LOST IN SPACE 2004 pilot
Anim8rFSK
Boy, howdy, what a stinkbomb.
Chock full of characters you don't care about.
Penny is now a baby, and the kids don't want to go into space, making
the parents just seem abusive.
The thing that mostly amazed me was the waste. They don't get off by
themselves in the Jupiter 2 until the last few moments. The whole rest
of it is expensive sets and characters that are discarded at the end.
All money and resources wasted. And no feeling at all for what the
series will be like.
I don't know what they were thinking, but I can sure see why it didn't
sell.
--
Jitterbug phones:
Fourth one is in hand. Doesn't work. Again.
Billing is all wrong. Again.
Avoid at all costs.
WQ
> Just had the misfortune to watch this.
>
> Boy, howdy, what a stinkbomb.
>
> Chock full of characters you don't care about.
>
> Penny is now a baby, and the kids don't want to go into space, making
> the parents just seem abusive.
>
> The thing that mostly amazed me was the waste. They don't get off by
> themselves in the Jupiter 2 until the last few moments. The whole rest
> of it is expensive sets and characters that are discarded at the end.
> All money and resources wasted. And no feeling at all for what the
> series will be like.
>
> I don't know what they were thinking, but I can sure see why it didn't
> sell.
--- Fortunately, I haven't had the misfortune of watching it, but it
sounds so typical of a lot of pilots, particularly remakes these days
of series past. Seems like they always have to get into a lot of
superfluous and/or soapy character stuff before they plunge into the
real meat and potatoes of things, if you even get a full plate of meat
and potatoes. Usually it's just a teaser of a taste of what to expect
that's often left unfulfilled as the series progresses. This only
illustrates what was great about the originals: they just plunged
right into what the show was supposed to be about right at the start
and worried about any character stuff, if there ever was any, later
on.
Russell Watson
wrote:
>Just had the misfortune to watch this.
>
>Boy, howdy, what a stinkbomb.
>
>Chock full of characters you don't care about.
>
>Penny is now a baby, and the kids don't want to go into space, making
>the parents just seem abusive.
>
>The thing that mostly amazed me was the waste. They don't get off by
>themselves in the Jupiter 2 until the last few moments. The whole rest
>of it is expensive sets and characters that are discarded at the end.
>All money and resources wasted. And no feeling at all for what the
>series will be like.
>
>I don't know what they were thinking, but I can sure see why it didn't
>sell.
Where did you see it? Is it available online?
Taylor
>
> - Show quoted text -
If it sucked worse than the William Hurt/Mimi Rogers/Matt LeBlanc/
*Jack Johnson*/Gary Oldman movie, I'd be highly surprised.
'Lost In Space' (1998)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120738/
Anim8rFSK
<32952a99-61cb-41b0...@l1g2000hsa.googlegroups.com>,
Taylor <tay...@live.ca> wrote:
It actually did.
The movie was vile, mostly at the script level, but at least it had an
interesting cast and visuals. The pilot was lacking in pretty much
every area. And it was boooooooooring.
Alric Knebel
> Just had the misfortune to watch this.
>
> Boy, howdy, what a stinkbomb.
>
> Chock full of characters you don't care about.
>
> Penny is now a baby, and the kids don't want to go into space, making
> the parents just seem abusive.
>
> The thing that mostly amazed me was the waste. They don't get off by
> themselves in the Jupiter 2 until the last few moments. The whole rest
> of it is expensive sets and characters that are discarded at the end.
> All money and resources wasted. And no feeling at all for what the
> series will be like.
>
> I don't know what they were thinking, but I can sure see why it didn't
> sell.
There's a good series waiting to be made, if the right people get behind
it. Back in the day of the original run, sci-fi was considered
something for children, and all drama was rooted out as a result. That
movie that was made back in the 90s could have been good, but for some
reason, they thought it was necessary to add an animated "dwarp," this
springy, comical looking thing that didn't fit in visually with the rest
of the film. I remember I cussed when I saw it, scratching my head as
to why anyone involved with this film thought it needed THAT.
