Painkiller Jane feels the pain
08-15-07, 09:50 AM
#1
DVD Talk Special Edition
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Painkiller Jane feels the pain
Per Newsarama.com:
SCIFI Pulls Plug on Painkiller Jane
Sci Fi Channel is canceling Painkiller Jane, the action series based on the comic book by Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 22-episode first season will continue as planned, but with the Sept. 21 season finale becoming the series finale. Sixteen episodes have aired so far.
The Painkiller Jane comic began in 1995 as a five-issue miniseries at Palmiotti and Quesada’s Event Comics. It recently was relaunched at Dynamite Entertainment.
I can't say I'm surprised. The show never really managed to grab hold of me and was different enough from the comic that it may have had trouble holding that audience. Plus, it never seemed to make much headway in the ratings.
SCIFI Pulls Plug on Painkiller Jane
Sci Fi Channel is canceling Painkiller Jane, the action series based on the comic book by Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 22-episode first season will continue as planned, but with the Sept. 21 season finale becoming the series finale. Sixteen episodes have aired so far.
The Painkiller Jane comic began in 1995 as a five-issue miniseries at Palmiotti and Quesada’s Event Comics. It recently was relaunched at Dynamite Entertainment.
I can't say I'm surprised. The show never really managed to grab hold of me and was different enough from the comic that it may have had trouble holding that audience. Plus, it never seemed to make much headway in the ratings.
08-15-07, 09:53 AM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Not surprised. Maybe it will do better on DVD. So with this and Dresden gone, bring on extra episodes of Flash Gordon!! 
08-15-07, 01:12 PM
#5
DVD Talk God
I actually liked this show. Kristanna Loken is hot and I thought the action sequences were pretty good. I guess this show wasn't getting BSG numbers to justify a 2nd season. But, I am puzzled why SciFi spent the extra money and ordered 22 episodes instead of the usual 13.
08-15-07, 07:13 PM
#6
DVD Talk Legend
Sci Fi Channel has canceled Painkiller Jane, the live-action series starring Kristanna Loken and based on the comic book created by Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada.
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stori...8/15/index.htm
The series will complete its 22-episode run, with the finale scheduled for Sept. 21.
Palmiotti told The Continuum he saw the end coming.
"I watch the ratings, notice how hard or not hard the show was pushed and added it up from there," he said. "My reaction is that I saw it coming in a number of ways, the biggest was in San Diego and SciFi doing nothing to support the show except giving away some buttons. That was the loudest and clearest of all the messages sent my way.
"On a personal level, I am happy that all 22 episodes are airing; it's more than most network shows ever get and in the bigger picture of things I continue with the comic without missing a beat and Joe Quesada and I eventually get the rights back. This cancellation effects the actors and the crew behind the show and I feel for all of them after all the hard work they put into this extra large season. My heart goes out to all these fine people and all I can do is hope there are new things waiting for them to take on. They are a talented bunch and deserve continued success.
"Really, just getting Painkiller Jane on air a second time is amazing in itself and then getting a green light for 22 one-hour episodes ... well, that is just unheard of. That in itself shows how this character lives up to her powers of never dying."
So what did and didn't work?
"I think the actors were amazing and growing with every episode. Each and every one of them...especially Kristanna, who holds a special place in my heart," Palmiotti said. "I think what didn't work, and I will say this again, is taking a character that works in the comic that people love and changing it to fit someone else's idea of what it should be, is setting yourself up for failure.
"My biggest gripe was the fact that there was not enough action and the show was obsessed with a Neuro theme and never delineated from it to build up the characters more. The Jane character is an against-all-odds, bigger-than-life character and not a big team-player type and the format they agreed on was not loyal to the book. The show was more about a group and not the single character and when you have the people running the show proudly saying the show is nothing like the comic, you start to question why they bought the property in the first place. For me, there were good things and bad, but in the end, it wasn't the comic bookŠlike the TV movie before it, it was an alternate universe version of the character that I thought was an interesting take.
"That said, I was proud to push and flag wave for the show every chance I got and will continue to do so since some of the best episodes are going to air in the next few months."
Palmiotti said the show was a good learning experience.
"I got to meet an amazing amount of wonderfully talented people that I will stay friends with for a long time and I got to oversee a few episodes and be involved with them and even write one as well as go overseas and do press and promotion," he said. "My time spent working with some good people at Starz, Insight and Sci Fi was great and the show has opened the door to me getting other work because of it. Painkiller Jane was a great educational experience overall and gave me some insight to how the process is done. Like anything that happens in life, you learn and absorb what you can and apply it as best you could to your next projectŠand I already have. It's all good resume work in the end."
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stori...8/15/index.htm
The series will complete its 22-episode run, with the finale scheduled for Sept. 21.
Palmiotti told The Continuum he saw the end coming.
"I watch the ratings, notice how hard or not hard the show was pushed and added it up from there," he said. "My reaction is that I saw it coming in a number of ways, the biggest was in San Diego and SciFi doing nothing to support the show except giving away some buttons. That was the loudest and clearest of all the messages sent my way.
