Life on Mars

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John G Bell
08/29/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
About Capt. Pike, I think we did in fact get to see what a series with him as captain would be like, and it was called Enterprise. Archer's crisis of conscience about being captain is mirrored by that of Capt. Pike. I think the similarity would have ended up with a captain who just wasn't very likable and thus not compelling to watch, which was Archer in Enterprise for me.

Which is an interesting realization for me, because I used to think that Archer was Star Trek's failed attempt to copy Malcolm Reynolds' bad attitude (which is also something that was changed from actual to official pilot, BTW) and Enterprise was a failed copy of Firefly in general because it couldn't match the good writing and compelling stories.

The final season of Enterprise finally started to have the feel of something I was excited to see, and had a lot of joy in itself as part of a mythology to be explored with gusto and abandon. Then again, the first season of every version of Trek was a poor representation of what they later became, it seems like, over time.

But, I've wandered off-topic ...
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Trystero promoted this comment Edited by John G Bell at 08/29/09 11:45 AM John G Bell was starred John G Bell was unstarred

Wookie1972
09/02/09

@John G Bell:

interesting comparisons, especially because, let's face it, Malcolm Reynolds would not have been the same without Kirk in the first place. But I think the main difference between Kirk and Pike is that Pike is clearly at the end of his starship career. Unlike Kirk, he would take an admiralty in a heartbeat.

I actually think "The Menagerie" improved on "The Cage" because the ending was much more poignant. The original ending of "The Cage" (the girl going off with the counterfeit Pike) was more than a little creepy.
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Wookie1972 was starred Wookie1972 was unstarred

foolish-rain
08/29/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
The conversion of Linda Hamilton's totally Kick Ass Sarah to the dreaded Helicopter Mom played by Lena Heady. Just a perfect case study of how women were viewed in the late 80's versus now.

I also miss shoulder pads....
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foolish-rain was starred foolish-rain was unstarred

MargaretMoony
08/28/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
Heh. Space Cases.
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MargaretMoony was starred MargaretMoony was unstarred

Brisco_County_Jr
08/28/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
Hulu for non-Americans : Curse your sudden yet inevitable betrayal!
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it must be bunnies promoted this comment Brisco_County_Jr was starred Brisco_County_Jr was unstarred

it must be bunnies
08/29/09

@Brisco_County_Jr: I share your Hulu rage. I know the Americans must get sick of our whining but it really is frustrating.
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MISS MERCY STREET
08/28/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
The Babylon 5 follow-up - Crusade.

Straczynski and TNT began butting heads from the get-go, each blaming the other for the problems. While the 'bridge' between the series (A Call To Arms) was left intact, the original pilot was shown as the *11th* episode. The *8th* episode was eventually shown as the pilot. As a result, there was a discontinuity with the uniforms and the characters.

That the series was canceled even before it aired, and JMS nearly had a public anger meltdown via Usenet...both dramas were as entertaining as the show.
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MISS MERCY STREET was starred

deruberhanyok
08/29/09

@MISS MERCY STREET: I was just thinking of this. I enjoyed what we got of Crusade but felt that the network's interference screwed up what could have been a pretty solid few seasons of Sci Fi TV.
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MISS MERCY STREET promoted this comment deruberhanyok was starred deruberhanyok was unstarred

0kami
08/28/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
OMG Space Cases! *blasted back to the 90's*
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0kami was starred 0kami was unstarred

Marco469
08/28/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
For "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles", Dean Winters was a definite upgrade over Tim Guinee, but I like the original pilot's ending better. I don't think its the tougher Sarah holding the gun, but rather the original Terminator score being included in the closing credits.
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geesejuggler promoted this comment Marco469 was starred Marco469 was unstarred

jpedersen
08/28/09

@Marco469: Seconded. I thought the omission of the classic score left Terminator Salvation severely lacking as well.
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geesejuggler promoted this comment jpedersen was starred jpedersen was unstarred

LittleDragon
08/28/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
I always like Pike more then Kirk. He was just more appealing.
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Bill-Lee
08/28/09

@LittleDragon: When they re-edited the Cage into the Menagerie, I think they turned Pike into this weird tragic figure. I sometimes think a film featuring Pike's crew would be really interesting. It's too bad the powers that be at Paramount think the fans only want Kirk and Company.
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CmdrHunt (aka Clarence Colton)
08/28/09

@LittleDragon: I totally agree with you on that.
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Wookie1972
09/02/09

@Bill-Lee:

IDW recently collected a series of Marvel comics that had the adventures of the Pike crew. It didn't look too bad.

However, you must admit that the Spock in the pilot is at best a proto-Spock, and that Nimoy improved the character over time.
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cletar
08/28/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
The strange warp effect--nobody can talk? WTF? the ship gets transparent? WTF?--would have gotten tiresome. I'm glad they ditched that when they re-did the Star Trek pilot.
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Alexis
08/28/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
I actually just watched True Blood's original pilot yesterday and I have to say that the original actress that played Tara was absolutely horrible. It is no surprise that she got fired. The only other interesting thing about it was the fact that there was another character helping Sookie tighten the chains around that guy's neck.

****SPOILER ALERT****

I'm fairly sure it was supposed to be Claudine, Sookie's fairy godmother. Bill actually sees the woman as she runs off.
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Chip Overclock
08/28/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
It is possible I having false memories, but didn't the B-9 robot from LOST IN SPACE come in a crate (which we saw in the pilot and once again in a flashback) labelled "G.U.N.T.E.R." which he himself in one episode (possibly the last one) said stood for "General Utility Non-Theorizing Environmental Robot"?
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Edited by Chip Overclock at 08/28/09 2:02 PM Chip Overclock was starred Chip Overclock was unstarred

Zombie Ms. Skittles
08/28/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
Holy crap, I just had a fangasm at that berainbowwigged Jewel Staite. I never cease to be amazed when somebody who is not me remembers that show.
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Alexis
08/28/09

@Zombie Ms. Skittles: Holy Crap! I never realized that was her. I guess genre TV was her thing even at a young age.
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Alexis was starred Alexis was unstarred

Zombie Ms. Skittles
08/28/09

@Alexis Brown: She was replaced pretty early on in the series, so you're forgiven for that. I didn't either until I found the entire series on YouTube. Holy crap, right?
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Illogic
08/28/09

@Alexis Brown: She also played a role as a girl kidnapped by someone and whatever happened to her also happened to another woman in the X-files. Lucy Liu and Jack Black also had roles in some episodes.
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Belabras ate my dingo!
08/28/09

In reply to Original Pilot vs. Official Pilot: Which Shows Changed the Most?
I have to say, the original Heroes pilot might have been better.

I'm glad they went with Kirk for Star Trek though. Pike never could have carried the series.
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Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H.
06/15/09

In reply to Scientists Play "Jurassic Park," Coax Ancient Glacial Bacteria Back To Life
After this past week's Primeval with its Mold men I'll say pass on this idea.
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twophrasebark
06/15/09

In reply to Scientists Play "Jurassic Park," Coax Ancient Glacial Bacteria Back To Life
What does it taste like?
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