X-Men the live action TV series, or Xavier's Institute

[Artistsean]

I would like to see the motion comic your working on, to at least better understand what you mean.

I agree, that sounds like a great way to show that this idea could work really well. X-Men, since they are meant to be humans with powers, could work without any costumes (except clothing fashioned with designs and logos similar to the costumes in the comics).

Smallville did a nice example of this with Starman in Absolute Justice:

(not that the character in the comic looks different)
What I mean is, imagine a character like Wolverine wearing a yellow tank top with black slash marks on it. Or Thunderbird wearing a blue shirt with a red bird design on it.

 

[TeenLantern]

Ok so this is what I came up with for season 1, highlighting the important episodes

Season 1 - 21 episodes

Episode 1 - Pilot Part 1

Introduces Professor Xavier, Amelia Voight, Scott Summer/Cyclops, Bobby Drake/Iceman, Warren Worthington III/Angel, Henry “Hank” McCoy/Beast

See my previous post third from the boom on the previous page to see more info on the pilot

The boys arrive at the school, and are introduced to Prof X, Amelia and the fact that they are mutants

Episode 2 - Pilot Part 2

Introduces Jean Grey/Marvel Girl, Eric Leshner/Magneto, John Grey, Elaine

The team go to help Jean, and in the end try to save her from Magneto

What’s Happened?
all the “main” characters have been introduced.

Episode 4 - The Brotherhood

Introduces Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver, Mortimer Toynbee/Toad, Jason Wynagrade/Mastermind

Magneto returns, and is not alone. Quicksilver is confused by the opportunity offered by the x-men and runs away at the end.

What’s Happened?
The mirror opposite of the team is introduced in the Brotherhood. Also with quicksilver running away you introduce the chance to have him come back with Wanda later in the season.

Episode 5 - The Prodigal Son

Introduces Katherine Anne Summers, Christopher Summers, Alex Summers

A story - Cyclops origin story, the plane is attacked by terrorist and crashes in Eastern Europe. Alex and Scott are moved back to America, their parents aren’t found. Scott’s powers activate when he and Alex jump out the plane, and he uses it to slow their descent. When they land Scott hurts his head and ends up in hospitals. This all leads up to when Scott is given his glasses and adopted by Xavier
B story - Scott attempts to ask jean out on a date, finally achieving it at the end of the episode.

What’s Happened?
I think avoiding origin stories is the best idea so early in the show, but you could have the adversity Scott faced recovering from losing his family(Alex is said to have died, actually adopted while Scott recovered in hospital)
and his eyes, to the difficulty he is having asking jean on a date.

Episode 6 - Parent Teacher Conference

Introduces Robert McCoy, Sadie McCoy, Warren Worthington II, Kathryn Worthington William Robert Drake, Alfred Jarvis

The school is allowing the parents to visit. The parents are told of the existent of mutants and that their children are. Bobby’s dad is proud of his son and is quite happy for him to be learning in a safe place. Like in the normal situation with him Warren’s dad is dismissive, his mother is proud but worried as is their butler Alfred Jarvis. Jeans parents know anyway. Hanks guardians are unhappy and try remove him from the school he refuses to leave.

What’s Happened?
It’s our turn to see how the parents react. Iv gona against the movies here. Bobby’s dad is proud of him instead of fearing him. Warrens parents and surrogate parent are worried about his safety and in the case of his father dismissive rather than hateful. Jeans knew anyway. Hanks guardians though have the hateful reaction, putting him on the path down to curing himself.

Episode 7 - The Amazing Adventure of the Beast

Introduces Norton McCoy, Edna McCoy

All of hanks belongings are delivered to the mansion, he is visibly upset but tries to not to show it.
Beast origin story, also include a story where he saves people and becomes a hero, similar to the angel story.
At the end of the episode hank is shown in a lab working with chemicals, on the computer screen it says something like Mutant Reversal Solution

What’s Happened?
Hanks Origins story is quite interesting, and taking the costumed hero part from angels origin is a nod to the fans(kind of). Also the reaction of his guardians could be played up by having them saying he was a freak through put his childhood, and he became a jock to make them accept him, and now that they have fully disowned him he can move away from what they wanted and be himself. It also sets up the Hank turning into the blue haired monkey down the line.
　
Episode 10 - Freak Show

Introduces Fred Dukes/Blob

The team is given the day off and go to visit the fair that is visiting the local town. There they see Fred, and discover he is a mutant. They approach him and convince him to join the institute. The Owner of the fair has other ideas

Episode 11 - Betrayal
Fred is feeling left out, he’s failed to properly settle into the institute and can not return to the fair. When the team is sent out to protect the public from a brotherhood attack, he is swayed my magneto’s words.

