This'll be interesting. I suppose they wouldn't have to change much for it to work really, CIA/NSA and everything else could just work. It's not like it's a show that's uniquely British, so I could see it working.
ABC To Remake Spooks?
- Thread starter Bob The Skutter
- Start date
This'll be interesting. I suppose they wouldn't have to change much for it to work really, CIA/NSA and everything else could just work. It's not like it's a show that's uniquely British, so I could see it working.
Can't be CIA/NSA we know how they are restricted by law and USA Network is already getting grief about misusing the CIA in Covert Affairs. It would by definition be a FBI show or they can go like was done in 2002 with the Homeland Security Joint Teams
Eh. I like MI-5 and would rather it be properly imported before we just make another 24esque show. The best parts of MI-5- the small ensemble cast, short seasons with tight scripting not always based upon action- are not the standard of American television. While I'm sure with enough backing, skill, and clout this type of show can be done for US prime time-the odds of something of serious quality or quality above the original are slim.
For what ABC pays in producing a new show, why don't they just by the rights to air MI-5 in a late prime time hour and a half?
For what ABC pays in producing a new show, why don't they just by the rights to air MI-5 in a late prime time hour and a half?
The original has already aired in the US on cable hasn't it?
Wouldn't the FBI or some other Homeland Security organization be more accurate, anyway, since MI5 deals with Britain's internal security? A closer British analogue to the CIA would be MI6.
I'm pretty sure it would have to be about the CIA or FBI. I can't see Americans giving a flip about foreign spy services (particularly not network audiences). And at this point, we can add spies to cops as a totally overexposed genre. How about a space opera or historical drama instead? 
They are? How so? I was disappointed to see that show didn't take its subject matter very seriously. I already have a perfectly good lighthearted CIA fantasy in Chuck and don't need two shows in such a narrow, specific genre.
They are? How so? I was disappointed to see that show didn't take its subject matter very seriously. I already have a perfectly good lighthearted CIA fantasy in Chuck and don't need two shows in such a narrow, specific genre.
I thought they were already working on Chaos and the Alias-like remake. Could be a government secret heavy couple of years for the alphabet network.
Lots of shows misuse the CIA. The agents generally don't operate within the US. Lots of shows use the FBI to investigate counterfeiting too... I'm just used to it.
Lots of shows misuse the CIA. The agents generally don't operate within the US. Lots of shows use the FBI to investigate counterfeiting too... I'm just used to it.
Oh right, the domestic spying thing. If Covert Affairs weren't so obviously goofy fluff, that might be offensive and disturbing. 
Look, it's the American Gestapo! How charming!
CBS was working on Chaos and that one actually sounded pretty good (realistic, at least). It came back unexpectedly from the dead for a midseason pickup.
Hopefully if Freddy Rodriguez launches into any domestic spying, the show will have the wits to acknowledge that as a bad, scary, unconstitutional thing and not a source of harmless fun.
That wouldn't benefit the audience since we can all rent the show on Netflix. So why not do that and get ABC to develop something new (hopefully not a cop/doc/spy/lawyer show) for that timeslot. We get two shows instead of one and double the odds of something worth watching.
But since this topic keeps coming up, there's a good reason why studios remake shows rather than re-airing them. They want to find franchises that they can spin off forever and ever - CSI, L&O. But if they don't own it 100%, then they can't capitalize on it, so to give a prime time slot to something they don't own is a waste of good airtime. They need to use all their primetime slots to keep churning the waters to find that next ever-elusive hit franchise that will pay for their 2/3rd failure rate for new shows (and even among survivors, very few become franchises).
Look, it's the American Gestapo! How charming!CBS was working on Chaos and that one actually sounded pretty good (realistic, at least). It came back unexpectedly from the dead for a midseason pickup.
Hopefully if Freddy Rodriguez launches into any domestic spying, the show will have the wits to acknowledge that as a bad, scary, unconstitutional thing and not a source of harmless fun.
That wouldn't benefit the audience since we can all rent the show on Netflix. So why not do that and get ABC to develop something new (hopefully not a cop/doc/spy/lawyer show) for that timeslot. We get two shows instead of one and double the odds of something worth watching.
But since this topic keeps coming up, there's a good reason why studios remake shows rather than re-airing them. They want to find franchises that they can spin off forever and ever - CSI, L&O. But if they don't own it 100%, then they can't capitalize on it, so to give a prime time slot to something they don't own is a waste of good airtime. They need to use all their primetime slots to keep churning the waters to find that next ever-elusive hit franchise that will pay for their 2/3rd failure rate for new shows (and even among survivors, very few become franchises).
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I'm also not sure exactly what John Casey's role on Chuck is... he's in the military, but yet he is also an NSA "agent"... NSA analyzes foreign communication.
My local PBS station has it on Saturday nights at 9 right now.
For some reason Hollywood makes the NSA into another version of the CIA . I guess they either don't know the real function of the NSA or they just don't give a damn.
