Press Release from STARZ:

Below is a brand-new teaser for highly anticipated STARZ series, “Torchwood: Miracle Day” premiering on Friday, July 8 at 10pm ET/PT:

The series, featuring Bill Pullman and Mekhi Phifer as well as John Barrowman and Eve Myles (stars of the original BBC cult favorite), begins with a day when nobody dies. All across the world, nobody dies. And then the next day, and the next, and the next, people keep aging, they get hurt and sick, but they never die. The result: a population boom, overnight. With all the extra people, resources are finite. It’s said that in four month’s time, the human race will cease to be viable. But this can’t be a natural event – someone’s got to be behind it. It’s a race against time as C.I.A. agent Rex Matheson (Phifer) investigates a global conspiracy. The answers lie within an old, secret British institute. As Rex keeps asking “What is Torchwood?,” he’s drawn into a world of adventure, and a threat to change what it means to be human, forever.

Press release from HBO:

HBO RENEWS “GAME OF THRONES” FOR SECOND SEASON

LOS ANGELES, April 19, 2011 – Following strong critical and viewer response to the series’ April 17 debut, HBO has renewed GAME OF THRONES for a second season, it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming.

“We are delighted by the way David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have brought George R.R. Martin‘s amazing book series to the screen, and thrilled by the support of the media and our viewers,” said Lombardo. “This is the continuation of an exciting creative partnership.”

Based on the bestselling fantasy book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” by George R.R. Martin, GAME OF THRONES follows kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and noblemen as they vie for power in a land where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime.

Among the early critical raves, TV Guide has called the show “a crowning triumph” and “brilliant,” while the Los Angeles Times termed GAME OF THRONES “a great and thundering series,” as well as “wild and bewitching.” The Hollywood Reporter praised the “excellent storytelling, superb acting and stunning visual effects,” and the New York Post observed that the “art directing, acting and incredible sets are as breathtaking as the massive scope of the series.”

The gross audience for the premiere night of GAME OF THRONES on the main HBO channel was 4.2 million viewers.

The season one cast includes (in alphabetical order): Mark Addy, Alfie Allen, Sean Bean, Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Harry Lloyd, Richard Madden, Rory McCann, Jason Momoa, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams.

Season one credits: GAME OF THRONES is executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss; co-executive producers, Carolyn Strauss, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis, Ralph Vicinanza and George R.R. Martin; producers, Mark Huffam and Frank Doelger; directors of photography, Marco Pontecorvo, Alik Sakharov and Matt Jensen; production designer, Gemma Jackson; costume designer, Michele Clapton.

Castle is one of my favorite shows on TV right now. Not only because Nathan Fillion is just a great actor, but the writing is imaginative and witty (specially for a cop show). Now they have created a website based around the main character, here’s the press release from ABC.

Famous Mystery Writer Is Central Character for ABC’s Hit Series “Castle”

Famous mystery writer Richard Castle, author of the recent books “Naked Heat” and “Heat Wave,” has launched his own website – “RichardCastle.net” — today. Castle is the central character for the hit series “Castle,” which airs Mondays (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on ABC. A mention for this new website will be highlighted in tonight’s episode.

“RichardCastle.net” will be a living website that will be frequently updated with features, interviews and videos. Among the elements to be included are a home page newsfeed of the author’s adventures, a bibliography containing his books in print and earlier works “currently unavailable,” an ongoing bio that expands as events happen in his life and on the television screen, a shop section linking to Hyperion Books and a Q & A section where fans will be able to pose questions/get answers back.

“Castle” is produced by ABC Studios. Andrew Marlowe is the show’s creator/executive producer, along with executive producers Rob Bowman, David Amann, Laurie Zaks and Armyan Bernstein.

For more information on “Castle,” visit ABC.com

Press Release from SYFY:

NEW YORK – March 29, 2011 – John Rhys-Davies (Lord of the Rings, Star Trek: Voyager) and Joe Flanigan (Stargate: Atlantis, Warehouse 13) tackle creatures from another dimension, while Stephen Rea (V is for Vendetta, The Crying Game) confronts a deadly giant bird in the April Syfy Saturday Original Movie presentations.

In Ferocious Planet, premiering Saturday, April 9, at 9PM (ET/PT), an experimental device designed to view alternate universes malfunctions on its first demonstration, transporting a group of observers into a nightmarish new dimension. The team must use ingenuity and courage to outwit the bloodthirsty creatures of this bizarre world, while trying to repair the damaged machine and return home. Ferocious Planet stars John Rhys-Davies and Joe Flanigan.

Road Kill, premiering Saturday, April 23, at 9PM (ET/PT), features a group of friends on a scenic RV road trip through Ireland, whose cross-country adventure takes an unexpected turn when they accidentally run down an old gypsy woman. Before she dies, the woman curses them, summoning a giant bird of prey called a Simuroc to exterminate the young people, one by one. Road Kill stars Stephen Rea and Roisin Murphy (Johnny English, Grey’s Anatomy).

Both Ferocious Planet and Road Kill are productions of Parallel Films in association with MNG Films and distributed by RHI Entertainment.

Related articles

• Made-for-TV-movie producer RHI Entertainment emerging from Chapter 11 proceedings (latimesblogs.latimes.com)

Related articles

• MTV to Unleash Teen Wolf in June (dreadcentral.com)

Press Release from Comedy Central:

Emmy(R) Award-Winning Animated Comedy Series To Premiere Two Seasons Of 13 Episodes Beginning Summer 2012

Entire Original Voice Cast Returns

Upcoming 2011 “Season 6-B” Premieres On Thursday, June 23 At 10 P.M.

NEW YORK, March 28, 2011 — The future is looking bright for Fry, Leela and Bender! COMEDY CENTRAL and Twentieth Century Fox Television have announced today the pick-up of 26 new episodes (Seasons “7-A” and “7-B”) of Matt Groening and David X. Cohen‘s brilliantly subversive animated sci-fi comedy, “Futurama.” The announcement was made today by Twentieth Century Fox Television Chairmen Gary Newman and Dana Walden, and David Bernath, Executive Vice President, program strategy and multiplatform programming for COMEDY CENTRAL. The first installment of 13 new episodes will premiere in the summer of 2012, with the additional 13 new episodes to air the following summer of 2013 on COMEDY CENTRAL.

Seven years after its last original episode aired on Fox, the sixth season premiere of “Futurama” last June led COMEDY CENTRAL to its best Thursday prime ever among young men. The animated sci-fi comedy continued its out-of-this-world winning streak throughout the summer, averaging 2.5 million viewers each week, along with a 1.5 P18-49 rating, a 3.0 M18-34 rating and 3.3 M18-24 rating. In the social media realm, the “Futurama” Facebook fan base has grown from one million “likes” prior to its return last summer to over 11 million “likes” today, making it one of the top television sites on Facebook.

“Successfully bringing the show back last summer was gratifying enough,” said Bernath. “Now, being able to extend the series for two more years is beyond our expectations! The dedicated fans have spoken and we are excited to bring them ‘Futurama’ for the foreseeable future.”

“We’re very grateful to COMEDY CENTRAL and Twentieth Television for this show of support,” said Matt Groening and David X. Cohen. “Our entire staff will celebrate tonight by going out and getting even drunker.”

“Matt and David created one of the most brilliantly subversive animated comedies ever made in ‘Futurama’ and we consider its continued life on COMEDY CENTRAL to be a huge victory for this studio,” commented TCFTV Chairmen Dana Walden and Gary Newman. “This show is a tremendous labor of love for all concerned, from its talented voice cast to the incredible writers and animators who pour so much of themselves into every episode. And its fans are among the most loyal and passionate there are, so we’re especially pleased to be able to promise them many more original episodes to look forward to in the years ahead.”

The show’s entire original voice cast will be returning, including stars Billy West, Katey Sagal, and John DiMaggio. “It is my great honor to be back with all my friends and colleagues,” said West. “There’s nothing better.”

John DiMaggio commented, “Winner, winner, chicken dinner!”

“Futurama” was a staple of Fox’s Sunday night animation block from 1999 to 2003 before ceasing production on original episodes. In June 2006, COMEDY CENTRAL acquired the rights to the existing 72 episodes of the series, which the channel began airing in January 2008 and four recently-produced extended-length “Futurama” adventures: “Bender’s Big Score,” “The Beast with a Billion Backs,” “Bender’s Game” and “Into the Wild Green Yonder,” which enjoyed enormous success both on COMEDY CENTRAL and in DVD release. “Futurama” is only the second series in the history of the medium to go back into production based on the strength of its DVD sales and repeat airings on cable.

“Futurama” focuses on the life of Philip Fry (Billy West), a 25-year-old pizza delivery boy who accidentally freezes himself on December 31, 1999 and wakes up 1,000 years later with a fresh start at life and a “diverse” new group of friends including Leela (Katey Sagal), a tough but lovely one-eyed alien and Bender (John DiMaggio), a robot who possesses human characteristics and flaws. The series aired for five seasons on Fox (1999 to 2003) earning Emmy(R) nominations each season while winning three times, including “Outstanding Animated Program” in 2002.

“Futurama,” created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen, is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television, with Rough Draft Studios, Inc. contributing the animation.

20th Century Fox Television, a division of News Corp, is a leading supplier of entertainment content domestically and around the world.

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 98 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of Viacom Inc.’s (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL’s Internet address is www.comedycentral.com.

