After Amazon gave us their thought-provoking adaptation of The Man in the High Castle, we were hoping that we might get more Philip K. Dick on television, and now our wish has come true! At least, in this reality. Ronald D. Moore, late of Outlander and Battlestar Galactica, and Bryan Cranston, late of Breaking Bad, will bring a 10-part miniseries, Electric Dreams: The World of Philip K. Dick, to Britain’s Channel 4!
Moore will write the series, and act as executive producer along with Michael Dinner (who has previously worked on Justified and Masters of Sex) and Cranston will produce in addition to starring in the series. Plus, Dick’s daughter Isa Dick Hackett will produce, as she has on The Adjustment Bureau and The Man in the High Castle. Channel 4 released a statement saying:
Each episode will be a sharp, thrilling standalone drama adapted and contemporised for global audiences by a creative team of British and American writers. The series will both illustrate Philip K. Dick’s prophetic vision and celebrate the enduring appeal of the prized Sci-Fi novelist’s work.
We’re intrigued by the idea that they’re “contemporizing” the stories. After the perfectly-detailed period piece of MITHC, it will be interesting to see how they adapt Dick’s ideas to our current era…or perhaps the interesting thing will be to see just how Dickian our current era has become. Bryan Cranston weighed in with a stellar pun, saying, “This is an electric dream come true. We are so thrilled to be able to explore and expand upon the evergreen themes found in the incredible work of this literary master.” and Moore called Dick’s stories “a treasure-trove of material for artists to draw from.”
The drama will premiere on Channel 4 in the UK and will be distributed internationally by Sony Pictures Television. You can read the full press release here, and in the meantime, feel free to question the reality of Channel 4, your television, Bryan Cranston, and your own existence.
