32 replies to this topic

[zencat]

You know, I've been very impressed with the new Star Trek series ENTERPRISE. Not so much with the storylines (as with most Trek series I expect it to take a few years to find its groove), but with the flexible thinking on the part of Paramount and the Trek producers. Making a show about the origins of the Star Trek universe was a bold, and I think perfect idea. And it seems to be a hit with the public.

So would this work for Mr. Bond?

I've never been hot on the idea of James Bond TV series, but Enterprise has changed my mind on the feasibility of this idea. What if Eon produced a TV series about James Bond's early missions? It could (and should) be a period piece set in the '50s or '60s with a younger Bond having smaller scale adventures ala Casino Royale. We could learn the origins of SPECTRE...we'd have a young, sexy Moneypenny...and "M" would be the old admiral not long out of WWII and very unsure of this new agent. I think this could really be great and, as Star Trek has shown, a TV series can coexist with a movie franchise just fine.

What are other people's thoughts on this idea?

[White Persian]

Jim (30 Jan, 2002 05:32 p.m.):
For anyone else who is a Holmes obsessive, top news chums! Five "new" original episodes on BBC Radio 4 starting from this week.

Well, Jim, I got up at 2 in the morning and sat hunched over the computer to listen to the barely audible BBC on line (that's the fault of my steam age computer, not the BBC).
Does that make me enough of a Holmes obsessive?

[Mister Asterix]

RossMan (22 Dec, 2001 06:46 p.m.):(edited)
I have to disagree. Look at Star Trek, they have numerous series and still come out...

Star Trek never had a series going with the same batch of characters in the movies as the television show. This is one of the reason that I had suggested many moons ago that if they were to do a Bond television series that they do a series set in the Bond Universe but without Bond. That is the only way I could see it working without taking away from the movies.

[Xenobia]

For the time being I am going to ignore the whole Remington Steele debacle, because Xenobia will start using language that would just shock all my fans, and I am not prepared to do that yet.

What I would say is...a series based on the MI6 would be very interesting. It could be a story about younger agents who answer to M., go see R. for their gear, and occasionally (for what is called Sweeps Month in the States) have to work with more seasoned agent -- 007.

These agents might know Bond have feelings for him...the woman agent might have a crush on him....one of the men might idolize him...another might hate him for reasons that would make good plot twists (Bond killed his father...Bond is his father?)...and it would definately have the Eon stamp, and give us a broader love of James Bond's world, without him necessarily being there.

Does that make sense?

-- Xen

[Mr Trump]

If a Bond series was made you may end up having a perfect James Bond to put onto the big screen.
I would really love to see a series get made but in my opion it would have to be a british sized series because I just could not see it working if it had 20 episodes in because you just have to look at things like the Robocop series which compared to the movies was quite poor.

[Friedrich Baxter]

It's different guys!

Star Trek started as a series and James Bond NOT! The transition from movies to series has almost never been made. So I think that will be very risky to do!

[Evil Doctor Cheese]

Mister Asterix (23 Dec, 2001 01:43 a.m.):
This is one of the reason that I had suggested many moons ago that if they were to do a Bond television series that they do a series set in the Bond Universe but without Bond. That is the only way I could see it working without taking away from the movies.

Dench, Kitchen, Salmon and Sam Bond are huge TV stars here... their names make a programme. Having all of them would be costly in TV terms.

[Mister Asterix]

Evil Doctor Cheese (25 Dec, 2001 08:14 p.m.):
Dench, Kitchen, Salmon and Sam Bond are huge TV stars here... their names make a programme. Having all of them would be costly in TV terms.

I figure most of the regular MI6 cast would just make cameos. Maybe if it were about a junior agent, he would get his assignments from Tanner and get his equipment from Ann Reilly (Q'ute).

[Tedley King]

I'm not too keen on the idea of a Bond series, it wont be what it is like today, so not many will likethe idea of it, I love anything Bond related, but i dont think this will go down very well with the rest of the world-wide Bond 'fans'. I'm not saying there shouldn't be one, I may like it, but the rest of the world may not.

[RossMan]

Well, according to "pierce-b" at Bond20.com,

"A Project is being written to make 1 hour long bond adventures to be shown in 2003 news just in."

[Mr Trump]

A plus side to doing a Bond series is that we would have a ready made relacement for Brosnan when he quits. And we could see people like Samantha Bond in the series.

