Ron Moore Working on Coast Guard Series

[PsychoPere]

From Hollywood Reporter comes word that Ronald D. Moore is working on a series involving the U.S. Coast Guard:

Battlestar Galactica showrunner Ron Moore has sold an ambitious action-adventure series to NBC. [...] The show focuses on the men and women of the fictional Coast Guard cutter The McCulloch as they travel around the world.

Between this series, the Wild Wild West remake that CBS is now circling, and the fantasy series for NBC, Moore seems to be having a pretty decent time of it with new upcoming shows in the wake of Caprica's cancellation.

I don't know much about the U.S. Coast Guard, so I have a question for those who do have knowledge. Is it common for Coast Guard cutters to travel "around the world," as the one-line synopsis states this one will? I was under the (mistaken?) impression that cutters were typically rather small ships.

 

[Professor Zoom]

It isn't common for them to travel the world. As their job is to... you know... guard the coast. But, it's TV, so rules don't always apply.

 

[The Wormhole]

Sounds like an American version of The Guard.

 

[Harvey]

RDM is quickly becoming to television writers what Sam Raimi is to film directors--a wealth of announced projects, but not a lot to show for it.

Also, a coast guard show doesn't interest me in the slightest. Neither does much of what Moore has been developing lately. A shame.

 

[bigdaddy]

Moore seems to be having a pretty decent time of it with new upcoming shows in the wake of Caprica's cancellation.

Being he had little to do with Caprica anyways....

This show will cost too much for NBC and it will be canceled or never picked up.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Certainly if Moore wants to be a really successful TV producer he needs to get beyond sf.

 

[WHF]

Sounds like an American version of The Guard.

This was my first thought as well. He may have seen it during his time in Canada.

There is also the Australian show Sea Patrol.

I wouldn't class either of these programs as fantastic television but I found that they had their charms. The biggest being engaging characters that I found myself caring about.

 

[Marc]

Sounds like an American version of The Guard.

This was my first thought as well. He may have seen it during his time in Canada.

There is also the Australian show Sea Patrol.

I wouldn't class either of these programs as fantastic television but I found that they had their charms. The biggest being engaging characters that I found myself caring about.

And long before Sea Patrol there was Patrol Boat - same idea just made by the ABC 20 years earlier.

 

[caisson2delta]

This might be slightly interesting if it were a mini series (maybe 6 hours at most), but I can't see too much interest for much more than that. I know during Vietnam that some Coast Guard units were deployed to help with some duties, but I don't think that it's a standard practice for them to go "around the world" in their crafts.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

It isn't common for them to travel the world. As their job is to... you know... guard the coast. But, it's TV, so rules don't always apply.

Hate to somewhat disagree with you here, but... that's not true. We are a worldwide service, believe it or not.

Through the USCG, I've been able to set foot on all the continents of the world, including Antarctica.

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[bigdaddy]

This might be slightly interesting if it were a mini series (maybe 6 hours at most), but I can't see too much interest for much more than that. I know during Vietnam that some Coast Guard units were deployed to help with some duties, but I don't think that it's a standard practice for them to go "around the world" in their crafts.

It would be on NBC, no one is interested anyways.

 

[Star Wolf]

From Hollywood Reporter comes word that Ronald D. Moore is working on a series involving the U.S. Coast Guard:

Battlestar Galactica showrunner Ron Moore has sold an ambitious action-adventure series to NBC. [...] The show focuses on the men and women of the fictional Coast Guard cutter The McCulloch as they travel around the world.

Between this series, the Wild Wild West remake that CBS is now circling, and the fantasy series for NBC, Moore seems to be having a pretty decent time of it with new upcoming shows in the wake of Caprica's cancellation.

I don't know much about the U.S. Coast Guard, so I have a question for those who do have knowledge. Is it common for Coast Guard cutters to travel "around the world," as the one-line synopsis states this one will? I was under the (mistaken?) impression that cutters were typically rather small ships.

Well they have some High Endurance Cutters and their replacements the National Security Cutters that have the range and sea capabilities to go around the world on missions. but are about as impressive as a USN frigate but without the firepower to build a series around. I guess with an aircraft and rescue swimmers attached it can be "sexy" enough but what the Coast Guard does drama wise is near the coast doing either law enforcement or rescues. Engine rooms of cruise ships don't catch fire all that often in the middle of the ocean.

 

[PsychoPere]

Moore seems to be having a pretty decent time of it with new upcoming shows in the wake of Caprica's cancellation.

Being he had little to do with Caprica anyways....

