Star Wars Live-Action Show Could Still Happen

An anonymous reader writes "According to ABC entertainment president Paul Lee: 'We'd love to do something with Lucasfilm, we're not sure what yet. We haven't even sat down with them. We're going to look at [the Star Wars live-action TV series], we're going to look at all of them, and see what's right. We weren't even able to discuss this with them until [the deal] closed and it just closed. It's definitely going to be part of the conversation.' Not only that, but it's also been announced that some of the 50 completed episode scripts that producer Rick McCallum has previously mentioned have been written by none other than Ron Moore of Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica fame."

Comments

Only this

[girlintraining]

I believe I speak for most of the fan base when I say simply: You better not have a writer's strike in season 3, followed by management going full retard as dollar signs flash before their eyes. One series has already paid the price for that. If you ruin another geek culture icon, there'll be hell to pay.

Re:Only this

[Grishnakh]

Oh please. This geek culture icon has already been thoroughly ruined by the Prequel movies. There's nothing more they can do to hurt it at this point, it'd be beating a dead horse.

I'm really disappointed that Ron Moore wasted his time writing scripts for this turkey, instead of devoting his talents to something more productive and worthwhile. Can the guy not come up with a unique new sci-fi show on his own? Or is he only able to write episodes for someone else's show, or come up with shows that are rehashes of old shows? Don't get me wrong, the new BSG was pretty good and the the writing in the episodes (particularly the earlier ones and pilot; it seemed to kinda fall apart later on) was excellent, but it was still not a unique concept, it was a remake of someone else's older show. But Star Wars of all things? SW has been crap ever since Ep.1. Surely he could come up with a unique new concept for a good sci-fi TV show.

Re:Only this

[TWX]

Have it revealed that some humans are actually droids? Have it turn out that Han and Leia are somehow also brother/sister, or that Han is a blood-relative of the Fett line? Or have Keira Knightley's character return and have Luke go for someone that's too old for him and looks like his mother?

Don't get me wrong, I like Ron Moore's work more than I dislike it, but there is plenty to dislike and plenty of places that it can go full derp.

At least Moore has a sense of humor about it. There was an epsiode of CSI set at a convention for a fictional sci-fi show, and the show was "reimagined" in the same vein as BSG and after showing the teaser for it, out in the crowd, Ron Moore shouted, "YOU SUCK!" at the writer/producer of the new show. This was based on an experience that he actually had.

Re:Only this

[wonkey_monkey]

Also:

If you ruin another geek culture icon, there'll be hell to pay.

No there won't. There'll be a few angry nerds that no-one in charge will care about because they're already picking through next season's must watch TV. Monkey Tennis, Cooking in Prison, and so forth.

Re:Only this

[DerekLyons]

If you ruin another geek culture icon, there'll be hell to pay.

if by 'hell" you mean "more nerdrage on blogs and forums by a meaningless minority that will have no detectable effect on the bottom line", then sure. Otherwise, not so much.

Get over yourself. Nerds don't pay the bills, never have. never will.

Re:Only this

[linebackn]

I don't know about anyone else, but one of the reasons I enjoy watching sci-fi shows is to explore the universe someone created. When the universe is thoroughly explored or the consistency is shot to hell, then it just might as well be any show.

The problem is that big corps prefer to take the "safe" route and put money behind things that are already well known and tested, even if they are mediocre.

Re:Only this

[JeanCroix]

Monkey Tennis...

I am intrigued.

Re:Only this

[Grishnakh]

Well to be fair, I'm not comparing the SW prequels (or any other possible spin-offs, even if they're specifically written to have dialog just as "high quality" as Lucas's best) to the absolute worst imaginable dreck coming out of Hollywood, I'm just looking at it on its own merits. At some point, stuff gets so bad that it's kinda pointless to compare how bad it is. Is the Twi-hard-courting-crap better or worse than Gigli, for instance? Or how about Battlefield: Earth? Who cares? There's a lower cut-off point at which it ceases to matter, because you're just not going to bother going to watch it, unless perhaps you're planning to make a MST3K-like episode.

