Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Classic BBC Sci-fi Series Blake's 7 To Return On Syfy Channel

Posted by Soulskill on from the what's-old-is-new dept.

Zaiff Urgulbunger writes "According to the BBC, 'Cult classic sci-fi series Blake's 7 is to be remade for the Syfy network, it has been announced. FremantleMedia International said 13 hour-long episodes will be written by Heroes writer Joe Pokaski.' Here's hoping the special effects budget will be higher than for the original series! Also, I'm hoping that the Liberator is of similar design and includes Zen — the ships computer."

213 comments

  1. I'll miss the old school special effects by VAXcat · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It always looked like they could make it to the next starbase, if they didn't run out of steam and iron filings.

    --
    There is no God, and Dirac is his prophet.
    1. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I recently re-watched Blakes' 7 while down recovering from surgery, and it has good stories. It has good stories probably because they didn't have to rely on the effects.

      The new Doctor Who now has a good budget, but they have gotten over reliant on the imagery at times. All newer sci-fi has.

      I'm looking forward to a new series (even if it is on SeeFee) and I hope they keep with the gritty, amoral feel they had in the old series. Better effects... sure, but it won't be any good without good writing.

    2. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Zaiff+Urgulbunger · · Score: 2

      A "special effect" from the first series that I was particularly amused by was the doors; they had doors that swung on hinges and had handles used to "operate" them.... but get this.... they make a kind of whooshing noise! - Skip to about 40 seconds in, and marvel at the future tech!

    3. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by fermion · · Score: 4, Interesting
      If they blow the entire budget on fx then all will be lost. Blake's 7 was arguable about Avon and Servilan, the force in which Paul and Jacqueline played those characters. It is kind of like bones and spock. Sure Blake and Kirk were important, but the melodrama kind of made the show, and the fx were of little consequence.

      It is going to be interesting to see what SyFy does with it. A lot of their stuff lately is industrial fashion or magics, which does not really lend itself to Blake. Battlestar Galactica is more in line, but they even that included unnecessary magics. The social commentary in Blake is subtle and morality ambiguous, something that is hard to do on and American TV show.

      --
      "She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
    4. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by snookerdoodle · · Score: 4, Funny

      Around our house, we call SyFy "The Wrestling Channel". :)

    5. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by geekoid · · Score: 5, Interesting

      " It has good stories probably because they didn't have to rely on the effects."
      no ,it has a good story becasue it was written well. I could list many, many bad show that also didn't have effects.

      "The new Doctor Who now has a good budget, but they have gotten over reliant on the imagery at times. All newer sci-fi has."
      yes, it was the over reliant of imagery that had my daughter crying, and me come down with a sudden case of 'hay fever' at the end of the pond story line.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    6. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Whoosh!

    7. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by flargleblarg · · Score: 1

      That is fucked up.

    8. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      I wish I had seen more of the original. I would watch it one summer from the first episode, then go back to school and not see any of it until the next summer, and then the storyline was confusing since I had missed too much. Since then I haven't seen it rebroadcast anywhere.

    9. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by troff · · Score: 2

      Not likely.

      The old Doctor Who had the occasional grim-and-gritty (the kind that made Question Time in Parliament complain about it). The new Who is full of "if you hope and feel hard enough, you can overcome alien technology, incomprehensible gods and the laws of physics". Even the last episode was proof enough of that.

      I've met Gareth Thomas. I weep for Blake. The new Avon will probably look like Sheldon Cooper, Vila will be cool and Cally will probably be slutting up to everybody. Remember what Galactica's new producers said in an early interview - we're gonna modernise. That means sex with hot blonde robots.

    10. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by jd · · Score: 1

      Well, there was a buzzing noise for all electric doors. Don't recall a whooshing sound, but in a spaceship it's reasonable to assume sections will acquire an air pressure differential.

      --
      It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
    11. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by mrbester · · Score: 1

      It'll probably be written so that Blake is always around as well, instead of the first and last series.

      As to special effects, nothing beats a small Perspex box with a light rope in it to represent a supercomputer that was superior in every way to the "state of the art" Zen. The Liberator was the pride of the fleet until Blake nicked it.

      --
      "Wait. Something's happening. It's opening up! My God, it's full of apricots!"
    12. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It'll probably be written so that Blake is always around as well, instead of the first and last series.

      Blake was around for the first two series, and for the finales of the third and fourth series. I certainly hope that Avon gets at least as much attention as Blake in this new series, even if the eponymous rebel is kept around.

      As to special effects, nothing beats a small Perspex box with a light rope in it to represent a supercomputer that was superior in every way to the "state of the art" Zen. The Liberator was the pride of the fleet until Blake nicked it.

      Liberator was created by a somewhat-mysterious alien species called "The System" (a sort of Borg-like hive mind, if I recall correctly.) I don't recall if it was the pride of their fleet or not, but Blake and company salvaged more than stole it. What's funniest is that Zen, Orac, and basically every other computer on the show were voiced by the same guy, whether they were developed by humans or by aliens who'd never had any contact with the Federation.

    13. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Zaiff+Urgulbunger · · Score: 1

      Well, there was a buzzing noise for all electric doors. Don't recall a whooshing sound, but in a spaceship it's reasonable to assume sections will acquire an air pressure differential.

      Watch the video... it's just a door! Also, that bit is on Earth before the prisoners have been transferred.

    14. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Anaerin · · Score: 3, Informative

      And you probably won't see it rebroadcast. Fortunately there are some archivally-minded individuals that have made all 4 series available at a certain Privateer's Cove.

    15. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Somebody+Is+Using+My · · Score: 1

      Pedant: That part is in Earth Dome, an artificial city where access to the surface is forbidden. It isn't unbelievable to assume that they have pressure differentials in there as well.

      Of course, this is clutching at straws to explain a special effects failure but isn't that half the fun of watching sci-fi?

      I wonder if they'll bring back the tight leather pants that were so close-fitting actors couldn't even sit down without assistance. And not just the female leads, either. Let's just say some costumes left /nothing/ to the imagination.

    16. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I always thought Firefly was the spiritual successor to Blakes7. I just hope it doesn't get shitcanned by SyyeeeFyyyeeeee before it gets a fair run.

    17. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by RLiegh · · Score: 3, Informative

      At my house, we call SyFy "the reason we cancelled the cable service"

    18. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by a_hanso · · Score: 2

      I'd love it if they keep:

      1. The gritty, amoral feel and the 1984 style theme
      2. The liberator, zen, orac and the liberator interior
      3. Avon's witticisms (http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0026780/quotes) and Servalan
      4. The theme music

      Actually you know what? Just keep the original. Recently, I watched everything up to the point where the liberator was destroyed (I can't stand the Scorpio), and I see no reason to remake it.

    19. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Raistlin77 · · Score: 1

      Knowing sifi, it'll get shit-canned only if it's good and the audience loves it. Sifi no longer shitcans garbage.

    20. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by ericdano · · Score: 2

      Its actually a 70s show.
      Avon is really the star of the show. The show got WAY better when they dumped Gaan (the big giant guy) and picked up ORAC.

      Of course Villa was essential in the show as well.

      --
      It's either on the beat or off the beat, it's that easy.
      I moderate therefore I rule!
      --
    21. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you're not a freeloader, you can also buy all 4 series on DVD. I suspect that's the source for these "archivally-minded individuals".

    22. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Big+Hairy+Ian · · Score: 1

      That means sex with hot blonde robots.

      Gets ready the check the oil :)

      --

      Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.

    23. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Big+Hairy+Ian · · Score: 1

      The social commentary in Blake is subtle and morality ambiguous, something that is hard to do on and American TV show.

      Firefly managed it but oh wait they got canned! :(

      --

      Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.

    24. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      If you're not a freeloader, you can also buy all 4 series on DVD. I suspect that's the source for these "archivally-minded individuals".

      YMBNH. When I copy all my music and videos and torrent them, I am just setting them free. Information has feelings too. I'm like Joy Adamson with the lions.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    25. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Xest · · Score: 1

      "yes, it was the over reliant of imagery that had my daughter crying, and me come down with a sudden case of 'hay fever' at the end of the pond story line."

