Heathers: The Television Show?!
By Peter Sciretta/Aug. 26, 2009 10:33 pm EST
Disclaimer: The original Variety story is not very clear at all, and never clearly states if they are remaking Heathers as a television movie or as a television series. In the article, Lakeshore’s Gary Lucchesi says they had " talked about doing a film remake at times, but doing it for TV seemed like a fresh and original idea." I don’t see how a television movie could be fresher or more original than what they could’ve done in a big screen remake. So I assume they are talking about doing it as a television series.
The original Michael Lehmann film starred Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty, and told the story of a popular High School mean girls clique which is turned upside down when Veronica (Ryder) falls for a new boy in town named JD (Slater) and the “Heathers” begin to die off, one by one. JD and Veronica cover up the “accidents” by making them look like suicides. I have no doubt the idea to revive this property stemmed from the recent release of World’s Greatest Dad, which is also a black comedy of morbid proportions.
Mark Rizzo (who has only one credit, writer of an NBC pilot Zip) is currently working on a script for the television adaptation, which is expected to include the main characters from the cult classic. But the concept, even today, seems a bit too dark, even for prime-time. I can’t imagine that the television series version will have the same dark comedy kick of the original film. Lets hope they don’t turn this into just another angst-infuded teen series, ala 90210.
A few months ago, Winona Ryder told Entertainment Weekly that a sequel to Heathers with Christian Slater coming back “as a kind of Obi-Wan character” was in the works, but Michael Lehmann denied the development. I wonder if this Obi-wan idea was something that was/is being developed for the television series.
While I’m not as gung-ho against this project as I am most remakes, a television series adaptation just seems pointless — especially if it’s not on Showtime, HBO or AMC. Not that I’m supporting the idea of a big screen remake of Heathers, but at least a feature film could push new boundaries. Although, the original movie involved JD bringing a gun to his high school, and firing it at a bunch of school bullies. Sure, it was filled with blanks, but I somehow doubt that plot point would make it to the big or small screen in today’s politically correct obsessed world.