"On a personal level, I am happy that all 22 episodes are airing; it's more than most network shows ever get and in the bigger picture of things I continue with the comic without missing a beat and Joe Quesada and I eventually get the rights back. This cancellation effects the actors and the crew behind the show and I feel for all of them after all the hard work they put into this extra large season. My heart goes out to all these fine people and all I can do is hope there are new things waiting for them to take on. They are a talented bunch and deserve continued success.
"Really, just getting Painkiller Jane on air a second time is amazing in itself and then getting a green light for 22 one-hour episodes ... well, that is just unheard of. That in itself shows how this character lives up to her powers of never dying."
So what did and didn't work?
"I think the actors were amazing and growing with every episode. Each and every one of them...especially Kristanna, who holds a special place in my heart," Palmiotti said. "I think what didn't work, and I will say this again, is taking a character that works in the comic that people love and changing it to fit someone else's idea of what it should be, is setting yourself up for failure.
"My biggest gripe was the fact that there was not enough action and the show was obsessed with a Neuro theme and never delineated from it to build up the characters more. The Jane character is an against-all-odds, bigger-than-life character and not a big team-player type and the format they agreed on was not loyal to the book. The show was more about a group and not the single character and when you have the people running the show proudly saying the show is nothing like the comic, you start to question why they bought the property in the first place. For me, there were good things and bad, but in the end, it wasn't the comic bookŠlike the TV movie before it, it was an alternate universe version of the character that I thought was an interesting take.
"That said, I was proud to push and flag wave for the show every chance I got and will continue to do so since some of the best episodes are going to air in the next few months."
Palmiotti said the show was a good learning experience.
"I got to meet an amazing amount of wonderfully talented people that I will stay friends with for a long time and I got to oversee a few episodes and be involved with them and even write one as well as go overseas and do press and promotion," he said. "My time spent working with some good people at Starz, Insight and Sci Fi was great and the show has opened the door to me getting other work because of it. Painkiller Jane was a great educational experience overall and gave me some insight to how the process is done. Like anything that happens in life, you learn and absorb what you can and apply it as best you could to your next projectŠand I already have. It's all good resume work in the end."
08-15-07, 09:35 PM
#8
DVD Talk Special Edition
It seems like the only show they like anymore is Eureka. However, with all these cancellations and the probable Flash Gordon one they gotta keep Stargate Atlantis just so they'll have something for Fridays next year.
08-15-07, 09:37 PM
#9
DVD Talk Legend
Anyone know what the have planned/waiting in the wings. I know every once in a while, they post a press release with some wacky/stupid pilots that are upcoming.
With Flash sucking hard, these other shows gone, and BSG ending after its 4th, there's going to be some big, gaping holes in their programming.
With Flash sucking hard, these other shows gone, and BSG ending after its 4th, there's going to be some big, gaping holes in their programming.
08-15-07, 10:48 PM
#10
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I liked it. But Palmiotti was right in everything he said. It seemed low budget enough to fly under the radar for a few seasons but If SciFi has the chance to cancel something, they're gonna cancel it.
Bonnie Hammer, I still hate you. Dont think for a second that I've forgotten....
D
Bonnie Hammer, I still hate you. Dont think for a second that I've forgotten....
D
08-15-07, 11:37 PM
#11
DVD Talk God
How really expensive was this show though? It was mostly a C-List cast and is shot entirely in Canada where production costs are cheaper already.
08-16-07, 01:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Derrich
I liked it. But Palmiotti was right in everything he said. It seemed low budget enough to fly under the radar for a few seasons but If SciFi has the chance to cancel something, they're gonna cancel it.
Bonnie Hammer, I still hate you. Dont think for a second that I've forgotten....
D
Bonnie Hammer, I still hate you. Dont think for a second that I've forgotten....
D
08-16-07, 04:02 PM
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Originally Posted by stingermck
Not surprised. Maybe it will do better on DVD. So with this and Dresden gone, bring on extra episodes of Flash Gordon!!
If this is true I am not happy at all....
08-17-07, 08:50 AM
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and when you have the people running the show proudly saying the show is nothing like the comic, you start to question why they bought the property in the first place.
08-18-07, 06:35 PM
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Son of a Bitch!
I really like this show. Its like the old school shows that are just fun, ala hercules xena, highlander, etc. I thought it was written well and the acting wasnt bad after the first 8 eps. Defentaley better than crap on network.
I really like this show. Its like the old school shows that are just fun, ala hercules xena, highlander, etc. I thought it was written well and the acting wasnt bad after the first 8 eps. Defentaley better than crap on network.
08-20-07, 10:20 AM
#18
Senior Member
I started watching this because I really didn't have anything else to watch this summer. I figured it wouldn't make it more than a season. I didn't last that long. It's not a bad show, I just lost interest around ep 12 or so.
