The Flanneled One Speaks: TV Guide Interview

The most recent edition of TV guide has an extensive interview with Mr. George Lucas. Topics range from the animated series to the live action series (seriously George, no Jedi in the live action series??) I've cut and pasted the entire thing here...and have provided a link HERE to the interview.

I think one of the more interesting statements from George is how the live action series will be developed. The plan is for a hundred episodes of the live action series and one hundred episodes of the Clone Wars series. He's really tackling the medium of television with reckless abandon...and I totally love that about George. It's how he did American Grafitti (sp) and the OT.

His maverick approach to producing these series is also nearly unprecedented. They going to make the series and then just sell to whatever network wants them. They will be done...and there's no threat of cancellation of production. The only cancellation threat is broadcast cancellation but not production cancellation, which means worst case scenario is we buy all the episodes on DVD.

EDIT: Whoa! I tried copying and pasting the entire thing but it was so TL,DR that my eyes crossed. Please just click on the linky above and we can discuss the interview and its implications, along with the overt statements, here.

 

Thanks Lord.

So, we can now discount the live action series being a Jedi On The Run type series. Which makes me wonder, what the heck is it going to be about?

Anybody else feel a bit of a spine tingle when you read the comments about the animated show? I'm getting really pumped about it now!

 

George's comments that the live action series is unlike anything else he's done (or something like that) makes me wonder what its story arc really will be. My perception of Star Wars, and my lack of creativity, really boxes me in when I think about the universe. Part of me thinks that it just HAS to be Bounty Hunter oriented...but then again it might just be about blue milk harvesters trying to make the Kessel Run.

 

I can't believe there's not going to be Jedi. It makes sense for the time-period, but I think that will severely hurt it in the eyes of the masses as by this point the most iconic images for Star Wars are Vader and the Jedi. The fact that there's not Jedi makes me hope for a Firefly-esque show that focuses on a small group of core characters on the edge of the galaxy trying to make their way under the heel of the Empire.

 

Assuming there aren't Jedi in the show (and i'm taking GL's statement with a grain of salt, as i find it very hard to believe that there will be none whatsoever, and we all know how GL loves to disregard what he's already said), this is pretty much what i'd expect. Firefly always seemed to be able to be easily plugged into the SW universe, with some minor changes of course.

 

And some major changes as well. From where I sit, I think that whatever the story arc turns out to be, it has to dovetail with the overall arc of the films. There has to be some significance to what the LA characters are doing in the overall scheme, especially the events leading up to episode IV. If the show is just about the adventures of blue milk smugglers or something, without any real relation to the overall film story, then I'll be disappointed. I'll still watch but there's great potential here.

 

I really, get the feeling that the episodes are not going to be in an arc as such, but more like isolated episodes featuring different characters. His indifference to shows like lost seems to suggest he's not looking for anything too expansive or optimistic on a grand scale. for me that would be a huge mistake, star was has always been larger than life and the tv show should be the same. Obviously creators are influenced by shows they like and i would have been much happier if he had said, i love what lost did. Rome doesnt really follow traditional arcs either.

It also highlighted his current attiutde towards what other people do with star wars and explains why the EU has become much more open with its ideas. Again i think this is a shame it's like now the shackles are off and people can do anything they want; a terribly dangerous thought.

Overall it all sounds pretty positive but I'm not as excited about the live show as i once was. hopefully his ext interview will be when hes actually thought about that show rather than just said he's gonna do it. I mean is it me or does he purposely try to avoid the live tv series in his interviews and divert to the cartoon?

As for said cartoon, i think it will be amazing, with plenty of violence and action. Just what i hoped!

 

I think the AS will push the envelope in a lot of ways, especially in how it is animated. It's got a lot of uptick going for it, I think.

 

Was there a comment that the cartoon series won't be suitable veiwing for the cartoon network or to have an early time slot? That surprised me a lot, actually....

