Number6's Journal

Right now, I'm really enjoying Avatar: The Legend of Korra (I refuse to call it TLAB). Especially what glimpses we saw at the end of the last episode that I hope will get far more detail. But instead of talking directly about Korra, I want to talk about what might potentially come After Korra.

Okay, it's just started really, and a little early to make predictions or even be thinking about the far future... But I'm still marvelling over how we actually got a sequel, and it's not only very good, but also very different from the original series, when it struck me... "Wouldn't it be cool if we somehow got a complete cycle of Avatar stories, one for each element, each in a somewhat different genre?" Immediately after, I thought... "Never going to happen" (at least, as animation), and yet, the thought of "But what if?" persisted. I mean Korra takes place 70 years after Airbender and has appropriate technological jumps (it's a sort of a bit of 1920s vibe), so it only stands to reason that if they made yet another sequel, it would be another time jump.

So, here are my (not especially novel) ideas of what they might do with Earth and Fire avatars... ( Read more... )
Anyway, in my head it's all pretty cool.

But enough about Avatar. What else is there?

Well, right now, Game of Thrones, but I don't feel especially talky about it. I still really enjoy it, but it's just one of those things I don't really need to converse about a lot, partly because of worries of "okay, most of the story has already been told in advance, I just don't know it yet", so it's hard to speculate or anything without looking like a fool or having people give spoilers. But yes, I do very much like it.

Other than that, not much, a couple shows running out the clock, a couple that I don't care enough to talk about, and then it's just the wait until the next new thing's on.

So let's talk about the next new thing. It's almost time for the networks to announce their schedules for the next year, and while we don't have the list of shows, we do have lists of PILOTS that the networks have been considering.

Not every show that winds up on the schedule will necessarily come from this list (and certainly, most of the shows on this list won't be on the schedule), but it gives a sort of early peek at what I MIGHT be interested in. I don't have an easy link to all the pilots there are, I looked through a bunch of sources and made notes of which ones I might be interested in, or that are in my wheelhouse but I'm unsure about. So that's mostly going to be genre-stuff - SF, Fantasy, etc.

But pilots of note that are vying for spots next year that caught my interest:
( Read more... ) So, not super encouraging. Two worth an automatic check-out, one I'll probably look at mostly due to comic-loyalty, nine that I might look at if the trailers will look good, but I'm leaning towards passing on. And that's of the stuff that holds even the slightest interest to me at all. Everything else proposed is snoozeville. But that's just the main networks.

One cable network that has announced a bunch of upcoming shows in development is Syfy. Alas, it's no longer the Sci-Fi channel, either in name or in spirit, really, but at least it has a couple SF shows, movies, and miniserieses on the slate. Full announcement is here, (and far too much is lame reality shows), but I'll list a couple potential highlights behind the cut.
( Read more... )

A little bit with potential, and actually a better odds than all the mainstream networks, although not all of this is necessarily due for next year.

We'll see how things shake out in a few weeks when everything gets officially announced.

Okay, last time we dealt with the general universe outlay and how to handle announcing the reboot, now, finally, here's my interpretation of the 52 launch titles. I won't get into the creative teams, that's not my strong suit.( Read more... )

So, there we go, 52 books for my reboot. I thought about attempting the Reboot exercise on Marvel, but well, they already have the Ultimate Line, and I expect hardly anybody will read _this_ much less would be interested in What I'd Do With a rebooted Marvel universe (but if you are, let me know and I may change my mind). And of course, as always, any comments/your own ideas on the same general topic are always welcome.

It's been a while since I've done one of these, but, well, here's another.

So, the 80s have been strip-mined for material for a while. Remakes, reboots, reinterpretations. The latest (as I start this), is the release of the first look at the new Thundercats cartoon.

It doesn't look too bad, actually, based purely on look. Anime-esque, of course, which is not my favorite style, but I can live with it. But this is not about that.

The Thundercats peeks are what got me thinking along the "What I'd Do With..." lines. What would I do, if I could take an abandoned property from the 80s and remake it for the modern age.

