Apparently, a small team of university students working out of their bedrooms have decided to make a second season of the show as fans; what was cutting edge animation in 2003 is now potentially achievable by some kids and their gaming laptops in 2021. They're using their friends as voice actors and doing it for free. I don't know if they'll pull it off, but it's cool to see them try. https://www.instagram.com/tnasc_official/
]]>He probably has a pretty decent income from his inheritance and various screenplay and teleplay sales over the decades.
When I look at revivals like MYSTERY SCIENCE FICTION THEATRE 3000, it's very much about reinvigorating the franchise to go on indefinitely and part of that is creative, but it's also about the original creator seeking to earn a good amount of money and to keep it coming in indefinitely.
My sense is that Torme seems to be totally disinterested in that. It looks to me like Torme doesn't want to bring SLIDERS back as a franchise and ongoing copyright. Torme wants to bring back Jerry O'Connell's Quinn Mallory, Sabrina Lloyd's Wade Welles, Cleavant Derricks' Rembrandt Brown and John Rhys Davies' Professor Arturo -- and bring their story to a close.
I don't think that this will ever, ever, ever work because studios in general are not looking to bring back old copyrights to see them brought to a close. They are looking to bring old copyrights back to see them go on indefinitely. Tracy Torme doesn't seem to want to see SLIDERS go on indefinitely like STAR TREK or DOCTOR WHO or ULTRAMAN. He seems to want to bring it back to end it. That's what he's passionate about doing. He's not passionate about just bringing back SLIDERS as a new 2021 TV show with a new pilot episode with a new cast playing Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt and Arturo.
Just theory.
]]>For this reason, I feel a reboot is best. However, from what I can tell, Tracy Torme has had at least two opportunities to pitch a SLIDERS revival and has, each time, refused to pitch a reboot with new actors. He is only interested in SLIDERS with the original cast and his proposal has been rejected.
I completely understand where he is coming from. For some reason, when shows do this and cast new actors in the existing charactors roles, it feels like strangers wearing their faces instead of the actual characters.
Even in 2021, new fans writing fanfic feel compelled to write a 25 - 75 part series of SLIDERS: THE KROMAGG WAR CHRONICLES in order to justify writing the simple SLIDERS stories they want to write with the sliders visiting a parallel world.
Which you said, many fanfic writers feel burnt out after doing the revivals and don't finish their stories. The Kromaggs existence, whether you loved them or hated them, does put a bit of a damper on fanfic writers because they have to come up with some sort of wrap up to them or find a way to get rid of the tracker.
]]>what Ib sort of did with Reborn in that setting up the show taking place in 2021 or whatever year the show is made and having the characters be whatever ages they would be today. Just a weird personal opinion, but I'm not totally interested in seeing them old lol
I think the wish to see the original sliders at their current ages is something specific to people who watched the original series on its original airdates and is not one that is widely shared among newer fans.
Hard core remake casting new actors in the characters. Which I think would be better for drawing in new fans instead of attracting old fans
I am deeply displeased with how Seasons 3 - 5 have strangled the imagination of SLIDERS' fans both in 2000 and in 2021. Even in 2021, new fans writing fanfic feel compelled to write a 25 - 75 part series of SLIDERS: THE KROMAGG WAR CHRONICLES in order to justify writing the simple SLIDERS stories they want to write with the sliders visiting a parallel world.
For this reason, I feel a reboot is best. However, from what I can tell, Tracy Torme has had at least two opportunities to pitch a SLIDERS revival and has, each time, refused to pitch a reboot with new actors. He is only interested in SLIDERS with the original cast and his proposal has been rejected.
And ultimately, I respect that; Torme only wants to pitch the version of SLIDERS that he is passionate about writing and producing. It seems that to him, a reboot with a new cast is somebody else's job.
]]>But looking at all the ways the show could be brought back, animation route is probably my favourite maybe.
Theres:
a) animation
b) Doing what Ib sort of did with Reborn in that setting up the show taking place in 2021 or whatever year the show is made and having the characters be whatever ages they would be today. Just a weird personal opinion, but I'm not totally interested in seeing them old lol
Theres c) Hard core remake casting new actors in the characters. Which I think would be better for drawing in new fans instead of attracting old fans
d) Remake existing of completely new cast of characters and their adventures. But that alienates some of the audience because I know yeah, the concept was cool but one of the big kickers for a lot of people is the characters.
So yes, animation route would probably be easiest, and probably friendly in case they can't get some actors back, but of course it does have its drawbacks.
]]>It's currently on Peacock television. So the launch of this Peacock streaming service gave a new life to SLIDERS. It was on Netflix for a second, but then I think they stopped paying for it, so it's not on Netflix anymore. It was originally a Universal show. It was, I believe, Sci-Fi Channel's first original series. So Sci-Fi is part of Universal, and Peacock is part of that, whatever... I don't even know what the parent company is... It used to be General Electric, now it's Comcast. Sorry, I'm not up to date on the trades! But anyway, if it does well on Peacock, I bet Universal would return my phone call about a SLIDERS reboot.
