Please cue the sci-fi music for the fake TV show meme!

[mylittleredgirl]

Meme from lyssie, who prompted me with a completely delightful list of actors:

Torri Higginson
Joe Flanigan
Andrea Thompson
Jerry Doyle
Mitch Pileggi
Annabeth Gish
Jason Momoa

(Since this is my fantasy, we're going to pluck some of these actors out of time periods in the past where, say, Jerry Doyle was not a scary pundit and would conceivably work with Andrea Thompson. Meme rules are at the bottom, after my pretend show.)

Ares
"Man's first mission to Mars... may be the last."

"Mars is there, waiting to be reached." - Buzz Aldrin


In 2048, NASA launches the Ares, bound for Mars. On board are 24 of the world's most brilliant scientists and engineers, with a mission to establish a manned outpost on the Red Planet and lay the foundation for further manned missions, terraforming and colonization.

Except... the follow-up missions don't come. Earth drops out of contact, as politics change and the news spins the other way. The Ares mission is abandoned.

Alone on Mars, the unexpected colony is determined to survive and make the planet theirs - whatever it takes.

CHARACTERS

Warren Bramhall (Mitch Pileggi): Warren, the Ares project lead, has been involved with every Mars initiative to come out of NASA for the last 30 years, as a researcher, a strategist, a tech developer, and a lobbyist. If any one person can be credited with making the Ares project a reality and bringing the team together, it's him. At one point, NASA considered pulling him from the mission because of health concerns, which few people know. As a leader, he's calm, reserved and practical - he has other sides to him, but almost no one gets to see them.


Cara Demetriades (Annabeth Gish): In many ways, Cara is the opposite of Warren's cool head - she is passionate, brilliant, devoted and erratic. An undisputed genius, she holds the vision for terraforming Mars in her head, only held back by the practical limits of science and technology. At her best, Cara is the heart of the team; at her worst, she's an unstable element hampered by fits of mania and depression.


Vera Sergeyevna Semyonova (Torri Higginson): Nicknamed "the ice queen" for both her groundbreaking research of water on Mars and her cold demeanor, Vera is the consummate professional. A native Russian and naturally shy, she feels like an outsider among the primarily American group. She holds out hope that despite decades of remotely gathered evidence to the contrary, once they get to Mars they will find signs of ancient life. As the chief geologist, she spends as much time as she can on the surface, exploring Mars' terrain and history.


Alex Miller (Joe Flanigan): Alex has spent more time in space than anyone else on the team. Denied twice by NASA as a young adult, Alex has excelled through hard work and relentless determination - ultimately achieving his dream to help design, test, and fly the first manned spacecraft destined for another planet. His design and programming skills are needed on Mars, but with the space journey behind them, Alex will struggle to find his place. He harbors a crush on Vera, and in spite of her initial cold response, he longs to win her over.


Diana Jacobsen Howe (Andrea Thompson): Tough, outspoken and used to being in charge, Diana Jacobsen is the world's leading expert in self-sustaining artificial environments. Soon after being recruited from MIT, Diana met and married Gary Acton (Jerry Doyle), and they designed the first "life capsule" which paved the way for a permanent outpost on the moon. When their turbulent marriage collapsed, Diana left JPL to develop biodomes for independent parties, including a deep-sea habitat. She remarried, but she leaves her husband of 7 years on Earth for the chance to reclaim her passion for space.


Gary Acton (Jerry Doyle): Gary's perfectly aligned low-gravity structures are in sharp contrast to the disarray of his personal life. Impulsive, belligerent and reckless with relationships both personal and professional, Gary has kept his position at NASA only because it would be impossible to replace him. Whether he loves or hates Diana - and often it's both - the Ares mission can't succeed without them. For Gary, Mars is the enemy - something to be survived, tamed and conquered.


