sf/f pilots and the odds of pickup

[Aaron McGuire]

I'm still fascinated by Torchwood US on Fox. Have heard nothing about it since the announcement a couple months ago.

The one thing that I wonder is will Captain Jack be gay still or will they downplay it because American networks by and large fear "the gay"?

American networks have had shows with gay characters for a while now, so I doubt that would be a problem. Of course, the likes of Will & Grace and Ellen were never pitched to the young male market like sci fi is...so maybe it is a problem after all.

Yeah, that was more what I was getting at. There aren't many instances of openly gay main characters in American Sci Fi. Or any sci fi that I can think of for that matter.

Aaron McGuire

 

[Harvey]

^^
Well, Caprica, but that's the only one I can think of, and it hasn't been on the air for long.

 

[Greg Cox]

The one thing that I wonder is will Captain Jack be gay still or will they downplay it because American networks by and large fear "the gay"?

American networks have had shows with gay characters for a while now, so I doubt that would be a problem. Of course, the likes of Will & Grace and Ellen were never pitched to the young male market like sci fi is...so maybe it is a problem after all.

Yeah, that was more what I was getting at. There aren't many instances of openly gay main characters in American Sci Fi. Or any sci fi that I can think of for that matter.

Aaron McGuire

Well, there was Willow on BUFFY. But I know what you mean. In era when every other sitcom and prime-time soap has a couple of gay characters, sf tv has definitely been lagging behind .

 

[FreezeC77]

Here's a bigger problem: skiffy picked up a lousy pilot.

The network has ordered a 90-minute pilot, "Three Inches," from Fox Television Studios, writer Harley Peyton ("Twin Peaks") and executive producer Bob Cooper. It centers on an underachiever who gains the power to move any object using his mind, but only for a distance of three inches. He recruits a team of fellow heroes, each with their own less-than-spectacular abilities.

That sounds like instant cancellation bait. Even as comedy, who in frak's name could possibly care about "superheroes" with lame powers?

I guess they'll play it up for laughs, but couldn't that power be pretty deadly if used right? You could take out all the arteries leading to the heart and then boom dead.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Here's a bigger problem: skiffy picked up a lousy pilot.

The network has ordered a 90-minute pilot, "Three Inches," from Fox Television Studios, writer Harley Peyton ("Twin Peaks") and executive producer Bob Cooper. It centers on an underachiever who gains the power to move any object using his mind, but only for a distance of three inches. He recruits a team of fellow heroes, each with their own less-than-spectacular abilities.

That sounds like instant cancellation bait. Even as comedy, who in frak's name could possibly care about "superheroes" with lame powers?

O_o The fu--?! Did someone, like, steal my classmate's play from last semester? I mean, seriously, it's so close it makes me wonder if he pitched it or something.

I guess they'll play it up for laughs, but couldn't that power be pretty deadly if used right? You could take out all the arteries leading to the heart and then boom dead.

Now that is a good idea, but then the powers aren't really lame. They just need to be used inventively. So you're changing the premise to something that actually does have promise (and that Heroes should have done), namely give character powers that are a challenge to use effectively so that they don't have to be "nerfed" to keep them from screwing up all the drama.

And btw, the play was really quite genius. It really *can* work, if done right (and he did it right).

How'd he do it? Because that premise sounds as bad as any I've come across lately.

^^
Well, Caprica, but that's the only one I can think of, and it hasn't been on the air for long.

I'll give them credit when they have Sam Adama and spouse slobbering all over each other instead of playing chaste domestic scenes like they have to date.

Well, there was Willow on BUFFY.

Lesbians don't count. It's only gay males they're scared of.

Heck, if I were going to redo Torchwood, my first idea would be to make Jack and Ianto hot chicks. Nielslens would be a frakking lock.

 

[Hermiod]

^If you do that, Barrowman will still want the lead role.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

^If you do that, Barrowman will still want the lead role.

That all depends on how he looks in a schoolgirl uniform.

 

[Hermiod]

^If you do that, Barrowman will still want the lead role.

That all depends on how he looks in a schoolgirl uniform.

It most likely wouldn't be the first time he'd tried one on.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Then he can post the photos to his Facebook page and let us all see!

And I'm surprised you haven't commented on Three Inches, aka, Nerfed: The TV Show.

 

[Hermiod]

Then he can post the photos to his Facebook page and let us all see!

And I'm surprised you haven't commented on Three Inches, aka, Nerfed: The TV Show.

Heroes retains the Nerfed championship for now, though Smallville remains a contender.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

And here's the champion of TV vaporware: That dratted live-action Star Wars TV show.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Then he can post the photos to his Facebook page and let us all see!

And I'm surprised you haven't commented on Three Inches, aka, Nerfed: The TV Show.

John Barrowman in drag for La Cage Aux Folles.