[TV] Electric Dreams: The World of Philip K. Dick

[Isgrimnur]

Deadline

Bryan Cranston has come on-board 10 sci-fi anthology series Electric Dreams: The World of Philip K. Dick for Sony Pictures Television and Channel 4, it was announced today. Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica, Outlander) and Michael Dinner (Justified, Masters of Sex) are writing with Cranston execu producing as well as appearing in one ep of the series.

Each ep will be a standalone with a writer’s room made up of both British and American writers. The series will celebrate and illustrate Philip K. Dick’s distinctive vision, with a seminal back catalogue of work.
...
The series was commissioned for Channel 4 by Jay Hunt, Piers Wenger and Simon Maxwell and will be made by Sony Pictures Television. The drama will premiere on Channel 4 in the UK and will be distributed internationally by Sony Pictures Television.

[Holman]

A PKD Twilight Zone series with serious and smart names involved? This could actually be great.

Dick's short stories are some of his best stuff.

[Anonymous Bosch]

A PKD Twilight Zone series with serious and smart names involved? This could actually be great.

Ronald D. Moore not being one of them (at least IMO). He seems about as far removed from the likes of PKD as one could imagine.

[El Guapo]

A PKD Twilight Zone series with serious and smart names involved? This could actually be great.

Ronald D. Moore not being one of them (at least IMO). He seems about as far removed from the likes of PKD as one could imagine.

Even if the rebooted Battlestar Galactica wasn't your cup of tea, it's one of the best-regarded sci-fi series in recent years (at least, up to halfway through season 3). So he's a pretty serious guy to have involved.

[Holman]

I loved the rebooted BSG, and no one can say it didn't push the boundaries of SF on television.

[LordMortis]

But how do we see it in the states?

Is SyFy picking it up like they do with other international series? The awesome news does me no good unless you bring the show to me in an uber convenient to me package.

[Isgrimnur]

Sony Pictures Television distributes The Goldbergs, Better Call Saul, The Blacklist, Dr. Ken, and others, and produces even more.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Even if the rebooted Battlestar Galactica wasn't your cup of tea, it's one of the best-regarded sci-fi series in recent years (at least, up to halfway through season 3). So he's a pretty serious guy to have involved.

Therein lies the rub; even BSG is hardly a ringing endorsement of Moore's writing talents, given how badly it went off the rails, primarily due to shortsighted and inadequate writing. That being said, one would hope that would be less of a factor with an anthology show (though I also recall seeing some of 'Helix', a more recent show Moore was credited with producing, which was an embarrassingly execrable version of 'The Thing').

[Isgrimnur]

HR

Amazon and Channel 4's upcoming anthology series Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams is rounding out its cast.

Mireille Enos, Greg Kinnear and Steve Buscemi have boarded the sci-fi drama, which consists of 10 stand-alone episodes. Enos and Kinnear will star in "Father Thing," while Buscemi will be in "Crazy Diamond."

The Sony Pictures Television-produced series — which counts Bryan Cranston, Outlander's Ron Moore and Sneaky Pete's Michael Dinner as executive producers — was picked up by the streamer in February.

The trio join previously announced castmembers Cranston, Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner), Jack Reynor (Jungle Book), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange) and Geraldine Chapline (A Monster Calls).

[Moliere]

trailer

[Jaymann]

trailer

My daughter has Amazon Prime so I'm in. Was a huge PKD fan back in the day, but did find some of his work a bit uneven. Hopefully good writers, actors, and high production values will make it work.

[Isgrimnur]

Six episodes have aired in the UK. Amazon tells me that they will be getting it next year.

[Isgrimnur]

January 12, 2018

[Moliere]

Anyone watch these episodes yet?

[tjg_marantz]

I might start tonight at work. If I do I'll report.

[Montag]

I am on the last one. Some are very good. Only didn't like 1.

[tgb]

We want to finish Black Mirror first

[Papa Smurph]

Between Ron Moore (the BSG ending was as bad as Lost, and that is bottom-of-the-barrel stuff, there) and Bryan Cranston (I like Breaking Bad, but his being a Trumper really lowered my opinion of him and his intelligence), I'm not expecting much here. I'll probably pass as there's is lots of good TV these days, so we don't have to settle for passable as much right now.

[Blackhawk]

Bryan Cranston (I like Breaking Bad, but his being a Trumper really lowered my opinion of him and his intelligence),

I went looking for that, and I'm not seeing it. In fact, I'm seeing reports of him being an outspoken Trump critic.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Bryan Cranston (I like Breaking Bad, but his being a Trumper really lowered my opinion of him and his intelligence),

I went looking for that, and I'm not seeing it. In fact, I'm seeing reports of him being an outspoken Trump critic.

I suspect the fact that Cranston spoke out against those hoping for Trump to fail likely equates to Trumper-heresy for sufficiently narrow-minded ideologues.

[Blackhawk]

I saw that article, but thought it was less 'pro-Trump' than understanding that a complete failure of the President would have long-lasting consequences.

[Anonymous Bosch]

I saw that article, but thought it was less 'pro-Trump' than understanding that a complete failure of the President would have long-lasting consequences.

Indeed, hence the 'for sufficiently narrow-minded ideologues' descriptor; anyone else would rationally interpret the story as you did, rather than view it as an affirmation of advocacy. But perhaps there's other evidence of Cranston's Trumperism we're apparently both unaware of (though I very much doubt it).

[tgb]

I saw that article, but thought it was less 'pro-Trump' than understanding that a complete failure of the President would have long-lasting consequences.

That was my take on it.

[MonkeyFinger]

I am on the last one. Some are very good. Only didn't like 1.

Watched the first episode last night and enjoyed it. A bit curious which one you didn't like...

[$iljanus]

After watching episode one I've come to the conclusion from this show and Black Mirror that VR really, really, really sucks.

[Malificent]

I am on the last one. Some are very good. Only didn't like 1.

I'd be willing to bet the one you didn't like was the Buscemi one.

[Montag]

I am on the last one. Some are very good. Only didn't like 1.

I'd be willing to bet the one you didn't like was the Buscemi one.

That would be my next to last on the ranking. The Safe and Sound one with the female high school student / terrorism is my least favorite.