27 Years Ago, Ben Stiller & Jack Black Made a Sci-Fi Pilot That Might be the Best Thing Never Made

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Most TV show ideas never actually make it to air. While well-known creators or shows based on popular franchises sometimes skip the early steps, most projects have to prove themselves by creating a “pilot” episode. This pilot, made on a limited budget, is designed to show network executives the show’s style, setting, and potential to make money. If the studio doesn’t think the show will be profitable, it’s cancelled right away. This leads to many promising shows being abandoned – some were bad ideas, like the live-action Powerpuff Girls, but others were genuinely brilliant. A particularly notable example of a lost opportunity is a science fiction pilot starring Ben Stiller and Jack Black, a project executives were too hesitant to support.

Created in 1999 for Fox, Heat Vision and Jack was a truly unusual comedy, bringing together a lot of talent in a way that felt innovative for its time. The show was directed by Ben Stiller and written by up-and-coming comedy writers Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab. It centers around Jack Austin (Owen Wilson), an ex-astronaut who gains incredible intelligence after an accident involving the sun – but loses it every sunset. He teams up with his roommate, Doug (also Owen Wilson), who’s been literally fused with a motorcycle thanks to a NASA experiment, becoming the talking vehicle known as Heat Vision. Together, they travel the country investigating strange, paranormal events, all while being chased by the real actor Ron Silver, who plays a secret assassin.

Even though the show had a fantastic script and featured well-known actors, Fox decided not to move forward with it. The pilot episode, called Heat Vision and Jack, later gained a dedicated online following. It’s still disappointing that we never got a full series, particularly given how successful everyone involved later became.

Heat Vision and Jack‘s Pilot Episode Is Amazing

The pilot episode of Heat Vision and Jack immediately lets viewers know it’s going to be different with a self-aware introduction. It starts with Ben Stiller in a fancy office, proudly holding his Emmy for The Ben Stiller Show. He jokingly brags about his success as a filmmaker and throws a playful jab at George Lucas, claiming the special effects in his pilot are better than those in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – and points out Lucas has never won an Emmy. This clever opening sets the stage for the show’s ridiculous premise, blending ambitious science fiction with a humorous send-up of 1980s action-adventure series like Knight Rider and The Incredible Hulk.

When Heat Vision and Jack was made, the creative team behind it was already well-regarded, but hadn’t yet become widely famous. Director Ben Stiller, for example, moved from being a leading comedic actor to a highly respected director, most recently known for the critically praised and visually impressive thriller Severance. Dan Harmon also went on to revolutionize television comedy with the innovative storytelling of Community and the huge sci-fi hit Rick and Morty. Jack Black’s energetic performance in Heat Vision and Jack foreshadowed his later success in films like School of Rock and Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. And Cristin Milioti’s dry delivery as the voice of Heat Vision perfectly balanced Black’s energy.

The network’s decision not to move forward with a full series of Heat Vision and Jack meant passing on a project from creators who would soon become major forces in pop culture for the next 25 years. The pilot episode offers a compelling look at a show that wasn’t afraid to be unconventional and experiment with different genres, instead of sticking to familiar crime shows.

Do you believe Heat Vision and Jack could have been a hit? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-23 23:12