Alternate history tv shows

[Jiangnan Freak]

Are there any out there?

What would you like to see? I would love to see something taking place in alternate Japan under Mongol occupation.

 

[Mysterion]

Well, there was Sliders. It was pretty-much all AH all the time, but with varying degrees of success. and there was an adaption of the novel Fatherland that aired on HBO (or was it Showtime?), which depicted a world where the Germans had a better time of WW2.

Then, of course, there are TV show from alternate timelines:

Adam-12
Popular science fiction series which ran on NBC from 1969-75 starring Kent McCord as Adam-12, a clone who must hunt-down and stop the first eleven Adams who are dangerous psycopaths due to a flawed cloning process. He is aided in his mission by the streetwise lab technician who has befrinded him (Martin Milner). The final episode where Adam-12 finally meets his creator (portrayed by Jack Webb) never aired on television and was unseen until the series was released on DVD in 2003.

 

[Mistral]

Well, there was Sliders. It was pretty-much all AH all the time, but with varying degrees of success. and there was an adaption of the novel Fatherland that aired on HBO (or was it Showtime?), which depicted a world where the Germans had a better time of WW2.

Then, of course, there are TV show from alternate timelines:

Adam-12
Popular science fiction series which ran on NBC from 1969-75 starring Kent McCord as Adam-12, a clone who must hunt-down and stop the first eleven Adams who are dangerous psycopaths due to a flawed cloning process. He is aided in his mission by the streetwise lab technician who has befrinded him (Martin Milner). The final episode where Adam-12 finally meets his creator (portrayed by Jack Webb) never aired on television and was unseen until the series was released on DVD in 2003.

I would have loved that show. But I was born in the wrong universe. In my universe, Adam-12 (Kent McCord) was an android who thought he was a man with amnesia. It wasn't until the final episode of season one that he discovers he's not human. Befriended by a world-weary, alcoholic biologist(Martin Milner), he sets out on a quest to find the truth behind the mysterious "Rampart Project" that created him. Although the series ran until '75, it really went to hell in '73 when the network introduced a comic relief character, Boxy, played by Randolph Mantooth. After that it was a pale and poorly-written shadow of its former self.

 

[Vendikarr]

Are there any out there?

What would you like to see? I would love to see something taking place in alternate Japan under Mongol occupation.

If we were to expand this to discuss Alternate History show we would like to see, I would love to see a Guns of the South miniseries.

But none of the networks out there have the guts to put money into a project whose description would include the words 'The South / Confederacy win the Civil War'

 

[Silvercrest]

Well, there was Sliders. It was pretty-much all AH all the time, but with varying degrees of success. and there was an adaption of the novel Fatherland that aired on HBO (or was it Showtime?), which depicted a world where the Germans had a better time of WW2.

Then, of course, there are TV show from alternate timelines:

Adam-12
Popular science fiction series which ran on NBC from 1969-75 starring Kent McCord as Adam-12, a clone who must hunt-down and stop the first eleven Adams who are dangerous psycopaths due to a flawed cloning process. He is aided in his mission by the streetwise lab technician who has befrinded him (Martin Milner). The final episode where Adam-12 finally meets his creator (portrayed by Jack Webb) never aired on television and was unseen until the series was released on DVD in 2003.

I would have loved that show. But I was born in the wrong universe. In my universe, Adam-12 (Kent McCord) was an android who thought he was a man with amnesia. It wasn't until the final episode of season one that he discovers he's not human. Befriended by a world-weary, alcoholic biologist(Martin Milner), he sets out on a quest to find the truth behind the mysterious "Rampart Project" that created him. Although the series ran until '75, it really went to hell in '73 when the network introduced a comic relief character, Boxy, played by Randolph Mantooth. After that it was a pale and poorly-written shadow of its former self.

I always preferred "CHiPs", which was about a couple of L.A. motorcycle cops with experimental microchips implanted in their brains. They were equipped with high-tech motorcycles that could do all sorts of cool stuff. The comic relief was their long-suffering sergeant, Joe Getraer, and Harlan, the technician who maintained their implants.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

The Blackadder (the first series, that is) is an alternate history.