What’s Happened?
It’s the first new member of the team, and it doesn’t go well. Over two episodes he was adopted and then a fish out of water. He was used to a different life, and the people at the institute aren’t the family he knows. They are already established and he finds it hard to break in to the group. So when he is offered a chance for another family, he jumps at it to see if he can fit in there.

Episode 15 - Feeling blue

Hank has continued to isolate himself from the others. His research into reversing the mutant gene has reached a break through, or so he thinks. When he tests the formula on his only subject(himself) his hands and feet shrink, and when he examines his DNA, he finds that it is now baseline human. The next morning when bobby goes to wake him up, and ask him about hanging out, he finds a blue haired monster in hanks room. The monster runs away, and the team follow it to see what happened to hank. When the team catches up a fight breaks out, before Xavier calls them off. The Monster runs off and the team is shocked when Xavier tells them he was able to scan the mind of the monster and that its hank. Hank now believes that the team are now hunting him down for reasons other than concern and goes into hiding.

What’s Happened?
Hank has finally changed into the blue furry beast. The serum he used has somehow affected his mind. By devolving in a way back to the primate body it has also devolved his mind slightly to the suspicious and paranoid (not sure how to describe this) form that prehistoric man had.

Episode 16 - The Most Sincerest Form Of Flattery

Introduces Calvin Rankin/Mimic

An alarm in the middle of the night wakes up the institute. Calvin Rankin has broken into the Mansion and is looking for Xavier to help him.

What’s Happened?
Another new member of the team arrives. This time though he came to them. Which is different as all other so far have been invited. He is looking for help controlling his own abilities which are growing at fast rate

Episode 17 - Hexplain Yourself

Introduces Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch

Pietro has been living rough for months, he finally reaches a small town. He is spying on a girl at the local high school, Wanda his twin sister. Wanda is bullied, he adopted parents are hippies and Wanda is very much their daughter, although she uses her powers to cause bad things to happen to the people that bully her(nothing serious but like drop their books, trip over etc, etc. Magneto also tracks her down, and he convinces Wanda to join his cause, using the now they taunt you but soon they will fear you speech. Pietro rejoins to protect his sister, who may be in over her head. When they arrive back at magnetos secret base, toad approaches him and asks “Did you tell them?”, which magneto replies “They will learn in time.”

What’s Happened?
No other characters apart from Magneto, Pietro and Wanda are used apart from toad at the end. Wanda has joined and Peitro has rejoined which bolsters the Brotherhoods numbers. Magneto is revealed as their father.

Episode 18 - Arrogance

Calvin is proving to be a more capable leader than Scott. The two boys start to compete at everything. By the end Xavier reprimands both of
them, and Calvin walks out saying “I’m not a kid that gets to what to do.”

What’s Happened?
Another new member has gone from the team. This time because of the persons own narcissism that he is better then everyone anyway.

Episode 19 - N/A

Not much planned for this episode but at the end Magneto is shown in his base with the brotherhood, and he gives them a speech about ruling the world soon. Behind him is a large number of nuclear weapons.

What’s Happened?
Like I said not much planned but the ending sets up the final two episode

Episode 20 - N/A

The team are training together, Amelia has an argument with Xavier, about looking for Hank. TV and radio signals all around the world are disrupted and Magneto is responsible. He tell the world that if their leader do not stand down, and pass power over to him, he will launch the nuclear weapons he has at major cities all over the world. The team scramble and are in the blackbird on there way to the artic when there is turbulence and the brotherhood attacks.

Episode 21 - N/A

The blackbird crashes in the artic, and the team evacuates it just before it explodes. The team battles the brotherhood all the way to Magnetos Artic Base. When they arrive Magneto has already started a ten minute countdown, and he engages in a battle with Xavier. One of Scott’s beams hit the release mechanisms on the missiles meaning they will explode inside the base killing them all. Both teams stop long enough for Magneto and jean to create a force field around them to contain the blast and move it into space.

To save as many people as possible Amelia uses her power to turn them all apart from jean and magneto into mist and transport them to new York where the battle continues. Scott initially refuses to go, until Xavier forces him, as they disappear he shouts “Jean I Love you!”

The Base explodes, and a fiery shape can be seen moving into space. The team defeats the brotherhood, and are cheered by the crowd.

