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Netflix Remaking Lost In Space (ew.com)

An anonymous reader writes: Classic sci-fi show Lost in Space is making a comeback. Netflix is developing a new version of the series, according to Kevin Burns, the executive producer in charge of the project. "The original series, which lasted three seasons and 83 episodes, is set in a futuristic 1997 and follows the Robinson family's space exploration. After the villainous Dr. Smith (Jonathan Harris) sabotages the navigation system, they become helpless and, yes, lost. (The robot tasked with protecting the youngest child, the precocious Will, utters "Danger, Will Robinson!" — a phrase that still tortures this reporter.)" Burns has been trying to bring the series back for more than 15 years, and it looks likely he'll finally get his chance.

169 comments

  1. Lost in Space? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I was a little kid when I saw that show, and even then, it was obvious it was a piece of crap.

    The bottom of the barrel, we scrape it here.

    What next, "My Mother, the Car"?

    --
    The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    1. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You may be confusing quality with intrinsic value.

      Yes, the mutant carrots and aluminum space suits were camp, but there's still the possibility of a decent story being made from the bones of the work.

      It will really depend on how they handle Doctor Smith. If they can have him sabotage the craft, enough to make a good attempt, but fail to do it as he wanted, but come up with a good explanation as to how he was trying to fix things, well, then that'll show they're working at it.

      They probably won't be able to cast an actor as good as Jonathan Harris or Gary Oldman, but they may get somebody able to do it halfway decently.

    2. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      What next, "My Mother, the Car"?

      Nah...I'm holding out for "The Flying Nun".

    3. Re:Lost in Space? by whoever57 · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Even as a child, the series seemed stupid to me. Why, after all the things that Doctor Smith does to sabotage them, do they not just push him out of an airlock? There is only so many times someone can be forgiven when lives are on the line.

      --
      The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
    4. Re:Lost in Space? by rwyoder · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I was a little kid when I saw that show, and even then, it was obvious it was a piece of crap.

      The bottom of the barrel, we scrape it here.

      What next, "My Mother, the Car"?

      A quote from director John Huston: "There is a willful lemming-like persistence in remaking past successes time after time. They can't make them as good as they are in our memories, but they go on doing them and each time it's a disaster. Why don't we remake some of our bad pictures - I'd love another shot at 'Roots of Heaven' - and make them good?"

      I also remember seeing "Lost in Space" when I was a kid. Yes, it sucked badly, so if any show ever needed to be remade, (and fixed), that was it.

    5. Re:Lost in Space? by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      Followed by "Family Affair" and "The Courtship of Eddie's Father".

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    6. Re:Lost in Space? by ProzacPatient · · Score: 3, Informative

      I guess that show is in the eye of the beholder because I have the series on DVD and I really enjoy it. Yes it did get cornier in the later seasons which is why it probably got canceled but the first season really stimulated the imagination (in particular the episodes 'Mr. Nobody' and 'Wish Upon a Star' comes to mind) and I'm looking forward to seeing someone trying to bring it back.

    7. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Even as a child, the series seemed stupid to me. Why, after all the things that Doctor Smith does to sabotage them, do they not just push him out of an airlock? There is only so many times someone can be forgiven when lives are on the line.

      Even after calling the robot a "Nickel plated nincompoop" I would have at least stranded him on some lifeless rock.

      I always thought Will Robinson's dad needed his head examined for leaving Smith alone with Will and the robot. What could possibly go wrong??

    8. Re:Lost in Space? by quenda · · Score: 1

      Netflix has done a great job on the remake of House of Cards. But then, the original was brilliant too, not a steaming pile of Irwin Allen.

    9. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Netflix has done a great job on the remake of House of Cards. But then, the original was brilliant too, not a steaming pile of Irwin Allen.

      A little respect please. Voyage to the bottom of the sea was campy as hell but so much fun. When growing up in the eighties I actually preferred the Seaview to watching the Enteprise and Kirk. Now this is a series for which I would like a modern remake less the american cold war jingoism.

    10. Re:Lost in Space? by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Followed by "Family Affair"

      It could work if they could get Ricky Gervais to play the Sebastian Cabot role. And Charlie Sheen to play Uncle Bill.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    11. Re:Lost in Space? by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      What next, "My Mother, the Car"?

      Green Acres, starring Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in a dual role as both Lisa and Arnold.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    12. Re:Lost in Space? by glitch! · · Score: 5, Informative

      Why, after all the things that Doctor Smith does to sabotage them, do they not just push him out of an airlock?

      Why don't we kill all the politicians who betray us? Why do we forgive their lies and actually keep supporting them? It is because they are psychopaths who are experts at lying and manipulating us. Most of us don't know the first thing about psychopaths, and have no idea how dangerous they are. I think Doctor Smith shows a good example of an average quality psychopath (as opposed to the street thug and the polished politician.)

      --
      A dingo ate my sig...
    13. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Leave it to Beaver, Father knows best, and My Favorite Martian.

    14. Re:Lost in Space? by Solandri · · Score: 1

      If you watch the first few episodes, Dr. Smith started out as an intelligent villain working secretly to sabotage the mission, who actually contributed to the story. Somewhere along, the writers morphed him into a 2-dimensional whiny, bratty troublemaker you wanted to push out the airlock. I guess they got tired of having to write an intelligent antagonist.

    15. Re:Lost in Space? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      What next, "My Mother, the Car"?

      Green Acres, starring Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in a dual role as both Lisa and Arnold.

      With her backside playing Arnold Ziffle the pig.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    16. Re:Lost in Space? by linearZ · · Score: 1

      I was a little kid when I saw that show, and even then, it was obvious it was a piece of crap.

      I said the same thing about Battlestar Galactica. But the first 2.5 seasons of the new version may have been the best Sci-Fi in the past 15 years. I'm now withholding judgement on any "reboot".

      --
      Revolution is the opium of the intellectuals.
    17. Re:Lost in Space? by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 1

      I was a little kid when I saw that show, and even then, it was obvious it was a piece of crap.
      The bottom of the barrel, we scrape it here.

      Yeah, it was dreadful, no two ways about it. It sucked miserably.

      What next, "My Mother, the Car"?

      Oh god, kill me now.

      I'd rather watch reruns of Johnny Quest or Clutch Cargo. Or Speed Racer (the original crappy cartoon), which was the absolute worst piece of shit ever to hit the airwaves.

      --
      Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    18. Re:Lost in Space? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      I was a little kid when I saw that show, and even then, it was obvious it was a piece of crap.

      I said the same thing about Battlestar Galactica. But the first 2.5 seasons of the new version may have been the best Sci-Fi in the past 15 years. I'm now withholding judgement on any "reboot".

