History Series / FlashGordon

[[quoteright:333:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flash-gordon-2007_3844.jpg]]
''Flash Gordon'' (2007-2008) was a [[Creator/{{Syfy}} Sci-Fi Channel]] adaptation of [[ComicStrip/FlashGordon the comic strip of the same name]], incorporating material from previous adaptations. The plot follows Flash as he discovers a rift in space leading to the planet Mongo, ruled by an evil dictator who controls the planet's water supply.

The characters include:

* Steven "Flash" Gordon (Eric Johnson), whose scientist father died in a mysterious accident.
* Dale Arden (Gina Holden), a reporter and Flash's ex-girlfriend.
* Dr. Hans Zarkov (Jody Racicot), Flash's father's eccentric research assistant.
* Ming (John Ralston), ruler of Mongo (not officially called "The Merciless").
* Baylin (Karen Cliche), a bounty hunter from Mongo (a new character introduced for the series).
* Princess Aura (Anna van Hooft), Ming's daughter.

In the beginning, the show had a MonsterOfTheWeek format. After negative critical reactions, a mid-season {{retool}} shifted the focus to a Mongo-based story arc. Despite this effort, ''Flash Gordon'' was canceled after one season, ending on a cliffhanger.

For the earlier live-action Flash Gordon series, see ''Series/FlashGordon1954''.
----
!!Provides examples of:

* AfterTheEnd: At least as far as Mongo is concerned; Mongo's original civilization collapsed, leaving Ming to rebuild.
* AlienAmongUs: Baylin.
* AndManGrewProud: The original Mongo civilization was highly advanced to the point where they could set up a massive mining operation on their moon and build ''two more moons'' as processing centers. This eventually led to their downfall. An accident resulted in the planet being showered with a toxic mineral, killing the vast majority of the population and contaminating nearly all water supplies. Only a few million who managed to escape to one of the moons survived before returning to the planet. The current Mongo people remember the day of the accident as the Sorrow, which is commemorated every year.
* AppliedPhlebotinum: Ming controls Mongo's potable water supply.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: In the series finale, Ming dons a Patriot uniform and proceeds to kick Flash's ass.
** Barin, the leader of the Verden, is also a pretty good fighter. Better than Flash, at any rate. He is played by SteveBacic, after all.
* BerserkButton: Never say "Ming the Merciless" in front of Ming. He might just prove you right.
* BlackBestFriend: Nick. See also SocialCircleFiller.
* BlingOfWar: Ming trades in the faux-Mandarin robes for a flashy military uniform in this version.
** The uniform isn't just for show, as he proves himself to be a capable fighter in the GrandFinale.
* ChekhovMIA: Flash's father.
* CardboardPrison: At ''least'' four times.
** Lampshaded in an [[http://www.thewebsitez.com/cgi-bin/forum/Blah.pl?b-misctvshows/m-1181138996/ episode recap]], which jokes that Ming's dungeon will be renamed "The Mongo Inn", "for its liberal check-out policy"
* CoolClearWater: Do ''not'' drink water on Mongo unless it comes from the planet's only clear source, unless you want to turn into a Deviant, a mutated mindless monster.
* DistressedDude: The intro alone has at least four shots of our heroes captured.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Ming is a dictator who absolutely despises Deviants and will order a newborn's execution if his DNA contains traces of deviancy. [[spoiler:A later episode reveals that Ming himself is a Deviant]].
* EatTheBomb: Baylin neutralizes the alkaline components of a bomb using her highly acidic stomach acid. Even though the bomb didn't go off, they still used the standard [[ToiletHumor burp gag]] common to the trope, minus the fireball that usually comes with it.
* EnemyMine: Flash and friends forge an alliance with the queen of Frigia, [[spoiler: a polar region that has ice in quantities to jeopardize Ming's monopoly on potable water]].
* EvilChancellor: Rankol [[spoiler:(later subject to a HeelFaceTurn).]]
* EvilMinions: Ming's Patriot Guards.
* FishOutOfWater: A lot of the comedy on the show comes from Baylin's reactions to Earth.
* ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne: Flash himself, although he plays into it by continuing to search for his father once it's clear that Ming is intimidated by Flash's apparent fulfillment of prophecy. [[spoiler: Even when Rankol tries to convince Flash that his father is already dead ''for his own protection'' so he'll give up and stay on Earth.]]
* KlingonPromotion: Ming is dissapointed with Aura when she ''doesn't'' do it when he's incapacitated. In his mind, this indicates she's not fit to rule.
* LadyLand: The Omadrians are a female-only canton (with the only males being [[GroinAttack castrated]] to keep them docile) specializing in powerful herbal medicine. They are led by [[spoiler:Aura's mother]].
* MadScientist: Zarkov, as usual, but this time he's also the StalkerWithACrush (which is how he got fired from government research). The resulting character is creepier than the sum of its parts. Rankol also plays with this trope [[spoiler: which seems to be yet another layer in his {{Chessmaster}} strategy.]]
* MonsterOfTheWeek: The original format of the show. Something would come through from Mongo, and Flash and the others would have to either kills it or send it back, while keeping it a secret from everybody else.
* MrFanservice: '''Barin'''.
* MsFanservice: Princess Aura--''bathing in olive oil?''
* MundaneUtility: Ming's plan for the portal technology? Steal water from Earth.
* OfCorpseHesAlive: The body of a Patriot Guard accompanies our heroes back to Earth in one episode; to avoid suspicion this trope is invoked and PlayedForLaughs.
* OneWayVisor: Ming's guards.
* PoorMansSubstitute: Jonathan Lloyd Walker for Gary Oldman.
* RaceLift: The Ambiguously Asian Ming became 100% Caucasian.
* RedRightHand
* ReligionOfEvil: Averted. [[spoiler:The monks, who also secretly include Rankol, are actively working behind the scenes to undermine Ming's rule and assist Flash on multiple occasions.]]
* RemakeCameo: Sam Jones (the 1980s Flash) played a prisoner.
* SchizoTech: Mongo has managed to develop interdimensional travel without also developing ground transportation. Almost all travel on Mongo seems to be done on foot in this version. [[RememberedICouldFly Good thing Flash is an Olympic-level distance runner.]]
** Justified in that Ming does not want the people to have access to transportation that can be used against him. The few people who have automobiles are wealthy trade merchants.
*** Consider real-life communist nations. Only the wealthy and politically powerful had access to cars. While this policy certainly varied by nation, transportation was limited to the politically reliable (ministers) and when it was needed (police).
*** Even communist nations had buses and trains for the common masses, however. Ming's regime is deliberately inefficient.
** Also: Mongo has all kinds of advanced technology, including the above-mentioned interdimensional travel... but the ability to build water-treatment and purification plants has somehow eluded them?
** Justified in that his portal technology was created by an earth physicist who first created it himself and sent himself to Mongo accidentally. Using this physicist Ming was able to recreate the portal technology, and possibly also make the sci-fi weapon technology he uses, but it's unsurprising that the scientist didn't invent cars or water treatment plants for him. [[spoiler:Subverted in that the scientist did in fact invent a water treatment plant while there.]]
* SocialCircleFiller: Nick appears in only 4 out of 21 episodes, one of them being the pilot.
* StrawmanNewsMedia: Type 4. Both of the [[http://flashgordon.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_110:_Conspiracy_Theory TV stations]] shown are obsessed with ratings and Dale’s attempts to promote the value of integrity are ignored. Dales [[http://flashgordon.wikia.com/wiki/Susan_Glass competitor]] is the HotScoop.
** Dale can drop completely off the grid for days at a time without filing a story, checking in with her editor, or even turning in an expense report, and nobody thinks this is unusual.
* TooDumbToLive: Joe Wylee, the police detective, attempts to expose Mongo’s existence without reliable evidence and is surprised when he is suspended. Later he steals a rift key to gather evidence and nearly dies on Mongo.
** He never considers that his evidence will be viewed as a [[WeWillNotUsePhotoshopInTheFuture forgery]]. However, after traveling to Mongo he does say that he would not have believed the truth about the rift portals if he had not experienced it.
* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Ming actively tries to maintain his image as "the Benevolent Father", using propaganda campaigns, celebrations, grand public gestures, and other tools of a Third World dictator trying to look legit. He will give extra water to a sick girl, while ordering her father's execution with the same breath.
* WeWillNotUsePhotoshopInTheFuture: Used in an episode where Flash must discredit a recording of a rift portal before he turns it into a nation wide story.
* YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame: After [[spoiler:Ming]] is captured by LaResistance in the GrandFinale, he is being led to the gas chamber past his daughter and [[spoiler:son]]. When asked if his own daughter would execute her father, she tearfully replies that it's necessary. His reply? "Finally, a daughter I can be proud of." [[spoiler:He doesn't die]].

* EnemyMine: Flash and friends forge an alliance with the queen of Frigia, [[spoiler: a polar region which has ice in quantities to jeopardize Ming's monopoly on potable water]].

''Flash Gordon'' (2007-2008) was a SciFiChannel adaptation of [[ComicStrip/FlashGordon the comic strip of the same name]], incorporating material from previous adaptations. The plot follows Flash as he discovers a rift in space leading to the planet Mongo, ruled by an evil dictator who controls the planet's water supply.

* MythologyGag: Sam Jones (the 1980s Flash) played a prisoner.

* MrFanservice: '''Barin'''. Also, Vultan and the rest of the Dactyls.

* FishOutOfWater: A lot of the comedy on the show comes from Baylin's reactions to Earth.

* MonsterOfTheWeek: The original format of the show. Something would come through from Mongo, and Flash and the others would have to either kills it or send it back, while keeping it a secret from everybody else.

** '''Barin'''