Yet another classic ’80s action movie is being revived as a TV show.
The First Down is Deadly was a four-movie action franchise about two former NFL players who become cops, but after being disillusioned by the corruption in the police force, they go on their own and travel the world solving crimes.
“TFDID was an iconic ’80s action series and we’re excited to bring it back,” said the franchise’s original creator Peter Gibson. “The chemistry and humour of Mike the smart-mouthed quarterback and Tyrell the no-nonsense defensive end was very entertaining, and the action set pieces were exhilarating.”
Gibson got the idea to continue the series (which ran from 1985 to 1992) after re-watching the first four movies.
“I’d forgotten than Mike and Tyrell both had kids at the end of the fourth movie. It got me thinking, ‘those kids would be in their 30s now, there could be a new story here’.”
After sealing a deal with Netflix (who already show the original movies), Gibson got to work writing a 10-episode season.
“The kids of Mike and Tyrell both played in the NFL, but injuries cut their careers short, so they become cops instead.”
Gibson has also responded to social media critics who cynically dismissed this as ‘another reboot’.
“It’s a revival, not a reboot for crying out loud! It’s a new story that continues on from the fourth movie. Nothing cynical about it at all! Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the original Mike and Tyrell back as the fathers, but there’s plenty of other cameos for fans of the original movies to enjoy.”
