Thor and Daredevil got tryouts on NBC in the 1980s as guest stars in the Incredible Hulk movies, but the network did not greenlight either to series.

[Updated]

What Are They?

In the 1980s, NBC acquired the rights to The Incredible Hulk from CBS and produced three made-for-TV-movies to test and see if audiences were ready for a return of Dr David Banner and his alter ego The Hulk. In addition, the network used these as “back door pilots” to work in two other Marvel characters and see if they might warrant getting their own shows.

In 1988’s The Incredible Hulk Returns, David Banner has been working at a research institute for two years and has managed to keep his alter ego under control during that time. He is developing a Gamma Ray transponder that he hopes will cure him of the Hulk forever. One of Banner’s former students, Donald Blake, approaches him and reveals that he has become bonded to the mythical Thor after discovering the God of Thunder’s hammer while on an expedition in Norway. Odin had banished Thor to Earth long ago, and now Blake can summon him using the hammer (they exist together as opposed to the comics where Thor replaces Blake when he is summoned). Criminals steal the Gamma Ray transponder leading to Banner/Hulk teaming up with Blake/Thor to recover it. This movie definitely took a lot of liberties with the Thor character, especially by using him quite often for comic relief. But The Incredible Hulk also diverged notably from its source material and still produced a classic sci fi series, so it would have at least been interesting to see the direction they would have gone with the character if he had been picked up for his own show.

Aired: NBC, May 22, 1988

Starring: Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, Jack Colvin, Eric Kramer, Steve Levitt

Developed By: Kenneth Johnson

The next year brought The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, and that introduced Matt Murdock/Daredevil. In this film, David Banner heads to a city to find work but finds it is under the influence of crime boss Wilson Fisk (played by John Rhys-Davies!). Banner gets into an altercation with two of Fisk’s men on the subway which causes him to turn into the Hulk. Banner is blamed for the incident and arrested, and Matt Murdock is appointed as his attorney. Murdock learns that Banner is the Hulk and then reveals his own secret identity of Daredevil. The two then team up to foil Fisk’s attempts to take full control of criminal activities across the city. This film also took liberties with the source material, but this version of Daredevil was closer to his comic book origins than either the Hulk or Thor. And the movie established a much stronger setup for a series based on the Man Without Fear. (Fun fact: this film also had the first of Stan Lee’s cameo appearances in Marvel-based movies.)

Aired: NBC, May 7, 1989

Starring: Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, Rex Smith, John Rhys-Davies

Developed By: Kenneth Johnson

Buy The Incredible Hulk Returns / The Trial Of The Incredible Hulk on DVD Amazon.com

Why Didn’t They Fly?

Sadly, neither Thor nor Daredevil progressed into their own shows. The Incredible Hulk movies drew decent ratings (a third and final film—with no guest heroes–would follow in 1990), but apparently not sufficient for network execs to greenlight the back-door pilots. If one or both had gone to series, would the characters have had crossovers since NBC owned the rights to all of them? This was definitely an early opportunity to establish an on-screen Marvel Universe of sorts, but NBC passed on the chance just as CBS did back in the late ’70s (more on that at Cult-SciFi.com). Through the years, neither of the ’80s renditions of the two Marvel characters have received much positive recognition, so perhaps it was for the best they did not continue into their own shows. And the broadcast nets had a particular aversion to genre entries in the ’80s and into the early ’90s, so their chances of lasting past a single season were not good. But if one or both had gone to series, they could have caused a significant shift to the direction of the MCU down the road, especially if they had been successful.

Where Can You Watch Them?

The two TV movies have been released together on a DVD set which is available for a rather economical price at the moment. They are also available to purchase VOD individually and they are available to stream for free (with ads) on Hoopla and Pluto TV.

Stream or Purchase VOD

Read about more Sci Fi TV pilots that did not fly at this link.

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The 1978 Dr. Strange pilot may not measure up to the MCU movies, but it did deliver some good, cheesy ’70s fun and could have turned into an interesting series.

[Updated]

What Is It?

This 1978 movie-of-the-week introduced Prime Time audiences to Marvel’s Doctor Strange (though the honorific is abbreviated to Dr.) as CBS mulled adding that character to its growing superhero line-up which included The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man, and Wonder Woman at that point.  In the movie, the demon Balzaroth seeks to cross over to Earth and tasks Morgan Le Fay with either defeating Earth’s aging Sorcerer Supreme (something she failed to do five hundred years previous) or killing his successor.  Thomas Lindmer is Le Fay’s target, but she fails in her first attempt to eliminate him.  Lindmer then seeks out Dr. Stephen Strange and reveals to him that it is his destiny to take up the mantle as the next Sorcerer Supreme.

