what show would it be and what changes you would have made?
If you could remake any show...
- Thread starter Joe Washington
- Start date
Enterprise. I love the show, but...
Let me start with the characters (incidentally, I would leave the cast as is).
Captain Jonathan Archer, 42: Son of Henry and Sally Archer. The chip on his shoulder re: the Vulcans goes to their failure to alert Henry Archer that he was on the wrong track for development of the warp 5 engine, setting him -- and ambitions for space exploration -- back many years. And yes, he'll still have Porthos.
Commander Charles Tucker III, 31: XO and chief engineer. Born in Chicago, raised in Pensacola. He and Archer became friends while working on the warp five trials. Appoints himself unofficial morale officer.
Lt. Malcolm Reed, 35: Section 31 arranges his assignment as tactical officer aboard Enterprise, where his covert assignment is to gather information on the species they encounter. Archer will learn about his connections about six months into the mission. From then on, Malcolm's actions and motivations will be suspect. But as he comes to feel at home aboard Enterprise, he'll want to earn the crew's trust. Eventually, he will renounce S31.
Ensign Hoshi Sato, 25: Ship's linguist. Over time she will also take on the role of protocol officer. She has been trained in the martial arts and runs gambling operations when off-duty.
Sgt. Travis Mayweather, 29: MACO. Born on a cargo ship, he never saw Earth until he was 20 when he chose the military over life as a boomer. His father was disappointed that he wanted to leave, but understood his son's craving for something more. Mayweather's bland reaction to aliens and the wonders of space -- not to mention stories about species and how many planets he has set foot on -- will get under Archer's skin.
Doctor John Phlox, 49: Had a year of service with the Interspecies Medical Exchange, which helped expand his medical knowledge, but because the NX-01's mission is moved up, he misses out on a second year that would have expanded his experience considerably.
Envoy T'Pol: Ambassador Soval will persuade SFC to have T'Pol join the crew for the first year as a science advisor. Her presence rankles the crew, especially when they learn that her true role is to evaluate and report to Soval on the crew's activities (with an emphasis on failure). Over time she will become acclimated and realize that their missteps are no worse than those in the early years of Vulcan exploration.
I'd keep the NX-01 crew complement at about 80 men and women. Crew members will get sick, maimed and die on this show. I would show how families keep in touch: video letters from home as well as real time visits across the light years.
The ship will return to Earth after nearly a year to restock supplies and replace injured and dead crew members and for debriefings. We'll see families and what civilian life is like.
I would be faithful to the "history" established in the "sequel" shows... No Romulan cloaking devices; (I might keep the Borg ep just because it is consistent with First Contact); no Ferengi, didn't like them anyway. No Klingons (was kind of sick of them by the end of DS9); I would have made more use of the Vulcans, Andorians, Tellarites and the Orions would have been the main bad guys. Might add some "new" aliens but they wouldn't have a significant role in events, which would explain why they aren't mentioned in "future Trek."
Let me start with the characters (incidentally, I would leave the cast as is).
Captain Jonathan Archer, 42: Son of Henry and Sally Archer. The chip on his shoulder re: the Vulcans goes to their failure to alert Henry Archer that he was on the wrong track for development of the warp 5 engine, setting him -- and ambitions for space exploration -- back many years. And yes, he'll still have Porthos.
Commander Charles Tucker III, 31: XO and chief engineer. Born in Chicago, raised in Pensacola. He and Archer became friends while working on the warp five trials. Appoints himself unofficial morale officer.
Lt. Malcolm Reed, 35: Section 31 arranges his assignment as tactical officer aboard Enterprise, where his covert assignment is to gather information on the species they encounter. Archer will learn about his connections about six months into the mission. From then on, Malcolm's actions and motivations will be suspect. But as he comes to feel at home aboard Enterprise, he'll want to earn the crew's trust. Eventually, he will renounce S31.
Ensign Hoshi Sato, 25: Ship's linguist. Over time she will also take on the role of protocol officer. She has been trained in the martial arts and runs gambling operations when off-duty.
