Love and Friday Questions are in the air.Michael kicks it off.Do you think the cast of FRASIER would have any interest in a limited-series revival like WILL AND GRACE and GILMORE GIRLS are doing? Never say never, but no. The sense I get from Kelsey is that playing Frasier Crane for 22 years is enough. I know the cast is very proud of the show and my feeling is that going out on top was the perfect way to tie a ribbon on it.
And that’s only part of the equation. Series creators David Lee and Peter Casey would have to be on board because if the writing isn’t there than there’s absolutely no point in even considering it. And I can’t speak for them of course, but I don’t sense a burning desire from either of them to return to the past.
Now a WINGS reboot – I would be up for that! If for no other reason than to get David Schramm back on television.
Ryan from Canada weighs in from the great North:I was recently told a funny joke that had a great payoff. Being a filmmaker I thought immediately after hearing it that it would make one helluva short film. Would the film, should I go through with writing/producing, be considered 'adapted' and if so, how do I provide information about the source material my film is based on (the joke)?Unless the joke comes from some protected source, no I think you’re safe. If it was a joke your friend told then no, you don’t have to say: “
Based on a joke told by Morris Pimscotch.” And who knows? Maybe Morris stole the joke from someone else.
Adapted material usually comes from books, articles, plays, documentaries, published poems, songs, etc. And there are cases where it’s a judgment call. But that’s what lawyers are for.
Good luck with your movie.
From Juli in St. Paul (not Minneapolis):This morning, a couple local DJs were talking about not having seen a lot of the nominated movies. They thought it would be great if some of the independent theaters would host an "Oscar Weekend," where they could screen all the nominated movies. The DJs thought it would be a great way for the producers to build relationships with the independent theaters, for the theaters to get some more customers , for the films to get more viewers, for the Oscars to get more buzz, for people to get to see these movies on the big screen, - in short, win/win/win/win/win.
I can't believe that no one else ever thought of this, so there's a reason it isn't happening. Do you know what that reason is?There are still live DJ’s?
But seriously, the problem is movie studios make deals with distributors who have arrangements with different theater groups. So it would be extremely hard to coordinate one theater chain showing all the nominees. Not to mention how this would piss off the other movie chains. Remember, they’re in competition with each other.
And if this were to happen, it would most likely be at a major chain like AMC. This would really piss off the independent theaters. They show a movie, it gets attention, and then it leaves for the big competing Cineplex. That often happens as it is. But to lose all of them would be a blow. It’s the
Broadway Danny Rose version of film distribution.
By the way, I will be recapping the Oscar ceremony but only on my podcast this year. Subscribe and join the fun.
And finally, from littlejohn:What do you think of the shows, which take a long "seasonal" break, especially those with multiple plot lines ? Is this a mistake ? (OK two questions...)I think they do so at great risk.
I understand the thinking. Instead of drawing out a season and inserting reruns and going three weeks between new episodes they run the first half consecutively, take a break, and air the rest of the season. As a result there is more continuity, especially for serialized series. It’s a model premium and cable networks have employed for years.
But the problem is that unless you’re really hooked on a show, you often find you can easily live without it, and when it returns you don’t get back on the train.
There have been numerous cases of shows that start out strong, go on extended hiatuses and never regain their momentum.
So if it’s a popular show like BETTER CALL SAUL, its return in April is a greatly anticipated event. The first episode back should do well. (I know I’ll be there – watching in real time even.) But there are very few of these hits and so much product that series hiatuses generally don’t leave a void.
Plus, you can always catch up by binging. So there’s very little imperative to rejoin a series reappearing after a three-month (or year-and-half) vacation.
What’s your Friday Question?