It has been announced that Count Dracula is to return to the small screen in a major new 10-part adaptation, the NBC/ Sky Living production will star Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the famous vampire.
Created by author Bram Stoker in 1897, Dracula has been the subject of hundreds of film and TV adaptations over the years, let’s have a look at some of the most famous:
Bela Lugosi stars as what was, for many years, Hollywood’s defining Dracula.
Hammer Horror made dozens of Dracula films in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, many with Christopher lee in the role.
Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola directed Gary Oldman as the count in this 1992 film adaptation.
After spoofing westerns and Frankenstein, Mel Brooks has a go at Dracula.
Tonight the glorious ‘Company Man’ episode hits terrestrial TV in the UK, but over in the States ‘Heroes’ is faring poorly in its second season. The NBC show came in third in its Monday night 9pm time slot, behind ABC’s double of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and new sitcom ‘Samantha Who?’ and CBS’s ‘Two and a Half Men’ and ‘Rules of Engagement.’ The show has sunk to its lowest viewing figures among its core audience of adults aged 18-49 and has caused many critics in America to speculate on a ‘sophomore slump.’
While this TV Scooper can appreciate the criticisms (I too have felt underwhelmed and frustrated by certain creative directions in season two), creator Tim Kring remains confident that this slump is a product of people watching online, or recording to watch later, a theory substantiated by similar drop-offs for other top shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and Ugly Betty. “People tend to look at last season and see things in it that were not in it,” Kring told the LA Times. “We haven’t deviated that much.”
I don’t know that television bosses understand environmental activists when they encourage people to recycle – as I’m not sure that TV shows count. What am I talking about? Hot on the heels of the US remake of The Bionic Woman, itself made by the man that remade Battlestar Galactica, comes news of a another beloved classic getting the 21st Century treatment: Knight Rider. NBC are reportedly interested in commissioning a new series to be produced by film director Doug Liman (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Bourne Identity) though there is no word on whether it will feature original star David Hasselhoff.
A two-hour pilot is already being prepared with this new commitment to super-car K.I.T.T. a result of the box office success of fellow 80s favourite Transformers. Much like the robots in disguise the plot will “explore the idea of evil cars to offset the heroic talking K.I.T.T. car.” Rumours are circulating that the show could even air in the US as early as next spring. Great idea or doomed mistake?
Hands up who loved Gladiators? The spandex romper-suits, the silly names (Lightning, Saracen) and Wolf and his receding hairline scrapping with the contestants – what was not to love? But as the ultimate in cheesy Saturday night entertainment, Gladiators was more than just the muscle-bound heroes, there was presenter Ulrika Jonsson’s illicit affair with gladiator Hunter, kids waving foam fingers in time to Queen’s ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ and the tricky travelator, oh how it takes me back. Currently propping up digital channel Challenge, it has been announced that Gladiators is to have a 21st Century makeover courtesy of American network NBC.
Craig Plestis, executive Vice-President for alternative programming, development and specials at the channel is keen on the plans: “The ‘Gladiators’ brand is unlike anything on television today, and is event programming at its biggest and best. We feel it’s time to re-introduce it to a new generation and take it to a heightened level of excitement.” The new show will see the format re-designed with hopes for an international launch. Now all together – “awoooga!”
Is ER coming to an end? That’s the rumour doing the rounds on t’other side of the pond and though there has been no official word from NBC officials, it’s looking increasingly likely. The show’s execs have been approaching actors who played popular characters from the medical drama’s past to reprise their roles to give County General the most exciting of send-offs.
Noah Wyle, who played the show’s longest-running central character Dr. John Carter has already been approached and will be back for a run of multiple episodes. Executive producer David Zabel adds: ‘He’ll be in Chicago in the ER, interacting with all our people.’ Other characters approached to make an appearance are Carter’s wife Kem as played by Thandie Newton, Dr. Jeannie Boulet (Gloria Reuben) and Carol Hathaway (Juliana Margulies), while the likes of Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle) and Dr. David Morgenstern (William H. Macy) are also being discussed.
Come on TV Scoopers, let’s don our thinking caps and cogitate on how the gay and lesbian communities are represented on our goggleboxes. Will and Grace is hitting its final stretch in a disappointing graveyard slot on Channel 4 and there are teenage fumblings going on in Hollyoaks, but with news of a gay couple in the next season of Desperate Housewives – how open-minded is the TV industry when faced with the gay issue?
In the US, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation have gone public with their assessment of American TV’s portrayal of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender characters. Network ABC have earned top marks with Ugly Betty and Brothers and Sisters (both picked up by Channel 4) earning special praise, while Fox came bottom of the list. NBC only just scraped ahead of Fox, though was given credit for its cable network Bravo. Bravo is home to the camp theatrics of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (Living TV in the UK, with star Carson Cressley pictured right) and Project Runway (Sky One in the UK), and so was deemed “perhaps the most LGBT-inclusive of the general entertainment cable networks.” Now there’s an endorsement that just runs off the tongue.
From:Set The Video: NASA: Triumph and Tragedy, BBC Two, Wednesday, 24 June, 9pm