(followed by the camera quite closely)
a short distance away, a child with large green eyes is watching the team from beneath a manhole cover. He lowers it and slides down the ladder, he runs through the sewers before coming into a large cavern. He stops at the mouth of the sewer and looks around(gives the audience a chance to see the scale of the cavern) There are tents and shacks set up all over, he runs to one of the shacks in the centre, he pushes back the curtain and runs in. sitting at a table is Callisto, Masque, Sunder and a large man, in a black shroud that covers his hole body. In the corner is calibian who is rocking back and forth. The all turn to look at the young boy(leech), he doesn’t say a word but looks at the man in the shroud, he lowers the hood. It is Hank, he is still in his monster form he says “We’ll be next!”

What’s Happened?
Everything is resolved kind of. The Nuclear/Magneto/brotherhood threat is defeated for now. The cracks in Xavier and Amelia’s relationship are starting to show. Jean is gone(setting up the dark phoenix saga for season 2/3). Finally the main Morlocks are shown in a short cameo and Hank returns.

I changed some stuff like the beast and angel pre x-men hero stuff, cuz I don’t buy angel doing that, but I could see hank doing it.

just a few thoughts, there not called x-men, or have code names apart from Magneto and his brotherhood(as a rejection of what the humans forced on them.) in season two the media label them, although theres jokes throughout the season mostly from bobby about having them since there superheroes.

Having jean and magneto disapear at the end was done for a reason. Jean can return in season 2 as Madeline Pryor possible using an amnesia story, so the team decide to leave her alone. Season 3 you use the dark phoenix story, and then at the end of that it turns out that Madeline was actually a clone of sinister’s.

Magento can return early in season 2, and scott goes after him looking for info on jean, where he finds out about Madeline who first appears around episode 13 when sinister is first shown.

For season 2 the first ten or so episodes it looks like the morlocks are the big bad, with hints to a higher power, and then around when Madeline is introduced you have Sinister in the same episode. So you have the parallel of the pure evil, and his Trojan horse, and suddenly its revealed that Sinister is the true big bad.

Will come back soon with my thoughts on season 2

 

[Artistsean]

I have only read this much so far, I will get back to the rest later.

Ok so this is what I came up with for season 1, highlighting the important episodes

Season 1 - 21 episodes

Episode 1 - Pilot Part 1

Introduces Professor Xavier, Amelia Voight, Scott Summer/Cyclops, Bobby Drake/Iceman, Warren Worthington III/Angel, Henry “Hank” McCoy/Beast

See my previous post third from the boom on the previous page to see more info on the pilot

The boys arrive at the school, and are introduced to Prof X, Amelia and the fact that they are mutants

Episode 2 - Pilot Part 2

Introduces Jean Grey/Marvel Girl, Eric Leshner/Magneto, John Grey, Elaine

The team go to help Jean, and in the end try to save her from Magneto

What’s Happened?
all the “main” characters have been introduced.

I might introduce Jean Grey sooner, just because she is one of the only females on the show. Maybe she could come in halfway through the show.

Episode 4 - The Brotherhood

Introduces Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver, Mortimer Toynbee/Toad, Jason Wynagrade/Mastermind

Magneto returns, and is not alone. Quicksilver is confused by the opportunity offered by the x-men and runs away at the end.

What’s Happened?
The mirror opposite of the team is introduced in the Brotherhood. Also with quicksilver running away you introduce the chance to have him come back with Wanda later in the season.

I think in this episode it would be very important to establish that Magneto is not a straight on bad guy, he is a Mutant Right's activist like Xavier, only he is on the other end. And Magneto's group, and how he raises his own children, should show that. (should the two know he is their father?) His group, like him, shouldn't just be straight on bad guys either.

Episode 5 - The Prodigal Son

Introduces Katherine Anne Summers, Christopher Summers, Alex Summers

A story - Cyclops origin story, the plane is attacked by terrorist and crashes in Eastern Europe. Alex and Scott are moved back to America, their parents aren’t found. Scott’s powers activate when he and Alex jump out the plane, and he uses it to slow their descent. When they land Scott hurts his head and ends up in hospitals. This all leads up to when Scott is given his glasses and adopted by Xavier
B story - Scott attempts to ask jean out on a date, finally achieving it at the end of the episode.

What’s Happened?
I think avoiding origin stories is the best idea so early in the show, but you could have the adversity Scott faced recovering from losing his family(Alex is said to have died, actually adopted while Scott recovered in hospital)
and his eyes, to the difficulty he is having asking jean on a date.

It could also be an episode that shows why Cyclops is a good character, and why he is important. Cyclops was sort of not given his due in the movies. It would be cool to show him more and in the right light. He could become the most popular character, I think in the beginning of X-men he was like the Wolverine of the group.
I like the idea of showing all his trials and tribulations, and how much power he has and what he has to put up with.
I LOVE Xavier actually adopting him too.

