To George Lucas: 6 Ways to Make the Star Wars TV Series Great

You're a genius. An absolute genius. And I'm sure you want to maintain your reputation.

You made American Graffiti - which is classic movie - and followed that up with the original Star Wars Trilogy. In so doing, you established yourself as one of the premier movie makers of all time. Not only were your flicks box office smashes, but they were also critically acclaimed.

Then came the prequel Star Wars Trilogy. Many of your fans were disappointed. They said this set didn't measure up to the first three. They may not have been as good, but they were still better than most of the crap Hollywood spews out.

But Mr. Lucas, I'm sure that in your heart of hearts, you know the Star Wars prequels weren't even close to being as good - that they may have tarnished the legacy of the original Star Wars Trilogy and, perhaps, even that of George Lucas himself.

I'm a Star Wars nerd, Mr. Lucas, and when I read that you were planning a TV series based on your movie franchise, I had mixed feelings. I wanted to know if there more of the story you wanted to tell - or is this just a money grab? We've seen Darth Vader as a child, a villain and redeemed Jedi ghost. Is there more to the story? Or is this just a way to milk more money from Star Wars fans like me without re-re-re-releasing yet another "special edition" of your movies?

The good news, George Lucas, is that I'm here to help you. I want to give you a few ideas on how to make the small-screen Star Wars saga great:

1) Kill Jar-Jar. Yes, Star Wars nerds like me know he's your favorite character of the movie series. But frankly, most everyone else finds him...well...annoying. Kill Jar-Jar in the first episode of the Star Wars TV series to let everyone know you mean business. Or, if you prefer, kill him off during sweeps - it's sure to be a ratings behemoth.

2) Cameos. You made Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher stars. You made them celebrities. You made them rich. They owe you. Tap them for cameo appearances on your new Star Wars television series. Big-name celebrity cameos are ratings goldmines - just look at how it helped Friends and Will & Grace. Heck, even Billie D. Williams would be good for the series.

3) Make it Lando-centric. That's right, Mr. Lucas - make the show about Lando Calrissian in Cloud City. Instead of having him in an occasional cameo, make him the focal point. Billie D. Williams smacks of cool. He could be the centerpiece of your new Star Wars TV series. Goodness knows he has the charisma. Besides, this guy never ages - he could reprise his character at the same age he was in the movies.

4) Trust writers. Most of us have watched Star Wars over and over. We've bought the box sets and the re-re-released versions. But Mr. Lucas, that is due to the plot and character development - not the dialog. Actually, it's in spite of the dialog. Hire quality writers to flesh out your concepts and put words in the actors' mouths. Trust your writers to treat your Star Wars TV characters with respect. This will help many regain respect for the franchise.

5) Characters. Look, Mr. Lucas, we bought into the Ewoks and Wookies thing during the original Star Wars Trilogy. But they weren't primary characters. When Jar-Jar took a starring role in Episode I, it was painfully obvious that virtual characters need to be used with caution (and the annoying ones should be killed off, as previously mentioned).

6) More on characters. We don't need to see bad-ass Star Wars villains as mop-top children. We really don't. Nor do we need to see them as sniveling teens. If you're dealing with Boba Fett, for instance, make him a bounty hunter - not a sniveling mop-topped clone. If you're dealing with Han Solo's youth, make him a wisecracking smart ass who does what he needs to to get by - not a lovelorn adolescent embroiled in teenage drama and angst. Don't make your Star Wars TV series "Smallville" set in space. Don't make it 90210 with special effects. You get the idea.

Mr. Lucas, I applaud you for considering a small screen conversion for Star Wars. This could help promote your movie franchise and add to your already stellar reputation. Heck - in some circles, it could even help rebuild your reputation. Just put my suggestions to good use.

Thanks, and may the force be with you.