When Game of Thrones first premiered in 2011, there was no way of predicting the runaway success it would become. As a matter of fact, the studio balked at the first attempt to bring it to life, demanding a costly re-shoot of the pilot episode. For a company known for its pedigree in producing dramas based on real-world events, it was a massive gamble for HBO.
The rest, as they say, is history. Game of Thrones went on to smash all kinds of records, from viewership numbers to the most pirated show in Australia, among other countries. It was by far the most profitable venture since HBO had begun producing original content. Other companies sought to capture a share of that audience by launching their own fantasy series.
‘American Gods' โ Amazon Prime
Neil Gaiman is one of the most prominent authors working today. One of Amazon's early forays into fantasy, American Gods established itself with a stellar first season but was, unfortunately, let down by behind-the-scenes issues that led to a reduction in quality over subsequent efforts.
Ian McShane is perfectly cast as Odin, the All-Father and quite possibly the first of the Gods. The show deals with the conflict between him and the other “old Gods” and the newer Gods created by society as it exists today, like Technology, Money, and so on. The concept is rock-solid, and there were some excellent visuals and great performances, but unfortunately, American Gods never quite lived up to its potential.
‘Penny Dreadful' โ Showtime
The critical and commercial flop The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, a film so labored with production issues that it led to the retirement of industry legend Sean Connery, did have one thing going for it: its central idea. Bringing various Victorian literary figures together in an Avengers-style team-up is an inspired concept.
This idea was far better executed by the…