Re:Only this

[niado]

Oh please. This geek culture icon has already been thoroughly ruined by the Prequel movies.

It's been my observation that the only ones who share your opinion were children when EPIV came out. I was in my twenties, and about the only difference I saw was the effects and costumes were far better in the prequels.

As an adult watching them, the one that ruined the franchise was EPVI. I mean, Jesus... those midgets in the cheezy bear costumes were REALLY lame. I had to forget just how bad VI was to even watch EPI; if that had come out two years after EPVI I probably wouldn't even have watched it.

IMO, EPIII was excellent, especially the opening scene with the big space battle, and the fight between Obi-Wan and Vader. I see bitching about the "mitichlorians" but you have to remember, these aren't human, they're aliens from another time and another galaxy. That alone demands a HUGE suspension of disbelief -- a race from another galaxy looks exactly like us?? That's harder to swallow than FTL travel.

Woah woah wee-woah woah. First off, the human-like creatures in star wars are canonically human . Theories regarding their connection to earth are diverse, but the connection has not been explained in canon.

Regarding the movies - EPVI is a personal favorite of mine, though I will concede that many fans (especially those who were adults when EPVI was released) are turned off by the Ewoks. I also enjoyed some scenes in EPIII, specifically the ones you mention. There were actually scenes in all three of the prequels that were well done and thoroughly enjoyable (ref. DM vs. QGJ in EPI). The primary complaints, especially from the more "hard-core" fanbase are with silly plot and lore related changes that were made for seemingly no good reason. Also, casting for some critical characters was worse-than-terrible (e.g. Anakin).

Re:Only this

[PRMan]

Yep; the only reason to pay any attention at that point might be for the amusement factor. But personally, I stopped paying much attention to anything Star Wars-related after seeing Ep.2.

Too bad. Episode 3 was by far the best of the prequel trilogy.

Re:Only this

[Your.Master]

I feel like the lone guy who really likes the Ewoks. The whole point is they look unassuming both physically and in terms of technology, and they still fight back (with a measure of success that can't just be attributed to the heroes). It's like Yoda, although Yoda at least had magic powers.

The Ewoks represented what is usually a tired trope for humans -- the physically and technologically weaker species that fights back through sheer iron will. Happens over and over in sci fi movies where humans are the weaker species and they just will themselves to beat the aliens. Not usually some other species using sheer will to beat the humans.

Ron Moore's Galactica finale sucked so bad

[Anonymous Coward]

it retroactively made all other Galactica episodes suck. It killed the DVD market for the series.

Hopefully, he won't do that to Star Wars. Lucas has done enough in that area.

Re:Ron Moore's Galactica finale sucked so bad

[crazyjj]

I know a lot of people disagree, but I loved the finale. It's grown on me more since it aired too. There is something about that conclusion that still really sticks in my mind and still pops up in my head sometimes when I read about advancements in A.I.--the idea that humanity is all but doomed to create the A.I. that will lead to its destruction, but that there is also somehow infinite hope that they won't make the same mistake THIS TIME.

I find it both a disturbing and comforting conclusion at the same time (don't think I can say that about the finale of any other series). It's hopeless in the sense that we're probably going to do it all again, but comforting to know that SOME DAY we're going to get it right (maybe even this time).

Re:Ron Moore's Galactica finale sucked so bad

[History's Coming To]

What prequels? Sheesh, you'll be rambling on about some "The Matrix" sequel or something next.

Re:Ron Moore's Galactica finale sucked so bad

[mcmonkey]

I know a lot of people disagree, but I loved the finale. It's grown on me more since it aired too. There is something about that conclusion that still really sticks in my mind and still pops up in my head sometimes when I read about advancements in A.I.--the idea that humanity is all but doomed to create the A.I. that will lead to its destruction, but that there is also somehow infinite hope that they won't make the same mistake THIS TIME.

