Infamous producer Rick McCallum recently announced that the planned Star Wars television show (not The Clone Wars) is still underway and is entitled Star Wars: Underworld. As long as Lucas keeps out of the creative process, it should actually be good, right?

Or maybe not. McCallum said that 50 scripts were written for the show but production halted because of effects technology. It’s simply too expensive to achieve the level of effects they want on the show.

Why worry about compelling characters and plot in a television show when the effects could be comparable to a movie? The George Lucas syndrome lives on.

Speaking of plot, here’s what McCaulum had to say:

“Basically, it is like The Godfather; it’s the Empire slowly building up its power base around the galaxy, what happens in Coruscant, which is the major capital, and it’s a group of underground bosses who live there and control drugs, prostitution.”

Sounds like a  great show for the children — wait, that is the targeted audience, right? Lucas was pretty hellbent that is the case with Star Wars in general.

Star Wars: Underworld sounds like it’ll be one hell of a train wreck. Effects heavy but focus on crime lords; drugs and prostitution in a franchise the creator said is geared towards children.

I have a bad feeling about this.