After the recent reboot of Twin Peaks, which only ran for two seasons before being cancelled in 1991, and remakes of popular film franchises from yesteryear such as Ghostbusters by Paul Feig and The Mummy by Alex Kurtzman, there is a real possibility that other series could face a similar makeover. The David Lynch-directed drama set in a desolate region on the outskirts of Washington gained a cult following, and viewers had long petitioned for its resurrection. The fact that the returning show has been awarded a whopping score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes is another indicator that others could follow suit. Dark Angel eventually had an underwhelming release on DVD, which is still available on Amazon, but is now the perfect time for a Dark Angel Revival?
Jessica Alba began her acting career at a very young age with roles in Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack which aired on Nickelodeon in 1994. But it wasn’t until she took on the part of leading protagonist Max Guevara in Dark Angel that she was finally recognised as a potential Hollywood star. Alba was the leading lady in 42 episodes of the sci-fi series, and Guevera is arguably the California-born actresses’ most intriguing character to date. Max is a transgenic super-soldier with an extremely advanced skillset which includes having a photographic memory, being able to see in the dark and zoom in on distant objects, and being strong, agile, and athletic. In addition to that, she is able to live without sleep, make predictions about the future, and speak numerous different languages.
Dark Angel is one of only a handful of popular TV shows that have featured a female central protagonist. But as Game of Thrones, which averages 23 million viewers per episode, has shown with its multitude of powerful female characters including Daenerys Targaryen, Arya Stark, and Cersei Lannister, audiences are more than willing to watch the fairer sex lead the way. This suggests that a Dark Angel reboot could be very well received, as could other female-led shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Joss Whedon’s epic vampire series is another show which had a cult following and that many fans would love to see return. The show has a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but after its seventh season concluded in 2003, pretty much all loose ends were tied up and Whedon, who now directs the Marvel Avengers films, ended on a high. It did end with Buffy Summers no longer being the only slayer in existence, though, as Willow’s magical spell turned all the other potentials into fully-fledged vampire hunters. If the series was to make a return, it could be in the form of a spinoff following one of these other characters. This would make some fans happy who thought that Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy was actually one of the least likeable characters in the original.
Would a Dark Angel Comeback be Welcomed?
David Lynch isn’t the only well-respected director to have had a foray into the realms of television production. Oscar-winner James Cameron, who is responsible for Avatar and Titanic, the two highest-grossing films of all time with worldwide box office revenue of $2.7 billion and $2.2 billion respectively, is the brains behind Dark Angel. Working in collaboration with Charles H. Eglee who more recently has been involved with the adaptation of The Walking Dead, the two creators came up with a highly original cyberpunk TV series about a genetically enhanced super soldier who escapes a covert military facility as a child. The show which aired on Fox was watched by an average of 10 million people per episode in its first season, and also won numerous awards including the People’s Choice Award for Favourite New Drama. The second season, however, suffered a severe ratings drop and was ultimately cancelled.
It was criticised by fans for having too many filler episodes in which the writers would focus on a “monster of the week” rather than spend time developing the overarching plot. However, many fans also believed the story to have potential and were hugely disappointed when the series was cut short. There is frustration around the fact that the final episode ended on a cliffhanger, where there was a standoff between cops and transgenics and it seemed unlikely that all of the main protagonists would make it out alive. This ending certainly leaves the series wide open for a comeback if the creators wished to do so.
Could Jessica Alba Reprise her Breakthrough Role?
Jessica Alba began her acting career at a very young age with roles in Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack which aired on Nickelodeon in 1994. But it wasn’t until she took on the part of leading protagonist Max Guevara in Dark Angel that she was finally recognised as a potential Hollywood star. Alba was the leading lady in 42 episodes of the sci-fi series, and Guevera is arguably the California-born actresses’ most intriguing character to date. Max is a transgenic super-soldier with an extremely advanced skillset which includes having a photographic memory, being able to see in the dark and zoom in on distant objects, and being strong, agile, and athletic. In addition to that, she is able to live without sleep, make predictions about the future, and speak numerous different languages.
In the show, the heroine uses these powers for some pretty unusual and interesting things, and this helped make the character so unique and likeable. For instance, in episode four of the first season, Guevara uses her skills of prediction to guess roulette numbers when she goes on an undercover mission to catch a mobster at a casino. This is a good example of what made Dark Angel different: instead of Alba’s character having to incorporate sophisticated roulette strategies such as block betting, (making a series of bets which cover a block of numbers on the roulette betting board), her highly advanced supernatural abilities allowed her to merely look into the future to know where to place her chips. Another distinctive trait of Max’s genetic build is the fact that she has some cat DNA. This caused her to go into heat twice in the first season and led to some pretty steamy encounters. Although Dark Angel led to starring roles in blockbusters such as the $158.8 million box office hit Sin City and Fantastic Four, Alba has also continued to appear in TV shows including The Spoils of Babylon and Barely Famous since hitting the big time. This suggests that she could be open to returning to the character that her success stemmed from.
Which Other Shows Deserve a Reboot?Dark Angel is one of only a handful of popular TV shows that have featured a female central protagonist. But as Game of Thrones, which averages 23 million viewers per episode, has shown with its multitude of powerful female characters including Daenerys Targaryen, Arya Stark, and Cersei Lannister, audiences are more than willing to watch the fairer sex lead the way. This suggests that a Dark Angel reboot could be very well received, as could other female-led shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Joss Whedon’s epic vampire series is another show which had a cult following and that many fans would love to see return. The show has a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but after its seventh season concluded in 2003, pretty much all loose ends were tied up and Whedon, who now directs the Marvel Avengers films, ended on a high. It did end with Buffy Summers no longer being the only slayer in existence, though, as Willow’s magical spell turned all the other potentials into fully-fledged vampire hunters. If the series was to make a return, it could be in the form of a spinoff following one of these other characters. This would make some fans happy who thought that Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy was actually one of the least likeable characters in the original.
Twin Peaks: The Return has proved that even if a show was axed by a network in the past there is potential for a reboot to attract past fans and younger audiences. If other shows are going to follow suit, Dark Angel has to be a strong contender to earn a second chance. With so many big names involved, it seems a shame that it ended so abruptly.
