Tin Man

Tin Man is a refreshing spin on the iconic 1939 movie titled 'The Wizard of Oz'; a reimagination rooted in a tale as old as time. This three-part, a six-hour long television miniseries manufactured by RHI Entertainment and broadcasted by Sci-Fi Channel was launched in December of 2007 with a captivating blend of two genres - fantasy and adventure.

Across its three-part span, the series entrusts the viewers with a grand journey, echoing the familiar tone of the beloved story in Oz, but with an updated modern-day twist. The show’s title 'Tin Man' gives a respectful nod to one of the original story's characters, while promising to retain the essence of the original tale but with unexpected surprises along the way.

In a letter-perfect casting, Zooey Deschanel stars as DG, the series' version of the Dorothy Gale we all know and love. She effectively captures the effervescence of a waitress unsettled by unexplainable visions and vowing to escape her humdrum small-town life, unknowingly getting catapulted into a grand scheme in a dystopian otherworld named the Outer Zone, or 'O.Z.', as it is referred to in the series.

Opposite to Deschanel, Alan Cumming plays the part of the Scarecrow figure, Glitch, a timid but sweetly eccentric character forgetting his past life due to his missing brain. Neal McDonough's Cain, the Tin Man, is an ex-cop wrestling with his dark past and a thirst for vengeance, the role providing a sturdy, toughened counter to Glitch’s amiable nature.

Raoul Trujillo, as the mystic Raw, the Cowardly Lion's counterpart, balances his part well between exhibiting an introverted demeanor and displaying essential bravery. Kathleen Robertson, in the role of the wickedly alluring sorceress Azkadellia, breathes life into the character depicting a temptress with a sparkle of mischief. Digitally animated beings and Richard Dreyfuss’s endearing performance as the former wizard further paints the canvas of the fantastical realm.

The show's balance of familiar and new continues beyond its characters into the very land of the O.Z., which provides a contemporary but still fantastical counterpart to the original 'Oz' from L. Frank Baum's renowned book. Here, magic and advanced technology thrive side by side, and wicked witches control the seedy underbelly with an iron fist.

Tin Man consistently draws parallels with the original 'Wizard of Oz', transforming its universally recognized components like the yellow brick road, flying monkeys, and Dorothy's companions into novel, fresh context, seamlessly integrating the classic narrative into the redesigned storyline.

It is a testament to the creators, directors, and artists' ambition who wove the tapestry of this show that despite being filled with vast and varying landscapes, complex cityscapes, and numerous set pieces, the world of the Oz manages to feel unified and cohesive.

With a narrative that is darker and deeper than its source material, Tin Man takes viewers on a post-apocalyptic trek through a world known but set in an unfamiliar light. It is a world, which while nodding to the past, is simultaneously forward-looking, a place where avatars from days gone by are reimagined into a compelling new guise. The show, while maintaining the innocence of the original fairytale, isn’t afraid to expose the darker sides of its characters and the world they inhabit.

Audiences get to follow DG and her companions across the territories of this mystical and technologically advanced world, growing with them as they learn about their pasts, their destinies, and ultimately, themselves. Throughout their journey, they are pursued by Robertson's bewitching character Azkadellia, who, with her calculated coolness and dark presence, brings an edge to the story.

The tale flows with the steady tempo of mystery and adventure, appendaged with relatively mature themes and emotionally complex characters, forming an engaging, layered narrative. It has moments of lightheartedness, botheration, and a grasp of a rich mythology that gives it a fairy-tale sheen but also gives the characters, and their situations, a genuine sense of urgency and gravity.

On the whole, Tin Man’s larger-than-life visuals and ambitious storyline mark it as a rewarding reimagining that’s far from mere nostalgia, but rather a re-contextualization that honors the timeless classic and makes it relevant for a brand new audience. Combining a quirky form of humor with a reinvented fantasy adventure, Tin Man proves itself a high-stakes, high-concept endeavor full of heart, emotion, and trial; inviting its audience to revisit a world they thought they knew, and leave with a twist-filled tale they won't soon forget.