This is something I posted in another thread and it was out of place, and this seems to be a better thread for it. It involves my long standing belief that a television show about the Martian Manhunter (not the Smallville version) could be a big hit. I actually think DC is sitting on top of alot of television potential. MM, Green Arrow, Nightwing, Hawkman, and a Wally West show if the budget could be kept in check could all be hits provided they weren't on the CW or if they were, they weren't typically crappy CW fare. But I think MM has the most potential.
I think MM would be a great, on HBO, or even and ABC or NBC. On any of those networks, it would require the right people, and that can be said for anything, but ecspecially in this case. You would a combination of writers like the True Blood creative team, Joss Whedon's Mutant Enemey team of guys like Tim Minear or David Fury, Ronald D. Moore of Battlestar Galactica, Darlton of Lost fame, writers that have made successful, long lasting genre shows that the public has taken to, and teaming them with a comic book writer or two, preferably Jeph Loeb. Jeph Loeb should be involved in everything lol. But seriously, MM is so underrated as a character and his abilities. I believe it was Superman himself that once called MM that most powerful creature on Earth. I'd keep him John Jones form the majority of the time, but play up the telekinesis, shapeshifting, etc. You could have him stop both everyday crime, more common supernatural threats, and even some low end DC villians that you know will never see the light of day. And I would go the route of having MM being teleported away from Mars through space AND time, with Mars being a dead planet for millenium. But, I would find a way to work in MM's brother Ma'alefa'ak, Martian mythology, the Hyperclan, the Sabotage of Evolution storyline. In terms of supporting characters, I'd work in Jason Blood/Etrigan as an ally of MM. And then, with the right acting and writing, you could get some pretty emotional character work with MM. He isn't like Superman, who lost his race when he was an infant. MM had a wife and children, a life. And then he was just ripped away, and not only ripped away, but ripped away to a time that saw Mars as dead, baron planet. Thats completely different than Superman. Also, you can have fun with MM's love of Eastern philosphy, although I might be saying that because I personally find eastern philosphy fascinating. Now, I don't have any clue as to who I would cast as MM.