      Perhaps if they changed the whole premise.

      One thing's sort of funny. When I was a kid and watched it, I thought Angela Cartwright was cute. I just looked at some of the old cast photos and realized that it was actually June Lockhart who was the hottie out of that crew.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    19. Re:Lost in Space? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      Oh god, kill me now.

      I'd rather watch reruns of Johnny Quest or Clutch Cargo. Or Speed Racer (the original crappy cartoon), which was the absolute worst piece of shit ever to hit the airwaves.

      Clutch Cargo, with Spinner and Paddlefoot! That show creeped me out. no real movement, only superimposed video lips. Maybe it could be used for punishment today.

      "If you don't pick up you're room, you're going to have to sit on this couch and watch Clutch Cargo!"

      Please - no reboot!

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    20. Re:Lost in Space? by whoever57 · · Score: 1

      Why don't we kill all the politicians who betray us? Why do we forgive their lies and actually keep supporting them?

      For the same reasons that people in power have always got away with their crimes: they are protected and the criminal nature of their actions is not clear.

      However, when presented with irrefutable evidence that someone tried to engineer your death multiple times and zero consequences for lethal retaliation, of course you would push them out of the air lock.

      --
      The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
    21. Re:Lost in Space? by murdocj · · Score: 2

      I'm actually not sure there is the possibility of a decent story with that background. Lost in Space is a single family, a few people on an alien world. The original show turned into a bizarre series of encounters with random aliens. With nothing except the nucleus of a couple of people, it's not clear how else it could work out. Yes, it's based on Swiss Family Robinson and their adventures, so I suppose you could have "man vs. nature" for a while, and in fact the original show tried that for an episode. But you can't build a whole series around that.

    22. Re:Lost in Space? by Black+LED · · Score: 2

      It's the same reason the castaways didn't kill Gilligan, there wouldn't be a show.

    23. Re:Lost in Space? by RubberDogBone · · Score: 1

      Probably not healthy to hate Speed Racer that much. How can anyone hate a show where the car had more gadgets than James Bond, and in particular, the car had a fucking camera drone 40 years before anyone else ever thought of that idea.

      Lots of characters died, not so much in the edited version but they still did.

      And you missed the 1996 remake version (no not the movie) where the car got some serious upgrades and ultimately a sort of FTL warp drive which spawned huge plot of about a demonic empire from the future trying to kill everyone. The remake show also had one of the most powerful, meaningful ending themes ever used on an anime series. Absolutely epic.

      --
      Sig for hire.
    24. Re:Lost in Space? by sjames · · Score: 1

      I applaud the animators for their attempt at innovation, but I'd say it fell well short of the mark. The effect really was strange at best.

    25. Re:Lost in Space? by NewtonsLaw · · Score: 1

      "Below in the deep there's adventure and danger... that's where you'll find Diver Dan"

      Oh yeah... now we're talking!

      Baron Barracuda would make a great villain.

      Is anyone else as old as me and has memories of this?

    26. Re:Lost in Space? by labnet · · Score: 1

      I was a little kid when I saw that show, and even then, it was obvious it was a piece of crap.

      The bottom of the barrel, we scrape it here.

      What next, "My Mother, the Car"?

      Yep. Even as 12 year old, I thought I was wasting my time. Even land of the giants was better than the turn of Lost In Space.... gosh even the Muppets take off of lost in space was better....

      --
      46137
    27. Re:Lost in Space? by hambone142 · · Score: 1

      Funny. I thought they were referring to a NASA documentary.

    28. Re:Lost in Space? by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      I would pay money to watch that.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    29. Re:Lost in Space? by Greyfox · · Score: 1

      No kidding. If you're going to bring back a Sci Fi show from that era, why not do one with good writing, like The Twilight Zone? Though somehow I don't think that'd be the same without the narrator smoking a cigarette...

      --

      I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

    30. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What next, "My Mother, the Car"?

      It was already redone as "Knight Rider".

    31. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Compare Speed Racer to "MachGoGoGo", which it was cut and dubbed from, and you'll see why it was especially crappy. However good or bad the original was cutting it to shreds leaving out most of the bits that made the plots makes sense did not help.
      Take another step back and see that "MachGoGoGo" was very heavily inspired by "Viva Las Vegas" plus some the cheesier bits of James Bond before 1970, and it all makes some sort of horrible sense.

    32. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My perspective:
      I saw the first release Lost In Space, back in the 60's. It was my favorite show!
      I was about 6 years old at the time, and saw it on a tiny black and white screen.
      This was the era of the Gemini and Apollo programs, man was yet to set foot on the moon, and the media
      was tripping over itself to scare us (as always) about every possible danger and unknown in Outer.. Space!
      But here was a show that said this little boy could one day go into space, with robots and lasers, monsters
      and wonderful devices! It was an inspiring and wonderful show. (And I had the hots for Penny!).
      Agreed, later episodes lost much of the magic. Even the actors found some of the later plots ridiculous (Eg the Human Carrot in "The Great Vegetable Rebellion"
      episode had June and Guy laughing so much that many retakes were required) and the show was cancelled soon after.
      But don't under-estimate the impact that LIS had on some of us at the time.
      This little boy went on to a Physics degree, and will never forget the wonder and the inspiration of the original Lost In Space .

    33. Re:Lost in Space? by Kevin+Fishburne · · Score: 1

      As soon as you said "how they handle Doctor Smith" I thought "Gary Oldman", who is my favorite actor. I read on and, holy shit, you then suggested Gary Oldman for the role. Maybe we should start a petition. :)

      --
      Buy your next Linux PC at eightvirtues.com
    34. Re:Lost in Space? by NormalVisual · · Score: 1

      I think he was referring to Gary Oldman since he had already played Dr. Smith in the 1998 movie.

      --
      Please stand clear of the doors, por favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas
    35. Re:Lost in Space? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I guess that show is in the eye of the beholder because I have the series on DVD and I really enjoy it.

      Nostalgia doesn't make something good, it makes you dumb. No, literally. It impairs your thought process. At minimum, nostalgia impairs hindsight.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    36. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      But you can't build a whole series around that.

      Well, fortunately for Netflix, they don't have to commit to a endless and repeated series that will go on forever ad nauseum where the kids never get out of high school and the Korean War doesn't end and Gilligan always sabotages their attempts to escape from the Island while Springfield returns to normal and nobody mentions Armin Tamzarian again.

      They can work a plot line that is going somewhere. First, start with Professor Smith not seen as an antagonist, but a hero, if a bit surly and resentful. But maybe suspicions grow until his treachery is revealed. Then conflict, but oh wait, now you need Smith!

      It could be strung out for 12-15 episodes easy.