Episode 6 - Parent Teacher Conference

Introduces Robert McCoy, Sadie McCoy, Warren Worthington II, Kathryn Worthington William Robert Drake, Alfred Jarvis

The school is allowing the parents to visit. The parents are told of the existent of mutants and that their children are. Bobby’s dad is proud of his son and is quite happy for him to be learning in a safe place. Like in the normal situation with him Warren’s dad is dismissive, his mother is proud but worried as is their butler Alfred Jarvis. Jeans parents know anyway. Hanks guardians are unhappy and try remove him from the school he refuses to leave.

What’s Happened?
It’s our turn to see how the parents react. Iv gona against the movies here. Bobby’s dad is proud of him instead of fearing him. Warrens parents and surrogate parent are worried about his safety and in the case of his father dismissive rather than hateful. Jeans knew anyway. Hanks guardians though have the hateful reaction, putting him on the path down to curing himself.

I like going against expectations. Bobby, whose parents don't seem so tolerant, accept him. Warren's don't accept him, but don't denounce him either, perhaps because they are worried about appearances. Jean's know, they sent her there. Scott is adopted by the Mutant Rights leader, Xavier. And Hank, who you would think would have super enlightened parents, doesn't.
Plus it establishes that this isn't just a prequel TV show based on the movies.

I like the ideas so far. I haven't had a chance to read the rest.

Season One, like Buffy's beginnings, starts with a small group:
A teacher and five young students.

Season Two, like later seasons of Buffy, grows and changes:
The students from over seas come in, as part of Xavier's continuing plans for Mutant/Human relations, and Mutant Rights. Xavier brings in students like Colossus of Russia, Wolverine of Canada, Storm of Africa, and so on.

 

[TeenLantern]

I might introduce Jean Grey sooner, just because she is one of the only females on the show. Maybe she could come in halfway through the show.

I would have the pilot as a two hour premerier, which would probaly be split in syndication so jean would be introduced early, but not until about half way through, so she would be be the cause of the drama, see previous post about the about ideas for the pilot for reference.

It could also be an episode that shows why Cyclops is a good character, and why he is important. Cyclops was sort of not given his due in the movies. It would be cool to show him more and in the right light. He could become the most popular character, I think in the beginning of X-men he was like the Wolverine of the group.
I like the idea of showing all his trials and tribulations, and how much power he has and what he has to put up with.
I LOVE Xavier actually adopting him too.

He's the fricking original X-man, and is over looked so much, even in the comics. Scott never gets the proper respect he deserves, and he is one of my favourite characters so gonna make him the stand out character early on. also scotts parents could be re-introduced around about rthe same time as the start of the dark phoenix saga and you could have the star jammers some how worked in.

Perhaps the Jammers are commercial pirates that find a strange metal objects thats floating in the water, and when they eventuall are able to scrach it a firey bird shoots out of it.(just an idea?)

I like going against expectations. Bobby, whose parents don't seem so tolerant, accept him. Warren's don't accept him, but don't denounce him either, perhaps because they are worried about appearances. Jean's know, they sent her there. Scott is adopted by the Mutant Rights leader, Xavier. And Hank, who you would think would have super enlightened parents, doesn't.
Plus it establishes that this isn't just a prequel TV show based on the movies.

something that always confused me, why was hank a jock? why did he not just be the super intelligent guy. i wanted a reason why. also in the comics hank was raised by his aunt and uncle, and so they could also have a resentment towards him for being left with them when his parents were gone.

 

[Artistsean]

In some comic, just mentioning it as a side not not a critique or anyting, Hank was shown to be hiding as the jock. Almost like he was secretly gay, but he was secretly smart. That happens sometimes, a teenager knows that they are smart but would not be as accepted if they showed it so they hide it and go the easier rout of being popular.
So Xavier talks about that to Hank, sort of cuts him to his core. Telling him he doesn't have to hide who he really is at his school.

 

[GL1]

Heh, I remember a thread like this. Good to see the hope is still alive.

I like Apocalypse mini design. That's fly. I wouldn't balk at some of the 'unrealistic' aspects, like Magic and Aliens... I would do it "is it, isn't it" type storyline like with what Ultimate comics did with Thor in the early days. As long as you can cast serious doubt on whether or not it's actually Magic, or whether or not they are actually Aliens, you're good to go.

I had a lot of thoughts on this series, here's all I could find at the moment:

X-Men Live Action Series
Enemies: Selves, Gov't, Brotherhood, Hellfire Club, Phoenix, Sentinels, Sinister, Apocalypse, Phoenix, Shi'ar, Various Marvel Supervillains, Onslaught

Season 1 - Emergence, coming of age, adaptation.
Villain: Out of control mutations, grows Magneto
Main Cast: Xavier, Summers, Grey, McCoy, Drake, Worthington III, Lensherr, Darkholme, Valerie Cooper, Sherriff Wertham, Candace Southern, Tessa.