Related articles

• Hooray For Zoidberg!! Comedy Central Orders 26 More Episodes of FUTURAMA!! (aintitcool.com)
• ‘Futurama’ renewed for two more years! (insidetv.ew.com)

Press Release from STARZ TV:

STARZ announced today that “Torchwood: Miracle Day” will premiere on Friday, July 8th at 10pm ET/PT. The US installment of the BBC smash hit series will star Mekhi Phifer (“ER,” “Lie to Me”), Bill Pullman (Independence Day, The Grudge) and, in an extended guest role, Lauren Ambrose (“Six Feet Under,” The Other Woman) and is currently in production in Los Angeles.

Bill Pullman, who portrays Oswald Danes, a former school teacher and convicted child killer, and Phifer, join “Torchwood” alumni John Barrowman (Capt. Jack Harkness) and Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper) in the series. Also joining the cast are Alexa Havins (When in Rome, Fat Girls) as Esther Drummond, a deskbound CIA employee who dreams of active duty and who suddenly finds herself running alongside Jack, Gwen and Rex; and Arlene Tur (“Crash,” Eat Pray Love) as Dr. Vera Juarez, a Washington D.C. surgeon, who finds herself on the frontline of medical care on “Miracle Day” advising the government think-tanks on the best course of action for the world’s population.

Torchwood begins with a day when nobody dies. All across the world, nobody dies. And then the next day, and the next, and the next, people keep aging, they get hurt and sick, but they never die. The result: a population boom, overnight. With all the extra people, resources are finite. It’s said that in four month’s time, the human race will cease to be viable. But this can’t be a natural event – someone’s got to be behind it. It’s a race against time as C.I.A. agent Rex Matheson investigates a global conspiracy. The answers lie within an old, secret British institute. As Rex keeps asking “What is Torchwood?,” he’s drawn into a world of adventure, and a threat to change what it means to be human, forever.

Press Release from FOX:

FOX RENEWS “FRINGE” FOR FOURTH SEASON � IN BOTH UNIVERSES

FOX has renewed critically acclaimed thrilling drama FRINGE for a fourth season, it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Company.

“FRINGE has truly hit a creative stride and has distinguished itself as one of television’s most original programs. The series’ ingenious producers, amazingly talented cast and crew, as well as some of the most passionate and loyal fans on the planet, made this fourth-season pickup possible,” said Reilly. “When we moved the show to Fridays, we asked the fans to follow and they did. We’re thrilled to bring it back for another full season and keep it part of the FOX family.”

FRINGE co-creator and executive producer J.J. Abrams said, “We could not be happier that the fans of FRINGE (and our most excellent partners at FOX) have allowed us to continue telling stories from the fringe for another season!”

“This early pickup comes at a perfect time as we start production on the Season Three finale,” added FRINGE showrunners and executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman. “We join the cast and crew in thanking our loyal fans and FOX for allowing us to have this much fun telling stories we love.”

Since moving to Fridays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) in January, FRINGE is averaging a 2.2/7 among Adults 18-49 and has established itself as Friday’s No. 1 series in the core adult demographic.

The compelling third season continues tonight, Friday, March 25 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), on FOX. In the “Bloodline” episode, the intensity of life “over there” accelerates as a pregnant OLIVIA (Anna Torv) is kidnapped and finds herself in mortal danger. As the Fringe Division races against time to find her, agent LINCOLN LEE (guest star Seth Gabel) receives some heartbreaking news as WALTER (John Noble) stops at nothing to preserve the new branch of the Bishop family tree.

Created by J.J. Abrams & Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci, FRINGE is produced by Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Jeff Pinkner, J.H. Wyman and Joe Chappelle serve as executive producers, while Kurtzman, Orci and Akiva Goldsman are consulting producers. Additionally, Pinkner and Wyman serve as the series’ showrunners. Become a fan of the series on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fringe and follow the series on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fringeonfox (@fringeonfox).

Press Release:

Supernatural Drama is Syfy’s Most Female-Skewing Scripted Series Ever

NEW YORK – March 17, 2011 – Syfy is ordering a second season of its new hit drama series Being Human, it was announced today by Mark Stern President of Original Content, Syfy and Co-Head of Original Content, Universal Cable Productions. Since the show’s January 17 launch, premiere episodes of Being Human have averaged 1.8 million viewers making it Syfy’s most successful winter season scripted series launch in 6 years. Also, with women comprising 53% of the total audience for premiere episodes, it is the channel’s most female-skewing scripted series ever.

Through its first nine weeks on Syfy, and including repeat broadcasts, Being Human has been seen by 19.1 million total unique viewers.

“‘Being Human’ has proven to be a winner for Syfy on all fronts,” said Stern. “Using the original format as inspiration, showrunners/writers Jeremy Carver and Anna Fricke – along with a superlative team of writers, cast, and production – have created an amazing, compelling series in its own right. We can’t wait to watch Aidan, Josh and Sally continue their struggle to be human in the second season!”

Being Human stars Sam Witwer, Meaghan Rath, Sam Huntington and Mark Pellegrino and is a Muse Entertainment production in association with Zodiak USA. It is based on the acclaimed series, Being Human, created by Toby Whithouse and produced by Touchpaper Television, part of Zodiak Media Group.

In Being Human, leading everyday lives is a lot harder than it looks for three supernatural roommates – vampire Aidan (Witwer), ghost Sally (Rath) and werewolf Josh (Huntington) – who share their secrets and a Boston brownstone. Together they learn that there are fates worse than death and more to life – and the afterlife – than most “normal” humans could ever imagine.

Executive Producers are Michael Prupas (The Kennedys, Pillars of the Earth), Jeremy Carver (Supernatural) and Anna Fricke (Men in Trees, Everwood) who are both writers/showrunners, and Rob Pursey and Toby Whithouse. Irene Litinsky is series Producer and Adam Kane (The Mentalist, Heroes) is Co-Executive Producer.

Related articles

• “The American Version of Being Human Renewed for Second Season” and related posts (scificool.com)

Press Release:

NEW EPIC FAMILY ADVENTURE SERIES “TERRA NOVA” TO PREMIERE IN FALL 2011

The new epic family adventure series TERRA NOVA will now launch with its series premiere in fall 2011 on FOX, it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, President of Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company.

“TERRA NOVA is one of the most ambitious television series ever produced,” said Reilly. “The cutting-edge visual effects used to create the world of TERRA NOVA, which is of massive scope and scale, require more time to be realized. This aspect of the series is essential, so we are pushing back the special early preview date to give the visual effects team the time needed for their ground-breaking work.”

“The world of TERRA NOVA is visually stunning on multiple levels, and effects play an enormous part,” said executive producer René Echevarria. “Premiering in the fall will give us the proper time to create a world never before seen on television.”

An epic family adventure 85 million years in the making, TERRA NOVA follows an ordinary family embarking on an incredible journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a small part of a daring experiment to save the human race. In the year 2149 the world is dying. The planet is overdeveloped, overcrowded and overpolluted. With no known way to reverse the damage to the planet, scientists discover a portal to prehistoric Earth. This doorway leads to an amazing world, one that allows for a last-ditch effort to save the human race…a second chance to rebuild civilization and get it right this time.

The series centers on the Shannon family as they join the Tenth Pilgrimage of settlers to TERRA NOVA, the first colony established in this beautiful yet forbidding land led by its founder COMMANDER NATHANIEL TAYLOR (Stephen Lang, “Avatar”). JIM SHANNON (Jason O’Mara, “Life on Mars”), a devoted father with a checkered past, guides his family – wife ELISABETH (Shelley Conn, “Mistresses”); and children JOSH (Landon Liboiron, “Degrassi: The Next Generation”), MADDY (Naomi Scott, “Life Bites”) and ZOE (newcomer Alana Mansour) – through this new land of limitless beauty, mystery and terror. In addition to blue skies, towering waterfalls and lush vegetation, TERRA NOVA offers new opportunities and fresh beginnings to its recent arrivals, but the Shannons have brought with them a familial secret that may threaten their citizenship in this utopia. These adventurers soon discover that this healthy, vibrant world is not as idyllic as it initially appears. The areas surrounding TERRA NOVA are teeming with danger – and not just of the man-eating dinosaur variety. The Shannons will come to suspect that not everyone on this mission has the same idea of how to best save mankind; in fact, there may be forces intent on destroying this new world before it even begins.

TERRA NOVA is produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Chernin Entertainment, DreamWorks Television and Kapital Entertainment. Peter Chernin, Steven Spielberg, René Echevarria, Brannon Braga, Aaron Kaplan, Katherine Pope, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Jon Cassar, Craig Silverstein and Kelly Marcel serve as executive producers. Alex Graves serves as executive producer and directed the series premiere.

Press Release:
Please find attached the first image of Adrianne Palicki starring as the title character in the new NBC pilot “Wonder Woman,” from executive producer David E. Kelley (“Boston Legal,” “Ally McBeal,” NBC’s “Harry’s Law“). The pilot was written by Kelley, who also serves as executive producer with Bill D’Elia (“Boston Legal,” “The Practice,” NBC’s “Harry’s Law”). Jeffrey Reiner (“The Event”) is directing. Based upon DC Comics character, “Wonder Woman” is from David E. Kelley Productions and Warner Bros. Television. (C) 2011 NBC and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Justin Lubin

Related articles

• “First photo of Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman” and related posts (dcu.blog.dccomics.com)

Press release from HBO:

HBO PRESENTS THE 15-MINUTE “GAME OF THRONES” EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW APRIL 3

HBO will present – for the first time – a sneak peek of the first 15 minutes of the first episode of a new series when GAME OF THRONES EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW debuts SUNDAY, APRIL 3 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT). Following this one-time-only play, GAME OF THRONES EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW will be available immediately on hbo.com and HBO Go, and will be available on HBO On Demand beginning Monday, April 4.

