Dear ABC,
Wow, where to begin … I just don’t know how you got yourself into this situation. I get that you’re desperate. For some reason, your few-and-far-between quality shows — like Eli Stone, Happy Town, Defying Gravity — don’t get watched, and that’s a bummer. I don’t suppose you’d want to take the blame for crappy marketing and scheduling, do you? That’s another letter….
I also get that you’re grasping to find anything you think viewers might embrace, including some of your unoriginal fall lineup with The Gates and No Ordinary Family. That’s another letter still….
What I’m focusing on here is that the two factors above have driven ABC to consider a reboot of the successful J.J. Abrams series, Alias.
So again, I’m not quite sure where to begin … how about by counting all of the ways that this is a terrible idea? I loved everything about Alias (and you would too if you just pretend that the second half of the series was never made … c’mon, try it) and a reboot could never do it justice. You’ll never hit casting gold like you did with the original, ABC.
No one except Jennifer Garner could play the role of Sydney Bristow, and capturing the chemistry she had with all of her leading men would not be an easy task. Michael Vartan, Victor Garber, Ron Rifkin, Bradley Cooper, Carl Lumbly and Kevin Weisman all had unique and charming interactions with the leading lady. That’s six leading men … you can’t do it again.
And the timing. Alias hasn’t been gone long enough to merit a reboot and too much time has passed to consider it a spin-off. For some reason, though, you think this would be a sure thing since Alias was successful for you the first time around. I’ve got to imagine there are enough original ideas out there that are good … maybe some viewers would like to see those, ABC — what do you think?
An Alias reboot surely wouldn’t solve all of your problems right now, nor would it probably cause too many more. It just boggles my mind that The Powers That Be over there would rather try to rehash something that was successful in the past rather than looking for the new original hit. An Alias reboot is not going to replace Lost.
The final point which I will leave you with, to quote Bob, “It worked so well for Cupid….”
Sincerely,
Debbie
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Jun 01, 2010 @ 13:38 EST5EDT
There’s a scene in the movie the Rainmaker where the evil insurance company, pissed off that they’re having to deny a claim again, writes them back a letter, and ends by telling the nice lady that she “… is stupid, stupid, stupid.”
For some reason, that scene came to mind when I heard this story :)
How long before you think they start talking about a LOST spinoff? I think next fall (2011) at the latest. Being they didn’t answer jack shit it would work fine. I mean really, if they want another LOST just do more LOST!
I don’t see why ABC can’t just make a random spy show like every other channel is doing.
Seriously, I think if they just did weekly 1/2 hour interviews with the producers where they answer questions that were dropped or ignored on the show, ABC would easily get ~10 million viewers.
And the show would last for 10-20 years because that’s how long it would take for them to explain everything they should have on the show.
While I can’t see them doing a direct Alias remake, that would just not work. What I would love to see…A Sark spin-off! I loved Sark. I loved the actor that played Sark. I could definitely see him being the lead on a espionage type show.
So, I vote for a Sark spin-off. Hmm…maybe I should start a Facebook campaign. Bring back the Sark!
Sign me up!!! I started watching shows because I knew David ANders was going to be on it. This would be awesome!
OK, I could totally get behind a Sark spinoff :)
*POST AUTHOR*
Ditto to that! CJ found the silver lining! :-)
I’d rather see a “Pushing Daisies” reboot!
Amen to Debbie – great column. Also agree with posters Bob Degan and Oreo. Relates to Debbie’s beautifully put comment about just counting the beginning (first 2 years most think) of the show. Then ABC started messing with it.
I only disagree about Sark. Would not watch. He always got under my skin and not in a good way. But that’s just me. I know lots of people swoon over him so yea for them.