      And of course, if you wanted to go the Farscape route you could do it with a family instead of prisoners.

    37. Re:Lost in Space? by jd2112 · · Score: 1

      You may be confusing quality with intrinsic value.

      Yes, the mutant carrots and aluminum space suits were camp, but there's still the possibility of a decent story being made from the bones of the work.

      It will really depend on how they handle Doctor Smith. If they can have him sabotage the craft, enough to make a good attempt, but fail to do it as he wanted, but come up with a good explanation as to how he was trying to fix things, well, then that'll show they're working at it.

      They probably won't be able to cast an actor as good as Jonathan Harris or Gary Oldman, but they may get somebody able to do it halfway decently.

      Bill Mumy (Will Robinson) once expressed interest in playing Dr. Smith in a reboot.

      --
      Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
    38. Re:Lost in Space? by Megane · · Score: 1

      As was I (when it was in reruns in the '70s), and Dr. Smith was awesome, as was with his banter with Billy Mumy and the robot. The rest of the show was a steaming pile of pasteurized process space opera product.

      And the character wasn't intended to be important. Dr. Smith was only the star of the show because Johnathan Harris was so completely freaking awesome. "Oh the pain!" was such an awesome meme. He basically carried a completely bad show with his awesomeness alone, turning into the vehicle by which he got to the situations that he would react to.

      --
      #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    39. Re:Lost in Space? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      "Below in the deep there's adventure and danger... that's where you'll find Diver Dan"

      When was that?

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    40. Re:Lost in Space? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      No kidding. If you're going to bring back a Sci Fi show from that era, why not do one with good writing, like The Twilight Zone? Though somehow I don't think that'd be the same without the narrator smoking a cigarette...

      Hww about this reboot? Twilight zone as done by a couple stoners in the Colorado Rockies? Then thy could be smoking something.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    41. Re:Lost in Space? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      And the character wasn't intended to be important. Dr. Smith was only the star of the show because Johnathan Harris was so completely freaking awesome. "Oh the pain!" was such an awesome meme. He basically carried a completely bad show with his awesomeness alone, turning into the vehicle by which he got to the situations that he would react to.

      Yes, he was definitely the highlight of the show.

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    42. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think he was referring to Gary Oldman since he had already played Dr. Smith in the 1998 movie.

      There was a movie?

    43. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Gilligan was a well-meaning, kind-hearted fool who just happened to mess things up when he was *asked* to help. The castaways' lives were never in danger when Gilligan messed things up; they just had to stick it out longer on the island. Being that all of the castaways themselves were good people, they would not do anything so cruel as to kill Gilligan. What some of the castaways should have done was get just one of them back to civilization and then have that person bring help to rescue the remaining castaways.

      Dr. Smith, on the other hand, acted out of malice and venality. The crews' lives were jeopardize many times due to his purposeful intent. Unless one is a stupid sheep, anyone with any sense of self-preservation would get rid of Dr. Smith either by abandoning him or outright killing him.

    44. Re:Lost in Space? by roc97007 · · Score: 1

      I think he was referring to Gary Oldman since he had already played Dr. Smith in the 1998 movie.

      There was a movie?

      In 1998. It was decent, if you ignore the second half.

      --
      Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    45. Re:Lost in Space? by NewtonsLaw · · Score: 1

      Google is your friend (as is Wikipedia):

      Diver Dan

    46. Re:Lost in Space? by Ol+Olsoc · · Score: 1

      Google is your friend (as is Wikipedia):

      Diver Dan

      DucKDuckGo is my friend!

      --
      The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
    47. Re:Lost in Space? by Kevin+Fishburne · · Score: 1

      I think he was referring to Gary Oldman since he had already played Dr. Smith in the 1998 movie.

      https://youtu.be/s1qiDrNHjXI?t...

      --
      Buy your next Linux PC at eightvirtues.com
    48. Re: Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, see, Dr. Smith should be cast as a woman because, you know, doing that is all hip and edgy in remakes these days

    49. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, Space 1999.

    50. Re:Lost in Space? by JackieBrown · · Score: 1

      No kidding. If you're going to bring back a Sci Fi show from that era, why not do one with good writing, like The Twilight Zone? Though somehow I don't think that'd be the same without the narrator smoking a cigarette...

      They have redone the twilight zone at least.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

      The 80's version had an episode by J. Michael Straczynski, write of Babylon 5 and Jerimiah

    51. Re:Lost in Space? by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 1

      One problem, IMO, is if they had stuck with the evil Dr Smith, at some point Maj West would have just killed the SOB while the rest applauded. As the bumbling Dr Smith, he could get by with more without getting killed.

      --
      Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
    52. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Every day that they spent on the island put them at risk of dying and Gilligan was the cause of it. You can have all of the good intentions in the world, but if the end result is evil, then you are evil.

    53. Re:Lost in Space? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nostalgia just isn't what it used to be...

  2. i still cant believe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    they didnt make a sequel to the 1998 version. this is great news.

    1. Re:i still cant believe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yikes the Lost in Space remake is nearly 20 years old. Anyone else remember the 1980's Flash Gordon movie as a remake?

    2. Re:i still cant believe by captjc · · Score: 1

      I remember the awesome Queen soundtrack. The movie, not so much.

      --
      Slow Down Cowboy! It's been 1 hour, 47 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment
    3. Re:i still cant believe by captjc · · Score: 1

      I hated that movie, I am so glad that Bill Mumy and Jonathan Harris wanted nothing to do with it. The only bright spot was that they brought back Dick Tufeld to voice the robot. Well, that and the skin-tight uniforms on Mimi Rogers and Heather Graham.

      --
      Slow Down Cowboy! It's been 1 hour, 47 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment
    4. Re:i still cant believe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think you actually remember the movie Ted.

    5. Re:i still cant believe by ArchieBunker · · Score: 1

      The movie was a flop and nearly bankrupt Long John Silvers because they dumped so much money into merchandising it.

      --
      Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    6. Re:i still cant believe by RubberDogBone · · Score: 1

      +1 Dick Tufeld. One of the coolest voice people ever. He adds megatons of drama to everything he reads. It's amazing. His intro for Thundarr is epic.

      --
      Sig for hire.
    7. Re:i still cant believe by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      Well, that and the skin-tight uniforms on Mimi Rogers and Heather Graham.

      Booooobs... in... spaaaaaaace.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  3. I was a child when it came out, and... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There were good TV series from the era. LiS was not one of them.

    It really doesn't need a remake.

    1. Re:I was a child when it came out, and... by captjc · · Score: 1

      They said the same about Battlestar Galactica. While I hate the BSG remake as a remake, it was a good series in-and-of-itself. If it is done with care and treats the premise with dignity, it has the potential to be a good series. It doesn't need to be a "gritty reboot", it just needs to take itself seriously.