      I've not been able to get into modern Doctor Who, despite having tried a couple of times and it's for the reasons the GP states. Sure some people can still get into the plot of modern Doctor Who, and it no doubt has a wide fanbase, but I think when you compare it to the older series of Doctor Who it is a completely different show, and it's that that's put me off.

      Doctor Who used to be quite dark and creepy because it used real locations - it used remote British villages and terrain on grey and foggy days, it used isolated beaches, and abandoned structures such as old military defences left to rot and rust. These are the sorts of places that made for a creepy setting because it was quite believable that bad things could happen there, and in some cases did (the moors murders). It wasn't believable in the sense that it made people believe Daleks were real, but it was believable in the sense that it was filmed in places where bad things could, and to some extent did happen - that meant people could relate to and associate with the darkness of it. That gave people an association with it and level of believability that special effects really just can't achieve, and in fact, often act counter to.

      Fast forward to modern Doctor Who and you have these pretty colours, and flashing lights everywhere, you have settings and stories so fantastical and so out of this world (literally) that that there is no way anyway can relate to even the locations and hence have any kind of feelings of believability in them - it can literally only be taken as fantasy in it's entirety and nothing else.

      As an aside, I've also always felt that the acting in modern doctor who looks like it's straight out of an amateur dramatics production, and that the costumes were so poor that even on screen it just felt like you were watching a person in a costume rather than an actual alien (which you were of course, but good costumes, good animatronics etc., and good acting should make you feel otherwise - I never felt that the aliens in the Alien series of films were just blokes running round in suits or whatever when I watched them for example, slightly less so for the alien in Predator, but that was in the 80s, there's no excuse for it nowadays). It's like they blew the special effects budget for Doctor Who on the creation of fantastical settings, lots of sparks, explosions and so forth and then ran out of budget for the costumes.

      But hey, it's just my personal take on a topic that is entirely subjective. Given the general lack of good SciFi nowadays full stop I can appreciate why Doctor Who does have such a following, it's just not my cup of tea and what the GP above says it part is a major reason - too much focus on imagery (but not enough where it matters for a modern production - the characters) and a loss of the believability factor of the original settings and locations.

    26. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're remembering through rose-tinted glasses. I used to be the biggest fan of the old-school Doctor Who. Do you remember the monster from Ark in Space that was a guy wrapped up in bubble wrap, with some green paint splashed on? Literally splashed on, too.

      Don't forget to take into account the interminably long establishing shots, filled with (for example) a guard who's walking along a path, and then another long shot of him walking, then yet another long shot of him walking. Then some more walking, then maybe he'll talk to someone or be killed.

      The old Doctor Who is most certainly a product of its era. Unnecessarily slow moving stories, people stumbling on their lines, and so forth.

      It's funny that you should say that the modern Doctor Who is is just pretty colours and flashing lights. You really haven't watched it at all. More than a few episodes are Earth-based, and any flashing lights are either in your head (see a real doctor in that case), or are actually from the surrounding shops.

    27. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Liberator wasn't the pride of their fleet, but it was one of at least a pair of ships. The System even took her back at one point. (I just re-watched my DVDs of the show. I've got to say that the fourth season was much better than I remembered, in spite of the awful candyfloss wig in the second-to-last episode.)

    28. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by oxfletch · · Score: 1

      Amazon has the DVDs for sale sometimes, but they are region 2, so you'll need to use a multi-region player or rip them.

      http://www.amazon.com/Blakes-Season-Region-Michael-Keating/dp/B0023SR1TU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1365593115&sr=8-2&keywords=blakes+7&tag=amazond20-20

    29. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by a_hanso · · Score: 1

      Yeah. Much of Avon's insults would go to waste without Villa

    30. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by jjsimp · · Score: 1

      I still don't like the new Doctor...bring back David Tennant. I was overjoyed with the ending of the Pond arc. I couldn't stand Rory and Pond together. Please BBC, no more couples for the Doctor's companions.

    31. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by jjsimp · · Score: 1

      Actually, if it's anything like Syfy's current shows. Avon will now be a female and she will have a love triangle with another female and a male character.

    32. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by hawkinspeter · · Score: 1

      As a UK subject, I've already paid for the production of Doctor Who (via the license fees), so I don't see why I should pay a second time to watch it at my convenience.

      --
      You're a temporary arrangement of matter sliding towards oblivion in a cold, uncaring universe
    33. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by RivenAleem · · Score: 1

      You're remembering through rose-tinted glasses.

      I see what you did there.

    34. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by X3J11 · · Score: 1

      The old Doctor Who had the occasional grim-and-gritty (the kind that made Question Time in Parliament complain about it). The new Who is full of "if you hope and feel hard enough, you can overcome alien technology, incomprehensible gods and the laws of physics". Even the last episode was proof enough of that.

      You've summarized almost everything I hate about the new Doctor Who, although you missed mentioning the overuse of the Sonic Screwdriver as a solution for everything. While I do enjoy the new Doctor Who, I have nowhere near the love for it that I did for the classic series. It's unfortunate, but the new Who is science-fantasy, rather than science-fiction.

    35. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      +100

      For years it was the only reason we still had cable. NBC butchered them and we cut the cable line.

    36. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'll have to rewatch it sometime soon myself. I remember the third and fourth seasons dragging along, with "Rumors of Death", "Terminal", and "Blake" being the only real high points, but I should give it another chance.

      Lowest point in the series? Space Rats.

    37. Re:I'll miss the old school special effects by polyp2000 · · Score: 1

      Its also too cheesy - whats all that crap with the new assistant and souffle ? Rory was the equivalent of Jar Jar binks. Stuff like that spoils it too.
      I too prefer the original series but it wasnt all marvelous - there are a few stories that drag on. I've been watching Dr Who from the very beginning and after William Hartnell's (The original doctor) dreadful acting and some truely ludicrous storylines - i am amazed the show succeeded the way it has. IMHO the show peaked around the Tom Baker , Peter Davison years (for many of the reasons in the parent post) and basically went downhill after that . Remember Liquorice Allsort man , Bonnie Langford - In retrtospect Sylvester McCoy might not have been a bad choice but he didnt have the backup he deserved. Its as if they were deliberately trying to kill the show! Zip into the future - The new series has had its fair share of lame stories and cheesy adversaries - Its too early to say if David Tennant was where the show peaked but for now he has my vote! Overall I think the show needs to go back to its roots, BBC Quarry and all!

      N...

      --
      Electronic Music Made Using Linux http://soundcloud.com/polyp
  2. Shit! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    "A handsome young soldier wakes up to realize his wife is missing". Huh??? Didn't the original have a once-popular political activist who'd been framed for pedophilia before being brainwashed by his government?

    One of the above story lines could be interesting, the other sounds like the kind of manure used to sell space to cable advertisers.

    1. Re:Shit! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I read that in the article, and immediately thought "what the fuck".

      If he's not framed for something and on his way to a federation detention center, then count me out.

    2. Re:Shit! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Agreed - I think Blake's original backstory is more than good enough for today's audience. The "former soldier who's lost his wife" thing struck me as very odd, and very unnecessary.

      However, the description of the reboot that I read did include the "escape while en route to a penal colony (Cygnus Alpha?)" and mention of an alien ship (Liberator.)

    3. Re:Shit! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Army Cult the US have is scary, of course using a political activist in a remake of B7 is unthinkable in a "family" program...
      Since it might give the impression that it is possible to be a honorable person, and not be happy with closed door lobbyist driven politiics.

      But the "lone soldier" hero has a long legacy in the US, and is perfectly compatible with the current politics...

      Sc'use me while I barf ...

    4. Re:Shit! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Looks like this is going to suck hardcore. Guesses on who will play Servalan?

    5. Re:Shit! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Guesses on who will play Servalan?

      Morena Baccarin!

    6. Re:Shit! by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 1

      It's a weird tangent on the original storyline from "The Way Back," but part of that story WAS that his wife and family were taken away and he was just seeing them in "vids."

    7. Re:Shit! by myowntrueself · · Score: 1

      I read that in the article, and immediately thought "what the fuck".

      If he's not framed for something and on his way to a federation detention center, then count me out.

      Are you kidding?