The HBO presentation of GAME OF THRONES EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW will be followed by the debut of Part Three of the HBO Miniseries presentation MILDRED PIERCE at 9:15 p.m. (ET/PT).

Based on the popular book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” by George R.R. Martin, the fantasy series GAME OF THRONES chronicles an epic struggle for power set in a vast and violent fantasy kingdom. The ensemble cast includes Mark Addy, Sean Bean, Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Fairley, Lena Headey, Kit Harington and Aidan Gillen. The show was shot at the Paint Hall Studio in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as well as at various locations in Northern Ireland and Malta.

GAME OF THRONES launches its ten-episode season SUNDAY, APRIL 17, exclusively on HBO.

GAME OF THRONES was created by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss; executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss; co-executive producers, Carolyn Strauss, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis, Ralph Vicinanza and George R.R. Martin; producers, Mark Huffam and Frank Doelger.

Directors include Brian Kirk, Daniel Minahan, Alan Taylor and Tim Van Patten; writers include David Benioff & D.B. Weiss, Bryan Cogman, Jane Espenson and George R.R. Martin.

The final Stargate: Universe episodes are premiering March 7th. Sanctuary comes back on April 15th. And the 200th Syfy original movie shows up on Saturday March 26th.

NEW YORK – February 22, 2010 – The snow is melting and it is a new season for Syfy’s spring programming, including original episodes of hit series Destination Truth, Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files, Stargate Universe and Sanctuary. Syfy’s spring primetime schedule will also feature the premiere of the highly-anticipated Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen.

Upcoming popular Syfy Saturday Original Movies include Battle of Los Angeles and Scream of the Banshee. Banshee will mark a new milestone as Syfy’s 200th Saturday Original Movie!

Following are highlights of Syfy’s spring programming schedule (all times ET/PT):

Unscripted Programming

DESTINATION TRUTH – LIVE ST. PATRICKS DAY INVESTIGATION Thursday March 17, at 9PM – Syfy’s hit adventure reality series will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the show’s first-ever LIVE investigation! Host Josh Gates will take viewers to Ireland for the Season 4.5 premiere, where he and his team will brave the crumbling ruins of Duckett’s Grove Castle in search of the truth behind the legend of the banshee. Destination Truth then moves to a new night on Tuesday March 22, at 9PM for all new episodes. According to Irish legend, the banshee is a sign of impending death; a female ancestral spirit who wails around a house the night before someone inside is to meet their demise. Today, many County Carlow locals claim to have witnessed hearing the banshee’s unmistakable wail and seeing glimpses of an ethereal woman stalking the grounds of the 200 year-old historic ruins of Duckett’s Grove Castle. Armed with equipment, expertise and, as always, humor, Josh and team will attempt to solve the mystery behind this age-old legend. Josh’s return to Ireland marks the one-year anniversary of the series’ most-watched episode (featuring a hunt for the leprechaun that aired on St. Patrick’s Day 2010). Other adventures this season include tackling claims of spirits in Namibia, a sea monster in Cyprus and mysterious creatures in Panama and Argentina. Then, in another Destination Truth first, the team will trek to Antarctica, where strange phenomena occurring around abandoned research stations have stumped scientists. Now, the Destination Truth crew will brave the elements to conduct the world’s first paranormal investigation on the frozen continent, giving viewers a rare and unique glimpse at this rarely visited landscape…as well as, perhaps, a look into its past. Destination Truth is Executive Produced by Brad Kuhlman for Ping Pong Productions (1000 Places to See Before You Die, Celebrity Rehab, FM Nation). Josh Gates, Erin Ryder and Christopher Lore will serve as co-executive producers.

MARCEL’S QUANTUM KITCHEN – Series Premiere Tuesday March 22, at 10PM – Syfy unveils the future of food with a daring new hi-tech cooking series for the modern age, featuring Top Chef’s Marcel Vigneron, one of America’s most notorious chefs on the cutting edge of the culinary field. Chef Marcel pushes the limits of imagination with his bold style of cooking referred to as molecular gastronomy, which incorporates science into cuisine preparation. Follow Marcel as he embarks on the next phase of his career at the helm of his own catering and event company. In each one-hour episode, Marcel will be hired by a demanding client to produce and pull off extraordinary dishes and celebrations. Based on the clients’ requests, Marcel will have to dream up a menu and a spectacular execution of his ideas. He oversees the entire production, tapping the depths of his imagination and culinary talents to brainstorm everything from the decor to a delicious menu that emphasizes his unparalleled brand of molecular gastronomy. For his first event, a philanthropist hires Marcel to cater an elaborate event to increase awareness for the Wildlife Waystation, an exotic animal refuge and sanctuary. Marcel and his team create an amazing safari-themed party. The menu includes an edible map and “Himalayan Tiger’s Breath,” which is prepared using liquid nitrogen. He and the event planner bump heads over the event d�cor. But he will stop at nothing in order to pull off an evening filled with unforgettable dishes in a truly magical setting. Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen is produced by Mission Control Media. Dwight D. Smith, Michael Agbabian, Andrew Scheer and Dana Leiken Richards are Executive Producers.

FACT OR FAKED: PARANORMAL FILES – Season Two Premiere Wednesday March 23, at 10PM- A new season of Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files returns to Earth, premiering on Syfy on a new night after a brand new episode of Ghost Hunters. The team will continue with its mission to uncover the truth behind some of the most fascinating “paranormal” videos ever taken. The Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files team includes former FBI Special Agent Ben Hansen, lead scientist Bill Murphy, journalist Jael de Pardo, photography expert Chi-Lan Lieu, stunt expert Austin Porter and newest member tech expert Devin Marble. In the Season Two premiere episode “The Real Battle of LA / Queen Mary Menace,” the team investigates the mysterious case that many people believe marked the very beginning of UFO government cover-ups – the historic Battle of LA. Only a couple months after Pearl Harbor – an enemy aircraft was reported over Los Angeles, and the city erupted into a fiery battle that lasted for several hours. But almost seventy years later, no one knows what the military was actually shooting at and the Fact or Faked team is determined to figure out if it was of extraterrestrial origin. Ben, Jael and Devin head to one of the original gun batteries in San Pedro, CA to get the facts before recreating the epic battle using searchlights, grenade launchers and a 50-caliber machine gun. Meanwhile, Bill, Chi-Lan and Austin spend the night on the haunted Queen Mary luxury cruise ship to test theories around the phantom figure that was caught lurking down the main deck hallway. When Austin sees a pair of glowing eyes, the team realizes they’re not alone. Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files is executive produced by John Brenkus and Mickey Stern for BASE Productions and is a co-production with Universal Networks International.

Scripted Programming

STARGATE UNIVERSE – Returns Monday March 7, at 10PM – Syfy’s drama-adventure series returns for its anticipated final ten episodes. The new episodes pick up with the Destiny crew in a battle with a drone command ship and the surprise arrival of the aliens that abducted Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle) and Chloe (Elyse Levesque). The final season culminates with a dramatic conclusion for the fate of the Destiny crew, who face a difficult crossroads when they realize the time has come for them to take a risky stand…or they will be left adrift forever. Guest stars appearing in the final episodes include Victor Garber (Alien, Titanic), French Stewart (3rd Rock From The Sun), Robert Picardo (Stargate SG-1, Star Trek: Voyager, China Beach), Kathleen Quinlen (Apollo 13) and Julie McNiven (Supernatural, Mad Men). Robert Cooper and Brad Wright, of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, serve as executive producers and writers. SGU is produced and distributed by MGM Worldwide Television Distribution.

SANCTUARY – Returns Friday April 15, at 10PM – Syfy’s original series returns with the next all-new 10 episodes of season three! The adventures pick up in the events of the mid-season finale’s cliffhanger, with the team at the mercy of the inimitable Ranna, played by Polly Walker (Caprica, Rome). Sanctuary stars Amanda Tapping as the brilliant Dr. Helen Magnus, Robin Dunne as forensic psychiatrist Dr. Will Zimmerman, Agam Darshi as Kate Freelander, Ryan Robbins as Henry Foss and Christopher Heyerdahl as John Druitt. One of television’s most groundbreaking series, shooting almost entirely on green screen, Sanctuary was the first television series in North America to use the RED camera exclusively. Its stunning visual effects were nominated for a 2008 Emmy Award. Created by Damian Kindler (Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis), Sanctuary is produced in association with Syfy and is distributed by Tricon Films and Television. Season three of the series is executive produced by Damian Kindler, Amanda Tapping, Martin Wood, Keith Beedie and Tricon Films.

Saturday Original Movies

BATTLE OF LOS ANGELES – Premieres Saturday March 12, at 9PM – Hundreds of extra-terrestrial ships swarm Los Angeles, causing death and chaos ahead of an impending alien invasion. A small group of United States military personnel are able to get underground, where they learn the only way to stop the invasion is by destroying the mothership from within. It falls to two determined soldiers to finish the job before the human race is demolished. Stars Nia Peeples (Pretty Little Liars) and Kel Mitchell (Kenan & Kel)

SCREAM OF THE BANSHEE – Premieres Saturday March 26, at 9PM – When a college professor opens a strange, ornate box discovered in the basement of her University, she and her students hear the horrifying scream of a bloodthirsty Banshee. Everyone who hears the scream dies a strange and terrible death. Now the professor and a few stragglers must try to stop the Banshee. Stars Lauren Holly (NCIS) and Lance Henriksen (Alien). This film marks Syfy’s 200th Saturday Original Movie.

