Originally published at Fan To Pro.
Know what I think we need more of in media?
Shows
like Tremors.
You may remember that series – based on the series
of deliberate-B-monster-movies-with-heart, it ran on Sci-Fi channel
before their name change. It was an episodic series with some
continuing arcs about the people living in a small town that happened to
be infested with odd creatures, and their lives and stories dealing
with them. It was charming, funny, and quite clever.
It was also
a great model of synergy that I think more companies, authors, and
media people need to look at.
First, it took a cult property with a following and made something
out of it. Tremors is a charming film (and the other sequels have their
moments). You knew you'd have an audience.
Secondly, it
extended the mythos of the series as a continuing series. No reboot, no
restart, no unrelated stores like too many spinoffs and novel series.
It continued the tales of the story and of the main character, lovable
survivalist Burt Gummer. It enhanced your enjoyment of the other
properties.
Third, it actually made an effort to be a good show -
it didn't sit on it's laurels. It got a good cast, good writing, good
guest stars, and made in short, an actual good TV series. I still
remember a few scenes that actually choked me up – and others that made
me laugh.
Fourth, it was fun. Seriously fun. It didn't feel
fake or contrived because apparently some of the people on staff
realized it should be fun – just like the crazy film that started it
all.
So I think instead of remakes and prequels and adaptions,
maybe it's time for media producers (IE some of you reading this) to
think about extension. Take a property that you can monetize, and
extend it with a series – it doesn't even have to be TV, it could be
comics or novels. Tie it together in one continuity (since fans love
continuity), and have fun with it.
You make money. The fans have
fun. The people doing the work get paid. I call that win-win.
You
also don't end up competing with past media as you do with a remake,
you don't go for flash-in-the-pan and do half an effort. You make a
real effort to do something, and avoid the temptation to just "get it
done and over."
Go on. Firefly got Comics. Tremors got a TV
series. What's the next series? Go do it!
- Steven