Wasn't the ending of BSG--that we are descendants of an advanced alien culture whose last survivors crashed on Earth and started over without the advanced technology--basically a rip off of HHGTTG?

Anyway, I expect any new live action Star Wars show to be a Sith Lord secretly living with 2 Jedi. Yoda is the nosy landlord who's always one step behind their zany schemes.

Re:Ron Moore's Galactica finale sucked so bad

[dkf]

There's nothing he can do to hurt Star Wars: the prequels have already ruined it forever.

The Holiday Special. You have not even begun to appreciate the power of the dark side.

Re:Ron Moore's Galactica finale sucked so bad

[girlintraining]

I know a lot of people disagree, but I loved the finale.

THROW THIS MAN IN THE PIT OF DESPAIR!

Everything started out beautifully choreographed -- tight plot linkage, excellent character development, and then a horror unmatched since Whedon introduced season 5 of Buffy was unleashed. It's tenacles slithered out and devoured all that was good and wonderful about the series. Many drinks were had. Friends consoled each other in unlit basements, warmed only by the glow of an LCD monitor. It was dark times. People like you make me sick.

Re:Ron Moore's Galactica finale sucked so bad

[jfengel]

You may be the luckiest man alive.

Ron Moore does not equal automatic genius

[Anonymous Coward]

The fact that a script has been written by Ron Moore doesn't mean much here. The evidence lies in the entire third and fourth seasons of Battlestar Galactica, as well as innumerable episodes of Star Trek: TNG.

The latter provides an especially effective example because he was restricted by a world that was someone else's design, in much the same way he would be in a Star Wars series. Moore's work was nothing special.

Re:Ron Moore does not equal automatic genius

[Richy_T]

I think he tends to indulge in cargo-cult writing. He'll pull in a bunch of neat ideas from other sci-fi works which give the whole thing a great foreshadowing/arc feel but when it comes time to tie it all together and wrap it up, he just doesn't have the chops.

They should tie him and Jane Espenson together and throw them to the sarlac.

Disney + Ron Moore ?

[crazyjj]

I do not see this relationship ending amicably.

Re:Disney + Ron Moore ?

[Dimitrii]

I do not see this relationship ending amicably.

Would you prefer Disney + Ron Jeremy?

Re:Before you get too excited

[Enderandrew]

Except McCallum and Lucas described the live action TV series as Deadwood in space. They've suggested it will be so dark and mature that only HBO would air it.

The plot is supposed to center on bounty hunters between Episode III and IV.

What source Material?

[RivenAleem]

Are we going to get to see Thrawn?

Just get the right one...

[hal2814]

I just hope they get the right Ronald P Moore. Despite what James Callis says, the Ronald P Moore in the Portland phone book is NOT the same one who did Battlestar Galactica.

I can see it now

[Nidi62]

"Two students enter their first year at the academy. One wants to be a storm trooper, the other a Rebel pilot; and now they're roommates! Watch hilarity ensue as they both try to survive freshman year and fight over the cute girl who's father wants her to be a Senator even though she dreams of being a bounty hunter! Special appearance by Billy D Williams as the gruff commandant with a heart of gold! Coming this fall to ABC!"

Re:I can see it now

[Orleron]

Still a better story than Twilight

Can we do something else now?

[Animats]

This franchise needs to die. It's been 35 years now. Enough already.

There's plenty of modern hard SF out there that could be made into movies. Most of David Weber or John Ringo's works would translate well into action movies or TV. A Snow Crash movie or series would work. ("Dark Angel" came close, but they lost the plot in Season 2.)

Trend: At Barnes and Noble, there are now fewer bookcases of "Teen Paranormal Romance", and more of "Teen Survival". Most of the latter consists of Hunger Games clones. Vampires and werewolves seem to be on the way out.

If you like bad franchises that just won't stop, Police Academy 8 is currently in development.