"Mars Direct" NBC series in development about a mission to Mars

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by jefferiestubes8, Oct 11, 2010.

  1. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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    Nets aim to go from stupor to super
    With frosh class falling flat, nets go high-concept for 2011


    NBC is attempting a sci fi series about a mission to Mars?!
    Currently they have The Event as the only sci fi series on the network.

    other produced TV series similar to this:
    the 2007 Canadian television mini-series about a fictitious mission to Mars
    http://www.racetomars.ca/mars/about.jsp
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_to_Mars


    and the 2009 show (that aired 8 episodes in USA):
    “Defying Gravity" 13-episode ABC sci-fi astronaut space series


    real life Mars Direct originally proposed in 1990 from Wikipedia: here are some selects:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mars_Direct&oldid=24550161
     
    Last edited: Oct 11, 2010
  2. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Why does NBC even try anymore? :lol:

    This part was actually used in a West Wing episode...
     
  3. Owain Taggart

    Owain Taggart Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Seems like an American remake of Race to Mars, which was pretty good.
     
  4. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    Sounds like a shipping service.
     
  5. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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    I think if the pilot goes to series the comparisons will be
    -Race to Mars 2007 TV series
    - Mission to Mars (2000 feature film)
    - Red Planet (2000 feature film)
    Defying Gravity ABC 2009 series
    If it is all about the astronauts and the mission then more like the first 3. If it includes all of the months of mission training then more like Defying Gravity.
     
  6. Owain Taggart

    Owain Taggart Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Well, Race to Mars was a 3 part mini-series. Far from being a TV series, so you might want to edit that :)
     
  7. watermelony2k

    watermelony2k Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Good concept, very WRONG network. Someone classy like AMC or HBO, please do it instead.

    Wait... wasn't there going to be a Red Mars TV miniseries? What happened to that?
     
  8. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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    Red Mars project - in development in 2008 from AMC

    Kim Stanley Robinson's 1992 novel of Martian colonisation, Red Mars,

    from October 2008 it was news that AMC was in development with it.
    AMC develping Robinson's Red Mars for series
    http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i149edf3e04ae01689aedd888ec498d8a

    Then the following Winter
    Why Red Mars may prove unfilmable
    Feb 17, 2009
    http://www.atomicmpc.com.au/Feature/137456,why-red-mars-may-prove-unfilmable.aspx

    and in August of 2009:
    -original author Kim Stanley Robinson...
    AMC's Red Mars still treading water one year on
    http://www.denofgeek.com/television/311762/amcs_red_mars_still_treading_water_one_year_on.html







    Red Mars imdb listing
    in development
     
  9. Jetfire

    Jetfire Guest

    This will be an interesting. Being on NBC though it is full of fail. :lol:
     
  10. Temis the Vorta

    Temis the Vorta Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Hmm, I recall a proposed series that never saw the light of day called Beyond that was a near-future, realistic look at a mission to Mars. Wonder if this is related? If so, they should retitle it Beyond which has more zing than Mars Direct, which is a godawful name for a TV show.
    Maybe they can produce a competitor? Just snap up Red Mars and go for it.

    I'm please to see that the article states the networks realize this season is full of fail and they need to suck significantly less next year.
     
  11. The Nth Doctor

    The Nth Doctor Infinite Possibilities... Premium Member

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    There's been talk about doing KSR's Red Mars for about a decade now. Way back in the day, Sci-Fi was developing it as a mini-series.

    One day, some day...it will be realized...I can only hope...
     
  12. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

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    I thought there was some talk of AMC developing RED MARS. Or was that just speculation by Temis that I want to be true?
     
  13. 23skidoo

    23skidoo Admiral Admiral

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    It's a shame they're going to probably have to dumb down the series in order for it to survive. The problem with Defying Gravity was that it was too cerebral and documentary-like and mainstream audiences couldn't understand it. I don't really have high hopes for Mars Direct in this venue (now if it were being produced for cable, that would be another story).

    Alex
     
  14. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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  15. Deckerd

    Deckerd Fleet Arse Premium Member

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    Does anyone else think the phrase "Race to Mars" is either a contradiction in terms or insanely optimistic?
     
  16. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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    according to Wikipedia
    my bolding.
    This is perhaps why calling space exploration with a specific goal such as landing a human on Mars a race increases competition and a need for spending by governments. Without this delving into a political discussion regarding funding for space exploration I'm merely answering your question.
    There is already a thread here for that:
    funding for manned Mission to Mars [financial/political ONLY]
     
  17. Deckerd

    Deckerd Fleet Arse Premium Member

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    I'm sorry, you misunderstood me. There is no race to Mars. I suspect there never will be a race to Mars. That's all I was saying. There will eventually be a multinational expedition with people on board but until then the best you can hope for is unmanned craft and if we're really lucky, robots.
     
  18. jefferiestubes8

    jefferiestubes8 Commodore Commodore

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    Mars robots /human landings in real life vs "Mars Direct"

    Since there have been a few unmanned probes and rovers landing on Mars the next big feat is to land a human on Mars. Not now but around 2025 there will be an actual race of sorts more political though.

    This thread actually shows how this experiment will eventually have robots land on Mars before humans.
    Japan taking humanoid robots to moon by 2015

    NASA has Robonaut 2 [the prototype humanoid robot] which goes up to the I.S.S. on November 1, 2010.


    Surely Mars Direct TV series pilot will discuss the already landing humanoid robots on Mars.
     
  19. Deckerd

    Deckerd Fleet Arse Premium Member

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    I'm not going to hijack this thread on the strength of a throwaway quip by myself but I sincerely hope I'm still a member of this board as these magical Mars deadlines come and go.
     
  20. Agent Richard07

    Agent Richard07 Admiral Admiral

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    Yeah, that's what I thought. "Mars Direct" sounds like a phone product or something. It's not a good title.