 

[Mysterion]

Well done Mistral and Silvercrest!

Tell you what, Milner and McCord sure seem to end up together in a lot of different timelines:

NBC Television Press Release, 31 August 1968:

NBC is proud to announce a new series from producer Jack Webb, set to premire on the network this fall.

"Gitmo" is a one-hour dramatic series set in the exciting world of US Marine Peacekeepers in Free Cuba. The series stars Martin Milner as Staff Sergeant Pete Malloy, and Kent McChord as his partner Corporal Jim Reed. We will follow Malloy and Reed as they patrol the streets and villages of Cuba working to ensure the ongoing freedom of the recently liberated Cuban population, and guarding against rebel communist insurgents. Webb promises a "realistic and uplifting portrayal of our fine American fighting men who serve on the vanguard of freedom".

"Gitmo" will air Tuesday nights at 8pm, 7pm Central.

 

[sojourner]

Those are some weird versions of Adam-12 guys.

The version I saw starred Kent McCord as Adam, the latest attempt to populate a new colony known as Earth 12. With his mate Eve, played by Martina Milner, He faced the trials and tribulations of taming a new alien world with only the barest of resources. It was a great show until the last half of season 3 when the intelligent aliens were discovered and Eve gave birth to the advanced child with super powers.

 

[Silvercrest]

Martina Milner????

Sorry guys, that's too weird for me. I'm going back to Earth-Prime.

 

[DonIago]

I don't know what this thread is on, but I want some!

 

[chardman]

All these sci-fi/alternate history versions of "Adam 12" got me thinking: Anyone else think that the makers of "Predator 2" blew an opportunity by naming Kent McCord's character "Captain B. Pilgrim" (an Easter egg in itself) instead of "Captain Jim Reed" after his Adam-12 character?

 

[FreezeC77]

All these sci-fi/alternate history versions of "Adam 12" got me thinking: Anyone else think that the makers of "Predator 2" blew an opportunity by naming Kent McCord's character "Captain B. Pilgrim" (an Easter egg in itself) instead of "Captain Jim Reed" after his Adam-12 character?

Could be copyright reasons. Like how Tom Paris isn't named Nick Lacarno... Although it would have been more costly for Voyager since it wasn't a one-time deal and every episode they'd have to pay royalties to the writers.

I always thought it would have been awesome if the Dad from Family Matters was playing his Die Hard cop character Al Powell instead of Carl Winslow... but I guess that would have had them pay royalties every episode.

An episode of Chuck did let him be "Al Powell" for a guest appearance, but since it was a one-shot deal I think it would have just been a payment for that one time use.

 

[Star Wolf]

Are there any out there?

.

Kings, the events of Biblical Israel are happening now. It lasted half a season and we got the story of King David from the battle with Goliath until he went in exile fleeing King Saul. I would much rather see another story done by this team then Roma Downey doing more stories in the next The Bible miniseries.

Remember Dark Skies that ran for one year where the major events of the 60s where influenced by an alien conspiracy. Colin Powell even showed up as the designated gunman army back up in one episode.

In The War of The Worlds the events in the radio play and the original movie actually happened but some kind of global amnesia hit a few remember the full scale invasion and the Orsen Wells play is remembered as that.

A full scale what if another side won and lets take up from there. I can't think of

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Star Trek TOS has sort of become this over the years, if unintentionally.

 

[Mysterion]

A perennial favorite of late-night cable TV:

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
(RKO, 1946)

Archeologist "Indy" Jones (Jimmy Stewart) and his girlfriend Marion (June Allyson) and sidekick Sallah (Orson Welles) undertake a quest to find the Ark of The Covenant before the Nazis do. Directed by John Ford (under protest and contractual obligation), Raiders continues to be a fan-favorite despite it's obvious low-budget back-lot locations. The film does feature some innovative special effects work by Ray Harryhausen (although there is an obvious pane of glass separating Stewart from a snake in one scene). Look for some interesting supporting performances by Peter Lorre as the Gestapo Agent Major Toht, and Claude Raines as Indy's rival Dr. Belloq. Despite the film's age and flaws, many find it to be superior to Steven Spielberg's 1981 re-make starring Tom Selleck as Jones and Sean Young as Marion.