      That was the major problem with the original series, and a good portion of other series from the era, it was just too campy for it's own good.

      --
      Slow Down Cowboy! It's been 1 hour, 47 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment
    2. Re:I was a child when it came out, and... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You make a good point.

    3. Re: I was a child when it came out, and... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The original LIS started out as dark and took itself serious, and wasn't doing as well as hoped, hence part of the reason for the later silliness

  4. Loved that series... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Even the movie. Was a great show.

  5. you are not in the target demographic by turkeydance · · Score: 1

    if you are over eight years of age.

  6. Netflix Should Quit Making Shows by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

    The shows Netflix makes are of little value. I use the service to get quick, legal access to the umpteen series other people have made.

    1. Re:Netflix Should Quit Making Shows by Jason+Levine · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Some of the shows Netflix has made have been hailed as great programming. I personally can't speak for what I haven't seen, but Daredevil was fantastic. I highly doubt that any network TV station could have produced anything of that quality. It would have degenerated into Criminal Of The Week stories, forced pre-commercial cliffhangers, post-commercial recaps, and a story that didn't flow as nicely from episode to episode. Only HBO might have been been able to do Daredevil as well as Netflix did. (Which isn't a coincidence as Netflix wants to have more original programming like HBO does.)

      On the comedy/sitcom end, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was funny in a way that I wish more sitcoms were. Again, no commercials meant they didn't need to pause the episode's story to show ads.

      This doesn't mean a Netflix produced Lost In Space is guaranteed to be fantastic, but - based on their past successes - it means there's a good chance that it'll be good.

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    2. Re:Netflix Should Quit Making Shows by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 1

      Amen. I want Netflix to be what it used to be: a single place where for one reasonable monthly fee, I could get just about any movie or recent TV show I was in the mood for.

    3. Re:Netflix Should Quit Making Shows by louden+obscure · · Score: 1

      The shows Netflix makes are of little value. I use the service to get quick, legal access to the umpteen series other people have made.

      Arrested Development, Lillhammer and The Trailer Park Boys

      I dunno how much involvement Netflix has or had in these shows being resurrected or allowed to continue...but they seem to claim some responsibility.

      --
      Serenity now, insanity later.
    4. Re:Netflix Should Quit Making Shows by captjc · · Score: 1

      As a fan of the House of Cards remake, I disagree. As long as they continue to make quality shows, I wish them the best. Much better than the vast majority of trash that constitutes TV today.

      I want quality content and support any and all who care to make it.

      --
      Slow Down Cowboy! It's been 1 hour, 47 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment
    5. Re:Netflix Should Quit Making Shows by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Netflix picked up Longmire. It's the closest thing to a good Western since Clint Eastwood stopped making them.

      Netflix made the American version of House of Cards. For once, the Amis did something better than the Brits.

    6. Re:Netflix Should Quit Making Shows by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1

      I agree. The problem is, now-a-days, there's no money in showing someone else's content. You need to own it all.

    7. Re:Netflix Should Quit Making Shows by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      That's what a lot of people want. It doesn't happen because the content creators don't want it.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    8. Re:Netflix Should Quit Making Shows by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 1

      > I could get just about any movie or recent TV show I was in the mood for.

      I love Netflix too but greed over licenses is really hurting Netflix.

      * None of the Iron Man trilogy are available. (Iron Man 2 _was_ available but pulled a year+ (?) ago)

      * _Still_ waiting for Seinfeld...

    9. Re:Netflix Should Quit Making Shows by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...Netflix made the American version of House of Cards. For once, the Amis did something better than the Brits.

      Well played, Sir Troll, well played..
      (Unless you really are serious, in which case, awa an bile yer heid ya numpty...)

  7. Tried and failed in 2004 by NormAtHome · · Score: 4, Interesting

    There was an attempted remake in 2004 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt07... but the pilot was so terrible it was never picked up. You can find some clips on Youtube but it's painful to watch.

    1. Re:Tried and failed in 2004 by Jason+Levine · · Score: 3, Informative

      There was also a horrible Daredevil movie, but Netflix made a wonderful series based on the character. Here's hoping Lost In Space follows this pattern.

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
    2. Re:Tried and failed in 2004 by NormAtHome · · Score: 1

      Absolutely, with the right production values, casting and writing it could be good but historically it's not easy. Usually somewhere along the way someone makes a bad decision, I always feel like casting is the hardest. The two parts that will be hardest to cast are Professor Robinson and Dr. Smith, Guy Williams was awesome and Jonathan Harris was amazing.

    3. Re:Tried and failed in 2004 by NoSalt · · Score: 0

      Wow ... I had no idea this existed. Poor Adrianne Palicki. How many bad things did she have to act in before she found her way to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.?

  8. Next remakes... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Space 1999, U.F.O. (The British show).

    1. Re:Next remakes... by perpenso · · Score: 1

      Space 1999, U.F.O. (The British show).

      Plus "The Starlost" (Canadian show), writer Harlan Ellison.

      As a child I was a sucker for anything space related. Still am. :-)

    2. Re:Next remakes... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Loved those shows, even season 2 of Space: 1999 despite Fred Freiberger's misguided changes to make it less cerebral and more action oriented for the 'American market'.

    3. Re:Next remakes... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Loved those shows, even season 2 of Space: 1999 despite Fred Freiberger's misguided changes to make it less cerebral and more action oriented for the 'American market'.

      Space 1999 had a second season ? No no, it ended with the Testament of Arkadia 'nuff said.

    4. Re:Next remakes... by AJWM · · Score: 2

      Technically "The Starlost" was by Cordwainer Bird, the pen name Ellison uses when the show (in his opinion) sucks.

      Ellison's pilot script was adapted to a novel, "Phoenix Without Ashes", by (Nebula-winner) Ed Bryant, recently reissued. (Harlan is donating his share of the royalties to Ed to help cover some medical expenses.)

      There's also a graphic novel version.

      --
      -- Alastair
    5. Re:Next remakes... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Technically "The Starlost" was by Cordwainer Bird, the pen name Ellison uses when the show (in his opinion) sucks.

      ITYM technically it was credited to. Things are by whoever they are by. They are credited to whoever they are credited to. One doesn't make the other.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  9. Remember when... by RogueWarrior65 · · Score: 1

    A TV season was ~27 episodes? Now, they have the audacity to call a dozen episodes a season. Somebody turned the incredible grocery shrink ray on Hollywood.

    1. Re:Remember when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The change happened during the writers strike back in 2008.

