"New War of the Worlds miniseries coming" Topic

From the BBC. But what makes this miniseries interesting is it will be set in the time period of the original novel -- late Victorian England.

"The series will be written by screenwriter Peter Hartness, who adapted Susanna Clarke's Victorian-era fantasy novel Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell for the network, as well as a handful of Doctor Who episodes. The North-West Evening Mail has some additional details, quoting Mammoth Studios Managing Director of Productions Damien Timmer as saying that while the film has been adapted many times, "no one has ever attempted to follow Wells and locate the story in Dorking at the turn of the last century." The project was first announced in 2015, and today's confirmation of production comes only months after the book entered the public domain."

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It's such a short novel. Even if it provides a loose framework for the setting and theme, I wonder how much character-based filler they'll have to add to make it into a series of any sort.

If the special effects aren't spectacular for today's audiences, the character development better be.

Most of all, I'm just afraid that to make them "acceptable", the writers will resort to make the main characters into nothing but modern-players players in costume. For once I'd like to see new "Victorian" sci-fi with characters that actually think in Victorian terms.

Even the more socially "advanced" key Victorian characters should be portrayed as sounding and acting in archaic ways, on occasion even disturbingly so by today's moral and social standards. And their colonial period values should still be depicted as being completely appropriate for their time. Otherwise it's just going to feel like a dress up production of a modern play.

Dan

I think the only issues might be the acute lack of roles for female actors, given the (almost) complete absence of women from the narrator's journey.

They feature in the account of the refugee column, winding its way from London to the coast, but that's really the only thing I could see the BBC embellishing for modern audiences.

It would be a welcome thing to see an attempt to recreate Wells' classic in a manner that does it justice. Although I did enjoy 'War of the Worlds: The True Story', for I think it tried very hard to honour his vision, with a very limited budget.

Quite hoping they will introduce women (more than 1, and who talk to each other, about something other than men) into Victorian society.

No worries, people. I'm sure the miniseries isn't so much a faithful adaptation of the short story as it is loosely based on it. A progressive and forward-thinking network like the BBC should have little trouble including women, minorities and even members of the LGBT in it.

considering that wells has one of the characters in the original go on a hard core Marxist rant, I think progressives are quite the right people to make it.

Wow, we finally get a version set in the original period and all people do is complain. Given the pedigree of the people involved and their experience with modern effects technology I for one am looking forward to it.

Ditto. ;->=

Doug

I've never thought much of the modern adaptations, so I'll certainly be interested in this new one, if it sticks to the original setting.

Come on, guys. "Here's a what looks like a fun series about Wa…"

"POLITICS!!!!"

As far as updating the story for modern sensibilities, I for one am not going to worry a great deal about historical accuracy in a film about Martians invading the Earth.

As long as the confrontation between Thunderchild and the Martian machines is included, I will be very happy! (and a little bit sad!)

It's not actually politics for me, I really just find movies/shows more entertaining when women are involved not just the stray love interest, but as developed characters who recognise each other's existence, and interact with each other.

That was an artistic flaw in the original, carried over completely into the cast of the radio broadcast. The 1953 movie added one female main character as a love interest, and some women as minor screen appearances. The 2005 movie does introduce several female characters, but if I recall, their dialogue amongst themselves is very limited to talking about how to handle the luggage, but at least they talk about a suitcase and not about men.

I'm not complaining about the fact that the BBC is having a go at it. I'm really hoping they do a better job at making entertainment than has been done to date. For folks who don't notice when women are not included as actualised characters, this would not be an issue.

No series is liable to 'successful' without an increased roles for women, some kind of love interest, and a place for 'people of colour' (hate that phrase) plus an American.

That's not meant as a rant or anything, by the way, just an observation on 'modern' screenplays – they have a need to sell to the US (need an American in it) and need to be seen as politically correct or it will attract a lot of flack about racial diversity.

…they have a need to sell to the US (need an American in it)…

That used to be the case, but two recent BBC series have quite the following in America… Downton Abbey and Sherlock.

Admittedly, Downton Abbey did have one 'American' in it, but the fact that she was an American wasn't (IMO) overly critical to the plot – she wasn't making pains every episode to point out she was American.

In the case of Sherlock, they actually took an American character in the novels – Irene Adler, and changed her origins. Point is, I don't think it was a big issue with anyone who even noticed. Even broader, the only Americans I really remember in the show were more often the muscle mooks of the week (don't even remember any of the head bad guys being American).

So maybe there's hope we don't need a guy with a cowboy hat running thru Victorian England for it to gain some US traction.

So maybe there's hope we don't need a guy with a cowboy hat running thru Victorian England for it to gain some US traction.

But even the Irish like that character archetype, just ask Bram Stoker!
And a cameo by Quincy Morris would be entertaining in its own right. ^,^

Lol. If it has a cowboy, while you're at it, just throw in an Indian … and a biker.

Wow, I'm starting to like the Tom Cruise version more and more. At least they didn't waste money making Victorian costumes for obviously modern characters.

By the way, I'm not the one throwing politics into the discussion when they're the ones changing the Victorians in the story, to think and act like modern people. The tokens for "suspension of disbelief" got all used up with the introduction of the Martians. :)

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Dan
PS. Newsflash. Victorians didn't need to always act so "progressive" to be likable key figures in a story. Just look at sexist (by today's standards) Alan Quatermain in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.