      In the modern UK to suggest that someone might be FRAMED for child abuse could bring down society!

      --
      In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
    8. Re:Shit! by Xest · · Score: 1

      It's probably because the idea of a government framing a freedom fighter for a sexual crime sounds just a little too close to the Julian Assange story.

    9. Re:Shit! by myowntrueself · · Score: 1

      I think its more that the Brits are obsessed with accusing people of sexual crimes against children and can't face the possibility of someone whose life is destroyed by such charges actually being innocent. "Can't happen LALALALALAAA I CANNOT HEAR YOU LALALALALA" kind of thing.

      --
      In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
  3. News implies that it's recent right? by fewnorms · · Score: 2

    Cause if so, here's an article from August 2012, pretty much detailing the exact same thing ...

    Either way, cool beans!

    --
    Veni, Vidi, Velcro!
    1. Re:News implies that it's recent right? by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 1

      The reason that I think it has come back up is that it the production company has just started marketing it to foreign channels. There was a press release I saw on it to that effect yesterday, and someone at the entertainment desks must have picked up on it.

      There has been talk about this particular revival for a year and talks about revival going back a decade. Paul Darrow even owned the rights himself for a while but he fell out with his partner in the deal.

  4. Bring back ORAC! by SuricouRaven · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The stuck-up, annoyingly smug computer. It's a billion times smarter than the rest of the crew put together, and doesn't try to hide it. A computer so obnoxious, most conversations ended with someone cutting the power to shut it up. I want to see ORAC again.

    How many other computers, when asked if they can perform a video analysis task, announce they just did it - but won't share the result, considering such menial number-crunching beneath them?

    1. Re:Bring back ORAC! by DigitalSorceress · · Score: 1

      One.

      Marvin.

      With all the diodes down his left side aching.

      --

      The Digital Sorceress
    2. Re:Bring back ORAC! by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 1

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48gH_v8ulLA

      Did you know Servalan sang a key section of a very famous album?

    3. Re:Bring back ORAC! by mjwalshe · · Score: 1

      yes and get Kelsey Grammer or better David Hewlett to voice Orac

    4. Re:Bring back ORAC! by Zaiff+Urgulbunger · · Score: 1

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48gH_v8ulLA Did you know Servalan sang a key section of a very famous album?

      That is genius! Good find - well done!! :D

    5. Re:Bring back ORAC! by Darinbob · · Score: 5, Funny

      How many other computers, when asked if they can perform a video analysis task, announce they just did it - but won't share the result,

      Stop reminding us about Widnows 8!

    6. Re:Bring back ORAC! by SuricouRaven · · Score: 2

      Marvin did what he was told. He just complained continuously about how underutilised he was. Brain the size of a planet.

    7. Re:Bring back ORAC! by Werrismys · · Score: 1

      They should cast Piers Morgan as the new ORAC.

      --
      'Once scientists, even the dim-witted social scientists, get muzzled, the Western Civilization is finished.' - oldhack
    8. Re:Bring back ORAC! by myowntrueself · · Score: 1

      To me the cool thing about ORAC is the way he works; his inventor was the designer of virtually all chips in use in the galaxy. He put a back door into them. ORAC has a subspace link to them.

      --
      In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
    9. Re:Bring back ORAC! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Loved ORAC and Villa!
      "I'm not stupid, I'm not expendiable, and I'm not going!"

    10. Re:Bring back ORAC! by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

      The writers forgot about that on several occasions. For example, in both Redemption (the episode immediately following Orac) and Ultraworld, ORAC manages to control alien computers that would not use these chips.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  5. But... by Stormy+Dragon · · Score: 4, Funny

    Will the remake have BRIAN BLESSED? Because if not, what's the point??

    1. Re:But... by desdinova+216 · · Score: 0

      sure. he will be there as a zombie since he's dead

    2. Re:But... by h4rr4r · · Score: 2

      When did that happen?
      Wiki seems to think he is alive.
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Blessed

    3. Re:But... by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 1

      he's pining.

    4. Re:But... by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      I think he's got some very loud words to say about that.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    5. Re:But... by Bacon+Bits · · Score: 2

      To be fair, BRIAN BLESSED would be more sonorous dead than most people are alive.

      --
      The road to tyranny has always been paved with claims of necessity.
    6. Re:But... by snowjest · · Score: 4, Funny

      But surely everyone knows that BRIAN'S ALIVE!

    7. Re:But... by Intrepid+imaginaut · · Score: 2

      Blessed's ALIVE!!

    8. Re:But... by bfandreas · · Score: 2

      The US is where BBC series go to die. No pining for the fjords.
      They left Basil Fawlty out of their version of Fawlty Towers for crying out loud! It will be horrible. Like an office christmas disco whithout the alcohol.

      So please, please do not take Brian's name in vain.

      --
      20 minutes into the future
    9. Re:But... by Richy_T · · Score: 2

      No, you misread. It's "Zombies eat brains". Not "Brians".

    10. Re:But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They'll eat Brian's brains too.

    11. Re:But... by rubycodez · · Score: 1

      his Blake's 7 character Vargas was beamed into space and exploded. Mr. Blessed is 76 but still doing occasional gigs.

    12. Re:But... by tehcyder · · Score: 1
      There really should be a "-1 totally factually inaccurate" mod.

      I just saw him on Celebrity Pointless a few days ago and he was fine.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  6. Thank Cthulhu I bought the complete DVD set! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Thankfully I've already bought the complete DVD set of the original Blake's 7. I suspect purchase of the original will become virtually impossible (at least in the US) once the SyFy bastardization (no doubt complete with psychics talking to ghosts, or at least shipmates poking around abandoned buildings looking for ghosts and jumping at every tinny noise, along with Avon wrestling alligators). I'll take bad special effects and a good story over great special effects and crap writing anyway (though to be fair, the writing may be good...Heroes was pretty good...I just don't trust SyFy to execute).

  7. Sci-fi on Syfy? by Dracos · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Say it ain't so. I wonder when they'll squeeze this into the schedule between all the wrestling and other ratings-chasing dreck.

    But we won't know if it's a true SciFi series until it gets unceremoniously cancelled for no good reason.

    1. Re:Sci-fi on Syfy? by CanHasDIY · · Score: 2

      I wonder when they'll squeeze this into the schedule between all the wrestling and other ratings-chasing dreck.

      Every time I start to wonder if I should have the cable re-connected, somebody says something like this, and it reminds me of why I dropped that overpriced crapfest in the first place.

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
    2. Re:Sci-fi on Syfy? by OzPeter · · Score: 1

      Say it ain't so. I wonder when they'll squeeze this into the schedule between all the wrestling and other ratings-chasing dreck.

      But we won't know if it's a true SciFi series until it gets unceremoniously cancelled for no good reason.

      My latest guilty pleasure is on SyFy channel .. Robot Combat League. Yes it is cheesy. Yes it has the typical reality show emphasis on personalities. Yes they overdo the pyrotechnics. Yes there is probably about 15 minutes tops of real footage in the hour long show (Ya Tivo!) . Yes the robots are all the same basic platform (Nascar of robotics?), but it is fun to watch 8 foot tall, 800 lb tele-operated robots walking around and arena and wailing into each other and spewing hydraulic fluid when valves and cylinders give way. And then seeing the attempts at repairs in between rounds.

      While it may seem like a superficial show its fun to sit back and try to understand the engineering that went into the combatants, and given that this is a first-of-its-kind series I hope the quality can only go up .. if there is a next season.

      --
      I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
    3. Re:Sci-fi on Syfy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I bet they plan to incorporate ghost chasing wrestlers into the story.

    4. Re:Sci-fi on Syfy? by TWiTfan · · Score: 1

      Don't knock ScFy. This means that the crew can do battle with Gatorpiranhasaurus!

      --
      The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
    5. Re:Sci-fi on Syfy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Doesn't matter when they schedule it, as the only way I'll be able to get it will be on ez.tv or TPB. 8)

    6. Re:Sci-fi on Syfy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Next they will start showing music videos on MTV!