    2. Re:Remember when... by captjc · · Score: 1

      On one hand, I totally agree. The fact that seasons seem to be between 6 and 12 episodes these days with some shows going as low 3 episodes, it just seems to be too little content. However, looking back at some of my favorite old shows, I realize just how much is pointless filler. So on the other hand I prefer quality over quantity.

      Thinking about it, I would probably prefer 12 really solid episodes than 30 episodes of much more varying quality, half of which are just filler.

      --
      Slow Down Cowboy! It's been 1 hour, 47 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment
    3. Re:Remember when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Remember when TV shows used to, year in, year out, have the '90% old footage' episodes? or the regular 'we can't leave this room' episodes? Or the old scifi standard, the suddenly everyone loves boxing episode?

      Oh wait, most 22 episode series still have that kinder of filler bullshit.

        I'd much rather watch a tightly plotted 10 episodes of GoT or the 13 of daredevil or Jessica Jones - hell, I'd still cut about 2 episodes of those - than to have 10-12 episodes of plot stretched across 22 episodes of guff.

    4. Re:Remember when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Remember when TV shows were full of 60-75% utter crap filler?

      Same time period.

    5. Re:Remember when... by quenda · · Score: 1

      A TV season was ~27 episodes? Now, they have the audacity to call a dozen episodes a season. Somebody turned the incredible grocery shrink ray on Hollywood.

      There is no shortage of quantity available. What we need now is quality.

    6. Re:Remember when... by RogueWarrior65 · · Score: 1

      Yes, but back then they number of outlets was tiny and there were no DVRs or VCRs so a show had to grab an audience's attention and hold it for six months. Now, it's more like: The season starts in late September and runs to December and then they're on hiatus until January i.e. next season.

    7. Re:Remember when... by RogueWarrior65 · · Score: 1

      I think it's more about the economics of producing the show. Back then, it was relatively cheap to produce and residuals were smaller if the existed at all. And certainly, nobody in commercials got residuals.

    8. Re:Remember when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      British TV shows frequently have only 6 episodes per season. I don't think there is a hard set rule for how many episodes constitutes a season's worth.

    9. Re:Remember when... by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 1

      And by then, everyone's forgotten about the series and started watching something else, and the networks wonder why the viewership has plummeted.

      --
      Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
  10. only said phrase once by rubycodez · · Score: 1

    Only once in the third season did The Robot say "Danger, Will Robinson"

    other times he said "warning, warning" or "danger, danger"

  11. more than one plot element this time by si3n4 · · Score: 1

    God I saw this as a kid and I WANTED it to get good but every episode was driven by Dr Smith being an a-hole and the Robinsons forgiving him and taking him to the next episode free as a bird to screw them again. Talk about a lazy writing staff. This could be an interesting idea if they tried to take the original start and create something imaginative with challenges and resourceful responses. If they just reanimate the corpse it would have to stink pretty bad now because it stunk horribly before they buried it.

    1. Re:more than one plot element this time by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      I would have shoved his ass into the protein recycler on the first offense.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    2. Re:more than one plot element this time by Mike+Van+Pelt · · Score: 1

      They had the suspended animation tubes. They could have just frozen him, as long as they got control of the robot and ordered it not to thaw him back out. Then, he's a harmless popsicle until if/when they get back to civilization and turn him over to the appropriate authorities.

    3. Re:more than one plot element this time by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      Obviously he could have schemed his way to escape, or Will would have unfroze him to get help with his homework or something equally stupid.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    4. Re:more than one plot element this time by Agripa · · Score: 1

      I have difficulty imagining Lennier requiring help to do homework.

    5. Re:more than one plot element this time by Mike+Van+Pelt · · Score: 1

      Yeah... the ever-present "Idiot Plot"; everyone has to be an idiot in order for the plot to follow the course the writers have plotted. Lost in Space was chock full of those. At least, to the best of my recollection -- I haven't watched any of them since they were originally aired, and the last one I watched was the walking carrot episode. (Old? Watch it, sonny, or I'll whack you with my cane.)

      The main idiocy through the run of the series being, it's a dire survival situation that sinister enemy agent Dr. Zachary Smith has gotten them into... so why is he still alive? Other than Jonathan Harris cleverly figured out if he played Smith as comic relief, he might become popular enough that they keep the character, which worked out well for him. Not so much for my willing suspension of disbelief, though. Given how many disasters Smith caused in the course of the series, they really should have put him in one of those tubes and destroyed the "de-freeze" controls on it.

      But no.... I recall one episode where Smith did something that got the Ultra-Powerful Alien Life Form of the Week really ticked at him, and they were going to try, convict, and execute him. "Gee, terribly sorry, Doctor, but seeing as they are Ultra-Powerful, there's not a whole lot we can do, and you did tick them off rather badly. Think of it as evolution in action." But they convinced them that he was innocent by reason of insanity, and he should be committed to their care. *sigh*.

  12. You mean "Swiss Family Robinson" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think people have long forgot that "Lost in Space" is just "Swiss family Robinson" ... "in Space"

    They don't need to "remake" lost in space, just need to pillage the public domain aspects it was derived from in the first place. Disney does it all the time.

    There was a not-too-bad film not that long ago that was basically a "Lost in Space" movie that could also have operated as a stealth-pilot for a TV series. The problem IMO with that film was that it's time travel mechanic essentially gave away the ending during the middle of the film.

    So if there is in fact a TV series, it's not going to be Star Trek. Not only has the technology in real life lapped everything but the space ship itself, but various other attempts at TV series (eg Earth 2/Terra Nova) that basically strand people in some unreachable place/time has this problem with not wanting to set it self apart from "home" that convenience is emphasized instead of eliminated.

    What I'd like to see is such a TV series to actually take advantage of the fact that it's "well past" the time frame of the original show, and thus use todays level of technology in the context of a space ship that we could actually build today +/- some embellishment (darn politicians.) I think "I dream of Jeanie" did a lot more to portray NASA in a positive light than NASA ever did itself.

    1. Re:You mean "Swiss Family Robinson" by turkeydance · · Score: 1

      Jeannie did a lot more.

    2. Re:You mean "Swiss Family Robinson" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think "I dream of Jeanie" did a lot more to portray NASA in a positive light than NASA ever did itself.

      Oh sure, Jeanie portrayed the doctor as a bumbling idiot. Hagman as a nincompoop and his best buddy as slightly more intelligent. Yep good portrayal for NASA aspirants.

    3. Re:You mean "Swiss Family Robinson" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think "I dream of Jeanie" did a lot more to portray NASA in a positive light than NASA ever did itself.

      Oh sure, Jeanie portrayed the doctor as a bumbling idiot. Hagman as a nincompoop and his best buddy as slightly more intelligent. Yep good portrayal for NASA aspirants.

