Space 1999 Reboot on the way.
ITV Studios America and HDFILMS announced plans for a reimagining of the classic 1970s Space 1999.  The remake series will be called Space 2099. The show is still in the development phase and has not been shopped to the networks yet.
HDFILMS president Jace Hall said:
“Science fiction is a powerful format capable of visualizing the human condition in thought-provoking ways,”
Hall, who recently revived V for ABC,  will spearhead the the series as well as executive produce.
Hall:
“While we are indeed re-imagining the franchise and bringing something new and relevant to today’s audiences,” “I feel strongly that some of the overall tones set by the original Space: 1999 television show represent an exciting platform to explore possibilities.â€Â
ITV Studios International Managing Director Paul Buccieri:
“After more than 35 years, we are thrilled to be developing a new vision of our much beloved franchise for audiences worldwide. Historically, the Space: 1999 brand has entertained and fascinated millions of people.”
To be honest I’m not sure how I feel about this. Space 1999 could certainly benefit from the special effects and production values of today, but its very rare that a modern remake/reboot/retooling/reimagining actually works. They usually change something that was integral to the success of the original, to “make it appeal to a modern audience”, which generally translates to “Put lots of explosions and love triangles in, Oh and don’t make the audience think too much”.
Rant Mode On:
There are two levels of TV shows produced today. Shows like Doctor Who, Supernatural, or Game of Thrones that I watch. Then there are shows like V (the remake), BSG (the remake), Once Upon a Time, Sanctuary, or Terra Nova that I watch with my laptop in front of me checking twitter/e-mail/reading news, or posting articles/Facebook entries. My point being the second type I can watch while doing other things and still not miss anything plot wise, which tells me there is a lot of padding or unimportant story. The first type requires me to think about the storylines, and are a much more enjoyable viewing experience.
Rant More Off:ÂÂ
I also question the decision to put the guy who was in charge of the V remake, you know the one that flopped after 2 half seasons, in charge of this new remake.
That said I will most definetly check out Space 2099 when it first airs to see if they somehow manage to rebottle the magic of the original, but I won’t be holding my breath.
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Ok, this could be interesting. Let’s compare this potential series to the reimagined BSG, and say it is very possible for this to be succesful, with a bit of tweaking in the storytelling. BSG’s success was definitely based on its complicated characters, their conflicts, an overarching mythology, the gritty realism in the action sequences, and sympathetic music.
Now SPACE: 1999 also had a mythology thread, but it was never really explored enough (The feeling that the Alphans’ survival in Deep Space was guided by Divine Intervention), except perhaps in “The Black Sun” episode. This could work, with the right tools!!!