Aired: CBS, September 6, 1978

Starring: Peter Hooten, Clyde Kusatsu, Jessica Walter, Ted Cassidy

Developed By: Philip DeGuere

Why Didn’t it Fly?

This movie came at a time when superheroes were riding high on television with the three shows mentioned above pulling decent ratings from CBS and the Bionic shows (Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman) having had some success on their networks a few years earlier. However, Dr. Strange went way over budget which likely caused the network executives to hesitate on committing to the property as an ongoing series.  Plus, the ratings for its initial airing were not great, though that was in a large part because it ran against a repeat of Roots which pulled much higher viewership than expected.  CBS had also decided that they did not want to become labeled the “superhero network”, and all but The Incredible Hulk were gone from the network’s schedule by the end of the 1978-79 season.  Ultimately, the show was probably far too cosmic for Prime Time in the ’70s, and the network had soured on superhero shows anyway.  Hollywood Reporter did an interesting look back the pilot that you can read at this link.

Would It Have Worked as a Series?

The CBS version of the Doctor Strange character took plenty of liberties with the source material (just like the other comic book adaptations at that time) and the telefilm was ploddingly slow and marred by subpar acting and cheesy special effects.  But it could actually be somewhat inventive and stylistic at times–especially with the portrayal of the demon realm–and it showed some definite potential. It likely would have delivered less in the way of cosmic stories due to budget constraints, but it still could have given us some interesting tales of the Sorcerer Supreme.  Peter Hooten did a pretty good job with the character, and Clyde Kusatsu was decent as Wong though he did not get much to do in the pilot.  And if it had gone to series, CBS could have possibly done a team-up with Dr. Strange, The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, and Captain America (more on that Cult-SciFi.com).

Should It Be Rebooted?

A Doctor Strange TV series would certainly be enjoyable, but with the revival of the character on the big screen, it seems unlikely we would get any more than a mini-series on Disney+.  Benedict Cumberbatch certainly has a busy schedule and it is doubtful that he would have time to work on an ongoing show based on the character.  In addition, Disney+ has been easing back on its MCU entries because they are quite costly and also because of the recent superhero burnout.  But a mini-series featuring the character is possible and would be welcome.  And perhaps that could spin off into an ongoing series featuring Benedict Wong as the Sorcerer Supreme, which would be a ton of fun.  Or maybe a Doctor Strange animated series could happen, and Cumberbatch could perhaps find time to voice the character.

Where Can You Watch It?

The TV movie did get a DVD release which has since gone out of print, it is still available from third-party sellers at a reasonable price. Shout! Factory has just released it on Blu-ray which is exclusive to their website as of this writing.  It is not currently available for streaming, but it does show up on YouTube from time to time. I recommend giving it a look as yet another cheesy 70’s take on a popular comic book character that may not match up to the current MCU movies, but that can be fun in its own way.

Read about more Sci Fi TV pilots that did not fly at this link.

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2013’s Zombieland delivered a fun continuation of the film from its creators but with a new cast, and fans of the franchise were not willing to support it.

What Is It?

Taking place sometime after the end of the 2009 Zombieland movie, this pilot picks up with the four main characters as they fight for survival in Los Angeles. They at first try to gather together other survivors in the area, but that doesn’t go so well. Then they decide to head out east because Detroit (the last Onstar operator still broadcasting) tells them there is a safe community there.

Aired: Prime Video, April 19, 2013

Created By: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick

Starring: Kirk Ward, Tyler Ross, Maiara Walsh, Izabela Vidovic, Kendra Fountain

Why Didn’t It Fly?

Zombieland creators Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick originally envisioned their zombie-comedy as a television series and started writing the script for that around 2005. In fact, the “zombie kill of the week” that we saw in the movie was part of the original TV series plan with each episode having a segment where one of the main characters would have a big kill. But the television idea did not draw much interest from the networks, leading Reese and Wernick to adapt what they had written so far into a feature film script.

The movie proved a hit in 2009, but plans for a sequel stalled. Reese and Wernick then decided to go the television route again and began working on a pilot for a series that would continue from the movie but have different actors in the lead roles (it would be too expensive to bring the original cast back). There was some interest from FOX and CBS, with the show possibly arriving on the schedule in Fall of 2012. Those plans fell through, but Amazon stepped in and ordered the pilot as it was trying to beef up its originals at that time. That was released in April 2013 with new actors taking over the familiar roles plus the addition of new character Detroit who is an OnStar operator that helps to guide the group.

The pilot was actually not bad and showed some promise, but fans could not get past the cast changes. This was a time when Amazon allowed viewers to vote on pilots (it would release several at a time) and the streamer would pick up the most popular ones to series. Sadly, Zombieland was voted down hard and Amazon announced that it would not continue as a series.

Would It Have Worked as a Series?