      NASA aspirants were looking at Jeanie and thinking "if that's the sort of girl astronauts get sign me up".

    4. Re:You mean "Swiss Family Robinson" by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      Oh sure, Jeanie portrayed the doctor as a bumbling idiot. Hagman as a nincompoop and his best buddy as slightly more intelligent. Yep good portrayal for NASA aspirants.

      So very relatable characters, that is after all why we come to /.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  13. Out of respect for Eddie Albert ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Green Acres, starring Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in a dual role as both Lisa and Arnold.

    Out of respect for the original lead actor, Eddie Albert, I'd say let not.

    "Prior to World War II, and before his film career, Albert had toured Mexico as a clown and high-wire artist with the Escalante Brothers Circus, but secretly worked for U.S. Army intelligence, photographing German U-boats in Mexican harbors. On September 9, 1942, Albert enlisted in the United States Navy and was discharged in 1943 to accept an appointment as a lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat "V" for his actions during the invasion of Tarawa in November 1943, when, as the pilot of a U.S. Coast Guard landing craft, he rescued 47 Marines who were stranded offshore (and supervised the rescue of 30 others), while under heavy enemy machine-gun fire."
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    1. Re:Out of respect for Eddie Albert ... by fsagx · · Score: 1

      As an actual, certified bad-ass, I doubt he'd care about a ridiculous remake of a ridiculous show in which he was once a part.

    2. Re:Out of respect for Eddie Albert ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As an actual, certified bad-ass, I doubt he'd care about a ridiculous remake of a ridiculous show in which he was once a part.

      I'm not saying he'd care. I'm saying we would be more respectful by keeping anything Kardashian away from anything Albert, by creating no association however tenuous.

  14. This'll be lost on new people. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Kids today won't remember Lost In Space. They will think it is a spinoff of Lost. In space.

    1. Re:This'll be lost on new people. by AJWM · · Score: 1

      They will think it is a spinoff of Lost. In space.

      Oh man, that would (well could) be awesome!

      A commercial spaceliner crashes somewhere. There's a radio broadcasting a mysterious repeating sequence of numbers, and a hatch leading to a Cold War era lunar base. And what the hell is a polar bear doing on the Moon?

      Hmm, on second thoughts, maybe not.

      --
      -- Alastair
  15. Remakes can be done right - Battlestar Galactica by perpenso · · Score: 1

    I was a little kid when I saw that show, and even then, it was obvious it was a piece of crap.

    A little kid in the 1960s when it originally aired, or later decades when it was in syndication? The special effects and such need to be viewed in that context. We were barely putting people into orbit at the time, viewers had little reference for "space". Silver spray paint on army surplus boots was pretty common, even in feature films. At least until Kubrick's 2001 increased consumer expectations.

    The 1970s Battlestar Galactic had special effects and production values and plots that we laugh/cringe at today, however look at what was done with that remake.

  16. The movie... by theendlessnow · · Score: 1

    I liked the movie. sure, there were problems. But you get an appreciation for it after watching Star Wars episode I.

    Suddenly, Lost in Space doesn't seem so bad...

    1. Re:The movie... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I liked the movie. sure, there were problems. But you get an appreciation for it after watching Star Wars episode I.

      Suddenly, Lost in Space doesn't seem so bad...

      But but but Silicon Graphics is dead. Dead and buried. You can't remake Lost In Space without SG workstations peppered here and there. What's next L.I.S with Windows 10 or IOS ? Shit.

    2. Re:The movie... by Macrat · · Score: 1

      I liked the movie. sure, there were problems. But you get an appreciation for it after watching Star Wars episode I.

      Suddenly, Lost in Space doesn't seem so bad...

      But but but Silicon Graphics is dead. Dead and buried. You can't remake Lost In Space without SG workstations peppered here and there. What's next L.I.S with Windows 10 or IOS ? Shit.

      Atari has been dead and buried for a long time, but the name still lives on.

      Why not Silicon Graphics?

  17. Everything old is new again by blindseer · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I often wondered why there is such a tendency for reboots in TV and movies. Why re-make something when you could make something new? Then I realized something. In today's society of perpetual copyrights it is nearly impossible to create something new that would not be considered derivative of some existing work. The path of least resistance is to license a known entity to shield the show creators from a nearly inevitable barrage of lawsuits from people with rights to any movie, show, novel, comic book, or whatever, seeking to get a piece of the profits.

    The creators of the reboot can then derive freedom to re-invent the premise with even wildly variations on the theme so long as they retain enough of the character names, plot elements, and so forth that they can logically claim it is still a derivative of the original. The ability to bring in fans of the original work no doubt allows for some insurance of success for the series.

    This is why, IMHO, we can't have anything new. We've built up such a history of copyrighted works that anything that is not completely foreign to a potential audience will no doubt be considered a derivative of some existing work. Anything that is so foreign to be considered truly novel is so unlikely to be successful that the chances of finding someone willing to fund the effort would be very small.

    Lost in Space sounds like a basis upon which someone could build a very entertaining universe. It could also turn out as badly as the original and the movie.

    --
    I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
    1. Re:Everything old is new again by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 1

      Spot on.

      --
      Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
    2. Re:Everything old is new again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      > it is nearly impossible to create something new that would not be considered derivative of some existing work

      I disagree. Since when do mammoth media conglomerates care about copyright (except their own)? In science fiction there are practically an infinite number of possibilities. Redoes are redone because of TV and movie execs have an aversion to risk, a dreadful lack of imagination, and fundamental sloth.

      If they want to be somewhat less derivative, there are a ton of tremendous SF short stories, novelettes and books out there that would make fabulous TV series, miniseries, and movies. I can't begin to name them all. Perhaps the upcoming Expanse TV series, based on the neat books by James S.A. Corey, will be a harbinger -- if it's good.

      And if they made sure they had good WRITERS, with the WRITERS having a decent level of control, maybe we'd see good original stuff too.

  18. but... by garyoa1 · · Score: 1

    Dear Lord, why?

    --
    Wuddooeyeno? IITYWYBMAD? Like nuts? eclecticallyincorrect.com
  19. This is what will happen: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    1. One character will be black.
    2. One character will be gay.
    3. Female characters won't be feminine
    4. The robot's voice will be femaie.
    5. They will be escaping the Earth's man-made climate change.
    6. Half the cast will be jewish (the best paid half)

    1. Re:This is what will happen: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      Change really scares you, doesn't it? Oh, noes, everyone isn't exactly like me anymore!

