Frakes Set To Helm 'Twilight Zone' Pilot

Jonathan Frakes (William Riker) has signed on to direct the pilot episode of UPN's revival of the sci-fi anthology series, The Twilight Zone.

Speaking in an interview to promote his new film 'Clockstoppers,' Frakes told the Sci-Fi Wire he was looking forward to the project, despite time pressures. "We have too little time," he said. "But it's going to be spectacular. Pen Densham wrote it, and I think it's got real style."

Enterprise network UPN ordered the new Twilight Zone pilot in February with a view to a fall debut if the series was picked up (story). The original ran on CBS from 1959-1965, winning three Hugo awards and a massive cult following in the process.

"The Twilight Zone [is] a franchise not unlike Star Trek that people have very fond specific memories of, and I think the opportunity to tell these kinds of stories that are [...] parables is very similar to what [Gene] Roddenberry's original Star Trek was like," Frakes said.

Apart from directing 'Clockstoppers,' which opens March 29, Frakes has also been busy serving as executive producer on UPN's alien drama Roswell. The troubled series is once again facing cancellation at the end of this season, but despite persistent rumours, UPN has not yet axed the show.

"There is no official word, and we're trying to find another home for it on another network," the producer said, revealing that the Sci-Fi Channel was one possible option.

UPN had been testing out two new half-hour comedies - As If and Random Years - in Roswell's Tuesday 9:00pm timeslot while the series was on hiatus this month. But trade paper Variety today reported both series were unceremoniously axed after debuting to poor ratings.

The original interview with Frakes can be found at the Sci-Fi Wire, while the Variety article is available here.

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