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.
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?
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.
Hold on tight –
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.
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???