Star Wars: Rogue Squadron - The Television Series

[Texas_Fett]

Now, why wasn't this idea thought of, like, ten years ago?

 

GL knows he's instantly have an dedicated audience in the millions. It would give him an opportunity to tell the story of what happens after RotJ. Given that the games have (more or less) followed the storylines of the Stackpole and Zahn novels and that Rogue Squadron was involved in pretty much every major conflict in the books, you'd have the makings of a pretty darn spectacular television series...assuming GL didn't direct it himself, and you got Michael Stackpole and/or R.A. Salvatore to do the writing.

 

You'd have an endless list of foes, like the 181st Tie Interceptor Squadron & Baron Fel, Grand Admiral Thrawn, etc. And not to mention the list of characters. I mean, you could even get Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, et al, to do cameos for some stuff, given that it'd have to take place a *cough*few *cough* years after RotJ. The best part is that since Rogue Squadron isn't centered on Han/Luke/Leia, you'd be free to work in some new faces and expand on what's given to us fans in the...um...Expanded Universe!

 

Anyway...thought it might be an interesting idea.

[Jahled]

Not a bad post...BUT!

 

I HATE THE ENTIRE ROGUE SQUADRON FRANCHISE PERIOD!!!!

 

TIE fighters were/are superior to the 'antiques' of the rebels mentioned in the original Star Wars book; better lasers, targeting computers etc; so how come the rogues always gain the upper hand in the skirmishes of the comics that decorate my bookcase? Sense it makes not whatso ever, and carries that 'hero factor' to stupid levels.

 

However, you are perhaps correct in touching upon the easiest spin-off that Lucas Arts could turn into a TV series... though having said that here in the UK on Tuesdays there's a TV drama called Holby City that features as surgeons the actor who played Wedge, and Captian Panacka; or what ever you call him, not least; who both look slightly older than their movie appearances... what do you reckon, Johny Depp?

[Trejiuvanat]

Ten years ago, it's have been great, even five years ago.

Now we would get a Gungan as teh leader in Rogue Squadron.

"Mesa thinks he has losten spatial stabilizator, mesa will repairen it with the tongue"

Hm.... Perhaps we'll see it after all. Sometime after the release of ep III. And if Lucas doesn't use the EU, they can simply create a TV series, of a fightersquadron durign teh Clone Wars, or a group of Jedi during the SIth War.

 

Jahled, I think the Rogues keep beating TIEs because they are an elite squadron and the TIEs are just the backwater garrison of Garqi. But of course sometimes the hero factor kicks in. In the games, TIEs aren't superior to Xwing, just a bit faster and more maneurable, but a quad burst would easily kill one TIE, while a TIE needs more shots to get rid of a Rogue. In Xwa I remember 48 vs 12 skirmishes, usually the X-Wings had only few losses, three or four craft, at most.

[the_mask]

48 Vs 12 ? You mean there were 11 more pilots What were they doing

I mean in XWA I wouldn't go home until I finished the whole complement the ISDs had to offer and then the carrier as well.

 

Such a series might be fun, but as you already pointed out, the actors, like Ewan McGregor's uncle Dennis Lawson are a bit too old right now. The only series you could make would be the NJO, that would fit with their age.

Btw, Salvatore gave a good start to the Vong, but I can never forgive him for killing Chewie.

[Texas_Fett]

Granted, there are...issues...that would have to be dealt with, but the premise for the project remains sound.

 

As for XWA, it was for all intents and purposes unfair when using a TIE Defender.

[TK421]

A very good discussion we have here.

 

In particular: Rogue Squadron: I don't like them

and our fellow gungan: Repair it with the tongue.

Agree with Trej and Jahled, very nice posts!

 

Actually, I'd like to see ANY good star wars tv serie!

[Texas_Fett]

Again, I'd like to reiterate the reasons for focusing on Rogue Squadron.

 

First, the goal of any television show based on Star Wars would work the best by focusing on events following Episode 6. Despite the best efforts of Lucasarts to give us the Prequels, Knights of the Old Republic, etc., everyone's main love still belongs to Episodes 4-6 and what happens afterwards. Given the myriad of events that occur across the galaxy and the path of destruction left in the wake of the main characters (i.e., Luke, Leia, Han, et al) in the books, it would be difficult, then, to focus on any group BUT Rogue Squadron.

 

The Rogues were involved in practically every major skirmish in the books and the movies, and encountered the most memorable villians. The recapture of Coruscant, the Thrawn Crisis...the Rogues were in on it all.

 

The main characters could be played by new actors, as the only recurring "face" character would be Wedge, and another actor could easily play him. Don't get me wrong; Wedge is my second favorite character in the series (and I nearly took him as my handle & avatar), and Dennis Lawson will forever BE Wedge, but I could live with another actor playing him. After all, wasn't it another actor playing him during the Yavin briefing?

 

I just think it would be the best way for us to see on-screen versions of our favorite characters, like Mara Jade, Corran Horn, GA Thrawn, etc. And I don't mean those horrible TCG, live-action photos either (yeah, I'm sure we ALL pictured Corran Horn as a balding, middle-aged man and Thrawn to look like Dolph Lundgren with blue skin).

