Heat Vision and Jack was the TV pilot that brought together Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Dan Harmon, and Ben Stiller.
The Big Picture In the early years of "the Frat Pack" , one project got as far as the pilot stage before being lost to obscurity. Seven years before Owen Wilson became the voice of a car in Cars, he was the voice of a sentient motorcycle in Heat Vision and Jack. Yup, you read that right. The show starred Jack Black as austronaut-turned-supergenius Jack Austin, and was directed by none other than Ben Stiller.
'Heat Vision and Jack' Is a Parody of Television Before 1999 The show begins with an X-Files-style cold open in which Vincent Schiavelli's frycook Frank becomes possessed by an alien broadcast on the radio. The absurdity never shies away from blatant comedy though, as his first victim is attacked to the soundtrack of a jukebox playing Third Eye Blind. Cut to an unrelated and over-the-top TV intro that serves as a premise-establisher as well as an action montage.
This Show Paved The Way For 'Community', 'Rick and Morty', and 'Garth Marenghi's Darkplace' The show also utilizes details from other famous shows, such as a mysterious music score reminiscent of Twin Peaks and Jack fixing a broken jukebox just like Henry Winkler in Happy Days.
It's Time For A 'Heat Vision and Jack' Revival Series The long list of enormous talent behind Heat Vision and Jack have proven their refusal to let go of the project over the years. 2008's Tropic Thunder saw Stiller and Black re-team for the hit action comedy in which they played fictional movie stars.