    2. Re:This is what will happen: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      1. One character won't have the race that was legislated the most freedoms when I was young - coincidentally, the latter was also my race.
      2. One character won't have the sexual orientation that was legislated the most freedoms when I was young - coincidentally, the latter was also my orientation.
      3. One character won't reflect my idea of how women should act - coincidentally, I'm not a woman, so I don't have to act any particular way.
      4. The robot's voice will sexually frustrate me.
      5. Science also frustrates me. I hate it when evidence sits between me and what I want to be true.
      6. It's all a Jewish conspiracy, I tell you.

    3. Re:This is what will happen: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      "Help, help! I'm being oppressed!" - insecure white male with no experience of the real world on Slashdot.

  20. It didn't suck... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Sometimes we simply can't understand things, one of the reasons being age.

    I never quite got Batman with Adam West at the time, I actually find the series boring. Now, as I recall the past, I can see plainly the flower power spirit in that series. How they mocked some serious principles, how they painted grave danger in a slapstick way, how morals were passed to us without the obvious agenda, but rather with a clean naïveté -- totally in opposition with the cold war climate.

    Lost in Space OTOH was very fascinating, even for the 8-year old me. Things like allowing a villain to share the community (otherwise it would be death for him), his Machiavellian nature, his total cowardice in using a boy as a shield from danger -- and yet, when almost grasping whatever he wanted, the intelligence to perceive and learn that success is not so good when you're alone, the sadness of such perception and the decided way he usually reverted all harm he did.

    I'm sorry to say it, but it will be very hard to remake Dr. Smith. He's as complicated, no, he's way more complex than Dr. Spock.

    This not to mention the equally challenging mission to depict a growing boy like Will, asking childish questions like "but Dr. Smith said...".

    There's also an opportunity to further develop minor roles like the female ones. We also have better AI today, perhaps not so advanced like the original robot, but also not so dumb like the recent remake.

    I have such fond memories of this series. Man, I just hope they find someone like me as advisor, not one of these idiots saying it sucked... Alas, I don't know whether the same stories can be transported to these days.

    We now enjoy watching CSI and drug dealers.

    Tsk.

    1. Re:It didn't suck... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What I'm afraid of is how they'll handle the challenging mission to depict a growing boy like Will who only has his two sisters and mother around while dealing with adolescent urges. Back in the time of the original series, no one would ever think to talk about something like that. These days, that's all they'll think about.

      Eh, what am I thinking... they'll make Will gay and Dr. Smith his lover, which would explain why the others don't kill Smith on about day two or three.

    2. Re:It didn't suck... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What I'm afraid of is how they'll handle the challenging mission to depict a growing boy like Will who only has his two sisters and mother around while dealing with adolescent urges. Back in the time of the original series, no one would ever think to talk about something like that. These days, that's all they'll think about.

      Eh, what am I thinking... they'll make Will gay and Dr. Smith his lover, which would explain why the others don't kill Smith on about day two or three.

      Not far off from an idea that was just about on everyone's mind. Years ago, Howard Stern interviewed an adult Billy Mumy with comedian Billy West constantly interrupting with pedo-impersonations of Dr. Smith drooling over fond memories of the actor's childhood days. Mumy said Jonathan Harris understood the humour, but could never be on his program because of it.

    3. Re:It didn't suck... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What I'm afraid of is how they'll handle the challenging mission to depict a growing boy like Will who only has his two sisters and mother around while dealing with adolescent urges. Back in the time of the original series, no one would ever think to talk about something like that. These days, that's all they'll think about.

      Eh, what am I thinking... they'll make Will gay and Dr. Smith his lover, which would explain why the others don't kill Smith on about day two or three.

      Part 2 of 3

  21. Still no Firefly... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Lost in space, but no Firefly. No fair.

  22. Remake Blake's 7 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I would love to see Kerr Avon in action again.

  23. What was really going on with... by LaoTzePhuuk · · Score: 1

    The Ghost and Mrs. Muir?

    1. Re:What was really going on with... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      The Ghost and Mrs. Muir?

      When she was young, Hope Lange was hot af.

      http://ilarge.lisimg.com/image...

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    2. Re:What was really going on with... by Macrat · · Score: 1

      The Ghost and Mrs. Muir?

      The movie or the TV show?

  24. Ugh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    God, please no. I hated that stupid, insipid show. My mom loved it, and I would cringe whenever she put it on.

    1. Re:Ugh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      God, please no. I hated that stupid, insipid show. My mom loved it, and I would cringe whenever she put it on.

      Could be worse. They could remake 'Hee Haw'. (That's what my mom watched. I still have nightmares featuring steel guitars twanging in the background.)

    2. Re:Ugh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh wow, you're right. That's what my dad watched!

  25. PBS Burns Gets likes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How many "Film-Makers" are named "Burns" FFS, jesus.

  26. Oh Hell No! Danger! Danger! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nooooooo. Noooooooooo. Please don't. I can't stand the pain of the idea. oHh Nnooooooooooooooohhhh. aAyieeeaah.

  27. Lost Was Ok, But In Space? by mentil · · Score: 1

    'Lost' was an alright show (although I hated its slow slide from sci-fi to spiritualism), but why are they remaking it in space? It's such a new series to remake, too. /s

    --
    Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
  28. The past repeats by RubberDogBone · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Back in the 60's, Star Trek had to compete with Lost in Space as some viewers and a lot of TV execs considered them basically the same. Which is silly. Star Trek rarely had costumed monsters of the week. Lost in Space never missed them.

    Both shows shared some writers, directors, guest stars, and even monster props by the same people. So the two shows DID have some things in common. But not premise or most content.

    And now, Netflix is remaking Lost and CBS is launching a new Star Trek series. They shall compete again.

    Nothing changes.

    --
    Sig for hire.
    1. Re:The past repeats by ccherry · · Score: 2

      I have thought for a long time that Lost in Space is to Star Trek as The Munsters is to the Addams Family. Evidently every genre has a market for mediocre. Or maybe they were targeted for different age groups.

    2. Re:The past repeats by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You do realize The Munsters came first, right? The Addams Family was made in response. Although, I agree the latter is a much better show.

  29. All I have to say is.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Okay, last one to kill a bad guy buys the beer.

  30. How about LIS as in the original pilot? by calidoscope · · Score: 1

    The pilot for LIS, which lacked both the robot and Dr Smith, was very promising. Guy Williams stood out very well in the pilot and was grossly underutilized in the series. I would go so far as to say the pilot for LIS was better than the original pilot for Star Trek (the one with Christopher Pike).

    I could go either with respect to Dr Smith in a new series - the pilot had a hokey run-in with "asteroids" causing the Jupiter II to go off course, which was part of the plot for an episode in the third season - the one where Dr Smith does time travel and DOESN'T board the Jupiter II, which leads to the J2 being destroed when hitting uncharted asteroids.