Jesse Akamu (Jason Momoa): From oil rigs to Diana's deep-sea habitat to the international space station, Jesse can fix, build, or repurpose anything - he's Miles O'Brien with tattoos. Despite a less than clean-cut appearance and an impressive Iron Man record, Jesse is soft-spoken and shy. His attention to detail and singleminded focus on any project makes him indispensable, but can prevent him from seeing the bigger picture. As a result, he's easily swayed by his more charismatic teammates, particularly Aylee Tremblay (Nicole deBoer).
Note: I said, "How can I make Jason look like he would totally be one of the world's most brilliant minds?" Havoc said, "Give him glasses. It works on TV." This is google images' gift to you, then.


Malcolm Wright (Cirroc Lofton): Malcolm became a brief media sensation at age 12 when he came across a theoretical problem his mother, a physics professor, had posed to her graduate students... and sketched out a solution that, as the then-chief of NASA said, "in one day, changed the colonization of other worlds from a dream to an inevitability." As a scientist and a man, "the Boy Wonder" has been living in his own shadow. Warren sees himself as a mentor and believes the Ares mission is Malcolm's chance to reach his potential.


Aylee Tremblay (Nicole deBoer): Specializing in the effects of space travel, Aylee is not only responsible for the immediate health of the team but for the long-term viability of human colonies in space. Prone to infatuation and obsession and gifted with a persuasive charm, when she loses perspective she often brings others along for the ride. Once the team is stranded, Aylee is determined to ensure sustainable human life on Mars - and to bear the first native Martian child.


Mars: The characters have intense, deeply personal relationships with the world they're stranded on - for Cara, Mars is a dream, to Gary an adversary, to Vera a puzzle, for Aylee, almost a lover. The planet itself is dead, empty rock... almost.

NOTES

I'm kind of obsessed with this now! Would anyone read serialized (and wildly scientifically inaccurate) episodic stories about this once sparktober is done? If not, I'll probably write it anyway, so no pressure. :-P In some ways, this is inevitably going to be fanfic of Kim Stanely Robinson's Red Mars with a much narrower scope, but, you know, I'm totally pro-fanfic. Thanks go to havocthecat for helping with my characters (and Das Boy for giving me the title). I'm declaring the theme song will have to be an instrumental version of Bowie's Life on Mars?. Because. Of course.

MEME

So here's The Deal:

You post a comment on this entry requesting to play.

In return, I will give you a list of seven actors. (I may look at your profile for a refresher on your fandoms, so consider this a perfect time to update your Interests section!)

Then YOU will go back to your LJ and do a quickie show bible. The show bible includes:

A one-paragraph blurb on what the show is about (like you get in TV Guide)

What character each actor is playing (you don't need character names, but you do need a description

For extra credit, a sketch of a plot arc or two OR a couple of two-sentence teasers for first-season episodes.

If you choose to cast a few more "roles" in your write-up, all the more awesome!

Then you post The Deal at the end of your entry, and for anyone who comments on your post and wants to play, give them a list of seven actors.

Comments

[rhipowered.livejournal.com]

This sounds amazing--I've been following these memes for a while and they're always ace. I'd read stories about this.

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :-D I'm biased because I've gotten to stare at these pretty pictures for a few days now, so it's nice to hear it sounds good to someone else. :)

Also, love your icon. No clue who those guys are, but it's amazing.

[lanna-kitty.livejournal.com]

Yay! return of the fake tv show meme!!

this sounds fun!

(edit: this being this show, lol. I cant type)

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

Hee! The meme is also fun! Would you like to play?

[peanutbutterer.livejournal.com]

I'm still waiting to read more from your other show! *pokes*

This show sounds epic.

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

You remember that I had another show? Even I repressed the guilt deeply for that forgot. Spooky!

I'm hoping this one will get off the ground since I actually know all the actors. :) Last time my flist had to cast them because I was all *OMGFLAILHELP*

[naushika.livejournal.com]

This show sounds AWESOME, and I would totally watch it! And awww, look at little Cirroc Lofton all growed up! XD And lol @ Miles O'Brien with tattoos :D

I just recently did a fake tv show for one of my landcomms :D IT'S AN X-FILES SPINOFF.

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

OH MY LORD THAT LOOKS FANTASTIC!!!