FEROCIOUS PLANET – Premieres Saturday April 9, at 9PM – An experimental device enabling viewing of alternate dimensions goes haywire on its first test, dragging the entire test lab (and its occupants) into a dangerous alternate universe. Led by a resourceful Colonel and a tough female scientist, they have to figure out how to get home. Stars Joe Flanigan (Stargate Atlantis) and John Rhys-Davies (Lord of the Rings).

ROADKILL – Premieres Saturday April 23, at 9 PM – Six young friends on a road trip in Ireland run afoul of gypsies who curse them for accidentally running down an old woman. The curse takes the form of a terrifying flying beast that tries killing them all. Stars Stephen Rea (The Crying Game).

Syfy sent out a press release stating that it has acquired all 31 episodes of “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” from Warner Bros.

The series will premiere on Syfy Thursday, April 7th.

NEW YORK – February 22, 2011 – Syfy has acquired both seasons (31 episodes) of the acclaimed fan-favorite Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles from Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, it was announced today by Chris Regina, Vice President, Programming, Syfy, and Tom Cerio, Executive Vice President, Cable Sales, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.

With Terminator 3 as the lead-in, the series will join the Syfy line-up on Thursday, April 7 with two episodes from 9-11PM (ET/PT). The regular time slot will be Thursdays from 7-11PM (ET/PT).

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles brought the blockbuster Terminator movie franchise to television in an action-adventure drama taking place after the events of Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The series reveals what happens when Sarah Connor (series star Lena Headey – upcoming Game of Thrones, 300, The Brothers Grimm) stops running and goes on the offensive against an ever-evolving technological enemy. At the end of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Sarah vanquished the Terminator sent from the future to kill her teenage son, John. Now Sarah and John (series star Thomas Dekker – Heroes) find themselves in a very dangerous, complicated world. Fugitives from the law, they must evade pursuers from the future and the present in today’s Los Angeles, relentlessly battling to save more than just themselves.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles ran for two seasons (2007-09).

Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Brian Austin Green, Garret Dillahunt, Shirley Manson, Leven Rambin and Richard T. Jones starred in the series, from the Bartleby Company and The Halcyon Company in association with Warner Bros. Television. Josh Friedman, John Wirth, James Middleton, Mario Kassar, Andrew Vajna and Joel Michaels served as executive producers.

Related articles

• Syfy Acquires All 31 Episodes of ‘Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles’; Premieres Thursday, April 7 (tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com)

AARON ASHMORE (“SMALLVILLE“) REPORTS FOR DUTY AT SYFY’S HIT SERIES “WAREHOUSE 13”

NEW YORK – February 17, 2011 – Aaron Ashmore, who portrayed the iconic character Jimmy Olsen in Smallville, will join the cast of Syfy‘s hit series Warehouse 13 as “Steve Jinks,” a young ATF agent with an innate ability to detect when someone’s lying. Jinks is recruited by the all-powerful Mrs. Frederic (CCH Pounder) to be Pete Lattimer’s (Eddie McClintock) new Warehouse 13 partner.

In last year’s gripping season two finale, Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) abruptly quit her job at the Warehouse after being betrayed by the duplicitous HG Wells (Jaime Murray).

In addition to Smallville, Ashmore has appeared in series such as In Plain Sight, Veronica Mars and Fringe.

The third season of Warehouse 13 will return with 13 new episodes beginning this summer.

During its second season, Warehouse 13 averaged 3.4 million total viewers, 1.5 million Adults 18-49, 1.8 million Adults 25-54 and a 2.4 household rating, based on DVR Live +7 data, making it the most watched Syfy series of 2010.

Warehouse 13 follows follows a team of government agents who work at a massive, top-secret storage facility in windswept South Dakota which houses every strange artifact, mysterious relic, fantastical object and preternatural souvenir ever collected by the U.S. government. The Warehouse’s caretaker Artie Nielsen (Saul Rubinek) charges Pete Lattimer (McClintock), Myka Bering (Kelly) and young apprentice Claudia Donovan (Allison Scagliotti) with chasing down reports of supernatural and paranormal activity in search of new objects to cache at the Warehouse, as well as helping him to control the Warehouse itself.

Warehouse 13 is produced for Syfy by Universal Cable Productions. Jack Kenny (The Book of Daniel) is Executive Producer and Showrunner.

Warehouse 13 received its first ever Emmy nomination in 2010 with a nod for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music by composer Ed Rogers.

Related articles

• Britt Robertson Joins ‘Secret Circle,’ Aaron Ashmore Boards ‘Warehouse 13′ and More (tvsquad.com)

Press release from the Science Channel:

“Firefly” Lands at Science Channel – Premieres Sunday, March 6 @ 8pm ET

New episodes air every Sunday @ 10pm ET only on Science Channel

Renowned Astrophysicist Dr. Michio Kaku also reveals the “Science behind Firefly”

From the creator of the hit TV series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” sci-fi savant Joss Whedon delves into the final frontier with “Firefly,” which lands exclusively on the Science Channel on Sunday, March 6 @8pm ET with the airing of the original 2-hour pilot. Immediately following, episode one of the 15-part series will air at 10pm ET.

“Firefly” will dominate the airwaves every Sunday with an encore episode of the previous week airing 9pm ET to be followed by the network premiere of the next episode in the series airing at 10pm ET.

As a special treat for “Firefly” fans, star of Science Channel’s “Sci-Fi Science,” and the cofounder of string field theory, Dr. Michio Kaku, will be commentating on the science behind “Firefly” for each episode. From terraforming, to anti-matter, Kaku will be explaining why the science fiction featured in the show really isn’t that far from science fact.

When “Firefly” first aired in 2002, Whedon’s sci-fi western quickly became a cult favorite. Set 500 years in the future, in the aftermath of a universal civil war, the story centers on the renegade crew of a small transport spaceship led by “Castle’s” Nathan Fillion, who directs the ragtag team through adventures into unknown parts of the galaxy, as they try to evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them.

Related articles

• Firefly Lands on The Science Channel! (nerdist.com)

Image via Wikipedia

Press release from CW network:

MICHAEL ROSENBAUM RETURNS AS LEX LUTHOR FOR THE SMALLVILLE SERIES FINALE

February 16, 2011 (Burbank, California) – Michael Rosenbaum will reprise his role as Lex Luthor in the series finale of SMALLVILLE on Friday, May 13 (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET.)

“I’m delighted to return for the series finale,” says Rosenbaum. “I’m simply doing it for all of the fans out there who made SMALLVILLE the great success it is. I appreciate all of their passion, their relentlessness and even their threats. Ha ha. I can’t wait to hug the old crew back in Vancouver one last time and see all of my old friends once again. Oh, and for Lex to become the badass he’s destined to be.”

Executive producers Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders added, “It feels like the stars are aligning, literally. We couldn’t be more excited about having Michael back. And as far as the way he returns, there’ll be no doubt about how Lex becomes the great rival in Clark Kent‘s life. He is the villain of the story.”

Rosenbaum exited at the end of season seven after Lex confronted Clark (Tom Welling) in the Fortress of Solitude. Years of secrets came to a head as Clark’s former friend finally discovered the truth about Clark’s alien heritage. The rivalry between the two culminated into a final showdown and crumbled, literally, under an icy avalanche as the Fortress fell. Lex’s body was never found. Now, Lex has risen from the ashes to fulfill his place in destiny as Clark Kent’s greatest nemesis.

SMALLVILLE was developed for television by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (“Shanghai Noon,” “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”), based on the DC Comics characters. Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson serve as executive producers, along with James Marshall, Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins, Joe Davola and Tom Welling. The series is produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions, Millar/Gough Ink and Warner Bros. Television. SUPERMAN was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

Related articles

• At Last! Michael Rosenbaum Returns to Smallville for the Series Finale (eonline.com)

Her name may not jump at you right away, but she does have some acting chops in her background. Most recently on the TV show Friday Night Lights, she was also seen on the big screen film Legion last year. She was also a recurring character on Supernatural and if MGM ever gets their finances maybe we will see her in the remake of Red Dawn.

Now this NBC property is a ‘retelling’ of the Wonder Woman story, so don’t expect an invisible plane or the Super Friends showing up.  According to Deadline magazine, “Wonder Woman/Diana Prince is a vigilante crime fighter in L.A. but also a successful corporate executive and a modern woman trying to balance all of the elements of her extraordinary life.”

I really wish someone would just make a TV show based on the comics that sticks even closely to their storyline. Everyone wants to do their own ‘vision’ of the character, but ya know, if a comic has been around for decades it probably has something going for it.

Regardless, I will be very interested in seeing what the show turns out to be…and if they keep her comic book outfit at all.

Related articles

• Adrianne Palicki is WONDER WOMAN for NBC’s New Series (collider.com)

Looks like our favorite girl gamer next door is getting a new web series, Dragon Age: Redemption. I love the original game and really looking forward to the sequel. And now I have something else to look forward too! Here is the press release from BioWare:

What do you get when you combine one of the richest RPGs with the creator of one of the most watched web series of all time? Dragon Age™: Redemption. This all-new six-part web series is based in the Dragon Age universe and created by Felicia Day, the force behind the blockbuster web series “The Guild.” Scheduled to premiere this summer, Dragon Age: Redemption is set in the same time period as BioWare’s Dragon Age II.

