If you had to rewrite the 2nd season of WOTW... - War of the Worlds (1988) Discussion

[–] docwho-4 19 years ago

I'd have the same aliens from the first season. Maybe expand Quinn or the syth andriod more. I might even have the Advocates take a trip or two out of the cavern so they find our weakest points.

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[–] the thorn of Thurisaz 19 years ago

For the most part, I'd keep the direction that the first season was clearly going in: keep the show in the present (though the first season seemed to be moving its timetable a bit faster than the real world), keep all the backbones intact, including the mythology, which would be further explored and expanded. The show's theme of actual warfare would also be retained, keeping the meaning of the show's name - a war of worlds, the aliens engaging in military tactics, Quinn trying to play the two sides against each other, and there even being evidence that the aliens have begun gaining more of an upperhand with the battles getting more intense and important, knowing that any one could decide the war's outcome. I'd also like to see some things from the first season, things people were put aside and forgetten, come back.

I can imagine that the whole second season could be a countdown to the arrivial of the synth. Quinn would resurface a bit more and possibly play a good part when the Qar'To come back to Earth. I actually have this whole V scenerio thought for when they came back, and the Mor-Tax actually being turned to for assistance in order to defeat a more encompassing evil. Maybe an entire season of the two sides in a truce to push the Qar'To off, which would, of course, always induce a massive amount of paranoia between them thinking that the other could take some easy stabs while so close together.

The first season had so much potential that there are so many good directions it could have been taken.

----
Formless, faithless, and free.

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[–] Courtesy_Flush 19 years ago

I love all of your ideas.

Of course Ironhorse would need a girlfriend. Short & multi-ethnic.

Ah....

--Foo

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[–] Movie_KING 19 years ago

I would have stepped up the invasion quite a bit. The Advocacy would have been a part of the show but they would have been joined by the ruling class and perhaps I would have introduced a power struggle between the military and the monarchy of Mor Tax. I would have brought back the Quinn and perhaps even have him join the Blackwood Project as a sort of Dr. Smith character who the team knows they need but also cannot trust. I think over time I would have had the Mor Taxians start to undermine the government and bring society down around the characters perhaps forcing them on the run ala the actual season 2 but done well. Heck I think I even would have introduced Kincaid as a loose cannon to drive Ironhorse nuts.

I certainly couldn't have done any worse than Mancuso did.

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[–] Slopmaster4001 19 years ago

This is something I have been thinking about alot since I finished watching the first season on DVD. In my mind the second season would start to move much faster and continue to play on pre-established threats such as The Mortaxian colonist's arival and as they get closer The Advocates become far more dangerous because they are beyond desperate.

The Synth would also return in greater numbers and quickly the Blackwood project learns of their true objectives and now they are caught in the middle of a much larger conflict and on top of all of that Quin is trying rally his own people to his cause in essence taking advantage of a dangerous situation for his good. So all in all you have lots of great conflict for a second.

Other challenges I could think might be the Mortaxians finding a way to live inside human bodies with an imunity from the bacteria thus no radiation treatments which means now they can infiltrate every level of human socity for as long as nessessary with out being detected which now makes them even more dangerous.

So all of that is just my thoughts on a possible second season. Some thoughts on future seasons would probably include the public finally learning of the alien threat which causes more conflict. Maybe a final explanation as to why everyone forgot about the original invasion. I would have liked to see Norton finally learn to read some of the Mortaxian language (maybe with some help from Quin).

I would love to have seen some flashback scenes from The Mortaxian's point of view of actually being on Mortax. I think the show might have actually made the Mortaxians more complex characters in time which they were becoming in the first season.

-Jayson

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[–] Jasons_Argonaut 19 years ago

"Other challenges I could think might be the Mortaxians finding a way to live inside human bodies with an imunity from the bacteria thus no radiation treatments which means now they can infiltrate every level of human socity for as long as nessessary with out being detected which now makes them even more dangerous" ... This is the most feasible idea I have heard thus far in regards to any changes that could be made. For a second season, I would start the show off as it was, but quickly move towards the aliens mastering a way to retain their host bodies. As the season progressed into it's second half, I would show them succeed in infiltrating some top levels of the government, specifically those over General Wilson. As a cliffhanger, I would have the aliens manage to shut down the Blackwood Project by "official" means. I would avoid the arrival of the Mortaxian colonists or the Qar'to, relegating these subjects to mere mention that keeps the threat alive and in our minds.

In the third season, I would have General Wilson come to the rescue and re-activate the Blackwood Project by "unofficial" means, hiding the Blackwood project under the veil of another name, thus keeping the higher command who are now aliens in the dark and thinking they had won. This would complicate the Blackwood mission, but at the same time keep them going. Freedom of movement on their part would be more stifled and more secrecy would be involved. Possession of the chain of command by the Advocacy would continue, not only here, but in other countries as well. Key players would be positioned by the aliens, and the Blackwood team would of course be keeping track and attempting to stop the progression. The season would culminate with an attempt by the aliens to possess the President himself. Will the Blackwood team stop them in time?

