"Genesis II"

[Kenneth Morgan]

It's been a while since I've seen this one, but as I recall it's pretty much as the review lists it. For "Planet Earth", they switched to more action and a more run-of-the-mill, forehead-makeup type of post-Apocolypse villain. And John Saxon plays Dylan Hunt as more of an Earthbound Jim Kirk.

Actually, I'm a little surprised no one snapped up the rights to all four of Roddenberry's failed pilots from the '70's and released them as a box set, with maybe "Baffled!" with Nimoy (though not Roddenberry) as a bonus. Seems to me like it'd sell.

[molly1216]

yea but Alex Cord had a great stash man....that alone is worth the watch..

[Kenneth Morgan]

yea but Alex Cord had a great stash man....that alone is worth the watch..

Yeah, but I can't get used to seeing him without an eyepatch.

Re: the failed pilots, I haven't seen "Genesis II", "Planet Earth" or "Questor Tapes" in a long time. What I believe is the foreign theatrical version of "Spectre" shows up occasionally on the Fox Movie Channel. It's pretty good, actually, and probably would make a neat double feature with "Baffled!"

I guess you could also throw in "333 Montgomery" with De and "Alexander the Great" with Shatner for the hypothetical box set.

[molly1216]

maybe it's me ...but Gene baby if you are gonna retread your OWN material ...change the name of your lead character.
naming them all Dylan Hunt is kinda lame..

[HGervais]

The one I really want to see again is Spectre.

[usnjake]

As reviewed here, Gene Roddenberry's original pilot 'Genesis II' did NOT air on NBC as you reported in your review, but on CBS. Sadly, as you might know, CBS passed on it, instead going with a 'Planet of the Apes' series, which lasted barely half a season.

I think they (CBS exectuives) would have been better served if they had gone with Roddenberry's project instead, but that, of couse, is not the way things played out.

Two of Roddenberry's failed pilots did air on NBC, those being 'The Questor Tapes' and 'Spectre,' Of Roddenberry's non-TREK projects, I found 'The Questor Tapes' the best.

I disagree with your verdict, and also disagree that 'Planet Earth,' a second attempt at selling the series on ABC was a better product.

I preferred Alex Cord over John Saxon as the lead character, Dylan Hunt.

I do agree that to some degree the films, especially the second one, are dated now. It'd be interesting to see how a modern production would differ.

Incidentally, I found 'Andromeda,' which was VERY loosely based on 'Genesis II' unwatchable, mostly because I find Kevin Sorbo a terrible actor.

[usnjake]

Molly, you are working under a false premise.

Roddenberry did not use a character name of a previous show.

Mr. Roddenberry did not, if you are referring to 'Andromeda,' have anything to do with that production as he was dead long before the show went before the cameras.

[molly1216]

Molly, you are working under a false premise.

Roddenberry did not use a character name of a previous show.

Mr. Roddenberry did not, if you are referring to 'Andromeda,' have anything to do with that production as he was dead long before the show went before the cameras.

according to IMDB:
Planet Earth (1974) (TV) (story)
John Saxon ... Dylan Hunt

Genesis II (1973) (TV) (writer)
Alex Cord ... Dylan Hunt

and then the derivative:
Kevin Sorbo ... Captain Dylan Hunt (110 episodes, 2000-2005)


Roddenberry's theme was of a man in stasis who is awakened in the future
and they are all named dylan hunt.
that's sloppy.

[HGervais]

No it's just using the same idea three times trying to get it right. Besides, Dylan Hunt is a cool name.