    --
    A Shadeless room is a brighter room.
    1. Re:How about LIS as in the original pilot? by RealGene · · Score: 1

      The character of Dr. Smith was added after everyone involved realized there wasn't enough dramatic tension to carry it more than a few episodes.
      In the first episode with Dr. Smith, he is quite malevolent, later his character was reduced to just lazy coward.

      --
      Mission: To provide products that consume time and energy as entertainingly as permitted by the laws of thermodynamics.
    2. Re:How about LIS as in the original pilot? by roc97007 · · Score: 1

      The character of Dr. Smith was added after everyone involved realized there wasn't enough dramatic tension to carry it more than a few episodes.

      In the first episode with Dr. Smith, he is quite malevolent, later his character was reduced to just lazy coward.

      I think it was specifically the lazy coward and how nearly every episode revolved around him that made me (as a kid) tire of the show the first time around. To this day I have issues with characters who are basically a waste of skin. (I wasn't a big fan of Gilligan's Island for the same reason, despite Mary Jane. (Mmmm. Mary Jane...))

      In the movie, Smith was a foreign operative, and much more convincing as a bitter sociopath than Harris' lazy coward. (Sorry, I have nothing against Harris.) I also liked that the technology, although modernized, had many callbacks to the original series. It's too bad the movie went off the rails after the spider attack, it could have been good.

      The first season was adventure, the rest mostly painful camp. The big question is whether they'd do one or the other. Or make it like every other scifi/adventure/superhero series in recent history, a soap opera set in environment (a) with set of characters (b). Approach cautiously, maybe see the first episode, be prepared to jettison, because life is too damned short for banal TV.

      --
      Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
  31. Shrugs by the_Bionic_lemming · · Score: 1

    I like the series.

    I don't like most of the over the top Dr Smith episodes, and despite everyone hating the carrot episode, it was amusing to and pretty cool to see Smith do the sublime thing.

    The original show didn't contain Dr Smith , and I think it was a mistake to bring him in. He wanted to stay in the show and mutated the character into a buffoon- and that sorta limited the show. He wouldn't of been kept around if he was just plain evil - cause he would of been tossed off the ship.

    The science behind the writing made me cringe. Going past the speed of light was possible when Smith traded off controls for things , but they routinely sailed thru galaxies and had to fear mobile supernovas. And for the first season, they sorta forgot about the orbit of the planet they were on.

    So if they fixed it. Made it into a family survival thing without "oh the pain, the pain", kept some science in it, made sure to actually follow a plot (Think how awesome "Lost" would of been if they had a storyline predetermined), and kept the "make it cute for kids so they buy toys" out f it?

    I think it would be an awesome show.

    I do have all the DVDs for the original show - store-bought. So I am a fan.

    --
    _ _ _ Go for the eyes Boo! GO FOR THE EYES!
  32. Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I hope there is a place in the cast for all the surviving Robinsons.

    1. Re: Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That already happened. Will Robinson (Bill Mummy?) was Lennier in Babylon 5.

    2. Re: Good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Poor guy. He mixed up his rogaine with bottle of instant coral.

  33. Never fear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They probably won't be able to cast an actor as good as Jonathan Harris or Gary Oldman, but they may get somebody able to do it halfway decently.

    "Never fear, Netflix is here", with apologies to the original Lost in Space series. In the original, the "Never fear" bit always implied "Be terrified" or "Soil your pants".

    More seriously, I expect an almost complete screw-up in the remade series. It does not depend on whatever actors/actresses they con into it (today, they might insist on a female lead). There will be a couple of decent episodes at the start - to suck in the paying punters - followed rapidly by a descent into drivel.

  34. Not a hater by Rob+Lister · · Score: 1

    I suppose to older folks LiS was a little hokey, but to the 5 and 6 year-old me it was the most bestest thing on TV ever. I wanted to be Will Robinson. And I didn't even mind the snow; the station it was on was a bit too far away for our rabbit ears. So if Netflix wants to host a reboot, I'm good with that. They've got a decent track record.

  35. Re:Remakes can be done right - Battlestar Galactic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I preferred the original BSG to the remake. I watched the first season of the remake and really didn't like it.

  36. Re:Remakes can be done right - Battlestar Galactic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I was a kid back in the day, and the original BSG was pretty decent. Galacitca '80, however, that was a different matter. Cracked magazine had done a parody of BSG a few months earlier (I wish I could find it) and in the last three or four panels, they found Earth and it was the 20th century. I was shocked and saddened when the network did it for real.

    Back around 10 or so years ago I got to see Richard Hatch's trailer from when he was trying to get Galactica restarted as a sequel to the original. It was awesome. Unfortunately, the rights owners gave us Boobiestar Galactica instead.

  37. No. Just, no. by kuzb · · Score: 1

    I used to like Airwolf as a kid. I mean, what's not to like? High tech (for the time) super-fast chopper zipping around blowing up the bad guys!

    Then I went back and watched it again years later. Oh man.

    Let your childhood television shows live in your mind as pleasant memories. Don't try to relive the moment. The truth is not pretty.

    --
    BeauHD. Worst editor since kdawson.
  38. Re:Remakes can be done right - Battlestar Galactic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I preferred the original BSG to the remake. I watched the first season of the remake and really didn't like it.

    minority++

    Hell, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as Buck Rodgers in the 25th century.

    I've tried watching the remake, it's almost as painful as trying to watch Stargate Universe..

  39. Re:No. Just, no. by Rob+Lister · · Score: 1

    I don't know 'bout that. Watching Mr. Roger's Neighborhood at 18 while stoned was a hoot.

  40. Re:Remakes can be done right - Battlestar Galactic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I preferred the original BSG to the remake. I watched the first season of the remake and really didn't like it.

    minority++

    Hell, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as Buck Rodgers in the 25th century. I've tried watching the remake, it's almost as painful as trying to watch Stargate Universe..

    I was a kid when both aired. BSG was more interesting in the sci fi sense, BR25 was more interesting in terms of the costumes that the women wore.

  41. Re:Remakes can be done right - Battlestar Galactic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I was a kid when both aired. BSG was more interesting in the sci fi sense, BR25 was more interesting in terms of the costumes that the women wore.

    Ah, you mean the ones that Princess Ardala barely wore, and the delightful combination of Deering and spandex...
    Ok, I'll give you that, Buck Rodgers was way more interesting in that sense.

  42. Oh come on by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...why aren't they remaking "My Mother the Car"? Total lack of imagination on their part.

  43. Re:No. Just, no. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes, but you're an idiot, so it all fits.

  44. My Nephew, William by herbierobinson · · Score: 1

    My brother named my nephew William. :-))

    --
    An engineer who ran for Congress. http://herbrobinson.us