BuzzSugar

Bad Idea of the Week No. 2: Johnny 5 Alive Again?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:30:26 -0700

It looks like we have some bad ideas bookending this week as we kicked off with Monday's news of a rumored remake of Casablanca and now we have another doozy: the possible remake of the 1986 hit Short Circuit.

While the rumor has floated around for several years, Variety now reports that the film rights have been acquired and the writers are hired, which means this train has officially left the station.

My initial reaction when I learned about this was: Stop messing with my childhood! My second thought was that if anyone truly misses Johnny 5 that much, isn't Wall-E kind of filling the void? The more I think about this remake, the more pointless it seems. There just doesn't seem to be a good reason to do it, but a lot of reasons not to.

To see why I think this lovable robot should remain in our memories and in our DVD shelves, read more.

The original Short Circuit was about a robot (Number 5) built by the military as an intended weapon. Surprisingly, the robot develops human qualities like emotions and a consciousness and with the help of a "spunky" young lady (Ally Sheedy) escapes the lab and seeks out the man who created him (Steve Guttenberg) to convince him that he is in fact, alive. Hence the famous '80s line, "Johnny 5 is alive!"

What I think made the original so special was that it tapped into the national zeitgeist at the time which was an underlying uneasiness among Americans at how strong and imposing NASA and the Pentagon were when the arms race was in full swing. Johnny 5 was something magical and comforting for audiences at that time, but I think our generation deserves something a little more relevant than a recycled version of this 1980s story.

Also, in this technological age, is a piece of technology that speaks really that crazy or interesting? Seriously, what is the point of this?

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Bad Idea of the Week: Madonna Remaking Casablanca (?!)

BuzzSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:00:18 -0700

It's only Monday morning and already we have a Bad Idea of the Week! And yes, this is entirely rumorific right now, but the mere thought of it is so appalling to me, I had to vent.

Madonna. Remaking. Casablanca.

Of course, the remake - possibly set in a modern war zone like Iraq - would be a starring vehicle for the Queen of Pop herself. Apparently, a "source" told the Daily Mail, "Madonna is talking about taking the Ingrid Bergman role for herself, even though Bergman was in her 20s when she played Ilsa and Madonna is nearly 50." Um. Yeah. To see what else there is to say about this, read more.

Age is the least of the issues I'd have with Madonna taking the role of Ilsa in a remake of Casablanca. First and foremost I have a problem with the words "a remake of Casablanca." And in general, Madonna is simply all wrong for the part. Ilsa (Bergman) had that sweet, vulnerable face,] and a gentleness to her that I don't quite see Madonna achieving.

Again, this is totally just a rumor right now. But if it is true, it annoys me to think that just because Madonna wishes to reclaim some credibility in the movie world, she has to go after one of the most - if not the most - well-loved classic films of all time.

If this is true, I . . . I don't even have the words. I really don't. But maybe you do? What do you think about this idea?

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Bad Idea of the Week: ABC's Wipe Out

BuzzSugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:30:48 -0700

It's a fact that falling can be funny. Look no further than Charlie Chaplin - or, for a more modern example, all those falling videos on YouTube.

But would you watch a show that was nothing but people falling, over and over again, on purpose?

ABC is about to find out: The network is picking up a reality show called Wipe Out, from the folks behind Fear Factor, that will feature "the most crashes, face plants, impacts and wipeouts ever seen on television." Um, woohoo? Also, instead of that sort of amusing, voyeuristic thing those YouTube videos have going for them, the show's falls will all be carefully designed.

The series will feature 24 contestants working their way through a series of obstacle courses that are "designed to make people crash and burn," with the promise that the wipeouts will begin almost immediately. Four finalists will move on to the even tougher Wipe Out Zone, with each episode's winner taking home $50,000.

Do you think it's true that, as one of the producers said, "there's just something inherently funny about watching someone wipe out"? Does that still hold true if you know the wipeout is coming? Does this show strike anyone else as Jackass without the edge? And really, how long will it be before even the biggest falling fans get really, really bored?

