Ain't It Cool News is reporting George Lucas has plans to do a live action Star Wars television series in 2006/2007 and he's currently looking for a showrunner. How about Tim? George would probably go with Fox for the tv show since they distribute the Star Wars movies and Tim has a deal with Fox, doesn't he? I know some folks are soured on Lucas because of the special editions and prequels but in the right hands I think a Star Wars series could be something special. The key prerequisite for anyone signing on would most likely be creative control. Lucas has allowed the showrunner of Samurai Jack to have complete creative control over the Cartoon Network's Clone Wars series so there is hope. What do you think? (and if you're lurking Tim, feel free to chime in as well)

know some folks are soured on Lucas because of the special editions and prequels but in the right hands I think a Star Wars series could be something special.

Sadly, I'm in the sour bunch, because I thought the original trilogy was quite an accomplishment.

Right now, I think Lucas is badly in need of someone who will say "no" that he will listen to.

My completely biased opinion based on travesty of Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, where the stories didn't even hold to their own internal logic, imo.

George Lucas has plans to do a live action Star Wars television series in 2006/2007 and he's currently looking for a showrunner.

I'm unclear on where in the Star Wars universe timeline this would occur. Plucky Jedi being picked off one by one, as the evil empire grows? Plucky rebels fighting the evil empire, on the run and in desperate poverty (and with a couple of mega-genocides to boot)? Plucky ex-rebels sitting around in council meetings trying to build some new form of interplanetary government?

On the up side, given that the universe already has an annoying Luke Skywalker type character, the main character would not be revealed as the Second Coming, Secret Prince, or any other Fate-besmirched plot object.

My sourness is based on the completely unnecessary Phantom Menace. So much of that could've been excised entirely and the rest put on as introduction to Ep. II and we could've gotten a Clone Wars flick. In that case, at least, the pretty graphics would be expected to take center stage.

Lucas has lost his damn mind. He wants to make a series because he sees a way to broaden his base, but he no longer has any respect for the cohesiveness of his creation, so anything his does from this point on is weird, tangential tripe. Still, Tim could save it easily. That's how much respect I have for the man.

I'm curious what you meant when you said "they don't hold to their own internal logic" because I've heard many things said about them but I've never heard that before. I'll admit I like the prequels (I hope people don't dismiss my taste because of that). I think Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Ian McDiarmid and Christopher Lee have put in great performances and I'd argue that Hayden Christenson (I know some love to bag on him for his performance) did a fantastic job in Clones. I liked Jar Jar Binks and I don't think The Phatom Menace was a waste.

Well Tim did say Jar-Jar was his bitch.

ETA: Or was it the other way around?

Well, for instance, midichlorians are inborn, but the Jedi are a celibate order. No wonder there are so few of them.

"Well, for instance, midichlorians are inborn, but the Jedi are a celibate order. No wonder there are so few of them."

Yes, midichlorians can be passed on through the generations but that's not the only way obviously. Regular parents can have kids that are strong in the Force as well, and when that occurs the Jedi take them at a young age and train them. It's like in the real world, two highly intelligent parents can give birth to a highly intelligent kid but two parents of average intelligence can also give birth to a highly intelligent kid. Also, I'd like to point out, I don't think we as the audience are meant to agree with how the Jedi operate. Their overconfidence and tradition proved to be their downfall. I think a key difference between the prequels and originals is family. The Jedi want their followers to sever all ties to the world because they believe that makes them stronger but what George Lucas will show in Episode III is that policy simply doesn't work. Family and friends is what helped Luke succeed where Anakin failed.

Regular parents can have kids that are strong in the Force as well, and when that occurs the Jedi take them and train them.

Right. So they're systematically removing kids with midicholirans from the breeding population.

Imagine if all college graduates were joining the Catholic priesthood.