back to article The Tomorrow People jaunt back to the airwaves

Seminal seventies science fiction show The Tomorrow People is jaunting back to television. The premise of The Tomorrow People was simple: living among us are young people who have already achieved the next stage of evolution, acquiring abilities like telepathy and teleportation (referred to as "jaunting" along the way. Less- …

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  1. Phil W

    heroes

    Isn't this this the basic premise of Heroes? Making this yet another reboot

    1. Ian K
      Holmes

      Re: heroes

      Well, it obviously shares a title and basic plot with a seventies series so I don't think anyone's trying to sneak some sort of reboot past us on the quiet.

      As far as it being a reboot of Heroes goes...not really. In Heroes the characters generally had one signature power (c.f. X-Men, and a lot of other superheroic things), in Tomorrow People - or the classic one, at least - it's very much a standard power set all of them get.

      Both programs have the "people with special powers existing in secret" angle, but as a basic plot idea that one stretches back to ancient mythology and the "scion of Gods raised as a mortal" thing.

      So...hardly original, but no more a knock-off of Heroes than Heroes was a knock-off of the original TP.

    2. John Smith 19 Gold badge
      Coat

      Re: heroes

      "Isn't this this the basic premise of Heroes? Making this yet another reboot"

      The Tomorrow People dates from the 70's, make Heroes the re-boot.

      Although I'd be surprised if Heroes creator had even heard of it.

      Yes it's an anorak.

      1. Phil W

        Re: heroes

        That's what I meant, that heroes was a reboot of the original TP, making this reboot another reboot. But yeah there are some differences between heroes and TP.

    3. Daniel B.

      Nope

      I have never watched the original one, but I did get to see a couple of episodes from the 90's revival. More like X-Men, maybe, except that all of 'em have a base set of powers vs. having a special one.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Nope

        Tyso had a different power, most had nothing but telepathy without their "jaunt belt"

        1. Intractable Potsherd

          Re: Nope

          The Jaunt Belt - did anyone else spend ages with their thumbs tucked in their waistband trying desperately to teleport? Please tell me it wasn't just me ...

    4. beep54
      Happy

      Re: heroes

      Actually, what the description reminded me most of was A. E. van Vogt's novel 'Slan' (1946, I am surprised to discover). Still quite a read :)

    5. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

      Re: heroes

      It's the basic premise of cryptojudaism. The Spanish Inquisition should sue! (No one would expect that.)

      See also: Medieval witch-hunting; Early Modern England's panic over secret Papists (particularly Jesuits, who were often imagined by the less-educated to have special powers); legal and social battles over miscegenation and blood quantum in the US and elsewhere; the plot of many SF stories and novels, including famous ones like Odd John and Children of the Atom; and so on.

      So to say that Heroes was a reboot of the original Tomorrow People, or the new one a reboot of Heroes, is rather like suggesting that all stories about spouses with secrets are reboots of "Cupid and Psyche". It's a widely-used archetype that goes back as far as the written record, and no doubt further; it's basic human anxiety about being able to police the social group and detect outsiders posing as insiders.

  2. Tim Roberts 1
    Alien

    darkness

    Is it my imagination or are series like this largely shot in darkness or semi-darkness? Actually don't bother to answer because I know they are ............

    1. Number6

      Re: darkness

      It's cheaper if you can save on the lighting bill. If it's shot in Europe then the EU has probably prohibited them from using anything more thirsty than a 40W bulb.

    2. jake Silver badge

      @Tim Roberts 1 (was: Re: darkness)

      It's actually called "day for night" in the trade.

      Totally ugly for folks who know how to use a camera and lighting.

      1. Kubla Cant

        Re: @Tim Roberts 1 (was: darkness)

        There was a François Truffaut film called "Day for Night". I was amused to see that the French for "day for night" appeared to be "la nuit américaine". Presumably this reflects its ugliness, along the lines of "French leave", "Dutch courage" etc.

  3. jake Silver badge

    Is anyone writing anything new in the entertainment world?

    Not from where I'm sitting.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Devil

      Re: Is anyone writing anything new in the entertainment world?

      No and this is why I never watch, let alone buy, Hollywood's latest bowel evacuations. It's the same old shit all the time.

    2. Tom 7

      Re: Is anyone writing anything new in the entertainment world?

      I've found that putting canned laughter on the news seems to produce a similar effect to most modern US comedies.

      They seem to have given up on original scripts so that may be next.

      Or: We may actually live in a world where we are now seeing the truth behind the old saying that there are only a limited number of available understandable plots and only a limited number of understandable ways of re-painting them.

