Thanks to Janet and cricketclark for sending this in! 08/13/2000 Star-Tribune Newspaper of the Twin Cities Mpls.-St. Paul METRO Page 01F (Copyright 2000) They're out there - more alien abductions, UFOs, killer mutants, Cigarette Men and other things that go boo in the night. With "The X- Files" showing signs of yellowing, a brigade of new network programs is lining up to take its place, promising the heftiest slate of science-fiction dramas in TV history - even though the genre's shows usually disappear faster than you can say "Shazam!" The networks have every reason to be scared of spacemen. While light-hearted fantasy shows ("The Bionic Woman," the original "Fantasy Island") and spaced-out sitcoms ("Mork & Mindy," "My Favorite Martian") have done just fine, serious sci-fi dramas rarely have scored outside of syndication and cable, where smaller, dedicated audiences can create hits. "Star Trek" didn't gain a huge following until well after its three-year tour on NBC. "The Twilight Zone," while successful in the early '60s, never finished in the top 20. In fact, that has been achieved by only two space odysseys: "Project UFO" and "The X- Files," which both peaked at No. 19. But while "UFO," a docudrama created by Jack Webb, only flew during the 1978-79 season, "X-Files" has been a pop-culture phenomenon, captivating the much-coveted young-male audience, spawning a hit summer movie and gracing the cover of Entertainment Weekly so many times, you'd think Walter Skinner had taken over as executive editor. Now with ratings dropping, star David Duchovny only appearing in a handful of shows next season and the Emmy Awards shutting out the show in major categories, Hollywood obviously feels as if there's a gap to be filled. Three of Fox's five new dramas - "Night Visions," "Freakylinks," "Dark Angel," - have sci-fi themes, and an "X-Files" spinoff, "The Lone Gunmen," is expected to premiere in January. There's the NBC summer series, "Mysterious Ways," described by producers as "Touched By An Angel" meets "The X-Files," which moves to the Pax network on Aug. 22. Over at the WB , " Roswell " - the drama about teen extraterrestrials hiding out in a New Mexico town - only survived when producers promised network executives that the show's second season would be less about high school and more about alien adventures. And while writers and stars of these shows will tell you that they never would attempt to imitate "The X-Files," they admit that all sci- fi shows in the near future will be judged against it. "I think `The X-Files' created a litmus test for all sci-fi shows," said " Roswell " star Jason Behr . "Because that show is in its last season and some key people are not going to be involved anymore, everyone wants to fill that void." Fox TV entertainment president Gail Berman agreed that "X-Files" has raised the standard for all sci-fi shows to come. "Any drama that dares to tread in that territory, better come up and not leave the audience hanging," she said. "That's the responsibility of the network to grab that audience, but the only way to do it is to create something as monumental." That might make it even harder for any of the new sci-fi shows to last longer than one of Capt. Kirk's love interests. But many feel the genre will be successful in the future if Hollywood takes a few pages from "The X-Files." The problem is, which ones do you steal? Tommy Thompson, executive producer for "Freakylinks," which has young computer geeks exploring supernatural mysteries, said "X- Files" proved that audiences crave open-ended, even complex stories. "I think we've learned that you don't have to give the audience everything," he said. "This isn't a slam to TV executives, but what I run into in meetings is executives who want all the answers, while you're trying to create a story arc that spreads over a period of years. But if you give the public a little bit, they'll come back." Karim Prince, who plays one of the "Freakylinks" ghostbusters, said it's now clear that there's room for smart sci-fi on TV. "I think the success of `The X-Files' was due to the intelligent way they presented the stories," he said. "We need to piggyback on that idea." Intelligent life But others warn that brainy sci-fi never will have enough appeal to sustain a mainstream network audience. Minneapolis author Joel Rosenberg, who has penned 18 science-fiction and fantasy novels, said there's a big difference between good sci-fi and good TV. Rosenberg said fantasy dramas fare better than sci-fi drama because those shows don't ask as much from the audience. "I don't mean people are dumb, but I don't think people want to watch the networks and have something extra required of them. `The Six Million Dollar Man' was horrible as science fiction - I mean, just because he has bionic legs and a bionic right arm doesn't mean the rest of his body wouldn't collapse when he lifts a car - but it was fun. People don't want to have to think so much about the tropes." When sci-fi such as "The X-Files" does succeed, it's not because someone has cooked up a three-story Martian monster with fire- breathing feet or a time-travel plot that would make Ray Bradbury's head spin. It's because of good ol' fashioned characters. "One of the reasons the `Star Trek' shows have done so well is that they realize it's not about the phasers and the gimmicks," Rosenberg said. "That's the scenery. No one is going to tune in week after week to watch scenery. And if you have to explain a complex background, there's an extra tough weight on your shoulders, and it will take more time than most networks are willing to give." Laurel Krahn, a science-fiction fan who works as a systems administrator in Minnetonka, said she's an `X-Files' watcher, even though the mythology has turned out to be a mess. "It doesn't hold together, and it seems like they're making things up as they go," she said. "But I stick with the show because I love [Fox] Mulder and [Dana] Scully and Skinner and the Lone Gunmen guys and because sometimes they tell really good tales." Colin Hanks, who co-stars in " Roswell ," said good sci-fi TV must be grounded in realistic heroes and stories. "It isn't just about spaceships," he said. " `X-Files' gave sci-fi a human quality. Most of the other science-fiction shows relied on the science fiction too much. Ultimately, I don't think people want something that is totally, completely 100-percent not possible." Mysterious direction The man who created "The X-Files," Chris Carter, said that special effects are only half the battle and that the show's success is due mostly to chemistry between its stars. So where does that leave the master in this eighth season? Grumbles have grown about unresolved plots (Just who is Mulder's sister? Ally McBeal?) and, even though veteran tough guy Robert Patrick is joining the cast, many feel the show can't work without the sexual tension between Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. "David and Gillian are the reason for the show's great success," Carter said. "But that doesn't mean you can't threaten the paradigm, you can't threaten the model, you can't threaten the relationship." This season will tell whether Carter is right. As for the fate of the genre, try figuring out something easier, like who's the father of Scully's baby. "It's such a miracle that `The X-Files' worked," Carter said. "There's just a million ways to fail in television, and when you have something that hits, you realize how lucky you are and that the gods are in your favor. Everybody can be lined up, but you better make really good choices and hire really good people every step of the way or else there's a good chance that you'll fail. A lot of people would like to be popular or successful, but it's mostly hard work - and a lot of luck, too." - To reach Neal Justin, call 612-673-7431 or e-mail njustin@startribune.com. |