"Masters of Science Fiction" too artistic for ABC

[Sugar]

Love this headline!

I'm not really a big sci-fi chick, but I love short stories, so this sounds like it could have some promise. God know it's gotta be better than 98 percent of the programming out there.

http://www.reuters.com/article/revie...42298520070803

"Masters of Science Fiction" too artistic for ABC

Thu Aug 2, 2007 8:14PM EDT

Power. Price. Service. No Compromises. By Ray Richmond

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - This is what happens to an original series at ABC when its mercurial entertainment president Stephen McPherson doesn't like it: It gets put on hold for more than a year, trimmed from six episodes to four and then buried deep within the bowels of television Siberia.

That's what they call it when you air Saturday nights at 10 in August. It simply wouldn't be possible for a broadcast network to more effectively guarantee that a series be viewed exclusively by close friends and family members of the production team, unless they cut the national signal and screened it instead on someone's front porch.

But this, alas, is the fate that has befallen "Masters of Science Fiction," and the shame of it is that from the looks of the first two hour-long installments, the network is appallingly firing a fatal bullet through an anthology project of genuine artistic vision. The problem is, it apparently doesn't track as nearly shallow enough for the suits whose job it is to prevent pretty much anything that's unique and imaginative from accidentally leaking out to the public.

But hey, as long as there's room in sweeps for such literary masterpieces as "National Bingo Night" and "Shaq's Big Challenge," ABC should remain safely insulated from most programming that could somehow be construed as brainier than your average speed-dating mixer.

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by Sugar

Love this headline!

I'm not really a big sci-fi chick, but I love short stories, so this sounds like it could have some promise. God know it's gotta be better than 98 percent of the programming out there.

http://www.reuters.com/article/revie...42298520070803

"Masters of Science Fiction" too artistic for ABC

Thu Aug 2, 2007 8:14PM EDT

Power. Price. Service. No Compromises. By Ray Richmond

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - This is what happens to an original series at ABC when its mercurial entertainment president Stephen McPherson doesn't like it: It gets put on hold for more than a year, trimmed from six episodes to four and then buried deep within the bowels of television Siberia.

That's what they call it when you air Saturday nights at 10 in August. It simply wouldn't be possible for a broadcast network to more effectively guarantee that a series be viewed exclusively by close friends and family members of the production team, unless they cut the national signal and screened it instead on someone's front porch.

But this, alas, is the fate that has befallen "Masters of Science Fiction," and the shame of it is that from the looks of the first two hour-long installments, the network is appallingly firing a fatal bullet through an anthology project of genuine artistic vision. The problem is, it apparently doesn't track as nearly shallow enough for the suits whose job it is to prevent pretty much anything that's unique and imaginative from accidentally leaking out to the public.

But hey, as long as there's room in sweeps for such literary masterpieces as "National Bingo Night" and "Shaq's Big Challenge," ABC should remain safely insulated from most programming that could somehow be construed as brainier than your average speed-dating mixer.

what's the premise? can you give us any more info?

[Serrart]

I've seen four episodes at Rome Fiction festival. They're really great, beautifully acted and directed. I especially liked the one with Judy Davis and Sam Waterston. Besides, the producers said they want to go on, continuing with other genres, like comedy or thriller.

Romy

[Sugar]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

what's the premise? can you give us any more info?

You can click on the link for more info. Each episode is based on a different short story and has it's own cast.

[Sugar]

Originally Posted by Serrart

I've seen four episodes at Rome Fiction festival. They're really great, beautifully acted and directed. I especially liked the one with Judy Davis and Sam Waterston. Besides, the producers said they want to go on, continuing with other genres, like comedy or thriller.

Romy

From what I can tell there are only four episodes right now, and I've been hearing that they're very well done. Glad to know you think so too! Would be cool if they would keep it going with othe genres, of course my fear is that there just won't be an audience for them since Americans seem to prefer crap TV.

[Serrart]

Originally Posted by Sugar

From what I can tell there are only four episodes right now, and I've been hearing that they're very well done. Glad to know you think so too! Would be cool if they would keep it going with othe genres, of course my fear is that there just won't be an audience for them since Americans seem to prefer crap TV.

I guess the producers think the same, because they've been working more and more on coproductions with Europe. They said that they were also expecting a bigger interest from Europe and other Countries than from US tv. Their intention was to bring back the kind of science fiction not based on special effects but the one able to talk about real issues, between the genre's rules. And they succeded, IMO.

Romy

[irishgrl]

is it similar to the old outer limits and twilight zone shows?

sounds like it.....

[Serrart]

Originally Posted by irishgrl

is it similar to the old outer limits and twilight zone shows?

sounds like it.....

The quality of the writing, the acting and the direction (many of the directors have done movies, like Michael Tolkin and Mark Rydell) is more cinema-like. Anyway, I've attached a couple of files with some more informations (in both of them there also the text in English).

Romy