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey [[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey "Sing 'Daisy'!"]]
Changed line(s) 37 (click to see context) from:
* TheWatson: Mickey's true role in the narrative. She asks questions. More questions than {{Hamlet}}.
to:
* TheWatson: Mickey's true role in the narrative. She asks questions. More questions than {{Hamlet}}.Theatre/{{Hamlet}}.
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* SpyCam: Austin had various surveillance bugs concealed on his person, including a camera on one of his shirt buttons.
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* FramingTheGuiltyParty: A category 3, by an ''orangutan:'' An extremely smart gorilla that has been taught to communicate via sign language, and educated itself by watching TV. When it kills someone, it plants evidence that points to itself as the guilty party, because in the TV shows it watched, the obvious suspect that everyone thinks did it at first, is always found innocent.
to:
* FramingTheGuiltyParty: A category 3, by an ''orangutan:'' An extremely smart gorilla orangutan that has been taught to communicate via sign language, and educated itself by watching TV. When it kills someone, it plants evidence that points to itself as the guilty party, because in the TV shows it watched, the obvious suspect that everyone thinks did it at first, is always found innocent.
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Wrong ape
Changed line(s) 18 (click to see context) from:
* FramingTheGuiltyParty: A category 3, by a ''gorilla:'' An extremely smart gorilla that has been taught to communicate via sign language, and educated itself by watching TV. When it kills someone, it plants evidence that points to itself as the guilty party, because in the TV shows it watched, the obvious suspect that everyone thinks did it at first, is always found innocent.
to:
* FramingTheGuiltyParty: A category 3, by a ''gorilla:'' an ''orangutan:'' An extremely smart gorilla that has been taught to communicate via sign language, and educated itself by watching TV. When it kills someone, it plants evidence that points to itself as the guilty party, because in the TV shows it watched, the obvious suspect that everyone thinks did it at first, is always found innocent.
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''Probe'' was a short-lived television series that aired on Creator/{{ABC}} Television in 1988. Co-created by famed sci-fi writer Creator/IsaacAsimov, it starred Parker Stevenson as Austin James, a misanthropic genius who ran his own high-tech consulting firm. With the help of his wide-eyed secretary Mickey Castle (Ashley Crow), Austin would use his scientific expertise to solve baffling crimes as a modern-day version of SherlockHolmes. As expected, the show featured heavy doses of scientific knowledge and logical reasoning, and [[ViewersAreMorons may have contributed to the series' demise]].
to:
''Probe'' was a short-lived television series that aired on Creator/{{ABC}} Television in 1988. Co-created by famed sci-fi writer Creator/IsaacAsimov, it starred Parker Stevenson as Austin James, a misanthropic genius who ran his own high-tech consulting firm. With the help of his wide-eyed secretary Mickey Castle (Ashley Crow), Austin would use his scientific expertise to solve baffling crimes as a modern-day version of SherlockHolmes. As expected, the show featured heavy doses of scientific knowledge and logical reasoning, and [[ViewersAreMorons may have contributed to the series' demise]].
demise.
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->'''Mickey:''' "What the hell kind of place is this?"
* CloudCuckoolander: Austin comes across like this fairly frequently.
Changed line(s) 12 (click to see context) from:
* EightiesHair: Both leads have this going on. Austin's designer mullet and Mickey's post drier frizz with bangs.
to:
* EightiesHair: Both leads have this going on. Austin's designer mullet and Mickey's post drier post-dryer frizz with bangs.
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* TheGadfly: One of Austin's ways of amusing himself, such as tricking Mickey into believing that he had a lie-detecting plant.
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no self-links please
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''{{Probe}}'' was a short-lived television series that aired on Creator/{{ABC}} Television in 1988. Co-created by famed sci-fi writer Creator/IsaacAsimov, it starred Parker Stevenson as Austin James, a misanthropic genius who ran his own high-tech consulting firm. With the help of his wide-eyed secretary Mickey Castle (Ashley Crow), Austin would use his scientific expertise to solve baffling crimes as a modern-day version of SherlockHolmes. As expected, the show featured heavy doses of scientific knowledge and logical reasoning, and [[ViewersAreMorons may have contributed to the series' demise]].
to:
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!!''{{Probe}}'' featured the following tropes:
to:
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moved to namespace
Added DiffLines:
''{{Probe}}'' was a short-lived television series that aired on Creator/{{ABC}} Television in 1988. Co-created by famed sci-fi writer Creator/IsaacAsimov, it starred Parker Stevenson as Austin James, a misanthropic genius who ran his own high-tech consulting firm. With the help of his wide-eyed secretary Mickey Castle (Ashley Crow), Austin would use his scientific expertise to solve baffling crimes as a modern-day version of SherlockHolmes. As expected, the show featured heavy doses of scientific knowledge and logical reasoning, and [[ViewersAreMorons may have contributed to the series' demise]].
The show originally premiered as a two-hour pilot, with six one-hour episodes afterward, before a writer's strike came along and ended the series.
Not to be confused with direct-to-video ''Series/DoctorWho'' spinoff ''P.R.O.B.E.''
----
!!''{{Probe}}'' featured the following tropes:
* BatDeduction: In the pilot Austin deduces a number of things about Mickey that he fails to provide his reasoning behind, such as how he knows about her allergy to chocolate.