Look for the world premiere of Dragon Age: Redemption this Wednesday, February 16, presented by Felicia Day on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” on NBC (check your local listings), and get your first on-set look at Dragon Age: Redemption on “Gametrailers TV with Geoff Keighley” on Spike TV, Thursday, February 24 (check your local listings).

“I’m a huge Dragon Age fan, and I have been looking for a follow up project to ‘The Guild’ for quite some time,” said Day. “I was thrilled when the opportunity to work with BioWare materialized. Dragon Age: Redemption allows me to tell a fantasy story in a new way, using a universe I really love. It has been a dream working together.”

In Dragon Age: Redemption, Day stars as Tallis, an Elven assassin hired by the Qunari to capture a rogue mage intent on wreaking havoc throughout the world. In her quest to find this dangerous mage, Tallis is joined by other companions who are not always aligned in their beliefs and goals, but who band together to defeat their foe, in an attempt to restore peace and balance to this dark fantasy universe.

Day’s original web series, “The Guild,” which follows the story of a group of players in a fictitious MMORPG, was an instant internet phenomenon, attracting more than 100 million viewers in three years. Day is also known as the main love interest, Penny, in Joss Whedon‘s Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, and for her recurring role as Vi on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. For more information about Felicia, including updates on Dragon Age: Redemption, please follow her on Twitter @ feliciaday.

Dragon Age II has been named by CNN, Yahoo! Games, GameSpot and Wired.com among others as one of the most anticipated games of 2011. Gamers can get a small taste of what BioWare’s action RPG has to offer when the Dragon Age II demo launches February 22 on the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, the PlayStation®3 computer and entertainment system and PC.

Related articles

• Felicia Day To Star In New Web Series Dragon Age: Redemption (laughingsquid.com)

This is a Ron Moore project coming from the peacock network. Ron worked previously with Bamber as the creator of the new BSG. The story takes place in the town of Excelsior (wonder if Stan Lee gets a residual from the name) where magic is a common thing.

Bamber will be playing a homicide detective on the show and is joined by veteran actress Stockard Channing. I am certainly looking forward to a new Ron Moore show though I will be sad to see Jamie leaving Law & Order: UK.

Related articles

• NBC Taps Jamie Bamber for Lead Role in 17th Precinct (dreadcentral.com)
• NBC’s Magic-Cop 17TH PRECINCT Pilot To Reunite BATTLESTAR GALACTICA’s Jamie Bamber and Ronald D. Mooore!! (aintitcool.com)

Press Release from the CW:

UP, UP AND AWAY… “SMALLVILLE” WRAPS ITS TEN-YEAR RUN WITH A TWO-HOUR SERIES FINALE EVENT ON FRIDAY, MAY 13, ON THE CW

February 7, 2011 (Burbank, California) – The CW will present the series finale of SMALLVILLE as an epic two-hour television event on Friday, May 13 (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET.)

The story of a young Clark Kent (Tom Welling) and his journey to become the Man of Steel has captivated audiences for a decade. This final season, Clark attempts to find a balance between saving the world, which becomes even more difficult as the Vigilante Registration Act separates a nation, and spending time with his new fianc�e Lois Lane (Erica Durance). Whether it’s donning glasses as a disguise, changing in a phone booth or learning how to fly, this season has put Clark closer to his destiny than ever before. Taking on Darkseid and battling the darkest of his demons, this two-hour event will send Clark soaring towards his birthright to secure his place in history as the world’s greatest protector.

“Paying homage to 10 seasons is no small task, and wrapping up each character and story arc has been extremely important to everyone involved in the show,” said executive producers Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders. “We’re excited to be able to make the final moments of SMALLVILLE a television event, as the character we’ve grown up with makes his legendary transformation.”

Please note SUPERNATURAL will be pre-empted on May 13 but will return with a two-hour season finale on Friday, May 20 (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET.)

SMALLVILLE was developed for television by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (“Shanghai Noon,” “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”), based on the DC Comics characters. Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson serve as executive producers, along with James Marshall, Mike Tollin, Brian Robbins, Joe Davola and Tom Welling. The series is produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions, Millar/Gough Ink and Warner Bros. Television. SUPERMAN was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

Related articles

• ‘Smallville’ Wraps Its Ten-Year Run With a Two-Hour Series Finale Event on Friday, May 13 on The CW (tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com)
• 2-Hour SMALLVILLE Series Finale Airs Friday, May 13 (collider.com)

Luke Pasqualino will be the young Adama

Press Release from SYFY:

SYFY’S “BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD & CHROME” LAUNCHES

2-Hour Pilot Chronicles Young William Adama‘s Adventures in First Cylon War

Lili Bordan Joins Luke Pasqualino and Ben Cotton in the Cast

NEW YORK – February 10, 2011 – Production has begun in Vancouver on Syfy’s highly anticipated 2-hour pilot, Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome, the all-new chapter in the Battlestar Galactica saga. Universal Cable Productions will produce the event with Syfy utilizing cutting edge CGI and virtual technology.

Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome takes place in the 10th year of the first Cylon war. As the battle between humans and their creation, the sentient robotic Cylons, rages across the 12 colonial worlds, a young, talented fighter pilot, William Adama (Luke Pasqualino), finds himself assigned to one of the most powerful Battlestars in the Colonial fleet: the Galactica. Full of ambition and in pursuit of the intense action that the Cylon war promises, Adama quickly find himself at odds with Coker (Ben Cotton), the battle-weary officer to whom he reports. With 47 days left in his tour of duty, Coker desires an end to battle just as much as Adama craves the start of it. Though they clash at first, the two men forge an unlikely bond when a routine mission turns dangerous and becomes a pivotal one for the desperate fleet.

Joining Pasqualino and Cotton in the cast is Lili Bordan, who will play Dr. Beka Kelly, a Ph.D. who worked for Graystone Industries that created the Cylon robots. Currently assigned to a secret military mission, Beka and Adama quickly establish a rapport.

From the award-winning producers of Battlestar Galactica, this new action-packed chapter of the BSG canon was written by Michael Taylor form a story by David Eick, Taylor and Bradley Thompson & David Weddle and directed by Jonas Pate. David Eick, Jonas Pate and Michael Taylor will serve as executive producers.

Related articles

• Production Begins on ‘Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome” Two-Hour Pilot (tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com)
• ‘Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome’ Casts Key Young Adama Role (tvsquad.com)

Back in 2009 we saw a three episode mini-series that brought the crew of the Red Dwarf back to the screen after a 10 year absence. Turns out that it received record ratings for Freeview channel.

Read the interview with Craig Charles (Lister) at the Daily Mail site. Can’t wait to see the new show!

Related articles

• “Red Dwarf Returning to Orbit” and related posts (fanboy.com)
• Smegging Awesome: Red Dwarf Is Coming Back! (wired.com)

Press release from SYFY:

SYFY AND THQ ORIGINAL MOVIE RED FACTION: ORIGINS BEGINS PRODUCTION WITH ALL-STAR CAST LED BY STARGATE UNIVERSE‘S BRIAN J. SMITH AND FILM ICON ROBERT PATRICK

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA’S KATE VERNON, TORCHWOOD’S GARETH DAVID-LLOYD AND DANIELLE NICOLET ALSO STAR

DIRECTED BY PEABODY-AWARD WINNER MICHAEL NANKIN (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, CAPRICA) AND WRITTEN BY ANDREW KREISBERG (WAREHOUSE 13)

PRODUCED BY UNIVERSAL CABLE PRODUCTIONS AND UFO FILMS FOR MAY 2011 PREMIERE

New York, NY, and Agoura Hills, CA – January 19, 2011 – Brian J. Smith (Stargate Universe), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day), Kate Vernon (Battlestar Galactica), Danielle Nicolet (The Starter Wife), Gareth David-Lloyd (Torchwood), Tamzin Merchant (The Tudors) and Devon Graye (Dexter) will star in the THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and Syfy Original Movie Red Faction(R): OriginsTM (working title), based on the highly successful Red Faction(R) video game franchise.

Peabody-Award winner Michael Nankin (Caprica, Battlestar Galactica, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) will direct the two-hour, live action movie.

Part of a first-of-its-kind transmedia deal, Red Faction: Origins will be produced by Universal Cable Productions (UCP) and UFO Films (Lake Placid 2 & 3). Production will begin in Bulgaria this week with its Syfy premiere scheduled for May 2011.

Red Faction: Origins follows the children of rebel hero Alec Mason, set during a period between the critically acclaimed Red Faction Guerrilla(TM) video game and the recently announced, highly anticipated Red Faction Armageddon(TM) video game, also scheduled for release in May 2011.

Twenty-five years have passed since Alec Mason (Robert Patrick) led the Martian Colonies to freedom …and 12 years since vengeful enemies killed his wife, kidnapped his daughter Lyra (Tamzin Merchant), and left a broken hero in their wake.

Jake Mason (Brian J. Smith), Alec�s last surviving son and an officer in the Red Faction Militia, has his world turned inside out when he discovers that now, 12 years after her kidnapping, his sister is still alive. As a powerful new enemy swarms across the planet, Jake goes out to find her, only to learn that his lost sister is one of them…a cold-blooded soldier sworn to destroy the Red Faction.

Jake must now battle the relentless regime and somehow reunite a family torn apart by war.

