WB ORDERS FILMING OF NEW DS PILOT

[Mysterious Benefactor]

this came up on another board and I forgot what happened exactly but didn't Dan Curtis end up abandoning this project at some point even before the pilot was finished being filmed?

what was it? I seem to recall the whole enterprise ending on something of a sour note.

DC was never one to like not to be completely in control, but compromise he had to do when it came to certain things the WB wanted. And if I recall correctly, the last straw for him came after Rob Bowman left as director and the WB categorically refused to allow DC to direct.

But as I said back at the time, one of the best possible things for the pilot was that DC didn't have the last word on everything. We'd already been there done that, and as much as I enjoy much of the '91 DS, I was no fan of the virtual shot-for-shot remake of hoDS and parts of DC's Dracula during the early eps. The last thing we needed was another pilot like that. And thankfully the pilot that was produced for the WB introduced many new elements with new twists and turns that even long-time DS fans could be surprised by.

All that being said, though, at his Paley Center Honors, when asked what he thought of the pilot, DC's exact words were that it "looks pretty good".

[Willie Loomis]

I think that if we get another series on tv (which by the way HBO or SHO....), it should just start with the Quentin story line...and follow canon.  I'd love to see a well produced version of the 1897 storyline.  (my favorite of the whole series, followed by the 1840 storyline.)

[MagnusTrask]

It would have been in the vein of WB prime-time teen soaps.  Was DC still alive?  I still haven't seen that pilot.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Actually, there weren't any teen characters in pilot. The pilot featured the classic characters: Barnabas, Vicki, Liz, Roger, Carolyn, David, Joe, Julia, Willie, Angelique and Sheriff Patterson - and Maggie, Sam, and Sarah were to be introduced in later eps. Prof. Stokes was referred to and probably would have also been introduced in the flesh at some point.

And, yes, DC was still alive - but the main producer behind the show would have been David Wells, who did The West Wing.

[DarkLady]

I was absolutely devoted to The West Wing. I'll bet this show would have been really good with David Wells producing.

[MagnusTrask]

Me too... when Aaron Sorkin left WW, though, D Wells had some trouble keeping the show intact.  It seemed to become more straightforward and matter-of-fact, without the spark and humor, so it's possible that would have hasppened with 2004 DS.  Some say that was the trouble with 1991 DS...

[DarkLady]

Yes, 1991 took itself too seriously. Although (OT, I know!) I thought Roy Thinnes was great!

[MagnusTrask]

Liked him in The Invaders... I'd like to see him as Trask. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

it's possible that would have hasppened with 2004 DS.

Though it's also possible that it wouldn't have. Sadly, we'll never know.    But based on the pilot's script, which hit all the right notes, and the plans they had if the pilot had gone to series, I remain quite intrigued for what might have been. And a good thing would have been that the pilot's writer, Mark Verheiden, was also an exec producer with Wells and was planned to be a writer for the series so, like Aaron Sorkin with The West Wing, he would have been there to keep his vision on track. But alas...

[Patti Feinberg]

I think that if we get another series on tv (which by the way HBO or SHO....), it should just start with the Quentin story line...and follow canon.  I'd love to see a well produced version of the 1897 storyline.  (my favorite of the whole series, followed by the 1840 storyline.)

This is what I've meant on other threads of this board.

Quentin (a young-hunky dude), Amy/Nora, The Evanes, real (or real as could be) Laura, Paul Stoddard, and ABSOLUTELY KEEP MICHELLE PFIEFFER!!!

(Actually, if the truth be known, my older daughters hear me alllllllll the time shouting, 'Misha,,,,Misha'...he's sort of replaced Quentin.)

Patti

[Mysterious Benefactor]

The WB 20th anniversary: Ranking all 32 of the network's dramas from worst to best

And to think The WB could have had DS - but nnnnoooooooo, they had to pick The Mountain (which, frankly, I would have ranked much lower than a few of the shows below it).

(I do, however, agree with the choice for #1.)

[Taeylor Collins]

This is so depressing!  I have missed you guys!!!!

[Midnite]

Taeylor!!!!  Missed you too! 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Star Trek: Discovery Adds Doug Jones as Alien, ...

Doug Jones portrayed two different characters in the pilot:

The Train Demon:

here are two production photos from the pilot:

Creature actor Doug Jones as the Train Dream Demon.


Vicki, director PJ Hogan, and the Demon.

And the desiccated Barnabas:

I have some production stills to share to help to better illustrate what's just happened. First off, a lovely photo of creature actor Doug Jones as Barnabas in full desiccated makeup (complete with red eyes and pointy nails):

...

And for a bit of fun, here's a shot of Doug Jones getting the finishing touches of his body makeup applied:

[Gothick]

The complete pilot is on Youtube now, but I don't expect it to be up for long:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0gLTmrsltU

It was interesting to see it again.  It was a little better than I had remembered from my previous single viewing.  Alec Newman is a standout as Barnabas.

Best, G.