1.01 "New"
Charles and Eric return to the Xavier mansion and begin building. Argue lightly, exposition the world, split up and find Scott and Jean separately. Meanwhile, Bobby, Hank and Angel have their own lives to live.
1.02 "Uncanny"
Leaving Scott and Jean at the Mansion the two go out in search of Beast and with him go to rescue Bobby Drake, the poster child for snowy monstrosity. Come up against the Friends of Humanity.
1.03 "Astonishing"
Jean and Scott come to help and Angel swoops in and they manage to abate the crowd long enough to escape. They also hide out at the school, decide not to present mutancy and present themselves as a school to hide Drake.
1.04 "X-Treme"
The students journey into the town and meet some locals, and have to deal with a mutant related death in their own hometown. The Sheriff is involved, and the kids manage to help save the next person's life from Angelo Unuscione the untouchable. Eric befriends him and talks him down.
1.05 "Giant Sized"
The team heads to the big city and learns some hard lessons as they deal with John St. Allerdyce and his flaring temper in an arson case, involving an unsuspecting Angelica Jones.
1.06 "Young"
Infighting grips the team as they rescue a picked on Fred Dukes from a rural area. They each fall apart in their own way under the stress into predictable youthful failings.
1.07 "Classic"
The Professor manufactures a kidnapping and the kids come to rescue him from his kidnappers. Eric isn't in on the joke and takes things a bit too far, and everything goes to pot. Scott shows first signs of leadership. Graydon Creed witnesses the power. The X-Men fail to rescue Timothy Guthrie.
1.08 "Ultimate"
At the behest of Graydon Creed, Friends of Humanity begin to act, hunting out monsters. The X-Men manage to rescue Raven Darkholme from them, as she shapeshifts, and she gets brought home with them, as a stowaway.
1.09 "Adjectiveless"
Code names are given out, and Magneto makes his claim against Xavier, who disagrees. The school is finally completed in all its glory and Magneto leaves, with Cyclops and Jean. Xavier gets Darkholme and door-knocker cliffhanger.

That's just until the Christmas break. Obviously it's a slightly different tone than your idea, but I just thought I'd throw it out there.

 

[The Cocreator]

My ideas, each season would have a mains story arc:
Season 1- This season would start as a Mutant of the week, some times it's an original mutant, others it a mutant that become an x-men or joins the brotherhood half thru the season. Magneto stars as a shadow figure similat to x-men evolution, first appearing in episode 13 but not showing his fave until the season finale and being mentioned before his appearance as an old friend of charles, the pilot would start with Scott or Bobby becoming x-men, probably with bobby, so that scott could be like an older brother to him and the original 5 would be all x-men in the end of the season, with magneto and the brotherhood trying to launch some missiles.
Season 2: Magneto is supposedly dead and the public knows of the mutants, the first half of the season would resolve around the slowly creation of the sentinels and if they'll go online or not, and the secound half would be about Xavier's relationship with juggernaut.
Season 3: Magneto returns and tells Pietro that he is his father and tries to prepare him to take his place as the one that will make of mutants the lords of the earth, the acolytes appear as the top league of magneto, in the begging they're 3 and serve as the right hand of magneto but in the 4th quarter of the season they become 5 and take over the brotherhoods place. The first 3 are Phyro, Gambit and Spyke( a character with powers similar to quill that appears first in episode 3 of the 1st season as a mutant of the week.
Season 4: Fabian Cortez is introduced as a human, an agent of Factor Three, a human organization decided to use mutant powers for their oun purposes and bgin the Freedom Force to help them take control. last half the x-men destroy this opperation and Fabian Cortez is gravelly injured, and is injected mutant powers, with other surviving Factor Three mutants he creates the new Acolytes but is defeated.
Season 5: Gene Nation is created by the surviving acolytes and slowly grows stronger.
Season 6: The uncanny x-men with the new members and in the last 7 episodes Jean become Dark Phoenix (a la dark willow from buffy).
Season 7: Magneto returns again and uses the help of the Clan Akkaba to defeat the x-men, but in the last episodes they trick him into releasing Apocalipse, the x-men stop this and Apocalipse stays sealed.
For now thats it.

 

[Microchip]

Honestly though, this could be a good idea. If it was better than Mutant X, that horrible, horrible show...

Did anyone every actually intend to make this as a fan film/show? It'd be cool if a group of people on these forums actually got together to make something like this happen. A miniseries based on it or something. Combine the forums best writers with the best filmmakers with the best actors.. it could turn out... ok?