[ye110man]

i think the young james bond idea is good as long as it's not overdone. maybe sopranos-style (13 episodes a year for 4-5 years). later released as dvd collections.

the most important thing is that it doesn't take away from the movies.

[R]

Jim (13 Nov, 2001 08:29 a.m.):
Now don't shout at me but...

I'm not sure whether these have reached beyond the shores of the UK, but in the early 1990s the BBC dramatised the entire Sherlock Holmes series for (shudder ye not, young ones) the radio, and they're now all available on tape (and heartily recommended).

A TV series might be prohibitively expensive (particularly for the BBC; licence payers' money etc), and I'm well aware that the BBC did a rather half-arsed radio dramatisation of You Only Live Twice about ten years ago, but (inevitably) with the right writers, I think it could be done, it doesn't take away anything from the Broccolis' precious films and would reintroduce Fleming's stories to a grateful nation.

I'm sorry if this isn't visual enough. But it's a cheap alternative.

A few years back I remember seeing adaptations of the Fleming novels as audiobooks, as read by Richard E Grant. I was a poverty-stricken student at the time, so didn'y get any, buty since then I haven't seen any at all. Shame, I really would have like to have had a listen.

[RossMan]

I just read in the James Bond Bedside Companion that Ian Fleming was contracted to script (I think 32 or 33) episodes of a Bond television series, this was before the movies. That's all it says, it does not really go into details.

[Barebumundermakilt]

Zencat, I had thoughts of an "interim" movie about Bond and his early days, from losing his parents to going to Uni, explaning how Bond was selected for the service, his training, some of his adventures, Bring Them Back Alive Missions/Covert ops, as you say this would generate interest and diversify from the movies. It would also educate the Playstation Generation (what is a book to them?) who would probably never think about reading the original books. One problem I think we may stumble on is the actors ...who would play the characters (If this venture was successful would the Bond actor go on to be Bond in some of the later films? (after all it is the same Man)

Great idea, but would MGM put money into it? I for one would love to see this

[RossMan]

A James Bond TV series would be great, especially set back in the 50s, 60s. It obviously would not be able to be like the films and filled with action and explosions so we'd be able to see true spy stories reminicent of Fleming's work. Each epsiode could have him go on rather smaller missions like seen in the Bond short stories. I'd love to see SMERSH.

Bloody good idea, Zencat!

[Blue Eyes]

Zencat, you're a man after my own heart. I'd love to see a Bond TV series. I always have since I saw James Bond Jr, which I guess shows that the idea is feasible in the Bond world.

I can see one problem though (perhaps I'm wrong, but it's open to debate): Kevin McClory. Remember his idea of a TV series? Think he might jump on the bandwago if MGM launch one and sue sue sue because they stole *cough* his idea?

[RossMan]

Blue Eyes (07 Oct, 2001 01:59 a.m.):
I can see one problem though (perhaps I'm wrong, but it's open to debate): Kevin McClory. Remember his idea of a TV series? Think he might jump on the bandwago if MGM launch one and sue sue sue because they stole *cough* his idea?

McClory always seems to come up with a way to cause more trouble, doesn't he?

[mrmoon]

Yeah I hate McClory too, however I definately would not want to see a bond TV series, I really think it would cause the end of Bond, and it would completely ruin the whole bond world. I really wouldn't want it to happen. Ok Star trek is successful but theres not 19 movies, and it started off as a tv show. The same would not apply to Bond, and lets face it Bond is far and above Star trek. Bond is sheer class, star trek well...isn't.

[Jacques Nexus]

Not a bad idea zencat. However, I would wait till far off into the future when, God forbid, the movies run out of puff. A BBC like mob could do faithful adaptions of ALL the novels, and in particular, Benson !. When, if ever, the EON film rights disappear, would be a good time to do this.

[Jacques Nexus]

zencat (06 Oct, 2001 10:17 p.m.):
You know, I've been very impressed with the new Star Trek series ENTERPRISE. Not so much with the storylines (as with most Trek series I expect it to take a few years to find its groove), but with the flexible thinking on the part of Paramount and the Trek producers. Making a show about the origins of the Star Trek universe was a bold, and I think perfect idea. And it seems to be a hit with the public.

Forgetting about Bond for a moment...these new series bare next to no resemblance to the classic Shatner series. Although I don't mind them, in my view Paramount is just milking every last cent out of Star Trek till it lasts...when ENTERPRISE finishes, what's next ?...they'll be scraping the bottom of the barrel...I think Paramount is taking the Trekkies for a ride ! (or should I say a TREK ?).