Yeah, but they also do espionage and intelligence gathering as well as counter intelligence etc. and do have overseas powers too. Not sure there's an exact analogue between the UK and the US, I just thought CIA may be closer to what they do in Spooks than the FBI.
It is against the law to do espionage missions in America, a warrant from judicial system is needed. Something about Red Coats running roughshod over innocent colonist
. The FBI, military intelligence, DEA, Secret Service..... and all do operate overseas and gather intelligence. Even the NYPD sends intelligence officers abroad. But they never talked to the director of "Cebtral Intelligence" thus the reorganizations after 9/11. As a nation protected by two grand oceans our secret services only came of age during WWII and even then the FBI had that mission in the Americas as the new OSS (CIA) pulled the mission in Asia and Europe. The same national background which makes it illegal for the so-called Delta Force to work in the country or the military to help local police, (the state militia/National Guard does and when the Army does help well...
)makes it illegal for the CIA to do things. Counter spy missions is one of the FBIs oldest mandates.
You know the irony, wasn't there a pilot picked starring Rupert Penry-Jones only to have it recast with Christian Slater?
I do agree, I'd rather be watching MI-5 via netflix than some crazy fantasy CIA/FBI hyper American action new stuff. I don't want an action spin off that can be manipulated and milked to all its worth. I like a darn good solid show.
I honestly think rerunning MI-5 stateside were garner just as much ratings-maybe not the precious clout, control, or advertising-but decent ratings. The trouble is it has to edited for almighty commercials and supposed content we can't handle. My PBS shows it off and on, and I think it was on BBC America for awhile. Now, there's a conundrum. BBCA is supposed to show Brit programming of interest to Americans right? So why in the heck are they showing TNG?
I do agree, I'd rather be watching MI-5 via netflix than some crazy fantasy CIA/FBI hyper American action new stuff. I don't want an action spin off that can be manipulated and milked to all its worth. I like a darn good solid show.
I honestly think rerunning MI-5 stateside were garner just as much ratings-maybe not the precious clout, control, or advertising-but decent ratings. The trouble is it has to edited for almighty commercials and supposed content we can't handle. My PBS shows it off and on, and I think it was on BBC America for awhile. Now, there's a conundrum. BBCA is supposed to show Brit programming of interest to Americans right? So why in the heck are they showing TNG?
My Own Worst Enemy? Slater was great, the writing was atrocious. For starters, they had the logic backwards. Why would the gubmint take a psycho killer and brainwash him into being innocuous (and a sitting target for enemy agents)? Wouldn't it be smarter to take the innocuous guy and brainwash him into being the killing machine? Yet another example, among so very many, of a Premise That Nobody Bothered to Really Think Through.
They're like all the other channels, they'll do anything for ratings. Does Skiffy show sci fi? Does the History channel bother with history? Even Animal Planet has started doing shows about human beings all the frakking time. FEH!
^^^
I'm actually still trying to get over Baywatch on Comedy Central on late nights. I know there's a David Hasselholf roast, but Baywatch is definitely not a comedy--at least, not intentionally so...
I'm actually still trying to get over Baywatch on Comedy Central on late nights. I know there's a David Hasselholf roast, but Baywatch is definitely not a comedy--at least, not intentionally so...
I figure it's on the shaky ground of Patrick Stewart being British.
So are they going to show House, Deadwood and Sons of Anarchy on that basis too?
The part about Casey being in the military is fairly accurate. It has a very heavy active duty component including the direction is a 3-star general or admiral and most of the civilians are retired military. You don't see a whole lot of pure civillians outside the support roles. The CIA and NSA are two sides of the same coin. The CIA deals in physical intelligence while the NSA is signals intelligence.
^^ Patrick Stewart being the lead was the only reason I could think of for TNG on BBCA, too! Well, they could certainly cat their net wide if they were going for American shows with British Actors!
I agree channels will do anything anymore but show what their original niche content was. And you know, if an American channel makes MI-5 with CIA an FBI folks and stories-how the heck is it related to MI-5 then anyway? What would make it 'an American MI-5' instead of just 24 or Alias?
Honestly, I watch no new programming. I'm content with cable reruns for noise while I write, TCM and my DVR for classics, and netflix and my DVDs for series and movies. AT some point networks should just stop bothering and show classics. If stuff on Hulu gets better ratings than what on NBC, they should just show the good ole stuff!
I agree channels will do anything anymore but show what their original niche content was. And you know, if an American channel makes MI-5 with CIA an FBI folks and stories-how the heck is it related to MI-5 then anyway? What would make it 'an American MI-5' instead of just 24 or Alias?
Honestly, I watch no new programming. I'm content with cable reruns for noise while I write, TCM and my DVR for classics, and netflix and my DVDs for series and movies. AT some point networks should just stop bothering and show classics. If stuff on Hulu gets better ratings than what on NBC, they should just show the good ole stuff!
