Remakes, Reboots and Returns

Well there world seems to be overrun right now with remakes and reboots, both in the Film and the TV world. There’s been news that Total Recall is being remade/rebooted (Whatever you want to call it), with Colin Farrell playing the lead, Spiderman has been rebooted with a new lead (Does look like he fits the part, though), but the one that’s sticking in everyone’s throats, so it seems, is the Buffy re-make. We’ll talk about that later.

TV-wise, there are a few new US-based remakes. ‘Shameless’, with Emmy Rossum and William H. Macy, is one. Not really a fan of the UK original, so can’t imagine watching the US version. Another is ‘Being Human’, of which I’m a big fan. I’m hoping that this one won’t be a complete failure and will actually work, but we’ll see. Talking of failed US re-makes, one that sticks int he mind, was ‘Red Dwarf’, which had a really short-lived life in the US. However, there’s good news about the small rouge one. A new series has been commissioned and will start filming in the autumn!! Woohoo!

A couple of years ago, the UK TV channel ‘Dave’ aired a 3 part RD mini-series, ‘Back to Earth’, which had its critics, but it was GREAT to have it back. I thought that was going to be it, the end of RD, but the boys (and hopefully girl) are coming back. I for one can’t wait and I’m hoping it’ll be the full cast and Danny John-Jules, Craig Charles, Robert Llewyllyn and Chris Barrie are joined by Norman Lovett and Chloe Annett.

A full series with the full cast would be a dream for everyone, I’d imagine, so roll on 2012 (Provided the world doesn’t end of course!). There is one issue for me, though and that’s the fact that, since moving to Amsterdam, we only get the BBC channels, so somehow I’ve got to work out how to get ‘Dave’ over here, or find another way of watching. A few of the Dwarfers are on Twitter. @DannyJohnJules is one there, along with @DougRDNaylor and finally @Bobbyllew , so add these guys, it’s worth it! Also, don’t forget to tune in to Robert’s brilliant ‘Carpool’ and ‘Fully Charged’ web series’, you won’t regret it. http://www.llewtube.com/

Next up is ‘Being Human’, a great series from the Beeb, the latest of which starts it’s 3rd series tonight on BBC 3, at 9pm GMT.

I think it’s always a big shame that in the UK, most series only run for 6 episodes, because a year is a long time to wait for the next airing. No more bitching…it’s back! Now this is one re-make that I’d like to see succeed and that’s mainly because I’m a fan of Sam Witwer (Smallville, BSG), so I hope it succeeds for his sake.

As far as the UK cast goes, there are a couple of Twitter to follow, @russelltovey and fellow Werewolf @SineadKeenan – Go follow them.

Finally…Buffy. Hmmmm, this is a controversial one, isn’t it? A film without Whedon? Crazy right? Well, actually yes, how can it not be? How can Joss not have any involvement?

Back in the day (Seems like a lifetime ago), WB released the Whedon penned ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ to theaters everywhere. However, much as his name was on it, it seems that the director/producers etc. made a bit of a hash of it. Most Whedeonites dislike the film, but I actually like it, for what it is, especially as we didn’t have the series to compare it to back then. The movie, starring Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry, was probably a bit too slapstick in humour and didn’t seem to have the sharp wit that we’ve grown to love across all of the Whedonverse (Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible).

However, surely WB have realised the strengths in Joss’ writing/directing, right? Sadly, that’s unlikely. Now the new film apparently has a writer, Whit Anderson and she’s on Twitter @Whitand , however, it’s not fair to give her grief for writing a film that most of us would give our right eye to have an opportunity to write. She’s a writer, give her a break. It’s hard enough for script writers to get work, or have their work used, as it is, without blaming them for things out of their control. We can only hope that WB see sense and get the man involved.

So finally, more Twitter accounts, this time for the Whedonverse…and there are LOADS!

@NicholasBrendan @AlyDenisof @ElizaDushku @CLCarpenter1970 @AnthonySHead @Amber_Benson @JulieBenz @JennyAndTeets @JulietLandau @ChristianKane01 @JonnyWallet @JimmyLeary @MarkDLutz @AdamSBaldwin @AlexaDavalosD @NathanFillion @Summer_Glau @MissMorenaB @JewelStaite @ActuallyNPH @ClareBerry @SethGreen @FeliciaDay @emmacaulfield @TomLenk @Camden_Toy @Dichenlachman and @Whedonesque – I think that’s all of them, I may add more, if I’ve forgotten anyone. So add them and pray Warner Brothers wake up a little.