I don't know how I missed it on my flist! :-D

WILLIAAAAAAAAAAAAAM! I hope his farmer parents were nice, at least. Also I hope you have moments of OH WHUT I'M AN ALIEN!? in your show.

Dang. Your pics of your cast are amazing. And here I was impressed with myself that I found a picture of Joe Flanigan where he wasn't pulling a ridiculous face.

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

And TRENCHCOAT MAN.

Ahahahahahaha.

My friend cat_b and I used to call XF "Trench Coats!!!!" when it was on the air. (Or was it "Flashliiiiiiiiiights!"? I can't recall now. But I think it was Trench Coats.)

[hihoplastic.livejournal.com]

Ooh I wanna try!

Also I would totally watch this. ...admittedly, mostly to see Torri play a Russian (ALDKFJAELRKJAKER!!!) AND BE ALL SHY AND CUTE AND WATCH JOHN JOE/ALEX TRY TO WOO HER. NGHHH WANT.

But also, MARS! WIN.


can i plz have torri on my list? that's all i ask. pretty please?

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

YES YES EXACTLY THAT. She will be all "Your hotshot American antics do not amuse me" and then not talk to him, and he'll be all, crap, I can't pick flowers out here in the Martian desert, so maybe I'll learn to say I Think Geology Is Super Interesting in Russian.

Silly girl of course you can. And you can add people too - Cirroc Lofton and Nicole deBoer are my additions because I COULD NOT DO WITHOUT.

TORRIIIIII
David Hewlett
Kate Hewlett
Neil Patrick Harris (IDK WHY NOT)
Sabrina Lloyd
Gina Torres
Joe Flanigan, dammit. I was starting to feel like I was being OBVIOUS in the JOE/TORRI CHARACTER OTP 4EVAAAA. But. THERE YOU HAVE IT!

[aj.livejournal.com]

OKAY, GIMME PEOPLE.

Although, I don't know that I can top Gotham. OH, GOD, WHY HASN'T SOMEONE MADE GOTHAM!?

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

WHY NOT INDEED!!!

YOU get... okay, I can't resist giving you an epic collection of The Forgotten Ones:

Annabeth Gish (she can do both our shows at once because she is MAGICAL MONICA REYES)
Robert Patrick (SHAMELESS, I AM THAT)
Paul Campbell
Rainbow Sun Francks
Jennifer Lien
Garrett Wang
Teryl Rothery

[melyanna.livejournal.com]

Gotham really would be amazing. If I were a TV executive, I would totally buy that show.

[melyanna.livejournal.com]

*grabby hands*

Also, I'll play! And for convenience, the shows listed in my interests are as follows: Babylon 5, Castle, Community, Covert Affairs, Eureka, Law & Order, SG-1, SGA, The Office, The West Wing.

ETA: And Fringe should be in that list.

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

The moral of this story is that I need to watch more TV!

Amanda Tapping
Jesse L. Martin
Christopher Gorham
Claire Rankin
Jason Momoa
Mira Furlan
Rachel Luttrell

[leyenn.livejournal.com]

I wanna play! :D

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

YAY YAY YAY!! You like so much awesome stuff, too! UM.

MARINA SIRTIS
JONATHAN FRAKES (come on you love meee)
Gillian Anderson
Claudia Christian
Naoko Mori
Adam Baldwin
Pat Tallman

:-D

[icepixie]

I would totally watch this! Or read it! (I would probably fangirl Aylee and ship her with Malcolm.)

Also, this looks awesome, and I want to play! I have a kajillion things in my interests, but the fandoms I'm still into enough to remember/care about the actors are: B5, BSG, Castle, Corner Gas, DS9, due South, Earth 2, Farscape, Fringe, Northern Exposure, Pushing Daisies, Slings & Arrows, Spaced, Warehouse 13, Wonderfalls, and X-Files. (I guess also SG-1 and Atlantis, but I'm pushing five years of not having thought about them unless I was reading one of your Sparky fics, so they may not get the best results. You're welcome to try, though!)

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

Squeeee! :) I am shipping Aylee and Jesse in my head, but Aylee would be totally cool with switching it up. I mean, genetically, nothing is served by monogamy. (OT3??)

