Hard Time on Planet Earth - Timothy Bond - (1989) DVD

Jesse is a hero in the army of a alien world but he was a little bit too good and the powers that be became afraid of him. They send him to their prison/rehab/political dissident detention planet (Earth) to regain his "humanity." He finds himself in Los Angeles. His only companion is a floating, orb-shaped parole officer named Control. Doomed to stay on Earth until he can show compassion, Control helps him lead as normal a life as possible, but knowing nothing of Earthly customs he often finds himself in trouble.

From the moment this odd series aired, it was doomed. It was too esoteric, too eccentric, and like many other sci-fi series from the 80s, it lacked a large enough audience. All of which was a great pity. Martin Kove was brilliantly cast as "Jesse", a powerful alien who's being ostracized by his race for excessive use of violence. His sentence is to do time on Earth, a planet equally renowned for its own violence. A little yet powerful orb called Control watches over Jesse and tries to help him out of jams. Hot-headed and stronger than the humans around him, the alien gradually learns patience and to think rather than lash out in blind anger. Unfortunately, the series was cancelled after a mere thirteen episodes, not giving Jesse's character much of a chance to develop. Kove was brilliant, bringing subtlety to a potentially cardboard role, and the effects, writing and supporting players were all decent.  

Episodes:

1. Stranger in a Strange Land
2. Something to Bank On
3. Losing Control
4. The Way Home
5. All That You Can Be
6. Battle of the Sexes
7. Death Do Us Part
8. The Hot Dog Man
9. Jesse's Fifteen Minutes
10. Rodeo Show
11. Not in Out Stars
12. The All American
13. Wally's Gang

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