sf/f TV development news - 2013 - Page 131

Temis the Vorta · December 17 2012, 07:03 PM

Kegg wrote:

But then who does Wayne Pygram play?

Oh he's gotta be Javert!

Claudia can be Madame Thenardier.

Temis the Vorta · December 19 2012, 08:01 PM

Zen koan for the day: how do you "reboot" an anthology series? Redo all the stories but change the endings? (Turns out it wasn't a cookbook after all!)

EXCLUSIVE: The Twilight Zone is eying a return to primetime. X-Men director Bryan Singer has closed a deal to develop, executive produce and possibly direct a reboot of Rod Serling’s classic. The drama series project, now in early stages, is set up at CBS TV Studios, which has the rights to the original series. Search is underway for a writer to pen the new Twilight Zone. The project has not been pitched to networks yet, but CBS is an obvious destination since CBS TV Studios only supplies CBS and the CW on the broadcast side and CBS carried the original series as well as the first revival.

JD · December 19 2012, 08:02 PM

So is this the third or fourth Twilight Zone?

Greg Cox · December 19 2012, 10:01 PM

JD wrote:

So is this the third or fourth Twilight Zone?

Fifth, counting the movie!

Christopher · December 19 2012, 10:10 PM

Actually I tend to think of the syndicated third season of the '80s series (whose writing staff was anchored by J. Michael Straczynski, a pretty good Serling mimic) as virtually a different show from the first two seasons on CBS. So maybe five and a half versions.

Oh, and I gather Leonardo DiCaprio is developing a TZ-branded movie, although it would be based on just one TZ episode rather than being an anthology like the previous movie. Plus Real Steel was based on a short story previously adapted as a TZ episode.

RJDiogenes · December 19 2012, 11:34 PM

Well, this is interesting, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I'd love to see another well-done Twilight Zone series. The 80s revival (both the network and syndicated pieces) was very good, but the more recent one sucked (and the movie was mediocre). Seeing Bryan Singer's name gives reason for cautious optimism.

Secondly, if CBS studios is developing a new Twilight Zone series, that makes it seem more likely that they will want to develop a new Star Trek series-- perhaps even as a companion to Twilight Zone as a night of classic revivals. Fingers crossed....

Christopher · December 20 2012, 12:28 AM

I didn't care for the CBS version of the '80s TZ. It had some good installments here and there, but overall it didn't really feel like TZ to me. The syndicated season that followed came the closest to the original, I felt. I believe it even adapted one or two unfilmed scripts from the original show. (Although Spielberg's Amazing Stories did one too, a Richard Matheson piece called "The Doll.")

Greg Cox · December 20 2012, 01:11 AM

Christopher wrote:

Plus Real Steel was based on a short story previously adapted as a TZ episode.

Ditto for The Box. Based on the episode (and story) "Button, Button."

All by Matheson, of course.

Christopher · December 20 2012, 01:58 AM

"Button, Button" was an episode of the '80s revival, though, not the original show.

Greg Cox · December 20 2012, 02:13 AM

Christopher wrote:

"Button, Button" was an episode of the '80s revival, though, not the original show.

True. But it does count as another movie based on a TZ episode, if not based one of the classic originals.

(And I published tie-in editions for both!)

stj · December 20 2012, 02:45 AM

All anthology series are erratic. That is I think one reason why real series with continuing characters generally win steadier audiences: You know what you're getting.

The original Twilight Zone and Outer Limits had plenty of bad episodes, and the contintuations had plenty of good ones. (Well, perhaps not the Ira Steven Behr iteration.) So a new Twilight Zone would likely have a lot to offer, even if a modern version would almost certainly totally eschew SF and humor in favor of horror in fantasy mode.

Temis the Vorta · December 20 2012, 07:34 PM

Comedy pilots from Amazon Prime include a couple genre shows.

Dark Minions
Written by Big Bang Theory co-stars Kevin Sussman and John Ross Bowie, Dark Minions is an animated workplace series about two slackers just trying to make a paycheck working an intergalactic warship

Supanatural
Supanatural is an animated comedy series about two outspoken divas who are humanity’s last line of defense against the supernatural, when they’re not working at the mall.

Neither sounds like anything I'll be signing up for Amazom Prime for...

