Whedonesque : Comments on 6958 : What happened to Global Frequency?

This site will work and look better in a browser that supports web standards, but it is accessible to any browser or Internet device.

June 11 2005

What happened to Global Frequency? "I had a line of writers (at one point, essentially the entire ANGEL staff) ready to go -- each and every one chomping at the bit, some ready to start work for free if need be. "

Airawyn | Cast&Crew | 20:53 CET | 29 comments total | tags:

I loved the comic book mini-series. Ellis is one of my favourite writers but I never thought his vision could transferred to the small screen without being massively altered or watered down. So it wasn't a complete surprise that it didn't get picked up.

Ben Edlund and Diego Gutierrez were attached to the show, I wouldn't mind knowing which other Buffyverse writers were lined up ready to go.

Simon | June 11, 21:10 CET

Too bad it didn't work out. I would have loved to have a GOOD drama series to watch besides LOST (can LOST be considered a drama?) and Gilmore Girls next season. *sigh* Plus the series would have had writers from Buffy and Angel... too good to be true.

Ah well, I have "The Inside" to look forward too... can't wait to see where that's gonna go.

mustbebunnies | June 11, 21:49 CET

I can't believe this wasn't picked up. How can any studio turn down 'Mission Impossible' meets 'The X Files' ?

It was a beautiful comic book and it deserved a chance.

Something is (still) sick in the heart of television these days.

technovamp | June 11, 21:58 CET

The unaired pilot episode is available to download through e-mule as well and I'm currently downloading it. The other pilots I would be very interested in having a look at are the pilots for Lost in Space and Dark Shadows, both of which the WB also passed on. I hope somebody puts those online as well.

Zoic_Fan | June 11, 22:59 CET

Quite depressing read to make you think about the state of tv that should be.

SeanValen | June 11, 23:26 CET

However, I find his comments about Janolari to be the most telling. Reading that and looking at the WB's current line-up does anyone still hold out hope for the Spike movie returning to the WB. I mean Janolari takes over and every fantasy based pilot at the WB is nixed and never heard about again. Global, Lost, and Dark all of which had verse related connections. What does the WB offer us next season; "'Supernatural' a drama about brothers who encounter unusual ghosts and local creatures straight out of American folk lore and urban legends during a road trip across America." I am so not holding out any hope for this one either, cause if it cost money to make the will have yanked it by mid-season at the latest, for more cheap blue collar comedy TV.

"David Janolari was a gent about it," people said Ted Bundy was a gent as well and look at his track record. Janolari has yet to prove himself as a fan of genre tv, he tends to be a fan of what ever can get the quick ratings points or is cheap to make.

RavenU | June 11, 23:57 CET

Speaking of Janolari, did any one else know that he was heavily involved with Six Feet Under? I saw his name on the title credits of the show last night. Somebody who is involved with a show like that HAS to be better than Jordan Levin, methinks, or more specifically, me hopes.

Apocalypse | June 12, 00:45 CET

Picking at nits here, but the correct expression, unless I am sadly in error, is "champing at the bit," not "chomping."

Okay, I'll log off now!

Chris inVirginia | June 12, 01:28 CET

Well, having just watched the pilot, I can easily say that theres probably no way this would have succeeded as a series anyway. The ending was way too real life for the general tv watching audience to deal with; I don't think people want to see the real consequence of things like that.

Having said that, I thought it was excellent, and would have made a series that I would have looked forward to every week, even if they pronounced Aleph wrong :). Miranda Zero was exactly who I imagined having read the comic, that was really amazing. I would never have thought a Warren Ellis comic could be translated to the screen so well.

hobgadling | June 12, 04:24 CET

I liked it! Imagine its potential with Angel writers on board! This show could have been awesome!

Nebula1400 | June 12, 07:44 CET

You know, at this point, every season each network should package their un-picked pilots onto a dvd. They'd make a little coin from sales and rentals, and they might be surprised to find a groundswell of support for some show they thought no one would like.

The One True b!X | June 12, 11:26 CET

I respect what hob said about "The ending was way too real life for the general tv watching audience to deal with", but I think you're wrong. People have an amazing proclivity to accept and even embrace strange and new ideas. The show is WAY off beat and politically radicalized, and yet comforting and empowering. I think, like a good comic by Ennis or Ellis, the show would start off a bit off-putting, but would end up being something people can rally behind. It's really a tragedy this didn't work out. I would kill to see Le Parkour on a big budget TV show.

Chirp | June 12, 11:42 CET

Michelle Forbes as Miranda Zero is perfect casting. That's all.

dottikin | June 12, 11:45 CET

Chris in Virginia - I never heard of "champing" at the bit. I only heard "chomping at the bit" and, since I have ridden horses for many years I always figured it was a saying from the old horse days before cars, like Hobson's Choice is. Most horses, when they get excited, do chomp on the bits in their mouths.

