What historical era would you most like to see HBO do as a series?

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Egyptian Pharoahs (prior to the Macedonian ones, which was covered by the BBC series The Cleopatras) -- incest, fratricide, nudity, religious ceremonies involving lots of phallic symbolism, monotheism vs. polytheism, the exodus of the Jews, and impressive architecture. Something like Norman Mailer's Ancient Evenings, only better, or the opera Akhenaten.

 

[Caliburn24]

I'd like HBO to give science fiction(at least a hundred or more years in the future) a try. We've never really had a big budget long form sci-fi series free from network/basic cable restrictions.

I'm thinking something like Babylon 5 only with the production values and freedom to show whatever the story required. Or Band of Brothers in the future with shades of The Forever War and Starship Troopers(the book) mixed in.

 

[Mistral]

I would love something done in the so-called Mauve decade, roughly 1902-1912. These people were seeing the first hints of the technological explosion, had a fairly refined life(if you had $ at all) and bore a fairly high standard of education. I am, of course, picturing something featuring a middle-class or higher level of the society.

 

[Gaith]

Egyptian Pharoahs... exodus of the Jews

What exodus of the Jews?

And don't you think it would cheapen the memory of the Holocaust to make a show about Nazis, starring Klaus, the young ambitious SS-Sturmbannführer who wants to make a career in the RSHA and Günter, the seasoned OKW staff officer plotting offensives on the Eastern Front as if that's entirely normal and/or acceptable? I don't know how that balancing act between cheesy judgmentalism and Nazi-apologism could be accomplished.

1. I think the the notion that the memory of the Holocaust could be cheapened by an HBO series cheapens the memory of the Holocaust.
2. I'd make it a show about the leaders of the Third Reich, the Nazi version of The West Wing - without the fuzzy sentimentality, of course.
3. Just because we don't find their actions acceptable doesn't mean that they didn't - and since they did, and disagreed about various things along the way, there's ample room for strong drama.

 

[Owain Taggart]

How about something set in WWI. There's so much WWII stuff out there (Movies and TV shows and games), but not so much WWI.

I'm betting you don't live in Europe - they cover it almost as much as WW2, for obvious reasons.

Nope, I don't. Fact is, there's not much content about WWI in North America, which is the target audience for most HBO shows. It would make for a good opportunity. I live in Canada, so I have interest in WWI due to our involvement in it as a country. It's a neglected era.

Oh, and I love the idea of a Napoleonic era series set in the high seas. I don't think A&E's going to make more Hornblower, so maybe it is time for HBO to tackle it.

 

[Nociod]

A viking series would be nice.

You could have Harald Hårfagre that unified Norway, or a series about "Olav the holy" who started out as a Viking, converted to Christianity and then Christened Norway.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I think it would be intersting to see something about the English, Spanish, French, and Dutch in the Caribbean in the 1500 - 1700's.

I would love to watch this series.

How about a series about pirates that takes them seriously, not comedy/fantasy?

And I also vote for HBO to get into sci fi, preferably space opera.

 

[Skywalker]

And I also vote for HBO to get into sci fi, preferably space opera.

It would be cool to see HBO's take on that Revolution concept that went to pilot but never got picked up.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I'd like HBO to give science fiction(at least a hundred or more years in the future) a try. We've never really had a big budget long form sci-fi series free from network/basic cable restrictions.

I'm thinking something like Babylon 5 only with the production values and freedom to show whatever the story required. Or Band of Brothers in the future with shades of The Forever War and Starship Troopers(the book) mixed in.

Stargate SG-1? I mean it was Showtime but it wasn't network/basic cable. Showtime also co-produced the first Lexx movies.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I keep thinling of the old Steven Wright joke:

“I was at this restaurant. The sign said "Breakfast Anytime." So I ordered French Toast in the Renaissance.”

 

[PsychoPere]

Looks like HBO is going with Cold War-era Berlin.

 

[DarthPipes]

A mini-series based on the life of Andrew Jackson. Now that would be awesome.

A Revolutionary War regular show.

 

[mimic]

My favorite of those listed is the Lincoln one. Reconstruction could also be interesting.

I recently read "A Fine Balance," which I think if well-suited to be adapted for a miniseries. That book's set during the Indian Emergency.

 

[lennier1]

- Manhattan project (including the espionage angle and the McCarthy aftermath)
- Viking expansion (they traveled as far as America and Northern Africa, so there's more than enough to pick from)
- Mayan civilization and the conquistadores
- WW2 from the POV of an African American and Japanese American angle (seems like this rarely gets the attention it deserves)
- Salem witch trials

 

[cultcross]

Two things that have probably been said already but would be my choices:
1) Band of Brothers but from the Germans' perspective - ordinary soldiers in the German army. I think the time has come to acknowledge the German forces as more than just cartoon villains.
2) Something set in WWI - a seriously underplayed era. For good reason; most of it was boring as hell, for those involved too - but focusing on something like the Somme would give enough interest to it I think.

 

[FordSVT]

A show about the McCarthy era madness of scapegoat hearings and blacklists would be interesting and might serve as a bit of a reminder in today's landscape.

Or how about a show based on the POV of a family of Japanese immigrants in the USA during WW2?

 

[Othello]

How about something set in WWI. There's so much WWII stuff out there (Movies and TV shows and games), but not so much WWI. It's a topic ripe to be explored, with aviation really taking off, pun intended. Even the topic of aviation itself could be tackled, such as the dawn of aviation and maybe the story of the Wright Brothers.

As has been pointed out here in the USA WWI is basically the red headed stepchild of wars. Almot nothing about it out there at all.

But I'd really like to see an HBO miniseries set in the Middle Ages - a time period that a lot people do not know much about, or have a lot of misinformation about. Maybe something set during the First Crusade - showing the conflict from both Christian and Islamic perspectives - something that doesn't judge either side but instead presents the story as objectively as possible.

While I think it would be cool the mass media and political shows would constantly be doing segments on it about what the content is. You'd have Fox News/MSNBC, etc constantly saying it's anti christian and/or anti muslim or whatever so I doubt HBO would go there.

Egyptian Pharoahs (prior to the Macedonian ones, which was covered by the BBC series The Cleopatras) -- incest, fratricide, nudity, religious ceremonies involving lots of phallic symbolism, monotheism vs. polytheism, the exodus of the Jews, and impressive architecture. Something like Norman Mailer's Ancient Evenings, only better, or the opera Akhenaten.

It would be a hell of a period to cover. I'd certainly be interested.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

I doubt even HBO would have the balls to do it but I'd like to see a biographical mini-series about the life of Adolf Hitler done in the same style as their John Adams mini-series.

A Lincoln series might be cool. Personally, I'd be satisfied if they just released The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer on DVD.

I like the idea of doing a mini-series depicting both sides of the Crusades.

 

[lennier1]

I doubt even HBO would have the balls to do it but I'd like to see a biographical mini-series about the life of Adolf Hitler done in the same style as their John Adams mini-series.

There already was a miniseries a few years ago. It's not completely accurate but there are better uses for HBO's resources.

 

[TedShatner10]

How about a mini-series set during the Thirty Years War where the Holy Roman Empire is fighting itself and gets invaded?