True, but I imagine it's never a good feeling for a creator's series to be canceled.

It isn't common for them to travel the world. As their job is to... you know... guard the coast. But, it's TV, so rules don't always apply.

Hate to somewhat disagree with you here, but... that's not true. We are a worldwide service, believe it or not.
Through the USCG, I've been able to set foot on all the continents of the world, including Antarctica.

Well they have some High Endurance Cutters and their replacements the National Security Cutters that have the range and sea capabilities to go around the world on missions. but are about as impressive as a USN frigate but without the firepower to build a series around. I guess with an aircraft and rescue swimmers attached it can be "sexy" enough but what the Coast Guard does drama wise is near the coast doing either law enforcement or rescues. Engine rooms of cruise ships don't catch fire all that often in the middle of the ocean.

Thanks to both of you, Colonel Midnight and Star Wolf, for adding details to my question. I knew about the law enforcement and rescues aspect of the USCG's mission on the U.S. coast, of course, but had no clue that the USCG actually does operate worldwide. Are rescue missions generally the same sort of activity the USCG is involved with when operating in other areas of the world?

 

[Colonel Midnight]

Well, it depends (I suppose) on how you define "same sort of activity" in regards to SAR.

On one hand, each situation is different (given the randomness of the varying circumstances).

On the other hand, the actions taken tend to be the same, i.e. getting a boarding team over, getting control of the situation, tending to any wounded, taking the ship in tow, etc.

So -- guess the best way to compare/contrast it is that it's like that phrase regarding authors and new ideas, i.e. that there really aren't any new ideas, just how the author mixes them together. (Or the idiots on the sailboat, in this case... *KIDDING*)

As for "sexiness" -- well, again that depends. Honestly, unless they're in a deployment to the NAG (Northern Arabian Gulf), how often does a USN destroyer or frigate fire its main gun? I would say probably about the same amount of time as an WHEC (High Endurance Cutter) or WMSL (Maritime Security Cutter Large, the official name for the 'NSC' now) does on an average patrol, namely... once, perhaps twice. Even then they're probably shooting for practice at nothing/imaginary target or a "Killer Tomato" on a range.

To be honest, one of the reasons why I joined the USCG was because of the varying things we do. For instance (these are 2008 statistics), on a typical day the USCG does the following:

• Save 15 lives
• Assist 117 people in distress
• Conduct 90 search and rescue cases
• Protect $2.8 million in property
• Enforce 129 security zones
• Interdict and rescue 15 illegal migrants at sea
• Board 4 high interest vessels
• Board 192 vessels of law enforcement interest
• Board 122 large vessels for port safety checks
• Seize 71 pounds of marijuana and 662 pounds of cocaine with a street value of $21.1 million
• Conduct 317 vessel safety checks and teach 63 boating safety courses
• Conduct 19 commercial fishing vessel safety exams
• Respond to 11 oil and hazardous chemical spills
• Process 280 mariner licenses and documents
• Service 140 aids to navigation
• Monitor the transit of 2,557 commercial ships through U.S. ports
• Investigate 20 vessel casualties involving collisions, allisions and groundings

LOTS of stuff there for a series, if you ask me. Granted, if the show is set on a WHEC or WMSL, they'd only actively do about 10 of the above bullets. Toss in a good ration of normal interpersonal conflict amongst the crew (which there is, especially after 40-50 days at sea)... there's a gold mine there.

(My apologies, by the way, if I come across a little high-handed or tetchy about the service. That's not intended -- we just do a very poor job at PR/Public Affairs, I've found. Although we are getting better following Hurricane Katrina/Rita, Deepwater Horizon, etc.)

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[PsychoPere]

(My apologies, by the way, if I come across a little high-handed or tetchy about the service. That's not intended -- we just do a very poor job at PR/Public Affairs, I've found. Although we are getting better following Hurricane Katrina/Rita, Deepwater Horizon, etc.)

I don't think you did, but I think you're definitely right about PR outreach - hence my questions! I found your post to be quite interesting, and I can now see how a series like this might work based on the statistics you shared. I very much appreciate you taking the time to provide such an in-depth answer.

And since today is Veteran's Day, thanks for your service too!

 

[Professor Zoom]

It isn't common for them to travel the world. As their job is to... you know... guard the coast. But, it's TV, so rules don't always apply.

Hate to somewhat disagree with you here, but... that's not true. We are a worldwide service, believe it or not.

Through the USCG, I've been able to set foot on all the continents of the world, including Antarctica.

Cheers,
-CM-

Really? Huh. Didn't know that. Alright. Cool. Thanks!