(Excerpted with permission from "The Ultimate Movie Guide" by Roger Ebert (1999, Schuster & Simon, New Amsterdam)

 

[Mistral]

A perennial favorite of late-night cable TV:

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
(RKO, 1946)

Archeologist "Indy" Jones (Jimmy Stewart) and his girlfriend Marion (June Allyson) and sidekick Sallah (Orson Welles) undertake a quest to find the Ark of The Covenant before the Nazis do. Directed by John Ford (under protest and contractual obligation), Raiders continues to be a fan-favorite despite it's obvious low-budget back-lot locations. The film does feature some innovative special effects work by Ray Harryhausen (although there is an obvious pane of glass separating Stewart from a snake in one scene). Look for some interesting supporting performances by Peter Lorre as the Gestapo Agent Major Toht, and Claude Raines as Indy's rival Dr. Belloq. Despite the film's age and flaws, many find it to be superior to Steven Spielberg's 1981 re-make starring Tom Selleck as Jones and Sean Young as Marion.

(Excerpted with permission from "The Ultimate Movie Guide" by Roger Ebert (1999, Schuster & Simon, New Amsterdam)

I never much cared for Raiders...but I never passed up the chance to catch one of the old Lone Ranger movies on late night tv. I always thought Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce nailed the characters of Tonto and The Ranger. Johnny Depp's recent attempt to channel Rathbone's Tonto felt really flat by comparison, nearly as lame as that weak re-make he did of Ernest Borgnine's Oscar-winning film, Harvey.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Star Trek TOS has sort of become this over the years, if unintentionally.

Most TV shows are Alternate Histories to some degree.

 

[sojourner]

A perennial favorite of late-night cable TV:

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
(RKO, 1946)

Archeologist "Indy" Jones (Jimmy Stewart) and his girlfriend Marion (June Allyson) and sidekick Sallah (Orson Welles) undertake a quest to find the Ark of The Covenant before the Nazis do. Directed by John Ford (under protest and contractual obligation), Raiders continues to be a fan-favorite despite it's obvious low-budget back-lot locations. The film does feature some innovative special effects work by Ray Harryhausen (although there is an obvious pane of glass separating Stewart from a snake in one scene). Look for some interesting supporting performances by Peter Lorre as the Gestapo Agent Major Toht, and Claude Raines as Indy's rival Dr. Belloq. Despite the film's age and flaws, many find it to be superior to Steven Spielberg's 1981 re-make starring Tom Selleck as Jones and Sean Young as Marion.

(Excerpted with permission from "The Ultimate Movie Guide" by Roger Ebert (1999, Schuster & Simon, New Amsterdam)

I never much cared for Raiders...but I never passed up the chance to catch one of the old Lone Ranger movies on late night tv. I always thought Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce nailed the characters of Tonto and The Ranger. Johnny Depp's recent attempt to channel Rathbone's Tonto felt really flat by comparison, nearly as lame as that weak re-make he did of Ernest Borgnine's Oscar-winning film, Harvey.

Ernest Borgnine was great as The Godfather.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

All these sci-fi/alternate history versions of "Adam 12" got me thinking: Anyone else think that the makers of "Predator 2" blew an opportunity by naming Kent McCord's character "Captain B. Pilgrim" (an Easter egg in itself) instead of "Captain Jim Reed" after his Adam-12 character?

Could be copyright reasons. Like how Tom Paris isn't named Nick Lacarno...

Meh, "Jim Reed" seems like a common enough name. (Especially since his first name would not, necessarily, have to ever be used. Just call him Captain Reed.)

 

[Nerys Myk]

Mickey Rooney deserved every Emmy he won as "Archie Bunker" on All In the Family.