    7. Re:Sci-fi on Syfy? by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      Doesn't matter when they schedule it, as the only way I'll be able to get it will be on ez.tv or TPB. 8)

      That's really telling it to them. I'm sure that will inspire TV producers to make all sorts of new drama instead of churning out profitable reality shows.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  8. Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by khasim · · Score: 2

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMxbqyz1VY8

    Although I fully expect the US version to be as bad (or worse) than the US version of Red Dwarf.

    1. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by Capt.DrumkenBum · · Score: 4, Funny

      as bad (or worse) than the US version of Red Dwarf.

      That is not possible. Nothing can be worse than the US version of Red Dwarf. I have a true love of BAD movies and TV, but even I had to shut off the US version of Red Dwarf less than 10 minutes in.

      --
      If I were God, wouldn't I protect my churches from acts of me?
    2. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by citizenr · · Score: 2

      as bad (or worse) than the US version of Red Dwarf.

      That is not possible. Nothing can be worse than the US version of Red Dwarf.

      US version of Top Gear, not to mention Australian version.

      --
      Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
    3. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by bfandreas · · Score: 4, Insightful

      They did Fawlty Towers and didn't bother to include Basil Fawlty. But we shouldn't fault them because he was easy to overlook if your bucket-hat didn't have eyeholes cut out.
      I said it before and will say it again: The US is where Brit series go to die.
      After I heard they wanted to do their very own The Prisoner I really wished for shades that go black when approached by danger. But they ruined that one, too.

      This is a TV station that renamed themself from SciFi to SyFy cuz misspeeling ur ohn neme iz kool.
      Shouldn't they be filming Fucktopus vs. Turdosaur or something?

      --
      20 minutes into the future
    4. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by Kittenman · · Score: 2

      as bad (or worse) than the US version of Red Dwarf.

      That is not possible. Nothing can be worse than the US version of Red Dwarf.

      US version of Top Gear, not to mention Australian version.

      US version of 'Death at a Funeral'

      --
      "The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes" - Winston Churchill
    5. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is a TV station that renamed themself from SciFi to SyFy cuz misspeeling ur ohn neme iz kool.

      If by "kool" you mean cool to MBA-types, because misspelling it makes it easier to trademark and brand.

    6. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by mattack2 · · Score: 1

      The U.S. version of Top Gear is entertaining. I do think it would've been better if the version with Adam Carolla had gone on though.

      I'm not even a car person. Sure, it's scripted, but so is the original version.

    7. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by Falconhell · · Score: 1

      I guess You mean Joo-Janta 200 peril sensitive sunglasses!

    8. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by Ed+Avis · · Score: 1

      That US remake of House of Cards isn't too bad.

      --
      -- Ed Avis ed@membled.com
    9. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by Xest · · Score: 1

      It's hit and miss, I quite like the US version of The Office, but it only works because it's a completely different show to the original in large part due to the fact that it has had such a long ongoing storyline relative to the original UK version which meant it has had to diverge and be original.

      I tried watching the US version of The Inbetweeners though the other week, and it's an exact copy seemingly word for word of the British version, but with actors that just don't fit the roles and is a prime example of something that should never have been remade in America.

      FWIW I didn't even know there was a US version of Red Dwarf until I saw this thread. The idea of that alone is enough to make me die a little inside, there are some shows that are so sacred that a remake should never be attempted no matter how awesome a producer you think you are and how awesome a cast you have assembled for the effort.

    10. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What far right dickheads did they get to play Clarkson in those two countries? Sarah Palin and Rupert Murdoch?

    11. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by Jaruzel · · Score: 1

      There has actually been two attempts to make US Red Dwarf. The first one had Terry Farrell (Dax, Deep Space 9) playing the cat. There are clips on YouTube if you are brave enough. ;)

      -Jar

      --
      Together, We Can Make Slashdot Better. I Do NOT Mod ACs. - Check Me Out
    12. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't forget the US remake of "One Foot in the Grave" where Bill Cosby wanted to make Victor a plesant chap and not at all grumpy because people don't like grumpy characters.

    13. Re:Vila weighs 73 kilos, Avon. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They will never get the characters right... they will either try to make Avon a guy who's really good at heart or the typical evil backstabbing teammate. Avon was neither - he was a pragmatic, logical, bastard who saved the team's collective lives more times than anyone else on the show... but was still be willing to jettison a teammate to save his own life. American TV will never get that mix right.
      And I doubt they will get Vila right, either. Yes, he's the humorous sidekick perennially on the search for wine, women and song, but that's also a mask for his extremely intelligent mind and exceptional lockpick and thievery skills. They will probably just make him into a lucky clown.
      Although it would be hard for even Syfy to make Cally more useless of a telepath than she was in the show... she was an interesting character, but there were literally cacti on the show who were more effective telepaths than she was.
      And after what was done to K.I.T.T.'s character in the remake, I have no hope for ORAC or Zen. Sigh.

      But I'll probably watch the first episode or two to see what they do with it.

  9. Intermission by Tobenisstinky · · Score: 1

    Wow, 13 hour long episodes!? I'm gonna need at least 2 bathroom breaks!

    --
    wha'? where am i?
    1. Re:Intermission by azadrozny · · Score: 1

      I bet SyFy divides it into 3 seasons, with a 6 month mid-season hiatus.

    2. Re:Intermission by emag · · Score: 1

      And special guest stars that happen to be wrestlers... who'll have more acting talent than some of the main cast...

      --
      "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." --H.L. Mencken
    3. Re:Intermission by Onymous+Coward · · Score: 1

      The editing around here normally stinks, but either the editor or the submitter (more likely) did a great job of averting the possible ambiguity here by judicious application of a hyphen. "13 hour-long episodes" is perfect. As much as I'm inclined to roll my eyes at the editing and snark it in comments, I should point out when it works. Well done.

  10. My emotions as I started reading... by emag · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Classic BBC Sci-fi Series Blake's 7 To Return

    *gasp!* *overwhelming joy*

    On Syfy Channel

    *neutral* "Oh...."

    is to be remade

    *anger* "... fuck!"

    by Heroes writer

    *rage* "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!"

    Maybe I should just import a Region 2 DVD player and the discs from the UK, since it looks like it never got released here in the US.

    --
    "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." --H.L. Mencken
    1. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 2

      Order the R2 discs, then just hit the Pirate Bay for copies you can watch.

      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
    2. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I bought a sony dvd player that plays all the regions on amazon for like $30. so I could import cheap doctor who/ torchwood box sets.

    3. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by mattack2 · · Score: 2

      Actually, maybe this new show will cause whoever has the rights to the original to try to cash in and release the original on DVD/BluRay in the U.S.

      "Blake's 7" is the only other science fiction show I like almost as much as I like "Star Trek". Both have dud episodes, and with there being 52 eps of Blake's 7 airing weekly, I stopped watching at one point after I'd seen them all, then the next times I randomly caught an episode, I think I saw the same dud episode (they're stuck on a planet and 'monsters' that end up being bioengineered humans are trying to break in).. It's probably a quirk of memory, though..

      I think a remake could be good, and could be bad. It may be blasphemy, but I think the U.S. "The Office" is at least as good as the original, though both are funny. Heck, at worst it's "accumulatively" as good as the original since there are tons more episodes, leading to more laughs total.

    4. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe I should just import a Region 2 DVD player and the discs from the UK, since it looks like it never got released here in the US.

      Many DVD players can already be made region free. Just search "region free DVD" and your brand and model number. LG players are really good for this. Also any of the no-brand Chinese DVD players are already region free, they don't give a fuck what they're playing.

      And of course there's also VLC player on your computer. :)

    5. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All Blakes 7 episodes are on Youtube.

    6. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why not farscape?

    7. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      It may be blasphemy, but I think the U.S. "The Office" is at least as good as the original, though both are funny. Heck, at worst it's "accumulatively" as good as the original since there are tons more episodes, leading to more laughs total.

      That's not how comedy works. A remake with four times as many episodes but a quarter the number of laughs per episode is NOT as funny as the original.

      I happen to agree about the US The Office being as good (in a different way) as the original, but not by the terms of your argument.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    8. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      (they're stuck on a planet and 'monsters' that end up being bioengineered humans are trying to break in)..

      That's either The Web (series 1 episode 4, it screened when I was 3 years old and it was nearly 10 years before I saw it again. I remembered some key moments, which had a huge impact on me), or Animals (series 4 episode 5).

