Thomas Edison crime fighter? NBC pilot in development

[Enterprise is Great]

deadline.com

One of the world’s greatest inventors of all time, Thomas Edison, is the leading man of a new period crime drama project in the works at NBC. Titled Edison, the drama is produced by Sony Pictures TV and Mark Johnson’s Gran Via Prods. Written by Daniel C. Connolly (A&E’s Longmire), it is described as a big, fun, genre-driven show about young Thomas Alva Edison

In the show’s fictional storyline, Edison, already America’s greatest inventor, works as a secret consultant to the under-trained and under-equipped New York Police force. Edison, aka the original Tony Stark, uses his inventor instincts and retro-cool devices to deconstruct crime scenes and pioneer new technology. The period show is expected to have a modern sensibility, energy and tone evocative of the Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes films.

um, ok...I guess it could work if it's more like the Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes films than a generic police procedural.

[foxhot]

Please God no.

Not another cultural bastardization second-rate TV ripoff of a theatrical hit. Leave Edison the hell be. Hollywood as already had Tom Sawyer become Secret Service AND converted Sherlock Holmes into the only thing US audiences can apparently understand: a fast-moving, wise-cracking action hero. Yeah, I know, they had to make him relevant to today's sophisticated cellphone society. When will this s--t stop already? When will NBC relinquish its status as the Starscream of broadcast networks???

Edison wasn't just the Steve Jobs of the 19th century. He changed our way of life threefold, more than Jobs's sycophants claim he did. Edison deserves better than this.

[Skywalker]

Tesla was cooler.

Oh, God, they're probably going to make Tesla a villain.

[Emh]

Wow, this sounds utterly godawful and not just because it features Thomas Edison.

[JarodRussell]

Is it really possible that I myself have no rights after my death? Lincoln gets turned into a vampire killer, Edison gets turned into a crime fighter... I kinda dislike stuff like that. It skews the facts and over time, the masses will not know the guys for what they really were, but from what they've seen on TV.

[Gaith]

As someone who abhors the lack of cop shows on television, I am greatly heartened by this news.

foxhot wrote:

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Edison wasn't just the Steve Jobs of the 19th century.

This just gave me a great idea for a television cop show: An App Against Crime. To the network execs' meeting!

[JarodRussell]

I have witnessed people wondering if Hitler was indeed killed in a movie theater by the Americans.

[Maple Dog]

JarodRussell wrote:

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Is it really possible that I myself have no rights after my death? Lincoln gets turned into a vampire killer, Edison gets turned into a crime fighter... I kinda dislike stuff like that. It skews the facts and over time, the masses will not know the guys for what they really were, but from what they've seen on TV.

Wait until someone does an action/adventure series with George Washington

[JarodRussell]

Mother Teresa, anti terrorist tag team leader.

Gates & Jobs. Two billionaires teaming up to lead a double life of fighting crime and terrorism.

Ghandi, war hero.

[auntiehill]

Oh GOD. Please make it stop.

[the G-man]

Maple Dog wrote:

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Wait until someone does an action/adventure series with George Washington

If done right, that actually could be kind of cool and not that inconsistent with his real-life experience as a military man.

[Owain Taggart]

What the heck? This is a seriously bad idea. A question comes to mind. Why would Edison be a crime fighter? I can't think of a single reason why. It's not like everyone has to end up one.

[foxhot]

NBC and the other major networks are STILL relying mainly on doomed remakes or slight half-ass variations of popular films. Would it kill them to think of something truly original, instead of continuously cribbing from established hits? Next year we're getting the fourth or fifth version of THE MUNSTERS......zzzzzzzzz......

I don't lump the ABE LINCOLN VAMPIRE HUNTER movie the other mashups as it was at least based on an actual book.

[Temis the Vorta]

Even in he context of the continual torrent of bad broadcast TV ideas, this one is a standout. The deadline comments folks are suggesting Tesla as the hero, Edison as the villain, that could just work. Lose the wtf procedural angle, tho.

the G-man wrote:

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If done right, that actually could be kind of cool and not that inconsistent with his real-life experience as a military man.

Some cable channel, maybe it was AMC, was developing a Revolutionary War spy drama, but sadly it didn't survive. That could have been cool.

And I'm pretty sure Ghandi fought zombies.

[JarodRussell]

Assassin's Creed III is going to involve George Washington in a fictionalized storyline. Some game editions even include a fictional "personal diary". But the whole game franchise plays with conspiracy theories surrounding famous historical figures anyways.