A BSG-style Star Wars TV show?

[Phrubruh]

I've been wondering what your opinion would be if the Star Wars TV show ended up being a realistic gritty drama much like the new Battlestar Galatica. Would this be a good thing or should it mimic the style and feeling of the movies?

[Mitsukara]

That would be terrible. I don't like Galactica, and I'm a fan of various Scifi- Star Wars, the original BSG, Star Trek original series/next generation... I don't mind drama up to a point but Galactica is way too dark. Unrealistic level of super-drama going on; yes, things just as terrible as what happen in the show can and do happen, but such frequency and mental tension on everyone constantly always for years, plus the main cast somehow survives such... non-life? Something's broken there in my opinion.

Whatever you may believe on such things (I may be a bit too optomistic), I would hate to see a Star Wars TV show like that. If I wanted that I'd read the NJO

But that's just my opinion.

Ideally, it should mimic the movies up to a point, but go it's own direction in ways too. It all depends on what it's really about, I suppose.

[Phrubruh]

I guess it all depends on the audiance LFL is looking for. If they go for kids and selling toys, they should go with a movie-like version of the show that is family friendly. Unfortunately, this will let out most of the original generation of star wars fans that are looking for something darker in the style of BSG.  As I remember that was the main complaint agaist the prequals in that they wheren't dark enough. (ie Matrix, LOTRs, etc)

[Mitsukara]

I dunno- the lack of darkness never bothered me so much as the irritating nature (Podracer Announcer, JarJar, failed attempts at humor elsewhere) of Episode I and then the hurriedness/overdone attempts to be cool (or romantic... "I'm dying inside because of you!!!!!!!111"). ROTS was plenty dark enough- and things like that should be sparing in my opinion.

It's not like the original trilogy was frilly and silly and goofy. The prequels weren't really, either, just ill-balanced. The EU usually isn't, either- stuff like Timothy Zahn's or most of Kevin J Anderson's books have a kind of balance of drama. That's what I'd like to see here; some darkness, but some lightness too. BSG is darker than coffee that had triple-beans and was left sitting out for 5 days if you poured in some black acrylic paint afterwards. It's a living hell. The NJO (and Swarm War, and subsequent books...) seems almost as bad, and I don't really relish the thought of all future Star Wars productions trying to be that way just to be "cool for adults."

[Phrubruh]

You got a point about the NJO, they are totally dark and depressing. As I readed them, I just keep thinking how sad the entire thing was. That's why I stoped reading them.

Maybe the prefect tone for star wars tv should be like later episodes of star trek TNG? Something along the lines of  the Enterprise meet the Borg for the first time. I just hope they don't make it JarJar silly just to get kids or romantically stupid like the Love Boat or the OC just to get teenage girls in the mix.

[Mitsukara]

Yes, I agree. Drama and tension and some dark themes to it, but a kind of balance/happiness to it to- not silliness, just a good in-between. Stuff like the exchanges between Han and Luke in episode IV, or most of what Han was up to in ESB prior to getting captured by Fett / the Empire- I mean, not necessarily those scenes specifically, but about that tone, not silly but not dark/depressing either.

There should be good to go along with the bad, I suppose is what I mean. Not sillyness, not hideously failed attempts at anghst-filled romance, but a positive feel/attitude in parts, and a good humor to it.

[Angry Ewok]

I could do without the depressing stuff, I've got enough of that in my life to have it spill into Star Wars... but it could still be dark and realistic. In fact, I prefer it be that way, over having another season of the anime show from Cartoon Network.

NJO is stupidly depressing, I stopped reading at book three or four - the storyline wasn't the focus as much as killing off main characters. Something more along the lines of Shatterpoint would go well.

[P-Siddy]

I could do without the depressing stuff...
NJO is stupidly depressing, I stopped reading at book three or four - the storyline wasn't the focus as much as killing off main characters...

I really don't know what's in store for the SW TV show, but it's supposed to follow some of the secondary characters. I doubt that it would be like BSG (Which I love), because of its intense darkness (the almost-genocide of the human race... er, kind of sounds like the Jedi, eh?). Of course, the rise of the Empire isn't really a chipper event either. Jedi are still being hunted by Vader and stormtroopers, insurgents (Rebels) are being eliminated by Palpatine and the ultimate death weapon is being constructed...

But I'm curious how they are going to have a show based on background characters with the occasional cameo of someone important (Vader? Bail? Palpatine? Boba?). If the casual SW fan (one who only watches the movies) turns on the tube and sees Quinlan Vos, they're gonna be like "Whos' that?" and I think it would be hard for those people to get involved in getting acquainted with unfamiliar or new SW characters.

If they want to take something from BSG, I hope it's the writing. The characters are well-developed, the dialogue is excellent and the plot enthralling.