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Bad Idea of the Week: High School Musical With Real People

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:29:52 -0800

I can understand how the people in charge of the making-money part of show business are blinded by dollar signs when anyone says the words "High School Musical." The Disney Channel's made-for-TV movie starring Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens is a goliath that quickly moved from a massive ratings success to a global franchise phenomenon. It's not surprising that the powers that be are eager ride this tween wave for all it's worth. However: a reality show? Really?

There's already plenty of HSM to go around with the original and HSM 2 on TV, HSM3: Senior Year in the works for Fall 2008, and the live stage production and ice tour currently making their way across America. Plus, actual high schools can now license the musical for performances, and Showtime is working on a documentary about the "cutthroat world" of musicals at Southern Indiana high schools. Might this proposed reality show - which would show young singers competing for a still-mysterious grand prize - be the point when even the most die-hard HSM fan just says no?

For more details about the show and why I think this is where the folks in charge should practice some restraint in the brainstorming room, read more.

Variety reports that while the deal is not finalized, some aspects of how the show would work are known and include:

A nationwide talent hunt followed by a group of contestants studying at a music conservatory to hone their skills
A summer airdate on ABC
Weekly eliminations of contestants
A grand prize - though the prize itself is still confidential.
Appearances by franchise stars (does that include the ice skaters?)

I'm probably not the demographic ABC is targeting for a show like this, and I realize there are others who could be entertained by this concept. However, I've generally come to believe that giving the reality tretament to popular musicals should be avoided (thanks to Grease: You're the One That I Want for that lesson). Issues of HSM overload aside, I think people are attracted to these musicals because it allows them to escape to a sincere and earnest world where most problems can be solved with spontaneous bursts of song and dance. Reality show competitions are rooted in the exact opposite: a cynical place in which there are always winners and losers (and boatloads of drama), and no matter how hard you try, sometimes the cards just don't fall your way. The two just don't mix well, and I can't imagine millions of Americans lining up to watch young hopefuls Buffalo-two-step their way into oblivion.

Then again, maybe the HSM gravy train truly knows no bounds. I think this is one very bad idea, but what's your take?

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Bad Idea of the Week: "I Want to Look Like a High School Cheerleader Again"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 11:32:24 -0700

I'm all for people changing their looks and lifestyles on TV. I'm a "What Not to Wear" disciple, and come fall, I'll be cheering on "The Biggest Loser" contestants right alongside Fit. But something about this new CMT reality show is just rubbing me the wrong way.

Called "I Want to Look Like a High School Cheerleader Again," the show will take 10 former high school cheerleaders and try to get them to fit into their old uniforms again with the help of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders trainer Jay Johnson. The winner will get $50,000 and "the chance to perform again in front of a live audience."

Once again: health and fitness = good. But the idea of adults aiming to be high school cheerleaders again - complete with kicky little pleated skirt and a public performance - makes me feel queasy. It reminds me a little too much of the "girls jumping on trampolines" feature from "The Man Show," and I'm not loving the message that grown women should aspire to look, dress and feel like adolescents.

Am I being too harsh? I understand the producers' point that every former athlete longs to recapture that energy and verve. But I'm not sure this particular fountain of youth is one we should be dipping into.

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Bad Idea of the Week: Ferris Bueller's Day Off 2

BuzzSugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:30:00 -0700

What's almost worse than making remakes of beloved '80s films? Making sequels to beloved '80s films! Especially when it's a sequel to a John Hughes movie that might be made 21 years after the first one and probably won't be directed by Hughes himself.

That's right, folks, apparently screenwriter Rick Rapier has written the script for Ferris Bueller 2: Another Day Off in which Bueller, now 40 years old, has turned his motto "Life Moves Pretty Fast" into a self-help motivational career with his buddy Cameron managing the thriving business.

Rapier provided TampaBay.com blog, StuckInThe80s, with a copy of the script which they deemed "a blast." The blog is now claiming that fans of the original would love a sequel.

