Red Mars on AMC will put a Colony on the Prime Piece of Real Estate.
© NASA
TV Wasteland: Red Mars is Coming to AMC
By: Stephen LackeyDate: Monday, October 06, 2008
AMC has been getting tons of attention lately for its series Mad Men and Breaking Bad but now it’s finally swimming on our end of the pool with a TV series adaptation of the 1992 novel Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. The series follows the exploits of the first team from Earth to colonize Mars. The book appears to focus as much on the interpersonal drama as it does the science fiction elements making the project seem a little reminiscent of Battlestar Galactica. The series couldn’t come at a better time for BSG fans as that series will be ending with the upcoming season.
AMC has announced two other projects, one of which will also be based on a novel and a third project also based on a novel that hasn’t quite been finalized yet. In their recent press releases, there appears to be a lot of focus on the fact that projects they are working on are mostly based off books. Is this what is supposed to make these projects fit within a network called “American Movie Classics”? Another potentially good science fiction series is never a bad thing but these announcements are consistent with a problem with many cable networks these days - the loss of an identity. Networks like AMC, BRAVO, and E! all found themselves struggling so they began jumping into projects that didn’t fit their original mission. So, what are these networks now? Are they just small size competitors to the majors? When the ability to get channels “a la carte” finally happens these networks are going to be in the most jeopardy so it seems that properly defining what they do and making it appealing to audiences is vital over the next few years. What channels would you pay for and which ones would you drop?
It’s another really busy week with a couple of new shows leaping into the fray. Basically, everything on Monday nights gets a full “recommend”. One of these networks is going to have to blink and move a show to another night or at least one show is going to die, probably Sarah Connor Chronicles. Chuck, Heroes, and Prison Break are all worth a look although Heroes has been weak compared to Season One. Tuesday offers a brief moment of recovery from Monday due to the Presidential debates (you may want to check those out). Wednesday and Thursday are both packed with options with the addition of two new series; Eleventh Hour and Life on Mars. Sanctuary and True Blood wrap up the week.
Monday
TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES (FOX, 8PM EST) GOODBYE TO ALL THAT
Derek and John try to protect a member of the resistance by infiltrating a military academy. Meanwhile, Ellison's first assignment for Weaver uncovers a specter from his past.
CHUCK (NBC, 8PM EST) CHUCK VERSUS THE SEDUCTION
Chuck goes undercover to pluck an important device from toxic spy the Black Widow (Melinda Clarke). But to penetrate her web, he must first learn the fine art of seduction from suave superspy Roan Montgomery (John Larroquette), whose best days are likely behind him. Elsewhere, Morgan provides unlikely romantic advice to Captain Awesome; and Lester adapts to his new position at Buy More.
PRISON BREAK (FOX, 9PM EST) FIVE THE HARD WAY
While Linc, Sara, Sucre and Roland track down the fifth card in Las Vegas, Michael and Bellick are unavoidably detained in L.A. by a gun-wielding T-Bag, who needs Michael to decipher the bird book. T-Bag, as it happens, is doing the bidding of Gretchen, who made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Meanwhile, Wyatt shows up at Don Self's home; and Sara learns something disturbing about Michael. Scuderi: Jude Ciccolella.
HEROES (NBC, 8PM EST) I AM BECOME DEATH
Peter uses a dark power in a gamble to prevent the future; Hiro and Ando consult an unlikely source while investigating who hired Daphne; Noah plans to get rid of his partner; Claire hunts a villain from her dad's files; and Suresh becomes impulsive.
Tuesday
BATMAN BEGINS (FX, 7PM EST)
This is it, the Christopher Nolan Batman reboot that actually has very little Batman in it. The movie is a solid telling of the origin story but not as interesting to watch over multiple viewings.
Wednesday
PUSHING DAISIES (ABC, 8PM EST) CIRCUS CIRCUS
A hunt by Ned, Chuck and Emerson for a missing teen (Hayley McFarland) leads to a circus with a curiously high mortality rate. Meanwhile, a guilty Lily visits Olive at the nunnery.
