Here at SFX we’ve been rooting for the US remake of the The Tomorrow People to make it to a full series. We were worried that we hadn’t heard anything yet, especially when The CW (the network that commissioned the pilot) made an announcement of a bunch of renewals and pick-ups for next season, and there was no mention of The Tomorrow People . But now, finally, it has been confirmed – The CW has given the series the green light.
Normally we’d be more skeptical about a US remake of any fondly-regarded UK show. And since The Tomorrow People was originally a ’70s sci-fi show for children, and it’s being given the remake treatment by the showrunner of The Vampire Diaries – Julie Plec – for the network where every show’s one-line pitch must start, “It’s Dawson’s Creek meets…” we should really be fearing the prospect.
And yet, Julie Plec seems to be a genuine fan of the original show, and there are some genuinely fan-pleasing nods to the UK version even in the few scraps of into we know about the new show so far ( in the naming of the characters, mainly ). So, while we wouldn’t go as far as to say we’re optimistic, we’re definitely intrigued.
The Tomorrow People is the story of several youngsters from around the world who represent the next stage in human evolution, possessing special powers, including the ability to teleport and communicate with each other telepathically. Together they work to defeat the forces of evil.
Robbie Amell (cousin of Arrow star Stephen Amell), Madeleine Mantock, Peyton List, Luke Mitchell, Mark Pellegrino and Aaron Yoo star. Phil Klemmer is the writer and executive producer with Julie Plec, Greg Berlanti and Danny Cannon (the man who defined the look of CSI – another reason to be hopeful for good things), who also directed the pilot. Melissa Kellner Berman is co-exec producer.
In related news, the CW has also picked up another telefantasy show The 100 (the CW truly is becoming Teen Syfy*). The series is set 97 years after a nuclear war has destroyed civilisation. A spaceship housing the lone human survivors sends 100 juvenile delinquents back to Earth to investigate the possibility of re-colonising the planet. Based on the Alloy books by Kass Morgan. Eliza Taylor, Isaiah Washington, Henry Ian Cusick, Marie Avgeropoulos, Paige Turco, Kelly Hu, Christopher Larkin, and Thomas McDonell star. Jason Rothenberg wrote and exec produced with Leslie Morgenstein, Gina Girolamo, Bahrat Nalluri and Matt Miller. Nalluri directed the pilot and Miller is showrunner. Click here for more info on the show.
Thankfully, however, it’s a thumbs down from the CW to The Selection , a show that sounded like a cynical attempt to cash in on The Hunger Games . That will not be going to a series. This will presumably please all of you who voted it bottom of our Commission Or Dump? poll.
