LUCAS WOLENCZAK

SEAQUEST DSV (PLAYMATES)

“Name: Lucas Wolenczak

Rank: Non-UEO Personnel

Assignment: Cheif Computer Analyst, seaQuest DSV 4600

UEO Military ID# CIV07-2000-ZZ2

Security Access: AIC/Unlimited access to ship’s computer systems.

Date of Birth: February 28, 2002

Character Profile: Genius level IQ matched with typical teenage emotions. High-energy. Impulsive. Curious. Fun-loving. Has father/son relationship with Captain Bridger. Close, mutual bond with ship’s dolphin, Darwin.

Personal History: Need for acceptance and approval caused behavior problems in school. Led to singular focus on mastering computers. Difficulties due to parents’ divorce, frequent changing of schools because father’s business, and boredom created by superior intelligence. At father’s request, assignment aboard seaQuest “arranged” by Admiral William Noyce to provide sense of discipline. Developed Vo-Corder Communicator used by Darwin and hologram program for main computer.

Mission Specialty: Responsible for programming and troubleshooting all ship’s computer systems – including weapons CPU’s, navigation, engines, and central computer. Utilizes innovative and unorthodox solutions outside UEO computer procedures.”

This Monday, the 13th of April, would have been the 50th birthday of Jonathan Brandis, known for amongst other things, his role as prodigy Lucas Wolenczak on SeaQuest DSV.  I didn’t actually know this when I put this review on the schedule a couple of months ago, but it’s fitting, and perhaps give this intro a bit more focus than it might have otherwise had.  Brandis was one of only three actors to remain with the show for its entire run, and also became a breakout star for the series, as well as something of a teen idol during the show’s run.  Though unquestionably a central piece of SeaQuest, and a huge part of what success it had, after the show’s run, Brandis struggled to find steady work, resulting in major bouts of depression (which, in more recent years, was also believed to be worsened by an undiagnosed bipolar disorder), and, ultimately Brandis’s death by suicide in the fall of 2003, at the age of 27.  It’s an undeniably sad piece of history for a show that tried to be so very optimistic for the future.  I know this is just a silly little toy review site (okay, that’s kind of a lie; it’s helped me through more than a few dark times), but it’s important to note what a toll the realities of the world can take on some of us, and how all we can really do is try to take care of ourselves to the best of our abilities.  And perhaps, try to look out for those around us who may be struggling.  In the words of Michelle McNamara, Patton Oswalt’s late wife: “It’s chaos; be kind.”

Anyway, that’s my serious moment here on the site, now I guess I’ll go back to being a silly little toy review site, and take a look at this Lucas Wolenczak figure.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Lucas Wolenczak was release in the only series of Playmates’ SeaQuest DSV tie-in line in 1993.  Lucas was one of the most obvious choices for the line, as effectively the show’s secondary lead in the first season (and effectively it’s primary lead by the end).  Lucas was also noteworthy for being the only member of the main cast *not* to be sporting the standard black jumpsuit, making a nice stand-out visually.  The figure stands just over 4 1/2 inches tall and he has 14 points of articulation.  His movement is the standard for the line, so it’s quite good, and superior to what they were doing with Trek at the time.  His sculpt was all-new, and would remain totally unique to him.  The head sculpt is a strong recreation of Brandis’s likeness, especially in the face.  The hair is perhaps a bit more tame than it was in the show, but that’s consistent with the other figures in the line, and really just goes along with the transition to action figure.  Below the neck, Lucas is wearing an outfit that I don’t believe he ever actually wore on the show.  He’s got a wetsuit with shorts, some water shoes, and a denim jacket thrown over it.  In the first season, Lucas usually just wore civilian attire, always very ‘90s, which might not have been very exciting, I suppose.  As it stands, this is a look that, even if it’s not one from the show, feels like it’s something Lucas might wear, so I ca dig it.  Lucas’s paint work keeps him removed from the others, with a bit of actual color, specifically some rather lovely green.  I particularly like the jacket, and how it’s got an actual denim sort of pattern to it, as well as a pretty cool “UEO” insignia on the back.  Lucas is packed with a PAL (Personal Audio Link), SeaPoc computer, mammal vo-corder, EVA Skindiving mask, Spear gun, and a display stand.  The tech is all sensible enough, but the spear gun does seem a tad out of place.  Also included is a small rubber hammerhead shark, for those that enjoy small rubber hammerhead sharks.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Crocker was the one I got during the actual run, and Bridger I got shortly after, and Darwin was sort of luck of the draw.  Lucas?  Lucas is a figure I actively searched for.  I didn’t get him new, but my dad did, and I was pretty well obsessed with that figure.  Unfortunately, I got to the age where I could properly enjoy the show in mid-2003…which was not a great time for finding a Lucas figure.  I was 11 at the time, and my Nana died the same year, and I recall that Brandis’s death was hard on me as well.  I didn’t know him (though my dad did, having run a con with him as a guest in 1994, and would share stories about working with him), but it still felt like losing someone important, in the context of being an 11-year-old who’d also just lost a grandparent.  It took me about a year or so to find a Lucas figure that wasn’t very expensive, but I did, albeit loose and without his accessories (those I got later).  As with the rest of the line, he’s rather a nice figure.  One has to wonder if the line had taken off, if there might have been many more Lucas figures.  That might have been cool.  But this one’s quite nice.

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