Anyway, they might take another shot at it again in a few years. There
really is something there to work with. Look at what they did to
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. Far superior to that space opera from the 80s.
--
_________________
Alric Knebel
http://www.ironeyefortress.com/C-SPAN_loon.html
http://www.ironeyefortress.com
Alric Knebel
I find the original series just about unwatchable. Cheesy beyond what's
tolerable for a grownup.
Patrick Joseph Mc Namara
"Anim8rFSK" <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:ANIM8Rfsk-0A41A...@news.phx.highwinds-media.com...
The biggest problem with the movie was the script. They had good actors,
good special effects and good music. If they had a decent script we could
have had another movie franchise like Star Trek. With the bad pilot it
almost sounds like this title is cursed.
--
Patrick Joseph McNamara
E-mail: writer...@yahoo.com
Webpage: www.geocities.com/writerpatrick
Blog: http://writerpatrick.spaces.msn.com
Podcasts: http://podcastping.blogspot.com- poetry and podsafe music
and: http://thesilentpen.blogspot.com - an examination of writer's block
Ken from Chicago
"Anim8rFSK" <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:ANIM8Rfsk-0A41A...@news.phx.highwinds-media.com...
They did it wrong. They made the kids younger when they shoulda been older.
However the basis for a good movie or even tv series are there.
Ifiddahaddabeenme:
Professor John Robinson--Astrophysicist / engineer, mid 40s, inventor of a
revolutionary new warp drive. Instead of months travelling between stars,
you travel in hours or minutes. It's like going from Old World sailing to
the New World in the mid 2nd millennia ala Christopher Columbus to the 3rd
millennium travelling by flight. That's your paradigm shift. He's the brain
behind the Jupiter II's new FTL drive.
Doctor Maureen Robinson--General Practicioner, mid 40s, skilled
diagnostician and over all "family doctor", met and fell in love with John
in college in basic Science courses.
Doctor Judy Robinson--Psychologist, mid 20s, specializing in
Astropsychology, the effect of space on the human mind. As the eldest
offspring of John and Maureen, she blended both of their specialities and
added her own twist. It's her idea that lead to the Jupiter have such
spacious quarters to combat the increased effect of claustrophobia that many
long-time space dwellers seem susceptible to.
Penny Robinson--Archaeology college major, late teens, while the rest of the
family seem focused on the future, she, the middle child, gained a fondness
for the past. She appreciated the notion that to know where we (could be)
are going it behooves us to know where we have been. Her knowledge of
societies has allowed her to make positive contributions on the design of
colony the Jupiter II is *scheduled* to go to.
Will Robinson--Computer prodigy, early teens, youngest of the space family,
Robinsons, and most like his dad. However where his dad focused more on
science and hardware, Will focused more on mathematics and software. Some of
breakthrus in programming prove crucial to some of the subsystems of the
Jupiter II--and vital to the development of the mission's Remote
Observational Binary-Operational Teammate.
R.O.B.O.T.--The mission's Remote Observational Binary-Operational Teammate
is "binary-operational" in that it can operate in two modes: autonomously,
technically, more of an android, the more familiar way we're used to
thinking of them but also by telepresence, by direct human control, more as
a robot. While capable of attack, defense, transportation, it's main modus
operandi is observation, monitoring, scanning, even acting as a ... warning
... system for the mission.
Major Don West--Military pilot, late 20s, he was chosen by John to be the
pilot for the mission because of his past history with Don having
test-piloted some of John's early designed spacecraft and engines. It's
during that time that Don first met and dated and broke up with Judy for a
career in the military, unbeknownst to John, focused on his work, tho known
to the rest of the family. This creates tension when Penny takes a fondness
to Don and he reciprocates.
Doctor Zachary Smith--Government physician, late 40s, would-be specialist,
but repeatedly passed over for more "diplomatic" undeserving physicians and
researchers who had contacts or friends in high places--at least that's his
story and he's sticking to it.
