2010-11 sf/f TV development

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Temis the Vorta, Dec 29, 2009.

  1. Temis the Vorta

    Temis the Vorta Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Let's take a peek at the sf/f shows that might just appear, in some form, next fall, courtesy of The Futon Critic devwatch. Don't kill me for how bad most of these sound, I'm just the messenger. At the very least, it's good for a laugh.

    Crime fighting ghosts are as popular as ever. but amazingly, there's hardly a vampire in sight. Anything sound remotely interesting? Which ones do you hope survive/never see the light of day? Is the fact that the only space opera series in the mix is from the CW proof positive that there is no God?

    ABC

    Clive Barker's Hotel
    - drama about a series of ghoulish incidents at a haunted hotel.

    Ghost World - drama about a male ghost who helps an ambitious femme homicide detective in new york city crack her cases in the hopes of finding clues to his own life and death.

    Untitled House & Sonnenfeld Project - comedy about a harried mom who finds a suit that turns her into a "supermom" when she puts it on.

    AMC

    The Walking Dead - Based on the graphic novel of that name, "The Walking Dead" tells the story of the months and years that follow after a zombie apocalypse. The story follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, who travel in search of a safe and secure home.

    CBS


    Untitled Burnett & Wright Project - drama about a lawyer who, after a near-fatal car crash, is offered a second chance at life by the ghost of his ex-wife.

    CW


    Plymouth Rock - drama about young people on a ship traveling to a distant planet in order to colonize and save the human race.

    FOX


    Fallen - drama about a group of vigilante "fallen" angels who take down the criminal and the corrupt in New York while falling in love, battling demons and seeking their own personal revenge.

    Untitled Diane Ruggiero Project - drama about a group of dysfunctional siblings who are forced to live together in the family's haunted house after their father dies.

    Untitled Harris Wilkinson Project - drama about a division of the cia that specializes in "remote viewing," the ability to gather information using paranormal means.

    Untitled Scott Rosenbaum Project - drama about a gunslinger caught between worlds that mixes the western and sci-fi genres.

    HBO

    Game of Thrones - drama based on george r.r. martin's bestselling fantasy series "a song of ice and fire".

    Humanitas - medical drama set in a time when major advances in medicine have created dilemmas for doctors and fanned fears that a devastating pandemic is imminent.

    The World Inside
    - drama about about a grim vision of the future where overpopulation has run amok, and people live in carefully controlled urban centers where frustration and anger are eliminated, sex is rampant and fertility is the most prized human attribute.

    NBC

    The Cape - drama about a former cop framed for a crime he didn't commit who becomes the cape, a masked hero, to clear his name and reunite with his son.

    Midnight, Mass - drama about a sophisticated, sexy, globe-trotting husband-and-wife team who solve mysteries and crimes of the supernatural.

    Midnighters - drama about the strange happenings in the town of bixby, oklahoma where every night time freezes for one hour, leaving the townsfolk prey to various dark creatures, except for four teen outcasts.

    Nola Rising - drama about a down-on-his-luck private investigator and a charismatic ex-con capable of being inhabited by ghosts who become unlikely partners to help solve the problems of new orleans citizens, living or dead.

    Untitled Larry Charles Project - comedy a group of sci-fi fanboys in a small town who shoot their own version of a canceled tv show.

    SyFy

    Alphas
    - Alphas follows a team of ordinary citizens who possess extraordinary and unusual mental skills. Using physical feats and mental trickery, this elite force of heroes take the law into their own hands and uncover what the CIA, FBI and Pentagon have not been able or willing to solve. Each possessing their unique and not always visible power, they alone solve the crime, stop the ticking time bomb and catch the enemy.

    Being Human - Being Human is a re-imagining of the acclaimed BBC original. Three 20-something roommates, a ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf, struggle to keep their dark secrets from the world, while helping each other navigate the complexities of living double lives.

    Haven - drama series based on the novella "The Colorado Kid," from Stephen King, full of complex, yet identifiable, characters and compelling supernatural situations.

    TNT

    Untitled Alien Invasion Project - Noah Wyle will play the leader of a rag-tag group of soldiers and civilians as they struggle against an occupying alien force. Executive-produced by Stephen Spielberg.

    Of course these descriptions could change. For instance, here's the first reference to what would eventually become Lost that I could find on The Futon Critic:

    :rommie:
     
  2. melancholymecha

    melancholymecha Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I guess ghosts are the new vampires...

    congrats SYFY, youre the first to launch a Heroes knock-off in the US. Lets hope its not as deadly boring as your other in-house made shows like Eureka...
     
  3. Kegg

    Kegg Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Wait wait wait.:vulcan:

    Why would fertility be the most prized attribute in a world where overpopulation has run amok? Surely it'd be frowned on, a little like how China cracked down on its population problem. It's like prizing cocaine addiction during the war on drugs.

    Anyway, this mostly reminds me of that scene from Network with a character reading off a series of identical hackneyed series concepts.

    People tell me George R. R. Martin's books are good, though. I don't read much fantasy but I may give them a gander. Or more likely not.
     
