Posted in: Movies, TV | Tagged: dynamite, entertainment, film, HBO, peter milligan, Piotr Kowalski, Terminal Hero

Why I Think HBO Needs A Terminal Hero

I'm going to play producer again, looking at comic book series that I think could make the jump to other media. And this time I'm thinking about HBO. They had a hit with True Detective but failed to reach the same level of success with the second season. I like the format of a eight episode series and I think the fact we all thought it was a one-and-done gave it a sense of urgency that wasn't there in season two.

What if they kept the format, and found a edgy and dark comic series that they could do in six to eight episodes. One that touched on the concept of a superhero but is very grounded in reality. One that starts off with the hero in a very dark place… like dying.

Terminal Hero was one of my favorite comics series from 2014. The story by Peter Milligan and Piotr Kowalski showed the story of a man who had everything, was going to lose it all and then had his world turned up-side-down. Rory is a young doctor diagnosed with an inoperable brain cancer. He agrees to an experimental treatment that gives him powers and eliminates his inhibitions. It has the feel of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde mixed with a dark, superhuman story that includes covert government agencies and people doing very bad things.

This is the type of story that only HBO or one of the pay channels could do well. Keep it to only six to eight episodes and to only one season. Give the viewers the idea that everything is on the table. You're holding nothing back for season two.

Cast a somewhat young, good looking actor as Rory. Someone like Matt Bomer who viewers will like immediately, they will feel horrible when he is diagnosed and they will be shocked when he changes… but they will keep pulling for him to win in the end. And then you don't hold back. You take what they did on the printed page and your turn it up to eleven. Making his actions more extreme.

And if nothing else, Terminal Hero is a great name for a series.

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