MovieChat Forums > Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III (1994) Discussion > "North and South" spin-off

"North and South" spin-off

posted 9 years ago by salchoff
4 replies | jump to latest

I think I've heard once that there was an idea of making a spin-off television series, kind of a western-family-drama, about Charles and his life with Willa and Gus in Far West.

Is that truth ? Do you think you would enjoy it ? It would be something totally different and not based on any book (unless John Jakes would have written one) but maybe could have worked out ? Especially if Jakes was engaged into it.

I was wondering myself what would have I thought of it. I guess I'd have partially liked it, hoping they would have mentioned or even invite for guest-appearances some other actors. On the other hand, it would have been another Bonanza-Dr.Quinn-Little House on the Prairie-etc. show, which isn't bad (I acctually like all of them) but would have spoilt the idea of N&S and simplify it to a casual drama series.

How about your thoughts ?

[–] rikajessie 9 years ago

I don't think that would have interested me too much. I did like Willa and Charles together, but I don't know if I think their life together sounded interesting enough to make a whole series out of it. Maybe a 2 hour movie could have worked.

[–] salchoff 9 years ago

But is that true ? Do you know it ?

As for it being interesting, it would have all depended on the ideas of the writers. Generaly, like I said it would have been another western family drama. Dangerous was in that since "Heaven and Hell" wasn't much loved by the people, very few of them would have probably been interested in another show.

[–] rikajessie 9 years ago

I don't know, I personally never heard of it.

I don't think it would have been popular if just Charles and Willa were the core characters. People like Charles, but I think they like North and South more as an ensemble cast. I mean GWTW is a story that centers for the most part around one character, but N&S focused on so many characters, that everybody was bound to have different favorites. I wish Jakes hadn't had quite so many characters because I feel like he didn't have enough time then to focus on the ones I liked as much as he could have.

Also, and I thought of this as part of why I think H&H didn't do as well, it had been a good number of years between when N&S part 2 aired and H&H aired, and I think that big gap in the timing of the releases, took away some of the interest. People who might have been really into the first two movies, had moved on by the time part 3 came out. So I think a t.v. series about N&S wouldn't have been as popular then as it would have been had it been released in the 80's.

[–] salchoff 9 years ago

I wish Jakes hadn't had quite so many characters because I feel like he didn't have enough time then to focus on the ones I liked as much as he could have.

I think I know what you mean. Generally all three books are written in such a big pace that sometimes I find them too fast. I wish there were more describtion of people's thought, atmosphere, the way they look like in specified moments etc. Meanwhile, it is often simply said: "He did this and that", "She said yes and left" etc.