I think it just depends on how it does on Peacock. They also care a lot about social media. They care about what's trending on Twitter and all that stuff. I think, if the streaming numbers are there, they will return my phone call. I'll say, as of now, no one has returned my SLIDERS phone call. Not to call anybody out... But I did make a phone call, and it has not been returned.
I know I'm not Shonda Rhimes here, but it's almost like dating. I can't call them up and be like, "You've gotta do a SLIDERS reboot, I'm telling you, everybody's DM-ing me, I'm getting all these messages on Twitter." I just can't do that. Peacock has to swipe right on my photo and write to me, "Hey, I'm interested in meeting up for a coffee," you know? It's like online dating. It can't just be me swiping and saying I want to go on a date; they have to swipe back, we have to match as a couple.
If it came close, I would take it to the fans online. I would take it to the fans, and see where they would like to see it. And I would call John Rhys-Davies, who I've gotta call back, and Cleavant Derricks, and Sabrina Lloyd. But I would take the temperature of what's out there. Being part of STAR TREK, it's funny; after doing SUPERMAN and STAR TREK, it's all right there on Reddit and Twitter. Everybody can be heard. I'm a firm believer in the idea that the fanbase, while loud and sometimes a little negative and maybe a little angry, I tend to believe that they're right.
If I work on something for STAR TREK, like LOWER DECKS, which is hilarious and everyone should go to CBS All Access and watch it, but STAR TREK isn't my baby. I'm just a guest. Someone's allowing me to drive a Ferrari for a couple of hours. I have to make sure I don't crash it, keep it at a sensible 70-75 MPH. Maybe I can take it out for a couple of donuts or sharp turns, but eventually, I have to get out and give the keys to STRANGE NEW WORLDS or whatever is the next STAR TREK show. It's not my Ferrari, so I want to make sure it doesn't come back with a scratch. That's why I always listen to the fans online.
I do think he always loved the show, Tracy's vision for it, and totally got what it was (whereas john perhaps didn't despite his great performance). It's a shame he had to ask for Charlie to be on the show, it certainly didn't help. But regardless, as an actor, artist, he was really perfect for Sliders. I think we can all agree part of it's magic was how well cast it was, and of course the chemistry and family atmosphere they had. They were a team and a lot of people (viewers) were attracted to that element of it.
]]>I don't think Jerry O'Connell's profile in 2020 is any different from where it was in 2004. Jerry in 2004 and today is a working TV actor, but he is not a big star. He is, like John Rhys-Davies, a known name and a character performer. He isn't a long-term lead, hasn't been since 1996. I guess he leads CARTER, but that show only produces 10 episodes a year and there's no word on a third season.
Jerry's best chance was from 1994 - 2002. From 1994 to 2002, he tapped into a vital market as the sensitive, earnest, intelligent, thinking man's action hero. In 2010, Benedict Cumberbatch would redefine that sort of character as Sherlock Holmes in SHERLOCK, but Jerry had the first mainstream crack at it and could have kept going had he chosen his post-SLIDERS roles differently. The role that Jerry craved and missed out on and failed to win was the role of Peter Parker in the Sam Raimi SPIDER-MAN movie.
Peter Parker would have been the perfect synthesis of Jerry's brainy science hero persona with a cultural icon known worldwide -- but Jerry in 2002 would have likely played the character with the same smirking, preening arrogance that he applied to Quinn in Season 3. I think after that, Jerry's ego took a massive hit and since then, his performances have rebounded significantly. His episode of SAMANTHA WHO was hilarious as he played a reformed mugger.
He was terrific in the MUNSTERS reboot. He is absurd and self-mocking on CARTER. He has plenty of voice work in animation, he earns a great living -- but his career isn't really that different from 2013. I don't think his feelings have changed: he lost his chance to play THE science hero, Peter Parker as Spider-Man, and now longs to play HIS science hero, Quinn Mallory. I don't think his enthusiasm for SLIDERS has waned; I think it was non-existent until 2002 and now it increases with each passing year. And I think Jerry would like to play Quinn again -- even for a meagre rate -- to play his science hero one more time.
]]>I think you have a point about the economics of audioplays. Amazon is a giant. Yet, Amazon Audible operated on a peanuts model for THE X-FILES. Rather than commission new material meant for the visualess format of audio drama, they used comic book scripts that need visuals to function. Why use something so unsuitable? Probably because they only needed to pay a small fee to writer Joe Harris to secure the material and didn't have to hire a writer; the director, Dirk Maggs, had to adapt the scripts to audio as part of his existing duties.