 

On top of all that, it would be an opportunity to see more major fleet conflicts. Let's face it, the highlight of RotJ was the Battle of Endor (sans Ewoks), and an opportunity to see more crunchy goodness like that on a regular basis would be a Star Wars fandom dream. Well, IMHO it would be, at least.

[R2-Opus2]

I think this idea could work, I mean, its no different than Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, or the shortlived Space Above and Beyond. Plop the setting down during the period of an expansive conflict, only with the twist being suggested, show the Squadron's evolution over the 20 years or so the GCW was occuring...just from the squadron's perspective.

 

Members came and went from that group, either living long enough to retire, got promoted out, or went out the old fashioned way, through nifty explosive deaths that would look awesome on our TVs

 

To keep costs down on such a production though, I think they'd have to go with very new actors. I doubt they'd want to pay for, assuming they'd even want to participate, all the old actors, even for just cameos. The second string supporting guys like Wedge they might be able to swing but I wouldn't count on that either heh.

 

The one downfall I see to such a series is that these guys were largely restricted to their fighters when we see them in action. I think a better series might be one about a covert ops squad or something. At least then you could have the whole gambit of situations to put them in. i.e. they probably have all kinds of skills including fighters, but here you have the bonus of having them be on foot too, thrown into all kinds of situations and on lots of worlds to boot (places where it may have not been feasible to have fleet support)

 

Either way, I do like the idea that the setting could change from early in the war - pre first Death Star death - to late in the war - i.e. Palleon signing the cease fire (the supposedly "official" end to the GCW). Every 10-15 episodes or so out of a given season could represent a different conflict that related to a specific timespan (i.e. Just the Bakuran thing, Just the Thrawn thing etc.)

[ElvisMiggell]

The one downfall I see to such a series is that these guys were largely restricted to their fighters when we see them in action. I think a better series might be one about a covert ops squad or something. At least then you could have the whole gambit of situations to put them in. i.e. they probably have all kinds of skills including fighters, but here you have the bonus of having them be on foot too, thrown into all kinds of situations and on lots of worlds to boot (places where it may have not been feasible to have fleet support)

 

Um, Rogue Squadron did a lot of that kinda thing before the Wraiths, think about the invasion of Coruscant or Thyferra.

[Trejiuvanat]

Not too mention other operations that are covered in the comics.

There is definetely enough source material for a series, there's even the Corran - Mirax love story, and enough no-Gungan humor, plus the Corran -Jedi thing.

It could work, but we would have to freeze GL in carbonite while the show is made.

[the_mask]

First of all Dennis Lawson was in the Yavin briefing. He was actually playing Wedge, saying the 'That's impossible, even for a computer' line. It's just that you mostly see him with his helmet afterwards and therefore he's not easy to recognize in the one or two scenes, where he doesn't wear the thing.

 

Second, there is a big factor that would sadly make such a series all but impossible to be created : the costs.

Think about how much special effects there were in the last two movies. There was practically no scene in EP2 without a CG effect. Sure EPIV-VI didn't have quite as many, but remember when Rick McCallum said on the EPII-DVD that the CG effects were much cheaper ?

 

McCallum was actually thinking loud about making other StarWars movies after EPIII, like Shadows of the Empire and they wanted to use CG actors for that as well, but I don't think that's possible at the moment or in the next 3-5 years. I mean a CG Luke would not just have to look like Mark Hamil, but also move the same way, use the same facial expressions, ....

Let alone the costs and that I don't think it would look like a real human, it would also take forever to create

 

I don't know, that's my impression of it.

[ElvisMiggell]

They could always do an animated version, Bucky O'Hare style.

[Trejiuvanat]

where he doesn't wear the thing.

 

I'm glad I didn't see him wearing nothing!!!

 

Costs are important, there will be enough special effects in a Rogue Squadron series, not to mentio the CG characters, such as Ooryl, the Shistavanen and whatever else there is.

But considering the money that the SW franchise makes, the costs could be easily covered....

[R2-Opus2]

Well with CG they can save a lot of money that's for sure. It may not help the production times all that much, but ifn' they don't have to spend time shooting models of ships that is. They can then just do what Trek does now and mainly invest in sets or partial sets with greenscreen for later CG stuff.

 

Though too, if they go an do a lot of location shoots, it may save time and money, depending on if they're building elaborate sets or not. As to many of the alien characters, if they've made masks and whatnot already, they may not even have to CG some of that.

[TK421]

I mean a CG Luke would not just have to look like Mark Hamil, but also move the same way, use the same facial expressions, ....

 

Did Luke really have facial expressions

 

Well.. I'd love a SOTE movie... and now you guys mentioned all the good stuff about the characters that can be in it... Sounds good!

[Trejiuvanat]

[Did Luke really have facial expressions

I only remember one. "But I what to go to Toschi Station and pick up some power converters"

 

Well.. I'd love a SOTE movie... and now you guys mentioned all the good stuff about the characters that can be in it... Sounds good!

 

Nah... I don't like SOTE, nor Xizor...

I'd rather have the Thrawn Trilogy, or the X-Wing Series.

