8. William Bell & Walter Bishop: Partners in Crime
Another 'prequel' series, this time to the much loved
Fringe. Like the previous entry it's also a pipe-dream but worth a consideration too. The show was a cult favourite but never had massive viewing figures, narrowly surviving five years. So the chances of a spin off is as remote as Christopher Ecclestone agreeing to film another 20 episodes as the Ninth Doctor. That being said, more Walter Bishop would always be good. How has John Noble not been nominated for an Emmy again? This was his last chance and he absolutely deserved it.
One of the things I loved about the show was the back story between Walter Bishop and William Bell. (The excellent Nina Sharp was around then too). A show focuses on these early days of the Cortexiphan trials would be so much fun to watch. Not to say it wouldn't have a problem with the censors (experimentation on children, Walter on LSD) - fine in small doses but on a weekly basis? There's a lot of rich history to be mined here. The first glimpses into the parallel world. Children demonstrating superhuman abilities. The foundation of Bell industries. The rift between these two great scientists. With its eighties setting would be interesting considered the experimental science of the show - though would Leonard Nimoy (who voiced his love of the show) and John Noble stand up to the makeup required to de-age them? Perhaps, like my previous entry, a series of TV movies? Enough to bring us back to the world of Fringe a few times more...