I love time travel, books, television and movies. It’s almost an obsession. When I first began reading romance, I searched out every time travel romance there was. I went deep into author’s back lists, I scoured the bookshelves, I asked for recommendations. I couldn’t get enough. When it comes to time travel television shows, all they have to do is promote a new one and that hour is booked on my schedule. However, based on the number of TV shows canceled and the dearth of books published, it would appear I’m one of the lonely few who enjoy the subject.
When it comes to canceled TV shows there are any number of them. For example:
Journeyman was a series about San Francisco reporter, Dan Vasser who involuntarily traveled through time. His purpose was to help change something in the past that would have a profound effect on the future. As the series progressed I was invested in finding out why he was suddenly ‘gifted’ with this power, but NBC axed the series before I could find out.
Odyssey 5 was the story of a spaceship crew traveling on mission when Earth exploded. As the crew awaits certain death, they are suddenly sent back fives years in time in an attempt to discover why Earth exploded and prevent its destruction. Despite being one of Showtime’s highest rated original series, they pulled the plug.
Recently ABC canceled Life On Mars after it’s freshman season. The story of NYC police detective Sam Tyler who, after being hit by a car in 2008, finds himself in the year 1973. The audience is left to wonder, has Sam really traveled through time, or is he lying in a coma in the present dreaming these things?
My point is, one minute you’re watching characters trying to cope in situations that are completely foreign to them, and the next minute your left hanging. I feel the romance industry has left me hanging. Several years ago you could buy any number of time travel books – now you really have to search.
So what is it with time travel and books and television? Is it because the whole subject struggles with the age old question: Can we ever really change the past or are we better just moving forward and creating the future?
Actually, Maria, LIFE ON MARS tied up the loose ends (albeit in a very unusual way – no spoilers here). But whether they answered the questions to everyone’s satisfaction or not, the fun is in the journey, and I thought Life On Mars had a good run, and really recreated the “feeling” of 70’s NYC.