Mad Men and Bewitched...

[Warped9]

Did anyone catch the news item on Deadline last night about CBS buying a new remake of Bewitched?

I've just heard about it. And what's sad is that apparently the same people behind the Nicole Kidman disaster are behind this remake.

It isn't that it couldn't be done---it's all in the execution---but more likely that it will be sassed up for a contemporary mindset that, in all candour, is generally in the gutter.

In my opinion (and that's all it is) a new Bewitched would stand a better chance if it had something of a Everybody Loves Raymond sensibility---something a broad demographic of all ages could get into. Otherwise it will be just crap like the Hawaii Five-O remake.

 

[the G-man]

As discussed quite a bit on this board a couple of months ago, the original series was an interesting metaphor for feminism, the changing role of women and the rise of mixed religion marriages in the sixties.

I'm not sure what a modern version would tie into in a similar way given how times have changed. Maybe immigration and/or suspicion of immigrants and/or Islam (obviously handled very lightly, as the original did with its metaphors).

 

[J.T.B.]

On a similar note, anyone remember the old FBI series and how all the good guys drove shiny new Fords? The lead character, a civil servant, ended each episode driving away in that year's Mustang. It was so obvious on that show that Mad made it part of the parody.

I was a little young when that was on, I mostly remember a big dark LTD or Galaxie, but I remember the show did have a Ford "identity." But that reminds me of another '70s Ford show, Charlie's Angels. All the Angels drove new Fords: Kelly had a Mustang II Ghia with a "formal" roof, Jill/Chris had a sporty striped Mustang II Cobra, and poor Sabrina was stuck with an orange Pinto.

But this is getting pretty wide of Mad Men and Bewitched, I think I'll start a new thread.

One of the subtle things that impressed me on Mad Men was how the characters smoke. They've managed to mimic that totally casual and nonchalant manner in how they smoke as it was back when so many people smoked openly in society. Today when I see people smoke they seem rather self-conscious about it particularly since they are often restricted to smoking areas that are often set aside out of sight. Back then it was common and considered almost natural while today it's widely seen as a dirty habit.

I remember an interview with Matthew Weiner when when Mad Men first came out where he said he had tried to hire people with real smoking experience, because a lot of actors today just don't look natural smoking.

--Justin

 

[doubleohfive]

Did anyone catch the news item on Deadline last night about CBS buying a new remake of Bewitched?

I've just heard about it. And what's sad is that apparently the same people behind the Nicole Kidman disaster are behind this remake.

It isn't that it couldn't be done---it's all in the execution---but more likely that it will be sassed up for a contemporary mindset that, in all candour, is generally in the gutter.

In my opinion (and that's all it is) a new Bewitched would stand a better chance if it had something of a Everybody Loves Raymond sensibility---something a broad demographic of all ages could get into. Otherwise it will be just crap like the Hawaii Five-O remake.

As usual, I'll wave my "Don't judge it till you've seen it" flag but I'm sure there will be people who've already made up their mind based on that one sentence news blurb I posted above.

That being said, I'm not really a fan of the new Hawaii Five-O. I don't have anything against it per se, I just don't feel compelled to watch it.

 

[Warped9]

There isn't one sitcom today that I can stand watching. I've seen some of the Big Bang Theory that so many rave about and it just does nothing for me. I think the characters are flat, lacking in nuance and there is just nothing funny about it.

 

[doubleohfive]

How I Met Your Mother, Curb Your Enthusiasm (not really a sitcom, I know, but still a worthwhile comedy to watch) and Big Bang are three of my favorites.

Have you ever seen Arrested Development?

 

[Warped9]

Have you ever seen Arrested Development?

Everyday...in some of the people I work with.

 

[Maab of the Ten Tribes]

Don't know if its been mentioned or not but Darrin's secretary's name was Betty.