KNIGHT RIDER (NBC, 8PM EST) KNIGHT OF THE IGUANA
Mike and Zoe arrive in Mexico, masquerading as surfing honeymooners in an undercover mission to thwart a plot to smuggle terrorist weapons into the U.S. Sarah and Billy are also on the case---but surprising developments jeopardize the assignment.
BONES (FOX, 8PM EST) THE HE IN THE SHE
Brennan and Booth alight in a small religious enclave on the Chesapeake Bay when the remains of the community's pastor are discovered, but they have their work cut out for them in determining the true identity of the victim and a possible motive for murder.
GHOST HUNTERS (SCIFI, 9PM EST) OAK ALLEY PLANTATION
Oak Alley Plantation is probed in Vacherie, La.
Thursday
SMALLVILLE (CW, 8PM EST) INSTINCT
Maxima (Charlotte Sullivan), a queen from planet Almerac, arrives on Earth after being accidentally summoned by Tess. Thinking that her soul mate called her, Maxima sets out to find him, starting with Jimmy, but the men of Metropolis better beware---her kiss is deadly.
SUPERNATURAL (CW, 9PM EST) METAMORPHOSIS
Sam and Dean encounter a man with a mysterious infection that transforms him into a flesh-eating monster. Sam thinks the man can be changed through reason to curb his newfound instincts, but Dean believes the most-humane thing to do is to kill him. Dameon Clarke guest stars.
ELEVENTH HOUR (CBS, 10PM EST) RESURRECTION
Top biophysicist Jacob Hood (Rufus Sewell) investigates crimes of a scientific nature for the FBI. In the series opener, evidence is discovered that suggests someone is attempting to clone humans. Nineteen buried fetuses are found near Seattle and the probe reveals they all have the same DNA.
LIFE ON MARS (ABC, 10PM EST) OUT HERE IN THE FIELDS
In the series opener, NYPD detective Sam Tyler (Jason O'Mara) is hit by a car in 2008 and wakes up in 1973. There, he works with politically incorrect boss Gene Hunt (Harvey Keitel) and tough detective Ray Carling (Michael Imperioli) to help find a killer whose case is similar to one he was working on in 2008, all the while trying to figure out how to get home to 2008. Loosely based on the British drama of the same name. Annie Norris: Gretchen Mol.
Friday
GHOST WHISPERER (CBS, 8PM EST) BIG CHILLS
Melinda uncovers dark secrets among a circle of her high-school classmates after one of them dies unexpectedly. Grace Adams: Rachael Leigh Cook. Ryan Keller: Jason London. Haylie Wayne: Anna Silk.
STARGATE ATLANTIS (SCIFI, 9PM EST) THE LOST TRIBE
Rodney and Daniel activate an Ancient weapon before determining its threat to active stargates; Todd's group continues to hold the Daedalus crew captive.
SANCTUARY (SCIFI, 9PM EST) FATA MORGANA
Magnus must bring a mysterious trio from Scotland to the Sanctuary.
Saturday
PRIMEVIL (BBC, 9PM EST)
The city's canal system is breached by an anomaly, which creates an entry point for a species from the future.
CRAZY EIGHTS (SCIFI, 9PM EST)
A ghost haunts friends who have reunited at a medical facility where they were all childhood victims of gruesome behavioral experiments. This one stars Traci Lords and Dina Myer.
Sunday
TRUE BLOOD (HBO, 9PM EST) COLD GROUND
A tragedy sends Sookie in search of a place far from others' inner voices; Jason suffers withdrawal symptoms from a recent habit; and Tara's mother reaches out to her in a time of need.
More From Mania
And The Nominees Are...
Red Garden Vol. #1
(Tuesday, September 4, 2007)
Mars Daybreak Vol. #4
(Wednesday, February 8, 2006)
Hurd manages RED MARS
(Friday, June 6, 2003)
RED PLANET
(Thursday, November 9, 2000)
DEEP RED on Disc
(Tuesday, October 31, 2000)
GHOST OF MARS: John Carpenter
(Thursday, September 7, 2000)
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Unrelated, why does the Monday night 8PM have three hour long nerd genre shows competing against each other? Don't forget on CBS at 8PM there's the nerd comedies Big Bang Theory followed by How I Met Your Mother. I don't think any of those shows would be successful with that much competition in the days before DVR or webcasting.