Friday, January 22, 2010

WISH-CRAFT: WHO'S FOR ROMANA?

Speaking of Who News, it was also announced that Jane Tranter might try to reboot 'Doctor Who' for a US audience, which I'm assuming wouldn't mess with the established mythology as much as the 1996 TV movie did. (The Doctor stated that his mother was a human and they still haven't found a way to address that since.)

Regarding that TV movie, the one thing that gives me pause about this 'Torchwood' project is that it will be done for FOX. FOX has never had a good relationship with sci-fi; 'The X-Files' being the exception to the rule. ('Fringe' looks like it may have the legs, though.) Even when they have something good from the get-go - and I'm thinking 'Alien Nation' and 'The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.' - they don't show enough support, or just lose interest in it and let it get cancelled.

Here now, the Wish-Craft section of the post.....
As for another 'Doctor Who'? Re-creating the Doctor for an American audience "worked" once only because there was no other version currently on air at the time. And we did see Sylvester McCoy as the last Doctor hand off the character via regeneration to Paul McGann. But now Matt Smith is the current Doctor and his run in the series would overlap with any new Doctor. If that happened, the American version would have to be shunted off to some other TV dimension, and what good is that for Toobworld?

I'd rather have Tranter's proposed project turn out to be about another Time Lord from Gallifrey, and one who wasn't lost to the time-locked Time War. To keep the continuity with the original series, why not about a Gallifreyan gal? I'm thinking it's time to bring back Romana! With an escape from E-space and a regeneration from Lalla Ward in a cameo (who still looks great today!), I'm sure there are plenty of American actresses who could essay the role. It would certainly bring some buzz to the show.....
Of course, FOX would probably insist on somebody not only established with sci-fi acting creds to take on the role, but also somebody who's smoking hot - like a Tricia Helfer or Katee Sackhoff. Personally, I'd prefer somebody who's more unique, someone who could suggest that although they look human, they're really alien (and yet still fulfill the network mandate for eye-candy).
This could be the type of show that would create a star, so you don't have to start with one. I was originally thinking Signy Coleman might be a possibility (but my mental file on her could be outdated). However, the talent pool at just the soap operas alone are deep enough that you could find someone to pull off that Gallifreyan feel....

Just sayin', is all.....
Geez... I'm getting a Calista Flockhart vibe off that picture. But trust me - that's NOT the way I'd want to see this go!
BCnU!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Why not Michelle Ryan? She has those sci-fi acting chops with 'The Bionic Woman' (and it wasn't really her fault that it failed). Anyway she "redeemed" herself with her sidekick role (not exactly a companion) in "Planet of the Dead" special for "Doctor Who".

And I say let her keep her British accent!

Jaia