From Movies to TV Series - 2 Shows Slated this Fall

So much to blog about my head is spinning. So, let's break it down into topics shall we.

In looking at the fall line up announced by ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX there are two shows scheduled this year that are based on well loved films from the 80's .

The first, Eastwick, will air on ABC on Wednesday's at 10pm. It's based on the 1987 film The Witches of Eastwick starring Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon , Cher and Michelle Pfeiffer. It will star Lindsay Price (Lipstick Jungle), Sara Rue (Less than Perfect) and Rebecca Romijn as the three single woman living in New England who discover they have supernatural powers.



First. the movie was great. Secondly I was a fan of Charmed that aired on the WB. From the trailer above it seems that Eastwick is a Lipstick Jungle (loved that show) meets Charmed. Lipstick Jungle was an excellent show, but obviously not strong enough to last..but at least it outlasted Cashmere Mafia. Charmed ran for 6 years and while I loved it.. it was corny but it worked and in the end it was a feel good show with some moral values taught amidst the fighting.. good verses evil type of feel. It was a family show. Eastwick clearly plays to an older female crowd, but will they buy into the witch magic stuff like the audience of Charmed? Will the female empowerment feel be able to sustain a large enough audience to keep it on the air? Is it just too corny and cliched? That formula did not seem to work well for either Lipstick Jungle or Cashmere Mafia. If Eastwick turns out to be as witty as it seems it may be, it could appeal to the Desperate Housewives audience..and perhaps all of us Charmed fans now a few years older, will find the new take on witchcraft appealing. I will definitely check the series out, but my gut is telling me that it will be another show I start watching that will quickly fade.

The second show Parenthood coming to NBC on Wednesdays this fall at the 8:00 hour is based on the 1989 Ron Howard film of the same name that originally starred Steve Martin and Dianne Wieste. Ron Howard is a producer on this TV show. What I didn't know was that there was a half hour comedy version of this movie out in 1990 that aired briefly on NBC that failed. However, this time, I have to say that I believe this will be a HIT ala Brothers & Sisters. The cast is an absolutely amazing ensemble cast which includes Maura Tierny (ER) , Peter Krause (Six Feet Under and Dirty Sexy Money) and Craig T. Nelson among many other well known, liked and respected actors/ actresses (I'm a fan especially of Tierny and Krauss who I'm happy to see are in what I think is an excellent show after having had their previous gigs come to an end). Now this is a show that will be filled with stuff that will make you laugh and cry and sometimes laugh and cry at the same time. It reminds me very much of the winning formula that made Brothers & Sisters so very good. Just looking at the trailer below I can see that they are strongly developed well written characters that instantly you are going to identify with. The acting chops on this cast makes this a sure fire hit..at least in my book.




Lastly, just for fun, I wanted to recall some hits and misses with regard to Movies that became TV shows. One of the most successful , of course, was MASH. Other's included Friday Night Lights, Mr. Belvedere (based on the movie Sitting Pretty) that ran from 1985 - 1990 (yeah.. I didn't know that either), The Odd Couple and Private Benjamin (1981-83). Some unsuccessful attempts included Ferris Bueller in 1990 (movie was great.. TV show bombed), Big Fat Greek Wedding, Planet of the Apes.. and one that I'll always remember Kiss Me Guido (based on an independent film by the same name that I know personally because I had a song on the movie soundtrack).
So .. tell me what you think about the two series I talked about here that is up an coming. I'll have more up as the summer wears on and we near closer to the new fall season.