The pilot episode begins Smith waking up wondering what's going on. The
Robinsons explain there was a major malfunction following launch. The ROBOT
was infested with some kind of virus during final system check, damaged
communications, warp drive, and some of the data storage onboard ship. Don
blames terrorists and suspects Smith. Maureen counters that it's unlikely,
that she had found traces of a knock-out drug in his system causing amnesia
for the past 20-30 hours--something Smith jolts on hearing that the rest
don't notice as they are focused on Don and Maureen arguing, except for John
who's focused on repairing the ship and Will on repairing the ROBOT.
John announces interstellar communications is out, the warp drive control
crystal is damaged, meaning they can jump but can't control where. The
system controls are design to scan for and automatically take them out of
FTL if they approach a gravity wells so they don't have to worry about
jumping into a star, planet, moon, etc. However they need to replace the
crystal to guarantee returning to Earth or Alpha Centauri or any of the
known space travel routes because they are way off course.
Speaking of gravity wells, they come across an Earthlike planet an opt to
land for closer look at the ship from outside for repairs and hopefully find
the mineral needed to replace the warp crystal. During said time Smith
slowly regains his memory and the audience finds out the truth of his past
and the secret he holds that's crucial for his, the family's and Earth's
survival (which have nothing to do with Smith hallucinating about a blonde
woman in slinky red dress claiming to be a robot). We also get to Will put
the ROBOT thru its paces scouting and patrolling the area--and yes, warning
Will of incoming unidentified danger.
A series would allow various perspectives of situations from coldly
analytically, biologically, psychologically, anthropologically and
militaristically--and conspiratorially. Aside from the possible romantic
triangle between Judy, Don and Penny, the mentor triangle between John, Will
and Smith, the buddy triangle between Will, Smith and Robot, not to mention
the simple adult friendship between John, Maureen and Don, we get to see the
family bond--since a recurring theme is they all like cryptograms, puzzles
and mysteries.
-- Ken from Chicago
Ken from Chicago
"Alric Knebel" <al...@cableone.net> wrote in message
news:GLqdnc3LNPRcpwba...@giganews.com...
> Anim8rFSK wrote:
>> Just had the misfortune to watch this.
>>
>> Boy, howdy, what a stinkbomb.
>>
>> Chock full of characters you don't care about.
>>
>> Penny is now a baby, and the kids don't want to go into space, making the
>> parents just seem abusive.
>>
>> The thing that mostly amazed me was the waste. They don't get off by
>> themselves in the Jupiter 2 until the last few moments. The whole rest
>> of it is expensive sets and characters that are discarded at the end.
>> All money and resources wasted. And no feeling at all for what the
>> series will be like.
>>
>> I don't know what they were thinking, but I can sure see why it didn't
>> sell.
>
> There's a good series waiting to be made, if the right people get behind
Agreed. Look upthread.
> it. Back in the day of the original run, sci-fi was considered something
> for children, and all drama was rooted out as a result. That movie that
> was made back in the 90s could have been good, but for some reason, they
> thought it was necessary to add an animated "dwarp," this springy, comical
> looking thing that didn't fit in visually with the rest of the film. I
> remember I cussed when I saw it, scratching my head as to why anyone
> involved with this film thought it needed THAT.
>
> Anyway, they might take another shot at it again in a few years. There
> really is something there to work with. Look at what they did to
> BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. Far superior to that space opera from the 80s.
>
>
> --
> _________________
> Alric Knebel
>
> http://www.ironeyefortress.com/C-SPAN_loon.html
> http://www.ironeyefortress.com
-- Ken from Chicago
Steven L.
> Speaking of gravity wells, they come across an Earthlike planet an opt to
> land for closer look at the ship from outside for repairs and hopefully find
> the mineral needed to replace the warp crystal. During said time Smith
> slowly regains his memory and the audience finds out the truth of his past
> and the secret he holds that's crucial for his, the family's and Earth's
> survival (which have nothing to do with Smith hallucinating about a blonde
> woman in slinky red dress claiming to be a robot). We also get to Will put
> the ROBOT thru its paces scouting and patrolling the area--and yes, warning
> Will of incoming unidentified danger.
