'Pushing Daisies' scribe pens otherworldly script
It always makes me happy to hear that super-fancy creative types are dipping their toes into the science-fiction and fantasy TV realm. And few are fancier than Bryan Fuller, the creator of "Pushing Daisies" and "Dead Like Me."
Syfy announced Thursday that Fuller is writing a pilot for the network based on the book "The Lotus Caves."
The novel is about "colonists who rebel against the rigidity of their lunar colony by exploring beyond its proscribed boundaries and discovering a series of caves ruled by a super-intelligent, alien species," according to the network.I know what you're thinking -- this sound like the most awesome Syfy Saturday night movie ever! (Well, not as awesome as "Mansquito" or "Stonehenge Apocalypse," but, really, what could be?) In all seriousness, though, I hope things work out with "Caves." Though I wasn't a huge fan of "Pushing Daisies" -- I respected its ambition more than I loved its highly stylized execution -- Fuller is clearly very talented and Syfy could use something a bit more meaty and ambitious in its lineup.
Sure, it has "Caprica," which returns in January (and when it does, I hope it has a more unified narrative and more old-fashioned, edge-of-your-seat suspense). But in the scripted arena, it's dominated by lighter fare such as "Eureka" and "Warehouse 13." Those shows are entertaining, but a bit more meat on the bone wouldn't be a bad thing for the network that used to broadcast the extremely meaty "Battlestar Galactica."
By the way, speaking of Syfy's scripted fare, the network is now shooting the American adaptation of the BBC's "Being Human." Given that that project comes from Jeremy Carver -- a much-missed and talented "Supernatural" writer -- and Anna Fricke, formerly of "Gilmore Girls," my expectations are high. However I'll have to keep a damper on those expectations for now; the American "Being Human" is some ways away from its Syfy debut (though of course the second season of the original is airing now on BBC America).
Syfy's press release on "The Lotus Caves" is below.
SYFY ORDERS PILOT FROM DEAD LIKE ME AND PUSHING DAISIES CREATOR BRYAN FULLER
BASED ON THE BOOK THE LOTUS CAVES
New York, New York – August 12, 2010 – Syfy today announced it has commissioned a scripted pilot from Bryan Fuller, creator of Dead Like Me and Pushing Daisies.
The show will be based upon the popular book The Lotus Caves by John Christopher, about colonists who rebel against the rigidity of their lunar colony by exploring beyond its proscribed boundaries and discovering a series of caves ruled by a super-intelligent, alien species.
Jim Grey (In Plain Sight, Pushing Daisies) will co-write the script with Fuller.
Syfy recently announced a rich development slate of seven scripted projects featuring television icons Lee Majors and Kevin Sorbo; the Sanctuary creative team of Damian Kindler, Martin Wood and Amanda Tapping; a swashbuckling space opera and alien version of “The Office” from Universal Cable Productions, and a single camera ½ hour about fighting Zombies and a dramedy fighting supernatural villains.
Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 96 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)
Thanks for the heads up Mo! Sounds intriguing.
Posted by: OldDarth | August 12, 2010 at 10:37 AM
Some of my favorite people are involved! I'll have to give it a try. ;)
Also, in terms of programming, I've wondered if Syfy wasn't borrowing a page from USA's success manual and intentionally making its shows lighter-weight. It certainly feels that way.
On an almost completely unrelated topic - Mo, I just finished watching Farscape. It was really, really good. Thanks for recommending it. I was a little hesitant b/c of the whole puppet thing but now I'm so glad I gave it a shot. Oh, and thank goodness for made-for-tv movies. I would've been seriously ticked if Season 4 had been the end...
Posted by: katie71483 | August 12, 2010 at 11:18 AM
Given SyFy's recent successes with WH13 and the reset Eureka, it seems like more of the same is coming. I loved WonderFalls, Dead Like Me and Pushing Daisies, and I'll check out anything by Bryan Fuller. I'm not familiar with the book, but I wouldn't expect much more "meat" on the bone from him than those shows though, but of course a key topic will be Death.
Glad to hear others have discovered Farscape! Maybe Fuller's show will bring SyFy back closer to those quality roots.
Posted by: Wendy | August 12, 2010 at 11:49 AM
Is Syfy going to pick up a syndicated version of Lost?
Posted by: Tausif Khan | August 15, 2010 at 04:30 AM