I would like to see the fourth season take a darker turn as the world does become more chaotic thanks to the aliens holding key positions of power, thus purposely steering things in the wrong direction. At this high point of their war on humanity, the Qar'to could arrive and throw a wrench into their plans. I would not reveal their true motives at this time, thus having them still "appear" as friends to the Blackwood team and supposedly Earth. Seeing that the Qar'to's victory is our defeat, I would end the season with the Advocacy themselves being tracked down and about to be destroyed by the Blackwood and the latest Qar'to Synth.

In season five, the Advocacy would reveal the truth to Blackwood about the Qar'to. In the ensuing mess, the Advocacy would escape and the Blackwood team would lose an ally, now that true motives have been exposed. From this point, I am not sure. How would you deal with the Qar'to? By the end of season five, I would envision the Mortaxian colonists on the verge of arrival, placing their actual arrival in Season six. Any thoughts on finishing my season synopsis?

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[–] equalizer316 19 years ago

i would have had the cast from 'saved by the bell' drafted in. they could have done an episode where screech helps the aliens devise a science fair with hilarious results. still would have been miles better than what they did with season 2

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[–] Jasons_Argonaut 19 years ago

True enough, but this thread is for serious ideas from fans on ways the show could have proceeded. Any takers?

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[–] LunchTruckProductions 19 years ago

I'll take it. I would have started by making the second season exactly the same as the first. The dialogue over black screen at the beginning. (which always worked itself into the show later)

I loved how they all had to live in the sewers and in a "post apocalyptic" type world. That was genius.

What I would have done differently is this. Have the new aliens come down like they did and go to war with the old aliens. (it shouldn't have been a massacre like it was) Their war would have been great for some new plots. Plus bring back the fugitive superwoman with the powers from the first season.

After the team gets their bearings, they go on a tour of the country. Why was all of the alien activity in one city? They should have travelled town to town, meeting new characters, and fighting aliens along the way. the politician story was great in the second season. Play that out. Don't settle everything in one episode. Have the alien working in the government for a while. Have more characters die off. The kid alien was a joke! Leave him out of the second season.

Last, I would make sure that the second season was just as foul as the first season. I loved how gross the first season was, and I loved the freaky comedy. The granny that said "to live immortal" was genius. Throw more of that crazy weird comedy in the second season and it would have been great.

If I had to end it. I would end it with the entire world finding out about the aliens. NO MORE SECRETS. The world goes to war with them. Everyone gets a blood test. Truly make it a "War of the worlds"

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[–] doctor-59 17 years ago

I need to agree with most everyone else. The second season would be a continuation of the first, not a revamp of the series. I think I might have the Advocacy dabble with the financial markets more - creating dummy corps and science facilities in order to properly research their current problems and prepare for the arrival of colonists.

I'd even go as far as allying the Advocacy with a rouge nation state. Free human subjects and secure facilities in exchange for alien tech. Of course the alien tech would backfire on the rouge elements.

Quinn would certainly make several reappearances in the season. The Synth or someone from her kind would reappear, though I don't know in what respect yet. And possibly try to properly explain the mass amnesia of '53 - possible side effect of some alien agent which was dumped into the air at the time of their downfall.

I'd also increase the writing and FX budget.

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[–] DracenWolfe 17 years ago

Have the aliens develop a cure for the 'common cold' virus, one which no longer affects them, but at the same time causes humans to be sick (but maybe not lethal, except to certain isolated cases), have one or two new alien ships arrive to boost the aliens capability, including a new prototype war machine, which is sparingly used in commando raids, and which the Blackwood team eventually destroy in the series final as a wave of alien cylinders fall to Earth. And do not kill off Ironhorse!

If a third series had happened, all out war! But the Blackwood team had recovered certain parts of the prototype war machine, and infects the newly arrived war machines with a computer virus that removes their invincibility. Without their invincible defence screen, the aliens retreat and are contained to a huge area over two or three states, where a ceasefire is declared after the aliens destroy a city (perhaps San Francisco, activating the San Andreas fault, flooding Los Angeles and western California), threatening to destroy east coast totally if ceasefire not given. Final shot of third season, an alien base or town 'growing' out of the Midwest desert.

He who lives by the sword will be shot by those who can't

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[–] RobBase086-1 16 years ago

It has been a long time since I have watched WOTW That a lot of the things you guys are talking about I will have to watch so I will know what you all mean.

Dedicated to USA UP ALL NIGHT and the fans of the show! www.deefilmroll.com/usa-uan/

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[–] Kandi73 9 years ago

I would 're write the finale where Blackwood saves Paul and go from there. And have it like the first season.

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[–] jnericsonx 9 years ago

Anything but how it started. I can remember most of the episodes of season 1 pretty well, or at least if you showed me a bit I could remember chunks. The second season...well, when the second season starts off by killing off two of the main chars who I liked, as oh, 11 years old, that put me off the show BIG time, so I can barely remember ANY of the second season.

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