Passion | June 12, 14:34 CET

I have to agree with Chris in Virginia that the correct expression is "champing at the bit".

alien lanes | June 12, 15:17 CET

champing/chomping - I thought of chomp as a mispronunciation of champ (or a way of making it more intense). So, pedant that I am, I've just looked it up and feel compelled to share. The OED online has _champ_ as the main spelling with 6 definitions for the verb including: "2. trans. To bite upon (anything hard); said especially of a horse which impatiently bites the bit in its mouth." _chomp_ is described as "Now a widespread variant of CHAMP v. (esp. in senses 1-3)".

ETA - I'd suggest that it's a Brit v US thing but Chris is after all in Virginia

[ edited by purplehazel on 2005-06-12 13:28 ]

purplehazel | June 12, 15:25 CET

purplehazel, not only the magisterial OED (which I have in my den here in Virginia, all 20 glorious volumes, plus the additions series)--this from the Merriam-Webster Online (American) Dictionary:

1 : to make biting or gnashing movements
2 : to show impatience of delay or restraint -- usually used in the phrase champing at the bit

Chris inVirginia | June 12, 16:36 CET

I Just finished watching it and I thought it was very cool, however I think main stream audiences would have had trouble with the high concept of the series, too complicated for them. I certainly would have tuned for episode two. I'm now downloading the screener for Prison Break which won't be shown until the Fall season.

Zoic_Fan | June 12, 19:08 CET

Just finished watching it myself. To my complete surprise is was as good as the comic itself. Moments of utter beauty intermingled with moments of complete horror. Definitely the best first episode I've seen since Buffy's. It was even better than the Lost opening episode, which was the best of this year's shows.

I didn't just like this show, I loved it as though it was one of Joss' own creations. Somebody please tell me that there is some hope of it being saved.

technovamp | June 12, 19:25 CET

I didn't like Buffy 1.1. I'm ashamed to say it. Xander was annoying; Willow was too mousey. I didn't understand why I was watching something so excessively cutesy.

I didn't really get it until Nightmares or Prophecy Girl.

I was 9 when I saw the movie. Even then I knew it was brilliant.

"You're not like other girls"
"Yes I am"

Genius.

I spent a semester in London. Chomping and Champing are both used. You language fascists!!!

Anyway, GF is c0ck diesel.

[ edited by Chirp on 2005-06-12 22:21 ]

Chirp | June 13, 00:20 CET

Concerning my impatient, unrestrained, pursuit of a young lady in my youth, my friends all told me I was a chump. Is that also synonymous with champ and chomp?

Chirp, I can declare here and now I've never seen the last two words of your post written successively before. What does it mean?

Champ, Chomp, Chump, Chirp...it's all too much...

jaynelovesvera | June 13, 01:00 CET

I spent a semester in London. Chomping and Champing are both used. You language fascists!!!

I don't recall having been referred to as a 'fascist' before and I am not sure that I feel particularly comfortable about it.

Possibly I am being a "language fascist" by ascribing too much meaning to the word!

alien lanes | June 13, 01:13 CET

As interesting as the etymology of certain phrases and sayings can be, I think this one has just earned a trip to the Library over at Flickr.

Back to the posted topic please.

herb | June 13, 02:01 CET

That's sad. I definitely would've checked it out, though I'm almost glad that it never aired at all instead of only a few episodes before getting pulled. Still, sad!

PurpleYoshi | June 13, 02:20 CET

Screen captures of the pilot.

Simon | June 13, 10:35 CET

Who do we write about this? Has a pilot ever been picked up two years later? This is fantastic.

Chirp | June 13, 12:41 CET

Thanks for that link Simon. I've never seen those pics. Man did they nail Miranda Zero or what?? It's a crying shame this didn't get off the ground. It would've been watered down a bit, but even watered down Ellis would be cutting edge in TV land right now. And finally a 'standalone episode' format I could get behind.

Btw, I hear the pilot is floating out in BitTorrent sites somewhere.

EdDantes | June 13, 19:15 CET

Btw, I hear the pilot is floating out in BitTorrent sites somewhere.

Um, yes, you might have heard that from the link which this post is all about.

The One True b!X | June 13, 20:25 CET

Um, yes, you might have heard that from the link which this post is all about.

I read the article, I just missed that little line at the top. Exsqueeeze me.....

EdDantes | June 14, 01:05 CET

You need to log in to be able to post comments.
About membership.

« Older True Horror: A look into our night... | Win two tickets to the June 23 Por... Newer »