  4. Guy Gardener

    Guy Gardener Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    In the lap of squalor I assure you.
    God in heaven.

    That's all painfully and ridiculously generic.
     
  5. Mysterion

    Mysterion Vice Admiral Admiral

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    This is a subject that I've been interested in and I (foolishly) hope that Fox doesn't turn it into something silly and idiotic and/or cancel it after three episodes if it's actually good.
     
  6. Caliburn24

    Caliburn24 Commodore Commodore

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    Whatever happened to AMC doing Red Mars?

    And there is still no word of any sort on the live action Star Wars show?
     
  7. Mr Light

    Mr Light Admiral Admiral

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    Yeah all that stuff sounds incredibly generic. I didn't know they were adapting "Walking Dead", I've read a little of that comic.
     
  8. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

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    Where's the Tim Minear version of Alien Nation?
     
  9. Temis the Vorta

    Temis the Vorta Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I don't mind the idea of a Heroes knock off. Maybe they can do it right. :D The premise that they are straight-up vigilantes is more of the "usual" way to do this premise, so no points for originality, but at least this gives them a real focus for the plotline and makes it harder to really screw up.
    You should see the descriptions of the non-genre stuff! "Quirky cop teams up with hard-ass partner." "Family can't get along." "Doctors are dedicated, noble and sexy." "Young guys room together and act like idiots."

    It's listed in devwatch as being in production for 09-10, so if something is going to happen, it better happen quick!

    Nothing in devwatch at all...

    Also listed in devwatch as being in production for 09-10.
     
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2009
  10. Starbreaker

    Starbreaker Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Beat my head against the wall...
     
  11. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    I suppose the idea is that the worship of fertility is what's caused overpopulation to run amok, as in "The Mark of Gideon." Maybe it's an ideological thing. Maybe Roman Catholics are running the world and have banned contraception.


    From what I've heard about Alphas, it's not just a Heroes clone. It sounds potentially interesting. The Cape also sounds like it might be interesting, since from the description there don't seem to be superpowers involved. It could be a fairly realistic approach to the superhero concept, and that could be cool if done right.


    As for the Star Wars show, I see that devwatch doesn't have Lucasfilm as an option in its "Studios" dropdown menu. Seems like an oversight. Could it have anything to do with the fact that Lucasfilm is (presumably) producing this independently and then shopping it to networks, rather than getting a development deal with a network first? Maybe that's why a site specializing in development news doesn't cover it.
     
  12. Temis the Vorta

    Temis the Vorta Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    These ones sound worth at least taking a look at:

    Clive Barker's Hotel
    - who doesn't love a haunted hotel?

    Fallen - vigilante "fallen" angels could be a real hoot.

    Untitled Scott Rosenbaum Project - mixing the western and sci-fi genres worked (creatively) for another series, so...

    Game of Thrones, Humanitas, The World Inside - just because it's HBO.

    Untitled Larry Charles Project - sci-fi fanboys in shooting their own version of a canceled tv show could be great as long as it's called TrekBBS: The TV Show. ;)

    Alphas
    - possibly could be Heroes done right, or at least watchably.

    Untitled Alien Invasion Project - Just to see what Spielberg does with it.

    The prize for the very worst of a bad bunch goes to...

    Untitled House & Sonnenfeld Project - comedy about a harried mom who finds a suit that turns her into a "supermom" when she puts it on.

    And the Train-Wreck-in-the-Making prize goes to...


    Plymouth Rock - drama about young people on a ship traveling to a distant planet in order to colonize and save the human race.
     
  13. Mr. Adventure

    Mr. Adventure Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Ugh, ghosts aren't generally my favorite story element, but you never know.

    I'm not too worried about generic descriptions because only so much can be conveyed in a one or two sentence "high concept" synopsis. I've learned it's really all about execution.
     
  14. ParticleMan

    ParticleMan Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    The only one on that list I am looking forward to is Game of Thrones...and I don't subscribe to HBO. The notion of a SyFy reimagining of Being Human is downright frightening...I'll stick to the British version on BBC America...
     
  15. Gary Mitchell

    Gary Mitchell Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    What happened with the show called "Ice Planet"? It was going to star Michael Ironside. I thought that it was supposed to be airing by now (at least in Canada).
     
  16. Lt. Trull

    Lt. Trull Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    wish they'd do another season of dresdin files.
     
  17. Starbreaker

    Starbreaker Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    It's been about 5 years since that was announced. I'd probably give up on it.

    And a haunted hotel might be good for a movie or a miniseries, but a series? Really? Do they just go into a different room and encounter a ghost every episode?
     
  18. Temis the Vorta

    Temis the Vorta Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    The ghosts would have to be complex enough to become characters. But not played for comedy. Yeah, it's easier to envision how it could all go horribly wrong than how it could succeed, but at least it's not about crime-fighting ghosts. :D
     
  19. Starbreaker

    Starbreaker Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    They would probably make it about two FBI agents with sexual tension who investigate the same hotel every week. :lol:
     
  20. Jax

    Jax Admiral Admiral

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    The Walking Dead is a good one read about the stories on Wiki and had a similar idea for a tv show years ago based of the Dawn of the dead movie with bits of walking dead added.