LucianG
February 14th, 2003, 09:19 PM
Someone suggested that remaking The Hulk, scheduled for release in August of this year, is akin to remaking Battlestar Galactica. I really don't see it that way, so perhaps the title of this thread should be "Comparing Hulk remake to BG--NOT!" or something equally silly. Seriously, I belive there are major differences, and others may be able to suggest even more.
First, The Hulk didn't originate on the screen. The character had been in the comic books for a number of years before the tv show began. Battlestar Galactica, on the other hand, originated on tv, so the only frame of reference fans have is to the original characters, same as with Star Trek or Star Wars. When the comic books came out, the characters generally looked like the actors. When people think of Starbuck, they "see" Dirk Benedict.
Second, when The Hulk hit the air, it was already significantly different than the original material. Yes, some people complained at that time that it was different, that David wasn't Bruce, etc. Battlestar Galactica WAS the original material, so there was nothing to which it could be compared. Sure, some people claimed that it was a Star Wars rip-off, but anyone who watched the show could see that though there were visual similarities, it was new and different.
Sadly, a continuation of The Hulk series is no longer possible without recasting the lead character, since Bill Bixby died of cancer sometime ago. In The Hulk, time does not enhance the show since it is not meant to be an epic. Sadly, too, Lorne Greene and John Colicos of Battlestar Galactica, have passed, but there are a couple of major differences when it comes to a possible continuation. Unlike The Hulk series, Battlestar Galactica had an ensemble cast. Two of the three main characters are still alive and eager to continue their roles. More importantly, because of the nature of the story, a continuation twenty to thirty years after the original actually adds to the epic nature of the story. The human fight for survival is not told in just a season or a mini-series, but over the course of countless years. By picking up and going forward as a continuation after all these years, the epic nature of the work is enhanced, opening the possibility of many new storylines for characters, both new and original.
Finally and perhaps most importantly, there is not a large fan base of The Hulk out there actively campaigning for a continuation of the tv show. The show ran its course. In a very brief, very unscientific sampling, I located two websites dedicated to the original series, and both were linked to the same Hulk discussion board. Battlestar Galactica was never given that chance to mature as a series, so many of us still campaign for it, including a great number of webmasters running websites dedicated to the show. There are many more people who would love to see it return to continue with some of the original characters, actors, and actresses, and with the original themes.
What difference does this make? Evidently, in the eyes of those in charge of the new BG production, very little. Still, as a fan of the original show, I'm going to keep trying to pound the point across to TPTB that a continuation, or at minimum, a prequel or distant sequel that preserves the original, is the best option. Sometimes, thinking of it really makes me angry. Oh no! I think I hear my shirt ripping!
:)
Tony
First, The Hulk didn't originate on the screen. The character had been in the comic books for a number of years before the tv show began. Battlestar Galactica, on the other hand, originated on tv, so the only frame of reference fans have is to the original characters, same as with Star Trek or Star Wars. When the comic books came out, the characters generally looked like the actors. When people think of Starbuck, they "see" Dirk Benedict.
Second, when The Hulk hit the air, it was already significantly different than the original material. Yes, some people complained at that time that it was different, that David wasn't Bruce, etc. Battlestar Galactica WAS the original material, so there was nothing to which it could be compared. Sure, some people claimed that it was a Star Wars rip-off, but anyone who watched the show could see that though there were visual similarities, it was new and different.
Sadly, a continuation of The Hulk series is no longer possible without recasting the lead character, since Bill Bixby died of cancer sometime ago. In The Hulk, time does not enhance the show since it is not meant to be an epic. Sadly, too, Lorne Greene and John Colicos of Battlestar Galactica, have passed, but there are a couple of major differences when it comes to a possible continuation. Unlike The Hulk series, Battlestar Galactica had an ensemble cast. Two of the three main characters are still alive and eager to continue their roles. More importantly, because of the nature of the story, a continuation twenty to thirty years after the original actually adds to the epic nature of the story. The human fight for survival is not told in just a season or a mini-series, but over the course of countless years. By picking up and going forward as a continuation after all these years, the epic nature of the work is enhanced, opening the possibility of many new storylines for characters, both new and original.
Finally and perhaps most importantly, there is not a large fan base of The Hulk out there actively campaigning for a continuation of the tv show. The show ran its course. In a very brief, very unscientific sampling, I located two websites dedicated to the original series, and both were linked to the same Hulk discussion board. Battlestar Galactica was never given that chance to mature as a series, so many of us still campaign for it, including a great number of webmasters running websites dedicated to the show. There are many more people who would love to see it return to continue with some of the original characters, actors, and actresses, and with the original themes.
What difference does this make? Evidently, in the eyes of those in charge of the new BG production, very little. Still, as a fan of the original show, I'm going to keep trying to pound the point across to TPTB that a continuation, or at minimum, a prequel or distant sequel that preserves the original, is the best option. Sometimes, thinking of it really makes me angry. Oh no! I think I hear my shirt ripping!
:)
Tony