The pilot had some rough edges and it took some getting used to the new actors, but I believe it could have turned into quite a fun series as long as Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick were onboard. The thirty-minute episode produced by Amazon has much of the wit and ironic humor of the movies, it’s just a matter of whether you can accept the new actors. I thought all of them did a good job and brought their own unique interpretations to the roles while still remaining pretty close to the characters from the film. Tallahassee diverged the most from the character portrayed on the big screen (nobody can replace Woody Harrelson), but I could have accepted him in the role. It looks like the series would have followed the main four characters as they traveled from town to town, and it could have produced a decent run. Sadly, though, it was the fans who killed the show this time around, not the network execs.

Should It Be Rebooted?

The TV pilot happened because the planned sequel stalled, but Zombieland: Double Tap eventually did move forward and hit the big screen in 2019. It’s possible that Reese and Wernick could take another shot at a TV series that follows from the second film, but they would run into the same problem with getting the main actors onboard, and it appears that fans are not willing to accept anybody else in those roles. Another sequel is probably the best route, and perhaps that will happen at some point.

Where Can You Watch It?

The pilot is no longer available on Amazon Prime Video, but you can find it on YouTube from time to time. I believe it is worth searching out, just set expectations appropriately and you may find this to be fun little addition to the Zombieland universe.

You can read about more sci fi TV shows that were cancelled before they began at this link.

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The pilot for Destination Space was competing with Men Into Space for a slot on the CBS schedule in 1959 and never continued its journey because the other series received the greenlight from the network.

What Is It?

This TV movie takes place in a near-future setting when humans have established a space station in orbit around Earth designed to act as a launching point for the exploration and colonization of the Moon and beyond. The story is set partially on the space station dealing with attempts to launch a rocket to the Moon, and partially on Earth dealing with the astronaut’s personal lives and the politics of the space program. Accidents and malfunctions impede the lunar launch while politicians on Earth cast doubt on the usefulness of the space station.

Aired: Uncertain

Starring: Harry Townes, John Agar, Charles Aidman, Edward C. Platt

Created By: Rip Van Ronkel

Why Didn’t It Fly?

Destination Space is actually a solid bit of sci fi for its day, and it presents a serious look at space exploration based on the scientific knowledge from the 1950s. It does have some soap opera asides, likely intended to broaden the show’s appeal to the Prime Time audience. But those do not get too much in the way of the bigger story. The script was written by Rip Van Ronkel who also worked on the script for the classic 1950 sci fi film Destination: Moon (another serious representation of space travel, more on that at Cult-SciFi.com). It also uses the models and stock footage from 1955’s Conquest of Space as both productions came from Paramount. And it offered an early use of tropes that would become common in later sci fi shows such as the camera “rock and roll”, with the actors tumbling about the set as the ship is in distress (which became a weekly standard on shows like Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Star Trek). Plus, it had somebody commanding a switch to auxiliary control when the main power goes out as well as the countdown with somebody grimly reading off the numbers to add tension (both frequently used in Trek).

Science fiction scholar Gary Westfahl believes that this pilot was competing with Men Into Space for the 1959-60 season on CBS, and the latter ended up winning out between the two. Both offered an intelligent look at space travel based on the science available, though Destination Space threw in more interpersonal drama. It certainly could have turned into a decent series if CBS had given it the greenlight, and perhaps it would have lasted longer than Men Into Space‘s one season if the drama elements had given it more appeal to Prime Time viewers. MIS took a much more straightforward approach that focused mostly on the space program and still delivered a very good sci fi series (more on that one at this link), though it tended to go heavy on the technical side. Obviously, CBS did not want two space-based shows on its schedule and went with Men Into Space, but Destination Space could have become a sci fi gem as well.

Should It Be Rebooted?

A retro-reboot of this pilot or the Men Into Space series would certainly be fun, especially if it brought back the look and feel of those shows along with the early optimism towards the space program. It could follow a different path than Apple TV+’s For All Mankind and tap into the adventurous spirit around space travel that emerged in the ’50s and ’60s. And it need not be based on either of these two properties as it could follow on from George Pal’s Destination Moon and Conquest of Space, or just borrow enough from those to manifest a similar spirit. It would be a fun trip, but I’m not sure if there is enough interest among entertainment industry execs to go in that direction.

Where Can You Watch It?

The film has been released on DVD and you can also purchase it VOD. It is available to stream for free (with ads) at Cineverse.com and you can also watch it on YouTube.

Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site  for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV

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David Gerrold’s The Star Wolf has not made it to television yet even though it has the potential to develop into a major sci fi TV franchise.

What Is It?

