The interminable community talent show that is American television at the moment has already produced endless variations on the '80s TV hit Fame, so the idea that someone would be interested in remaking it stands to reason, before breaking into an elaborately choreographed dance to reason. And not surprisingly, the idea hails from Nigel Lythgoe, the American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance producer who's arguably done the most to turn the country into a never-ending high school musical without even being so kind as to provide watered-down orange drink. In what will be at least the fourth official iteration of Fame (including MGM's original 1980 movie and the little-loved 2009 big-screen remake) and the umpteenth unofficial iteration (including Glee, Smash, etc.), Lythgoe will develop a contemporary and, yes, "gritty" take on the story of a group of performing arts students just trying to make it in the entertainment business, which should be pretty easy for them considering that—thanks to Lythgoe—there are now approximately five dozen reality shows they could just go audition for.
Join the discussion...