Get ready for 'Crash': The TV Series

t Mon, Jun 16, 2008 at 11:42 PM EST

Anyone know what background music is playing in Starz Crash Series preview?

RP Wed, Jan 30, 2008 at 09:11 AM EST

Rob Grizzly: Somebody likes math because that show Numb3rs is still on the air.

But I agree it's too soon to tell whether it will be a good series or not. Honestly, was the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series that similar to the movie?

YupitsmeDan Wed, Jan 30, 2008 at 04:19 AM EST

This totally reminded me of how much Crash pisses me off. The Cronenberg tv series would have been great though, damn.

V.M.L. Wed, Jan 30, 2008 at 03:26 AM EST

Nah, I rather see a BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN TV series. That'd be romantic. ^_^

Houstonian Jen in DC Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 10:04 PM EST

I have faith in the taste of Don Cheadle, so I'm going into the series with an open mind.

Babuda Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 09:54 PM EST

While "Brokeback Mountain" is much better than "Crash", the best picture award that year should have gone to "Munich", which is a superior film.

HH Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 07:58 PM EST

Oh come on, Crash is PERFECT for a TV series. Poorly developed characters verging on caricature, highly improbable quasi-dramatic storylines and ridiculously overblown themes -- it'll be just like The Golden Girls, only with more car wrecks!

Adrian Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 07:46 PM EST

I always thought the hokey, preachy, contrived and ultimately hollow characterizations and storylines in CRASH would've been perfect for a mainstream television show. Go figure.

whit Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 06:52 PM EST

Love it or hate it; I'm not going to get into that debate. Personally I loved it. I'm not quite sure why anyone would think that the series would be about car crashes. The title "Crash" did not necessarily refer to the actual crashes, rather it was a metaphor for how people "crash" into each other and effect other's lives. I have a great deal of respect for both Paul Haggis and Don Cheadle's work. Since both will be involved, it might be a very interesting series; certainly worth checking out.

Rob Grizzly Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 06:31 PM EST

I always think any show based off of a movie is a bad idea. (RoboCop, Clueless, Sara Conner Chronicles). But some of them turn out to be okay (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Anyway, It's too early to tell if "Crash the Series" will be a bad idea. It could end up being better than the crappy movie was.(There's a thought). I reserve judgement until I actually see something.

So here are oscar movies that would make great shows:

Gladiator- oh wait, they tried that. Twice. (Rome, Empire)

Godfath- Oh, yea..(Sopranos)

There have also been attempts as Jerry Maguire, Seabiscuit, Sixth Sense, Unforgiven, and Silence of the Lambs.

I guess that leaves:

American Beauty- a disfunctional suburbia show that wins emmys

A Beautiful Mind -who loves math?

Forrest Gump. A retard meets a famous figure every week! Brilliant!

Hogwartz Tales. New kids, new adventures in the world of Harry Potter!

Little Miss Sunshine- a 4 nights per week reality show!

Pirates- this one's probably on the way anyway

James Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 05:55 PM EST

Why not amalgamate both 'Crash' flicks into one hot/didactic series? Each episode a different crash, and the victims learn to love themselves, everyone else, and their car wrecks.

t3hdow Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 05:33 PM EST

I agree with Melissa that Crash, nor Brokeback Mountain don't deserve Best Picture. Even though I thought both of them were fairly decent movies, neither one blew me away. Brokeback is too slow and tranquil at times to be amazing (and unlike most people who liked the film, I loathed the ending). Also, to add what nd stated, Crash could've worked much better with a more subtle approach (the biggest example was that one discussion Ludacris's character had with his friend after leaving the restaurant; which would've been far more profound, if they didn't carjack a couple two minutes later).
As for the Crash TV show, Paul Haggis should pass and focus his energies on something else. I don't see how it would work on a weekly basis.

Melissa Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 04:53 PM EST

nd - I don't know why (maybe it's my love for Spader), but I've only seen each movie once and I always assume people are talking about the Cronenberg one.
The conversation always takes a bizarre turn when you bring up the simulated James Dean car crash ...

My two cents about the debate: Though Crash didn't deserve the Oscar, neither did Brokeback. It wasn't a particularly strong year for movies.

Sarah Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 04:05 PM EST

Munich was definitely the best movie of the year, with Good Night and Good Luck being a close second. Crash and Brokeback didn't even come close.

Stephanie T. Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 03:51 PM EST

Crash was a good movie but I can't see it as a television program. It would be too depressing. Not as depressing as Magnolia but depressing.

Red Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 03:10 PM EST

Crash was the worst film to win the Oscar for Best Picture in my lifetime. Thank God I don't pay for Starz

Snarf Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 02:22 PM EST

Crash was a good movie - but I think a tv show about loosely connected people dealing with the effects of pre-conceptions in a society where we all tend to label each other a little to easily and frequently is a bit of a stretch.

ugh Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 02:20 PM EST

Crash was the worst. And there's no question that racism is alive and well. But a movie that reduce a long history of institutionalized racism and discrimination into "everybody has a little bit of racism in them" and reduces the racism of privileged white people to being equivalent to the racism of oppressed minorities is a tool.
also the dialogue was TERRRRIBLE.

