Well, since Bill Murray isn’t returning his calls about “Ghostbusters 3,” Dan Aykroyd is continuing to go all George Lucas in the second half of his career, and isn’t content with shitting on the legacy of one just franchise. Nope, he’s gonna now drag “The Blues Brothers” through the mud.
If you thought the insipid “Blues Brothers 2000” was as low as Aykroyd and company could go, you’re mistaken, as Variety report the two guys on a mission from God are now being pitched for a new primetime TV series. Judy Belushi, Anne Beatts (“Saturday Night Live“), Wayne Catania and Kieron Lafferty have penned a pilot which would pick up with Jake and Elwood sprung from jail, with the latter looking for his real Dad after being raised in an orphanage. That doesn’t sound too bad right? Well how about this. Each episode will have a musical number (makes sense) but comparisons are already being drawn to another very popular hit show. “It would be ‘Route 66‘ meets ‘Glee,’ and it all goes to hell in a handbasket,” Beatts told the trade.
Listen, as much as we want to be optimistic and think the series will go after bonafide talent as least somewhat approaching the league of folks like James Brown, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin who appeared in the original film, the truth is, for primetime, it probably means we’re going to get much more mainstream geared artists being sought out who are only tangentially connected to rhythm and blues and rock ‘n roll. Think: Kings Of Leon or Robin Thicke or Jo Calderone whatever. Oh, and one more thing. Aykroyd himself will voice a character in the proposed series, playing Jake and Elwood’s parole officer who we presume will remain offscreen.
Anyway, we kind of just wish that Aykroyd would go back to investigating UFOs or making new shapes for bottles of his Crystal Head Vodka (which, incidentally, is really good) instead of trying to keep the flame alive on franchises that should be left well enough alone. But when your last starring gig was a voice in “Yogi Bear” we suppose a certain amount of career desperation sets in.
Blues Brothers legacy is going to be destroyed with such a lame and uninspired concept.
SNL was unique, Blues Brothers movie was unique … the sequel sucked because it was too much the same without eveloving and didn\’t do justice to Belushi and this TV show will suck because it tries too hard. Get a GOOD story for a sequel flick and watch the Blues Brothers rule! again!
If a show like this has a chance to bring classic soul and R&B to a young tv audience every week, the same way Glee brings the 70\’s corporate rock and current pop, I say this can only be a good thing.
I\’d feel a little better if John Landis was involved though.
Don\’t bash Dan Akyroyd, the guy has had it hard Belushi was his brother from another mother, and he really took the loss badly I believe. I think this project is good. I wish Dan Akroyd would act in more films I really love seeing him in movies. I would love to see him get some of his scripts made because I am sure he has a few he is one hell of a writer, he just needs the right guy to embody the characters. His vodka is AMAZING as well.
LOOK AT HOW COOL WE ARE! WE\’RE BASHING \”GLEE\”!
Seriously, the comparison makes sense. None of the songs in the movies were original, so a TV series based on the characters would certainly work (if not have to be) \”Glee-ish\”.
I wish Dan Aykroyd would do more movies. We see too little of him. He is still sadly underrated and underappreciated even after all these years. He should have joined the A-list years ago. So, I hope he does more mainstream movies from now on, tries to reach his full potential as an actor and tries to win an Oscar.