Tom Swift???

[earendel]

When I was a child my father had a collection of brown-bound Tom Swift books - Tom Swift and his Motor Cycle, Tom Swift and his House on Wheels, etc. They were about a young inventor who had adventures. Then I discovered that there was a series about Tom Swift, Junior - Tom Swift and his Triphibian Atomicar, Tom Swift and his Outpost in Space, etc. They were also about a young inventor who had adventures, mixed in with some science-fiction elements (aliens from outer space) and spies (the fictional nation of Brungaria). I collected those and enjoyed reading them.

So I was interested to learn that The CW was going to have a TV series about Tom Swift; I wondered how they might update the inventions (since some of those from the books were either impossible, implausible, or already developed), and how the adventures might play out. So I watched the first episode. I was appalled. This Tom Swift is a gay black narcissist, nothing at all like his literary antecedent. There was a lot of glitz and glitter, a smidgen of science/science-fiction, and a lot of attitude. It was more of a nighttime soap opera than a scifi/adventure show - and I won't be watching the next episode.

[jaybee]

That's a letdown. I read all the Tom Swift Jr books - every one. I can only imagine how dated the original Tom Swift series was, as the JR series was very 50's / 60's. Didn't read any of the Tom Swift originals.

Book hungry me will confess to reading every one of my sisters Nancy Drew books too.

[Ritterskoop]

This is how I felt at the Starship Troopers movie - they lost all the grit and heart, and turned it into only action. Sort of like much of the current Star Trek universe.

[silverscreenselect]

This is how I felt at the Starship Troopers movie - they lost all the grit and heart, and turned it into only action. Sort of like much of the current Star Trek universe.

Starship Troopers was intended as satire.

[Bob78164]

When I was a child my father had a collection of brown-bound Tom Swift books - Tom Swift and his Motor Cycle, Tom Swift and his House on Wheels, etc. They were about a young inventor who had adventures. Then I discovered that there was a series about Tom Swift, Junior - Tom Swift and his Triphibian Atomicar, Tom Swift and his Outpost in Space, etc. They were also about a young inventor who had adventures, mixed in with some science-fiction elements (aliens from outer space) and spies (the fictional nation of Brungaria). I collected those and enjoyed reading them.

So I was interested to learn that The CW was going to have a TV series about Tom Swift; I wondered how they might update the inventions (since some of those from the books were either impossible, implausible, or already developed), and how the adventures might play out. So I watched the first episode. I was appalled. This Tom Swift is a gay black narcissist, nothing at all like his literary antecedent. There was a lot of glitz and glitter, a smidgen of science/science-fiction, and a lot of attitude. It was more of a nighttime soap opera than a scifi/adventure show - and I won't be watching the next episode.

Perhaps because I never read the books, none of this stuff bothered me. Also, I'm pretty sure they set him up as a jerk to give him room to grow in later episodes.

What did bother me, though, was the complete failure to account for any light-speed delay from Saturn. --Bob

[silverscreenselect]

There was a lot of glitz and glitter, a smidgen of science/science-fiction, and a lot of attitude. It was more of a nighttime soap opera than a scifi/adventure show - and I won't be watching the next episode.

You weren't alone in your opinion. Tom Swift has been cancelled after only six episodes aired (the remainder of the season will still be broadcast).