Charlie’s Angels to return?

American broadcaster ABC could be about to commission a pilot episode for a modern version of the 1970s series Charlie’s Angels. The Aaron Spelling series was hugely popular with audiences in the 1970s and featured on three female private detectives who worked for the mysterious Charlie.

 

ABC is close to giving a pilot order for a new series of Charlie’s Angels, the classic 1970s detective series about three female private detectives who work for the mysterious Charlie. The pilot would be for a modern version of the series and not a continuation but would pay homage to the original while reworking things for a ‘modern’ audience. According to Variety Josh Friedman is onboard to write the pilot and also act as executive producer. Friedman’s most recent work was for Fox’s The Sarah Connor Chronicles which was canned by the network after poor ratings.

 

Working alongside Friedman on the pilot are original Charlie’s Angels producer Leonard Goldberg and Drew Barrymore who was one of the stars, and also producer, of the two film versions made earlier this decade. Charlie’s Angels is the latest popular series from the past to be revived by broadcasters. 1980’s soap Dallas was recently tipped for a return with a brand new series while cult show V returned to screens last week in America in ‘re-imaged’ form. Other shows to be revived but with less success include Knight Rider, Bionic Woman and Melrose Place. 

 

Charlie’s Angels has been tipped for revival several times before with Aaron Spelling attempting to launch a revival series in 1988. Spelling attempted to launch a new series named Angels 88 and although limited casting took place the project never really took off. Following the two film versions in the first part of the decade another revival was tried in 2004 for ABC itself but it too was never given the green-light. 

 

The original series of Charlie’s Angels starred Jaclyn Smith, Kate Jackson and Farrah Fawcett – who sadly passed away earlier this year following a battle with cancer. Fawcett left the series after one season and was replaced by Cheryl Ladd. Later seasons saw Shelley Hack and Tanya Roberts added to the cast. Although the character of Charlie was never seen he was heard and he was played by John Forsythe who would be cast in another of Spelling’s series, Dynasty.