Definitely looking forward to this now. Tim is the man! Using aliens as a metaphor for racism / cultural assimilation is a fantastic idea.

AnotherFireflyfan | July 06, 19:10 CET

Go, Tim, go.

The One True b!X | July 06, 19:20 CET

Ooooh. Really looking forward to this now!

He definitely has his finger on the "hot" issues.

The demographics of my current city (Columbus, Ohio) have changed radically in the last ten years. We now have the second largest contingent of Somalians in the US and a still growing influx of Mexicans that are changing the traditional job market picture. Everything Tim wants to touch on is happening right here, right now. Except no Mel Gibson. Which is a good thing.

Here is an slightly out of date, but still basically accurate article about the situation in Columbus. (I think we're actually up to around 40,000 Somalis now.)

BreathesStory | July 06, 19:24 CET

Ah. So much more than a rehash of an aging property. I expected no less from Mr. Minear. And SyFy Channel is exactly the right place for a project like this.

This should be fun.

Tin Ear Tom | July 06, 19:36 CET

Sounds good.

But am I the only one who still thinks "SyFy" is stupid and it distracts me from the actual news about SciFi channel stuff?

maxsummers | July 06, 19:43 CET

I refuse to call the channel "Syfy". It's Sci Fi dammit.

This show really seems like a great spiritual successor to the BSG re-imagining which brought in real world themes of terrorism and cultures in conflict. Another re-imagining of a classic show also bringing in real world issues to explore in a science fiction backdrop. :-)

With this and, of course, Caprica, I'm pretty excited for future Sci Fi shows.

AnotherFireflyfan | July 06, 19:52 CET

Haha. I hate "SyFy"...but I love Alien Nation - and have the complete series with the five follow up movies...I wonder if this is gonna go the way of Battlestar Galactica with the reimagining. That's kinda the feel I got from the article.

didifallasleep | July 06, 19:53 CET

This sounds great....and pretty brave. I'm not sure I know of any sci fi show that has taken on changing demographics in quite this manner. I alway look forward to Tim Minear's work.

Vinity | July 06, 20:00 CET

I love the original series and the 5 follow up movies and hope this new project lives up to them. (I have faith in Tim) Btw ... the original AN was about assimilation vs balkinazation and racism as well ... it explored real issues using the SF backdrop. And did it well.
Also, I haven't watched anything on SciFi since they canceled Farscape. This might get me back.

resa | July 06, 20:28 CET

The Wire with aliens?

I may have to check this out...

ManEnoughToAdmitIt | July 06, 20:58 CET

Big fan of the movie and original series. Looking forward to watching Tim's reboot of AN. Is SyFy going to air Alien Nation on the same night (Friday) like they do Eureka!?

Little Green Kid | July 06, 20:59 CET

This show is still a while off. From what Tim told me in the interview, it's still in the early development stage. I thought I'd mention that if anyone is interested in following the new Alien Nation as well as the original, there's a dedicated page for it over at www.earthsmightiest.com/fansites/aliennation.

RetroEd | July 06, 21:25 CET

Tim Minear?
"The Wire" with aliens?

count me in!!!

bionicvapourdude | July 06, 23:09 CET

Using aliens as a metaphor for racism / cultural assimilation is a fantastic idea.

As it was in the eighties. That was what the show was about.

redeem147 | July 06, 23:14 CET

Yes, SyFy as a name is stupid. And pretentious. And it just tries too hard. Not to mention it's going to get dated really fast. So says me. :P

Of course I've always preferred the term "speculative fiction." I think it more accurately reflects what we generally see/read--but of course it's a lot harder to say. It doesn't exactly roll trippingly off the tongue, does it? All I can think, is that they are trying to appeal to a bunch of people who would automatically dismiss anything labeled "Sci-Fi" and want to somehow sneak it pass their knee-jerk walls.

BreathesStory | July 06, 23:43 CET

Welll, this sounds interesting to say the least. Definately something we're going to have to check out.

Not quite certain of what the feel of the show will be, though. Cultural problems mirroring what's happening in Europe right now, seems like a perfect driving mechanism for a TV show and meshes just fine with '"The Wire" with aliens' and 'paranormal procedural' in the streets of "The Shield". This, to me, sketches the feel of the show quite nicely. But a post-modern, Tarantino-inspired "Lethal Weapon" seems out of step with that feel in many ways.

Regardless though: this promises to be very, very interesting and will hopefully turn out to be quality television. Even if it ends up only half as good as "The Shield" or "The Wire", it'll be well worth watching. Plus, it's Tim Minear.

So I now find myself suddenly very excited for this. Between this and the V reset, it'll be the year of old SF reboots with major whedonverse influence.

GVH | July 07, 01:10 CET

As a European, British, living in France, may I ask what is this thing happening in Europe now of which Tim and others speak? I have no clue what is being referred to.

dzr | July 07, 08:56 CET

DZR, the American press is usually covering the non-assimilated Muslim presence in the UK, and most recently, France's efforts to maintain a non-religious society. (France's current effort to prohibit burkas was reported on widely last week.) No doubt this is just background noise to those actually living in Europe, but in the United States media it is presented as sort of shape-of-things-to-come-here if "we" don't stop the Muslim faith (I guess that's the implied message). (Note that I am just describing the news reports and their tone; I am not opening a debate or conveying any opinion of my own, only my interpretation of what "this thing happening in Europe now" is. Thanks).

will.bueche | July 07, 09:14 CET

I would assume that he's talking about the ghettos and refugee camps in France.

Simon | July 07, 09:17 CET

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome! Both the using aliens as a metaphor for a "cultural invasion" and its repercussions aspect as the postmodern buddy cop show are fascinating ideas and yes they might make for a strange mixture, but I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing. Firefly was a hell of a strange mixture too and somehow that turned out to be one of the best things about it.

Only bad thing is the chance of cancelation/never getting made when you combine brilliant oddness and Tim, but this sounds very good and appealing and it's on Sci Fi, so I'm not too worried yet. Here's hoping we see it quickly and it staying on for a long, long time.

And for the SyFy thing, I'm all for pretending it's still called Sci Fi.

the Groosalugg | July 07, 10:03 CET

dzr, it's like Simon and will.bueche mention. I myself am Dutch and in this country there's a lot of debate about the "problems with imigrants" and for a couple of years people have been talking about the "failure of the multicultural society" (something I do not agree with this, by the way). It's become somewhat of a national debate and one of the people to stir up this debate is now leading in the polls (which is very worrisome).

Similar sentiments have been develloping across the whole European union as a result of muslim imigrants becoming a more pronounced group. I don't agree with these sentiments and think they're overblown, but there's no denying that feelings on both sides are beginning to become more pronounced, leaving governments with problems to solve.

Taking this, exagerating it, looking at it through a different lense; that could be a powerfull basis for quality television.

GVH | July 07, 12:33 CET

I *loved* the original "Alien Nation" series; I even named my cat 'Nemu!' Tim is really the only person I would trust to both put his own spin on the central idea while honoring the spirit...

Can't wait to see this on...whatever they are calling the stupid channel by then. ;-)

OzLady | July 08, 01:22 CET

Can't wait to see this. Here's hoping this also improves Tim's luck with TV since it's not one of the major networks.

josswhedonaddict | July 08, 02:55 CET