Seek the Six
August 30, 2008 1:05 PM   Subscribe

 
There are some shows for which a remake is impossible. That show was of a time and place, and of certain actors. A modern remake, no matter how well intentioned, cannot possibly stack up.

Have they run out of new ideas? What next, a remake of Blakes 7?
posted by Class Goat at 1:23 PM on August 30, 2008


> What next, a remake of Blakes 7?

Yes.
posted by The Card Cheat at 1:33 PM on August 30, 2008 [1 favorite]


Class goat, have you been in London, or any other city, lately. Yes, the Prisoner was of a time and place, but given that every square inch of the first world has spent the past ten years or so morphing into The Village, I don't think a clever director is going to have any trouble at all making the time and place be here and now.

OK, no weird bouncy weather balloon special effects. Instead we just declare people terrorists and take them to an undisclosed location. Forever. Except for the ones who just get shot in the head.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 1:34 PM on August 30, 2008


Jim Caviezel is best known for his role in The Thin Red Line.

That's certainly true for me - TRL is my all-time favorite war film - but I'd guess that the majority knows him best as Jesus
posted by mannequito at 1:34 PM on August 30, 2008


Blakes 8! Finally!
posted by davemee at 1:36 PM on August 30, 2008


Class goat, have you been in London, or any other city, lately. Yes, the Prisoner was of a time and place, but given that every square inch of the first world has spent the past ten years or so morphing into The Village, I don't think a clever director is going to have any trouble at all making the time and place be here and now.

You misunderstand my point. Maybe they can make a good story about societal mind control and attempts to make people toe the line. It might even be good. But it won't be "The Prisoner". It'll be something else trying to pretend to be "The Prisoner", and not succeeding.

If I understand what I read, one big change they're making is that the same actor is going to play Number 2 all the way through the series, and that alone guarantees that it won't be remotely the same. Part of the original story was that 2's come and go, all different, yet deep down all the same.

Seems to me that this will be like the movie version of "Starship Troopers". I haven't seen it, but I know some people like it. That said, it isn't the same story as Heinlein's book. It just borrows some character names, and a bit of an idea of the enemy, and tosses the essence of what made that book what it was. (I don't mean the powered armor, either; it's really about political philosophy.)
posted by Class Goat at 1:51 PM on August 30, 2008


I am not a number! I am the way, the truth, and the life!
posted by homunculus at 1:52 PM on August 30, 2008 [2 favorites]


Oh wow. The first and only TV episodic I have in my DVD library. Gonna have to fire that up tonight... then annoy all my coworkers with "Be seeing you!" salutes this week...
posted by cavalier at 1:54 PM on August 30, 2008 [1 favorite]


Personally I'd have cast Hugh Laurie as Number Six and Stephen Fry as Number 2. Not that that's of any relevance.
posted by Grangousier at 2:11 PM on August 30, 2008 [5 favorites]


If the remake involves beating up Jim Caviezel every episode, it might be worth watching. Otherwise, I dare not spoil my good memories of the original.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:18 PM on August 30, 2008


Well.... I'm sure Ian McKellan will make a fine Number 2, but I'm a bit hesitant on this one. Will they film it in Portmeirion, and will they manage anything comparable to the mad set design of the original?

*goes to RTFA*
posted by jokeefe at 2:37 PM on August 30, 2008 [1 favorite]


Grangousier, your opinion intrigues me, and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
posted by X-Himy at 3:09 PM on August 30, 2008


I predict this will be just as if not more successful than that movie version of "The Avengers"!
posted by Legomancer at 3:22 PM on August 30, 2008


Maybe they can make a good story about societal mind control and attempts to make people toe the line. It might even be good. But it won't be "The Prisoner". It'll be something else trying to pretend to be "The Prisoner", and not succeeding.

I can't agree with this more. "The Prisoner" was an amazing coming together of writing, acting and filming that told a story which not only fit the time, but also has stood up well to time. The producers of this certainly can come up with with their own ideas and an original show, but I think they are lazy. What this is simply put is branding. Taking a known success and banking on that to draw the viewers, rather than attempting to be creative and break new ground like the original series did. I can't say I'll be any more interested in this than the movie for "Wild Wild West."

The original series was fantastic, and the final episode was one of the most wonderfully bizarre avant garde things to make it to mainstream television prior or since.
posted by Eekacat at 3:46 PM on August 30, 2008


"Who is number 1"
"You are number 6"
muahahahaha
posted by zengargoyle at 4:19 PM on August 30, 2008


Sure, it won't be the same. And it may be horrible. Remakes often are. But they can also be inspired. I'm getting the impression that they've taken enough time and care here that it's not simply cranking out a quick cash-in on people's memories. So, don't be unmutual. Let's hope for Battlestar Galactica, and not Wild Wild West
posted by tyllwin at 4:41 PM on August 30, 2008


Will they film it in Portmeirion,

Thanks for the reminder. I visited Portmeirion in 1995. Strangely enough, Supergrass were there, too, shooting this video.

As for remaking The Prisoner, it's certainly got the thematic potential to speak to the here and now, but my gut tells me it won't be nearly weird enough.
posted by philip-random at 4:45 PM on August 30, 2008


Dem bones dem bones dem dryyyy bones
posted by cortex at 5:09 PM on August 30, 2008


I'm psyched. It might be terrible, but I will watch it. Watching the PBS repeats of THE PRISONER was a highly important part of my high school years, almost as important as SPACE:1999.
posted by wittgenstein at 5:31 PM on August 30, 2008


A-and The Prisoner is my second TV memory (after Tomb of the Cybermen). I was able to establish (when they repeated the series in 1976), that the episode was Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling, probably the least interesting episode to have seen, but when you're four everything on television is interesting. I even used to watch the test card.