 

[Artistsean]

I haven't had a chance to read all the ideas people have posted, but I like the idea of casting doubt on the magic and alien stuff. But, my idea, like Smallville I would say the rule for the beginning would be no magic and no aliens. And later on in the show bring in magic and aliens but cast serious doubt on them. So at first the show is presented as people with mysterious and awesome powers, who are still humans. Then as the show progressed and that theme was cemented bring in the other elements like aliens (still casting doubts).
Same goes with time travel. Eventually it should be introduced, if only to bring up the days of future past stuff. But it should all be very dubious, and never very clear if it was real or not.
I would love to see Cable brought into the series for a short time and see him, an elderly grizzled war veteran standing next to his father who would still be in his 20s and not yet married to Cable's mother Jean. It would be fun to see everyone's interaction and reactions.

I would love to see this done, even as a fan film or a fan web series, if the effort was taken to make it as good as possible, although the budget would be too much I think. The powers and effects, might be too hard to do.

I was thinking since the thread was brought back up, Glee is sort of a show who's theme is that everyone should be treated with respect and stuff like that. Its audience tunes in for the singing and stuff, but the underlying theme is to not discriminate against those who are different in some way.
The theme of an X-Men TV series could be similar but appeal to the audience who would tune in because of the action, Sci Fi, and comics aspects of the show. The underlying theme of the show, or less underlying since it is sort of the main idea of X-Men (comics, movies, cartoons) is to not discriminate against those who are different in some way.

This idea would be helped if the X-men don't wear costumes, like my original idea states. They wear clothing similar to their costumes, like Wolverine wearing a yellow tank top with black slash marks. That way they look like normal people, and then they just happen to have powers.

Season 1:

Just like how Buffy started, or how Smallville started, the cast would be small and simple. main cast would be Xavier, and his original X-Men, and Magneto and a small group for his Brotherhood. Xavier would also have a girlfriend, but she leaves in season 1. Their yellow and blue costumes would be more like school uniforms, and Xavier would not have put them together to become a fighting team, but just a school for young mutants... these being the 1st of many more to come.

Then in season 2, we quickly expand the cast to include Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Sunfire, Banshee, and Thunderbird.
But they don't last long, not all of them. Thunderbird dies during a battle, maybe against Sabertooth, and Sunfire either leaves or looses his legs. This would show the audience that what the Xavier Institute isn't all fun and games. Their work is dangerous. Kitty Pryde joins too.

Season two would bring in the idea of not only that these people are different because of their powers, but also they come from all over the world, and are all sorts of religions and personalities.

Again the theme would be to teach acceptance and anti discrimination and stuff.

Here are a few pictures that started me thining about a TV series:

 

[steelio2006]

hey everyone, been a while since i've been around. pretty cool to see this thread still up. the one i worked on the past had come and gone. if anyone's interested, i'm talking to a couple of other members already on this forum bout the possibility of putting this together as a virtual series then pitching it over to http://www.mzp-tv.co.uk/. check out their site, they have a cool Spidey series over there. let me know by sending me a pm if anyone is interested.

 

[Microchip]

If you actually produced it into a webseries with a good script and a lot of people on board in the VANCOUVER area, I'd lend my filmmaking skills, such as they are.

 

[Artistsean]

So I just read the beginning of the Phoenix story. Jean Grey died! It starts out saying this is the last moments of Jean's life, she is about to die. Then she emerges as the Phoenix saying the woman you knew is gone and will never return and that she is and will forever be the Phoenix.
Reminded me of the Fred story on Angel. She was taken over by some demonic spirit, her hair turned blue and Fred died. Fred's body looked the same but she was no longer Fred, and never was again.
So, in the Xavier Institute TV series, Jean becomes possessed in a similar manor. She dies and becomes the Phoenix and Jean, on the TV series, never returns. For the rest of the show she is Phoenix, and becomes a threat at one point that the X-Men have to face.
I imagine it being done after the show has gained some credibility like around season 4 or something. And after things like Magic and aliens have been dabbled in a little. Jean had left the team for a season or two, and recently returned. Jean sacrifices herself to safe the X-Men, and dies a heroic death. In her place we get the Phoenix, who possesses Jean's body. So we keep the exact same actress, only like Fred on Angel, she acts like a different person altogether. She is the Phoenix, on the X-Men, for a while at least half a season or a full season or maybe even two seasons. The Phoenix is different than Jean, but still good. Then the Phoenix starts to get out of control and must be stopped. She eventually becomes the main threat of that season, like how Smallville, Angel, and Buffy, even Heroes, have done where one bad guy is the main threat for that season. This isn't to say that Jean could never return after the X-Men have killed the Phoenix. Just that Jean is not the Phoenix or using the Phoenix power, but two different entities. But we could kill off Jean, use the Phoenix, and then kill the Phoenix and have both Jean and Phoenix gone forever (on the show).