To check out the sequel's plot details and more, read more

The plot is this: "Despite his phenomenal success, Ferris is a bit distracted on his 40th birthday (which, considering his massive fame, is being watched on pay-per-view TV by millions of devoted fans). He decides to take the day off, sending Cameron, his business associates and family into a frenzy." Rapier reportedly wants all the original actors to come back to reprise their roles, and has included each of them in the sequel's story:

Ferris' sister Jeannie (Jennifer Grey) is married to the boy she met in the police station (Charlie Sheen).
No longer a school administrator, [Principal] Rooney is still stalking Ferris for revenge.
The economics teacher played by Ben Stein now is an airline gate representative.
Ferris' girlfriend Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara) is a Hollywood star going through a rough marriage.

But what is a John Hughes movie without John Hughes? As Cinematical points out, he's never once directed a movie he didn't write and it's hard to imagine he'd start now with Another Day Off.

What do you think? Would you like to see a sequel to Ferris Bueller's Day Off?

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Bad Idea of the Week: Canceling the Canceled Shows

BuzzSugar — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 06:30:00 -0700

Here's the story of this TV season in a nutshell: Networks put on new shows. Networks cancel new shows. Networks promise to bring back the canceled shows so dedicated fans can get some bit of closure. Well, now we can add a new step to the process: Networks cancel the canceled shows again, further frustrating fans who had waited months for the supposed resolution and now are unlikely to get it at all.

ABC got into the act this week, canceling "The Knights of Prosperity" and "The Nine" for a second time after just two episodes each. They must have taken a lesson from Fox, which moved the date of the final two episodes of "Drive" several times before finally deciding against putting the episodes on TV at all.

In all these cases, the presumed reason behind pulling the show yet again is low ratings. But how could the networks have expected anything else? We viewers take risks when we make time for new shows, and when they get pulled mid-season, that chips away at our trust and makes us less likely to return. With me so far? Then read more

Only the most dedicated fans of the canceled shows are likely to even know that the remaining episodes have been slipped back on the air, as they arrive with no fanfare and little, if any, promotion. And quite a few fans, having been burned by the network the first time around, are unlikely to make time in their schedules for the burn-off episodes; even I, a big "Knights of Prosperity" fan the first time around, only remembered at the last minute to TiVo one of last week's two new episodes, and I haven't even watched it yet.

That still doesn't justify the networks' yanking of shows a second time around. It's pretty obvious that if the shows had been getting good ratings to start with, they wouldn't have been canceled in the first place. Naturally, episodes of an irrelevant show that air long after the show was last broadcast will do worse. Any network executive who believes otherwise is, frankly, delirious.

But having the shows pulled a second time is just an insult to the dedicated fans who did make an effort to find the show again- and that makes viewers even less likely to commit to new network shows the next time around. I'd like to see shows get to finish their full runs on the air a la "Studio 60." But if the networks aren't fully committed to letting them burn every one of the unaired episodes on TV, I'd rather see the series go online or to a DVD. When they pop back on TV only briefly, we just feel the rug being pulled out from under us again.

Bad Idea of the Week: "America the Ugly"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 04:30:00 -0700

Here's an idea that just makes me sad: VH1 could be developing a reality show called "America the Ugly," following unattractive women who get thrown into the glamorous world of fashion and modeling. The show is said to be a real-world version of "Ugly Betty," starring Becky Southwick, the acerbic model manager from "The Agency."

Now, I actually enjoyed Becky's cutting comments on "The Agency" - when she was dealing with models, also known as people who are judged on their looks professionally. But I wouldn't want her giving me a head-to-toe assessment before I headed to work each day - and I certainly wouldn't want her to humiliate other relatively normal-looking young women who might not be too high in the self-esteem department in the first place.

I know we live in a judgmental, Hollywood-obsessed society, but when did it become outright OK to make fun of "ugly" people? I'm still reeling from these yogurt ads that reimagine classic movie scenes with chunkier women in the roles, and this show seems even more offensive. Other than proving that reality TV once again lacks original ideas, it also ignores the major lessons of "Ugly Betty" - that the supposed beautiful people are often nasty on the inside, that your mind and heart matter more than your looks, that the underdog can come out on top.

This especially bugs me because right now, male nerds - many of whom are far from being Hollywood lookers - are being not just accepted but celebrated in entertainment: "Flight of the Conchords," "The IT Crowd," "Chuck," Dwight Schrute. Why can't our brainy, beautiful (if not model-gorgeous) girls get their due, too?