    3. jef_

      Re: Is anyone writing anything new in the entertainment world?

      Try Utopia (if you haven't already). It nearly passed me by. I rate Black Mirror highly too (the last one was a bit so-so though, imho...).

    4. John 62
      Headmaster

      Re: Is anyone writing anything new in the entertainment world?

      Indeed, they probably predate ancient greece, from where many of today's entertainment themes can be traced.

      1. Wayland Sothcott 1

        Re: Is anyone writing anything new in the entertainment world?

        You have the escape from the garden of eden theme with The Island, Logans Run and many others.

        You have all the Super Heroes as Orphans; Spiderman, Superman, Iron Man, Harry Potter.

        You have the Woman In Red (or red hair) theme in Iron Man, Alice In Wonderland and loads of others.

        The hero with a gammy leg, I used to be good at naming these until I took an arrow to the knee.

        Look out for these themes in movies.

    5. NomNomNom

      Re: Is anyone writing anything new in the entertainment world?

      "No and this is why I never watch, let alone buy, Hollywood's latest bowel evacuations. It's the same old shit all the time."

      Hmm bowel evacuations. How come we haven't made a movie about bowels?

      WE'RE GOING DOWN! EVACUATE THE BOWEL!

      1. Eddy Ito
        Coat

        Re: Is anyone writing anything new in the entertainment world?

        "Hmm bowel evacuations. How come we haven't made a movie about bowels?"

        I get a scents it would stink.

        I know what's in the pocket and you can keep it.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    70's TV?

    I don't remember watching TV in the 70s. What I do remember is living in squats, free festivals and the "Camberwell Carrot". Did a bit of "jaunting" as well. Who needs CGI?

    Ah! Those were the days :)

    1. Yet Another Commentard
      Headmaster

      Re: 70's TV?

      You remember the Camberwell Carrot in the '70s! Impressive for a quote from a 1987 film.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: 70's TV?

        >>You remember the Camberwell Carrot in the '70s! Impressive for a quote from a 1987 film.

        It was set in 1969. Also if you want a cool smoke from a disposable pipe a hollowed out carrot* does the job.

        I think that this is called "prior art". Anyway thanks for spotting the connection, pedant.

        *Or a pear, parsnip etc.

        1. Naughtyhorse
          FAIL

          Re: 70's TV?

          Cool your boots man!

          That! is _not_ a camberwell carrot!

          quote;

          Danny: The joint I am about to roll requires a craftsman that can utilise up to twelve skins. It is called a Camberwell Carrot.

          Marwood: It's impossible to use twelve papers on one joint.

          Danny: It is impossible to roll a Camberwell Carrot with anything less.

          Withnail: Who says it's a Camberwell Carrot?

          Danny: I do. I invented it in Camberwell and it looks like a carrot.

          so nothing to do with veg at all.

          1. BorkedAgain
            Thumb Up

            Re: 70's TV?

            Is there anyone here* that can read that transcript and *not* hear Danny's voice loud and clear? One of my favourite little nibbles of drug-related dialogue ever... :)

            * That's seen the movie, mind...

  5. Ken 16 Silver badge

    They're a bit old aren't they?

    I thought Tomorrow people developed their powers at puberty.

    1. TeeCee Gold badge
      Coat

      Re: They're a bit old aren't they?

      That explains a lot.

      Most of us discovered girls instead.....

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: They're a bit old aren't they?

        >Most of us discovered girls instead.....

        and then discovered girls quite like sitting on sofas watching TV!

      2. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

        Re: They're a bit old aren't they?

        They were undiscovered quickly.

    2. Corbis

      Re: They're a bit old aren't they?

      My first thoughts too....

      The original was largely staffed by teens whereas the reboot looks more like the cast of 901210. Why does American TV do this? Can't their kids act? Completely spoils the show for me, like the movie series American Pie; full of twenty/thirtysomethings running around pretending to be teens.

  6. graeme leggett Silver badge

    Thought there'd already been one remake

    In the early 1990s.

    If you add in Big Finish audios that could make this the third-and-a-half outing of the idea.

    1. stucs201

      Re: Thought there'd already been one remake

      The article thinks there has too : "The show came back for a short 90's revival.... "

  7. Spider

    that's that f***ed then.

    is there a single original thought left in media? anywhere?...

    mind you, looking forward to them trying to make ain't 'alf hot mum politically correct...

    1. Elmer Phud

      Re: that's that f***ed then.

      "mind you, looking forward to them trying to make ain't 'alf hot mum politically correct..."

      Starting with Gove's use of English as a basis?

      "Mater, it is rather warm, donchyouknow."