RJDiogenes · December 20 2012, 11:13 PM

What the hell is Amazon Prime?

bullethead · December 21 2012, 01:38 AM

RJDonner&Blitzen wrote:

What the hell is Amazon Prime?

It's a subscription service that gets you free two day shipping on all items and access to Amazon's streaming service.

Dark Minions sounds somewhat interesting, but I'd need to see a pilot before dedicating any real time to it.

Mr. Laser Beam · December 21 2012, 01:48 AM

I don't want to see dark minions. Only these kind:

December 19 2012, 08:02 PM	#1953
JD Admiral Location: Arizona, USA	Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012 So is this the third or fourth Twilight Zone? __________________ Over the course of many encounters and many years, I have successfully developed a standard operating procedure for dealing with big, nasty monsters. Run away. Me and Monty Python. Harry Dresden - Blood Rites (The Dresden Files #6)

December 19 2012, 10:10 PM	#1955
Christopher Writer	Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012 Actually I tend to think of the syndicated third season of the '80s series (whose writing staff was anchored by J. Michael Straczynski, a pretty good Serling mimic) as virtually a different show from the first two seasons on CBS. So maybe five and a half versions. Oh, and I gather Leonardo DiCaprio is developing a TZ-branded movie, although it would be based on just one TZ episode rather than being an anthology like the previous movie. Plus Real Steel was based on a short story previously adapted as a TZ episode. __________________ Christopher L. Bennett Homepage -- Includes purchasing links for Only Superhuman, on sale now! Updated 12/30/12 with annotations for the novel. Written Worlds -- My blog

December 19 2012, 11:34 PM	#1956
RJDiogenes Idealistic Cynic and Canon Champion Location: RJDiogenes of Boston	Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012 Well, this is interesting, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I'd love to see another well-done Twilight Zone series. The 80s revival (both the network and syndicated pieces) was very good, but the more recent one sucked (and the movie was mediocre). Seeing Bryan Singer's name gives reason for cautious optimism. Secondly, if CBS studios is developing a new Twilight Zone series, that makes it seem more likely that they will want to develop a new Star Trek series-- perhaps even as a companion to Twilight Zone as a night of classic revivals. Fingers crossed.... __________________ Please stop by my Gallery and YouTube Page for a visit. And read Trunkards!

December 20 2012, 12:28 AM	#1957
Christopher Writer	Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012 I didn't care for the CBS version of the '80s TZ. It had some good installments here and there, but overall it didn't really feel like TZ to me. The syndicated season that followed came the closest to the original, I felt. I believe it even adapted one or two unfilmed scripts from the original show. (Although Spielberg's Amazing Stories did one too, a Richard Matheson piece called "The Doll.") __________________ Christopher L. Bennett Homepage -- Includes purchasing links for Only Superhuman, on sale now! Updated 12/30/12 with annotations for the novel. Written Worlds -- My blog

December 20 2012, 01:58 AM	#1959
Christopher Writer	Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012 "Button, Button" was an episode of the '80s revival, though, not the original show. __________________ Christopher L. Bennett Homepage -- Includes purchasing links for Only Superhuman, on sale now! Updated 12/30/12 with annotations for the novel. Written Worlds -- My blog

STAR TREK

CSI

ABOUT US

December 20 2012, 02:45 AM	#1961
stj Rear Admiral Location: the real world	Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012 All anthology series are erratic. That is I think one reason why real series with continuing characters generally win steadier audiences: You know what you're getting. The original Twilight Zone and Outer Limits had plenty of bad episodes, and the contintuations had plenty of good ones. (Well, perhaps not the Ira Steven Behr iteration.) So a new Twilight Zone would likely have a lot to offer, even if a modern version would almost certainly totally eschew SF and humor in favor of horror in fantasy mode. __________________ Morals are what you do to other people. Other people, what we call society, are essential to human happiness. Therefore, morals are the path to happiness. My morals, your happiness; your morals, my happiness: It's a fair trade.

December 20 2012, 11:13 PM	#1963
RJDiogenes Idealistic Cynic and Canon Champion Location: RJDiogenes of Boston	Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012 What the hell is Amazon Prime? __________________ Please stop by my Gallery and YouTube Page for a visit. And read Trunkards!

December 21 2012, 01:48 AM	#1965
Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Location: The visitor's bullpen	Re: sf/f TV development news - 2012 I don't want to see dark minions. Only these kind: __________________ It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shakes, the shakes become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.