Dream Project: Lost in Space

This will (probably) be the last stop in my short series of blogs of what I would I would like to do if I were given rights to do a television series based on the classic series LOST IN SPACE.

Although, the series always had that edge of campiness to it, the early episodes could be downright sinister and scary at time. In particular the character of Dr. Zachary Smith. 

The character started out as a complete bastard but kind of downgraded into more of a silly comedy relief who had a tendency of being naughty.

Although, I don't think the character should be played totally for laughs, I don't think the character should be a total villain either. Somewhere more along the lines of how the character was nearer the end of the first season would probably be the way I'd have Dr. Smith approached.

The character is a selfish coward looking out for his own best interest. But despite all that, and the rest of the crews initial dislike and distrust of Smith, the character of Will Robinson somehow sees something good in this silly self-centered man.

Much like who I had in mind for Barnabas Collins I really think actor David Hyde Pierce would be excellent in the role of Dr. Smith.

Although, another actor I think might be interesting in the role is BIG BANG THEORY star Jim Parsons. I haven't seen him much in dramatic roles (although Lost in Space isn't really necessarily a drama). I think he could pull a part like this off. But David Hyde Pierce would be my first choice.

Much like my previous blog on DARK SHADOWS, I think that the key to any successful revival is while it is always important to take any property in a new and exciting direction, it is also equally important to remember exactly WHAT made that show's original run a success.

Which is why many remakes fail. Two examples. Look at the remake of King Kong. Trying t be too innovative and exciting (not to mention Peter Jackson's habit of making his movies twenty-six hours long) made it fall flat on its face. Then on the other side of the coin, when they tried to do a remake of Psycho note for note, people just found themselves saying "What's the point? Why don't I just go watch the original?" which is pretty much what they did.

Again, I use the current series of Doctor Who as a prime example of a production team doing it right. When Russell T. Davies brought the show back in 2005, he moved the show forward with many of the modern trappings of fast-paced story-lines and special effects that a modern audience comes to expect.

However, he kept the core quality of the character of the Doctor the same as he had been in the series's classic run from 1963 to 1989.

But the current series of Doctor Who is a continuation of the original show rather than a reboot. But I think those qualities can still be used in a reboot of a series as well. Even the reboot of Star Trek didn't go out of its way to alienate the series's original audience. Although, I heard the last movie wasn't universally enjoyed by everyone, I think creating it as a parallel timeline was actually a smart move on the producers of the show.

I don't think parallel timelines are necessarily the way to go. But just remembering elements of what made the show successful while going in an exciting new direction with it can help in reviving a classic series.

Also to keep in mind, you're not trying to be better than the original. Just different.

Eric Sykes, CBE: 4 May 1923 - 4 July 2012

I would imagine not many young folks really remember Eric Sykes. Although, I suppose if I said he was the Old Muggle Caretaker in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire some might say "Oh him!" but still not really know who he is.

Eric Sykes was a big influence on British comedy in the 1950's and 1960's. He wrote some of the funniest episodes of The Goon Show alongside Spike Milligan. For those of you unfamiliar with the Goons, it was a British radio comedy from the 1950's which starred Peter Sellers alongside Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe. He would later star in many British sitcoms during the 1950s' and 60's alongside both Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers as well as a movie roles during that time. He also had a few key roles in some of the films of that era. A couple of them as the comic side kick to gap toothed British comic Terry-Thomas.

Although most of his starring roles seemed to dry up after 1989, he continued to keep busy appearing in various supporting roles such as the mini-series Gormaghast in 2000 as well as movies such as Goblet of Fire and the Others. Just to name a few.

What's kind of a shame nowadays is many young people don't bother with old movies or old television shows because they think just because it's considered "old" it's going to be boring. So many movies, shows and actors get swept under the carpet because our society has sadly become so narrow-minded when it comes to the past. We miss out on so much because we're not willing to give something we're unfamiliar with a chance. And we create opinions on things that we don't know much about.

But if you happen to enjoy Monty Python and Saturday Night Live (which Loren Michaels has mentioned was influenced by Python), then you have Eric Sykes work from those early days of radio and television comedy to thank for that.

2012 is kind of turning into a rough year as far as the passing of many beloved celebrities. Just yesterday it was Andy Griffith and now today Eric Sykes.

I should mention on a side note, that Eric Sykes was in fact the basis for the butler Maladay in my graphic novel The Spaghetti Strand Murder.

But I'm very sorry to hear about Eric Sykes passing. A lot of his writing with the Goons and his influences on later British comedies has influenced me greatly.

Dark Shadows: The Salem Branch by Lara Parker

As Syd and I prepare to go see Tim Burton's big screen treatment of the cult classic Dark Shadows, I am currently in the process of reading The Salem Branch. An original novel based on the series written by Angélique herself Lara Parker.

Who is going to be making a cameo in the upcoming film in a party sequence along with several of her Dark Shadows co-stars including the late Jonathan Frid.

I'm finding her continuation of the series to be really enjoyable. And I always appreciate the fact when someone who has been a part of a long running series cares about the show so much that their involvement with the series continues long after the series ends. What I enjoy about this story in particular is the connection with the Salem Witch Hunt. Which she has the Collins Family somehow connected with that horrible period of history.

Given the show's time-travel aspect in later episodes, I could almost imagine Jonathan Frid and other members of the cast as the Salem branch of the Collins Family.

In the present we find Barnabas Collins, cured of his vampire curse and set to marry Dr. Julia Hoffman. The woman who cured him. But life is less  than tranquil in Collinwood when a flower child by the name of Antoinette, who bears a shocking resemblance to the witch Angélique, has rebuilt the Old House. Which (as in real life) was destroyed in a fire.

All the Collins family are present and you can almost hear their voices as you read the books.

A British company Big Finish that specializes in creating audio plays actually did a dramatic reading of Lara Parker's previous Dark Shadows book Angélique's Descent that is worth checking out.

They had also produced one called The Night Whispers which featured Jonathan Frid reprising the role of Barnabas Collins for the very last time. Also worth giving a listen to.

But I would definitely give The Salem Branch a definite look as well.

Just to see how the Collins family are keeping nowadays.