Sgt. Travis Mayweather, 29: MACO. Born on a cargo ship, he never saw Earth until he was 20 when he chose the military over life as a boomer. His father was disappointed that he wanted to leave, but understood his son's craving for something more. Mayweather's bland reaction to aliens and the wonders of space -- not to mention stories about species and how many planets he has set foot on -- will get under Archer's skin.
Doctor John Phlox, 49: Had a year of service with the Interspecies Medical Exchange, which helped expand his medical knowledge, but because the NX-01's mission is moved up, he misses out on a second year that would have expanded his experience considerably.
Envoy T'Pol: Ambassador Soval will persuade SFC to have T'Pol join the crew for the first year as a science advisor. Her presence rankles the crew, especially when they learn that her true role is to evaluate and report to Soval on the crew's activities (with an emphasis on failure). Over time she will become acclimated and realize that their missteps are no worse than those in the early years of Vulcan exploration.
------------------
I'd keep the NX-01 crew complement at about 80 men and women. Crew members will get sick, maimed and die on this show. I would show how families keep in touch: video letters from home as well as real time visits across the light years.
The ship will return to Earth after nearly a year to restock supplies and replace injured and dead crew members and for debriefings. We'll see families and what civilian life is like.
I would be faithful to the "history" established in the "sequel" shows... No Romulan cloaking devices; (I might keep the Borg ep just because it is consistent with First Contact); no Ferengi, didn't like them anyway. No Klingons (was kind of sick of them by the end of DS9); I would have made more use of the Vulcans, Andorians, Tellarites and the Orions would have been the main bad guys. Might add some "new" aliens but they wouldn't have a significant role in events, which would explain why they aren't mentioned in "future Trek."
Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda with thrice the budget, starring Clancy Brown as Dylan Hunt and Lucy Lawless as Beka Valentine. 
Robert Hewitt Wolfe remains showrunner throughout all seasons.
(Hey, gotta aim high.)
Robert Hewitt Wolfe remains showrunner throughout all seasons.(Hey, gotta aim high.)
Space Above and Beyond.
First alien contact leading to an interstellar war? Heck yeah.
Update the special effects, get some better actors, get some writers who can write military scenarios and characters convincingly. Get a show runner who has a planned out multi-season arc as intricately plotted and planned as Babylon 5. And let the show play out over four or five seasons.
No training missions to Mars without any cadre instructors around.
No bouncing around between being fighter pilots and ground pounders.
And do not be afraid to have some heavy exposition to explain the technology and tactics being used in the various battles. Actually explain how FTL works. This of course implies that there is a well thought out series Bible in place from the get-go.
First alien contact leading to an interstellar war? Heck yeah.
Update the special effects, get some better actors, get some writers who can write military scenarios and characters convincingly. Get a show runner who has a planned out multi-season arc as intricately plotted and planned as Babylon 5. And let the show play out over four or five seasons.
No training missions to Mars without any cadre instructors around.
No bouncing around between being fighter pilots and ground pounders.
And do not be afraid to have some heavy exposition to explain the technology and tactics being used in the various battles. Actually explain how FTL works. This of course implies that there is a well thought out series Bible in place from the get-go.
Sliders: I would have kept the show the way it was when Tracy Torme was the show runner. That is all.
Enterprise...and I don't have any ideas yet. Space Above and Beyond doesn't need to be remade it needs to be concluded. Andromeda and Seaquest DSV would be among my picks.
Ah yes, I forgot about seaQuest.
I probably would re-make the show as a mix between the Season 1 pilot movie, the Season 2 pilot movie, and the bulk of Season 3 ("seaQuest 2032"). No alien, time travel, monster or ghost crap.
As the overreaching story arc I would have at least three mega-corporations (and their respective security forces) fighting over the ocean's ressources. seaQuest's mission would be to act as a mediator between these parties and if this fails as an enforcer of peace. Some of those corporations would be outright evil, while others would be more ambigious and sometimes even constitute temporary allies. All of this would introduce sort of a "Babylon 5 under the sea" element to the re-imagined show.
The only thing I would perhaps retain from Season 2 are the Daggers. In the new show the Daggers would have been created as cheap labour by the mega-corporations and used as "slaves" in their underwater colonies. A group of freed Dagger militants would fight for ending the exploitation of their people. This could leave seaQuest's crew in a position where it has to fight people they essentially sympathize with. If possible they try negotiate between the rebels and the corporations though.