      For your sake, I hope it was The Web. Animals was the Blake's 7 equivalent to Plato's Stepchildren.

    9. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because Farscape was shit.

    10. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by coinreturn · · Score: 1

      I bought a sony dvd player that plays all the regions on amazon for like $30. so I could import cheap doctor who/ torchwood box sets.

      I did the same for Bergerac, because it's not available in USA format. The DVD player even converts PAL to NTSC since the Bergerac DVDs are in PAL format.

    11. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by RivenAleem · · Score: 1

      You can't watch content because of artificially added blockages? I know some people who might help.

    12. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by mattack2 · · Score: 1

      I think it "sort of" works that way, but note that that was my "at worst" comparison.

    13. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by mattack2 · · Score: 1

      I think it was "Animals". Note, I was describing a *dud* episode .

    14. Re:My emotions as I started reading... by emag · · Score: 1

      I prefer, despite the stupid idiotic artificial blockages, to be on the up-and-up, totally legal... FSVO, and I'm sure importing hardware could be construed as not, but much less so than those people you "know"...

      --
      "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." --H.L. Mencken
  11. Yeah more ORAC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    with fewer Greens

  12. The Prisoner ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    ... all over again

    1. Re:The Prisoner ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Be seeing you.

  13. To be remade for one series by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Then have it replaced with some more WRASTLIN.

    It is the SyFy way.

  14. Funny You Should Mention This by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I was watching SyFy last night and contemplating how crappy the science fiction stories/scripts all seem to be now, I won't even bother going into the terrible acting.

    This story about a trashy re-make of a campy c-movie like science fiction show is just another example of what I was bemoaning. Blake's 7 was "Ok" Saturday afternoon viewing in 1979, but it was crappy scifi then and it'll be much worse as SyFy channel's re-make. The writer of Heroes? Really?

    Why can't SyFy show the already existing great science fiction shows/movies as well as get some new stories. The two-bit actors wouldn't be quite so awful if the scripts weren't such God awful adolescent bait.

    Why can't SyFy put out something like Fringe, or Firefly at the leastt? Why does everything SyFy does have to suck BALLS?

    1. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by scuzzlebutt · · Score: 1

      Why does everything SyFy does have to suck BALLS?

      Well, for starters, they can't even spell "SciFi" right...

      --
      In C++, your friends can see your privates.
    2. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, for starters, they can't even spell "SciFi" right...

      To be fair, SyFy has nothing to do with science fiction.

      Any day now, they'll change their name to "the Ghost Hunter channel" or somesuch.

    3. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by snookerdoodle · · Score: 1

      Well, for starters, they can't even spell "wrestling" right...

    4. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by Minwee · · Score: 4, Funny

      They used to spell it "Sci Fi", but changed it to avoid charges of false advertising.

    5. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "This story about a trashy re-make of a campy c-movie like science fiction show is just another example of what I was bemoaning. Blake's 7 was "Ok" Saturday afternoon viewing in 1979, but it was crappy scifi then and it'll be much worse as SyFy channel's re-make."

      The effects are crappy (on par with the other BBC series from that era), but the first 2 seasons were good stuff. 3rd and 4th meh.

    6. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by __aapspi39 · · Score: 1

      Although the effects and the sets were fairly poor it wasn't at all bad in the story department.

      I watched it again recently and was pleasantly surprised by how well it stands up.

      I knew the actor that played Vila, and like the rest of the crew he was pretty good in his role, a great Shakespearean fool. Without his 'difficult' relationship with the computer expert Avon (and Orac) it wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining.

      Not at all crappy sci fi, and imho, very good in the aspects of a programme that matter - script, acting & story.

    7. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by rjstanford · · Score: 2

      You have to admit that the final finale was brilliant, though. "You're going to bring us back for another season? Oh, I think not..."

      Although it still has the possibility of Avon somehow ducking and letting the circular firing squad just shoot itself, but that's somewhat unlikely given the length of the barrage.

      --
      You're special forces then? That's great! I just love your olympics!
    8. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by Darinbob · · Score: 2

      The set of people who watch SyFy have a lot of overlap with the set of people who thought Heroes had excellent writing.

      What we really need on cable is a science fiction channel...

    9. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by kwark · · Score: 1

      Avon is making commercials for mobility scooter nowadays, not happening in any future:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljBXnsiULQo
      I saw the advert a couple of times and had the nagging feeling I'd seen that guy before. After finding out it was Paul Darrow aka Avon, it was the trigger to acquire the DVDs and rewatch it after some 25 years.

    10. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by malkavian · · Score: 1

      It was a camera malfunction, according to the fanzine.. The fanfic of the time had Avon surviving.. And I think Villa too..

    11. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by mattack2 · · Score: 1

      There was a book followon/sequel called "Afterlife".

      Also, IIRC (from the "Blake's 7 Programme Guide" book), that WASN'T intended as the series finale. Though I do think it was the best ever done.

    12. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by dbIII · · Score: 2

      Without his 'difficult' relationship with the computer expert Avon (and Orac) it wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining.

      In one episode the two of them were in a shuttle that was just too heavy to make it back to their ship. After Avon threw out everything he could find ORAC informed him they still needed to shed 73 kilos, and "Villa weighs 70 kilos". The next scene has Avon walking through the ship, pistol in hand, calling Villa is light tones as if calling a dog for dinner.
      Trek never came close.


      Another amusing thing is Michael Keating, who plays Villa, is very tall but manages to "act short" and comes across as a little scheming man and not a six foot hundred kilo guy that could have put in a good showing on the football field.
      There's some very bad acting in Blakes 7 as well (apparently via the casting couch), a cardboard cutout pilot character that nobody could have done much with and some dodgy writing at times, but we forgive it for the moments where everything just works.

    13. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      You have to admit that the final finale was brilliant, though. "You're going to bring us back for another season? Oh, I think not..."

      Although it still has the possibility of Avon somehow ducking and letting the circular firing squad just shoot itself, but that's somewhat unlikely given the length of the barrage.

      I'd say it is up there as a season finale with the First World War Blackadder.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    14. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      There's some very bad acting in Blakes 7 as well (apparently via the casting couch)

      *cough* Servalan *cough*.

      I always got the impression she had stepped out of a dogy porn film. She was an adolescent wet dream, so her total lack of acting ability was easy to overlook at the time.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    15. Re:Funny You Should Mention This by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's my favourite episode of the series. I recall the shock of seeing it the first time, in 1984 (I was 9). It just stunned me. I waited and waited, hoping for more, little realising that it was already 3 years old at that point.

      I saw it again when it screened 12 years ago, before I bought the DVDs. I was so enthralled by it, I was on the edge of my seat. I didn't notice anything else around me, I still can't recall if I watched it with anybody.

      Damned fine episode. I remember the book written by Sheelagh Wells, who quoted that they were sure they would get another series, so wrote the strongest cliffhanger they could imagine just to fire up some interest.

      As a TNG fan, I have to say that it was much better than TNG's puny "Fire!" at the end of The Best of Both Worlds.

  15. SyFy - rhymes with iffy by DoctorBonzo · · Score: 0

    And so does WiFi.

    1. Re:SyFy - rhymes with iffy by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 2

      Since it seems to have gone over your head, I *was* making fun of the name.

  16. Starlost by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I really wish they would remake Starlost. I thought that was one of the greatest concepts for a science fiction TV series.

    1. Re:Starlost by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

      Want to see Harlan Ellison's original concept? Never made it to video, but you can get a graphic novel version. There was also a novel that is long out of physical print; however, Amazon is offering a Kindle edition.

    2. Re:Starlost by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 1

      I think of Starlost every time a series remake comes up.

      There is a huge opportunity there. Get real money, actually WORK with Ellison and his original scripts, and you would have a great series.

      Remake something with a strong concept that wasn't done right the first time. Even as screwy as it turned out it was often enjoyable to watch.

    3. Re:Starlost by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Want to see Robert Heinlein's original concept? Read "Orphans of the Stars".

    4. Re:Starlost by kaatochacha · · Score: 1

      "There is a huge opportunity there. Get real money, actually WORK with Ellison and his original scripts, and you would have a great series."