Wow! You have many shows. :) This is funnn.

Claudia Christian
Jerry Doyle (I WILL SHARE HIM, FOR YOUUU)
Chi McBride
Terry Farrell
Grace Park
Paul Gross
Jessica Steen

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

ME TOO! *spazzes*

My OTP might be Diana and Gary, the first loves who never quite got over each other and probably have lots of incredibly hot passionate hatesex and fight constantly while they build a colony, but no one else UNDERSTAAAANDS them. ;)

And my awwwsqueee pairing is totally Joe and Torri with the UST and the shyness and the totally dorky courting that will pretty much have to happen.

(And Aylee/Jesse/Malcolm OT3? Any takers?)

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

AHAHAHAH. This is so awesome. YOU GAVE ME LANTIS ON MARS WITH ADDED EPIC COLONEL SKINNER-NESS.

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

IT IS ABOUT TIME HE GOT TO BE ACTUALLY IN CHARGE!!

I need a Skinner icon like crazy, man. Instead, I will use Fowley and Scully who are also awesome.

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

I would pretty much marry him on sight. (Although, I also felt that way when I was 12 and he was wearing futuristic space-spandex.)

holy shit I really am your sockpuppet. or something

[miera-c.livejournal.com]

Oh My God. I WROTE THIS. No, seriously. There was no Mars, but back when I was a wee grad student, I did an independent study where I had to develop a tv show. Mine was set on permanent space stations orbiting earth, which held about 50 people total, and then a plague struck the surface, which was the first season of the show. The people on the satellites had to basically watch as everyone on earth died and left them stranded.

(This is because whenever I hit an apocalyptic story I'm always thinking things like "What about duck tape? I mean, when they run out of duck tape, what happens?" This is why I liked the first season of BSG so much - it addressed things like that.)

Then they find out that a habitable planet has been found in another solar system and have to debate whether to stay or try to make it to a new planet.

Yours has better scenery though. :)

Re: holy shit I really am your sockpuppet. or something

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

WOW.

I mean... we really are sockpuppets! That's crazy! And oooooh, space colonization is so crazy awesome.

I don't think I will kill everyone on Earth with a plague. I kind of like the idea of them not having the weight of The Entire Human Race on their shoulders, just the weight of... WTF, WE HAVE BEEN ABANDONED, AND NOW WHAT? And yes, duck tape is REALLY IMPORTANT!

(What did they decide?? Go or stay? I hope they voted Go because Stay would be kind of creepy and depressing to stare out at plague earth all day. but then, how do they mine for resources they need for the spaceship when they are floating in a tin can??)

[fyca.livejournal.com]

<3

I'll play... or at least I'll try. But only on two conditions:

1) I get Annabeth too
2) You have to chose people from shows I know! See profile: http://fyca.livejournal.com/profile

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

OKAY! :)

Annabeth Gish
Tina Majorino
Laura Harris (I just noticed she's in your interests, but I SWEAR I'm not just listing people from there! Whatever, you love me.)
Robert Patrick :-D
Lee Pace
Percy Daggs
Ginnifer Goodwin

Aaaand... GO!

[georgierae.livejournal.com]

This sounds freaking awesome and am kinda intrigued!

[georgierae.livejournal.com]

...and I really like the angle of them being ignored and then forgotten. Which makes me think what the hell? Maybe there was a massive sports tournament on and everyone forgot the space mission for a while and then years down the road... Um guys? Didn't we send some people to Mars like 50years ago? Oops.

Heh.


also? I fail at eljay

[fallon-ash.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I wanna play! Pretty please?

[mylittleredgirl.livejournal.com]

WHAT IS THIS, THE SHIP OF THE VALKYRIES?? Or, "Wait, I can only think of chicks for fa and no dudes!"

Catherine Bell
Annabeth Gish
Portia de Rossi
Claudia Black
Gina Torres

And... okay, two dudes:
Taye Diggs
Ricky Schroeder

I think you've got the best-looking list I've come up with so far. Only pretty for my fallon!