Fox Believes that ‘Father Knows Best’
Posted by Dr. Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com) on April 16, 2009
There’s no way that anyone who reads this site would know “Father Knows Best.” There might be a few fans who grew up checking out the series on Nick at Nite, and a few random fans of our Old Ass Movies features that are down with it, but I highly doubt that anyone who grew up watching the television program checks out our particular brand of snark on a daily basis.
So maybe, just this once, let’s not get into a huge debate about how something will be ruined by adapting it to film.
The original series was a major mid-50s success (garnering over 200 episodes and playing on all major networks) and remains an icon of either 1) the cheery lifestyle of the 1950s atomic family or B) a gross portrayal of cheesy goodness where everyone is smiling because there aren’t any problems bigger than who has their elbows on the dinner table.
The new adaptation, according to Variety, will feature a modern family that clashes when the more-conservative grandfather comes to live with them. So, basically, it sounds more like a close cousin of the series instead of a faithful adaptation. Although, it would be difficult to make a straight ahead adaptation that would resonate with modern audiences. Plus, movies like Pleasantville already did a sufficient job of satirizing it and shows like it.
New Regency is partnering with Fox for the project. No director has been chosen yet, but Chad and Dara Creasey (writers of a few “Pushing Daisies” episodes) are set to write the script. Normally, with newer writers there wouldn’t be much to talk about, but these two actually bring some credibility with a certain hyper-color style and tongues firmly planted in cheeks that a project like this needs. Whether or not that makes a difference to modern audiences will be the major hurdle to get over, not to mention finding the best possible director for something like this.
We talk a lot about nostalgia around here, but there’s something mysterious about bringing a show that was famous over 50 years ago back to life. There can’t be much of a built-in audience. So what’s the point? Name recognition?
What do you think? Are you at all excited about something like this? Are your grandparents excited? Can they even get excited anymore?
Read more articles by Dr. Cole Abaius
