Remington Steele in the 21st Century: What Would the Show Be Like Today?

[Rhondinella]

While this show certainly has timeless elements, as many have noted, there are also a number of things that mark it as clearly belonging to an earlier time in television history.  Someone was speculating on another thread about how this show would be different if it were created today rather than 30 years ago.  So let's talk about that.

First of all, the "would they won't they" would probably have been dragged out even longer (assuming the show had lasted longer) cause that's what we do these days.  In fact, they probably would have brought in at least a couple of other guys competing for Laura to create a love triangle.

Of course, the entire premise of the show wouldn't probably fly today, at least as it was then.  The idea of a woman not being respected in a profession so she creates a fictional man to hide behind struck me as a little outdated even in 1982; I think today it would be positively ante-diluvian, even if women still don't get as much respect as men in certain fields.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I heard, and there were talks about how they are "rebooting" this show, but as a sitcom--30 minutes, and that the main character is Laura's daughter? I remember yelling a Big, Fat, No!

Totally agree that if this show were made today, they'd bring in another guy or two. What I loved about the original was that though Murphy had feelings for Laura, she cut him off, and told him she didn't have those feelings for him? Today? They'd probably hem and haw and have some ridonkulous triangle.  And frankly, I don't want any kind of reboot of this show made. I'm stubborn that way.

[BkWurm1]

The idea of a woman not being respected in a profession so she creates a fictional man to hide behind struck me as a little outdated even in 1982; I think today it would be positively ante-diluvian, even if women still don't get as much respect as men in certain fields.

 

I contemplated this issue back when there were brief talks about it being rebooted as a movie (with PB taking the lead again)  The idea was eventually scrapped probably for a lot of good reasons but the one I heard most often was that a woman needing a man to pose a figure head is way too outdated.

The answer seemed simple to me.  She needs a figurehead for the business for another reason. Something as simple as ruined credit could get the job done (all the fault of that no good Wilson!)  Maybe in the middle of all her plans she has to declare bankruptcy and in a moment of desperation makes up a name to go on the lease papers.

Or maybe she got caught up in a scandal and her name is mud and can't even get hired so she puts out her shingle but no one comes knocking on her door.  Cue the figure head.  The scandal that robbed her of her good name could even be that ongoing series mystery (along with who is Remington Steele)

Take it a step further lets say the scandal resulted in her getting wrongly convicted of a felony.  If she's convicted of a felony, then she wouldn't even be allowed to get a license.  Even if she hadn't, she can't get a license if she isn't able to provide a :

certification by each of three reputable citizens of the commonwealth residing in the community in which the applicant resides or has a place of business, or in which the applicant proposes to conduct his business, that he has personally known the applicant for at least three years, that he has read the application and believes each of the statements made therein to be true, that he is not related to the applicant by blood or marriage, and that the applicant is honest and of good moral character

 

So IMO the reason why she would need to create a figurehead wouldn't be a problem.

The second hurdle involves bringing a fake person to legal life and that is where Bernice steps in.  Obviously she has to be cast as Laura's BFF from high school or college or maybe even a sister (doesn't matter, just someone super close and trustworthy) Bernice (who would now never be named Bernice) would just happen to be some kind of computer hacker wiz.  Maybe she's on the prowl like the original version or maybe some brooding fake goth.   

I don't think much would change about Murphy except that he probably would have a chance to win Laura's heart...right before he goes evil or is reveal to be the one that framed Laura!!! Dun, dun, dun!!

And all this before he walked in with his blue eyes and his mysterious past.  Yeah, good show. 

Actually I'm surprised they haven't tried to make that show. 

[Starscream]

Number one, is that they'd have to have some sort of nemesis that would appear regualrly, particularly during sweeps. 

 

Laura would be a disgraced cop or lawyer who was framed, possibly by the nemesis.

 

Murphy would be one of Laura's former colleagues who never lost faith in her and either be a true player for her heart or gay.

 

Bernice/Mildred would be a sassy woman of color and constanly involved in cases.

 

Mr. Steele's past would be an even bigger part of the story than it was in the original.  He'd probably be a widower with a dead child as well.

 

 

That doesn't sound all that bad, actually.  Cliches are cliches for a reason, I guess.

[BkWurm1]

Yeah. I'd watch.

Since this is a reboot, they'd have to make certain to include lots of movie references. I'd prefer they stuck to the old classics still but every once and a while a Transformers allusion would probably work it's way in as well.

In addition to the big bad nemesis, there would also be someone constantly coming close to exposing the truth about the head of The Remington Steele Agency. Cue some screwball comedy like scenes.

Edited July 3, 2014 by BkWurm1

[BkWurm1]

I heard, and there were talks about how they are "rebooting" this show, but as a sitcom--30 minutes, and that the main character is Laura's daughter? I remember yelling a Big, Fat, No!

