With the mention of
Battlestar Galactica, I can't avoid thinking about all of the reported ill will that the
Galactica mini-series received from some die hard adherents of the original incarnation of the show. As best I understand, many fans of the older series wanted a continuation of the story set forth in original episodes, and were upset by the fact that the producers ultimately chose to take the core concept of the series and take it in a new, darker direction. I haven't honestly watched many episodes of the new series, but I understand that it has received a fair amount of acclaim from the press and fans, but my perception is also that many fans of the first series felt alienated by the new
Battlestar Galactica.
Having said that, I would hope that
if such a mini-series was undertaken, it would be done with a genuine respect for the source material and would be something that was of sufficient quality to be placed in the canon of the existing trilogy. But there are a lot of variables involved. Although we can talk about the "spirit" of the
Indiana Jones films, there is a delicate balance between creating material that fits within an existing film series and allowing sufficient creative freedom to take an established character in a fresh direction that could breathe life into a new chapter. Much would ride on the story/script and the creative instincts of the project's director. I have to confess that I would probably be skeptical of a mini-series, but I can envision some fascinating paths such a project could take, such as being devoted to Jones' tutelage under Abner Ravenwood, where some of the secrets of Indiana's fateful training and Abner's obsession could be more thoroughly explored.
Still, I have to confess that, given the pulp/matinee underpinnings of the
Indiana Jones movies, I honestly believe that Indiana's place is on the silver screen. No other format captures such larger-than-life adventures quite as effectively.
