Earlier in 2017 in Serialized Genre TV
There has been plenty of other new genre work for the small screen this year, aside from the currently premiering fall stuff, and some of it may even be good.
Legion, Season 1
I remember reading about this not long before it first aired and then… nothing. Just rediscovered again recently and I have the first episode queued. I’m interested to see how this plays out, maybe. David Haller has been a pretty flexible character in the comics and they’ve done interesting, ridiculous, and just plain stupid things with him. With current FX available, this could be well done, or it could be a large steaming pile.
The Expanse, Season 2
Devoured. While there were parts of this that didn’t quite work as well for me as the first season did, that’s probably because I’ve been reading the books. Some of the divergences from the story aren’t making me happy even though they work pretty well on the screen. They’re blending one story into the next very well and the overall arc is picking up steam. Can’t wait for season 3, but I guess I have to.
Iron Fist
I loved Power Man and Iron Fist as a kid (yes, I’m that old), so the translation of both of these into serialized television should be right up my alley. And yet I’ve shied away from them. Still not quite sure why that is, but I do want to see it. I’ll get there.
The Handmaid’s Tale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJTonrzXTJs
So is it so bad that I’m Canadian and not particularly a Margaret Atwood fan? I recognize that she’s a giant in Canadian literature, but her long profession that she doesn’t write SF when she clearly writes so much of it just irritates me. And I find her writing, well, too literary if that’s a thing. I don’t at all mind a higher brow in my SF, but the brow is a little high for me here, not to mention dark. Maybe it’s me, but I like a little more hope in my fiction. That said, this series is based on the one book of hers I’ve actually read in full and came close to enjoying, in spite of the darkness. Not enough to want to watch an entire series based on it, but I understand the attraction.
Twin Peaks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khwuhgxjoXU
Wasn’t really my thing the first time around, all those years ago, so I find myself unable to get excited about the reboot/decades-later-sequel. Too many possible shows and too little time.
Powerless
A DC series I would probably enjoy. Sadly, the network didn’t let it make it through the full first season before cancelling it. I’ve flagged this one for watching anyway, because I rather like the concept of civilian self protection against superhero battles and collateral damage.
Emerald City
Let’s do yet another retelling of The Wizard of Oz, but lets drag it out, use every scrap of the original book the writing team likes, throw away all of the stuff they don’t and twist it to fit into our modern sensibilities.
How many times have I lamented about Hollywood’s ability to tell new stories? Add one to that number.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
In direct contrast to my complaint about Emerald City, while this is technically a remake, it’s not something that should ever have been a single movie in the first place. How do you take a series of ten (short) books and turn it into a movie that lasts less than two hours? Answer: very, badly. But as a TV series, with each short book actually getting told across two episodes, you have a chance at doing the story justice, and this does. Looking forward to season 2.
Time After Time
H.G. Wells chasing Jack the Ripper through time to our time. Sigh. I’m good, thanks.
American Gods
I want this to be good, having enjoyed the novel when it first came out. I’ve only read it the once, but then, it’s been a long time since I’ve done much in the way of rereads. This will either be really good or really bad. Reviews seem to mostly come down on the first one, but, as always, I’ll make my own judgement. This is in the queue.
Anyone want to tell me something worked or didn’t?
Be well, everyone.
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