RoboCop’s Secret TV Sequels Have a Weird History (And Surprising Streaming Home)

Paul Verhoeven’s RoboCop took the world by storm when it was released in 1987. A mixture of satire and gritty action tropes, this iconic film is just as beloved now as it was upon release. The flick performed well at the box office and eventually led to a flurry of sequels, television series, and various licensing agreements. Although most would agree that the majority of subsequent efforts to adapt the IP have failed to recapture the greatness of the original, that didn’t do anything to deter repeated attempts to capitalize on the property’s name recognition. Among said efforts is a live-action television series released in multiple feature-length installments. This particular effort bowed in 2001 and goes by the moniker RoboCop: Prime Directives.

If you haven’t experienced Robocop: Prime Directives, the entire catalog of episodes is available to stream at present!

RoboCop: Prime Directives Is Now Available to Stream on Prime Video

The aforementioned effort consists of four 90-minute episodes that debuted in 2001 and functions a little like a miniseries, or a collection of made-for-TV sequels lensed for broadcast on the CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada. Each installment of the program is now available to stream on Prime Video. Perhaps because each entry is more like a standalone film than an episode of television, the streamer has each episode available separately, rather than in one place like you might expect from a season of television.

If you haven’t seen these all-but-forgotten franchise installments, you may want to give them a shot. Despite the somewhat inconsistent output largely associated with the IP, many fans who have taken the time to experience the Prime Directives offshoot had a good time.

Prime Directives Started as an Attempt to Monetize the TV Rights to RoboCop but Ultimately Serves as a Welcome Return to Form for Many

What makes this series stand out from the family-friendly television adaptation that aired in syndication in the U.S. in 1994 is that Prime Directives course corrects, injecting the episodes with the gritty violence fans except from the RoboCop brand. As you may know, the first two films are unapologetically violent. The third feature in the theatrical cannon takes advantage of RoboCop mania and waters down the action, sporting a far more family-friendly aesthetic and a less intense PG-13 rating. The 1994 RoboCop TV series followed suit, which may be one reason why it didn’t really catch on and never returned for a second season.

Another noteworthy aspect of Prime Directives is its unorthodox origin story. Indie studio Fireworks Entertainment (who previously worked on the animated series RoboCop: Alpha Commando in 1998) wanted to take advantage of the RoboCop TV rights before time ran out. So they set out to make four feature-length installments that would technically serve as TV episodes. We must admit, that’s pretty resourceful and shows a certain level of ingenuity.

Julian Grant directed all four Prime Directive series installments, with Brad Abraham and Joseph O’Brien writing each of the so-called episodes. Each of the installments, in chronological order, are “Dark Justice,” “Meltdown,” “Resurrection,” and “Crash and Burn.”

[RELATED: Every RoboCop Movie Ranked Worst To Best]

Though this mini-series remains largely under-seen by the masses, especially in the United States, fans who managed to scope the program really seem to connect with it. Some of that surely has to do with the fact that each episode of RoboCop: Prime Directive features a gritty aesthetic that harkens back to the exceptional first film in the series. Fans may not have loved everything about this 2001 effort, but most seem to agree that the show has ample merits. Many viewers liked the suit design and some even took care to praise the writing as superior to one or more of the franchise’s theatrical sequels.

There you have it, all four 90-minute Prime Directive episodes are now streaming on Prime Video. Moreover, many fans say they aren’t half bad. What do you think of the various televised efforts in the greater RoboCop canon? And how many have you watched at present? Step right up to the comments section below this post and let us know!

As for when you can expect more RoboCop, Amazon is in development on yet another live-action series with James Wan as an executive producer. No release date is set for this upcoming adaption just yet, though. As for the long-gestured reboot, RoboCop Returns, that project appears to be dead in the water. Stay tuned to ComicBook for more RoboCop news as it breaks.