Seriously, following the "bad guys" is big at the moment. I fail to see why Blake's 7 hasn't been snapped up, instead being shuffled around network to network. Even if it were reduced to a 10-part series I'd been happy to see it.
Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7???
- Thread starter Candlelight
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Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
Yeah, sci-fi sems to remain a hard sell on tv. More expensive to produce, less likely to do well at awards and not a big ratings winner. BSG was critically acclaimed but, as I understand, not a huge success in terms of viewers. Its various prequels (Caprica and Blood and Chrome) also failed to take off (Caprica ran for one season, B&C was downgraded from proposed tv show to online series but didn't make it past a pilot movie), despite having BSG's built-in audience to ground them.
What's the latest with the proposed remake of B7 anyway? Between proposed sequels, reboots, revivals etc, both in the UK and US, it's constantly popping up but they never seem to go anyway? I think its certainly a show which would lend itself to a remake. Great concept but IMHO, not greatly executed. I don't think it needs a Doctor Who-style sequel - the original story was told and concluded. There was talk of sequel with Avon as a sort of 'Napoleon on Elba' but I think any sequel would dilute the power of the original ending, which remains a classic.
Yeah, sci-fi sems to remain a hard sell on tv. More expensive to produce, less likely to do well at awards and not a big ratings winner. BSG was critically acclaimed but, as I understand, not a huge success in terms of viewers. Its various prequels (Caprica and Blood and Chrome) also failed to take off (Caprica ran for one season, B&C was downgraded from proposed tv show to online series but didn't make it past a pilot movie), despite having BSG's built-in audience to ground them.
What's the latest with the proposed remake of B7 anyway? Between proposed sequels, reboots, revivals etc, both in the UK and US, it's constantly popping up but they never seem to go anyway? I think its certainly a show which would lend itself to a remake. Great concept but IMHO, not greatly executed. I don't think it needs a Doctor Who-style sequel - the original story was told and concluded. There was talk of sequel with Avon as a sort of 'Napoleon on Elba' but I think any sequel would dilute the power of the original ending, which remains a classic.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
I wouldn't want a continuation. I'd much rather have a full reboot.
The current state is being pushed on an X-Box platform launch, though it's still being flashed around as a 13-part hour long production.
Believe it when I see it.
I wouldn't want a continuation. I'd much rather have a full reboot.
The current state is being pushed on an X-Box platform launch, though it's still being flashed around as a 13-part hour long production.
Believe it when I see it.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
Game of Thrones is fantasy. That would need a big budget too.
Blake's 7 never had the budget (like 750,000 pounds per ep) for a sci fi series, so they focused on characters rather than space battles. Quarries, factories and power stations were used for alien worlds.
I wouldn't mind if they did the same thing again.
Game of Thrones is fantasy. That would need a big budget too.
Blake's 7 never had the budget (like 750,000 pounds per ep) for a sci fi series, so they focused on characters rather than space battles. Quarries, factories and power stations were used for alien worlds.
I wouldn't mind if they did the same thing again.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
I wasn't talking about the cost of the show, but that is an issue, I'm talking sic-fi.
Fantasy seems to do well, Game of Thornes, Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, True Blood, and normally has the ratings to support them. The problem is people simply don't seem to like the slight difference between fantasy ad sic-fi.
I wasn't talking about the cost of the show, but that is an issue, I'm talking sic-fi.
Fantasy seems to do well, Game of Thornes, Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, True Blood, and normally has the ratings to support them. The problem is people simply don't seem to like the slight difference between fantasy ad sic-fi.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
And yet, a lot of the longest-running shows have been sci-fi shows. I just think it's a lot more difficult and expensive to build a sci-fi world from scratch. Fantasy shows like Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, True Blood...they all take place in the real world. Game of Thrones is like Harry Potter. It was based on a hugely successful line of novels, so it was less of a risk.
The kind of sci-fi people like us usually want (space operas) are harder to get off the ground because world-building often takes a lot of time and effort.
And yet, a lot of the longest-running shows have been sci-fi shows. I just think it's a lot more difficult and expensive to build a sci-fi world from scratch. Fantasy shows like Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, True Blood...they all take place in the real world. Game of Thrones is like Harry Potter. It was based on a hugely successful line of novels, so it was less of a risk.
The kind of sci-fi people like us usually want (space operas) are harder to get off the ground because world-building often takes a lot of time and effort.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
Wasn't it a prime time show back during it's original run?
Though I do wonder, given the show's influence on the genre whether a remake would be seen as derivative rather than being the leader it once was.
i.e people would compare it to say Firefly and say its ripping off the Wheadon show not realising that B7 was the influnce for what came later.
Game of Thrones is fantasy. That would need a big budget too.
Blake's 7 never had the budget (like 750,000 pounds per ep) for a sci fi series, so they focused on characters rather than space battles. Quarries, factories and power stations were used for alien worlds.
I wouldn't mind if they did the same thing again.
Wasn't it a prime time show back during it's original run?
