# What kind of show do you wish there was? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 8, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033 "2005-02-08T18:06:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/1 "2005-02-08T18:06:29Z")
I find myself continually wishing for a TV drama set in Ancient Rome, or even in the Ancient Roman Empire. Yes I know the budget would be incredible and it would probably have to be an HBO series or something, but God would I love to see that. How about you guys? Anything you wish TV had? ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/2 "2005-02-08T18:29:57Z")
A series set in the Scottish Highlands, around 1650 or so. ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/3 "2005-02-08T18:38:43Z")
> [@ronincyberpunk](#): > > I find myself continually wishing for a TV drama set in Ancient Rome, or even in the Ancient Roman Empire. Yes I know the budget would be incredible and it would probably have to be an HBO series or something, but God would I love to see that. > **[ComingSoon.net - New Movies, Movie Trailers, TV, Streaming, Anime & Video...](https://www.comingsoon.net/)** > > New Movies, Movie Trailers, TV, Streaming, Anime & Video Game News Anything else? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Reloy3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Reloy3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reloy3)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/4 "2005-02-08T18:43:59Z")
A good middle-ages fantasy (ala D&D - the game, not the movie) that took itself seriously and had character development. Kind of like Roar if they had time to develop it. An hour-long family drama-comedy (ala Gilmore Girls) set in a third world country. One word - Pirates. Master and Commander on a weekly basis. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/5 "2005-02-08T18:51:55Z")
[Marlowe: Gay Atheist Spy](http://www.livejournal.com/users/poisoninjest/265621.html) . ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/6 "2005-02-08T19:16:41Z")
I’d like to see a hard-SF series set in the near future, say, the year 2050, in a hotel/bar/restaurant (“Giant’s Castle”) at the top of a surface-to-orbit space elevator or “beanstalk.” And I mean **hard** SF: No magic or mysticism; no extraterrestrial life forms, sentient or nonsentient; no travel outside the Solar System; and no “black box” technologies of any kind – no FTL drives, no transporters, no force fields, nothing that is not considered at least theoretically possible in light of our current scientific knowledge. (Which still leaves open the door for a lot of exotic technologies, including some that have been explored in written SF but not much, as yet, in TV SF – e.g., nanotechnology, neural-electronic interfaces, and some stuff you can read about in Robert L. Forward’s _Indistinguishable from Magic._) I once brought up this idea at a panel discussion at an SF convention, and the great SF writer and editor Ben Bova replied, “Where’s the conflict?” As I reminded him, and shouldn’t have had to, you don’t need aliens; you get conflict wherever you have people – religious conflict, political conflict, economic competition, as well as more personal forms. Kim Stanley Robinson managed to work a lot of conflict into his _Mars_ trilogy, without working any aliens or wizards into it. The show I envision would be like an SF version of _LAX._ The stories and the conflict would come from the lives and relationships of the permanent staff of the Giant’s Castle, plus all the people who pass through the station on their way to or from business in the space colonies at the Trojan points, on the Moon and Mars, etc. – and from the various governments, business corporations, and religious and political movements with which some of those people might be affiliated. Think the Sci-Fi Channel would touch something like this? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/7 "2005-02-08T19:17:58Z")
My girlfriend watched Angel a lot. I’m thinking to myself, why not a show about a bunch of Vampires who live in Soho? Kind of like Interview With a Vampire mets Friends except that they don’t dress like dorks, the Kirsten Dunst character is the age she is now and everyone thinks the one who complains about being a vampire all the time is the “gay one”. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/8 "2005-02-08T19:19:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Think the Sci-Fi Channel would touch something like this? No, because it sounds like you are thinking of a _quality_ program. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/9 "2005-02-08T19:19:49Z")
> [@Reloy3](#): > > A good middle-ages fantasy (ala D&D - the game, not the movie) that took itself seriously and had character development. Kind of like Roar if they had time to develop it. Check. Also feudal Japan. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/10 "2005-02-08T19:33:02Z")
I’ve even got a name picked out for the series: _Civilization Type 0.5._ Because: 1. Speculators have identified three conceivable “types” of interstellar civilizations, based on their mode of energy consumption. From [http://www.mkaku.org/articles/physics\_of\_alien\_civs.shtml:](http://www.mkaku.org/articles/physics_of_alien_civs.shtml:) > [@](#): > > **Physics of Type I, II, and III Civilizations** > > Specifically, we can rank civilizations by their energy consumption, using the following principles: > > 1. The laws of thermodynamics. Even an advanced civilization is bound by the laws of thermodynamics, especially the Second Law, and can hence be ranked by the energy at their disposal. > > 2. The laws of stable matter. Baryonic matter (e.g. based on protons and neutrons) tends to clump into three large groupings: planets, stars and galaxies. (This is a well-defined by product of stellar and galactic evolution, thermonuclear fusion, etc.) Thus, their energy will also be based on three distinct types, and this places upper limits on their rate of energy consumption. > > 3. The laws of planetary evolution. Any advanced civilization must grow in energy consumption faster than the frequency of life-threatening catastrophes (e.g. meteor impacts, ice ages, supernovas, etc.). If they grow any slower, they are doomed to extinction. This places mathematical lower limits on the rate of growth of these civilizations. > > In a seminal paper published in 1964 in the Journal of Soviet Astronomy, Russian astrophysicist Nicolai Kardashev theorized that advanced civilizations must therefore be grouped according to three types: Type I, II, and III, which have mastered planetary, stellar and galactic forms of energy, respectively. He calculated that the energy consumption of these three types of civilization would be separated by a factor of many billions. > > **Shorter than most realize.