I probably saw Fall Out, too, but it will have been quite difficult to differentiate from what was going on in my head anyway.

I find the idea of it being remade to conform with 21st Century standards rather upsetting.
posted by Grangousier at 5:37 PM on August 30, 2008


From the second link, it looks like a big no on Portmeirion for the second series

Although Portmeirion will not be used as a location this time I'm sure that the second series will create new interest in the first series and bring this classic to a new audience."

which is too bad really... not sure if it will be any good, but I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. AMC has run some excellent shows (Breaking Bad) and their involved with it, so I have hope.
posted by inthe80s at 5:54 PM on August 30, 2008


Ohh, it made a huge impression on me as well from watching the series on PBS in the 70's. Rover freaked me the fuck out. There was a building in downtown Sacramento that had this huge ball on top of it, I imagine for an antenna of some sort, and I always thought of it as Rover, and always watched it carefully as we drove past in case it came bounding off the building after me.

The original series was so brilliant and original, that a remake just seems... I don't know... arrogant.
posted by Eekacat at 7:16 PM on August 30, 2008


In 1968 I was a misfit 12-year-old who devoured that show like it was my first meal after an endless fast (and for 1968 American TV, it was). A major breach with my parents occurred during our annual family vacation when I had to go back to the hotel room Saturday Night for my Must See TV that was too weird for the parental units (who were so square they weren't happy to have Saturday Night out without the kid... what's up with that?) To say the show had parallels with my growing-up years would not be totally far-fetched.

And it was kind of a treat when I joined MetaFilter in its early days and Number One (Matt) issued me Number 206. Close enough.
posted by wendell at 9:34 PM on August 30, 2008


Frankly any remake is not going to have such a superlative ending, thusly I disapprove of this project.

I approve of the original especially as the ending is spoiled by the time you've reached the second episode, but you don't realize it.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 10:42 PM on August 30, 2008


"I dare not spoil my good memories of the original."

Wait, what? Does watching new stuff erase your memory of old stuff, but only if the new stuff is almost but not quite the same as the original? Because otherwise, I'd imagine watching a bad remake just enhances your appreciation for the original by highlighting all the things they got right. It's one thing to say you won't waste your time, but spoil your memories? Are you expecting a crap remake to force you to find flaws in the original so that you can no longer enjoy it? Help me out; I'm not following you here.
posted by Eideteker at 12:24 AM on August 31, 2008


tyllwin:...it may be horrible. Remakes often are. But they can also be inspired.

Really? Name two.
posted by CCBC at 12:43 AM on August 31, 2008


it may be horrible. Remakes often are. But they can also be inspired.
Really? Name two.


Oh, oh, let me. :)

A Star is Born
Scarface
posted by rokusan at 1:37 AM on August 31, 2008


Does watching new stuff erase your memory of old stuff, but only if the new stuff is almost but not quite the same as the original?

Wait, what? I said nothing of the sort.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:38 AM on August 31, 2008


Oh, oh, let me. :)

I'd be more convinced if you could name two inspired remakes made sometime in the last the past ten years? Or twenty? If you have to go back some twenty five years to find the last great remake, I think that rather proves the OP's point.

I suppose The Departed wasn't bad, but it was no Infernal Affairs, IMO. Similarly, Cronenberg's The Fly. Good movie, but I always preferred the original.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 3:07 AM on August 31, 2008


Really? Name two.

That would be telling.
posted by gentilknight at 5:56 AM on August 31, 2008 [5 favorites]


I can hardly believe no one saw that coming.
posted by gentilknight at 6:00 AM on August 31, 2008


I've just thought of one. Reservoir Dogs is a better movie than Ringo Lam's City on Fire.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 7:02 AM on August 31, 2008


> I am not a number! I am the way, the truth, and the life!

You just keep telling yourself that, Number 12845.
posted by gentilknight at 7:02 AM on August 31, 2008


This is one of my all-time favourite series...my gut reaction is "DO NOT WANT!!!", but then I remember that I felt that way about the new Battlestar Galactica, until I actually watched it. It could be good, as long as they remember that their audience aren't idiots. "You are, number six."
posted by biscotti at 7:04 AM on August 31, 2008


The problem with Battlestar Galactica is that it improved on an original series that (arguably) could only benefit from improvement.

The Prisoner is a much more tricky concept because it's regarded as a classic of its time - and also still stands up well today. It had elements that are going to be tough to improve on: the opening credits, the theme music, Portmeirion, Rover etc. What do you keep and what do you "reimagine"?

Battlestar Galactica was clever enough to pay its dues to the original series while still establishing its own identity. I'd like to think that The Prisoner can do the same, but it's going to have to raise the bar quite a bit to achieve this.
posted by panboi at 8:02 AM on August 31, 2008


I think the real question is whether or not there was going to be a machine gun battle to "All You Need Is Love".
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 8:45 AM on August 31, 2008 [1 favorite]


I'd like to think that The Prisoner can do the same, but it's going to have to raise the bar quite a bit to achieve this.

The Prisoner is a product of the times in which it was made, particularly with its simultaneous criticism and embrace of aspects of 60s "counterculture". It wouldn't be the same show, without that commentary. As culture is now much more homogenized, it seems difficult to see how a television could go further or in a different direction, in that respect.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 4:45 PM on August 31, 2008


I've really liked and appreciated this series since day one, but here's my general take on remakes, or cover versions of songs for that matter:

If you are going to re-do something that already exists, what are you going to add to it that was missing from the original?

OK, so "X" TV show or movie or whatever was cool.

That's not reason enough.

My guess is that the remake of The Prisoner will probably end up being a lot like Soderberg's remake of Solaris: If you haven't seen the original, it might strike some pople as OK, but it will pale in comparison to the original.
posted by Relay at 9:38 PM on August 31, 2008


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