Ideas for new Sci/Fi - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

ray gower · 12th March 2003, 01:41 AM

Television Sci/Fi is in the dumps. Farscape has ground to a halt, the other stalwarts Stargate, Buffy and Star Trek are at best living on borrowed time, whilst new shows are being cancelled for insufficient audience before they get going.

So how about some ideas on what would make a good Science Fiction TV series?

Not just bring back Farscape or Babylon 5. Let's see if we can offer something original and new?

Hal Jordan · 13th March 2003, 01:09 AM

Well here's my idea, maybe not original but could be something new & fresh. How 'bout fusing fantasy with scifi. I'm sure we've seen scifi with fantasy elements but I don't think that idea has been used dead-on with what I'm thinking. I'm thinking of something like, Lord of the Rings in the year 3000, fantasy with scifi elements. I'd love to see wizards, castles, elves, dragons, goblins & demons with a futuristic spin. Elves flying spaceships, hovering castles, laser-swords (oops that Star Wars), how 'bout laser arrows or outspace dragons? Anyway, maybe these aren't good examples but you get the idea.

timdgreat · 13th March 2003, 02:49 AM

Well if u wanna see stuff like that^ then just go read about Warhammer 40k, which i think might make a good kinda show, or mabye warhammer, although they may be considered to graphic for TV

:rolly2:

Hal Jordan · 13th March 2003, 06:36 AM

Yeah I just read about that Warhammer 40k. It's different enough and I'd be interested if they were to make a tv adaptation of it.

nic · 13th March 2003, 08:53 PM

How about a live action/animation? Like Roger Rabbit - but more sci-fi less toon town.

I'm sure a new Jessica Rabbit style character would make an impression on guys

Dave · 13th March 2003, 10:37 PM

All those fantasy ideas are excellent, but there have been good fantasy and cyber-punk series that never caught on -- 'Sapphire and Steel', 'Max Headroom', 'Neverworld', 'The Tenth Kingdom', 'Dinotropia', 'Gormaghast' - to name a few that come to mind. And there has been some trash too -- 'Fantasy Island', 'The Fantastic Journey' (inside the Bermuda Triangle).

It is always the space-based series that seem most popular, but they are always too much like 'Star Trek'. The best space-based series are the ones that don't have a pseduo-military crew on a spaceship of exploratrion -- 'Red Dwarf', 'Blakes Seven', 'Firefly', 'Space Precinct' -- simply because they make a fresh change.

On the basis of the fact that there are no new stories in the world, how about recycling some old ideas? We have had 'Star Cops', vending machine repairman and the western theme in space already, so what about 'Steptoe and Son' in space -- a sort of Neelix (Voyager) spin-off -- mmm! Maybe not!

ray gower · 13th March 2003, 11:19 PM

I think there is much mileage in that idea, Dave.

Steptoe ran for well over 10 years and finished as popular as when it started.

Perhaps there would be a space for a Fawlty Towers or Rising Damp rehash as well? A trading station where the 'manager' hates the visitors?

Tabitha · 13th March 2003, 11:26 PM

I was reading that there are some new SF pilots coming out of the States this autumn, one of which revolves around a police station in the future, I think. Has a Demolition Man, defrosted modern-day cop thing.

I think I also read about a legal drama set in the nearish future too.

Next will will get CSI: The Moon, and a spin off of ER set on Mars

nic · 14th March 2003, 12:33 AM

I love your idea of a new space/comedy Dave.
Who says scifi has to be serious all the time. Personally my fav episodes of X-files, Stargate, etc have always been the more comic ones. However, that might be because of the novelty.

Lol, Jerry Springer in space filmed in an anti-gravity studio.

Dave · 18th March 2003, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tabitha
I was reading that there are some new SF pilots coming out of the States this autumn, one of which revolves around a police station in the future, I think. Has a Demolition Man, defrosted modern-day cop thing.

Is it 'Starhunter'? http://www.starhuntertv.com/

I think it is already being shown. Anyone seen it?

Quote:

The year is 2275. Earth has more or less successfully colonized the entire solar system. But our reach has surpassed our grasp.. As the colonies continuously push further and further out from Earth, lawlessness and crime expand right along.
With the vast distances between Earth and its colonies, the abilities of basic policing services are limited. The use of private forces like bounty hunters, known as 'Starhunters', has become common practice.

gr8scott · 11th July 2003, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ray gower
Perhaps there would be a space for a Fawlty Towers or Rising Damp rehash as well? A trading station where the 'manager' hates the visitors?