Though I do wonder, given the show's influence on the genre whether a remake would be seen as derivative rather than being the leader it once was.
i.e people would compare it to say Firefly and say its ripping off the Wheadon show not realising that B7 was the influnce for what came later.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
I think the more sci-fi is the less people like it, but it does deal with more CGI and sets mean more money and you need more viewers.
Doctor Who of old was cheap and cheesy a lot of the time. Talks place on Earth and has a set made from cardboard.
SG-1 had an increasing amount of Earth based episodes to offset the costs of the show as it got older.
I just feel that new sci-fi that isn't Earth based doesn't get the chance it deserves but if it has vampires and set on Earth you will be fine.
I think the more sci-fi is the less people like it, but it does deal with more CGI and sets mean more money and you need more viewers.
Doctor Who of old was cheap and cheesy a lot of the time. Talks place on Earth and has a set made from cardboard.
SG-1 had an increasing amount of Earth based episodes to offset the costs of the show as it got older.I just feel that new sci-fi that isn't Earth based doesn't get the chance it deserves but if it has vampires and set on Earth you will be fine.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
^ Unfortunately bigdaddy is right. Space operas seem to put people off in a way that vampires, zombies and even dragons don't.
Horror is fashionable, vampires are sexy and GOT benefits from its top notch cast and the complexity of its politics, but even it downplayed the fantasy elements in the first season until near the end (admittedly, it followed the books in this respect). I could definitely see a B7 remake mixing the best elements of nuBSG, Firefly with themes from GOT and various political dramas. But I think the basic concept might put off a lot of viewers from the outset.
^ Unfortunately bigdaddy is right. Space operas seem to put people off in a way that vampires, zombies and even dragons don't.
Horror is fashionable, vampires are sexy and GOT benefits from its top notch cast and the complexity of its politics, but even it downplayed the fantasy elements in the first season until near the end (admittedly, it followed the books in this respect). I could definitely see a B7 remake mixing the best elements of nuBSG, Firefly with themes from GOT and various political dramas. But I think the basic concept might put off a lot of viewers from the outset.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
With ratings thresholds dropping and everything becoming more and more niche, sci-fi, including space opera, could potentially fare well these days on at least some television outlets. We'll have to see some space sci-fi shows made and how they fare to get a sense of whether there's enough of an audience for them in today's television environment.
With ratings thresholds dropping and everything becoming more and more niche, sci-fi, including space opera, could potentially fare well these days on at least some television outlets. We'll have to see some space sci-fi shows made and how they fare to get a sense of whether there's enough of an audience for them in today's television environment.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
Yea, I suppose that's true. Just a few years back, while LOST was airing, I remember anything on a Big Network, on Prime time, that dropped under 10 Million viewers was considered in danger (And the Heavy hitting Cop Shows were raking mid-20Millions). Now, on the Big Networks, even the Biggest Shows have trouble getting much over 10 Million Viewers
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Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
I wouldn't mind even a six-part series to start with.
I wouldn't mind even a six-part series to start with.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
I would really like to see a B7 reboot. In my mind's eye I can see the darkness of the original show merged with the style ("realism" for want of a better word) of the new BSG. There is so much in B7 that would jibe with modern audiences: terrorism, state v the individual, personal liberties, the reach and influence of the state, financial corruption, drugs, the reliance of technology. Oh, it could be awesome.
Candlelight, it you don't mind me saying so, you made me smile the way you started saying 10 eps and have now said you'd settle for 6.
I would really like to see a B7 reboot. In my mind's eye I can see the darkness of the original show merged with the style ("realism" for want of a better word) of the new BSG. There is so much in B7 that would jibe with modern audiences: terrorism, state v the individual, personal liberties, the reach and influence of the state, financial corruption, drugs, the reliance of technology. Oh, it could be awesome.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
^ Ha. Yeah. I'm desperate.
^ Ha. Yeah. I'm desperate.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
But if you are making all the sets, spending the money, than you might as well make 13 episodes.
Netflix has the Matrix family peeps making a sci-fi show, but it's Earth based. It's a start, and I think that's the only place we will ever get a real space show again.
But if you are making all the sets, spending the money, than you might as well make 13 episodes.
Netflix has the Matrix family peeps making a sci-fi show, but it's Earth based. It's a start, and I think that's the only place we will ever get a real space show again.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
That's overly pessimistic. There are any number of outlets that could put a space show on. I wouldn't be surprised to see a live action Star Wars show on ABC eventually.
Re: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, House of Cards... why no Blake's 7?
I would imagine Paramount would get back into Star Trek in the next few years once Star Wars takes off under Disney.
^^ It depends on the sets. Yes the Liberator flight deck would cry out for a physical set but blue screens could also be used.
I would imagine Paramount would get back into Star Trek in the next few years once Star Wars takes off under Disney.
^^ It depends on the sets. Yes the Liberator flight deck would cry out for a physical set but blue screens could also be used.
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