[the_mask]

Remember the way he looked, when he fired the torpedoe, or his "concentrated" look, when he wanted to shift his X-Wing to a better parking position ? That's another two expressions without really having to think hard about it.

I'd say he has at least 3 times as much facial expressions as David Hasselhof had, wich were about two, IIRC.

 

Trej, what didn't you like about the Al Capone of interstellar crime ?

[Trejiuvanat]

Well... I don't like him because he's a boring villian. All he wants throught the book is exact revenge on Vader. There's nothing more of him, no ambition, just stupid revenge, he lacks depth. The rest of the story with the DS plans and all the Bothan stuff. I''d rather play it in XWA than read the book.

SOTE is one of the books that sits together with the Black Fleet Trilogy, the Bounty Hunter Wars and the Crystal Star in the darkest corner of my bookshelf.

[the_mask]

Well in my bookshelf it's exactly in the other corner But that's just subjective preferences.

What I enjoyed was, that for all his scheming and "perfect reptilian" control he didn't stand a chance against the Emperor and Vader and only realizes that in the end, when it's too late. Also it fills the gap between Eps 5-6, you finally get to know where they were hunting for the frozen block, formerly known as Han and where Luke's new lightsaber was built.

[Texas_Fett]

I agree with Mask. SotE fills in enough continuity gaps that I practically consider it canon material. And while this may get me permanently banned from the forums here, I am of the minority opinion in that I actually liked Dash Rendar. Sure, he was essentially another Han Solo, but I thought he was a cool, if somewhat underdeveloped and shallow, character.

[Chimera]

I agree, it'd have a cartoon version. Otherwise the special effects would probably suck which would drag the whole thing down.

 

But I'd be for it, if Lucas wasn't Directing. He couldn't make a love story worthy of a porno And he would HAVE to stick in some attempt at a cute kid-friendly creature.

 

I can see it now... Rogue Squadron in: The Trouble with Tribbles. Will Wedge ever get the Tribbles out of his exhaust system? And will the Princess Unamba forget her troubled past in his arms?

 

Ugh.

[Trejiuvanat]

Sure, SOTE fills up the gap between ESB and ROTJ, but I woudn't consider it canon (I'll have you banned, Fett twisted: ). Dash, Guri and Xizor are too undeveloped. Dash is just one Han Solo wannabe. Guri is a droid that looks good and obeys her master, and Xizor is an overgrown lizard that hates Vader. Too reptilian for my taste, and Black Sun is an organization that I despise. I even have a better impression of Jabba's organization. (Must be the Twi'Leks). The details as the acquisitions of Boussh's armor, the construction of the lightsaber and the Bothan plans, do not make the book good enough. They are funny small details built in the novel, simply because they had to.

Plus SOTE is far too verdone. It's a game, a book, a comic, and what-not. They even "resurrected" Dash Rendar. It's even worse than the Rogue Squadron franchise.

So I'd rather have the Rogues in TV, be it as a miniseries or as series. An animated series... As long as Lucas doesn't turn it into three-minute episodes and it doesn't turn out like the "dreaded" holiday special, nor does he replace Ooryl with a Gungan..shiver. Makes one wonder if they make a series, who'd they cast for it, for Iceheart, Corran, Mirax...

[the_mask]

I'd like to see how Julia Roberts or Courtney Cox would look as Iceheart and for Mirax ... hmm ... Leah Remini

 

One might wonder who voted for GL and the Gungans in the poll....

[Trejiuvanat]

Well, I didn't vote on GL and his Gungans...

 

BTW I found this:

 

BIG NEWS: Small Screen Star Wars

Thu, Jan 22, 04 12:45:08 AM EST

 

 

We may be able to shed some more light on the info indicating that Episode VII, VII, IX might happen. It may not be for a post-trilogy at all.

A year ago, we got our first report about the possibility of a TV show in the works after Episode III. We were not able to backup the info with other evidence, so it remained on the side and unreported... until recently.

 

We posted rumblings that Steven Spielberg might be involved in Star Wars post-Episode III and there must be something in the works, we got plenty of commentary. Then AICN posted the article about Pacific Digital and licensing agreements being extended, so many concluded that post-ROTJ films might be in the works. However, we also looked at our info from last year and believed we might finally have some proof of the initial report. We needed more.

 

We might finally have it. People we trust are telling us that there's a TV show on the design table. Instead of a Rogue Squadron series (which we first theorized some time ago), they may be looking at a post Episode 3 - pre Episode 4 about the rise of Darth Vader and why he is so feared in the OT.

 

We cannot confirm yet if the show is intended as live-action or animated (like Clone Wars). Since this is all in the early stages, it could change further down in pre-production. More as we get it - just thought you'd like to know what we're hearing.

 

So what do you think, now?

 

[Chimera]

You want to know the TRUE power of Vader? That the actors playing young skywalker in Episode I and II did not kill off interest in him.

 

THAT is power

 

I'd rather see episodes 7-9 than more Vader.

 

But believe me, I'd love to watch the TV show. Especially if they also focus on how the Republic falls. I love the Graphic Novels about that.