Patrick Duffy Looking to Resurrect Short-lived 70s Series "Man from Atlantis" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 10-08-2012, 03:43 PM

Keck's Exclusives: Patrick Duffy Goes Back to "Atlantis"
Oct 8, 2012
by William Keck

Now that he's resurrected Bobby Ewing on TNT's "Dallas", Patrick Duffy is attempting to give new life to his campy 1977-1978 sci-fi series "Man From Atlantis".

Duffy secured the rights to the story after his comedy "Step by Step" ended in 1998. "It was just lying fallow, so I thought, 'I can take a whack at that.'"

Duffy has completed the first draft of a novel, which picks up 15 years after the series and explains the never-before-known origins of his webbed-fingered/green-eyed underwater crime buster, Mark Harris.

Duffy's goal is to write a trilogy and perhaps see the story adapted for the screen. The first person who got a read of the draft was Duffy's "Step by Step" wife, Suzanne Somers, herself an author.

"Suzanne liked it, so she let me talk to her book agent," says Duffy. "I am now fine-tuning things. It certainly helps that there is a bump in interest in Bobby/Patrick Duffy."

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Patrick-...s-1054321.aspx

Steve_uk · 10-08-2012, 04:15 PM

..

Steve_uk · 10-08-2012, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesG

Keck's Exclusives: Patrick Duffy Goes Back to "Atlantis"
Oct 8, 2012
by William Keck

Now that he's resurrected Bobby Ewing on TNT's "Dallas", Patrick Duffy is attempting to give new life to his campy 1977-1978 sci-fi series "Man From Atlantis".

Duffy secured the rights to the story after his comedy "Step by Step" ended in 1998. "It was just lying fallow, so I thought, 'I can take a whack at that.'"

Duffy has completed the first draft of a novel, which picks up 15 years after the series and explains the never-before-known origins of his webbed-fingered/green-eyed underwater crime buster, Mark Harris.

Duffy's goal is to write a trilogy and perhaps see the story adapted for the screen. The first person who got a read of the draft was Duffy's "Step by Step" wife, Suzanne Somers, herself an author.

"Suzanne liked it, so she let me talk to her book agent," says Duffy. "I am now fine-tuning things. It certainly helps that there is a bump in interest in Bobby/Patrick Duffy."

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Patrick-...s-1054321.aspx

He'll have his work cut out. The new series of Dallas has just aired here on Channel 5 and let's just say he looks his age.

Retro4Life · 10-08-2012, 05:05 PM

Well, this is certainly the least predictable news I've heard in a LONG time.

I loved "Man From Atlantis" when I was in eighth grade. I think it only lasted thirteen episodes, not counting a few two hour TV movies. It was sort of NBC's answer to Marvel Comics "Sub-Mariner" without Namor's arrogance and moral ambiguity. Duffy did well with the role and I always thought it had potential to be much more.

I don't really know how something like this would succeed now, though. It seems like such a show of it's time. You'd have to be awash in CGI effects, make Mark "darker" and develop some sort of ridiculous love triangle to succeed today, most likely. But hey, if it gets to the screen, I'll watch.

shotzette · 02-06-2013, 08:42 PM

I'm glad that I'm not the only fan of this show. I thought Patrick Duffy was incredibly hot in this role and was so disappointed when it was canceled and he went on to Dallas.

MacLeaper · 02-13-2013, 11:48 AM

Wow! That is cool! I had not heard this. I've only seen bits of "Man From Atlantis" but I like this show and I still want to get a chance to see it in its entirety now that it's been released to DVD. It is really cool that Patrick Duffy is writing a book based on the series and hoping to even get a new TV-movie at least or something on screen based on it. I'd love to see him back as Mark Harris.

Retro4Life · 02-13-2013, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve_uk

He'll have his work cut out. The new series of Dallas has just aired here on Channel 5 and let's just say he looks his age.

And let's also just say that I certainly hope that when I'm 64 I look half as good as this.

10-08-2012, 03:43 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,121	Patrick Duffy Looking to Resurrect Short-lived 70s Series "Man from Atlantis" *Keck's Exclusives: Patrick Duffy Goes Back to "Atlantis"* Oct 8, 2012 by William Keck Now that he's resurrected Bobby Ewing on TNT's "Dallas", Patrick Duffy is attempting to give new life to his campy 1977-1978 sci-fi series "Man From Atlantis". Duffy secured the rights to the story after his comedy "Step by Step" ended in 1998. "It was just lying fallow, so I thought, 'I can take a whack at that.'" Duffy has completed the first draft of a novel, which picks up 15 years after the series and explains the never-before-known origins of his webbed-fingered/green-eyed underwater crime buster, Mark Harris. Duffy's goal is to write a trilogy and perhaps see the story adapted for the screen. The first person who got a read of the draft was Duffy's "Step by Step" wife, Suzanne Somers, herself an author. "Suzanne liked it, so she let me talk to her book agent," says Duffy. "I am now fine-tuning things. It certainly helps that there is a bump in interest in Bobby/Patrick Duffy." http://www.tvguide.com/News/Patrick-...s-1054321.aspx Attached Images

10-08-2012, 04:15 PM	#2
Steve_uk Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jun 29, 2012 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 5,803	..
	Last edited by Steve_uk; 10-08-2012 at 04:31 PM.

10-08-2012, 05:05 PM	#4
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	Well, this is certainly the least predictable news I've heard in a LONG time. I loved "Man From Atlantis" when I was in eighth grade. I think it only lasted thirteen episodes, not counting a few two hour TV movies. It was sort of NBC's answer to Marvel Comics "Sub-Mariner" without Namor's arrogance and moral ambiguity. Duffy did well with the role and I always thought it had potential to be much more. I don't really know how something like this would succeed now, though. It seems like such a show of it's time. You'd have to be awash in CGI effects, make Mark "darker" and develop some sort of ridiculous love triangle to succeed today, most likely. But hey, if it gets to the screen, I'll watch.
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

02-13-2013, 11:48 AM	#6
MacLeaper Child of the 80s Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 20, 2001 Posts: 3,359	Wow! That is cool! I had not heard this. I've only seen bits of "Man From Atlantis" but I like this show and I still want to get a chance to see it in its entirety now that it's been released to DVD. It is really cool that Patrick Duffy is writing a book based on the series and hoping to even get a new TV-movie at least or something on screen based on it. I'd love to see him back as Mark Harris.
	__________________ "Oh boy!" - Dr. Sam Beckett "You can do anything you wanna do if you put your mind to it." - MacGyver "Have mercy!" - Uncle Jesse "Ha, I kill me!" - ALF "I am The Way, The Truth and The Life. No man comes to The Father but by Me."- Jesus Christ (John 14:6)

02-06-2013, 08:42 PM	#5
shotzette Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 30, 2004 Posts: 1,782	I'm glad that I'm not the only fan of this show. I thought Patrick Duffy was incredibly hot in this role and was so disappointed when it was canceled and he went on to Dallas.