Rob Sawyer sells a TV series

pshrynk · 05-10-2009, 07:53 PM

Rob Sawyer, a Canadian SF writer and MR member, has sold "Flash Forward" to ABC for Fall production. Rob hangs out here on occasion and has had some interesting insights to the art of writing. I know Rob from my days back in Compuserve's SFSig. I can't think of a nicer guy for this to happen to. Here is the full scoop.

Flash Forward is available on the Kindle, but not at Fictionwise. It is the story of what happens when the entire human race blanks out for over two minutes and wakes up with "memories" of six months into the future and the social upheaval that takes place afterward.

Sweetpea · 05-11-2009, 07:43 AM

Oh, sounds like a good book to read! Too bad it's not at Fictionwise.

It'll probably take a year before that show airs here... (after it is completed, that is)

wayspooled · 05-11-2009, 10:58 AM

Congratulations to him, that's fine news!

sirbruce · 05-14-2009, 02:18 PM

They've been teasing this for a while on ABC, and a full preview was featured last night during the Lost season finale. I think the implication is that it will get Lost's time slot during the fall season (with Lost coming back in spring 2010).

pshrynk · 05-14-2009, 03:48 PM

Rob said that it was a fall release. He is consulting and has a contract to write at least one episode.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 05-14-2009, 04:32 PM

I thought that sounded familiar!

Barcey · 09-17-2009, 08:54 PM

bump

The TV series FLASHFORWARD premieres in the USA on ABC and in Canada on CTV on Thursday September 24th. 8pm EST/PST

wayspooled · 09-17-2009, 09:00 PM

oh very good! I didn't know that was his.

MelC · 09-17-2009, 10:08 PM

I'm definitely intrigued by the concept but I would rather not watch the series before reading the book and since the book isn't available for anything but kindle as far as I can see not sure whether I'll watch or not.

Mel

JSWolf · 09-17-2009, 10:36 PM

The book is available at CyberRead for $14.00 and at Diesel eBook for $11.86 both in Mobipocket.

emellaich · 09-17-2009, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MelC

I'm definitely intrigued by the concept but I would rather not watch the series before reading the book.

Does anyone have any inside knowledge on this? My guess is that the TV series and the book share one common point: They are both about a world where everyone gains advanced knowledge of the next six months. Beyond this, I would guess they have nothing in common, and I wouldn't be surprised if the book and series aren't directly related.

pshrynk · 09-18-2009, 09:21 AM

Rob is writing one of the episodes and creative consultant on the entire series. So I would imagine that it will stay fairly close to the original premise. The book had so much in it that could have been further explored, so I am really looking forward to the series. If it had just been sold to the network and Rob had been told, "Thanks for the idea, now push off!" then not so much.

wayspooled · 09-18-2009, 06:28 PM

Here is the extended trailer.. Really looks good. After watching this, it's the show I'm most looking forward to.

MichaelFStewart · 09-19-2009, 01:07 PM

I've read the book (and actually met Rob on a couple of occasions - he's originally from Ottawa) - this has been a long time in the making. I believe another series is in the works too. Flashforward is a good fit for TV though. I enjoyed the novel!

'Wake' was pretty good too, especially considering he is not a teen-aged, blind girl! I like that his scifi is so near future - more Michael Crichton scifi then space opera.

MichaelFStewart · 09-20-2009, 02:58 PM

First 17 minutes is available now!

http://abc.go.com/shows/flash-forward/

Edit
*may be geographically dependent

05-10-2009, 07:53 PM	#1
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	Rob Sawyer sells a TV series Rob Sawyer, a Canadian SF writer and MR member, has sold "Flash Forward" to ABC for Fall production. Rob hangs out here on occasion and has had some interesting insights to the art of writing. I know Rob from my days back in Compuserve's SFSig. I can't think of a nicer guy for this to happen to. Here is the full scoop. Flash Forward is available on the Kindle, but not at Fictionwise. It is the story of what happens when the entire human race blanks out for over two minutes and wakes up with "memories" of six months into the future and the social upheaval that takes place afterward.

09-17-2009, 09:00 PM	#8
wayspooled Crab In The Dark Posts: 486 Karma: 2328180 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Tablet PC until a 10" comes out that I like	oh very good! I didn't know that was his. Last edited by wayspooled; 09-19-2009 at 04:20 PM.

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05-11-2009, 07:43 AM	#2
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	Oh, sounds like a good book to read! Too bad it's not at Fictionwise. It'll probably take a year before that show airs here... (after it is completed, that is)

05-11-2009, 10:58 AM	#3
wayspooled Crab In The Dark Posts: 486 Karma: 2328180 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Tablet PC until a 10" comes out that I like	Congratulations to him, that's fine news!

05-14-2009, 02:18 PM	#4
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	They've been teasing this for a while on ABC, and a full preview was featured last night during the Lost season finale. I think the implication is that it will get Lost's time slot during the fall season (with Lost coming back in spring 2010).

05-14-2009, 03:48 PM	#5
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	Rob said that it was a fall release. He is consulting and has a contract to write at least one episode.

05-14-2009, 04:32 PM	#6
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I thought that sounded familiar!

09-17-2009, 08:54 PM	#7
Barcey Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 8059866 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canada Device: Kobo H2O / Aura HD / Glo / iPad3	bump The TV series FLASHFORWARD premieres in the USA on ABC and in Canada on CTV on Thursday September 24th. 8pm EST/PST

09-17-2009, 10:08 PM	#9
MelC Evangelist Posts: 410 Karma: 2081 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Cybook Gen3, PRS600	I'm definitely intrigued by the concept but I would rather not watch the series before reading the book and since the book isn't available for anything but kindle as far as I can see not sure whether I'll watch or not. Mel

09-17-2009, 10:36 PM	#10
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,727 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The book is available at CyberRead for $14.00 and at Diesel eBook for $11.86 both in Mobipocket.

09-18-2009, 09:21 AM	#12
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	Rob is writing one of the episodes and creative consultant on the entire series. So I would imagine that it will stay fairly close to the original premise. The book had so much in it that could have been further explored, so I am really looking forward to the series. If it had just been sold to the network and Rob had been told, "Thanks for the idea, now push off!" then not so much.

09-18-2009, 06:28 PM	#13
wayspooled Crab In The Dark Posts: 486 Karma: 2328180 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Tablet PC until a 10" comes out that I like	Here is the extended trailer.. Really looks good. After watching this, it's the show I'm most looking forward to.

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09-19-2009, 01:07 PM	#14
MichaelFStewart Where tech and story meet Posts: 135 Karma: 500120 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: iPad	I've read the book (and actually met Rob on a couple of occasions - he's originally from Ottawa) - this has been a long time in the making. I believe another series is in the works too. Flashforward is a good fit for TV though. I enjoyed the novel! 'Wake' was pretty good too, especially considering he is not a teen-aged, blind girl! I like that his scifi is so near future - more Michael Crichton scifi then space opera.

09-20-2009, 02:58 PM	#15
MichaelFStewart Where tech and story meet Posts: 135 Karma: 500120 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: iPad	First 17 minutes is available now! http://abc.go.com/shows/flash-forward/ Edit *may be geographically dependent