Maybe eventually bring in Madeline Pryor (Mr. Sinister's clone of Jean Grey) after that. Again, played by the same actress, only yet again she is a different person.

 

[Lord]

I've been reading your ideas, and i think that Wolverine could appear in the second half of Season 2, like have Thunderbird's death be the reason why Xavier wants him to teach his students. I also think you should move the Sentinels storyline to season 2, humans as the main villains of the 2nd season would be better than just another version of the Brotherhood.

Season 3 could be a return to the storylines left of in season 1, with Magneto's return, his ties to Quicksilver and Scarlet witch, Cyclop's past and Havoc and Polaris's appearances. Then with Season 4 the show could go a different direction with Mr.Sinister,the Phoenix and the Helfire club, a storyline that could conclude in Season 5. Maybe these characters could even be introduced sooner in season 3.

I think that Mystique having her oun Brotherhood in season 2 would be cool, but in my opinion the anti-mutant humans should be the main villains of that season.

 

[Artistsean]

Thanks, while reading and writing in another Live Action X-Men tv series thread I did come to that same conclusion without remembering what I had planned originally. I agree, Season 1 is too soon for the Sentinels or the humans knowing. Season 1 is the time of discovery and mystery. The whole thing should have an eerie small feeling, like Xavier and the 5 could be the only Mutants, and then they meet Magneto, and a few others. Season two is where the Humans are stating to realize Mutants are real and exist. This would be where Senator Kelly rises to popularity on his campaign of fear. And where the Sentinels are created, and where Creed starts the Friends of Humanity. Hinted at in Season 1 by Magneto, season 2 would be where the humans are the enemy. I like the idea of season 1 being about Magneto and his Brotherhood, and Season 2 being about the Humans as the big bad, and season 3 is the return of the Brotherhood led by Mystique as the big bad terrorists. I see her Brotherhood being more like a militia or a cult and different from Magneto's who was teaching his own philosophy for mutants contrary to Xavier's. Mystique's Brotherhood is more about payback and anger and separation and stuff like that I would imagine.

Thanks for your ideas. I like them a lot too. Especially what characters should pop up in what season.
And I just wanted to toot my own horn for a second, because I really like the idea of Xavier starting the school as a safe place for Mutants to learn and it becoming a HQ for mutant soldiers who must protect younger and weaker mutants. And how disappointed Xavier would be about this. I could see even in season 3 and 4 Xavier seeing the whole plan of his spin out of control into thins war between mutants and humans and other mutants and him being unable to really stop it, and feeling partially responcible. Maybe he even saw this as a possible outcome of humanity finding out about mutants and thats why he started the school, hoping to stop this fear and hatred and it happens anyway and he is so upset that he couldn't stop it.

And just listening to the Comic Vine podcast with James Robinson on it, and he talked about the X-Men and them hooking up with one another, and that got me thinking, like many TV dramas targeted at teens, this show would have characters hooking up (dating and having relationships) and sometimes they break up and it would show the ramifications of that. When they are out fighting the Brotherhood and Cyclops tells Storm to do something (and lets say they dated for a while last season) and she is still upset at him, how would that turn out or effect the team. Cyclops is dating Jean but Angel tried to ask her out in season 1, as did Ice Man and Hank, how does that effect the team on the field? What about when Wolverine joins the team and kisses Jean? Besides the serious story lines about hate and bigotry, the action/adventure stuff, and the fun wacky stuff, there is also the drama of teens stuff.

From the other thread:

My idea I posted a few years back, wow, is that Xavier starts the school as more of a safe place for Mutants to live. Sort of like sanctuary or protective ground for them. At this point mutants would still be few and far between and not at all known in the public. So he opens the school for young mutants to get a regular education where they wouldn't have to worry about their powers going off in class. Because most mutant powers show up during puberty the majority of students would be teenagers or pre-teens. He has no plans to use them as soldiers, but he does train them to use their powers, with precision, because their ability to use their powers will help them control them better.
The whole X-Men team would be something they stumble into. They go to stop Magneto from destroying a military base, and Magneto reveals during the fight that the military base has files on them all. Xavier then trains them to protect themselves in combat and how to work together as a team and family and how to look out for each other, but still not as soldiers. There could even be a scene where one of the students asks why they even bother still having class when such things as Sentinels and Magnetos are happening. Xavier could tell them the importance of an education, including to help them with such things as Magneto and Sentinels. Just like in Buffy, where she and all of the town are constantly attacked and they all still go on living and doing what has to be done. She still went to school and graduated.
They end up facing Magneto and his own school, the Brotherhood, and Sentinels, and Mimic, and other mutants and menaces. Hank accidentally mutates himself further into a furry blue mutant. The uniforms idea could come from Warren who like comic books, or it could be like Ultimates where the suits are made to mask their identities and DNA and such, or it could be school uniforms, or a way to help the humans see the good mutants from the bad.