The Red Faction: Origins screenplay was written by notable writer and producer Andrew Kreisberg (Warehouse 13, Fringe, Eli Stone), based on a story developed by Paul DeMeo (The Rocketeer, The Flash, Viper), THQ Director, Fiction Development.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company develops its products for all popular game systems, personal computers and wireless devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells product through its global network of offices located throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. More information about THQ and its products may be found at www.thq.com.

Universal Cable Productions creates quality content across multiple media platforms for USA, Syfy and other networks. A leader in innovative and critically acclaimed programming, UCP is the studio behind USA’s Royal Pains, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Psych, In Plain Sight, Covert Affairs and Fairly Legal, as well as Syfy’s Eureka, Warehouse 13 and Alphas . The studio also produced the long-running series Monk and Battlestar Galactica, as well as the series Caprica. UCP is a division of NBC Universal.

THQ, Red Faction, Red Faction Guerrilla, Red Faction Armageddon, Red Faction Origins and their respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the business of THQ Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “THQ”), including, but not limited to, expectations and projections related to the Red Faction: Origins live action movie, and are based upon management’s current beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, business, competitive, economic, legal, political and technological factors affecting our industry, operations, markets, products or pricing. Readers should carefully review the risk factors and the information that could materially affect THQ’s financial results, described in other documents that THQ files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2010, and particularly the discussion of risk factors set forth therein. Unless otherwise required by law, THQ disclaims any obligation to update its view on any such risks or uncertainties or to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

Press release from SYFY:

SYFY RENEWS “SANCTUARY” FOR SEASON FOUR

NEW YORK – January 18, 2011 – Syfy has greenlit production on a fourth season of Sanctuary, it was announced today by Mark Stern, President, Original Programming, Syfy & Co-Head, Original Content, Universal Cable Productions. Sanctuary season 4 is slated to commence production on a 13-episode season in spring 2011 in Vancouver, BC with an eye towards a fall 2011 premiere on Syfy.

Sanctuary follows brilliant scientist Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) and her team, who use their unique combination of instinct, medicine and cutting-edge science to find and aid a clandestine population of beings that the world refuses to believe exists. The series also stars Robin Dunne as forensic psychiatrist Dr. Will Zimmerman, Agam Darshi as the quick-witted Kate Freelander, Ryan Robbins as tech wiz Henry Foss and Christopher Heyerdahl as the sinister John Druitt.

One of television’s most groundbreaking series, shooting almost entirely on green screen, Sanctuary was the first television series in North America to use the RED camera exclusively. Its stunning visual effects were nominated for a 2008 Emmy Award.

Created by Damian Kindler (Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis), Sanctuary is produced in association with Syfy and is distributed by Tricon Films and Television. Season three of the series is executive produced by Damian Kindler, Amanda Tapping, Martin Wood, Keith Beedie and Tricon Films.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

Press Release from STARZ:

Australian Actor Picked to Topline Hit Series for Starz

Production of Season 2 Is Set to Begin in New Zealand by Spring 2011

Beverly Hills, CA – Jan. 17, 2011 – Australian film and TV actor Liam McIntyre has excelled at a grueling and rigorous audition process to claim the title role in the second season of Starz’ hit franchise, “Spartacus,” Starz, LLC, President and CEO Chris Albrecht announced today.

McIntyre takes over the role of the Thracian warrior sold into slavery in the Roman Republic city of Capua – where he rises to become the champion of the city – before leading the slave revolt that ended Season 1. The part was played in the first season of “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” by Andy Whitfield, who was forced to leave the show in order due to health issues. Whitfield gave his blessing to the recasting.

“Since no one can really replace Andy, we realized that we should instead find an actor who can truly lead ‘Spartacus’ forward,” Albrecht notes. “It was important to us to have Andy endorse the idea of recasting this part, which he did in the same heroic manner that he’s dealt with his whole ordeal. And that, coupled with our fortune in finding a young actor with the gladiator credentials and the acting ability of Liam, makes it easier for us to keep this hit franchise going.”

Liam McIntyre made his mark in his native Australia on such series as “Neighbours,” and “Rush.” He also appeared in the HBO mini-series “The Pacific.” He recently completed his first feature starring role in the independent film Frozen Moments. McIntyre is currently in New Zealand, getting himself into gladiator shape in order to take on that iconic role. Production on the series is slated to resume by Spring of 2011.

From the time “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” debuted on Starz in January, 2010, it established itself as an epic production with rich storytelling and visuals unlike anything seen previously on any TV show. Audiences responded immediately, making it the most-watched premiere in Starz’ history, and making the show the most watched cable program on nearly two-thirds of the Fridays it aired original episodes. Also starring John Hannah as Batiatus, Lucy Lawless as Lucretia, Peter Mensah as Doctore, Manu Bennett as Crixus and Viva Bianca as Ilythia, “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” was one of the most talked-about and best-loved TV shows of 2010. Season 2 of the series finds Spartacus and his fellow gladiators now out of Capua and engaged in the massive slave rebellion against Roman society that has echoed through time.

“Spartacus: Gods of the Arena,” a six-part prequel that tells the story of the House of Batiatus gladiator school, and the intricate personal, sexual and political maneuverings in Capua five years before “Blood and Sand” was set, debuts at 10 p.m. et/pt on Friday, Jan. 21. Dustin Clare, as the charismatic and self-destructive gladiator Gannicus, joins Hannah, Lawless, Mensah and Bennett in the event series.

About Starz Entertainment

Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie and original programming entertainment service provider operating in the United States. The company offers 16 premium channels including the flagship Starz� and Encore� brands with approximately 17.4 million and 32 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs in total more than 1,000 movies and original series every month across its pay TV channels. Starz Entertainment is recognized as a pay TV leader in providing HD, On Demand, HD On Demand and online advanced services for its Starz, Encore and MoviePlex brands. Starz Entertainment (www.starz.com) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation and is attributed to the Liberty Starz tracking stock group (NASDAQ: LSTZA).

Related articles

• Liam McIntyre Chosen to Play Title Role in New ‘Spartacus’ (tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com)
• Liam McIntyre replaces Andy Whitfield on “Spartacus” (reuters.com)
• Liam McIntyre to Star in SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND (collider.com)

For those of you not familiar with the book by Gregory Maguire, it tells the story of The Wicked Witch of the West from the Frank Baum OZ books. It is a prequel to the books/stories that we all grew up on over the years. But the ABC story will in fact be parallel to the OZ books and not the prequel.

It is being produced by Salma Hayek production company, and word is she is looking to play a part in the series as well. The series is being written by Erik Jendresen of Band of Brothers fame. Lets keep our fingers crossed and look forward to this interesting vehicle.

Related articles

• ABC Is Planning A TV Mini-Series Based On The Novel ‘Wicked’ (pinkisthenewblog.com)
• ABC “Wicked” Mini-Series Produced By Salma Hayek (popcrunch.com)
• Salma Hayek: ‘Wicked’ Mini-Series for ABC! (justjared.buzznet.com)

Related articles

• Inside Joke as First Friday Episode of ‘Fringe’ is Entitled ‘Firefly’ (tvsquad.com)
• FRINGE Friday Night Timeslot Inspires FIREFLY Style Opening Credits (collider.com)
• FRINGE’s 1st Friday Night Episode Title Will Be Called FIREFLY, For A Reason (geektyrant.com)

In the wake of King Uther’s sudden death, chaos threatens to engulf Britain. When the sorcerer Merlin has visions of a dark future, he installs the young and impetuous Arthur, Uther’s unknown son and heir, who has been raised from birth as a commoner. But Arthur’s cold and ambitious half sister Morgan will fight him to the bitter end, summoning unnatural forces to claim the crown in this epic battle for control. These are dark times indeed for the new king, with Guinevere being the only shining light in Arthur’s harsh world. Faced with profound moral decisions, and the challenge of uniting a kingdom broken by war and steeped in deception, Arthur will be tested beyond imagination. Forget
everything you think you know…this is the story of Camelot that
has never been told before.

Starring: Jamie Campbell Bower, Eva Green, Joseph Fiennes

Image via Wikipedia

Ohh! I am so giddy about this new series!! If you want to see a 12 minute teaser, click here!

Here is the press release from HBO:

NEW HBO SERIES “GAME OF THRONES,” BASED ON THE BESTSELLING BOOKS BY GEORGE R.R. MARTIN, DEBUTS APRIL 17

In a land where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime, trouble is brewing. From the scheming south and the savage eastern lands, to the frozen north and the ancient Wall that protects the realm from the darkness beyond, two powerful families are engaged in a deadly cat-and-mouse game for control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.

As betrayal, lust, intrigue and supernatural forces shake the four corners of the Kingdoms, their bloody struggle for the Iron Throne will have unforeseen and far-reaching consequences.

Based on the bestselling fantasy book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” by George R.R. Martin, the new series GAME OF THRONES launches its ten-episode season April 17, exclusively on HBO. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are executive producers and writers of the show, which was shot at the Paint Hall Studio in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as well as at various locations in Northern Ireland and Malta. The production received funding from Northern Ireland Screen and the Malta Film Commission.

GAME OF THRONES follows kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and noblemen as they vie for power. As the series opens, King Robert Baratheon, who is married to Cersei Lannister of the wealthy and corrupt Lannisters, asks Lord Eddard “Ned” Stark to come south and help run his kingdom after the questionable death of his right-hand man. Meanwhile, there is a threat to the throne from the east by the exiled teenage Princess Daenerys and her brother Viserys, whose family ruled the Kingdoms for many years before their bloody ouster. And there are rumors of strange things happening at the edges of the Kingdoms, north of the Wall, where Jon Snow, Ned’s bastard son, goes to be part of the brotherhood of the Night’s Watch, which is sworn to protect the Kingdoms.

