Barba-Hell-No: Seven Movies That Should Be TV Shows Before Barbarella

A Barbarella TV show? Really? Make one of these instead.

By David Wharton | Updated

The Rocketeer
The Rocketeer is a beautiful little artifact from a time before superhero movies were big business. The character himself is still considerably lesser-known than even second-tier heroes such as Thor and the Green Lantern, so if those guys are getting movies why not give The Rocketeer a TV series? CGI has advanced to the level where the flying scenes and action are actually feasible on a decent TV budget, and the period setting immediately gives you a stock of go-to villains in the form of Nazi spies and murderous gangsters.

Honestly, it would be hard to find a better clean-cut, all-American lead than 1991-era Billy Campbell, or a better true love than 1991-era Jennifer Connelly, but it would be a great chance to let some young actors make a name for themselves. With the right writers on board, a Rocketeer series could play like a cross between Indiana Jones and Superman, with a well-intentioned but inexperienced Cliff Secord trying his best to fight the good fight and master the rocket strapped to his back, perhaps with recurring appearances by Howard Hughes as a mentor. The Rocketeer could be thrilling, nostalgic escapism for the whole family, a trip back to an idealized time when evil could be defeated with good old-fashioned American grit and a solid right cross.


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