Ronald D. Moore's Next Sci-Fi Show

ixoy

Some details have emerged about Ronald D. Moore's next sci-fi project - this time on FOX, a station well known for treating sci-fi shows well (e.g. "Firefly", "Space: Above & Beyond", etc):

FOX has greenlit the two-hour back-door pilot "Virtuality" from Ronald D. Moore.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Moore wrote the "Virtuality" pilot with fellow "Battlestar Galactica" writer-producer Michael Taylor. The pair will produce along with former ABC and FOX execs Lloyd Braun and Gail Berman through their BermanBraun shingle.

Set up through Universal Media Studios, "Virtuality" focuses on the 12-member crew of Phaeton, a starship that leaves Earth on a 10-year exploratory mission. The ship has been equipped with state-of-the-art virtual reality modules that let the crew escape their constrained surroundings. Of course, when things start going wrong with the virtual reality, there are serious repercussions.

BermanBraun has a first-look deal with NBC Universal, but the trade paper says NBC felt "Virtuality" was "too sci-fi for the network."

This is FOX's second starship-themed project of this development season. The network has greenlit the comedy "Boldly Going Nowhere" from the team behind "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." That pilot wouldn't be shot until the fall after post-production on the latest "Philadelphia" season is completed.

In addition to his work on "Battlestar," which just began its final season, Moore's credits include "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine," plus "Roswell" and "Carnivale."

Potentially interesting - a VR. 5 in space?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

i'm hopefull, but preparing myself for dissapointment.

Overheal

Back door pilot... eh.... not promising.

monkeyfudge

Sounds like holodeck the TV series...

Ivan

As much as I enjoy Battlestar Galactica, Ronald D Moore always got a hefty mneh from me...

We'll see if this will change my attitude. But I have one important question, why fox?
I mean, if it gets to the point where you are getting desperate enough to have your new Sci-Fi series made take it to anyone but fox. And if no one will take but them, then it is probably best not made because even if you make something decent, they'll just cancel it anyways. Whereas if you had never made it you might have some hope of getting it made at another station and having a decent chance of it...

Sherifu

I'll keep an open mind on this. 12 man crew doesn't leave much room for killing dudes off.

User45701

Ye its a interesting idea, lets hope it goes well. But yes a 12 man crew does limit what they can do - i would not expect it to go more then 3 seasons.

Overheal

Its Virtual Reality based though. Meaning you have an infinite number of virtual characters to introduce, emotionally attach to the audience and have them killed before our very eyes!

;_;

Jim

ixoy wrote: »

Some details have emerged about Ronald D. Moore's next sci-fi project - this time on FOX, a station well known for treating sci-fi shows well (e.g. "Firefly", "Space: Above & Beyond", etc):

Didn't Fox kinda screw over Firefly? Josh Weadon has stated he'd never work for them again.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

aye, iirc they showed the fourth ep first or something.. and then kept airing them out of order, while all the time changing the shows timeslot to seemingly random placements.

Pepe LeFrits

While S:AAB got canned after one season.

Which I imagine is the fate that will befall this.

A series based entirely on a holodeck? Mille sabords.

monkeyfudge

Overheal wrote: »

Its Virtual Reality based though. Meaning you have an infinite number of virtual characters to introduce, ;

Such as Professor Moriarty, Jack the Ripper and an evil Abraham Lincoln.

Khannie

Jimeatsmenu wrote: »

Didn't Fox kinda screw over Firefly? Josh Weadon has stated he'd never work for them again.

Screwed him in the jacksy tbh. I'm surprised that Moore is getting into bed with them given what happened to Weadon.

thelordofcheese

Jimeatsmenu wrote: »

Didn't Fox kinda screw over Firefly? Josh Weadon has stated he'd never work for them again.

I'm pretty sure ioxy was using the little know art of sarcasm.

User45701

well actually joss even though he said he wont go for fox again he has got into bed with the for another new show aswell (but clap your hands because the people who where responsible for the cancellation of firefly no longer work there - and in all fairness fox where sound about it they did tell joss he could take the show elsewhere even though they owened the rights)

ixoy

thelordofcheese wrote: »

I'm pretty sure ioxy was using the little know art of sarcasm.

No really, was I?

I'm a little hesitant on the series myself. I pretty much hate the Holodeck as it was nearly always an excuse to write a cheap story (and it always malfunctioned...). It was very overused in "Voyager" and I reckon one more continuous setting is more interesting. Here we have the danger of just placing the characters in a different setting each week with less time to build up a good story line.
Having said that, I really liked Moore's work on DS9 so I have reasonable hopes for this. And I also kinda liked some of the stuff they did with the short-lived "VR.5" so perhaps they could look at the VR scenarios in interesting ways. We'll see..

Praetorian

It sounds like they're really struggling for original ideas. The "starship holodeck" may surprise us but it is just such a blatant star trek ripoff; and as mentioned, it's not one of the better star trek ideas. I honestly think 2 or 3 of us could come up with a better premise for a scifi show in a couple of hours in the pub some night.

Johnny Storm

It doesn't sound like a good idea to me. In fairness though the worst idea I ever heard for an SF TV show was to re-make that crappy 70's cheesefest Battlestar Gallactica and that didn't turn out too bad !