POLL: classic Brit sci-fi rebooted

[lurok]

Have to admit not seen entirety of all these shows, but familiar with from research/recommendations/repeats, and YouTube. I'm proud (I repeat PROUD) of British contribution to SF and legacy, and disappointed that while many US shows (understandably) get reboot/remake, few Brit shows do. I despair of many of my generation who think US invented sci-fi (without taking anything away from fantastic US contribution).
These are prime candidates I think could possibly be remade for contemporary audience. Interested in views if could/should, changes, casting, etc and other possibles...

UFO: secret organisation defends Earth from alien incursion. Reboot would need better FX, but like basic concept from original that a bland/anodyne front is used to hide the secret organisation; intentions of aliens are undefined (apart from possibly organ harvesting); and paranoia as general theme. (Currently watching on DVD)

Blakes 7: rebels fight galactic empire. More Robin Hood than Star Wars. Probably overdone trope, but show has sardonic tone lacking in successors/copies. And great anti-hero lead.

The Champions: UN agents given superhuman powers following near-fatal crash. NOF and Heroes etc probably killed this concept but still like idea and dynamic of US and UK actors. If reboot/remake, would have to keep fun/style of original (more James Bond/Mad Men) rather than earnestness/realism of variants.

Quatermass: the original and best. Know has been revamped at various periods, but perhaps that's why works so well. He's a timeless character. How about Stewart as 2011/2012 Quatermass?

Sapphire & Steel: what I've seen of this show, weird but truly brilliant. I've seen one show with some strange 'black hole-type' creature in a house that is scarier than anything seen on recent TV and must have freaked out people when it was originally shown. Kind of early X-Files/Mulder-Sculler dynamic but even stranger (they're not human, but look it and investigate weird goings-on on Earth). Think this has most potential in right hands...

 

[Gov Kodos]

I am partial to UFO, I loved the whole concept as a kid. Moonbase, secret headquarters, all kinds of vehicles hardware and all sorts of environments to play out drama. Fantastic show. It just barely edges out Quatermass. Quatermass is just such a natural for all sorts of SciFi adventure coupled with commentary on where our world is and is heading.

 

[Sindatur]

I only know UFO (actually just obtained it this week, so will be watching it at some point in the near future) and Blake's 7, which I am currently watching.

I have been wanting a Blake's 7 continuation/reboot for alot of years. Too late now for the continuation, but, a reboot would be extremely welcome

 

[Deckerd]

I loved Blake's 7. I expect if I watched any of it now it would be embarrassingly bad. The whole concept would be a good basis for a new show.

 

[Gov Kodos]

I'd also add Captain Scarlet to the list. Originally Marionation, but the best of Gary Anderson's work with the format. A live action show would be fantastic.

 

[lurok]

I only know UFO (actually just obtained it this week, so will be watching it at some point in the near future) and Blake's 7, which I am currently watching.

I have been wanting a Blake's 7 continuation/reboot for alot of years. Too late now for the continuation, but, a reboot would be extremely welcome

I loved Blake's 7. I expect if I watched any of it now it would be embarrassingly bad. The whole concept would be a good basis for a new show.

Thank you both, esp. Deckerd. Reason I wanted to run this poll is, as I said above, am so proud of Brit SF. Even watching DVDs of old series I can see - fx, acting, camerawork - ok, they're a bit dated and ropey but there's something in concept and characters that make me want to watch next episode. To give a recent example: I watched unaired pilot of Dollhouse. Compelling. Watched first episode. Boring. Switched off halfway through. Serenity? So-so. First ep of Firefly? zzzzzzz. SG-1? Love it, and now up to season 4.

So this is about concept/characters/ideas rather than how dated show is...

 

[Sindatur]

My favorites Space operas are:
Babylon 5
Farscape
DS9
and tied Blake's 7 and Dr. Who

The common theme to all of them but Dr. Who is they are heavily layered in Political and/or Religious Chess Games. That is (other than good character development and well done Arcs) my favorite theme in Space Operas.