      "Right (but not too far right) then, my beauties (that is, in my eyes everyone is beautiful in a human appreciation way, not in a homosexual way but that's sort of O.K. in its own way) let's be 'aving you! (once again this is intended to be a rousing cry and not a call for mass buggery although . . .) ."

      'kit, put him in the curry

  8. Rustywarrior
    Thumb Up

    I'm on a nostalgia trip...

    ...and I'm quite looking forward to it.

    OK so CW aims itself squarely at the "young adult" market but Arrow was actually quite good and if it matches up to that then I'll be happy.

    1. Naughtyhorse

      Re: I'm on a nostalgia trip...

      hmmm

      arrow??

      brings the term 'harbles' and 'sucked' irresistibly to mind.

      The first few eps had some good choreography, but that male lead, (either pronunciation is apposite) whoever he was - had me cheering for the bad guys by ep 03.

  9. Charlie Clark Silver badge
    Headmaster

    'twas the season of…

    six-season seventies run

    What, it ran from spring 1974 to autumn 1975? 'Course, I only watch the box set.

  10. Lord Elpuss Silver badge
    Coat

    Waiting for a reboot of...

    The Wombles 2030 - 15 years into the future, the famous common-cleaners suddenly find they have superpowers enabling them to clean up the syringes, broken bottles, diapers and tampons within the first minute of each episode, leaving them another 39 minutes to reverse global warming and avert a global catastrophe (or some such bollocks)

    Captain Pugwash; Revisited - the crew of the Black Pig, including ships' mate Seaman Staines*, first officer Master Bates* and of course Roger the Cabin Boy*, battle supernatural monsters from the deep a la Pirates of the Caribbean, whilst rescuing various damsels in distress from fates worse than death.

    * may not actually be their real names

    I foresee many re'imaginings' of various series' over the next few years, given that we appear to have exhausted all possibilities for genuinely original writing (although Oblivion was actually quite good).

    1. Khaptain Silver badge

      Re: Waiting for a reboot of...

      Can we also have the "Clangers". In this day and age of recycling they would be perfect.

      1. Spoonsinger
        Terminator

        Re: "Can we also have the "Clangers"?

        Only if they dig up the robot from 'Hardware'. Comical bloody japes should then ensue.

    2. jjk
      Pint

      Re: Waiting for a reboot of...

      Fsck the Wombles, I want to see the Borribles filmed.

  11. Graham Dawson Silver badge

    Jaunting?

    The Stars My Destination did it first. :D

    1. Graham Marsden
      Thumb Up

      Re: Jaunting?

      AKA "Tiger, Tiger" by Alfred Bester.

      Well worth a read :-)

      1. ChrisM

        Re: Jaunting?

        Also 'The Chrysalids' by John Wyndham. No jaunting but group thinking and being oppressed in a post-apocalyptic world.

        1. JimC

          Re: Jaunting?

          The basic theme dates back at least to Olaf Stapledon and "Odd John", and probably before... Shouldn'tt be suprised if there were something in Athenian theatre...

          1. Dave 126 Silver badge

            Re: Jaunting?

            I enjoyed "The Demolished Man", but I must have been sleepy when I got to the last chapter - I felt like I missed something in the ending. I should give it another go.

            Again, it is set in a near-future in which society has adjusted to many people having psychic powers.

      2. keithpeter Silver badge
        Windows

        The Demolished Man - Re: Jaunting?

        "AKA "Tiger, Tiger" by Alfred Bester."

        @Graham Marsden

        "The Demolished Man" seems interesting...

        "Bester creates a harshly capitalistic, hierarchical and competitive social world that exists without deceit: a society where the right person with some skill (or money) and curiosity can access your memories, secrets, fears and past misdeeds more swiftly than even you."

        Sounds like Gobook (Faceogle)

        1. Intractable Potsherd

          Re: The Demolished Man - Jaunting?

          Alfred Bester is one of the most unrecognised authors of scfi. I don't think I've ever read a bad story by him. I was first introduced to him through a Marks and Spencer collection of science fiction novels I got for my birthday, which has "The Demolished Man" (it also has "2001: A Space Oddysey", "The Day of the Triffids", and "I, Robot" - a real treat!). Bester wrote of a kind of world I hadn't come across before, and which I still carry close to the front of my head as we move into the world of the technological "peeper".

          1. Vic
            Joke

            Re: The Demolished Man - Jaunting?

            > Alfred Bester is one of the most unrecognised authors of scfi.

            I'll betcha he pinched all his dieas.

            that's the thing about being such a big cheese in Psi Corps. You can get away with it.

            "The Corps is Mother. The Corps is Father"

            Vic.

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