The Return of Flash Gordon

Flash Gordon, the classic space adventurer who first appeared in a comic strip in 1934, is about to resurface in 21st century form. This Friday, a new, eponymous TV series will premier on the SciFi channel.

The fact that Flash Gordon will appear on the SciFi channel tells us absolutely nothing about the potential quality of the show, since the network is home to intelligent hits like Battlestar Galactica along with a host of egregious B-movies about crazed scientists and their monstrous creations.

In this latest incarnation Flash is a marathoner and the son of a scientist—not a star quarterback for the New York Jets, as he was in the 1980 movie. Apparently, his Dad died while trying to create a tear in the fabric of spacetime. When the show picks up, his father's former assistant, Dr. Hans Zarkov, warns Flash of a "transdimensional rift" in the structure of the universe. And at least one season's worth of interstellar adventures ensue. Sound like a B-movie? Or Battlestar-esque brilliance? We'll find out starting tomorrow.—Gregory Mone