For giggles, let’s replot a show/movie/book based on what the title also suggests to you. You can “reuse” characters or not as it suits you, and feel free to make the new plot switch genres etc.
Baby Daddy
actual plot: sitcom about a twenty-something who discovers he has a daughter a year after a one night stand when the mom abandons their three-month-old baby on his doorstep. Wackiness ensues as he muddles through with the help of his brother, their mom, and two friends.
new plot: a hard-working professional in her 30s has had no luck at love, and decides that she’s going to have a baby with or without a husband, so she turns to a sperm bank to achieve her goal of motherhood. Just after the birth of her beautiful baby she learns that there was a horrible mix up at the clinic: instead of using the donor she carefully picked out, they accidentally used sperm banked for a then 12-year-old pediatric oncology patient. Now 13, the boy is miraculously healthy again, but when he and his parents are also made aware of the mix up, they want to be a part of his child’s life, which complicates hers.
Blade Runner
Actual cop: A retired cop must pursue and try to terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.
New plot: In a post-apocalyptic world, a swordsmith’s assistant needs to get a shipment of swords through a Badlands populated by motorcycle-riding nihilists.
It may seem silly to devote an entire trilogy (and several later works) to the concrete underpinnings of a building, but Isaac Asimov pulls it off. The original Foundation trilogy is covers the period from initial pouring through final waterproofing, and is a stand-alone work, but big fans may wish to read “Prelude to Foundation” (about clearing the property in accordance with the architect’s original design (the “Seldon Plan”)) and “Forward the Foundation” (in which the plans need to be adjusted due to a property line error).
The Stand
Actual plot: After a deadly plague kills most of the world’s population, the remaining survivors split into two groups - one lead by a benevolent elder and the other by a maleficent being - to face each other in a final battle between good and evil.
New plot: 1100 pages on the horrors of a child selling lemonade on the sidewalk in front of his house. Gripping.
The Grapes of Wrath
Actual plot: A family of poor tenant farmers leave dust-bowl-ridden Oklahoma for California, hoping it’s the promised land, only to end up being poor itinerant fruit pickers.
New plot: a vicious wine cartel is overthrown by its oppressed workers, who turn out to be just as corrupt as their former overlords. A cautionary tale of the dangers of power. And booze.
Some upcoming movies for 2015 of which I know nothing but the title:
The Wedding Ringer - In this sequel to “The Wedding Crashers”, Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn see their burgeoning business as wedding planners threatened when old rival Bradley Cooper starts copying all of their designs.
The Vatican Tapes - Tom Hanks returns as professor Langdon to unveil a sinister papal conspiracy about… child abuse, I guess.
Merchants of Doubt - Political spin doctors from both sides of the aisle Mark Ruffalo and Keri Russell mercilessly attack each other’s candidates during an election only to fall in love.
Furious 7 - In this new instalment of the Fast and the Furious franchise… wait, no, that’s actually probably exactly what this is. Nevermind.
Monster Trucks - In this new Disney cgi animated movie, they do pretty much the plot from Cars but with Giant trucks.
Entourage - Finally the long awaited silver screen version of the classic TV show! Chris Pratt as Vince Chase! Jim Carrey as Johnny Drama! Seth Rogen as turtle! Sir Ian McKellen as E!
Original: Troubled youth Holden Caufield is a symbol of disillusioned teenagers everywhere. His attempts to find meaning in a meaningless world - from an upper crust preparatory school to a dingy New York hotel - highlight the hard truths of our world.
New: They said it couldn’t be done. That it was impossible - ridiculous - a dream best left forgotten. No matter what they say, Coach can’t forget his vision of a baseball game in an artisan bakery. But when the baguette batter starts striking out, the team gets worried. Can the butter-fingered catcher in the rye bread save the day?