Oh, that would be great!

gr8scott · 11th July 2003, 12:26 AM

Traditional sci-fi series have A) some future setting, and B) ability to travel vast distances. Series like ST and B5 did it with ships, warp, and/or hyperspace. Stargate did it with a wormhole. Then there's the whole time travel and parallel dimension thing.

Someone (I think Dave or Ray) mentioned two different ideas: either remaking an old idea, or coming up with something completely different.

As far as rehashing old ideas, I'm interested in the new upcoming Battlestar Galactica miniseries. That could be interesting - I always enjoyed the overall plot of the original. There are other possibilities with the older shows as well. Space 1999 was a decent concept. It provided a way to explore (ability to travel) and provided mystery, action, etc. But...

Breaking the mold! Wow. I'd love to see some crazy producer get the guts to make an Asimov Foundation series. It would really depend on the quality of the writers and actors. It would have the potential to go really big, or just bomb right off. I'd like to see sci-fi tele get away from status quo and explore ideas like:

Earth and humanity are extinct. They killed themselves thousands of years ago and earth is "discovered" by aliens who try to uncover the mystery. Eventually they uncover a few survivors...

-or-

Something along the lines of David Brin's Uplift series.

-or-

Really do Starship Troopers the way Heimlein would have wanted it. Not the cheezy movie that made me turn if off half way through.

-or-

Let's do a really cool exploration about AI. From start to finish. Some group of scientists unwittingly build a machine that "wakes up" How did it happen? And then tell the story about how it evolves to live with or without humanity. It could merge Heimleins "Mike" idea with Asimov's Robot series. That would be great.

-or-

tim, you'll like this one. A Honor Harrington series

timdgreat · 11th July 2003, 09:12 PM

i would love to see David Webers Honor Harrington Series made into a tv show

:rolly2:

gr8scott · 14th July 2003, 06:14 PM

Wouldn't it be awesome! I'd love it.

BTW, is there another book after Ashes of Victory???

timdgreat · 14th July 2003, 08:34 PM

yup has been for a while its called War of honor, tis fairly well done to, pretty long, still in hard back though:rolly2:

12th March 2003, 01:41 AM	#1 (permalink)
ray gower Registered User Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Gwynedd Posts: 3,591	Ideas for new Sci/Fi Television Sci/Fi is in the dumps. Farscape has ground to a halt, the other stalwarts Stargate, Buffy and Star Trek are at best living on borrowed time, whilst new shows are being cancelled for insufficient audience before they get going. So how about some ideas on what would make a good Science Fiction TV series? Not just bring back Farscape or Babylon 5. Let's see if we can offer something original and new?

13th March 2003, 02:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
timdgreat For the Emperor Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Alexandria VA, USA(Washington DC u idiots) Posts: 3,093	Well if u wanna see stuff like that^ then just go read about Warhammer 40k, which i think might make a good kinda show, or mabye warhammer, although they may be considered to graphic for TV:rolly2:

11th July 2003, 09:12 PM	#13 (permalink)
timdgreat For the Emperor Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Alexandria VA, USA(Washington DC u idiots) Posts: 3,093	i would love to see David Webers Honor Harrington Series made into a tv show:rolly2:

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

13th March 2003, 01:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
Hal Jordan - Browncoat - Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The 'Verse Posts: 28	Well here's my idea, maybe not original but could be something new & fresh. How 'bout fusing fantasy with scifi. I'm sure we've seen scifi with fantasy elements but I don't think that idea has been used dead-on with what I'm thinking. I'm thinking of something like, Lord of the Rings in the year 3000, fantasy with scifi elements. I'd love to see wizards, castles, elves, dragons, goblins & demons with a futuristic spin. Elves flying spaceships, hovering castles, laser-swords (oops that Star Wars), how 'bout laser arrows or outspace dragons? Anyway, maybe these aren't good examples but you get the idea.

13th March 2003, 06:36 AM	#4 (permalink)
Hal Jordan - Browncoat - Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The 'Verse Posts: 28	Yeah I just read about that Warhammer 40k. It's different enough and I'd be interested if they were to make a tv adaptation of it.