Regarding the live action series, it sounds as though they are going to start writing it within the next month, so one assumes we should be getting details about which writers have been chosen, anytime now.

Exciting times.

 

I don't know, I'm not too thrilled with the live action. First if all the interview overrides everything that McCullem stated about 400 episodes. We now know that GL has intentions of having 100 episodes for the live action with NO JEDI, DARTH VADER, AND THE EMPEROR. Yes, they will be named but not seen.

 

As far as Vader and the Emperor goes, you can't blame Lucas for that. He's always said that main characters would not be seen in the show, and the fact people have still chosen to think that maybe Vader and The Emperor might have cameo's or something, isn't really Lucas's fault.

I am surprised about the no Jedi line, but lets wait and see. Basically we have absolutely no idea what the show will be about at all, at this stage, so lets hold off making a judgement until we hear more.

 

This thing will fail simply because people will have nothing to relate to it as being Star Wars. Just because it has Star Wars in the title, it won't make it so.

This thing seems designed for fans who love the EU. That's fine, but I doubt there's enough of them to make this thing worth the time or money.

 

I don't think I ever expected a Jedi on the run series but really, no jedi, nada, zip, nothing? Isn't that something that kind of sets Star Wars apart, force users? I will be very dissapointed if we go one hundred episodes and never see a force user appear. Star Wars completly without Jedi and the force will be like Das Boot with no water..........

 

Despite what he said, it wouldn't surprise me if over the course of 100 episodes we'll at least get a cameo of a Jedi, Vader, and/or the Emperor. Just don't expect an appearance every week. Or every season for that matter.

Anyway, we'll see when it gets here. Whenever that may be.

 

I don't think Lucas meant it was a free reign for writers working in the EU now. I think what they meant was that in the 80s, Marvel had huge limitations about what they could do. Just ask Jo Duffy, who in my opinion wrote some great stories, about all the things they said no, no to.

Today it is like George says in the interview. His story is told, and now it' easier to let people toy around more than in the past. I still think they will do their best to work against continuity foul ups.

 

I think the best thing to do is going into the Live Action series with a complete open mind, until we see what its about. Whilst I agree that just having the Star Wars name is no guarantee to success, by the same token I would also say that just because it doens't have any of the characters we're familier with, doesn't mean it couldn't be good in its own right. It really depends what its about and how well its made and written.

 

The thing about these discussion groups is that they evolve based upon the level of knoledge we currently have. i think its natural to discuss the live tv series based upon what george has said even if it is to change dramatically in the future. I agree that we should be fairly open minded about it and generally refrain from making sweeping statements such as "jesus this is gonna suck im not gonna watch it" but healthy discussion and suggestion would be beneficial in my opinion. Personally I seek others views and interpretation of what GL said because it gives us things to speculate about which is fun if not always correct.

 

I agree. Well said.

 

So, how do we think this series will work without a jedi central character...or the Jedi presence at all? Will it be starfighter based? Will it be Bounty Hunter based?

 

I suppose now, we can also forget seeing any cool lightsaber fights?

 

I wouldn't rule that out. With General Grievous we have seen that Lucas is ok with non-Force users using lightsabers.

 

Yep, and until more news comes, it's all we have to talk about regarding the shows.

 

I'm sick of Jedi! I'm sick of SW being up in the clouds with demigods.

I want a series about the rebels and imperials. The grunts and the everyday fighters.

Leave the mythical heroes and villains for the films.

TV is more character oriented and the live action show delving deeper into the common soldier or bounty hunter is what the SW universe needs right now.

The last thing it needs is more lightsabers flashing.

That's been done to death.

 

I agree that this show now has the potential to be a real gritty character study set in a turbulent and disturbing time in the GFFA.

 

I am hoping that Lucas meant "no Jedi" in that they are not an organized group in positions of power. In the time of the empire it would not be a good idea to go around telling people that you are or were a Jedi. We could have ex-Jedi around.

Star Wars without Jedi? I have a bad feeling about this.