[Blofeld's Cat]

A Bond TV series?
Hmm....
I'm a bit apprehensive about this. I can remember when Donald Hamilton's Matt Helm (forget about the Dean Martini romps) was turned into a TV series, he ended up as just a P.I. The same with Adam Hall's Quiller.
However, I can see a possible advantage.
Should the series be even half good, then that might spur on the movie Series.
You know, big screen equals big sets, big villains, big everything to differentiate the two.
I don't think EON would give up any sort of control in any way as I'm sure whoever ends up showing the series would demand certain changes to cater to their viewing policies and corporate advertising.

[Mr Trump]

I think that if they made a Bond series it would have to be about 6 episodes instead of 24 like star trek because I don't think you could do that many Bond episodes wthout it going over the top even for Bond standards.

[White Persian]

RossMan (10 Nov, 2001 08:25 p.m.):
I just read in the James Bond Bedside Companion that Ian Fleming was contracted to script (I think 32 or 33) episodes of a Bond television series, this was before the movies.  That's all it says, it does not really go into details.

I think Fleming put together half a dozen outlines, some of which (A View To A Kill and Risico) he turned into short stories. I'd love to know what became of the other outlines. He was also going to write a Bondish TV series about Commander James Gunn, a.k.a. "Commander Jamaica". Doctor No grew out of one of those stories, so maybe DN had been a Bond series plot before that.

[Jim]

Nope, sticking by the idea of the radio presentations a la the BBC Sherlock Holmes/ Bert Coules thingies.

For anyone else who is a Holmes obsessive, top news chums! Five "new" original episodes on BBC Radio 4 starting from this week. Sorry if this is off topic, but I exhort all those unfamiliar with the productions to hunt the tapes down and give them a listen - Casino Royale would be extraordinary done this way (and they'd be able to get away with the more gruesome scenes which are probably still unfilmable).

Can't see a TV series though; the Goldmember incident indicates that they're going to do nothing to dilute their dollars.

[Affection]

I would be strongly against a TV series, unless it was clearly differentiated from the movies.

It would cheapen the movies. Bond films depend on costly explosions, sets and effects which would translate as a poor man's version on TV. Bond needs to maintain an image of quality if it is to succeed against films like Mission Impossible, True Lies and even Austin Powers, all of which do better box office than Bond. A TV series could undermine that.

However, TV dramas following closely the novels such as Casino Royale or Spy Who Loved me, which are basically character studies rather than action, may be possible, or even a young James Bond, similar to the Young Indiana Jones series, or a series with Ian Fleming as the action hero.

What I would really like to see is the films turned into a series of one hour animated cartoons, which is a fairly simple process these days. Each film edited down to one hour, so that it is nearly all action, extremely pacy, and has a completely different mood from the films, with updated soundtracks and new voices so Bond has one voice throughout, and then using digital processing to animate it. Spare footage, or even original footage that ended up on the cutting room floor can then be used to cut together and make an extra couple of episodes in the series.

[mrmoon]

I have the DAF audio book, read straight from flemings novel by Joanna lumley.

and Also the GE audio book, from John Gardener, read by 'SAMANTHA BOND' she has a great voice.

I'll scan some pics later

[Jim]

Now don't shout at me but...

I'm not sure whether these have reached beyond the shores of the UK, but in the early 1990s the BBC dramatised the entire Sherlock Holmes series for (shudder ye not, young ones) the radio, and they're now all available on tape (and heartily recommended).

A TV series might be prohibitively expensive (particularly for the BBC; licence payers' money etc), and I'm well aware that the BBC did a rather half-arsed radio dramatisation of You Only Live Twice about ten years ago, but (inevitably) with the right writers, I think it could be done, it doesn't take away anything from the Broccolis' precious films and would reintroduce Fleming's stories to a grateful nation.

I'm sorry if this isn't visual enough. But it's a cheap alternative.

[Mister Asterix]

I really wouldn't want to see a James Bond TV series. I think it would take away from the Movies.

It may be a good idea however to do a series set in the James Bond world with a beginner agent as the main character and Bond making the occasional cameo. It would be a similar idea to the 60s Bond series but without the expense of setting the show in the 60s or worrying about as much about continuity (cause you know we'll be nit-picking).

[Friedrich Baxter]

DELETE THIS TOPIC DELETE THIS TOPIC !!!!

I think it's a disgusting idea to make a tv-series about it! You must LONG for James Bond some two years, before you will see the next movie! With a James Bond series you will get used too much about James Bond