Back in June, I wrote a post discussing the fantasy adaptations currently making their way to the small screen. Long story short: Most of the books being adapted are the ones you’d expect — LOTR, Chronicles of Narnia, Wheel of Time, The Kingkiller Chronicles, etc. Classics? Sure. Predictable AF? Absolutely!
The good news is that the networks are being much more adventurous with their science fiction offerings. Sort of. True, they’re mostly adapting works by and about men, but at least of few of the producers and writers seem interested in shaking things up. Will they succeed? Only time will tell.
Watchmen (HBO)
Again? Yep.
Look, I know that a lot of people were disappointed by the Watchmen movie. (And its surfeit of misogyny.) I know how disappointing it can be to see a shoddy adaptation of a beloved book or graphic novel. I’m still not sure that justifies tackling this franchise yet again while other amazing graphic novels are begging to be made.
Of course, producer Damon Lindelof (Lost, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Leftovers) has been very clear with fans, letting them know that the series will not be a direct adaptation of the source material, referring to it as a “remix” that borrows the same world and a couple of the original characters while telling a new story altogether, one that centers on Angela Abraham (Regina King) as its lead.
Bringing a woman of color to the narrative’s forefront is certainly quite the twist, so maybe Lindelof is bringing something exciting and noteworthy to the screen. And this adaptation does have quite the cast lined up — in addition to King, they’ve scored Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Gossett, Jr., Jeremy Irons, Jean Smart, Robert Redford, etc. Also, I LOVED The Leftovers.
Will I watch it? Damn it, Lindelof. You’ve sucked me in for at least an episode or two.
Foundation (Apple TV+)
Because that’s what we’re all looking for, another streaming service to which we must subscribe.
Okay, to be fair, my main complaint with this series — based on the seminal Foundation series by Isaac Asimov — has to do more with the existence of Apple TV+ than it does with the show itself. Given how much of an impact Asimov has had on the science fiction genre, the field of science and robotics, and how little (or how poorly — I’m looking at you, I, Robot) his material has been adapted in the past, I’m willing to let this one slide.
As for the production itself, at this point there’s little to report. Apple did give it a potential straight-to-series order. One of the showrunners left in a very dramatic, “he goes or I do” fashion. Most interestingly of all, Robyn Asimov, Isaac’s daughter, is one of the show’s executive producers, which could go either way. (For example, I adore Stephen King’s writing, but I tend to think the more successful adaptations of his work are the projects where he isn’t involved.)
Will I watch it? Honestly, as much as I enjoy and respect the works of Asimov, my tuning in probably depends more on whether or not a friend is willing to loan me their Apple TV+ password than it does on the quality of the adaptation. (For the record, I am staunchly anti-pirating, but I’m also not made of money and/or ready to subscribe to every single streaming service that comes down the pipe.)
The Sirens of Titan
(No confirmed network, but NBC and USA seem to be in the lead)
Another author that I love (Kurt Vonnegut) and for whom few successful adaptations have been produced. People do seem to be pretty excited that Rick and Morty’s Dan Harmon is helming this voyage from the page to the screen. Never having seen Rick & Morty, I have no opinion on that front, but I do find the title to be an odd choice.
Like so many others, I went through a fairly intense Vonnegut period. I received Breakfast of Champions for Christmas and then spent most of the next year devouring everything the man had written. Some of it stands out and some of it blends together, but The Sirens of Titan… am I the only one struggling to recall this one? Apparently, it’s about Malachi Constant, the richest man in America, who, despite his best efforts, gets pulled into a war between Earth and Mars. He then somehow ends up on an interplanetary journey with some other rich dude. Their mission? To discover if free will actually exists.
I still got nothing. I’m 99% sure I read this because, like I said, I read EVERYTHING by Vonnegut, but this one does not ring a bell for me. Nor do I find the premise terribly appealing.
Will I watch it? Eh. Maybe. I’m mostly waiting to see who picks it up, what the casting looks like, the general reception, etc.
Consider Phlebas (Amazon)
This is the first title in Iain M. Banks’ much lauded Culture series, a series that spans our galaxy with each book featuring a different character and perspective on Culture, the future governing body of the Milky Way.
This suggests an anthology series, but showrunner Dan Kelly has been keeping his cards fairly close to his vest, which is understandable since the show is still in pre-production. But Amazon has no qualms about it, sending the as-yet nonexistent show straight to series. I will say that Kelly seems to feel very strongly about the books and about pleasing Banks’ die-hard fans.
Will I watch it? *shrug* I’ve tried a few of Banks’ works and haven’t found his writing style to my particular taste, but I am starting to get bowled over by Amazon’s ambition and its commitment to projects once they’ve been acquired.
Luna: New Moon (CBS)
This is a more recent title by Ian McDonald, and it’s the first book in a completed trilogy. The first book is set in 2110, where five ruling corporations — aka Dragons — have taken over every inch of our moon. These Dragons are locked in constant strife, with everyone else on the Moon caught in the middle.
I find it very interesting that, of all networks, CBS picked up this series. Not because they haven’t shown an interest in sci-fi in the past, but because the books, or at least the first one, are filled with some seriously graphic and kinky relationships/sex scenes.
Will I watch it? I’ll probably give it a go, if only to see how the network skims over and/or works around the sexual aspects of the narrative.
Autonomous (AMC)
Last year, not only did AMC acquire the right to Annalee Newitz’s fantastic novel, they also bought the pilot script, penned by Newitz and Amanda Segel (Person of Interest, The Mist, Nikita). Since November of 2018, however, there seems to have been little news or forward motion on this project.
Which I find odd because the subject matter seems to be right up AMC’s alley. It’s set on Earth in 2144, and its main character is Jack, an anti-patent scientist turned drug pirate. Basically, she creates cheap knock-offs of medications for people who can’t afford their outrageously priced prescriptions. Eventually, though, her work catches up with her when several of her clients download tainted scripts. Soon, a cop and his robotic partner are on her trail. Overall, the book focuses on the idea of freedom in a world where everything, including people, can be commodified and owned.
Will I watch it? You better believe it! AMC, let’s get the show on the road already.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Also in the Works
Amazon has also acquired rights to Ringworld by Larry Niven and Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, but, as with Consider Phlebas, there’s little to report at this stage, so I suppose we’ll have to stay tuned. Other adaptations about which there is little information are: Beacon 23 by Hugh Howey (Spectrum — another streaming network!) and just about everything Syfy has acquired, including Hyperion by Dan Simmons, Gateway by Frederick Pohl, and 3001: The Final Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke. Also trapped in no man’s land is Y: The Last Man, an adaptation of the graphic novel series by Brian K. Vaughn (The Runaways, Saga) and Pia Guerra (Heroes Anonymous, Spider-Man Unlimited). The show has been plagued by problems, but FX still maintains that the pilot will air in 2020. Consider this viewer hopeful yet skeptical.
And there you have it. A mostly male-dominated slate of TV shows which may or may not be soon headed to a TV (or random streaming service) near you. While it’s probably pretty obvious that I’m not too crazy about the fantasy or sci-fi adaptations currently in the offing, I do support more and better spec fic stories and authors finding their way to a wider audience. Let’s just say that I hope these do well, so that networks and producers will consider digging deeper into the genre with the next wave of shows.
[…] Erin tackles the tube with coverage of the newest adaptations of sci-fi favorites to hit the screen. A follow-up to her fantasy post, Erin takes a look at what’s coming to network, cable, and streaming TV. From darker shades of superheroes to new theories of psychohistory, to Martian wars and much, much more, see it here. […]