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"Red Mars" TV adaptation is coming to.... Spike TV?!

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D

DieH@rd

Banned
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Best-selling Nebula and Hugo award-winning hard-sf trilogy of books by Kim Stanley Robinson in which humanity in realistic ways manages to colonize and teraform Mars is currently in the process of adaptation for TV screens.... and it will come to Spike TV. Leader of this project is ‘Game of Thrones’ co-executive producer Vince Gerardis, while Kim Stanley Robinson will consult on the series.

The “Game of Thrones” co-executive producer is teaming with Spike TV to develop the sci-fi series “Red Mars,” an adaptation of Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy novels.

The trilogy, which has received Nebula and Hugo awards, explores the colonization and transformation of the red planet.

“This series shines a light onto many views of what it means to be human — and asks if can we sustain our humanity under incredible duress,” Spike TV's executive vice president, original series Sharon Levy said. “We are thrilled to partner with such an accomplished producer as Vince Gerardis to tell this incredible and thought-provoking story.”

Gerardis, who also served as executive producer on the ABC series “FlashForward,” added, “There are many homes for large canvas television these days. It inspires me that Sharon has offered her network as home for this and provided a canvas for me to bring the world created in these books to the screen.”

Robinson will consult on the series.

Though traditionally known for reality fare such as “Bar Rescue,” Spike TV has been heavily pursuing scripted programming recently. The network will premiere “Tut,” its first scripted series in seven years, in 2015, and has optioned “The Crusaders” from Pierce Brosnan‘s company Irish DreamTime, Mark Sennet Entertainment, Michael Finch and writer David Franzoni.
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http://www.thewrap.com/game-of-thro...-teams-with-spike-for-red-mars-sci-fi-series/


I don't know what to think of this. Hopefully Spike TV is deseperate to attract new viewers and they will be willing to give this show proper budget and freedom for best possible adaptation. But still... It's Spike TV.
 
obin_gam

obin_gam

Member
I'm so starved for a real science fiction space show I'll take anything.

I have heard nothing but good about the Red Mars trilogy, so this sounds great :)
 
Razorback

Razorback

Member
Red Mars is my favorite book. Oh man I hope this is good, please let it be good.

I'm not familiar with Spike TV, is it a bad sign? What about the Game of Thrones producer? I love GoT. This is in good hands right? Right guys?
 
W

Woorloog

Banned
As nice as it would be to get an adaption of this, i reckon it won't end up being good.
Too complex, i think. Also requires heavy adapting, not necessarily a bad thing but i reckon it will lose something in the process, something that makes the books so interesting.
 
Escape Goat

Escape Goat

Member
Razorback PT said:
Red Mars is my favorite book. Oh man I hope this is good, please let it be good.

I'm not familiar with Spike TV, is it a bad sign? What about the Game of Thrones producer? I love GoT. This is in good hands right? Right guys?
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Spike TV is like SyFy but without the sophistication.
 
M

Mr_Appleby

Member
Woorloog said:
As nice as it would be to get an adaption of this, i reckon it won't end up being good.
Too complex, i think. Also requires heavy adapting, not necessarily a bad thing but i reckon it will lose something in the process, something that makes the books so interesting.
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better at least as a series than trying to cram it into a movie.
 
T

Tim the Wiz

Banned
I remember when James Cameron bought the rights.

You have to be sceptical: to do the trilogy justice, there'd need to be a serious budget behind it.
 
Bitmap Frogs

Bitmap Frogs

Mr. Community
Napoleonthechimp said:
I own this trilogy but never read it because I was told they were incredibly dull. Maybe I'll give it another shot.
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Ehhhh I wouldn't say dull, but there's a lot of drama between the factions and the characters that represent them and if the colonists infighting doesn't grab you the books are going to be tough to finish.
 
E

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
Napoleonthechimp said:
I own this trilogy but never read it because I was told they were incredibly dull. Maybe I'll give it another shot.
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The political machinations and conflicts are great, the actual plots and characters are well done. The problem with the books is that pages upon pages will be dedicated to describing the terrain and local on Mars. As well as lots of time spent describing complex science that you still won't understand on the end.

In some ways it's engrossing and interesting, especially at the start, but often drags too long and by the second book you begin to not care how some great ravine was formed over the millennia and how it looks now for 3 pages straight.
 
W

Woorloog

Banned
Mr_Appleby said:
better at least as a series than trying to cram it into a movie.
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It is probably easier to adapt as a series but that doesn't really mean it will be a good series.

I wouldn't mind a film version if it managed to keep the soul of the books, even if they'd have to cut a lot of content.

(Of Dune adaptations, i feel Lynch's film somehow keeps the book's soul better than the mini-series despite taking more liberties than the mini-series does.)
 
M

Magwik

Banned
Spike manages to have a Star Wars marathon every year for like the past decade, someone there must know what they are doing.
 
i_am_ben

i_am_ben

running_here_and_there
I don't think the general population will care for this at all.

Heck, I don't even know if I actually liked it or whether I came down with Stockholm Syndrome halfway through the book.
 
N

Napoleonthechimp

Member
Enduin said:
The political machinations and conflicts are great, the actual plots and characters are well done. The problem with the books is that pages upon pages will be dedicated to describing the terrain and local on Mars. As well as lots of time spent describing complex science that you still won't understand on the end.

