» Touching Evil Options

[Irlandesa]

Has anyone seen the ads for Touching Evil on the USA Network? They are seen in USA's broad advertising about what is going to air on the network along with shows like Monk and Traffic. On their website it says it begins in March.

I went to IMdB and there is not much information on it with the exception that one of the characters' names is Enright, the same name as a character in the British show. This leads me to believe that this a US version of the brilliant Mystery! series starring the delicious Robson Green that aired on PBS.

Is anyone else appalled, thrilled, disgusted, intrigued and/or scared that they'd re-do this series? I understand that USA has had some great original programming lately. I'm a huge fan of Monk, but this seems a bit risky to me.

I loved the original and I just don't see how this remake will live up to the original. Of course, I'll still watch out of morbid curiosity.

Does anyone have any more information or thoughts about Touching Evil?

This post has been edited by Irlandesa: Jan 13, 2004 @ 1:47 am.

[CydW]

Remaking a Robson Green series without Robson Green is probably going to be a fatal flaw in my eyes. I felt the same way about Cracker without Robbie Coltrane.

That said, I'll still tune in at least once.

[spacedog]

Has anyone seen the ads for Touching Evil on the USA Network?

OhDearGod, No! I'm sorry, I just get real pissy about American remakes of British productions that I like. It's a knee-jerk issue with me. I love my American police procedurals as much as my British mysteries, but usually one does not easily translate into the other IMO. I'm just glad talks of doing an American version of Prime Suspect have disappeared. There is only one Jane Tennyson and Helen Mirren is she.

[Divaah46]

WHAT?! Say it isn't so! How can they do Touching Evil without Robson Green? He made the show with his quiet intensity and real world good looks. At least I don't have cable, so I won't be able to watch this...travesty. Let us know what a mess it is.

[NickChick]

It's being done by the Hughes brothers. I'll be watching for two purely shallow reasons: Jeffrey Donovan is way hot, and it's being filmed in Vancouver. Futon Critic has kept track of the production here.

[CydW]

I thought From Hell was well-done, so that part's encouraging. At least we know the Bros. Hughes can handle a disturbing tone.

[stoneyburke]

Can you say 'Cracker' with Elden from 'Murphy Brown'?

It'll be in flames before the sixth episode.

[CydW]

I actually think Robert Pastorelli is a pretty good actor (not that he's my man Robbie--see above :)). IMO, a lot of what spelled the doom of that adaptation was that it wasn't nearly as dark or complex as the original. I doubt this will be either, but with the Hugheses on board, maybe there's a little hope.

[stoneyburke]

Oh, Robbie is indeed tres pretty......do you get his new show on BBCA?

However, CydW, did you go 'ick' when he suddenly decided to 'make it' with the woman in his custody? The show seemed to go downhill after that.

[spacedog]

The Hughes brothers being involved sounds interesting. Jeffrey Donovan? Not so much.

[Endeavour]

I saw a commercial for the new Touching Evil, and it didn't look too good to me. From the little I saw, it seems like they're changing Dave Creegan's character a lot. I'll give it a shot though.

Robson Green is in a new show, Wire in the Blood, on BBC America. I think it's on Monday at 9 p.m. Don't have any other details and, sadly, don't have BBC America.

ETA: There's already a thread for Wire in the Blood.

This post has been edited by Endeavour: Jan 17, 2004 @ 4:54 pm.

[BillieJean]

Well, i'm sorry to hear that so many of you are so opposed to an American remake of Touching Evil, but as an american, I had no idea that there was a British original, so i have no means for comparison. I don't think it such a bad idea, there have been plenty of very successful remakes.

That being said, i thought the commercials were compelling...definately worth an initial look. I don't know how Jeffery Donnovan's going to compare to Robson Green, but I guess we'll see.

Oh yeah, Bruce Willis is the USA Touching Evil's executive producers... if that's not enough to motivate you, i dunno what is.

[attica finch]

Way back in the day when PBS was airing the RG TE series (serieses?), I remember reading that Bruce Willis had shown interest in the show, and even took some meetings with RG. So I'm not surprised that he's x-prod here.

But I'm uneasy with Dave Creegan having a glib sense of humor, as the commercials suggest. The dark Creegan of the British show was part of its appeal.

Maybe it'll work on its own. We'll see.

[The Other Daught...]

I saw the promos for this and it looks like it might be good. (I need some weird dark thriller of a show to replace Angel which I stopped watching last season.) Didn't know there was a British version of it, but maybe the American one will be worthy in its own right.

[Irlandesa]

In theory I don't object to remakes, but the original TE was pretty special to me and I would love for USA to create a show that equals the quality of the original because if doesn't, I'd end up being more disappointed than if it was an average original show.

One thing that I'm a little nervous about is the casting of Creegan. He doesn't seem to have that intellectual quality that RG brought to the role. It was a big source of the suspense in the original series.

I will give it a chance, though.