 

 I'd forgotten about the talks to do the reboot.  I can not say just how relieved I am that someone in charge also decided to give it a big, fat, NO! 

Edited December 7, 2015 by BkWurm1

[Sarah 103]

On April 3, 2014 at 3:52 PM, BkWurm1 said:

The answer seemed simple to me.  She needs a figurehead for the business for another reason. Something as simple as ruined credit could get the job done (all the fault of that no good Wilson!)  Maybe in the middle of all her plans she has to declare bankruptcy and in a moment of desperation makes up a name to go on the lease papers. Or maybe she got caught up in a scandal and her name is mud and can't even get hired so she puts out her shingle but no one comes knocking on her door.  Cue the figure head.  The scandal that robbed her of her good name could even be that ongoing series mystery (along with who is Remington Steele)

All of this works for me. I think she has to have a license, because a big part of the series was that she was formally trained and he was not. 

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The second hurdle involves bringing a fake person to legal life and that is where Bernice steps in.  Obviously she has to be cast as Laura's BFF from high school or college or maybe even a sister (doesn't matter, just someone super close and trustworthy) Bernice (who would now never be named Bernice) would just happen to be some kind of computer hacker wiz.  Maybe she's on the prowl like the original version or maybe some brooding fake goth.   

The computer wiz/hacker knows the secret. There is another person who works at the office who does not know that Remington Steele is only a figure head. 

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I don't think much would change about Murphy except that he probably would have a chance to win Laura's heart...right before he goes evil or is reveal to be the one that framed Laura!!! Dun, dun, dun!!

And all this before he walked in with his blue eyes and his mysterious past.  Yeah, good show. 

Actually I'm surprised they haven't tried to make that show. 

This version of the show could be pretty good.

On July 3, 2014 at 1:18 PM, BkWurm1 said:

Since this is a reboot, they'd have to make certain to include lots of movie references. I'd prefer they stuck to the old classics still but every once and a while a Transformers allusion would probably work it's way in as well.

In addition to the big bad nemesis, there would also be someone constantly coming close to exposing the truth about the head of The Remington Steele Agency. Cue some screwball comedy like scenes.

. All of this works for me. You have to keep the movie references and they have to be at least 20-30 years old too. 

[BkWurm1]

On 1/4/2018 at 11:59 PM, Sarah 103 said:

I think she has to have a license, because a big part of the series was that she was formally trained and he was not. 

I'd prefer she has the license but depending on how long one has to be trained before they can apply for a license they could technically have her have all the formal training but not the official license, at least not initially, as long as it's clear she should have been allowed to have the license. 

 

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The second hurdle involves bringing a fake person to legal life and that is where Bernice steps in.  Obviously she has to be cast as Laura's BFF from high school or college or maybe even a sister (doesn't matter, just someone super close and trustworthy) Bernice (who would now never be named Bernice) would just happen to be some kind of computer hacker wiz.  Maybe she's on the prowl like the original version or maybe some brooding fake goth.   

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The computer wiz/hacker knows the secret. There is another person who works at the office who does not know that Remington Steele is only a figure head. 

I now had a slightly different thought about this.  They still would need someone like Bernice in the office that knows the truth about Steele but she wouldn't have to be the computer wiz that could bring him to legal life.  Initially, Laura's plan to use a figurehead wouldn't have to go so far as to convince the government he is real.  If she was just presenting a fiction on a business card or as the name of the agency, she wouldn't have to go so far to make him real.  BUT what if the mysterious stranger con man/jewel thief is the master hacker? What if HE'S the one that suddenly brings Remington Steele to life in all the databases?  What if that's how he really sneaks control, that she can't prove he's lying because now the records all have his name on them and what before she was letting clients assume (that this Remington Steele on the invoices was the founder of the agency) now looks true.  

To make our guy want to stay and insert himself into her life, lets add in a need for him to hide from something and the best way is to hide out in the open with all the proof that makes it look like he couldn't possibly have been the faceless conman hacker that caused so much trouble (probably stole something, perhaps one of the Royal Lavulite gemstones is actually an advanced crystal information storage device with deadly secrets) that someone is out to kill him.  

So we'd have whatever scandal wrongly dragged Laura's name through the mud (maybe she has to avenge her father's death as part of that), the big bads that Steele is hiding from and why, and the truth of his mysterious past.  Plus all the one and done stand-alone mysteries. This show could run for a decade!  Some tv producer steal this idea from me asap!

Edited January 13, 2018 by BkWurm1

[Sarah 103]

2 hours ago, BkWurm1 said:

I'd prefer she has the license but depending on how long one has to be trained before they can apply for a license they could technically have her have all the formal training but not the official license, at least not initially, as long as it's clear she should have been allowed to have the license. 

I like your original idea. She has the license but for one reason or another no one will hire her. 