13th March 2003, 08:53 PM	#5 (permalink)
nic Stomping Turnips Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Just outside Newcastle, England Posts: 2,629	How about a live action/animation? Like Roger Rabbit - but more sci-fi less toon town. I'm sure a new Jessica Rabbit style character would make an impression on guys

13th March 2003, 10:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
Dave Wherever I Am, I'm There Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Greater London Posts: 11,443	All those fantasy ideas are excellent, but there have been good fantasy and cyber-punk series that never caught on -- 'Sapphire and Steel', 'Max Headroom', 'Neverworld', 'The Tenth Kingdom', 'Dinotropia', 'Gormaghast' - to name a few that come to mind. And there has been some trash too -- 'Fantasy Island', 'The Fantastic Journey' (inside the Bermuda Triangle). It is always the space-based series that seem most popular, but they are always too much like 'Star Trek'. The best space-based series are the ones that don't have a pseduo-military crew on a spaceship of exploratrion -- 'Red Dwarf', 'Blakes Seven', 'Firefly', 'Space Precinct' -- simply because they make a fresh change. On the basis of the fact that there are no new stories in the world, how about recycling some old ideas? We have had 'Star Cops', vending machine repairman and the western theme in space already, so what about 'Steptoe and Son' in space -- a sort of Neelix (Voyager) spin-off -- mmm! Maybe not!

13th March 2003, 11:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
ray gower Registered User Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Gwynedd Posts: 3,591	I think there is much mileage in that idea, Dave. Steptoe ran for well over 10 years and finished as popular as when it started. Perhaps there would be a space for a Fawlty Towers or Rising Damp rehash as well? A trading station where the 'manager' hates the visitors?

13th March 2003, 11:26 PM	#8 (permalink)
Tabitha Save Angel! Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 3,638	I was reading that there are some new SF pilots coming out of the States this autumn, one of which revolves around a police station in the future, I think. Has a Demolition Man, defrosted modern-day cop thing. I think I also read about a legal drama set in the nearish future too. Next will will get CSI: The Moon, and a spin off of ER set on Mars

14th March 2003, 12:33 AM	#9 (permalink)
nic Stomping Turnips Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Just outside Newcastle, England Posts: 2,629	I love your idea of a new space/comedy Dave. Who says scifi has to be serious all the time. Personally my fav episodes of X-files, Stargate, etc have always been the more comic ones. However, that might be because of the novelty. Lol, Jerry Springer in space filmed in an anti-gravity studio.

11th July 2003, 12:26 AM	#12 (permalink)
gr8scott Tal Shiar Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 264	Traditional sci-fi series have A) some future setting, and B) ability to travel vast distances. Series like ST and B5 did it with ships, warp, and/or hyperspace. Stargate did it with a wormhole. Then there's the whole time travel and parallel dimension thing. Someone (I think Dave or Ray) mentioned two different ideas: either remaking an old idea, or coming up with something completely different. As far as rehashing old ideas, I'm interested in the new upcoming Battlestar Galactica miniseries. That could be interesting - I always enjoyed the overall plot of the original. There are other possibilities with the older shows as well. Space 1999 was a decent concept. It provided a way to explore (ability to travel) and provided mystery, action, etc. But... Breaking the mold! Wow. I'd love to see some crazy producer get the guts to make an Asimov Foundation series. It would really depend on the quality of the writers and actors. It would have the potential to go really big, or just bomb right off. I'd like to see sci-fi tele get away from status quo and explore ideas like: Earth and humanity are extinct. They killed themselves thousands of years ago and earth is "discovered" by aliens who try to uncover the mystery. Eventually they uncover a few survivors... -or- Something along the lines of David Brin's Uplift series. -or- Really do Starship Troopers the way Heimlein would have wanted it. Not the cheezy movie that made me turn if off half way through. -or- Let's do a really cool exploration about AI. From start to finish. Some group of scientists unwittingly build a machine that "wakes up" How did it happen? And then tell the story about how it evolves to live with or without humanity. It could merge Heimleins "Mike" idea with Asimov's Robot series. That would be great. -or- tim, you'll like this one. A Honor Harrington series

14th July 2003, 06:14 PM	#14 (permalink)
gr8scott Tal Shiar Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: San Diego Posts: 264	Wouldn't it be awesome! I'd love it. BTW, is there another book after Ashes of Victory???

14th July 2003, 08:34 PM	#15 (permalink)
timdgreat For the Emperor Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Alexandria VA, USA(Washington DC u idiots) Posts: 3,093	yup has been for a while its called War of honor, tis fairly well done to, pretty long, still in hard back though:rolly2: