After reading the book "Wicked" and watching the TV miniseries "Tin Man", I can definitively say that the latter is a much more exciting experience than the former.While "Wicked" tries to fit itself into the Wizard of Oz cannon (and fails miserably in the process), "Tin Man" is more of a re-imagining of the Oz universe (think the 2001 version of "Planet of the Apes", but much better). A young girl named DG finds herself whisked away into a strange land called the Outer Zone, where she quickly meets a man who had his brain surgically removed (Glitch), a former police officer of the O.Z. Tin Man force (Cain), and a very hairy telepathic animal (Raw). The group, just trying to figure out what the heck is going on, is continually thwarted by Azkadelia, the evil ruler of the O.Z.Just from that brief description, it is clear that the key elements of the original "Oz" are in place, just a little stranger. However, where the series really succeeds is in its ability to mend both a tribute to "Oz", and creating its own unique storyline. Throughout the film, subtle little nods are given to the original cannon (think Superman Returns), while the main new protagonists embark on their own unique journey. Plus, by the end of the journey, the entire adventure actually finds its place quite nicely WITHIN the Oz cannon, not feeling pretentious (like "Wicked") or completely out of place.About the only "problem" with this series is its long runtime, which inevitably led to a few moments of tedium. All in all, though, this is fantastic Oz-related fiction that carves out its own little niche in the cannon material.

This is one of those movies that can be broadcasted on TV by means of a mini series. It is indeed the Wizard of Oz retold but there are a lot of changes and it is much darker. The people who know the original story will certainly recognize the many references to it even if this one has a complete different story. It's not really suited for children, too dark but really refreshing too. All of the main characters of the original story are there: the scarecrow, the tin man, the cowardly lion, even Toto and of course Dorothy. They are all there in a different form than what we remember from the original story. But still you recognize the original characters in them, which is good. The story is truly more captivating and elaborate than the original, and the characters are worked out well. The story and its characters have a lot of depth which should be normal considering the length. I do remember movies however that were long but still put less effort in plot and characters background. This one makes good use of the length. I could rave on about everything that is good about it. I think it's a must see for everyone who likes Wizard of Oz.

You could call it an obsession: I have fourteen of the original Oz children's books, a signed glossy from one of the actual Munchkins, a signed poster of the Broadway play 'Wicked' (which I've seen twice), the DVD release of 'The Wiz', and once I raise enough money I'll buy the DVD release of the original Wizard of OZ complete with classic black & white films done by the original Oz creator L. Frank Baum. So, when I say this was a good series, you can trust my judgment.A lot of weird interpretations have come out since the MGM film such as 'The Muppet's Wizard of Oz' and, god forgive us all, 'Lost Girls', but this film was actually respectful of the basic story and idea. Sure the story's a little shaky and the effects are sub-par but it's more than I expect from the infamously bad TV movie producing SciFi channel. It builds its own world while staying true to the form and I respect that.

Tin Man is an interesting update of the old Wizard of Oz story, with special effects and acting well above the Sci-Fi Channel's usual low standards. It is more akin to Battlestar Galactica (although not quite as good) than to their creature features. Zooey Deschanel, Kathleen Robertson, and Alan Cumming all turn in good performances, although Richard Dreyfuss fans should be warned that his role is smaller than advertised.The plot overall is well written, although at times rather predictable, especially in the third episode. There are some issues with the dialogue though, with some genuinely flat lines scattered throughout the series.In terms of younger fans of Baum, the plot might be a bit dark for the under ten set, but should be enjoyable for older kids, particularly teenagers with a taste for the bizarre.