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"Riverworld" Adaptation Braces for Sea of Angry Readers
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Grey_Area
06/08/09

In reply to "Riverworld" Adaptation Braces for Sea of Angry Readers
Loved the Heraclitus ref. As far as Skiffy Channel stuff goes the last Riverworld attempt wasn't too bad. Yah, damn w/ faint praise etc. Best o' luck, Mr. Wolfe.
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goldfarb
06/08/09

In reply to "Riverworld" Adaptation Braces for Sea of Angry Readers
multiple episodes of Andromeda doth not a strong résumé make.
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
06/08/09

@goldfarb: The show was actually good when he was in charge and writing (along with io9 pal Zack Stentz). When they canned him, it went to hell so fast.
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Robert Hewitt Wolfe
06/08/09

In reply to "Riverworld" Adaptation Braces for Sea of Angry Readers
That's a pretty distorted version of what I actually said, coupled with an inflamatory headline, but, hey, I guess you gotta sell some papers (or drive some page-clickies or whatever). Knock yourself out.
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Charlie Jane Anders
06/08/09

@Robert Hewitt Wolfe: Hi Robert, thanks for stopping by. We're huge fans of your work on DS9 and the 4400, as evidenced by referring to your strong resume. How do you feel we misrepresented what you said? I'll be happy to make a correction. As for the headline, I think Gary was responding to the fact that a lot of the comments over at SciFiWire were resoundingly negative. Sorry if it offended you.
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
06/08/09

@Robert Hewitt Wolfe: Robert, consider me an anti-hater. I love your work, you made "Andromeda" worth watching.

@Gary Susman: Dude, watering stuff down for alleged palatability is what SyFy DOES. It's what they ARE.

I'm not sure how many people have actually read the books nowadays anyway (these kids today, with their not knowing the classics, get off my lawn).
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Robert Hewitt Wolfe
06/08/09

@Charlie Jane Anders:

Couple of quick things, 'cause I'm fighting a deadline:

a. Characterizing thirty or so comments on SciFi Wire, some supportive and many by the same handful of people, as a "sea of angry readers" or a "rising tide of fan ire" is bit hyperbolic, no? Nice use of water imagery though and kudos on the Heraclitus though.

b. "Wolfe envisions future installments of this possible ongoing series...as an opportunity to dig up various historical figures and watch them fight." The original quote did discuss Romans launching ballistas vs. gliders, but also talked about the real MacBeth getting royally pissed at the slander that is the Scottish tragedy. You're the one that's doing the evisioning there, I'd say.

c. If you'd like to do an article about this project, you could always, I dunno... talk to me and get your own quotes instead of fishing up stuff* to support your thesis from someone else' interview. Just an idea.

That said...

Thank you for the plug. I'm glad people are interested in seeing a new version of RIVERWORLD. I've been a fan of the novels since I was 15. I tried to do my best to maintain the spirit and mythology of the novels while following the parameters of my original marching orders. I hope it turns out great.

Frankly, I wasn't a producer on this one, more of a hired gun, so I wasn't involved in the actual filming the way I was with DRESDEN FILES for example, but I've heard good things from my friends up in BC. Tahmoh supposedly hit it out of the park. It'll be fun to see how it all turns out. I very much believe that there is a potential series here, one that could contain the same balance of character, adventure, philosophy, great visuals and humor as, say, DS9 or classic TREK. God willin' an' the crick don't rise*, you'll all agree.

Or not.

Again, thanks for the mention.

*Water imagery. UCWIDT?
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Plague
06/08/09

In reply to "Riverworld" Adaptation Braces for Sea of Angry Readers
Well, the first one was a mess as well, so at least they are being consistent.
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bluehinter
06/08/09

In reply to "Riverworld" Adaptation Braces for Sea of Angry Readers
It wouldn't be so bad if Robert Wolfe had said "You know, I quite like PJF's concept of Riverworld, and decided it would be cool to tell stories about some of the other characters you didn't see in Farmer's novels," and then proceeded to call his mini-series Tales of Riverworld.

But for calling this suckfest an "adaptation," he deserves a place in the special hell reserved for YARM producers, and people who greenlight Adam Sandler comedies.
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TildenAeneas
06/08/09

In reply to "Riverworld" Adaptation Braces for Sea of Angry Readers
In Robert Wolfe's defense, the changes were made at the dictates of the network, and though Wolfe wrote the original script, it's been revised without his involvement. Your article implies that he's the sole person responsible for the changes, and that's a misrepresentation of the facts.
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Charlie Jane Anders
06/08/09

@TildenAeneas: Well, he gave an interview about the adaptation to Scifi Wire, and made it sound as though this is his baby, and as though he was responsible for the changes. So you can see where we might have gotten that impression.
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