      There's your problem, the working with Ellison part. From what I've seen in history it's next to impossible.

    5. Re:Starlost by dbIII · · Score: 1

      actually WORK with Ellison

      I think you are asking for the impossible.

  17. Careful what you wish for. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    FTS: Here's hoping the special effects budget will be higher than for the original series!
     
    Indeed! Because I can't think of a remake that hasn't used better special effects as a reason to cut down on the plot and give us long boring fighting sequences and other tiresome eye candy.
     
    When I watch something what matters to me is the story line. With a few rare examples I can't remember one car wreck from the next or an explosion of a spaceship on sceen that really mattered to me at the end of the day. If you don't have a story line worth my time you're not going to have me as a fan.

    1. Re:Careful what you wish for. by Cosgrach · · Score: 1

      It does not matter what the budget would be. If SyFy is involved, it will be complete and utter SHIT. Sorry, that is just a fact of life.

      --
      Why is it that most of the people that I encounter seem to have been shat from the Sphincter of Mediocrity?
  18. Jenna's butt by Suigintou · · Score: 1

    Cool... but will they find actress with a fine enough ass to play Jenna?

  19. I miss the old SciFi channel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    before the assclowns at NBC bought SyFy they had great programming, after they bought it and began filling it with overly dramatized reality TV (Ghost Hunters, Scare Tactics or whatever it was called) and Wrestling it went down hill. They'll screw this up, alienate more fans push them elsewhere , maybe ... Gasp! back into books. Give me old school effects anyday not CG everything.

  20. Hard work by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Aren't 13-hour-long episodes a lot to sit through? God, these people are stupid.

  21. Well at least it's not more reality TV by kannibal_klown · · Score: 1

    I kind of like "Face Off" since the end-results they make are creative.

    But beyond that, I'm not a fan of reality TV or wresting... which is what the channel is slowly filling up with.

    So while part of me wants to say "Try making creative shows again" at least I'm content that it's not another reality series.

    1. Re:Well at least it's not more reality TV by Kaenneth · · Score: 1

      Idea:

        Combine Face Off with Pro Wrestling.

        MONSTER BATTLE!

  22. Summary by someone who never saw the original? by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here's hoping the special effects budget will be higher than for the original series!

    No, no, no. What we should really be hoping for is that the effects budgets doesn't matter because the writing and characterisation will be so strong.

    Still, an American remake of a popular British series - what could possibly go wrong?

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    1. Re:Summary by someone who never saw the original? by swb · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You're generally right, but the American version of Life on Mars wasn't bad on it's own merits, even if it was somehow not as good as the British version.

      At least the cast was decent -- it seemed unusual to have Keitel, Mol, Imperioli all on a network TV series.

    2. Re:Summary by someone who never saw the original? by Bieeanda · · Score: 1

      That was my reaction. I suspect they're going to wildly misread the 'subversive Star Trek' theme and make it so Roj Blake has more space-sex than James Kirk.

    3. Re:Summary by someone who never saw the original? by mattack2 · · Score: 1

      Life On Mars was great, had a good ending..

      I'm one of the few defenders of the U.S. Coupling, since all but one of the 4 (?) episodes that aired were the exact same script as the original, and had at least decent acting. (The originals weren't the greatest actors in the world either.)

    4. Re:Summary by someone who never saw the original? by mrbester · · Score: 2

      UK Life on Mars tapped into the collective memory of at least two generations of Brits remembering how dismal life was for the average family in the 70s. The country was nearly bankrupt (UK was described as the "poor man of Europe"), inflation was in double figures, there were three day weeks (meaning less pay) because of electricity blackouts, rising unemployment, the Government in thrall of the trade unions calling strikes every other week, Brent crude prices (when oil was a major export revenue stream) were tanking and it was the height of the Troubles with IRA attacks happening with alarming frequency.

      While the US had its own problems, most Brits only saw US life through glitzy imported shows and saw lifestyles that were almost incomprehensible in their luxuriousness. Even Hill Street Blues. That's how much in the shit we were.

      US Life on Mars couldn't tap into despair felt by an entire nation, especially as it is a peculiarly British mannerism to be nostalgic for hard times.

      --
      "Wait. Something's happening. It's opening up! My God, it's full of apricots!"
    5. Re:Summary by someone who never saw the original? by dbIII · · Score: 1

      I think Farscape owes a lot to Blakes 7 in concept. They don't always win and eventually they become legends just by suriving long enough at long odds.

    6. Re:Summary by someone who never saw the original? by tehcyder · · Score: 1
      Life in Britain in the 1970s wasn't perfect (although as a child I was happy enough) but it really went downhill in 1979.

      I think we all know why, unless we're rightwing nutjobs.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    7. Re:Summary by someone who never saw the original? by stiggle · · Score: 1

      It went downhill before 1979 - which is how she got in.
      You don't remember queuing for bread during the bakers strikes? (limited to one loaf per person in most shops - go shopping with the kids so they can get a loaf too)
      The power outages during the earlier coal strikes?
      The mountains of garbage during the public sector strikes?
      Lets not forget the lorry drivers strikes and the other transport strikes.
      20% inflation and strikes for 25% payrises.

      Welcome to the Callaghan government.

    8. Re:Summary by someone who never saw the original? by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      Life On Mars was great, had a good ending..

      I'll admit, I haven't seen that one. I'm put off by the knowledge that they couldn't restrain themselves from taking the title literally.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    9. Re:Summary by someone who never saw the original? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      1) Hill Street Blues wasn't until the 80's.

      2) Most people in the US don't have lifestyles like you see on most of the TV shows.

  23. Um...syfy...right by grasshoppa · · Score: 1

    Anyone else getting the "Remaking it just so they can cancel another scifi show and replace it with even more wrestling?" vibe here?

    --
    Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
  24. Meh. The change from SciFi to SyFy by CQDX · · Score: 1

    is one of the big reasons I dropped cable. If they want to attract viewership, don't rehash a popular series, rebroadcast it!

    1. Re:Meh. The change from SciFi to SyFy by geekoid · · Score: 1

      Um,. no.
      really, BLake 7 could not stand on it's own today. sure, 100,000 people might watch it, maybe 500,000 but it wouldn't be enough for broadcast.

      Rehash it, and hopefully it will be good, if not the don't watch it. It's not like they are going to come to yorr house and steal your Blake 7 dvds.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    2. Re:Meh. The change from SciFi to SyFy by kannibal_klown · · Score: 2

      I have lots of complaints about the switch from SciFi to SyFy. Revamping a classic series isn't one of them. I mean, really, they've only revamped one that I know of prior to this (BSG).

      The Battlestar Galactica show was pretty solid. Sure, it was either "love it or hate it" but a lot of people liked it. Sure, it wasn't the same as the old one... but it had moments.

      My biggest complaint is with the brand change, they have been dropping home-brewed science fiction series and favoring reality shows + wresting. And the Saturday evening B-movie fest is still lame.

      I'm not saying Blake's 7: The Next Generation (or whatever) is going to be good. But it's at least it's a scripted science fiction show. With Warehouse 13 reaching the end of its contract and some of their other shows dropped... it's a welcome addition. As much as I LOVE the Canadian imports, it would be good for them to do some stuff themselves.

    3. Re:Meh. The change from SciFi to SyFy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Battlestar Galactica show was pretty solid. Sure, it was either "love it or hate it" but a lot of people liked it. Sure, it wasn't the same as the old one... but it had moments.

      I'll admit to only watching the new BSG pilot episode and the last 10 minutes of the finale, and snippets here and there as my wife watched it, and my only reaction was this:

      "What a piece of shit. If I wanted to watch soap operas, I'd be TiVoing Days of our Lives."

    4. Re:Meh. The change from SciFi to SyFy by NoNonAlphaCharsHere · · Score: 2

      I recall people making exactly the same argument when the Doctor Who reboot was announced.

      OK, bad example. I'll still take Tom Baker or Peter Davison over Matt Smith or David Tenant any day of the week.

    5. Re:Meh. The change from SciFi to SyFy by dbIII · · Score: 1

      OK, bad example. I'll still take Tom Baker or Peter Davison over Matt Smith or David Tenant any day of the week.

