ODD-COUPLE-IN-A partnership flicks were pretty popular in the ’80s, even if in retrospect some of the films that explored interracial relations now seem heavy-handed with their stereotypes. Following the releases of 48 Hrs and Lethal Weapon, Alien Nation was an attempt to put a science fiction spin on the mismatched buddy cops premise. It focused on the unique alliance between a maverick veteran cop named Matt Sykes and his more pedantic new partner from another planet, Samuel Francisco.
Having landed on Earth a few years previously, Francisco is part of a once enslaved extraterrestrial race who have been gradually integrated into LA society – much to the disdain of his human counterpart, whose former partner was killed by one of these “Newcomers”. Rockne S O’Bannon, the man who went on to create sci-fi shows such as SeaQuest DSV, Farscape and Defiance, was inspired by another iconic TV show when he penned the initial story (originally entitled “Outer Heat”) in collaboration with producer Richard Kobritz. “I wrote it in the mid–’80s when I was working on a remake of The Twilight Zone TV series, which was my first job as a professional writer,” O’Bannon tells SFX. “I was inspired by what Rod Serling did with the original, where he realised he could say things metaphorically about society in a science fiction or fantasy setting without being absolutely direct about it.”
Denne historien er fra April 2021-utgaven av SFX.
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Denne historien er fra April 2021-utgaven av SFX.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
PURE AND SIMPLE
IN THE FINAL PART OF OUR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, SHOWRUNNER RUSSELL T DAVIES TALKS RELAUNCHING DOCTOR WHO
TO CAP IT ALL OFF
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF THE BBC SERIES THE TRIPODS
FRENCH REVOLUTION
THE WALKING DEAD SPIN-OFF SHOWRUNNER DAVID ZABEL ON BEING GIVEN THE TOUGH TASK OF REUNITING DARYL AND CAROL IN FRANCE
SILENT KILLERS
THE DIRECTOR OF HOLLYWOOD'S SPEAK NO EVIL REMAKE ON HORROR, COMEDY AND JAMES MCAVOY
BRING OUT YOUR DEAD
THE GHOST WITH THE MOST RETURNS FINALLY - IN BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
TEENAGE DREAM
JOE LOCKE HITS THE ROAD RUNNING
MOB RULE THE PENGUIN
GOTHAM'S UP FOR GRABS IN BRUISING NEW CRIME SAGA BUT WHERE IS THE BATMAN?
SEASON OF THE WITCH
AS MARVEL TELEVISION CARVES OUT A NEW PATH FOR ITSELF, WE SPEAK TO CREATOR JAC SCHAEFFER, PLUS A CAST OF STARS LED BY KATHRYN HAHN AND JOE LOCKE, ABOUT THE MAGIC OF WANDAVISION'S SPIN-OFF AGATHA ALL ALONG
Ghouls Allowed
Even silence can't save you at this year's Halloween Horror Nights
Those '70s Shows
James Swallow takes a trip back in time with his new Space: 1999 and UFO novellas