TekWar

Directed by William Shatner, 1994

A television film based on the futurist story by William Shatner and which also ran for two seasons as a TV series. He wrote a few sequels besides.

"The year is 2045 and 'tek,' a highly addictive computer-based reality drug takes the users of the drug into a fantasy world. Jake Cardigan, a cop who was jailed on trumped charges, is hired by the mysterious Walter Bascom to fight the drug. Jake's first partner was Sid Gomez who was replaced by sexy Sam Houston; Nika is a computer wiz who works for Bascom; Cowgirl and Spaz are two 'cyberpunks;' and Shelley Grout is a government agent trying to stop Jake." (J.E. McKillop for IMDb).

"TekWar is a series of science fiction novels created by Canadian actor William Shatner and ghost-written by American writer Ron Goulart, published by Putnam. The novels gave rise to a comic book series, video game, and later TV movies and a series, both of the latter featuring Shatner.

The 22nd century universe is centred on 'tek'—an illegal, addictive, mind-altering digital drug in the form of a microchip. The drug has the effect of simulated reality (as shown in the films and series), and taps into "the matrix" hyperspace. The protagonist, Jake Cardigan, is a former police officer who is framed for dealing in the drug four years before the start of the story. Having been sentenced to 15 years' cryo-imprisonment, he is released early. After discovering that Walt Bascom, the powerful head of a private security firm, arranged for the early release, Jake goes to work for Bascom as an investigator dedicated to tracking down the real Tek lords." (Wikipedia).

TekWar book series art by Boris Vallejo

William Shatner’s TekWar Father Ted’s favourite book series 

"You might also know the series as one of the few books in Springfield Elementary Library." (Simpsons)