Posted by TJ
on 1/15/2009, 11:04 am, in reply to "Re: Wouldnt it be nice"
Message modified by user TJ 1/15/2009, 4:43 pm
What do the rest of you guys
: think?
:
:
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, so here is mine. Please don't take it as the start of an argument.
Joss Wedon has isn't necessarily a bad writer, but let's not forget such garbage as Alien Resurrection. The only series of his I ever enjoyed was Firefly, and that was because the ensemble cast worked so well together. Such fortunate castings are so rare! I would rather that a writer known for an overworked mindset didn't butcher our favorite series with sex and pointless violence. Granted, a lot of people like that these days. I just don't think that Whedon would do the characters justice. He's too big Hollywood.
The terms "hot young group of actors" already seem to signal to me the wrong mindset: sex and violence over character and plot. That really wasn't what the series was about.
What a live action production really needs is well written stories, carefully crafted - by invited guest writers - not staff writers. Heaven knows that guest writers take their craft very seriously. Staff writers often get lazy and coast because they know they are going to get a paycheck as long as they keep churning out scripts. Star Trek is a classic example of that. Whatever you think of the cast or show, the original series didn't spawn all of the follow-ups because of the idea of space travel, but because the stories were written by experienced writers who were able to bring relevant themes and ideas to the table that inspired a following. Later series were written by staff writers, and fan or not - most agree they suffered for it.
"Reimagining" isn't a bad thing, but above all I think it has to remain respectful to the themes and ideals of the original. I watched a bit of the new Battlestar Galactica. There are many things that are commendable in the new series. Its tone is a lot darker and you can really get a sense of human desperation that was missing in the original. But it also has this "Who am I sleeping with/Am I a cylon?" obsessive focus that really undermines its credibility as a serious example of science fiction. I remember the campiness of the original, but I also remember the tremendous on-screen dignity that Lorne Green always brought to his performance. Above all, Adama was a father (with three children, two sons and a daughter, Athena) faced with the overwhelming responsibility of protecting his people, even if it put his adult children in harm's way. He didn't sleep well at night because he was constantly concerned, not only for his people and their wellbeing, but also the moral responsibility of his position. I think the new series often lacks that dignity. Occasionally, we do see Almos' version of Adama with the weight of the world on his shoulders. That's the only thing that redeems the new series for me.
That's why I personally don't think that a reimagining of D&D would measure up, because everything is so rushed these days. I really wouldn't trust anyone but a fan with our favorite characters.
Just my ten cents!
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