** > > Berkeley astronomer Don Goldsmith reminds us that the earth receives about one billionth of the suns energy, and that humans utilize about one millionth of that. So we consume about one million billionth of the suns total energy. At present, our entire planetary energy production is about 10 billion billion ergs per second. But our energy growth is rising exponentially, and hence we can calculate how long it will take to rise to Type II or III status. > > Goldsmith says, “Look how far we have come in energy uses once we figured out how to manipulate energy, how to get fossil fuels really going, and how to create electrical power from hydropower, and so forth; we’ve come up in energy uses in a remarkable amount in just a couple of centuries compared to billions of years our planet has been here … and this same sort of thing may apply to other civilizations.” > > Physicist Freeman Dyson of the Institute for Advanced Study estimates that, within 200 years or so, we should attain Type I status. In fact, growing at a modest rate of 1% per year, Kardashev estimated that it would take only 3,200 years to reach Type II status, and 5,800 years to reach Type III status. Living in a Type I,II, or III civilization > > For example, a Type I civilization is a truly planetary one, which has mastered most forms of planetary energy. Their energy output may be on the order of thousands to millions of times our current planetary output. Mark Twain once said, ”Everyone complains about the weather, but no one does anything about it.“ This may change with a Type I civilization, which has enough energy to modify the weather. They also have enough energy to alter the course of earthquakes, volcanoes, and build cities on their oceans. > > Currently, our energy output qualifies us for Type 0 status. We derive our energy not from harnessing global forces, but by burning dead plants (e.g. oil and coal). But already, we can see the seeds of a Type I civilization. We see the beginning of a planetary language (English), a planetary communication system (the Internet), a planetary economy (the forging of the European Union), and even the beginnings of a planetary culture (via mass media, TV, rock music, and Hollywood films). The point being, however awed we might be by our technology, in these terms we’re not even a Type **I** civilization yet, and not likely to be by mid-century, either. But we’ll be measurably closer than we are now, maybe even half-way there, hence “Civilization Type 0.5.” 1. The title _Civilization Type 0.5_ allows for a visual segue to or from “2 **05** 0” in the opening credits. ---
**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/11 "2005-02-08T19:34:38Z")
For D&D-style fantasy, try _Record of Lodoss War_ (for a sillier parody, try the _Slayers_ trilogy). For Feudal Japan, there’s way too many titles to name, but it suffices to say that there’s a ton of animated and live-action stuff, and some might be at least fansubbed. (Just off the top of my head, _Rurouni Kenshin_ and _Peacemaker Kurogane_ are two that deal with the transformation to the Meiji era.) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/12 "2005-02-08T19:36:13Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > No, because it sounds like you are thinking of a _quality_ program. Too too true . . . is there **any** network, today, that would look at such a project, and that could be trusted not to do a _Starlost_ job on it? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/13 "2005-02-08T19:42:08Z")
I want In-depth, factual, high-quality History shows. Something like Terry Jones’ “Medieval Lives.” But it would be LONGER THAN A HALF %\*$(# HOUR! David McCauley did some good animated/live action specials of his books: “City,” “Castle,” “Cathedral” and “Pyramid.” More shows like that would be wonderful. I’d like to see more emphasis on substance than form in these shows. Basically, the opposite of the History Channel. And not just on War and sensationalist stuff (The history of Murdering, Cross-dressing, porn-stars!). The lives of ordinary folks would be just as interesting to me. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/14 "2005-02-08T19:42:02Z")
I wanna see a weekly, hour long \*Doc Savage \* program. Or _The Shadow_. Or a Captain America series, set in WW2. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/15 "2005-02-08T19:59:02Z")
Any sort of historical drama would do it for me, really. Whether it be as accurate as possible or with a little (LITTLE) bit of magic and mysticism thrown in for good measure. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/16 "2005-02-08T20:15:43Z")
I’d like to see _That '60s Show_ or some equivalent. Not like _American Dreams_ or _The Wonder Years_ – I mean a show where all the central characters are in the counterculture – hippies, political radicals, etc. – and everything about the world at that time is filtered through **their** POV. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/17 "2005-02-08T20:22:29Z")
Bah, there are plenty of sci-fi shows on right now. Just 'cause they may not be great, at least you’ve got 'em. There are no western shows. I wish there was a show that took place in the old west. I miss westerns. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/18 "2005-02-08T20:23:00Z")
Nude college cheerleader mud-wrestling. What? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/19 "2005-02-08T20:34:19Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > No, because it sounds like you are thinking of a _quality_ program. Or “Alice” set in space. Now kiss my grits! ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033/20 "2005-02-08T21:56:03Z")
> [@dotchan](#): > > For D&D-style fantasy, try _Record of Lodoss War_ (for a sillier parody, try the _Slayers_ trilogy). _Escaflowne_ was good, too, though it was borderline clockpunk/steampunk. (And it got kinda heavy on all the interpersonal woo-woo crap in the last half.) As for myself… •A series about supervillains/mad scientists. But not for over the top laughs. Kind of a “dark dramady.” Like “COBRA” or “SPECTRE: The Series,” by the producers of ER. •An anime drama that _doesn’t_ leave me horribly depressed at the well-written, beautifully rendered finale. •I’ve heard good things about the “Girl Genius” comic. Maybe it could have TV potential? (Though there’d be about a 20% chance that it wouldn’t get screwed up.) •Remember “Batman Beyond”? It might be interesting to see if you could do something similar with the _Marvel_ universe. (“Spider-Runner”?; “Stark-tech Crisis: New York 2040”? 😃😉 ) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-show-do-you-wish-there-was/289033.md?page=2)