Hollywood is considered by many to be far too inflexible and lacking creativity today. To this end, many people have shifted their attention from the silver screen to the small one – and not only viewers but producers and directors alike. This shift is to thank for the arrival of modern-day classics like The Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, and their likes. These bold productions have finally given us not only elaborate cinematic universes but also characters to love, hate, and generally, relate to – things Hollywood movies seem to have forgotten how to do in the last decade or so.
Just like Hollywood, many TV production companies also tend to rely on the past for inspiration. The press is filled with an increasing chatter on how some high-profile movies and series of the past should be “revived” or “rebooted”, made more digestible for a modern-day audience. But there are some series that were insanely popular in their glory days, yet have resisted most attempts to be dragged back to the screens.
Battlestar Galactica
The original Battlestar Galactica, released in 1978, rode the wave of space opera created by Star Wars. It was a great show with many popular actors, and it was fun while it lasted. After wrapping up its story, its creators tried to drag it back to the screens, with limited success, in the early 1980s. All was silent until 2003 when the re-imagined story returned to the small screens in 2003. And it was epic, spawning a complete four-season series, a number of new novels, comic books, and one of the best online slot machines ever. The Battlestar Galactica slot machine could be the perfect way to keep entertained on your next flight. The game, available for free play at the Vegas Palms, is more complex and elaborate than any other before it. Aside from having visuals and sounds inspired by the series (down to Bear McCreary’s amazing score), this Vegas Palms masterpiece also has various game modes, achievements, and ranks, much like RPG titles have today. Not to mention dogfights, explosions, and scenes borrowed from the series to make it even more atmospheric, both for Vegas Palms slots fans and those who loved the series.
Unfortunately, as soon as the survivors of the 12 Colonies reached their new home, the story ended. Both attempts to shed more light on their history – Caprica, dealing with the creation of the Cylons, and Blood and Chrome, covering the first Cylon was – ended before they could’ve reached their full potential.
Firefly
Have you seen Firefly? If not, head over to Hulu and get started – it will have you hooked before you know it. Although having just 14 episodes, the story of the ragtag team of space haulers/smugglers hiding a pair of high-profile fugitives from the authorities have captured the viewers’ hearts. The series became a cult classic, and its story was wrapped up by a feature-length movie made thanks to the pressure of the fans.
Unfortunately, all the pressure and the petitions signed by millions of the show’s fans were not enough for the series to continue. Now, 15 years after the show’s brief run and more than a decade after the movie’s release, Fox has made some tentative remarks about a possible revival. Unfortunately, neither the fans nor the actors think it’s a good idea anymore.
Bionic Woman
The Bionic Woman was originally a character in a double episode of the “Six Million Dollar Man” series that ran in the mid-1970s. Thanks to her popularity, she spawned a two-season spinoff that ran until the cancellation of both shows in 1978. Producer David Eick (Hercules, Xena, Battlestar Galactica franchise) tried to revive the tale of the augmented female in 2007. The new series saw limited success but it was suspended after just eight episodes. This time it wasn’t the ratings that had the final say (even if both the critics and the viewers thought it wasn’t good enough) but the WGA strike of 2007.
There are some rumors about a possible “Six Million Dollar Man” revival but there is no word on his female counterpart’s return to the screen.
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