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First episode of Dredd TV series

Started by Tarantino, 23 July, 2017, 09:34:31 PM

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Tarantino

In the past there's been discussions with regards to launching a Dredd film and that some people are of the opionion that you should slowly introduce Dredds world/story to the general public who might not be so familiar with his Universe. Maybe releasing one or two films of that ilk before a huge action packed blockbuster. Well I say fuck that shit, and The first Terminator film was a perfect example of why it's better to go with the blockbuster first and grab the publics attention by the balls. The first Terminator film came out of nowhere, no backstory, nothing, just a great action film, with perfect casting. The public loved the film and then they built a back story and developed a Terminator history after an attention grabbing first film.

This is the same with Dredd, as much as we've know and love the character, the general public will hardly be aware of him. So with the TV series it would be amazing to open it with The Dark Judges. The very first episode should give all the fans and those new to Dredd something to talk about the next day, and go wow, what the fuck was that?  Then build on Dredds history once you've got the casual viewer interested.

Tarantino

Bolt-01


IndigoPrime

I think the film got it broadly right: chuck everyone in at the deep end, and provide some threads you can continue with. Avoid an origins, because they are dull. Make it accessible enough that you don't need to be steeped in the history of 2000 AD to understand what's happening.

But also probably keep it at least reasonably grounded at first, and recognise that certain powerful aspects of Judge Dredd (the series) are only really powerful when you've had time to get to know the judges and the city. The reason the Stallone Judge Dredd failed is because Dredd gave up on the system. In the comics, this came after years of service, and some of the harshest responses to the citizenship by the judges and Dredd himself. It was a genuine shock. In the movie, Dredd just came across as indecisive, and I just didn't care. It all happened too fast, without you really knowing why this was such a big deal. Similarly, the Dark Judges are a corrupted vision of the MC-1 judges, but that only really makes sense if you've got to know the MC-1 lot.

Even America is far more powerful after a while immersing yourself in MC-1 and Dredd than as an opening salvo. (And although of the major Dredd arcs, it would at least work narratively as an opening, it would also be very much the scene setter, for a kind of series perhaps Rebellion doesn't want to be making. This new Dredd sounds a lot more like The Pit to me.)

Professor Bear

DJs are panto villains from the strip's past as an all-ages comic.  Their occasional re-emergence has more to do with throwing older fans a bone.

Plus, you're making a show about a gritty future cop and his first adventure has him fighting his evil zombie double from another dimension?  Good luck with that.

Tjm86

I had to read this thread carefully as I was confused by some of the comments.  I was struggling to remember a time when a sound meister from a disco was a villain in Dredd!

::)

Smith

I tend to agree with IP here.And Im not sure if Dark Judges would work on screen.

matty_ae

I'd never considered the Dark Judges as part of an all-ages comic.

Now the whole Luna-1, cape and sci-fi thing I sort of think could be guilty of that.
I think someone reaching in and squeezing your heart til it stops as more 18-cert stuff.

Not really challenging that opinion just never saw it that way.

Richard

I don't see the Dark Judges as age-specific, it depends on how they're done. And they would look brilliant on screen, done competently. But Prime and Bear are right: it's the wrong story to introduce Dredd with.

Mardroid

I agree.

I'm all for hitting the ground running with a thriller, and allowing the viewers to catch up concerning the City history and environment as a whole. That way we get to learn the background, but it's done as part of the story without deviating from the main narrative. (Pretty much how the film did it, really, except not necessarily stuck in one place... not that there's anything wrong with that for an episode or two.)

By all means bring in the Dark Judges at some point, (Series 2?) but the first few stories should be the more everyday Mega City crime stories, including pov stories from the citizens too. Not the first episode, but I think it's good to establish a bit of that early.Those stories are often pretty bizarre in themselves! Through those stories, we can learn more about the history of the city without getting bogged down.

Proudhuff

DDT did a job on me

Tarantino

My fear is that like a lot of these tv shows based on successful comic characters, such as Daredevil and Luke Cage, they use the character to launch a superhero series but eventually just fall back on their generic, formulaic plots with just occasional nods to their superhero origins. The bulk of each episode could just be another CSI show, or one of any other countless shows, where at the end of each episode the whole cast gathers around a central point to sum up what's happened to them, but basically really just explaining the plot to the viewer.

I would really like Dredd to focus on the madness and badness of the city, keep it as bizarre and crazy as possible and just occasionally drip feed us back-history and "the human story" in Dredds world. It needs to be fast paced, hi octane and futuristic all the way through. I don't want it to follow the formula that so many of these American cop shows follow, where the Judges could be any generic American policeman in a different uniform.

That's why I'd love them to just open with a really bizarre episode, and make the uninitiated viewer go "wow, that was fantastic" and can't wait to tell all their friends about it. And I think the Dark Judges would do that in spades.

Tarantino

IndigoPrime

In a sense, Lucifer is a good template of what not to do. Almost every element of what made the comic magical was stripped away, until you were left with a fairly dull generic cop show, with a sprinkling of otherworldly oddness (most of which is presented in the most irritating fashion possible).

Eric Plumrose

Quote from: Tarantino on 27 July, 2017, 10:22:58 AM
That's why I'd love them to just open with a really bizarre episode

Creating a raft of futsies probably isn't the best way to guarantee an audience for Episode Two. Doctor's orders.
Not sure if pervert or cheesecake expert.

Pyroxian

Quote from: Tarantino on 27 July, 2017, 10:22:58 AMThat's why I'd love them to just open with a really bizarre episode, and make the uninitiated viewer go "wow, that was fantastic" and can't wait to tell all their friends about it. And I think the Dark Judges would do that in spades.

I think the DJs work best once you know the Judicial system, so they wouldn't be great in a season 1 opener.

I agree that a "wow" episode is needed - maybe open with Supersurf 7...

sheridan

Quote from: Pyroxian on 27 July, 2017, 11:20:01 AM
Quote from: Tarantino on 27 July, 2017, 10:22:58 AMThat's why I'd love them to just open with a really bizarre episode, and make the uninitiated viewer go "wow, that was fantastic" and can't wait to tell all their friends about it. And I think the Dark Judges would do that in spades.

Now that's a good idea, hold a Supersurf, or training for it - something you don't get in other shows but that doesn't give a false expectation of what the series is going to be (if you have Dark Judges from the off people will think it's a supernatural show).

I think the DJs work best once you know the Judicial system, so they wouldn't be great in a season 1 opener.

I agree that a "wow" episode is needed - maybe open with Supersurf 7...