      Brain of Morbius, 1976
      Morbius, looking at the Doctor: "What a magnificent head!"
      Tom Baker as the Doctor: "Really? Most people still prefer the old grey model."

      I saw that one for the first time last year since it was banned from broadcast in my country in 1976!

      Peter Davison suffered from a BBC policy of "Doctor Who is not serious enough - remove the jokes!", and could not put in the sort of performace he later delivered in the black comedy "A most peculiur practice".

    6. Re:Meh. The change from SciFi to SyFy by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      I'll still take Tom Baker or Peter Davison over Matt Smith or David Tenant any day of the week.

      Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Yours happens to be tragically wrong.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  25. Fool me 100 times by ArhcAngel · · Score: 2

    When Eureka ended so did my need to ever watch SyFy. I lamented FarScape for over a year and watched as SG and its myriad of spinoffs deteriorated but at least I got to see Ben Browder do his one liners again. Then just as I am actually starting to see some potential in the Universe franchise they pull another Fox. It's not like I didn't see it coming but I am a masochistic optimist. Thank you...NO.

    --
    "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
  26. 13 Hour Long Episodes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Man it's going to be a slog to get through one let alone the whole season!!!

  27. Talking about getting old TV shows back... SG:U by xirtam_work · · Score: 2

    Personally, I'd rather they leave Blakes 7 alone, it was great for it's time. If anyone were to bring it back it should be the BBC, like they've done with Doctor Who.

    As for other shows that should be back on TV there's Stargate Universe which was cruelly cancelled before its time. Why not help out to get it back on the air again via Netflix and sign the Change.org petition linked below. There's little point asking SyFy as they don't seem to know anything about science fiction anyway.

    http://www.change.org/petitions/netflix-save-stargate-universe

    The other day there were 3000 signatures, today it's over 4000. With the help of Slashdot I reckon we could hit over 10K in no time. The target is 100K I think.

    1. Re:Talking about getting old TV shows back... SG:U by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, that petition is more than just "I missed the show please bring it back." It has citations on the estimated fan counts being off being used to claim that the original decision to cancel was based on faulty data. That's the best petition I've seen for bring back a TV show. Nice work to whoever made it.

    2. Re:Talking about getting old TV shows back... SG:U by NormAtHome · · Score: 1

      It was great that the BBC brought back Dr Who but you have to admit that they've really taken a wrong turn with Matt Smith as the new Doctor and the episodes that I've seen lately have been silly. He just looks odd, sort of like Herman Munster without makeup and the writing is much more comedic than dramatic.

      I always felt that the Tom Baker years was among the best of Dr Who and the stories and characterization of the Doctor were both inventive and dramatic, great science fiction.

    3. Re:Talking about getting old TV shows back... SG:U by dbIII · · Score: 1

      Funny you should mention Tom Baker since that was when Dr Who was more comedic than dramatic. "City of Death" is a very well made example.

    4. Re:Talking about getting old TV shows back... SG:U by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Funny you should mention Tom Baker since that was when Dr Who was more comedic than dramatic."

      In your opinion.

    5. Re:Talking about getting old TV shows back... SG:U by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      I always felt that the Tom Baker years was among the best of Dr Who

      I assume the Tom Baker years coincided with your childhood viewing of Dr Who. There is no other excuse than rose-tinted spectacles for believing he was any good.

      The modern David Tennant/Matt Smith Doctors are a much more interesting blend of comedy, horror, scifi and drama.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    6. Re:Talking about getting old TV shows back... SG:U by NormAtHome · · Score: 1

      Every Dr Who had some questionable episodes, when I think of Tom Baker I think of episodes like "The Pyramids Of Mars", "The Hand Of Fear", "Planet Of Evil", "The Deadly Assassin", "The Face Of Evil" these were more dramatic scifi than anything else. Great subtle humor and well written, I can't recall the episode that you mention but I vaguely remember that towards the end of his stint as Dr Who there were a number of really badly written episodes.

  28. But who will play Servalan? by yossie · · Score: 1

    One of the greatest SciFi villains of all time deserves a great actress (assuming no reboot sex change :) don't'cha think?

    1. Re:But who will play Servalan? by polyp2000 · · Score: 1

      Grace Jones?

      --
      Electronic Music Made Using Linux http://soundcloud.com/polyp
  29. hahhaha by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    thanks for the joke post OP, clasic haha hehe ...ROFL lol...ty needed that...what is a SyFy btw

  30. Pilot online here... by xirtam_work · · Score: 1

    I just watched the pilot episode of the original series on Youtube when it occurred to me that I'd never seen the beginning, only a few episodes here and there during it's original run in the 1980's.

    It's here for anyone wanting to watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMjYChwuqMI

  31. Those were the days.. by malkavian · · Score: 1

    Still got the fanzines from the original run.. Hopefully this time, they won't get a camera malfunction for the last scene in the whole series!

    1. Re:Those were the days.. by dbIII · · Score: 1

      They turned that into gold though - like the Neon Genesis Evangeleon utter weirdness at the end where running out of budget meant they had nothing left that they could afford other than stills and voiceovers to confuse the shit out of the audience and leave them wanting more.

  32. I loved (at least one of) its effects! by fsagx · · Score: 1

    At some point during the 1980s, in the US, it was on PBS late Sunday night (or early Monday morning) following Doctor Who. I don't recall much of it, but I do remember being really impressed that when a character looked through binoculars, the image shown was one circular region -- not two circles squished together. I don't know if it's only American TV that always gets this wrong, or if it's the whole world. It bugs me. I also remember that when they went through their version of Star Trek's transporter, they went back-to-back with their weapons drawn. It seems very prudent. Kirk and Picard never thought that far ahead, I guess.

    1. Re:I loved (at least one of) its effects! by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      and main characters got killed, quite often. humans did not live in original star-trek utopia, but lived in dystopia ruled by power and money grubbing hedonist scum (same shit, different century). main characters were not heros but dirtbag anti-heros.

  33. Casting and writing will mke or break it! by NormAtHome · · Score: 1

    I loved this series and it's still a constant frustration that it's not available on DVD here in the US, a friend of mine who took a trip to the UK did and managed to get me season 1.

    There were many things to like about this series and a number of things I didn't like. Despite the special effects not being great this was made up for by the acting and the writing. The whole mystery of the Liberator and it's superior design and abilities were one of the major components of the first season and I felt that the series took a strange turn when major characters were killed off and Gareth Thomas (Blake) left the series. Among the things I disliked was the fact that they frequently lost or didn't come out on top, but it was rather refreshing to have stories unlike Star Trek where they didn't always win and people died.

    Of course my favorite character was Avon (played by Paul Darrow), he was awesome and the new series will rise or fall on who is cast in this roll. I think my second favorite was Vila (Michael Keating) and it was always fun watching the back and fourth between the two characters of Avon and Vila.

    Syfy's last show that tried to be dark and gritty (Stargate Universe) didn't gain much traction and in my opinion was killed prematurely, I just hope that they make a better effort here and concentrate on casting and writing.

  34. Amanda tapping Re:But who will play Servalan? by mjwalshe · · Score: 1

    mm taking a leaf from bab5 with Walter Konig as a baddie how about Amanda Tapping going darkside as Serverlan - Conquering the galaxy in fabulous cocktail frocks and impossibly high heels. And David Hewlet for Villa. Thinking about it Connor Trinneer woudl make a good Travis though its a bit close to his SGA role.

    1. Re:Amanda tapping Re:But who will play Servalan? by mjwalshe · · Score: 1

      Oh Just thought Teryl Rothery would make an interesting Serverlan she was rather chilling as evil Janet and Jacqueline Samuda woudl also be good but I suppose that Nirrti is close to Serverlan.

  35. The WWW before the WWW by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Few seem to remember it, but the 'big idea' in Blake's Seven was the 'magic' computer device that could automatically link to all other computers in Human space. As a kid, it seemed like a dream. As an adult, such an idea was to become a reality, and change the world.

    Of course SF doesn't predict the future, not in any meaningful way. It simply imagines current emerging concepts in science and engineering given a more widespread use in society. The short story "A logic named Joe" more famously imagines the consequences of the Internet in a time before even the transistor based computer.

