September 29, 2007
Bionic Woman 2.0

OK, I admit it. I TiVoed the premier episode of "The Bionic Woman", henceforth known around these parts as Bionic Woman 2.0, as much out of curiosity for a show that's got some buzz as nostalgia for a show I liked as a kid. (Mildly spoilerrific Chron story here, for those who care.) It was all right, certainly enough to get me to Episode 2 on the to-do list, though I'm not ready to commit to a Season Pass just yet. The pilot was very busy, with a lot of disparate elements being introduced - I'm still not sure who some of these people are. But I liked the basic premise, and I love Katee Sackhoff as the Evil Bionic Woman, so I'll come back for now. It has promise, let's see what they can do with it.

More broadly, I'm intrigued at the idea of remaking TV shows. It's an idea that's done to death in the movies, as well as "re-interpreting" classic (and not-so-classic) TV shows on the big screen. Given how many of those films there have been, and how far down the barrel we've scraped, I'm almost shocked we never saw Jamie Sommers at the local multiplex. Seems to me it's a decent enough idea for a movie. But this'll do just fine.

I wonder, if this is a hit, and given the breakout success of "Battlestar Galactica 2.0", if we'll see more such remakes on the tube. You could argue, I suppose, that we see this sort of thing all the time - "Quincy" becomes "Bones" and all of the "CSI" variations; "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" becomes "The X Files"; perhaps even "The Bionic Woman" becomes "Alias" in a way. But that's not what I have in mind. If I were to pick, I'd like to see someone remake "The Prisoner" (no, I don't think "Lost" counts). Great concept, awesome mess-with-your-mind imagery and story elements, completely unsatisfying mess of a conclusion. What do you think? What show would you like to see remade? Leave a comment and let us know.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on September 29, 2007 to TV and movies
Comments

I would say _Bewitched_, but it's hard to see how to translate it into our current culture. We were watching an old episode and Sam was ironing sheets! It wasn't a plot point, just a background piece of action, but still. Who irons sheets? Other than my mother-in-law.

Wonder Woman?

Rockford Files?

CHiPs?

Posted by: NicoleAllee on September 29, 2007 9:06 AM

If you saw any similarities in Bionic Woman and BSG beyond some of the actors (Sackhoff cheif among them), it's because the creators of BSG 2.0 also did Bionic Woman 2.0.

I felt, like you, that it was an overwhelming first episode. I'll stay with it for the action and Michelle Ryan (yowza!), but it didn't meet my expectations.

Posted by: Jeff on September 29, 2007 10:13 AM

Hold on tight -

  • "Get Smart" is coming to theaters in June 2008, with Steve Carell (The Office and Evan Almighty) starring as Maxwell Smart.
  • NBC has ordered a two-hour "Knight Rider" telepic/pilot, which will potentially air next spring, with a series to possibly follow next fall. The new version will be more "Transformers" like, including evil cars for K.I.T.T. to fight.
  • "Star Trek" will be reinvisioned and back on movie screens in December 2008. Actors involved are being signed to a 3-movie deal if the first is successful, there will be more made.
  • John Travolta is set to star as J.R. Ewing in the big screen remake of "Dallas", due out in 2008.
  • "Alvin and The Chipmunks" does a big screen leap, using combination live action/animation (like the "Scooby Doo" movies) this December
  • Another classic Saturday-Morning series, "The Smurfs" will jump to the big screen in 2008.
  • Rumors continue to appear about Steven J. Cannell doing movie versions of his hit TV series "21 Jump Street", "The A-Team", and "The Greatest American Hero" (I've even heard Cannell himself discuss this) but no real production has started on any of these projects.
  • A live-action "Speed Racer" will hit theaters next May.
  • Another Japaneese Anime series will get the big screen makeover in 2009, with the relesase of "Gatchaman" (In the U.S., it was called "G-Force" or "Battle of the Planets")
  • "Fame", the 1980's musical/series is reinvisioned for an August 2008 big screen release.
  • "The Green Hornet" is expected to be in theaters in Summer 2009.
  • "Wonder Woman" has been proposed, but currently is not in production. Current rumors (November 2006) suggest Evangeline Lilly from "Lost" is under consideration for the title character.

Unfortunately, this list is heavy on Movies, since they are announced years in advance, whereas TV shows are usually no more than 9 months in advance. There are other projects in the works, and if "Bionic Woman" 2.0 remains successful, we may see more reinvisioned TV Series coming in the next few years.

Posted by: Michael W. Jones on September 29, 2007 11:39 AM

They are redoing Dallas this year, on CBS, as "Cane."
It's worth a look, unless you have a good memory.

I'd like to see WTR come back, and The Big Valley, and Simon & Simon.

Meanwhile -- Law and Order, the original, is dead and gone???

Posted by: The_Other_Sarah on October 1, 2007 11:15 AM