 

[lennier1]

Sounds like an American version of The Guard.

This was my first thought as well. He may have seen it during his time in Canada.

There is also the Australian show Sea Patrol.

I wouldn't class either of these programs as fantastic television but I found that they had their charms. The biggest being engaging characters that I found myself caring about.

At least Sea Patrol had the added bonus that the coast guard duty is performed by an integrated branch of the Royal Australian Navy, complete with armed patrol craft (e.g., Armidale Class). It would be a lot more boring if the show were centered around their other coast guard services like the customs service or the volunteers (background).

 

[Star Wolf]

Well, it depends (I suppose) on how you define "same sort of activity" in regards to SAR.

On one hand, each situation is different (given the randomness of the varying circumstances).

On the other hand, the actions taken tend to be the same, i.e. getting a boarding team over, getting control of the situation, tending to any wounded, taking the ship in tow, etc.

So -- guess the best way to compare/contrast it is that it's like that phrase regarding authors and new ideas, i.e. that there really aren't any new ideas, just how the author mixes them together. (Or the idiots on the sailboat, in this case... *KIDDING*)

As for "sexiness" -- well, again that depends. Honestly, unless they're in a deployment to the NAG (Northern Arabian Gulf), how often does a USN destroyer or frigate fire its main gun? I would say probably about the same amount of time as an WHEC (High Endurance Cutter) or WMSL (Maritime Security Cutter Large, the official name for the 'NSC' now) does on an average patrol, namely... once, perhaps twice. Even then they're probably shooting for practice at nothing/imaginary target or a "Killer Tomato" on a range.

To be honest, one of the reasons why I joined the USCG was because of the varying things we do. For instance (these are 2008 statistics), on a typical day the USCG does the following:

• Save 15 lives
• Assist 117 people in distress
• Conduct 90 search and rescue cases
• Protect $2.8 million in property
• Enforce 129 security zones
• Interdict and rescue 15 illegal migrants at sea
• Board 4 high interest vessels
• Board 192 vessels of law enforcement interest
• Board 122 large vessels for port safety checks
• Seize 71 pounds of marijuana and 662 pounds of cocaine with a street value of $21.1 million
• Conduct 317 vessel safety checks and teach 63 boating safety courses
• Conduct 19 commercial fishing vessel safety exams
• Respond to 11 oil and hazardous chemical spills
• Process 280 mariner licenses and documents
• Service 140 aids to navigation
• Monitor the transit of 2,557 commercial ships through U.S. ports
• Investigate 20 vessel casualties involving collisions, allisions and groundings

LOTS of stuff there for a series, if you ask me. Granted, if the show is set on a WHEC or WMSL, they'd only actively do about 10 of the above bullets. Toss in a good ration of normal interpersonal conflict amongst the crew (which there is, especially after 40-50 days at sea)... there's a gold mine there.

(My apologies, by the way, if I come across a little high-handed or tetchy about the service. That's not intended -- we just do a very poor job at PR/Public Affairs, I've found. Although we are getting better following Hurricane Katrina/Rita, Deepwater Horizon, etc.)

Cheers,
-CM-

In my mind the sexy part is the rescues with the occasional pirate/smuggler take down like the Aussie series that can be down on a smaller boat on a dangerous coast with great scenery . Its the going all over the world portion checking fishing license, which require the large cutter, which says boring and why are we spending all this money on this TV show.

 

[BenRoethig]

Sounds like an American version of The Guard.

Except the Canadian version is neither has law enforcement powers nor is a military organisation.

Are rescue missions generally the same sort of activity the USCG is involved with when operating in other areas of the world?

Protection of shipping lanes, boarding of suspicious vessels, naval gunfire support for ships armed with 57 or 76mm guns, and coastal warfare for the Patrol boats.

 

[The Wormhole]

Sounds like an American version of The Guard.

Except the Canadian version is neither has law enforcement powers nor is a military organisation.

I'm aware of that. However, knowing Ron Moore his Coast Guard show is likely going to be very character oriented, like The Guard is. Despite the tagline in the original article describing it as an "action adventure," I think it's inevitable the two shows are going to overlap in concepts and even be compared.

Of course, it could also be BSG in the ocean. And no, I don't mean literally. I don't expect this show to be about a lone Coast Guard ship leading a fleet of civilian boats across the ocean after a devastating attack on the US in search for a new home (although...). I instead mean that it could be a very character driven show with continuing character arcs throughout the seasons with a specific action event of the week to be sorted within this epsiode