In the near future, an organized crime group known as the "Outfit" has become a major force in America. Engineer Julian Wilkes develops a high-tech crime-fighting vehicle called the Viper, which is intended to be a "flagship" in a new crackdown on crime. The Viper needs a driver, so when Outfit driver Michael Payton is injured and captured, his memory is erased, and he is given a new identity as Joe Astor, MetroPol employee. The Outfit discredits the Viper project, but when it is canceled, Joe and Julian steal the Viper and strike out on their own private war against crime.

Filming in Calgary, Alberta required frequent closure of the city's Deerfoot Trail - its major freeway - much to the consternation of locals. Nonetheless, the use of the city for location shooting for this series sparked a decade-long upswing in film and TV production in Calgary as many US and European productions set up shop in the Canadian city.