Post by wolverinesclaws on Jan 19, 2015 17:24:08 GMT -5
So I asked a question regarding adaptations and also about the upcoming iZombie show on The CW which was answered on the new episode. My thoughts seeing the trailer for iZombie were that it just looked incredibly bland, that's just on its own merit. Thinking on further though I realised that not only have they jettisoned almost everything from the source material, which is excellent and quirky, but they've also taken elements from the White Trash Zombie novels and jammed them in. iZombie the show is more White Trash Zombie than it is the comic it shares a title with.
A TV show or film obviously doesn't erase the source material from existence and they are different mediums but what I am curious about is why a network would buy the rights to something, which they obviously see some appeal in, but then change it to the point that it barely recognises the source material anymore. Why not just create the show on its own merit? I also understand why the creators are on board because if a TV network waved a chunk of money at you for the rights to your quirky comic then unless you're especially aloof then you'd probably accept.
Curiously the show Constantine is also markedly different from its source material Hellblazer but crucially it works as its own thing but also appeals to fans of the source material because despite the obvious limitations of network TV it still has many elements from Hellblazer. This is a win win because it appeals to both parties.
The proposed Lucifer TV series brings to light a problem which is set to befall several series and is a major hurdle for any adaptation – the only limitations on a comic are the imagination and talent of the creative team. The limitations on a TV series are myriad, the main ones being budget and network interference. Not enough of the former or too much of the latter can sink any adaptation before it even sets sail.
Lucifer, written by Mike Carey, is pretty epic in scope and features a whole host of otherworldy aspects. The character of Lucifer Morningstar, who has the look of a young David Bowie, was spun out from Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, where the Lord of Hell grows weary and bored of his role in Hell and ventures to the mortal realm with his accomplice Mazikeen. There he runs the piano bar Lux, whilst pontificating on life, fate and various other existential musings. Lucifer spends a lot of time venturing in other realms, with Hell being just one of them, whilst dealing with a whole host of characters. It’s this that will be the downfall of any TV series.
Lucifer (and its parent comic The Sandman) whilst in essence set in the “real world” feature lead characters that spend most of their time journeying in other fantastical realms. This is a big problem for a TV series, due to budget constraints and the FX necessary to portray these aspects. Further problems arise in the characters featured. Mazikeen is essential to Lucifer’s story, but as anyone familiar with the character knows half of her face has the appearance of a beautiful woman, but the other half is horribly misshapen and skeletal, hidden behind a mask, causing her speech to be nearly unintelligible. This is a core element of the character, a character who is one of the most integral to the story alongside Lucifer himself, but would hardly be viable for a TV series.
Imagine network suits discussing Mazikeen, “What’s with the face? Can’t she just be hot?” “So she’s the love interest right?”, “She can’t speak? What are you nuts?”, “Do we really need her anyway?”etc
,etc.
The Walking Dead is a smash hit for AMC, but whether it’s a good adaptation is a different matter entirely. The series has become notorious for being what is generally perceived by fans as a poor adaptation of the immensely popular comic about Rick Grimes and his fellow survivors struggling to live in a zombie infested world. The series has been distinctly hit and miss from day one, beset with poor characterisation and becoming known for its showrunners departing including Frank Darabont and Glen Mazzara.
The proposed Preacher series coming from AMC will struggle as the story by Garth Ennis centres around former preacher Jesse Custer, now imbued with the voice of God after a freak accident, alongside his gun slinging on/off girlfriend Tulip and Irish friend Cassidy (who happens to be a vampire), tracking down God who has abandoned his creation to ask him why. It’s a twisted Kentucky fried road trip love story, with plenty of fucked-up-ness including Jesse’s redneck family and a clandestine organisation built around hiding the inbred descendants of Jesus.
It’s a great story and has great characters, but whether they will survive the adaptation process remains to be seen.
Disclaimer: some of this text is taken from an article I wrote.
A TV show or film obviously doesn't erase the source material from existence and they are different mediums but what I am curious about is why a network would buy the rights to something, which they obviously see some appeal in, but then change it to the point that it barely recognises the source material anymore. Why not just create the show on its own merit? I also understand why the creators are on board because if a TV network waved a chunk of money at you for the rights to your quirky comic then unless you're especially aloof then you'd probably accept.
Curiously the show Constantine is also markedly different from its source material Hellblazer but crucially it works as its own thing but also appeals to fans of the source material because despite the obvious limitations of network TV it still has many elements from Hellblazer. This is a win win because it appeals to both parties.
The proposed Lucifer TV series brings to light a problem which is set to befall several series and is a major hurdle for any adaptation – the only limitations on a comic are the imagination and talent of the creative team. The limitations on a TV series are myriad, the main ones being budget and network interference. Not enough of the former or too much of the latter can sink any adaptation before it even sets sail.
Lucifer, written by Mike Carey, is pretty epic in scope and features a whole host of otherworldy aspects. The character of Lucifer Morningstar, who has the look of a young David Bowie, was spun out from Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, where the Lord of Hell grows weary and bored of his role in Hell and ventures to the mortal realm with his accomplice Mazikeen. There he runs the piano bar Lux, whilst pontificating on life, fate and various other existential musings. Lucifer spends a lot of time venturing in other realms, with Hell being just one of them, whilst dealing with a whole host of characters. It’s this that will be the downfall of any TV series.
Lucifer (and its parent comic The Sandman) whilst in essence set in the “real world” feature lead characters that spend most of their time journeying in other fantastical realms. This is a big problem for a TV series, due to budget constraints and the FX necessary to portray these aspects. Further problems arise in the characters featured. Mazikeen is essential to Lucifer’s story, but as anyone familiar with the character knows half of her face has the appearance of a beautiful woman, but the other half is horribly misshapen and skeletal, hidden behind a mask, causing her speech to be nearly unintelligible. This is a core element of the character, a character who is one of the most integral to the story alongside Lucifer himself, but would hardly be viable for a TV series.
Imagine network suits discussing Mazikeen, “What’s with the face? Can’t she just be hot?” “So she’s the love interest right?”, “She can’t speak? What are you nuts?”, “Do we really need her anyway?”etc
,etc.
The Walking Dead is a smash hit for AMC, but whether it’s a good adaptation is a different matter entirely. The series has become notorious for being what is generally perceived by fans as a poor adaptation of the immensely popular comic about Rick Grimes and his fellow survivors struggling to live in a zombie infested world. The series has been distinctly hit and miss from day one, beset with poor characterisation and becoming known for its showrunners departing including Frank Darabont and Glen Mazzara.
The proposed Preacher series coming from AMC will struggle as the story by Garth Ennis centres around former preacher Jesse Custer, now imbued with the voice of God after a freak accident, alongside his gun slinging on/off girlfriend Tulip and Irish friend Cassidy (who happens to be a vampire), tracking down God who has abandoned his creation to ask him why. It’s a twisted Kentucky fried road trip love story, with plenty of fucked-up-ness including Jesse’s redneck family and a clandestine organisation built around hiding the inbred descendants of Jesus.
It’s a great story and has great characters, but whether they will survive the adaptation process remains to be seen.
Disclaimer: some of this text is taken from an article I wrote.