Season Two, the addition of more mutants from other nations. Russia, Africa, Canada, etc. The original students (Jean, Scott, Warren, Bobby, Hank) are still in school but are older, like seniors or juniors or something. Some new students would be younger but some are the same age or slightly older. Wolverine would be the only adult, and would be brought in to sort of help train the team. But the focus and purpose of the school has switched from providing an education to mutants to protection of mutants. The X-Men team is now a team, and they are here to make sure mutants are not harmed and gain equality. While there are still classes and students the school has now become a house for the team mainly. The team doesn't really wear uniforms anymore, besides maybe Cyclops or Beast wearing a modified version. Now they each wear regular looking clothes that resemble their comic costumes, like Wolverine wears a yellow tank top with black slash marks and blue jeans. Later during season two Kitty Pryde joins and Sunfire leaves and Thunderbird dies. They end up facing Magneto again, Sabertooth, Mystique and the new Brotherhood, and get a glimpse of the future and what they have to prepare for.

So instead of the team getting together to be a heroic super team for Xavier, its more like Xavier planned to make the Mansion a safe haven for all mutants and humans, but instead it became a HQ for soldiers. Something that could eat at Xavier more and more as time goes on.

I imagined, in my idea for the show, it would take the Buffy/Angel/Smallvile/Burn Notice approach to the stories. One large story arc for one season, but each episode could have a smaller story like how Burn Notice has a large over arcing plot about (for example) him tracking down the guy who killed his spy friend, but at the same time he works on smaller cases like a nurse hiring him to stop drug dealers outside her office.
So season 1 could be about the public discovering mutants exist and Magneto be the main villain (like how Buffy had one main villain per season) as the larger picture. But the smaller episodes could focus on smaller stories, for example the team meeting Mimic. He is a young mutant who only shows his mutation around other mutants. When he is around them he mimics their powers without meaning to, but when he is around normal humans he shows no signs of being different. Or, in season 2, the over arcing story would be Xavier turning his school into a safe have and his team of students into protectors of those mutants with the main bad guys maybe being the humans with their Senator Kellys and their Sentinels. But an individual episode could be about Sabertooth showing up on Wolverine's birthday, kicking his butt and killing Thunderbird and making the dangers of Xavier's plans all too real for the young mutants. Or another individual episode could be about Juggernaut showing up, Xavier's bother and maybe show some of Xavier's past. But the larger theme of season 2 would be Senator Kelly/fear of mutants/Sentinels/Friends of Humanity, but would also be about the idea of Mutants expanding showing they are happening all around the world and not just America. Moira McTaggert would also join the show as a non mutant human from Ireland. Or in the midst of the drama a fun holiday episode where the Mansion celebrates Christmas and Chanukah. Or a while back someone mentioned a summer vacation themed episode with the mutants at the beach or something fun like that.
I would love the show to sort of be all about Charles Xavier and his dream in a round about way. The show would focus all on the team and their lives but since Xavier set this whole thing up and into motion he feels responsible for everything at every turn. He wanted the school to be a safe place for young mutants to learn and then go out into the world as adults, during season 1 and 2 the school becomes a HQ for the mutant soldier X-Men, and Xavier even feels responsible for Magneto's actions. Magneto would be a fun character to see in the show too, he is a bad guy, his actions make mutants look bad at almost every turn, but he has good reasons and motivations and truly feels he is right. But maybe if it wasn't for his actions during season 1 Xavier's job might be easier.
Season 3, I would bring in Mr. Sinister, the Morlocks, and the Marauders led by Gambit, and Mior (spelling?) island. And maybe Government agent Valarie Cooper who is trying to get the government to see the value of mutants. I guess the idea here would be showing the furthering of mutations and the manipulation of mutants by those who wish to use them. Although season 3 might be too soon for some of this.

Also in my idea, it would be like Heroes in that they are really normal looking people, not superheroes. And they don't really wear costumes.

My ideas for the show:
http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=312192

Ways I would make the show less expensive would include having Beast use an hologram projector a lot, same with Nightcrawler, and the Sentinels are like the Cybermen on Doctor Who (lots of guys in robot costumes acting menacing).