So, we would have five major players: the UEO, three different corporations (maybe an American, an European, and an Asian one), and the Dagger rebels. Between the corporations and the Daggers the oceans would be essentially be a powder-kegg where the UEO tries to hold things together as good as possible.
Fail-safe for Season 2 if the ratings go down: Introduce a The Abyss/Sphere element and have alien artifacts discovered in the oceans. The afore-mentioned parties then go hunt for those artifacts which are mostly examples for highly advanced technology. But no appearance of actual aliens.
I probably would re-make the show as a mix between the Season 1 pilot movie, the Season 2 pilot movie, and the bulk of Season 3 ("seaQuest 2032"). No alien, time travel, monster or ghost crap.
As the overreaching story arc I would have at least three mega-corporations (and their respective security forces) fighting over the ocean's ressources. seaQuest's mission would be to act as a mediator between these parties and if this fails as an enforcer of peace. Some of those corporations would be outright evil, while others would be more ambigious and sometimes even constitute temporary allies. All of this would introduce sort of a "Babylon 5 under the sea" element to the re-imagined show.
The only thing I would perhaps retain from Season 2 are the Daggers. In the new show the Daggers would have been created as cheap labour by the mega-corporations and used as "slaves" in their underwater colonies. A group of freed Dagger militants would fight for ending the exploitation of their people. This could leave seaQuest's crew in a position where it has to fight people they essentially sympathize with. If possible they try negotiate between the rebels and the corporations though.
So, we would have five major players: the UEO, three different corporations (maybe an American, an European, and an Asian one), and the Dagger rebels. Between the corporations and the Daggers the oceans would be essentially be a powder-kegg where the UEO tries to hold things together as good as possible.
Fail-safe for Season 2 if the ratings go down: Introduce a The Abyss/Sphere element and have alien artifacts discovered in the oceans. The afore-mentioned parties then go hunt for those artifacts which are mostly examples for highly advanced technology. But no appearance of actual aliens.
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MeanJoePhaser
Admiral
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, made gritty, realistic and topical (AS MANY "WAR ON TERROR" REFERENCES AS POSSIBLE, PLUS LOTS OF ADULTERY AND LESBIANS).
It would star which ever Baldwin brother isn't fat or looney.
Plus Kristen Kreuk as Wilma Deering, Anthony Stewart Head as Dr. Huer, Kevin Conroy as the voice of Dr. Theopolis, and Hawk would be introduced later and be played by Avery Brooks...er...Michael Shanks....uh...maybe...I'll think about that one.
With
Goldberg as Tiger Man
James Marsters as Killer Kane
Morena Baccarin and as Ardala
and Gary Coleman as himself.
It would star which ever Baldwin brother isn't fat or looney.
Plus Kristen Kreuk as Wilma Deering, Anthony Stewart Head as Dr. Huer, Kevin Conroy as the voice of Dr. Theopolis, and Hawk would be introduced later and be played by Avery Brooks...er...Michael Shanks....uh...maybe...I'll think about that one.
With
Goldberg as Tiger Man
James Marsters as Killer Kane
Morena Baccarin and as Ardala
and Gary Coleman as himself.
Couldn't Gary Coleman be Twikki?
Smallville. Mark my words I will remake this show in 15-20 years (assumings its not still on the air). I love the show but I'd definently make it only a 5 year show.
I'd have Clark more of a dreamer and more curious than afraid of his alien heritage, which leads to his investigative skills and interest in journalism. I'd also have Lana be more Chloe-like in that her and Clark's relationship starts out as friends, becomes romantic, but over time they realize that they aren't destined for each other and their relationships evolves into something more akin to close friends/confidant type of relationship.
I'd probably have Lex start out as a decent guy with dreams of saving the world, and have it parallel Clark's own journey to adulthood. I'd do this similar to how Carnivale depicted Ben and Justin developing in separate storylines over the years. I'm not sure if I'd have that go on for a whole five years, though. I might have Clark and Lex eventually meet, try to be friends, but have that tragically fail as they become arch rivals. Anyway, twenty years, this will happen, even if I have to buy the whole Siegel estate to gain complete control of the Superman character. Man, I hope I get rich soon...
