It’s 1985, and three anthology programs are now part of the prime time lineup. There’s a revival of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, where new episodes are filmed with wraparound introductions by Alfred Hitchcock himself (taken from old episodes and colorized). There’s a revival of the Twilight Zone, featuring awesome new stories from modern science fiction scribes.
And then there’s Amazing Stories.
Created with a two-year series commitment, Amazing Stories was Steven Spielberg’s attempt to revitalize and restore the anthology genre to prime time television. With a mixture of top producers, directors, writers and stars, Amazing Stories took its core ideals from the storytelling genre itself. Even Spielberg climbed back into the television director’s chair for a couple of episodes, including this amazing Kevin Costner-starred war drama called “The Mission.”
I used to watch Amazing Stories on Sunday nights; hell, I even taped a few episodes back in the day.
Eventually, though, the anthology genre run faded away – all three of the shows I mentioned were either cancelled or went into independent syndication within two years. Amazing Stories, despite five Emmy Awards, was not renewed past its two-year contract.
Which is why this late news caught my attention. And made me smile.
Entertainment Weekly reported that Bryan Fuller, fresh off his three-year run with the show Hannibal, is currently developing a revival of the series for NBC.
Woah.
Okay, I’ve gotten excited for series revivals that haven’t materialized – in the past, I’ve heard that several of my favorite programs, from Blake’s 7 to The Twilight Zone have been in various stages of “we’re bringing it back,” only to not bring it back at all.
But Amazing Stories … wow. Every week, I could watch an episode and there might be comedy or pathos or deep, intense drama. For example, check out this episode, “The Amazing Falsworth,” where Gregory Hines plays a theatrical clairvoyant who interacts with a serial killer.
This episode, “Mummy Daddy,” is a comedy half-hour with a pre-Perfect Strangers Bronson Pinchot in a supporting role. And it’s pretty funny if you watch it a few times.
So I know that shows can be put “in development” and then they never get developed.
Still, I’m kinda hoping this show makes it back to television, even though it’s been 30 years since the last time I heard the classic John Williams score and the primitive (cutting edge for 1985) CGI animation intro.
So what do you think? Would you watch a revival of Amazing Stories if it aired today? Or are you thinking that the original series was decent enough and it doesn’t need new episodes 30 years after the show’s original airing?
Let me know what you think in the comments section below.
Chuck The Writer 