We love a good reboot, and beyond that, you may have noticed a certain fondness for sci-fi among other excellent genres. When it comes to upgrading a beloved classic with better tech and special effects we’re all for it. Not everyone feels the same. When it comes to a tremendous bio-cyberpunk story like Dark Angel we are holding out for a remake, but will we ever see it happen? We’ve already made it pretty clear we want to see this happen. When it comes to Hollywood, they’ll only do it if there’s money in it and good evidence that there’s going to be a lot of support for this kind of show. In the interest of fairness, it takes money to make money, and no one should be throwing their hard earned millions into a project with no future. So, why should the show be on the shortlist for rebooting?
Jessica Alba’s Breakout Role
Though the actress says she felt objectified by the role we don’t think that’s necessary to make a magnificent re-telling of this story. We’re not suggesting it’s time to neuter a character who has obvious appeal, but there’s nothing wrong with a strong female lead not being sold as a half-dressed teen cliche. The plot of Dark Angel was stellar, and the production values were stellar for the time. Hopefully, a remake of this excellent supersoldier story is a chance to be even better than before in more than one way.
Who doesn’t love an escaped supersoldier? From Khan (Star Trek) to Deadpool, involuntarily created supersoldier stories are good stuff. This dark and twisted tale of biological and cybernetic tampering is no exception. Opening up the casting to new faces and talents would allow the latest generation of future stars to take on iconic roles, and give it a great new skin with all new computer-aided graphics and techniques to create a more believable world. This is the 21st century, and we’re about to start sending colonists to Mars. Not just on a movie screen, but in life we live in an era that is largely inspired by the science fiction of our own history. Even Disney knows that a tired old trope doesn’t play like it used to. A female supersoldier is something we haven’t seen enough of yet.
The End of the World as We Know It
One of the surprising things about modern warfare is the rise of EMP based weapons. While some people are calling it all hype and would love to attribute the fears to shows like Dark Angel rather than reality, it’s a real concern. With companies like Boeing testing out their EMP weapons in real life the apocalypse scenario of this cyberpunk future is all too believable. The relevance of the premise isn’t lost on modern audiences.
Other Shows Are Doing It
Your mother always said that you shouldn’t do something just because all your friends are going to do it, but that logic doesn’t always apply. Here is an excellent example of when it’s the right time to follow the trend instead of breaking off from the pack. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a well-loved movie. Fans freaked out when they recast it into a TV show, and it ran for seven seasons. Now they’re doing it again, and we couldn’t be happier about it.
Fear of change is not a good reason to avoid bringing in new generations of fans by reimagining great shows and films. Like it or not, Star Wars and Star Trek have both seen fabulous revivals from their remakes. Spiderman isn’t doing too shabby in his many permutations either. Fuller House, She-Ra, Dynasty, Battlestar Galactica and plenty of other greats have worked the reboot magic to bring their unique excellence to a new era.
A Complete Overhaul
There’s been quite a bit of buzz lately over a potential Dark Angel Reunion in 2020. While talk isn’t the same as a guarantee, there’s some hope in hearing talks are happening. Reactions are not great from the original cast. There was talk of a possible movie at one point. Jessica Alba has said she’d rather see people be disappointed because there was no follow up than have people be upset over a bad return. Co-stars Jensen Ackles and Michael Weatherly both had equally unenthusiastic reactions.
If James Cameron decided to bring the show back, we wonder what he’d do differently? Fans and reviewers had more than a little to say over the season two changes before the original was canceled. Was it another case of Fox canceling a fabulous show? They do have a history of letting things the fans liked go, so much so that when they brought back Family Guy, Peter did a monologue about it. We know a reboot would have to star new actors given the reactions from the originals. Plus, as lovely as she is Jessica Alba is not 19 anymore even if she wanted the role again.
Retellings Are Traditional
Ultimately bringing the show back would mean that some purists who loved the original are going to freak out. However, we think that overall there’s more of a place for this show than ever on TV today. Since Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, arguably the first ever occurrence of science fiction, came out in 1818 sci-fi has always played an enormous role in human culture. Not only do we use it to inspire the future, but we love to retell our favorite stories. Any story good enough to be worth telling is worth telling at least twice. There is something utterly and beautifully human about a reboot. It’s this generation’s way of sitting around a fire having the village storyteller re-weave our most cherished myths.
Final Thoughts
We’ve finally evolved sufficiently detailed and advanced technology to create good cyberpunk movies and shows that don’t feel kitschy. (Altered Carbon anyone?) This generation has become fond of taking something that was a great concept and turning it into a genuinely stellar fully realized reimagining. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t take the time to remake anything worthy of the second chance. Giving the gift of a second life to epic shows and movies should never be scorned. Some will fall short like The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe or lose funding before they’re complete like The Golden Compass, but that’s no good reason to stop making the rest. Reboots are part of the culture now, and just like everything new, some people are afraid or annoyed by them, but that doesn’t make them bad.
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