I'd have Clark more of a dreamer and more curious than afraid of his alien heritage, which leads to his investigative skills and interest in journalism. I'd also have Lana be more Chloe-like in that her and Clark's relationship starts out as friends, becomes romantic, but over time they realize that they aren't destined for each other and their relationships evolves into something more akin to close friends/confidant type of relationship.
I'd probably have Lex start out as a decent guy with dreams of saving the world, and have it parallel Clark's own journey to adulthood. I'd do this similar to how Carnivale depicted Ben and Justin developing in separate storylines over the years. I'm not sure if I'd have that go on for a whole five years, though. I might have Clark and Lex eventually meet, try to be friends, but have that tragically fail as they become arch rivals. Anyway, twenty years, this will happen, even if I have to buy the whole Siegel estate to gain complete control of the Superman character. Man, I hope I get rich soon...
MeanJoePhaser
Admiral
Who would Deep Roy be playing then?
I will second this. That show had so much potential.
I'd be happy to see a remake of Alien Nation in an instant. Not that I don't like the original series, but it didn't live a full life and a show about the immigrant experience would be just as relevant today.
I know Tim Minear has been talking about redoing the series (with a heavy influence from The Wire), and that sounds like a great idea to me, but I'll believe it when I see it.
I know Tim Minear has been talking about redoing the series (with a heavy influence from The Wire), and that sounds like a great idea to me, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Shows I'd like to reboot or see rebooted:
Smallville (The series has a great concept, but could use some streamlining and focus so that it doesn't drag on and on and could eventually be spun off into a Metropolis-based series with Clark as Superman)
Babylon 5 (People are probably going to go 'huh?', but, although I'm a big B5 fan, I think there are definite things about the original that could use some retooling so that the full potential of JMS' idea of developing a 'novel for television' could be realized)
Power Rangers [All Series] (Although I'm a huge admitted PR fan, there are certain things about particular seasons/series in the franchise that I would love to see get the reboot treatment, primarily in order to make the overall 'shared universe' of the franchise more cohesive and internally consistent, and to provide each of the various seasons/series within the franchise with a defined narrative structure)
Star Trek [All Series] (Like Power Rangers, Star Trek is another franchise that I think could use a massive reboot/overhaul in order to make its 'shared universe' more cohesive and consistent, and to provide each of the various seasons/series within the franchise with a defined narrative structure)
Stargate [All Series] ( haven't watched a whole lot of any of the Stargate series, but from the little bits that I have watched, I've always felt that there were certain places where the writers weren't quite sure where they were going with the narrative of a given series or season, and I think that a lot of these issues could be fixed using the reboot concept; doing a reboot would also allow for the creation of a more streamlined, cohesive, and consistent 'shared universe' that could be spread out through and expanded upon by each individual series within the franchise)
Smallville (The series has a great concept, but could use some streamlining and focus so that it doesn't drag on and on and could eventually be spun off into a Metropolis-based series with Clark as Superman)
Babylon 5 (People are probably going to go 'huh?', but, although I'm a big B5 fan, I think there are definite things about the original that could use some retooling so that the full potential of JMS' idea of developing a 'novel for television' could be realized)
Power Rangers [All Series] (Although I'm a huge admitted PR fan, there are certain things about particular seasons/series in the franchise that I would love to see get the reboot treatment, primarily in order to make the overall 'shared universe' of the franchise more cohesive and internally consistent, and to provide each of the various seasons/series within the franchise with a defined narrative structure)
Star Trek [All Series] (Like Power Rangers, Star Trek is another franchise that I think could use a massive reboot/overhaul in order to make its 'shared universe' more cohesive and consistent, and to provide each of the various seasons/series within the franchise with a defined narrative structure)
Stargate [All Series] ( haven't watched a whole lot of any of the Stargate series, but from the little bits that I have watched, I've always felt that there were certain places where the writers weren't quite sure where they were going with the narrative of a given series or season, and I think that a lot of these issues could be fixed using the reboot concept; doing a reboot would also allow for the creation of a more streamlined, cohesive, and consistent 'shared universe' that could be spread out through and expanded upon by each individual series within the franchise)
J
Jetfire
Guest
Mutant-X!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutant_X_(TV_series)
I think this is a great concept and I like the characters and the actors even...just needed a bigger budget and more creative writing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutant_X_(TV_series)
I think this is a great concept and I like the characters and the actors even...just needed a bigger budget and more creative writing.