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BUT what if the mysterious stranger con man/jewel thief is the master hacker? What if HE'S the one that suddenly brings Remington Steele to life in all the databases?  What if that's how he really sneaks control, that she can't prove he's lying because now the records all have his name on them and what before she was letting clients assume (that this Remington Steele on the invoices was the founder of the agency) now looks true.  To make our guy want to stay and insert himself into her life, lets add in a need for him to hide from something and the best way is to hide out in the open with all the proof that makes it look like he couldn't possibly have been the faceless conman hacker that caused so much trouble (probably stole something, perhaps one of the Royal Lavulite gemstones is actually an advanced crystal information storage device with deadly secrets) that someone is out to kill him.  

Most of this works for me. I don't think you need the part about the gemstones being high-tech. Remingston Steele could be an all around thief, conman, and hacker.  

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So we'd have whatever scandal wrongly dragged Laura's name through the mud (maybe she has to avenge her father's death as part of that), the big bads that Steele is hiding from and why, and the truth of his mysterious past.  Plus all the one and done stand-alone mysteries. This show could run for a decade!  Some tv producer steal this idea from me asap!

If I were running a network, I'd greenlight this, expect for the part about avenging her father's death. That's too much like Castle and that ended up taking over the show in the later seasons.  

[BkWurm1]

10 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

Most of this works for me. I don't think you need the part about the gemstones being high-tech. Remingston Steele could be an all around thief, conman, and hacker.  

3

Lol.  I suppose someone could be after him just for stealing simple jewels but I liked the idea of him having something he didn't at first understand the significance of but you are right.  Turning one of the gems into a memory device is too much and since he'd have looked at it under the scope, silly to think he'd not notice.  Someone could just as easily have included a normal flashdrive in the same bag or box that held the jewels to accomplish the extra layer of mystery if need be.   

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If I were running a network, I'd greenlight this, expect for the part about avenging her father's death. That's too much like Castle and that ended up taking over the show in the later seasons.

 

I'd forgotten about Beckett avenging her mother's death.  Clearly I found it VERRY compelling and memorable, lol.  Let's switch it to him just being estranged.  That's more in keeping with the original show anyway and something I would have like explored the first time around.  

[andipandi]

I'm liking all these ideas for how the show could still have a fake figurehead, even if women today are much more accepted in "male" jobs like detective and business owner. I really like the Remington hacking his way in, and Laura having at least one confidant in the know. No Mildreds!

What if the business had been handed down from woman to woman detective for years?

[BkWurm1]

I liked how Laura started out with people in the know because we in the audience needed to understand how she worked and what was really going on, but only at first.  By the end of the season, they were redundant and I do think removing them improved the show going into season two because it then forced Laura to work with and rely on him when she otherwise might have continued to try to find work arounds when she was annoyed.  So the change in cast simplified how the cases were being handled and forced the leads together more.  

As time went further on, that need to force them together went away and then I loved Mildred being in the know and at first even switching sides, lol.  But I also liked that she forgave him and was a character that could love him without first coming to know him under a huge cloud of suspicion.  He ended up opening up to Mildred in ways he didn't or even couldn't with Laura.  So in turn, we in the audience got to know that side of him.  

For example, Steele at times let himself look bad in front of Laura without trying to explain or justify his actions.  Think the Santa Claus episode where he snagged the gun from Mildred and then was in a standoff from which he backed down from.  Laura didn't hold it against him and her acceptance and without casting judgment was a beautiful moment, but with Mildred, Steele was more willing to defend himself and he came clean about there not being bullets in the gun and that instead of it being anything close to cowardly in him not risking pulling the trigger, he'd saved Mildred's life and then faced a loaded gun down all on a bluff.  Their different relationships helped flesh his character out.  

So I can't say I'm against a Mildred on the show.  Plus, her slavish devotion was pretty funny in how it affected the power dynamic and the teasing nature of Laura and Remington's relationship.  It did have an expiration date and I'm glad they didn't drag it out any longer than they did but I think it helped rather than hurt the show in the long run. 

So this is my long-winded way of saying I think in a reboot, Laura can't have a separate support staff surrounding her for too long.  Maybe limit it only to the pilot even.  Or keep them around til the end of the season and then use their exit as a dramatic cliffhanger.  

Edited October 19, 2018 by BkWurm1

[andipandi]

It might be a matter of taste, or who you emphathized best with, but I always thought it kind of sucked that Laura no longer had friends and had this old lady catering to the guy stealing her cred.

However good point that Steele needed someone on his side too.

[BkWurm1]

It's interesting that neither Remington nor Laura really had any friends (except as the occasional guest star).  I mean, they "died" and both of their wills named Mildred and no one but those involved in a case showed up for a memorial, lol.  I was ok with Steele having his turn having someone in his corner  (Laura had two that first season) since really more than anything, they had each other in their corner in the long run.