Stay Tuned

Roy Knable's television habit has worn his marriage to Helen down to the breaking point. When a stranger named Spike sells him a satellite system with hundreds of channels, Roy signs the contract without reading it closely, and the deal turns out to cost far more than money. He and Helen are pulled through the screen into a world of programming run by Spike, where the shows are parodies of familiar genres with lethal consequences for anyone taking part. The couple must survive a run of these broadcasts if they hope to get back to their ordinary lives, while their children are left on the outside.

Peter Hyams directed from a screenplay by Tom S. Parker and Jim Jennewein, with James G. Robinson producing for Warner Bros. and Morgan Creek. John Ritter and Pam Dawber play Roy and Helen, and Jeffrey Jones plays Spike, supported by David Tom, Heather McComb and Bob Dishy among a large credited cast.

The film was made for about 25 million USD and took in roughly 11 million USD worldwide, a shortfall against its cost. Audiences rate it moderately: on IMDb it sits at 6.3/10 from 15,000 votes, and on TMDB at 6.2/10 from 193 votes. A film critics' rating of 4.5/10 from 16 reviews places it below those audience scores. It came after Hyams's Narrow Margin and before Timecop in a directing career of 17 films.