Crusade: From what I read on wikipedia (though I know you can't trust everything) TNT cancelled it before airing the first episode. Thus the simple reboot would be to move Crusade to (at the time) move it to the SciFi channel and give it more room to grow there. It would take off just like Bab5 and TNT would be mad that they lost a great show
Legend of the Rangers
I didn't read up on it but it probably would need to be moved too.
Get rid of the stupid weapon system.
I am sure there were other things but I can only remember the weapon system. Maybe replacing the entire actor set would help start off fresh.
Legend of the Rangers
I didn't read up on it but it probably would need to be moved too.
Get rid of the stupid weapon system.
I am sure there were other things but I can only remember the weapon system. Maybe replacing the entire actor set would help start off fresh.
Given more time, I could think of more shows and the specifics, but right now Sliders is the one that comes to mind.
I'd prolly try the route that Ent did in it's last season, with lots of two and three parters that allow for more exploration of the different worlds. I'd get rid of the time limit so that they're not always losing the timer for false drama. And I'd get rid of them losing the timer all the time for false drama too.
The Cro-Mags would never exist, nor would there ever be a villian like them. I liked it better when only a few people had the ability to slide, and it was usually Quinn and a few counterparts. Don't know why, I just liked that.
Mixed on whether or not to have them lost at all. I get tired of shows where the Gilligans Island\Lost In Space\Voyager thing is going on.
"Next week on Lost Voyagers Island....
Mary Janeway: Look! A thingy that'll get us home!
Proffesor Scientist: Can we take advantage of it and get home?
Then some fill in the blank bullshit happens and....OH! they can't get home. Who saw that coming since the entire premise of the show was them being lost. And this is just the second episode.
So if I had them lost, I'd prolly get them home again then have them focus on exploring the multiverse. Maybe due to some radiation stuff or whatever, they can't return home except periodically.
I'd prolly try the route that Ent did in it's last season, with lots of two and three parters that allow for more exploration of the different worlds. I'd get rid of the time limit so that they're not always losing the timer for false drama. And I'd get rid of them losing the timer all the time for false drama too.
The Cro-Mags would never exist, nor would there ever be a villian like them. I liked it better when only a few people had the ability to slide, and it was usually Quinn and a few counterparts. Don't know why, I just liked that.
Mixed on whether or not to have them lost at all. I get tired of shows where the Gilligans Island\Lost In Space\Voyager thing is going on.
"Next week on Lost Voyagers Island....
Mary Janeway: Look! A thingy that'll get us home!
Proffesor Scientist: Can we take advantage of it and get home?
Then some fill in the blank bullshit happens and....OH! they can't get home. Who saw that coming since the entire premise of the show was them being lost. And this is just the second episode.
So if I had them lost, I'd prolly get them home again then have them focus on exploring the multiverse. Maybe due to some radiation stuff or whatever, they can't return home except periodically.
Dusty Ayres
Commodore
Buck Rogers-and here's my idea from last time;
By 2020, humanity is set to explore the solar system, and the way to do that is through the gravity drive. Humanity must do it quick, though; Earth is fucked up environmentally, and is beginning to come apart at the seams socially, politically, and economically. A colony on Mars has already been established, but the colony leaders want to break away from Earth (shades of the Red Mars/Green Mars/Blue Mars trilogy) and a conflict is brewing.
Meanwhile on Earth, tensions between the PRC & the U.S.A. are threatening to explode into war over trade and economics (China has degenerated due to civil war, America has barely managed to stay on top, but Europe has become a global player by becoming a nation in fact, and the gravity drive is America's attempt to make itself important again.)