The hard part would be choosing one that's not already been done, but surprisingly, I do have a choice, one that would have been in my top 3 even if I didn't limit myself in that way.

Dungeons and Dragons.


As usual, this is partly planned, partly extemporaneous thoughts, so sometimes I'll state an idea and then decide against it later, or come up with something on the fly and then get really excited about it. I should also not that I specifically decided NOT to try to rewatch the series in preparation for writing this. Last time I rewatched this it didn't live up to how awesome it was in my memories (production values and animations and stuff mainly), and I didn't want to suffer that again. Also, it would take a lot more time than I was willing to invest. So, although I did research, it was mostly reading up on fan sites, wikipedia entries, and such. Consequently, some of what I say might not be strictly speaking, correct. If I was doing it for real, I'd probably immerse myself much more in the original series, but for the purposes of this, my faulty memories and internet research are good enough.


As I see it, we have three basic approaches, and I'll deal with each in its own section:

1) The Reboot

This one, we do basically what Thundercats looks to be doing... taking the general premise and characters, but updating it and making a few changes.

So, the changes: ( Read more... )

So, that's option one. Option two is...

2) Dungeons & Dragons: The Next Generation
(maybe we could call it Advanced Dungeons & Dragons!)

This one's pretty self-explanatory. The original series all happened, and at some point, they came home, grew up, and (some of them, at least), had kids. When their kids are teenagers, they find a portal to the Realm, and begin having their own adventures. Presumably we'd have Hank and Sheila's kids, maybe one kid of Diana and Eric, and a couple who are just unrelated. I imagine Hank and Sheila's kids being the nucleus of the show, which allows us to bring their parents in later.

So, the details:( Read more... )

You know, I'm actually loving this setup. If I wasn't creating it, I'd totally watch it. Well, I suppose that's not saying much because if I didn't like it I'd hardly be doing it, but, still. Obviously the main characters need to be fleshed out more, but in terms of general concept, I like. Even if we did have Rusty the Team Pet.

But, since many things come in threes, there's still a third option to if I had a chance to make a modern Dungeons and Dragons cartoon. This one is more pet-projectish. It's:

3) The Throw-it-all-out-but-the-title-and-a-concept-or-two
And probably won't even keep the title.

But let's strip down the Dungeons & Dragons (cartoon) concept to it's most basic level, IMHO: It's about a bunch of modern teens travelling through a fantasy universe.

If that and that alone was the directive for creating a show, I wouldn't reboot Dungeons and Dragons, or make a sequel (well, maybe I would, I'd probably have trouble deciding, honestly... but let's say for whatever reason the other options are off the table). I would look to my all-time favorite campaign setting, one built around magic portals and the idea that somebody from ANYWHERE could wind up there.

That's Planescape. For those who don't know, it was an AD&D 2nd edition campaign setting, based around Planar Travel. ( Read more... )

Anyway, it would focus on a group of kids on Earth who open up one of the only portals to Sigil. I'm thinking we have some of the characters have a family history... their parents came from the outer planes and settled on Earth because it was one of the safest places, there are only a handful of portals there, and the keys are very rare. More details behind the cut.
( Read more... )

So, there it is. 3 Dungeons & Dragons style shows for the modern age. Which would I choose, given the choice? I think.... it's between the Next Generation, and the Planescape-style one, because I could make it more mine. I'd probably choose Next Generation to WATCH, and Planescape if I was going to create one.

But I wouldn't turn up my nose at watching or producing any of the three options. So, if you run a network and happen to have the license to produce such a show... please, hire me and give me a show-runner position! Or steal my ideas and give me something good to watch.

And if you don't, just comment, if you feel so inclined.

(As usual, the WIDW tag contains all the prior installments of What I'd Do With...).

Continued from last post. First post of this whole series is here, for explanation purposes.

Before, I continue, a few comments on the last part that LJ didn't let me post cause it was too long:
( Read more... )

And on to the new:( Read more... )

Comments always welcome.
Edit: My final set of outlines, carrying up to issue #43 and with some rougher ideas sketched out beyond that, is now posted here.

