SyFy to Remake Alien Nation

Posted on July 6, 2009

Variety reports that SyFy wants to redo the 1989 tv show, Alien Nation. Angel screenwriter Tim Minear is writing the pilot.

"Angel" alum Tim Minear -- no stranger to sci-fi tales, having worked on "The X-Files," "Firefly" and "Strange World" -- is penning the fresh take on the franchise. Fox 21, the alternative production arm of 20th Century Fox TV, will produce.

"Alien Nation" centers on the partnership between a veteran cop and his alien detective partner, set against the larger tale of alien "newcomers" who move to Earth and attempt to assimilate into society.

Fox 21 topper Chris Carlisle said he believed "Alien Nation" could rep the next franchise revival for Sci Fi, which found huge success in dusting off "Battlestar Galactica" and reworking it for today's auds. Carlisle said "Alien Nation" works both as a sci-fi piece and a procedural drama.

Variety says the show will take place in the 2020s. It's been 20 years since the Alien ship crashlanded on Earth and the alien population has grown to a few million.

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