Scientist/NASA astronaut/Air Force pilot William Anthony 'Buck' Rogers has invented the drive, and wants to test it with the new spaceplane Ranger III. On September 13, 2020, Buck lifts off into space aboard the Ranger III for a three hour test flight of the gravity drive 'around the block' (the solar system) and then back again. However, a freak mishap in the ship's systems causes it to overshoot it's planned trajectory, and for Buck to be somehow frozen in time due to a strange form of time dilation (similar to what happened to Dylan Hunt in Andromeda). Eventually, the gravity drive settles itself down, and both pilot and ship come back to normal, but when they return, its' the 25th century....and what a century it is!
The war that resulted as a consequence of the various political/social/economic/environmental factors partially devastates Earth, forcing half of its population to explore the solar system and colonize it; Europe dominates half of the inner system (in particular Jupiter and its moons): Africa, the Middle East & Asia dominates the outer system and the asteroid belt and the other half, with the capitol being Mars: what's left of the USA and the PRC controls the Moon and Earth.
Earth is recovering from the war, and it's position is poor compared with the rest of the solar system; the remnants of the USA have now organized itself as the United Earth Government, with its capital in Toronto, and dominates much of what was once North, South, and Central America, with what's left of the PRC controlling China & North Korea, and now known as the Han Confederation.
Technology is advanced, and interplanetary travel is prevalent due to the invention of fusion power and Buck's gravity drive (making Ranger III an antique to everybody else that sees it.) When Buck arrives back at Earth, his flight path takes him into the the NAU's corridor illegally, and he is initially suspected of being a pirate or a terrorist. He meets Dr. Huer, Wilma Deering, Twiki, and the advanced AI Dr. Theopolis, represented by the hologram of a beautiful bald woman. Buck must now figure out this new world for himself, and come to terms with it. Compared to what he's facing now, flying Ranger III was a breeze.
By 2020, humanity is set to explore the solar system, and the way to do that is through the gravity drive. Humanity must do it quick, though; Earth is fucked up environmentally, and is beginning to come apart at the seams socially, politically, and economically. A colony on Mars has already been established, but the colony leaders want to break away from Earth (shades of the Red Mars/Green Mars/Blue Mars trilogy) and a conflict is brewing.
Meanwhile on Earth, tensions between the PRC & the U.S.A. are threatening to explode into war over trade and economics (China has degenerated due to civil war, America has barely managed to stay on top, but Europe has become a global player by becoming a nation in fact, and the gravity drive is America's attempt to make itself important again.)
Scientist/NASA astronaut/Air Force pilot William Anthony 'Buck' Rogers has invented the drive, and wants to test it with the new spaceplane Ranger III. On September 13, 2020, Buck lifts off into space aboard the Ranger III for a three hour test flight of the gravity drive 'around the block' (the solar system) and then back again. However, a freak mishap in the ship's systems causes it to overshoot it's planned trajectory, and for Buck to be somehow frozen in time due to a strange form of time dilation (similar to what happened to Dylan Hunt in Andromeda). Eventually, the gravity drive settles itself down, and both pilot and ship come back to normal, but when they return, its' the 25th century....and what a century it is!
The war that resulted as a consequence of the various political/social/economic/environmental factors partially devastates Earth, forcing half of its population to explore the solar system and colonize it; Europe dominates half of the inner system (in particular Jupiter and its moons): Africa, the Middle East & Asia dominates the outer system and the asteroid belt and the other half, with the capitol being Mars: what's left of the USA and the PRC controls the Moon and Earth.
Earth is recovering from the war, and it's position is poor compared with the rest of the solar system; the remnants of the USA have now organized itself as the United Earth Government, with its capital in Toronto, and dominates much of what was once North, South, and Central America, with what's left of the PRC controlling China & North Korea, and now known as the Han Confederation.
Technology is advanced, and interplanetary travel is prevalent due to the invention of fusion power and Buck's gravity drive (making Ranger III an antique to everybody else that sees it.) When Buck arrives back at Earth, his flight path takes him into the the NAU's corridor illegally, and he is initially suspected of being a pirate or a terrorist. He meets Dr. Huer, Wilma Deering, Twiki, and the advanced AI Dr. Theopolis, represented by the hologram of a beautiful bald woman. Buck must now figure out this new world for himself, and come to terms with it. Compared to what he's facing now, flying Ranger III was a breeze.
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