  36. nobody will match paul darrow as avon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    as avon.. what a voice! and he was almost shakespearan in his portrayl, geniunely you felt he was only on *his* side.

    like tom baker as dr who (or brian blessed as... anything that brian blessed is in). powerful voices. pah, they'll probably get pee-wee herman in to play avon. or maybe we can stunt cast either blokes from trainspotting that are mildly famous to be token brits....

    1. Re:nobody will match paul darrow as avon by tarpitcod · · Score: 1

      I agree... and the interplay of Avon with the other Characters made that show. He was the bastard who is right most often, and the only one who could be talk to ORAC sanely..

    2. Re:nobody will match paul darrow as avon by Bremic · · Score: 1

      Rumor mill has it they asked Paul Darrow to come back, and when he found out it was on SyFy he responded "I am not expendable, I am not stupid, and I am not going!"

    3. Re:nobody will match paul darrow as avon by NormAtHome · · Score: 1

      Without a doubt, this will be the hardest roll to fill and the most essential.

      Paul Darrow was amazing in the role, I believe he was once quoted as saying "I decided to play the role as Dirty Harry to the max" (or something to that effect) and his character and portrayal made the show.

  37. Misparse by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    13-hour-long episodes? Holy cow!

  38. OK - possibly by Brett+Buck · · Score: 1

    Sounds like a great idea, and I have high confidence that the people responsible for such gems as "Crocosaurus VS. Robo Pirhana" will be able to do the original Blake's 7 justice.

  39. A lot of business is three months behind reality by dbIII · · Score: 1

    A lot of business is three months behind reality, and although SG Universe had really picked up and gotten moving in those last three months the guys with the finance did not notice.

  40. great, just great by cas2000 · · Score: 1

    Blake's 7 was good 70s british sci-fi. it had crap special effects, but that really didn't matter (same as Dr Who before the recent BBC Wales reboot had the same crap special effects by pretty much the same team, but had much better stories - and far less dr-who-is-an-angsty-supernatural-action-hero crap)

    I expect the remake will be trashy american magical fantasy with rayguns, just like almost all all american allegedly-"science fiction" TV & movies....anti-tech, anti-science, anti-intellectual garbage.

    it'll be all magic crystals, positive affirmations and mystical nonsense - you can do it, Luke^H^H^H^HBlake - just stop thinking and switch off your mind and the magic will happen.

    (i don't mind Fantasy - in fact, i like a good fantasy novel or movie - but i despise fantasy that's pretending to be SF. they're two completely different things, even if publishers and bookshops like to pretend they're the same)

  41. This just in by dbIII · · Score: 1

    Director: Abrams, assisted by Uwe Boll
    Cervlan: Fran Drescher
    Avon: Rick Astley
    Stop me when you've had enough

  42. And that's why by Zynder · · Score: 1

    And that is why no one takes Change.org serious. You are using a government website designed for you to petition the governement about important government policies and you ask them to make SyFy (a non gov corporation) bring back a TV show. Just add that to the Deathstar petitions and the pink unicorns for everyone. I understand that they dont actually care and it's a farce but openly mocking it just gives them 'evidence' they can use to discredit the whole process. I'm surprised it hasnt been shutdown yet cause of trolls asking for stupid shit.

    Besides SGU sucked. You know it, I know it, everyone else knows it. There was a reason it was shutdown. It had wooden actors, a dickbag scientist no one cared for, played the oh no we're gonna die but suddenly saved at 0:02 seconds theme too much. You can't do that every damned episode but they sure trotted it out. And then when the writers realized they couldn't actually make a show interesting enough about the people stuck just on this ship, they decided to spice it up a bit and threw out a magic thingy that let's them take over bodies back in the real world so they could add "drama" oooo who's bangin who's wife tonight? I just have to know! That show was horrible and deserved to be cancelled just like SG1 did once O'Neill left and the muslims, excuse me- Orai, showed up.

    Please stop encouraging our Congress to waste more money on useless things.

    1. Re:And that's why by julesh · · Score: 1

      And that is why no one takes Change.org serious. You are using a government website designed for you to petition the governement about important government policies [...]

      Really? Because the copy on change.org itself suggests otherwise. It describes itself as "the world's largest petition platform, empowering people everywhere to create the change they want to see," not a narrow site restricted to issues the US government is involved in. Of the three example uses quoted on their 'about' page, one is about applying pressure to privately held corporations; their aim is apparently "making governments and companies more responsive and accountable". It also appears to be privately owned, and not run by or in association with any government.

    2. Re:And that's why by deroby · · Score: 1

      I have no opinion on the change.org website, but I do object to your feelings about SGU.

      I too had to 'force myself' through season 1; I hated the build-up of the characters and the spun out "we have problems out there AND at home, man we're pathetic" story line. BUT, once they got over that and got (some) control over the ship, things got quite interesting imho. I quite enjoyed the end of season 1 and probably the entirety of season 2 which you -I'm pretty sure by your sentiments- probably didn't bother to look at (yet).

      I agree that I only kept watching it because there wasn't much else to view + I had all episodes on DVD. At first I was on the 'I can see why they cancelled this' team too, but in the end I think they completely missed the ball.

      --
      If there is one thing to be learned on slashdot, it has to be sarcasm.
  43. Bring back RedDwarf .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The show was just hilariously stupid. The kind you enjoy over an over again.

    I'm going to eat you little fishy .......

    1. Re:Bring back RedDwarf .... by itsdapead · · Score: 1

      The show was just hilariously stupid.

      They have done - Series 10 was made by the UK comedy reruns channel "Dave" and broadcast in the UK earlier this year. Google it.

      Review: Better than the final series of the original run, but then, that was crap.

      --
      In a survey of 100 programmers, 111111 thought that duck-typing was a good idea.
  44. Why the Amercian remakes? by LongearedBat · · Score: 1

    Don't americans understand english TV series without american subtitles or amercian speech?

    1. Re:Why the Amercian remakes? by Falconhell · · Score: 1

      As it was put by Bernard Wooley in Yes Minister,

        "Yes Americans can be classed as English speaking, with a certain generosity of spirit"

    2. Re:Why the Amercian remakes? by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      Shh, you'll be giving them ideas. The Engilsh remake of Yes (Prime) Minister is bad enough - we don't need Yes, Senator.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  45. Arrgh, that press release by Bowdie · · Score: 1

    âoeJoe Pokaski and Martin Campbell have worked tirelessly with the Georgeville TV team to create an amazeballs reboot of this classic space opera"

    AMAZEBALLS. In a press release. I was on the fence about it before I read that. Now I want this dead.

    --
    yes, www.dotcomforwardslash.com is my real URL.
  46. Kevin Sorbo by jewens · · Score: 1

    Didn't the US already remake this one, only they spelled it "Andromeda."

    --
    That group of bovine standing over there appears quite portentous. That's right it's an ominous cow herd.
  47. People getting things backward by dbIII · · Score: 1

    Did both of you miss the "well made"? A lot of Tom Baker's run was written by none less than Douglas Adams, was far more comedy than drama, and was very entertaining because of it. There's nothing wrong with good comedy. "City of Death" is very good, and just when you think it can't get any better John Cleese turns up.

  48. All smoke and mirrors by Zynder · · Score: 1

    Who ran on Change? When did this site come in to existence? Why do lawmakers always feel like they are the ones that have to respond to it? This was a site promised by Pres. Obama to make the gov more transparent and it became a real functioning entity once he was in office. The fact that it is a privately owned company means nothing. People make themselves privately owned companies. The reason it is a privately owned company is exactly everything your response was about. It was so that if something unpopular, bad, or if the thing tanked, it couldn't be trotted out and used as a weapon against the Democrats. See they can say just what you said: It's a privately owned company, we didn't have anything to do with it and we do not share the views of it's members. This was one of those things, like alot of Americans, I WANTED to believe. I wanted that more transparent government but this particular attempt at it has turned into a farce and we all know it. It makes me sad.

  49. I wonder if... by DiEx-15 · · Score: 1

    ...they will rewrite the ending of Blake's 7 in the remake. I won't spoil it, but the original series ending blew major goats.