Brokeback was robbed!

Miss Dahlia Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 02:13 PM EST

It could work-- If we forget the actual plot and storyline and just focus on the interpretive dance from the Oscar's I might be willing... Oh, who am I kidding? I’d never watch that crap. But I kinda think the JG Ballard/David Cronenberg “Crash” turned into a TV show would be waaaaayyyy more interesting. A cable show worked for a creepy premise like “Dexter” so why not?

nd Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 01:41 PM EST

Melissa's comment cracked me up, mainly because I got into a conversation with someone right after the 2005 Crash came out and I thought they were talking about the Cronenberg movie called Crash.

Needless to say, that was one bizarre conversation.

I'm with the people who thought Crash was manipulative and heavy-handed. That doesn't mean that I don't think racism is a problem in the U.S.--it's one of the biggest problems we have--it's just that I prefer to NOT get clubbed over the head with the obvious. A little subtlety would have helped Crash a whole lot.

Sheryl Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 01:27 PM EST

Crash was a great movie! Brokeback Mountain was good, but I found it so slow. I felt like the movie was 4 hours long by the time I left the theatre. It certainly wasn't the best picture. I agree with the person who said that Munich was the best picture of 2005. As for a TV series...not sure it would work. If its not only about racism, than why not just name it something else and forget the Crash concept? Doesn't make sense to me.

RightNextToMars Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 01:18 PM EST

Hooray. Now I get to try and defend Paul Haggis on snooty message boards all over again.

While I'm not going to get into a debate over whether Crash or Brokeback was better since that's a matter of personal opinion, I do find it pretty sad that no one came out of the woodwork to derail the movie until after it won Best Picture. If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at the Academy voters, not the movie or its filmmaker.

Finally, I will admit that I love Crash and have seen it probably a dozen times. "Racism is bad" is not the theme, per se. It's far more about the expectations we put on each other--because of factors like race--and how those expectations dictate our personal identities. It's about how those expectations play out in personal relationships as well as a society and a government.

I have no idea if the Crash TV show will be good or not, but I trust the people in charge to make something that's, at the very least, ambitious. Let's wait and see then judge it.

Gretchen Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 01:17 PM EST

why no love for Crash? seriously, it was a great movie. An FYI to people, racism is STILL a HUGE problem in our society and this was a GREAT movie to address it. No matter how "progressive" people think our society is, there is still discrimation - race, sexual orientation, gender, etc. It is intense and is heavy handed and damn well should have been.

:o) Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 01:10 PM EST

There is no way possible this series will work.

Cara Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 01:05 PM EST

Yes!! We get to be hit over the head with a sledgehammer labeled "RACISM" for a whole hour every week!

gina Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 01:05 PM EST

i think they should leave well enough
alone and not make itinto a series..they never work..leave it be..
i did enjoy the movie but it shouldnt
be a series.

steve Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 01:03 PM EST

Sorry to continue the Crash-Brokeback Mountain debate brought on by the possible revival of Crash, but c'mon. It's two years later and I'm still feeling as vehemently as I did two years ago; Brokeback Mountain was robbed by this bluntly manipulative piece of garbage!

Kevin Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 12:44 PM EST

I hated Crash. Not so much that I thought it was a terrible movie, it's just the fact that a middle-of-the-road melodrama somehow got caught up in the awards season and unjustly won the most prestigious award the industry has to offer. I was rooting for Brokeback at the time. In hindsight, Munich was the best movie in contention that year.

BrandonK Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 12:38 PM EST

I can think of better Best Picture movies to make into a TV series...

Robert Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 12:34 PM EST

What's next? Are they going to make the English Patient seem even longer and more torturous by making that a TV show? I mean, as long as they're translating undeserving Best Picture winners....

Melissa Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 12:28 PM EST

Anytime I meet someone who has actually seen the James Spader "Crash"... I want them to come sit by me.

The Oscar-winning "Crash" was horrid.

idk Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 12:13 PM EST

I expect this to spark a debate over whether Crash is a good movie or not. The answer is that Crash is not a good movie. When you make a movie involving the topic of racism make the message "racism is bad" you're opening, not your obvious conclusion.

Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 12:09 PM EST

Hell no, the movie was enough torture.

Heather Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 11:59 AM EST

How could such a heavy-handed movie be turned into a tv show? Who could take that message being beaten into your head every single week? No thanks.

junior Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 11:37 AM EST

No.

Nix Tue, Jan 29, 2008 at 11:34 AM EST

When Daniel Day-Lewis dedicates his Oscar to Matt Dillon's performance, then I'll say this is a good idea.