History Nanomachines / LiveActionTV

** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': When {{Nanomachines}} or "nanites" were first introduced, they wreaked havoc when accidentally allowed to interact with each other to form a HiveMind. Interesting to note, these were originally ''[[http://www.davekrieger.net/Waves/ dust mites]]''. Later the nanites were put forth as a possible way of combatting the Borg, though the process of destroying a Borg cube (estimated at about two weeks) would have taken too long to save the Federation. However, given the Borg's own mastery of nanotechnology as later seen in ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' and in ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. It probably wouldn't have been very effective anyway. The Borg use "nanoprobes" for assimilating other species into their collective hive environment: the nanoprobes are injected into the bodies of other species through tubules, where they begin to transform the foreign species into partially organic and partially machine beings.

** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': When {{Nanomachines}} or "nanites" were first introduced, they wreaked havoc when accidentally allowed to interact with each other to form a HiveMind. Interesting to note, these were originally ''[[http://www.davekrieger.net/Waves/ dust mites]]''. Later the nanites were put forth as a possible way of combating the Borg, though the process of destroying a Borg cube (estimated at about two weeks) would have taken too long to save the Federation. However, given the Borg's own mastery of nanotechnology as later seen in ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' and in ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. It probably wouldn't have been very effective anyway. The Borg use "nanoprobes" for assimilating other species into their collective hive environment: the nanoprobes are injected into the bodies of other species through tubules, where they begin to transform the foreign species into partially organic and partially machine beings.

* In ''Series/TheXFiles'', assistant DA Skinner was poisoned by nanomachines. [[KudzuPlot This was never resolved]].

* In ''Series/Jake20'', an injection of nanomachines gave super strength, endurance and enhanced senses as well as the ability to interface with electronics.

** The series featured a plot in "The New Breed" designed around nanobots created to [[HarmfulHealing heal]] human infirmities; the nanobots [[InstantAIJustAddWater spontaneously develop an artificial intelligence]] and begin "repairing" what they perceived as "design flaws" of those human bodies - creating some rather ''weird'' things like an armored ribcage and even [[EyesDoNotBelongThere eyes in the back of the head]]! According to opening titles, the main plot was also based on ''Blood Music'', mentioned under Literature.
** In "Small Friends", Professor Gene Morton invented the Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) while in prison. Controlled using a small keypad, the MEMS work together to perform numerous tasks. Hundreds of MEMS form a swarm, which resembles a firefly. Each swarm works with other swarms to maximize their productivity. Gene is forced by the psychotic prisoner Marlon to use the MEMS to break him out of prison.

** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E9TheEmptyChild "The Empty Child"]]/[[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E10TheDoctorDances "The Doctor Dances"]], a type of these called "nanogenes" are responsible for the crisis at hand. They are Chula medical nanites that automatically detect and repair damage in living things. Unfortunately, the ones that "run amok" have never been exposed to a human before, and engage in AnatomicallyIgnorantHealing.
** In "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E1AsylumOfTheDaleks Asylum of the Daleks]]", the Dalek Asylum has a nanocloud atmosphere that can convert any human who sets foot on the planet into a [[Characters/DoctorWhoDaleks Dalek puppet]], managing the whole conversion process from start to finish.

* In ''Series/{{Jake 20}}'', an injection of nanomachines gave super strength, endurance and enhanced senses as well as the ability to interface with electronics.

* One episode of ''Series/{{Prey}}'' has the [[HollywoodEvolution Homo Dominants]] design nanites that alter human DNA to turn anyone into a Dominant.

* ''Series/{{Revolution}}'': [[spoiler: The cause of the blackout. For as yet unknown reasons, electricity-draining nanomachines created by the Defense Department replicated out of control]]. [[Recap/RevolutionS1E13TheSongRemainsTheSame Episode 13]] had Rachel Matheson reveal their existence to Aaron Pittman. [[Recap/RevolutionS1E17TheLongestDay Episode 17]] had Aaron reprogramming and using the blinking capsule Rachel got from [[spoiler: her son's corpse in [[Recap/RevolutionS1E11TheStand episode 11]] and is actually first-generation nanotechnology]] to fix Rachel's broken leg. [[Recap/RevolutionS1E19ChildrenOfMen Episode 19]] and the [[Recap/RevolutionS1E20TheDarkTower first season finale]] reveal that [[spoiler: the Tower is not at all affected by the nanites, and the nanites end up being shut down]].
* The ''Series/RoboCopTheSeries'', episode titled appropriately enough ''Nano'', focuses on the villain using nanotechnology as a weapon much to the annoyance of the kidnapped scientist that designed the little blighters. They infect Metronet to turn off all the alarms and make the governing computer (with a literal GhostInTheMachine) stop paying attention to running the city. By the end of the episode they rescue the scientist and he uses the machines to help out Medigan, who ironically suffered a spinal cord injury due to a crash caused by said misuse of the nanotech, regain use of her limbs.

* ''Series/TruthSeekers'': That's how Dr Toynbee is able to control 200 people for his ritual, they are created by a combination of magic and technology.

* The ''Series/RoboCopTheSeries'', episode titled appropriately enough ''Nanno'', focuses on the villian using nanotechnology as a weapon much to the annoyance of the kidnapped scientist that designed the little blighters. They infect Metronet to turn off all the alarms and make the governing computer (with a literal GhostInTheMachine) stop paying attention to running the city. By the end of the episode they rescue the scientist and he uses the machines to help out a officer suffering a spinal cord injury regain use of their limbs.

** Fanon and the Expanded Universe hold that the unsophisticated SG-1 Replicators encountered the advanced ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' Replicators at some point in the past or during the series and cribbed the ability to create human-form Replicators from them. However, canon explicitly states that the Milky Way replicators got the idea for human form from Reese:

%%* ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'': "Prisoner of the Judoon".

* ''Series/{{Lost}}'': A common {{fanon}} explanation for the "smoke monster" is that it is a cloud of nanites. Though the writers have {{Jossed}} this theory more than once, it nonetheless appeared in the AlternateRealityGame ''ARG/TheLostExperience''.

** Nanites appear in several episodes of ''Series/StargateSG1'', although the earlier ones appear to be an evolution of a less-sophisticated group of Replicators which seem to have been independently created.[[note]]One of the more widely-accepted theories within Stargate fandom is that after the Ancients left the Pegasus Galaxy to return to the Milky Way (leaving the Asuran Replicators behind), one of them decided to go off on his own and restart the project, but with more control exerted over it to ensure that they didn't get out of control like the Asurans did. Unfortunately, things [[FromBadToWorse didn't quite go to plan.]][[/note]]