The show is about a crime-fighting genius named Doc Payne and his daughter, Amanda Payne. This was to be Nickelodeon's first Action-Adventure show. No shows of this type had been tried at the network previously because no one there could figure out how to make an action show appeal to both boys AND to girls. I solved that problem by making the daughter the star of the show and having the father character be a major ass-kicker to appeal to the boys. It was a successful strategy... the show tested through the roof with both boys and girls(!) and Nickelodeon started talking about a pickup of 26 episodes.

The reasons this show isn't on the air are numerous: from the moment the pilot was picked up there were always certain executives at the network who felt that a "violent" action-adventure show was inappropriate for "kid-safe" Nickelodeon. Next, Nickelodeon's non-union studio was organized by the Cartoonists' Guild and the Writer's Guild. I signed a union card, which didn't please the network executives.

Lastly (and most importantly) after the terror attacks of 9/11, Nickelodeon decided they didn't want to make any action shows, much less one where the main character's mother had been killed by terrorists and where the father was dealing with raising his daughter alone and attempting to keep her from following in his dangerous footsteps. Before 9/11, the executives didn't think the show's family dynamic "reflected reality." After 9/11, I suppose it reflected reality all too well.

Oh well... it's their loss, really. I got to work with Madhouse, my favorite Japanese animation studio, I got to spend several weeks in Tokyo supervising the show and I had the privilege of working with my friend and mentor Hilary J. Bader on one of her last jobs before she died. Anyway, thanks for watching... at least someone's getting to see it!

Please be patient: it may take a few moments for slower web connections to fully load the pilot.

Constant Payne Copyright ©2004, Micah Ian Wright