Series regulars on GAME OF THRONES include (in alphabetical order): Mark Addy as King Robert Baratheon, Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy, Sean Bean as Lord Eddard “Ned” Stark, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Michelle Fairley as Lady Catelyn Stark, Aidan Gillen as Petyr Baelish (“Littlefinger”), Jack Gleeson as Prince Joffrey Baratheon, Iain Glen as Ser Jorah Mormont, Kit Harington as Jon Snow, Lena Headey as Queen Cersei Lannister, Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Bran Stark, Harry Lloyd as Viserys Targaryen, Richard Madden as Robb Stark, Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane (“The Hound”), Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark and Maisie Williams as Arya Stark.

Also featured in the ensemble cast are: John Bradley as Samwell Tarly, James Cosmo as Lord Commander Mormont, Charles Dance as Lord Tywin Lannister, Ron Donachie as Ser Rodrik Cassel, Jerome Flynn as Bronn, Conleth Hill as Varys, Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo and Donald Sumpter as Maester Luwin.

GAME OF THRONES is executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss; co-executive producers, Carolyn Strauss, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis, Ralph Vicinanza and George R.R. Martin; producers, Mark Huffam and Frank Doelger; directors of photography, Marco Pontecorvo, Alik Sakharov and Matt Jensen; production designer, Gemma Jackson; costume designer, Michele Clapton.

Directors include Brian Kirk, Tom McCarthy, Daniel Minahan, Alan Taylor and Tim Van Patten; writers include David Benioff & D.B. Weiss, Bryan Cogman, Jane Espenson and George R.R. Martin.

Related articles

• 28 Images from HBO’s GAME OF THRONES (collider.com)
• HBO Plays ‘Game Of Thrones’ With Guts And Caution (blogs.forbes.com)
• EW Has Posted 10 Photos From The GAME OF THRONES Set Online!! (aintitcool.com)

Image via Wikipedia

Looks like those pesky numbers from LOST came in handy for about $150 to a bunch of people playing yesterdays MegaMillions lottery.

The Event has been hyped for several months now, with very little to go on what will happen or what the show is about. From the commercials I learned that there was some big dark secret that the President doesn’t know about but his inner circle does. And that there is some kinda big accident or something in the first episode.

Well, now that I have seen the first episode I can truthfully say that I am more confused about the show than I was a month ago. In fact, I could swear it was a JJ Abrams show but that was the Action show UnderCovers that I just sat through.

Okay, I am not going to spoil anything by revealing secrets here…everyone deserves to be blessed punished with half information just like I was. But what you have here is 3 different stories, all being told in backward order to all tie up at the end of the episode in a cliffhanger that is more reserved for an end of season episode. Even people who watch it and don’t like it, will probably tune in for the second episode just to see what happens next.

We have the president, Elias Martinez, played well by Blair Underwood. The character is of African-Cuban decent, so don’t be to surprised by the last name of Martinez. They establish his character as a charismatic trusting optimistic President very quickly. Sound familiar?

There is Sean Walker, played by Jason Ritter, the young man in love. Does he have a mysterious past? Is he a bad guy in disguise? Well your guess is as good as mine after only one episode.

Scott Patterson, played by Michael Buchanan (so happy to see him back on the screen since Gilmore Girls) is the worried father. Sean is off with his eldest daughter on a cruise, I am sure everything is fine. And what of his mental state? After all, what would a man be driven to do to protect his family?

And Dr. Sophia Maguire, played by Laura Innes (is she getting typecast as a doctor, or just her natural ability to speak technobabble) is one of the early mysteries that we get in our lap. Good guy or bad guy? Seems that everyone has their opinion on the matter and it’s really tough to tell.

OH, and what about ‘The Event’? Well we get a peek of it in episode one, and if this is anything like that series that just ended with questions inside of questions, I am sure we will find out the truth around Season 6.

I give it a 3 Beers out of 5. This one will definitely need to keep the time jumps to a minimum or it will lose its audience. To many in the theater were frustrated every time the screen said “3 weeks earlier” or “11 months earlier”. Some people can only think linearly after all.

UnderCovers is a new Romantic/Drama/Comedy/Action series from JJ Abrams for NBC. It’s the story of two CIA agents who retired when they decided to get married and settle down. They are pulled back into the spy game to help an old friend who is in a bind (literally).

The couple are played by Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (WOW, say those names fast!). They are the Blooms and currently run a catering business together. Which seems like a big step down on the excitement ladder from being super secret agent spies. But maybe I just don’t understand the catering business that well.

When the Blooms married they promised each other that they would continue to keep state secrets and never talk about their spy pasts. And since they had not worked together before meeting and falling in love, this obviously opens up for humorous moments as things are revealed throughout the episode.

They are recruited back to the CIA by Gerald McRaney (Major Dad or from my youth, Simon and Simon). He is pretty spot on for his role as the crotchety older spy that has to put up with these ‘celebrity’ spies. And the person they are rescuing is played by Carter MacIntyre who I feel we will see again in the series.

The event I went to was hosted by NBC and had their VP in charge of Diversity there speaking on the fact that this was the first drama starring black actors in the primary roles. I am guessing this is true as I can only conjure up comedies in my memory, but I hasten to use the word ‘Drama’.

The premiere episode was good and enjoyable, but a little to cartoony for my taste. This is an odd statement coming from a comic book guy, but I will try to make myself clear.

A drama has to balance a suspension of disbelief with the probable. Unfortunately everything that happened here was very clean and easy. In one scene the couple are running after almost getting caught sneaking around in a bank. When they are running, both are grinning like they just stole a candy bar from the convenience store and are giggling like kids about it.

Anything they want they get…need to parachute someplace in an hour, heres a military transport ready to go and your suit fitted and ready. Oh, and as for their friend being tortured…yeah, he is more laughing/smiling about it than you would expect from a guy about to die.

It just felt cartoony to me. Perhaps that is what they are shooting for, but if thats the case, don’t push it as a drama. It’s a Fantasy/Action show.

I rate it at a 2.5 Beers out of 5. I will watch the first 3 episodes and hope they hook me with more than just Gugu in lingerie (which was DANG nice).

Outstanding Comedy Series

“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (HBO)
“Glee” (Fox)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“Nurse Jackie” (Showtime)
“The Office” (NBC)
“30 Rock” (NBC)

Outstanding Drama Series

“Breaking Bad” (AMC)
“Dexter” (Showtime)
“The Good Wife” (CBS)
“Lost” (ABC)
“Mad Men” (AMC)
“True Blood” (HBO)

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”
Michael C. Hall, “Dexter”
Kyle Chandler, “Friday Night Lights”
Hugh Laurie, “House”
Matthew Fox, “Lost”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series

Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”
Larry David, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
Matthew Morrison, “Glee”
Tony Shalhoub, “Monk”
Steve Carell, “The Office”
Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

Lea Michele, “Glee”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “The New Adventures Of Old Christine”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Amy Poehler, “Parks And Recreation”
Tina Fey, “30 Rock”
Toni Collette, “United States Of Tara”

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer”
Glenn Close, “Damages”
Connie Britton, “Friday Night Lights”
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”
Mariska Hargitay, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
January Jones, “Mad Men”

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

Chris Colfer, “Glee”
Neil Patrick Harris, “How I Met Your Mother”
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Modern Family”
Eric Stonestreet, “Modern Family”
Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”
Jon Cryer, “Two And A Half Men”

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad”
Martin Short, “Damages”
Terry O’Quinn, “Lost”
Michael Emerson, “Lost”
John Slattery, “Mad Men”
Andre Braugher, “Men Of A Certain Age”

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

Jane Lynch, “Glee”
Julie Bowen, “Modern Family”
Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”
Kristen Wiig, “Saturday Night Live”
Jane Krakowski, “30 Rock”
Holland Taylor, “Two And A Half Men”

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Sharon Gless, “Burn Notice”
Rose Byrne, “Damages”
Archie Panjabi, “The Good Wife”
Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”
Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”
Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program

Phil Keoghan, “The Amazing Race”
Ryan Seacrest, “American Idol”
Tom Bergeron, “Dancing With the Stars”
Heidi Klum, “Project Runway”
Jeff Probst, “Survivor”

Outstanding Reality Program

“Antiques Roadshow” (PBS)
“Dirty Jobs” (Discovery Channel)
“Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” (ABC)
“Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List” (Bravo)
“MythBusters”  (Discovery Channel)
“Undercover Boss” (CBS)

Outstanding Reality – Competition Program

“The Amazing Race”  (CBS)
“American Idol” (Fox)
“Dancing With the Stars” (ABC)
“Project Runway”  (Lifetime)
“Top Chef”  (Bravo)

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Jeff Bridges, “A Dog Year” (HBO)
Ian McKellen, “The Prisoner” (AMC)
Michael Sheen, “The Special Relationship” (HBO)
Dennis Quaid, “The Special Relationship” (HBO)
Al Pacino, “You Don’t Know Jack” (HBO)

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Maggie Smith, “Capturing Mary” (HBO)
Joan Allen, “Georgia O’Keeffe” (Lifetime)
Dame Judi Dench, “Return To Cranford” (Masterpiece) (PBS)
Hope Davis, “The Special Relationship” (HBO)
Claire Danes, “Temple Grandin”  (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