Bad Idea of the Week: "De Grote Donorshow"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 30 May 2007 15:28:52 -0700

I've written a lot about reality TV going too far - remember "The Baby Borrowers"? - but it's nothing compared to this: A Dutch TV station is launching a show in which three patients will compete for a dying woman's kidneys. (Update: It turns out the show was a hoax! See the link at the bottom of this post for the full story.)

Called "De Grote Donorshow" - that's "The Big Donor Show" to you - the show (produced by the company responsible for "Big Brother") follows a terminally ill woman's debate over which of three patients will receive her kidneys when she dies. According to the BBC, the woman (known only as Lisa) will make her decision based on the contestants' personalities and chats with their friends and family. Viewers will be able to text-message advice to Lisa throughout the broadcasts, which are scheduled to start on Friday.

This sounds like the most twisted version of "The Dating Game" that I can imagine. I scoff at people who think they can find love on reality shows; I can't believe that a decision that is literally life-or-death could be turned into a game for a TV audience.

BNN, the network that's airing the show, claims it will raise awareness of the need for organ donors; its founder died of kidney failure after spending years on a waiting list for a transplant. But most organs don't get donated based on whom the donor likes more and feedback from the general public. I can't see how this show is anything but unethical, creepy, and - based on the cartoon kidney in the show's logo - tasteless above all.

Update! Turns out the show was an elaborate hoax to convince the Dutch government to reform its organ donation laws. Wow. I can't imagine any U.S. TV network pulling off a stunt like that.

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Bad Idea of the Week: NBC's "Age of Love"

BuzzSugar — Sat, 12 May 2007 14:01:39 -0700

A while back, when NBC first announced its summer schedule, I noticed a listing for a show called "Age of Love." It was a dating show, but NBC hadn't released any other hints about its premise. Now the details are out - and they're awful.

Here's how NBC describes the show, which will premiere June 18:

31-year-old Australian tennis superstar Mark Philippoussis will attempt to find true love among women ranging in age from 21-48 in this unique series based on the current phenomenon of younger men dating older women. Philippoussis will date 13 women from two very different groups - the "Kittens," six fun, enthusiastic women in their 20's, and the "Cougars," seven beautiful, sophisticated women in their 40's.

First of all: Mark Philippoussis? Random! Why would NBC spend its time hooking up a semi-famous tennis pro and not just some average dude? And how on earth did they know Philippoussis was looking for love? Did they come to him? Did he go to them? I'm baffled. Also, now we're probably in for a whole summer of tennis/love puns ("40-love," "mixed doubles," etc.). Greeeat.

As for the setup of the show, well, I just feel icky, so read more

Here's more from NBC's press release:

The suspense builds in early episodes as Mark - unaware of the concept - is first introduced to the "Cougars." As he meets them one by one, their ages increase much to his surprise. The series takes a dramatic turn when Mark learns there's a second group of much younger women - the "Kittens" - who will also be attempting to vie for his affections. Unaware of each other, the two groups of women meet for the first time taking the competition for Mark's affections to a whole new level. From there, each week the field of women will be narrowed down with the remaining vying for his attention - but only one can win Mark's heart.

When, exactly, did "cougar" become a desirable (or even acceptable) term? I've always thought of it as something close to a slur, not something that would be bandied about on primetime TV. Furthermore, as a woman in my 20s, I'm a little offended to be referred to as a "kitten." (And we worry about "Grey's Anatomy" being bad for women.)

Let's face it: There's no way this poor guy can win. If he dates an older woman, he'll be perceived as a little gross; if he goes with a younger woman, he'll be accused of doing the "classic man" thing - choosing the youngest, prettiest gal in the room. And what exactly are we going to learn - that everyone should date someone 10 years older, or 10 years younger? Yeah, don't think so.

Finally, reality shows where the contestants don't know the twist never seem to end well - anyone remember "Boy Meets Boy"? I'm going to go ahead and guess that Mark and the viewers won't "discover if love is truly ageless," as NBC promises. We're more likely to discover that looking for love on a contrived, offensive reality show is just a really bad idea.

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