In some ways it's engrossing and interesting, especially at the start, but often drags too long and by the second book you begin to not care how some great ravine was formed over the millennia and how it looks now for 3 pages straight.
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Some of it sounds interesting and some of it sounds dull as dishwater. I'll dig the books out and try and get into them.
 
R

RatskyWatsky

Hunky Nostradamus
hey guys i heard that history channel is making a show about vikings lol i bet it'll be awful coz all history knows is nazi alien pyramid shit
 
T

timetokill

Banned
please be good, please be good. this is one of my favorite series ever... but I love mars and could read descriptions of terraforming it without getting bored. I think the series is dry for a lot of people that don't care about that.

the series probably won't be good, though. the book series is epic. and I can't say spike gives me a lot of hope.

but there's still a glimmer, and I'll be tuning in to see.

also, maya better be hot!
 
D

Dead Man

Member
timetokill said:
please be good, please be good. this is one of my favorite series ever... but I love mars and could read descriptions of terraforming it without getting bored. I think the series is dry for a lot of people that don't care about that.

the series probably won't be good, though. the book series is epic. and I can't say spike gives me a lot of hope.

but there's still a glimmer, and I'll be tuning in to see.

also, maya better be hot!
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I'm more worried about Nadia and Sax. Need good actors for those roles, not just pretty faces. Well, for Maya too really, but I am assuming they will focus on the pretty face for her.
 
M

Megasoum

Banned
Never heard of that trilogy but as somebody who just finished reading The Martian, I'm suddenly very curious about those books.

On a side note, you should read The Martian.. Fucking amazing book.
 
D

Dead Man

Member
Megasoum said:
Never heard of that trilogy but as somebody who just finished reading The Martian, I'm suddenly very curious about those books.

On a side note, you should read The Martian.. Fucking amazing book.
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Sounds interesting. I'll give it a go for sure, hope there's no ancient aliens in it though :) Assuming the blurb is an accurate indication of the story, if you liked that I think you will like the Mars trilogy.
 
M

Megasoum

Banned
Dead Man said:
Sounds interesting. I'll give it a go for sure, hope there's no ancient aliens in it though :) Assuming the blurb is an accurate indication of the story, if you liked that I think you will like the Mars trilogy.
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Kinda spoiler for The Martian I guess (about the story in general, nothing specific)


It's a very scientific and realistic book. No aliens or weird star wars/trek stuff. It's all plausible technology we will probably see in a couple of decades.
 
D

Dead Man

Member
Megasoum said:
Kinda spoiler for The Martian I guess (about the story in general, nothing specific)


It's a very scientific and realistic book. No aliens or weird star wars/trek stuff. It's all plausible technology we will probably see in a couple of decades.
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Nice, definitely going to check it out now, cheers :)
 
T

timetokill

Banned
Dead Man said:
I'm more worried about Nadia and Sax. Need good actors for those roles, not just pretty faces. Well, for Maya too really, but I am assuming they will focus on the pretty face for her.
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I'd say same for Ann, too.
Ultimately there's a good chance that the writers could make any of these characters seem villainous as opposed to just at odds with each other.
 
T

Thug Waffle

Member
why the f don't premium networks pick up these kinds of projects? i would be all about this if it weren't spike lol.

also an hbo miniseries using ellison's i, robot script would be super swick
 
K

kyser73

Member
I'm looking forward to watching a space elevator collapse
.

I don't really know where Spike sits in the US TV pantheon, I can only assume from its name that it is aimed at guyz in some way.
 
DiscoJer

DiscoJer

Member
kyser73 said:
I don't really know where Spike sits in the US TV pantheon, I can only assume from its name that it is aimed at guyz in some way.
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It used to be on the fringes, but it's becoming less so.

Originally it was The Nashville Network. Then it was The National Network.

Then they changed the name to Spike and yes, it was aimed at men, and were sued by Spike Lee, who eventually settled.

It was pretty bad for a while. They had a TV show where men would get kicked in the nuts for a free video game. But there was some decent stuff, like Deadliest Warrior, where they tried to match up different fighters from different eras.

But then a couple years ago they changed the focus to reality TV and CSI re-runs, and one of those reality shows (Bar Rescue) proved to be popular
 
S

Seigyoku

Member
For those of you saying you'd never heard anything bad about these books...

I HATED THEM.

I read all three when Blue Mars was up for the Hugo. I wanted to murder everyone not even half-way through Red Mars. I couldn't even say "geez, these people need a shrink" they HAD one (and yeah well...) And yet I was going to be a good little Hugo voter, so I kept reading even as implausible joking comments became plot points and the inevitable revolution occurred and to this day when someone mentions a space elevator I flinch (or start ranting about how they end up.)

I love SF, I love space, these books alone made me hate Mars. And want humanity to get colonizing overwith so the rebellion can happen and humanity can get on with itself.
 
A

AntoneM

Member
Seigyoku said:
For those of you saying you'd never heard anything bad about these books...

I HATED THEM.

I read all three when Blue Mars was up for the Hugo. I wanted to murder everyone not even half-way through Red Mars. I couldn't even say "geez, these people need a shrink" they HAD one (and yeah well...) And yet I was going to be a good little Hugo voter, so I kept reading even as implausible joking comments became plot points and the inevitable revolution occurred and to this day when someone mentions a space elevator I flinch (or start ranting about how they end up.)

I love SF, I love space, these books alone made me hate Mars. And want humanity to get colonizing overwith so the rebellion can happen and humanity can get on with itself.
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Well, that's just like... you're opinion, man.
 
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