* BrutalHonesty: One of Austin's quirks.
* CuteButCacophonic: Mickey's voice may have also contributed to the show's short run.
* EightiesHair: Both leads have this going on. Austin's designer mullet and Mickey's post drier frizz with bangs.
* EurekaMoment: Usually triggered by a seemingly innocuous comment from Mickey.
* ForScience: Austin's primary motive.
* FramingTheGuiltyParty: A category 3, by a ''gorilla:'' An extremely smart gorilla that has been taught to communicate via sign language, and educated itself by watching TV. When it kills someone, it plants evidence that points to itself as the guilty party, because in the TV shows it watched, the obvious suspect that everyone thinks did it at first, is always found innocent.
* GeniusCripple: John Blane, Austin's only friend and creator of Crosswire.
* IHaveMyWays: In one episode, the BigBad has Austin isolated from his friends, taunting him through a radio implant. Suddenly, the friends break in on the frequency:
-->'''Villain:''' "Who is this?!"
-->'''Mickey:''' "Probe Control."
-->'''Villain:''' "How did you find me?"
-->'''Mickey:''' "We have our ways."
* InfraredXrayCamera: Done in one episode with a piece of AppliedPhlebotinum which could, among other things, see a lock mechanism inside its metal casing.
* InstantAIJustAddWater: The pilot episode, "Computer Logic," had a classic "newly-sentient computer goes on rampage" episode that ended with Austin demolishing said machine with a fire axe while shouting [[TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey "Sing 'Daisy'!"]]
* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation: Read misanthropic.
* AnOddPlaceToSleep: Austin James sleeps in a cupboard; he explains this because he wanted a sensory deprivation tank when he was young, but couldn't afford one. By the time the series starts, he can afford as many as he likes, but he's gotten used to cupboards.
* OmnidisciplinaryScientist: Austin's job as it is.
* PhotographicMemory
* SassySecretary / GirlFriday: Mickey's job.
* ScoobyDooHoax: A regular staple of the series, wherein someone approaches Austin with apparently supernatural events, only to have them debunked by Austin in the climax.
* ShortRunners
* StalkerWithACrush: In one episode, Austin is pursued by a stalker who murders one woman and tries to murder another she sees as an obstacle to her obsession with Austin. The twist? [[spoiler:The stalker is a mentally enhanced orangutan.]]
* TheWatson: Mickey's true role in the narrative. She asks questions. More questions than {{Hamlet}}.
----
The show originally premiered as a two-hour pilot, with six one-hour episodes afterward, before a writer's strike came along and ended the series.
Not to be confused with direct-to-video ''Series/DoctorWho'' spinoff ''P.R.O.B.E.''
----
!!''{{Probe}}'' featured the following tropes:
* BatDeduction: In the pilot Austin deduces a number of things about Mickey that he fails to provide his reasoning behind, such as how he knows about her allergy to chocolate.
* BrutalHonesty: One of Austin's quirks.
* CuteButCacophonic: Mickey's voice may have also contributed to the show's short run.
* EightiesHair: Both leads have this going on. Austin's designer mullet and Mickey's post drier frizz with bangs.
* EurekaMoment: Usually triggered by a seemingly innocuous comment from Mickey.
* ForScience: Austin's primary motive.
* FramingTheGuiltyParty: A category 3, by a ''gorilla:'' An extremely smart gorilla that has been taught to communicate via sign language, and educated itself by watching TV. When it kills someone, it plants evidence that points to itself as the guilty party, because in the TV shows it watched, the obvious suspect that everyone thinks did it at first, is always found innocent.
* GeniusCripple: John Blane, Austin's only friend and creator of Crosswire.
* IHaveMyWays: In one episode, the BigBad has Austin isolated from his friends, taunting him through a radio implant. Suddenly, the friends break in on the frequency:
-->'''Villain:''' "Who is this?!"
-->'''Mickey:''' "Probe Control."
-->'''Villain:''' "How did you find me?"
-->'''Mickey:''' "We have our ways."
* InfraredXrayCamera: Done in one episode with a piece of AppliedPhlebotinum which could, among other things, see a lock mechanism inside its metal casing.
* InstantAIJustAddWater: The pilot episode, "Computer Logic," had a classic "newly-sentient computer goes on rampage" episode that ended with Austin demolishing said machine with a fire axe while shouting [[TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey "Sing 'Daisy'!"]]
* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation: Read misanthropic.
* AnOddPlaceToSleep: Austin James sleeps in a cupboard; he explains this because he wanted a sensory deprivation tank when he was young, but couldn't afford one. By the time the series starts, he can afford as many as he likes, but he's gotten used to cupboards.
* OmnidisciplinaryScientist: Austin's job as it is.
* PhotographicMemory
* SassySecretary / GirlFriday: Mickey's job.
* ScoobyDooHoax: A regular staple of the series, wherein someone approaches Austin with apparently supernatural events, only to have them debunked by Austin in the climax.
* ShortRunners
* StalkerWithACrush: In one episode, Austin is pursued by a stalker who murders one woman and tries to murder another she sees as an obstacle to her obsession with Austin. The twist? [[spoiler:The stalker is a mentally enhanced orangutan.]]
* TheWatson: Mickey's true role in the narrative. She asks questions. More questions than {{Hamlet}}.
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