Blake's 7 was really, really good at the Political Chess Game, and "2 steps forward, 1 step back"

I actually have a Blake's 7 novel set after the final episode, which was really good, and always wanted to see the show continued based upon that book.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Blakes 7 - it'd probably be more relevant and topical now than it was in 1978 (for example, the first thing I thought of when Julian Assange's rape case hit the news was Roj Blake getting framed for kiddie-fiddling to stop people listening to him.)

 

[lurok]

Blakes 7 - it'd probably be more relevant and topical now than it was in 1978 (for example, the first thing I thought of when Julian Assange's rape case hit the news was Roj Blake getting framed for kiddie-fiddling to stop people listening to him.)

Thanks, Lonemagpie.. It really got me riled me up when American friends would automatically think of Brit sci-fi as 'Dr Who' and nothing else. No disrespect to DW, but it is and always will be limited for a 21stC audience. Best to kill DW off for modern audience and allow new character to develop....


Again, you've given reason for topical. But equally, I think there is place for escapism...

 

[MacLeod]

of course another Brit Sci-Fi show is Space 1999, and the Gerry Anderson shows such as Thunderbirds , Captain Scarlet etc..

Just checked wikipedia looks like Thunderbirds is coming back as a CGI show.

 

[Mistral]

I am limited in exposure to Brit scifi but will cheerfully vote UFO as it was a landmark in my dimly remembered youth. I even had a Corgi Interceptor. Let's do it again!

 

[Temis the Vorta]

None of those premises sound worth bothering to revisit for their sakes alone. And the premise isn't why something gets rebooted. It's because of the recognition value of the name. None of the names really reach that level. Remember, a reboot doesn't necessary have anything to do with the original material.

Not that Wonder Woman looks any more worthwhile.

 

[MacLeod]

Isnn't their rumors about a UFO movie?

 

[Mistral]

None of those premises sound worth bothering to revisit for their sakes alone. And the premise isn't why something gets rebooted. It's because of the recognition value of the name. None of the names really reach that level. Remember, a reboot doesn't necessary have anything to do with the original material.

Not that Wonder Woman looks any more worthwhile.

Such a Negative Nelly today....

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

None of those premises sound worth bothering to revisit for their sakes alone. And the premise isn't why something gets rebooted. It's because of the recognition value of the name. None of the names really reach that level. Remember, a reboot doesn't necessary have anything to do with the original material.

Not that Wonder Woman looks any more worthwhile.

Such a Negative Nelly today....

Temis traditionally doesn't appear to have a high regard for British Sci-Fi TV, which is fair enough as I suspect we tend to apply rose-tinted goggles to our native offerings.

Blakes 7 would be the series that I'd most like to see rebooted. However, the UK TV climate is such that it's even less likely that such space-opera offerings would be green-lit here than in the US. I believe that Sky had tentative plans to develop Blakes 7 but they were probably canned as not being commercially viable.

 

[Thestral]

Best to kill DW off for modern audience and allow new character to develop....

 

[Sindatur]

So...Quartermass, I've heard of from many people, and this thread made me curious what exactly it was, so I went to IMDB, and apparently there's some from the 1950s and 1970s? So, how does one go about approaching Quartermass? Is one version schlock while another is really good?

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Eleventh Hour with Patrick Stewart from a few years ago (remade in the US with Rufus Sewell) was really Quatermass crossed with Doomwatch. Too soon yet for another reboot methinks.

 

[Count Zero]

I loved Blake's 7. I expect if I watched any of it now it would be embarrassingly bad. The whole concept would be a good basis for a new show.

I only watched it a few years ago for the first time and loved it. It's definetely my second most favourite Sci-Fi show after Doctor Who. So I think it has held up very well, except for the SFX which mus have been bad even back then. While I would have loved to see a continuation of the show, I'd rather just want the SFX redone instead of a reboot, to be honest.
I think this series also lives from the dialogue and the way it's delivered and I'm not sure a reboot would work.

 

[Captaindemotion]

I loved Blake's 7. I expect if I watched any of it now it would be embarrassingly bad. The whole concept would be a good basis for a new show.

Correctamundo.