Every now and then, I, too, get caught asleep at the wheel, peeps.
Much of this is honestly owed to the fact that I'm always reading -- I'm always surfing -- trying my damndest to give you only the most usable up-to-date information on what's available in genre entertainment. A lot of what I check out just isn't what I personally term as relevent for SciFiHistory.Net -- I typically ignore announcements about projects just going into production because too many of them either get changed, get dropped, or completely disappear from the Information Superhighway before coming to fruition -- and I don't like having space committed to something that never truly transpired. Also, I've really no desire to be like so many of those other sites -- the ones that just endlessly hit you with information to the point that it's either overkill or overload: I'd rather focus in on what I think I do best ... and, sure, that may change from time-to-time, but it'll always be delivered with the dedication I think you deserve.
In any event, I wasn't even aware that a remake/reboot of 1976's The Man Who Fell To Earth was even on any immediate drawing board, but -- lo and behold -- one is dropping on Showtime just this weekend. I read a quick review of it over on The Wrap (link). While that one starred the impressive David Bowie, this one is bringing the star power of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Bill Nighy, and Naomie Harris to the forefront. Also, this one is being presented in episodic (aka serial) format, which means that the alien's central journey will likely evolve -- perhaps change significantly, for all we know -- over the course of successive installments.
Ugh ...
The downside?
Well, this incarnation is being brought to the small screen by way of Alex Kurtzman.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the name, Kurtzman was largely introduced to fandom by way of the insufferable JJ Abrams (sorry, kids, but I'm not a fan). Under such stewardship, the Star Trek franchise has -- depending upon your perspective -- been largely destroyed with a growing assortment of bad writing (again, kids, my site, my opinions) that embraces ideology whereas the original Trek embraced ideas. Not content to stop there, Kurtzman also practically destroyed Universal Studios' latest attempt to refashion its Movie Monsters Universe with -- cough cough -- The Mummy, a gobsmackingly awful film on so many levels.
Now, this isn't to suggest in any way that I think Kurtzman should be drummed out of the business. A compelling argument could be made that he's earned a place in television production -- one need only understand that, despite quality, his several versions of Star Trek continue unabated -- and just a lowly web scribe such as myself has no place pronouncing judgment over his wares. Paramount has placed their faith in the man, and no matter what the rest of us think they've undeniably blessed his -- cough cough -- "vision" as being one worth fostering. He's done some great work in the past -- TV's Alias and Fringe benefitted from his collaboration -- and he'll likely continue to craft stuff for years to come.
I guess my only two cents at this point -- keep in mind that, no, I haven't seen The Man Who Fell To Earth as it hasn't aired -- is that I don't hold out much hope for it being all that interesting.
Let's see if Kurtzman can prove me wrong.
The Man Who Fell To Earth premieres Sunday, April 24th, on Showtime. Check your local TV guides for specific info.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
Much of this is honestly owed to the fact that I'm always reading -- I'm always surfing -- trying my damndest to give you only the most usable up-to-date information on what's available in genre entertainment. A lot of what I check out just isn't what I personally term as relevent for SciFiHistory.Net -- I typically ignore announcements about projects just going into production because too many of them either get changed, get dropped, or completely disappear from the Information Superhighway before coming to fruition -- and I don't like having space committed to something that never truly transpired. Also, I've really no desire to be like so many of those other sites -- the ones that just endlessly hit you with information to the point that it's either overkill or overload: I'd rather focus in on what I think I do best ... and, sure, that may change from time-to-time, but it'll always be delivered with the dedication I think you deserve.
In any event, I wasn't even aware that a remake/reboot of 1976's The Man Who Fell To Earth was even on any immediate drawing board, but -- lo and behold -- one is dropping on Showtime just this weekend. I read a quick review of it over on The Wrap (link). While that one starred the impressive David Bowie, this one is bringing the star power of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Bill Nighy, and Naomie Harris to the forefront. Also, this one is being presented in episodic (aka serial) format, which means that the alien's central journey will likely evolve -- perhaps change significantly, for all we know -- over the course of successive installments.
Ugh ...
The downside?
Well, this incarnation is being brought to the small screen by way of Alex Kurtzman.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the name, Kurtzman was largely introduced to fandom by way of the insufferable JJ Abrams (sorry, kids, but I'm not a fan). Under such stewardship, the Star Trek franchise has -- depending upon your perspective -- been largely destroyed with a growing assortment of bad writing (again, kids, my site, my opinions) that embraces ideology whereas the original Trek embraced ideas. Not content to stop there, Kurtzman also practically destroyed Universal Studios' latest attempt to refashion its Movie Monsters Universe with -- cough cough -- The Mummy, a gobsmackingly awful film on so many levels.
Now, this isn't to suggest in any way that I think Kurtzman should be drummed out of the business. A compelling argument could be made that he's earned a place in television production -- one need only understand that, despite quality, his several versions of Star Trek continue unabated -- and just a lowly web scribe such as myself has no place pronouncing judgment over his wares. Paramount has placed their faith in the man, and no matter what the rest of us think they've undeniably blessed his -- cough cough -- "vision" as being one worth fostering. He's done some great work in the past -- TV's Alias and Fringe benefitted from his collaboration -- and he'll likely continue to craft stuff for years to come.
I guess my only two cents at this point -- keep in mind that, no, I haven't seen The Man Who Fell To Earth as it hasn't aired -- is that I don't hold out much hope for it being all that interesting.
Let's see if Kurtzman can prove me wrong.
The Man Who Fell To Earth premieres Sunday, April 24th, on Showtime. Check your local TV guides for specific info.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
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