Could "The Starlost" be remade today?

[11Alive]

Yes, the special effects were awful, the writing horrendous and the science absolutely abysmal. But setting all that aside, would it be possible to make a reboot? Not just because SFX technology has advanced so much, but because there might have been potential there. The only thing is I'm not sure if it hasn't already been done and done better in the interim. Seems to me that Stargate SG-1 already took the whole "visiting insular Earth-like societies" thing as far as it could go. Are there any other recent shows that were like that?

 

[F. King Daniel]

There will never be a Starlost as amazing as the one we got. Solid gold. Like Walter Koenig's costume.

 

[DEWLine]

It probably could. If there was actual interest. If the original series hadn't poisoned that well so thoroughly. If...a lot of things.
I doubt that a post-death of Harlan Ellison Kilimanjaro Corporation management will sign off on any such thing in either of our lifetimes, though.

 

[Galileo7]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[Morpheus 02]

Could they just do a SIMILAR type of situation..call it something else. Maybe make the ship a sort of zoo transport that loses the crew and the inmates are forced to try to run it.

Could also make it into a semi anthology where different groups are focused on , but everything connects later on the show

 

[RJDiogenes]

Let's just have a sequel series that catches up with them fifty years later. The three young people figured out how to put the ship in orbit of the "solar star," but now a different group of three young people have to figure out how to transfer the cultures from the biodomes down to a "planety planet."

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Have I read the episode synopses for this show, or was there another almost identical show?

I know I never saw this show, but I seem to remember at least 1 episode of something that had a group going from biosphere to biosphere.

 

[valkyrie013]

Well, Orville did an episode somewhat similar with the colony not knowing it was in a ship, and it was also about to ram into a star.
Just read the wikipedia entry.. never even heard of the show!
I think it would make a good series, be alot of outdoor shootings, where all the domes look like britsh columbia.. (Tee hee) But I think them going from dome to dome exeperianceing different lifestyles, forms of government would be an interesting series, with maybe a over arch of alien interference, or getting close to a solar system.. would make for a good series!

To get around the ellison estate if need be.. Call it Orphans of the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein, his book was in 63 predating the series.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Well, Orville did an episode somewhat similar with the colony not knowing it was in a ship, and it was also about to ram into a star.
Just read the wikipedia entry.. never even heard of the show!
I think it would make a good series, be alot of outdoor shootings, where all the domes look like britsh columbia.. (Tee hee) But I think them going from dome to dome exeperianceing different lifestyles, forms of government would be an interesting series, with maybe a over arch of alien interference, or getting close to a solar system.. would make for a good series!

To get around the ellison estate if need be.. Call it Orphans of the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein, his book was in 63 predating the series.

I was thinking about the Orville episode. Very similar with the world ship.

But I'm remembering something (TV episode, movie) where the group was popping in and out of various habitats. A Dr. Who episode maybe?

 

[JD]

Do enough people care about this for it to be worth remaking? I'd never even heard of it until another thread about it popped up on here a while back.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Could they? Sure.
But, why would they?
Sure, it's existing IP and risk adverse Hollywood likes existing IP, but, this is an IP that virtually no one knows.
Why spend the money to get it, when the idea isn't so unique they couldn't just do it?

What's the compelling reason to remake this show?

 

[Skipper]

What's the compelling reason to remake this show?

It went so well the first time?

 

[Shaka Zulu]

Could they? Sure.
But, why would they?
Sure, it's existing IP and risk adverse Hollywood likes existing IP, but, this is an IP that virtually no one knows.
Why spend the money to get it, when the idea isn't so unique they couldn't just do it?

What's the compelling reason to remake this show?

It was a great idea from a great writer turned into a POS by the production company and the network, and just like the 2004 Battlestar Galactica, it's a failure that can be remade into a success this time around.

 

[Qonundrum]

Anything can be remade since remakes often have various elements changed. The question is can it be remade in a way that takes off on its own? (Like Star Trek TNG had, though it was technically a loose sequel and not the same scripts tinkered with...)

And I do agree with Professor Zoom above - looking at older shows where they tried something original but, phew it was awful, it's hard to blame them for trying to re-use established shows. But those shows made it big because of something more than just what's on paper. Those shows being remade have to deal with and more elements than being "a product of its time" in order for it to transcend the barriers of perception over time, and that can't always be translated effectively. And for some core ideas, they need to be solid...

The cast also have to really like the premise and play it with utmost sincerity. On top of any changed or reimagined ideas being really good. For example, "V"'s reboot had some potential but it deserves a whole post adumbrating each area that fell apart or was half-baked. A shame, since the finale with "Lars" just about had everything coming together and setting the stage for a very robust third season had it been green lit, but I digress... Another might be the Star Wars prequel trilogy - jampacked with big names galore, they still couldn't rescue extremely generic and flat scripts no matter what ideas were in play (and some were not bad).

 

[Professor Zoom]

It was a great idea from a great writer turned into a POS by the production company and the network, and just like the 2004 Battlestar Galactica, it's a failure that can be remade into a success this time around.

Battlestar Galactica wasn't a failure though--it was successful in the ratings, but it was incredibly expensive.

And it was also an IP that people remembered and cared about.

And also, the reboot of Galactica had a point: they could use the story of the destruction of the colonies as a metaphor for 9/11 and tell stories about our contemporary experiences.

 

[Christopher]

For example, "V"'s reboot had some potential but it deserves a whole post adumbrating each area that fell apart or was half-baked.

The V remake was just awful. The heroes were so stupid and incompetent that by the end I was rooting for the villainess.

 

[JD]

It was a great idea from a great writer turned into a POS by the production company and the network, and just like the 2004 Battlestar Galactica, it's a failure that can be remade into a success this time around.

It might have been those things, but was it popular enough that the name will draw people to the reboot? For a studio to be willing to reboot something, it's usually because it's a recognizable name with enough nostalgia attached to it that people will pay attention. Does The Starlost have that? These boards are the only place I've ever seen it mentioned, so that makes me question if the name is recognizable enough for someone to actually be willing to reboot it.

 

[valkyrie013]

Be good story for refugees, different forms of government, religion, people playing god whole host of current day topics. Even climate issues in certain domes from no upkeep. Maybe crew playing divenity.

 

[FormerLurker]

Well, Orville did an episode somewhat similar with the colony not knowing it was in a ship, and it was also about to ram into a star.

As I recall, the Orville episode was a takeoff of "For The World Is Hollow And I Have Touched The Sky". Obviously they did their own take on the concept, but, as with much of The Orville, the concept is Seth's take on Star Trek.

Boy, I just said 'take' a lot.

 

[Shaka Zulu]

Battlestar Galactica wasn't a failure though--it was successful in the ratings, but it was incredibly expensive.

And it was also an IP that people remembered and cared about.

And also, the reboot of Galactica had a point: they could use the story of the destruction of the colonies as a metaphor for 9/11 and tell stories about our contemporary experiences.

Sorry, but as somebody said, the 1978 show was ultimately a failure, and had only (maybe/mostly) a few hundred fans worldwide.

This IP is amazing just because of who wrote it, and in the right hands and right production company, could be a hit show that's also critically acclaimed.