Based on the Star Wolf novels by David Gerrold, following is the description of the series that was given on the Kickstarter Page:

Jon Thomas Korie is supposed to be the Captain of the LS-1187, a starship so new it hasn’t earned a name yet. But two days before launch, he’s bumped back down to Executive Officer, and Captain Lowell takes command for what is supposed to be his last mission.
But Captain Lowell makes a strategic error that brings an entire Morthan warfleet down on the Silk Road convoy, a disaster for the Allied Worlds.

The LS-1187 is badly damaged in the fight, it’s left dead in the water, with half her crew dead or injured. Captain Lowell is dead as well. With almost no resources at all, Jon Korie has to rebuild his ship and bring his crew home safely, even while the enemy is searching for this last surviving starship….

This is a story of the courage of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. It’s about the strength of human beings in an impossible situation. It’s about war and revenge, hope and triumph. It’s about us.

The Star Wolf is an epic adventure of ordinary men and women caught in an extraordinary war against a race of superhuman creatures… the Morthans who have augmented their evolution, genetically transformed themselves into a breed of gigantic warriors, trained for aggression, ferocity, and hatred… and they have sworn to destroy humanity!

Why Didn’t It Fly?

In the late ’80s, Star Trek veteran David Gerrold (writer of the much-loved “The Trouble with Tribbles” episode) was brought in to develop a series that would recycle the sfx from 1978’s Battlestar: Galactica.  He based it around his book Starhunt (which was a revised version of the 1972 novel Yesterday’s Children), but that ended up not going forward.  In the early ’90s, Gerrold dusted off the idea and brought in fellow Trek veteran D.C. Fontana to help with developing a series to be titled Star Wolf. It would draw some similarities from the Gene Roddenberry series but would offer a somewhat darker, more military-focused turn on the concept. Several scripts were completed and the show was shopped around, but it did not get picked. He instead turned it into the novel The Voyage of the Star Wolf, and that would be followed by two more books in the series (with Starhunt acting as a prequel of sort to the series).  Gerrold would continue to shop the concept around through the ’90s and into the ’00s, and it would draw plenty of interest, but it never received the greenlight to series.

Fast forward to 2013 when Rob Thomas successfully ran a crowd-funding campaign on Kickstarter to finance a Veronica Mars revival film. Gerrold saw the potential in that and got together with Fontana and producer David C. Fein to try and fund a pilot for a Star Wolf series. He believed that $650K would cover the first episode and that subsequent installments could be produced for $500K each, with the first story arc running four eps. This offered an exciting opportunity for a sci fi TV series to be produced with the support of the fans and without interference and oversight from a network. The show would be based on a known and well-respected property and it could continue as long as the fans were willing to support it. It’s also possible that the Kickstarter could have led to the show getting picked up by a network or one of the streaming services where it could have had a larger budget (but also tinkering from network execs).

Sadly, though, the Kickstarter campaign was unsuccessful, not even pulling in a significant fraction of its goal. And the failure was very much on the sci fi community. The campaign did not get much attention on social media, and genre-focused websites like io9.com and Blastr.com pretty much just ignored it. I did what I could at the time to get the word out in the early days of the CancelledSciFi.com site, but it was not enough. This could have been a great experiment and a game-changer for sci fi TV, showing that a series could be produced apart from the networks, but after the failed campaign the idea was laid to rest.

Would It Have Worked as a Series?

I believe that Star Wolf could have worked as a series and could have produced multiple seasons. The books offered plenty of material to cover and the show could have continued well beyond those as Gerrold put together a very rich universe. Seasons probably would have been six episodes long at best, but that’s not much different from what we are seeing these days. The Kickstarter campaign happened right at the tail end of the glory days of web series when independent creators were putting out some pretty impressive productions but couldn’t work out the finances to keep them going for extended runs. Platforms like Kickstarter presented some funding options, though, that could have made shows like Star Wolf viable. At $500K per episode, that could be sustained without a huge contribution from each individual supporting the show. And when you think of the money some fans have shelled out in Save-My-Show campaigns, it certainly seems like this could have worked if it picked up enough momentum. The surge in scripted originals from the streaming services in the years that followed essentially killed off the web series trend, though, and the eventual glut of programming during the Peak TV era made this sort of venture much less viable.

Should It Be Revived?

The Star Wolf series was a good idea when David Gerrold first came up with it and it is still a good idea today. It borrows from Star Trek to an extent but also charts its own course and this could turn into a major sci fi franchise if done right. Gerrold believed in 2013 that it could be done on the cheap, and that would certainly be of interest to the entertainment industry today. We appear to be headed from Peak TV to Peak Caution (more on that at this link), and the networks and streamers are less interested in big-dollar productions. Now might be the right time for Gerrold to dust this off again and take another try at turning his property into the television series it deserves to be. In the meantime, the novels are certainly worth checking out for those who want to see what this franchise could offer.

You can read about more sci fi TV shows that were cancelled before they began at this link.

Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site  for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV

Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.

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