Amazon Audible hired David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson and many of the series' performers -- but they had replacement actors for Annabeth Gish (Reyes), Robert Patrick (Doggett), Nicholas Lea (Krycek), Steven Williams (X) and Jerry Hardin (Deep Throat). Not soundalikes -- just replacements. And the budget was so small that there were no rehearsals. The actors recorded it as they read it for the first time. It was like someone had assembled the play from the actors' voicemail messages. It sounded disconnected and detached.
Amazon clearly didn't see much earning potential in THE X-FILES and didn't want to invest in getting all the actors or a script suited to the medium or even a readthrough.
But I do think SLIDERS could work on audio as part of an initiative to create audio drama for a mainstream audience if NBCUniversal wants to try tapping into the podcast market with a small streaming service and a subscription fee that is low in cost but would be affordable for a high number of subscribers.
I can imagine NBCU Audio Originals as a brand headlined by SLIDERS, KOJAK, SEAQUEST, THE MUNSTERS, EUREKA, FARSCAPE and WAREHOUSE 13. I can see it as a low cost, high volume subscription service for podcasts. $5 a month. Entertainment for the commuter with earbuds or car stereo or for listening at home. Actors recording from home with equipment and sound blocking gear sent by courier.
Jerry and John shouldn't and wouldn't work for free. But if this hypothetical streaming service offered them a small upfront fee but a percentage of subscription gross based on the number of listens to the SLIDERS audioplays, they might sign for a year's worth of audio recording sessions with the caveat that if there is a second year, they need to be paid their usual rate upfront.
They already have a podcast division, believe it or not. Mostly to serve as an R&D lab. It's part of why I brought it up before, and also mentioned the need for a platform to get traffic. And that's the difficult part. They haven't really developed their audio channel yet and they still are trying to make peacock work. meanwhile, they just hired a new head or programming for everything yesterday. They have gone through some of the old executives being in charge of various things but they realize they don't really have the chops at this point. I see the podcast channel being an extension of peacock (which has a hybrid subscription/ad model in place) but you just know at this point they wouldn't be able to turn it around or focus on it enough. That said, if they ever do, I think it would be the avenue. It's just that it will be five years from now so.... at what point is there gonna be anyone left who cares about Sliders? It will literally be 30 years from the original's premiere and most fans will have aged out of 18-49 anyway or started to care about other things than make-believe entertainment.
The best time to have done something was really 2013 around. The problem was Tracy wasn't interested, and it took a long time for Jerry to even get interested in doing a reboot. He really only returned to it after yet another network drama failed. I feel like they probably missed the window and they possibly could have gotten somewhere with an aggressive push and managed expections.
But this is also part of why I pointed to that chrome extension audio reader the other day. As text-to-speech technology gets better and better, we are more likely to be able to get faux "books on tape" with all the sliders fan fic out there. It's a way for the world to live on.
And on the plus side, Jerry has really been doing well in his career the last year after a little bit of a rough patch. His own tv show, voice over work on cbs all access, he's in the movie "The Secret" and now "Ballbreaker." He frequently is on Bravo doing reality tv programming talk with Andy Cohen. He does fill-in hosting work on occasion. He has made a career as an actor and personality, and not every child star or actor in their 20s is able to work in their mid 40s. So I am happy for him he needs Sliders less and less at this point, where as at the peak of his interest, I think his motivation was so he could find a gig that worked and had an audience.
]]>Amazon Audible hired David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson and many of the series' performers -- but they had replacement actors for Annabeth Gish (Reyes), Robert Patrick (Doggett), Nicholas Lea (Krycek), Steven Williams (X) and Jerry Hardin (Deep Throat). Not soundalikes -- just replacements. And the budget was so small that there were no rehearsals. The actors recorded it as they read it for the first time. It was like someone had assembled the play from the actors' voicemail messages. It sounded disconnected and detached.
Amazon clearly didn't see much earning potential in THE X-FILES and didn't want to invest in getting all the actors or a script suited to the medium or even a readthrough.
But I do think SLIDERS could work on audio as part of an initiative to create audio drama for a mainstream audience if NBCUniversal wants to try tapping into the podcast market with a small streaming service and a subscription fee that is low in cost but would be affordable for a high number of subscribers.
I can imagine NBCU Audio Originals as a brand headlined by SLIDERS, KOJAK, SEAQUEST, THE MUNSTERS, EUREKA, FARSCAPE and WAREHOUSE 13. I can see it as a low cost, high volume subscription service for podcasts. $5 a month. Entertainment for the commuter with earbuds or car stereo or for listening at home. Actors recording from home with equipment and sound blocking gear sent by courier.
Jerry and John shouldn't and wouldn't work for free. But if this hypothetical streaming service offered them a small upfront fee but a percentage of subscription gross based on the number of listens to the SLIDERS audioplays, they might sign for a year's worth of audio recording sessions with the caveat that if there is a second year, they need to be paid their usual rate upfront.
]]>