ABC has ordered a pilot for V, an update on NBC’s 1983 sci fi miniseries. Considering the flurry of emails the news elicited from EW’s TV department — and the fact that 40 million people tuned in for V the first time — I’m going to give this a TAG (Totally Arbitrary Grade) of A-. (The minus is because this is the network that canceled Invasion.) The script, written by Scott Peters (The 4400), centers on afemale Homeland Security agent, according to The Hollywood Reporter. To relive the joy that was V — from the advertising (ABC must be salivating), to the Independence Day-inspiring imagery of alien spacecraft hovering over our cities, to the swallowing of a guinea pig whole — read Kristen Baldwin’s fascinating 1999 look back.
Considering ABC is the network that also just ordered Eastwick, an adaptation of the 1987 film The Witches of Eastwick, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Alphabet is also moving ahead with the appropriately titled Lost in the ’80s. Per THR, it’s "considered an’80s version of The Wonder Years and described as Fast Times atRidgemont High meets The Ice Storm." (You gotta love Hollywood.) The script is from veteran Wonder Years scribe Bob Brush; the exec producers are from Two and a Half Men (Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum) and Arrested Development (Mitch Hurwitz), who are also behind Fox’s planned Ab Fab import. So wrong it’s right, or so wrong we’ll never see it? TAG: B
More on pilot season:
Ab Fab import and Witches of Eastwick-based drama a go
Grade Fox’s latest orders
I remember V back in the day. I was just on the verge of being too young to watch it (along with Dallas and Dynasty). I really hope they keep the integrity of the show minus the cheesy effects. If they can give it that classy spin a la Battlestar, I’ll be happy. As for the other shows, I’m a sucker for anything 80′s. It’s my generation after all. So, I am really curious about what they’ve got planned. *fingers crossed it doesn’t suck*
Man, if any mini-series deserves an update, it’s V. My mind is already blowing at how CGI can make the Visitors even more freaky.
Word to producers. Somehow, someway get Jane Baldar to take part because she’d still kick ass as Diana.
Then we could learn about Rousseau’s expedition. Hnyuk hnyuk!
i would love if they brought back Alien Nation
wow..nice article….
“I’m going to give this a TAG (Totally Arbitrary Grade) of A-. ”
Great. I’m gonna go ahead and give this a TAG of F- for F’ing Insane. The reason people liked the first version is that it was campy and kitsch. This is going to bomb in the most spectacular fashion like all of Hollywood’s other 80s rip-offs (save BSG).
Can’t you people stop stealing from the 80s and come up with a new idea?
I second Alien Nation, but should be an update not the original plot.
I would add “Surface” to the list of shows where it would be good to know what the hell happened next. Floods and subsurface critters who don’t seem to care for humans and bad government “secret experiment types” – Yeah, I’d like some more of this.
Wow… swallowed a guinea pig whole??? I remember mice… but a whole guinea pig??? LMAO!!!
I would looovvvee to see an update of “V”! As previously mentioned, it would have to be done right. Maybe a lot darker with the humor and satire of “They Live”. I miss “Alien Nation” too.
I just saw Strange World on the Chiller Channel. It’s not a bad show. My guess is that it was one of those shows that was ahead of it’s time, and too intelligent for regualar television.
I enjoyed the miniseries, but please remember that NBC tried it as a tv series and frankly, it stank.
I have my fill of 80′s right now- DVD series of ALF. Top that!
Wow – the creative types are in full force out there in development land snzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I loved V as much as any child of the ’80s, but Hollywood really needs to get off this remake kick it’s been on for the past decade, and start coming up with some original franchises.