>
> A series would allow various perspectives of situations from coldly
> analytically, biologically, psychologically, anthropologically and
> militaristically--and conspiratorially. Aside from the possible romantic
> triangle between Judy, Don and Penny, the mentor triangle between John, Will
> and Smith, the buddy triangle between Will, Smith and Robot, not to mention
> the simple adult friendship between John, Maureen and Don, we get to see the
> family bond--since a recurring theme is they all like cryptograms, puzzles
> and mysteries.
The problem is that this starts to sound too much like "Space: 1999".
Even the way you defined John and Maureen Robinson are very reminiscent
of Cmdr. Koenig and Helena Russell.
I think the problem is finding a niche that hasn't been occupied before.
Here's my suggestion: "Big Brother In Space" or maybe "Desperate
Housewives in Space".
That is, I would drop the youngsters altogether; all the kids are at
least 16 years old (so you cast the parents as middle-aged, which is
more appropriate for experienced astronauts). The reason is I want to
be able to have episodes in which the kids "come of age"--start dating,
losing their virginity, etc.
And I would really amp up the sex. Ever since the space program
started, people have wondered what sex in weightlessness would look
like. With today's SFX, we can finally show that. So Judy would have
her first sexual experience with Don in weightlessness.
--
Steven L.
Email: sdli...@earthlinkNOSPAM.net
Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me.
WQ
> WQwrote:
---Yes, the original series was pretty bad, but its original unaired
pilot was remarkably well done. Why the series turned out to be more
like a bad Saturday morning cartoon than a watchable primetime one,
I'll never know. But I was referring more to the practice of screwing
up remade pilots and movies today with those past series that worked,
i.e. The Avengers, The Saint, The Wild Wild West, etc.
Jack Bohn
>They did it wrong. They made the kids younger when they shoulda been older.
>However the basis for a good movie or even tv series are there.
>Ifiddahaddabeenme:
[snip Ken's series bible, by now you should know he thinks the
heroes of a show should be competent people doing interesting
things.]
>A series would allow various perspectives of situations from coldly
>analytically, biologically, psychologically, anthropologically and
>militaristically--and conspiratorially. Aside from the possible romantic
>triangle between Judy, Don and Penny, the mentor triangle between John, Will
>and Smith, the buddy triangle between Will, Smith and Robot, not to mention
>the simple adult friendship between John, Maureen and Don, we get to see the
>family bond--since a recurring theme is they all like cryptograms, puzzles
>and mysteries.
That would be interesting, if we could get good writers to do
good science puzzle stories. (Hmm... an alien civilization
claims their spaceship is indestructible... so what killed the
crew making a close-in observation of a neutron star?)
But, come on, this is still Lost in Space. Unless you rule
production with an iron fist, someone will add Gleep the space
monkey. (Oh, the pain... the pain...)
--
-Jack
Anim8rFSK
What we got was:
John Robinson-- recently retired war hero, moves to a new base (on
Earth) every year of his kids' entire life, but is away 10 months out of
every year anyway, so I have no idea why the family needed to relocate
at all. Not a professor.
>
> Doctor Maureen Robinson--General Practicioner, mid 40s, skilled
> diagnostician and over all "family doctor"
That we got. They're moving to a farming colony that needs doctors.
But she's the only doctor, and they're taking along 5 people with
nothing to contribute. Not a very good ratio.
>
Judy Robinson--teenage mole covered girl, doesn't want to go, no skills,
nothing of interest. Doesn't like her Dad. Or Mom. Pretty.
>
Penny Robinson--newborn baby. Probably won't like her Dad.
>
Will Robinson--Wesley Crusher as a 9 year old. Doesn't like his Dad.
>
R.O.B.O.T.--Will built this incarnation of the robot, which is non
ambulatory. Just sits in a suitcase. Smuggled aboard. Probably
doesn't like Will's Dad.
>
Major Don West--TEENAGER. Or really really young. Youngest pilot or
whatever ever. Spent the night with Judy before the launch, and came
away covered in moles as well. Likes Dad Robinson!
>
Doctor Zachary Smith--No Smith. Instead we got an older brother, pretty
much interchangeable with Don, except not interesting in any way.
Doesn't like his Dad.