This is year 3 of my Runaways Alternate Volume 3. See that post for explanations of what this is all about. Previous chunk is here. A bit rushed due to trying to get it out before NaNo month, so excuse typos.
( Read more... )
Here's a good time to break, since LJ won't let me post stuff too long.
Next Post, issues #31 to #36, back to the main plot of the year.

Continued from last post. First post of this whole series is here, for explanation purposes.

Let's get right to it.
( Read more... )
Edit: Now continued here.

Okay, so here's a continuation of my last WIDW, which was what I'd do with if I was writing Runaways

Vol 3 (in outline form, rather than full script or anything. Read the first post for my general rules of play and explanations for this, and of course for the first batch of issues. We'll start here with the next 12 issues, #12-24 (spread over two posts)
( Read more... )
Continued here.

Continued from last post.
( Read more... )

Edit: Now continued here.
All my WIDWs are here.

Yes, it's time for another big long post that probably only entertains me, and I don't really expect anybody to read. But I've mentioned it offhandedly in a few posts, that I've been writing down my own sort of "alternate Volume 3 of Runaways", sort of a what might happen if, in some alternate universe, I was told to write Runaways instead of Terry Moore. Well, I've finished up to issue #12, and that seems like a good place to take a break and start posting it.

General introductory comments:( Read more... )

We begin:( Read more... )

continued next post, i write too much for LJ apparently.

Gateworld has an interview with Ben Browder, mostly general history and a little on the series he's working on developing (as a writer), a bit on Farscape and Stargate and his semi-acting rivalry with Nathan Fillion.

Also of interest, to Stargate Altantis fans, one of the producers gave a breakdown of what episodes the 6th season might have had, if it had gotten one. Apparently they were far enough along that they had ideas, even if many were ideas that couldn't fit in the previous year. Some potential spoilers, in that any of the elements there might be reused, and they say some might be factors in the SG:A DVD movie. Most interesting is, to me, (spoilers just for Atlantis finale, not for the future) ( Read more... )

Also related: Joseph Mallozzi's "Best 4 SG:A Episodes I never got to write". Somewhat more detailed.

A couple of the (collective) episodes sound kinda cool and I'm a little disappointed we'll never get to see them. Also they had some ideas I've had, too, proving once again, I should TOTALLY write for Stargate! ;) Anyway, I wish I could tap into parallel worlds sometimes just so I could see all these 'what might have beens!'. Or Nathan Fillion as John Crichton in Farscape!)

Speaking of Fillion, remember Doctor Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog? Well, Whedon has said that it will continue in some form, but he's not sure what the form is. It may not be an internet series anymore. I dunno, I'm in as long as it's not a "I'll continue it as a comic book!", because it has to stay a musical! ;)

Anyway, talking with locker_monster the other day, I mentioned off-handedly that they should get Summer Glau in the sequel, and make use of her trained ballerina skills. The idea was good for a few seconds of amusement, but it also stuck with me and came to me this morning before I left for work. And I have a longish (45 minute or so) walk to work, in which it's generally too dark to read, so my mind tends to latch on any old thing and work on it. I came up with the idea of having all of Doctor Horrible's major enemies being Firefly actors. Yes, I know it's unlikely and impractical he'd ever do anything like it, but amusing (to me, which is all that counts).

So, the product of my thinking on the way to work (and a little bit after), behind the cut. It's just silly fluff, but might be worth a chuckle. I present to you: the heroic counterparts to the Evil League of Evil!

( Read more... )

Edit: Oh yeah, and Doc Horrible fans in Canada, apparently the glitches with Canadian distribution are over and you should be able to reorder from amazon.ca.

Edit2: Although technically my Doctor Horrible ideas isn't a "What I'd Do With..." entry, I'm adding the tag anyway because it's related and it'll make it easier to find it again when I want to reread it. Yes, I like rereading my own ideas, I'm lame.