Michael Gambon, “Emma” (Masterpiece) (PBS)
Patrick Stewart , “Hamlet” (Great Performances) (PBS)
Jonathan Pryce , “Return To Cranford” (Masterpiece) (PBS)
David Strathairn, “Temple Grandin” (HBO)
John Goodman, “You Don’t Know Jack” (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie

Kathy Bates, “Alice” (Syfy)
Julia Ormond, “Temple Grandin” (HBO)
Catherine O’Hara, “Temple Grandin” (HBO)
Brenda Vaccaro, “You Don’t Know Jack” (HBO)
Susan Sarandon, “You Don’t Know Jack” (HBO)

Outstanding Miniseries

“The Pacific” (HBO)
“Return To Cranford” (Masterpiece) (PBS)

Outstanding Made For Television Movie

“Endgame” (Masterpiece) (PBS)
“Georgia O’Keeffe” (Lifetime)
“Moonshot” (History)
“The Special Relationship” (HBO)
“Temple Grandin” (HBO)
“You Don’t Know Jack” (HBO)

Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series

“The Colbert Report” (Comedy Central)
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (Comedy Central)
“Real Time With Bill Maher” (HBO)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
“The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien” (NBC)

Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special

Bill Maher “…But I’m Not Wrong” (HBO )
Hope For Haiti Now (Tenth Planet Productions and MTV)
The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
Robin Williams: Weapons Of Self Destruction (HBO)
The 25th Anniversary Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Concert  (HBO)
Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me (HBO)

Outstanding Nonfiction Series

“American Experience” (PBS)
“American Masters” (PBS)
“Deadliest Catch” (Discovery Channe)l
“Life” (Discovery Channel)
“The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” (PBS)

Outstanding Animated Program

“Alien Earths” (NGC)
“Disney Prep & Landing (ABC)
“The Ricky Gervais Show” (HBO)
“The Simpsons” (Fox)
“South Park”  (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

“Glee” – Pilot – Director’s Cut (Fox)
Ryan Murphy, Writer
Brad Falchuk, Writer
Ian Brennan, Writer

“Modern Family” – Pilot (ABC)
Steven Levitan, Writer
Christopher Lloyd, Writer

“The Office” – Niagara (NBC)
Greg Daniels, Writer
Mindy Kaling, Writer

“30 Rock” – Anna Howard Shaw Day (NBC)
Matt Hubbard, Writer

“30 Rock” – Lee Marvin Vs. Derek Jeter  (NBC)
Tina Fey, Writer
Kay Cannon, Writer

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

“Friday Night Lights” – The Son (DirecTV)
Rolin Jones, Writer

“The Good Wife” – Pilot (CBS)
Michelle King, Writer
Robert King, Writer

“Lost”  – The End (ABC)
Damon Lindelof, Writer
Carlton Cuse, Writer

“Mad Men” – Guy Walks Into An Advertising Agency (AMC)
Robin Veith, Writer
Matthew Weiner, Writer

“Mad Men” – Shut The Door. Have A Seat.  (AMC)
Matthew Weiner, Writer
Erin Levy, Writer

Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special

“The Pacific” – Part Eight (HBO)
Michelle Ashford, Writer
Robert Schenkkan, Writer

“The Pacific” – Part Ten (HBO)
Bruce C. McKenna, Writer
Robert Schenkkan, Writer

“The Special Relationship” (HBO)
Peter Morgan, Writer

“Temple Grandin” (HBO)
Christopher Monger, Writer
William Merritt Johnson, Writer

“You Don’t Know Jack”  (HBO)
Adam Mazer, Writer

Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Series

“The Colbert Report” (Comedy Central)
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” (Comedy Central)
“Real Time With Bill Maher” (HBO)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
“The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien” (NBC)

Here’s what we currently know in a nutshell:

1. The show will air in Summer 2011
2. The show will be 10 episodes
3. Both John Barrowman (Capt. Jack Harkness) and Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper) will be on the show, with “Additional key cast, reflecting the more international scope of the series” to be announced soon
4. Russell T Davies will be the showrunner, with Davies and BBC Worldwide Productions’ Julie Gardner as executive producers.

Source: Starz

Legend of the Seeker recently got the news that they were cancelled. This in large part due to their major distributer Tribune/WGN dropping them from their lineup. But the Fans have a plan!

Instead of sending bags of nuts to the studio (Jericho) or buying Subway sandwiches (Chuck), the fans placed an ad in Variety Magazine. One simply stating that this great show needed another distributer. And placing an ad like that is not cheap, so it should get some attention. Lets hope it does. Check out their website and do you part at Save Our Seeker!

From the HollywoodReporter:

As part of a slate of new shows, the “X-Men” creator will co-host “Stan Lee’s Superhumans,” which will find people who have remarkable abilities because of being genetically different. Daniel Browning Smith, dubbed the world’s most flexible man, will host the series with Lee.

“Superhumans” will debut on the network during the third quarter and is joined by five other series and a slew of specials being greenlighted in time for the network’s upfront presentation to advertisers this week.

This may be interesting….it may also be crap. Stan has had some quality products in the past, but most of them have been in the FAR past. I wish him the best of course, he is the Man after all!

The ratings have been poor this season and several of the Tribune Stations stopped carrying the series. I seem to have been amongst the minority of my friends when I was saying this seasons story line really didn’t impress me. Definitely one time I didn’t want to be right.

Here is the official press release:

The Doctor, Amy and some of Doctor Who‘s most iconic monsters will be making a journey from TV to home computers, as the BBC unveils Doctor Who – The Adventure Games, four original “interactive episodes”, which will be made available for free from bbc.co.uk/doctorwho.

These four new adventures will take the form of downloadable computer games available for PC and Mac, in which players assume control of The Doctor and Amy as they embark on new adventures which complement the new TV series.

The episodes will be free downloadable games for the PC and Mac. The script of the game is being penned by Phil Ford and James Moran, who contributed to the Water of Mars, and Children of the Earth storylines for the Dr. Who and Torchwood series. Here is a trailer for the game:

Mike Henry, voice of Cleveland Brown as well as a number of the voices on Family Guy…Deaf Guy, School Counselor, the creepy pedophile and many more is hilarious. And Kevin Michael Richardson, voice of Cleveland Jr and many more is equally funny. Oh, and for the record, Mike is the white guy in the picture.

It seems that they have quite a few good ideas for the upcoming season and have the ratings to keep the show on the air. Including a guest appearance by Kayne West on a couple of episodes.

The guys had a lot of fun with the crowd and were happy to do most all of the voice requests from the audience. They also busted into song a couple of times for the audience, so amazing!

So, your hungry for seeing how Matt Smith is going to pull off being the Doctor…but its still weeks away before BBC America will be sharing him with you. Well…there is a way to do this…and you don’t have to be a computer genius either.

No, this does not involve illegal downloading, and we at Fan Rants would never condone such actions. But it does involve spoofing BBC as to where you live. You see, if you live in the UK, you can watch Doctor Who via the BBC website the day after it airs. But if your outside of the UK, your just outta luck!

The way they know this is by your computer IP address. This number tells where your service is originating. So what you have to do is use a ‘Proxy’ number that is located in the UK. Here’s how to do it!

First, get a proxy number. Head over to XROXY.COM and choose their Great Britain (UK) Open Proxy List. This will get you a slew of choices, just choose the first one you come upon that has a Port of 80 next to it. Others will work, but these tend to work the best I have found. Write this down, as you will need it in a moment.

These steps are for Win7 but should be very similar for XP.

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Network and Internet, and then click Internet Options.
3. In the Internet Options dialog box, click the Connections tab.
4. Click the LAN Settings button.
5. To enable the use of a proxy server, check the box for “Use a proxy server for your LAN (These settings will not apply to dial-up or VPN connections)”.
6. Enter the IP address of the proxy in the Address text box (you just got this from XROXY).
7. Enter the port number of the proxy in the Port text box.
8. Click OK to complete the proxy configuration process.

Next step is easy. Head over to the BBC iPlayer and view to your heart’s content!

WARNING! You do not want to leave the Proxy setting on after you have viewed your videos. Just follow the steps back into where you entered the Proxy number and uncheck  the box for “Use a proxy server for your LAN (These settings will not apply to dial-up or VPN connections).

Why you ask? Well if you leave it on it will slow down most of your web browsing as it is having to go to the UK every time you pull up your local Pizza Hut ordering page (example, I prefer Pappa Johns). Also, the Proxy numbers do EXPIRE. So you may have to repeat these steps in the future.

Here’s a run down on what he had to share:

• Venture Brothers will return in August
• Season finale will be an hour long extravaganza in December
• Toyline to be premiered at San Diego Comic Con (previously reported here)
• Season 4 split into two DVD releases, but whole season on one Blu-Ray release
• Publick and Hammer to be at SDCC and Dragon*Con (YES!)

Here are some screen grabs…so pumped yet so pissed that I have to wait till August!!

Simon Sean will be playing a man who finds one of those nasty artifacts and undergoes a physical change. And in a reversal of character types, Kaylee Jewel will play his unrequited love interest. Here is the full scoop from Syfy.

SYFY’S HIT SERIES, WAREHOUSE 13 CASTS JEWEL STAITE AND SEAN MAHER FOR GUEST STARRING ROLES Firefly Alum to Reunite in Upcoming Episode Titled “Mild Mannered”Scheduled to Premiere July 2010

New York, NY – March 10, 2010 – Syfy’s #1 original hit series, Warehouse 13, has cast Jewel Staite (Stargate Atlantis) and Sean Maher (Party of Five), of the acclaimed series, Firefly, as guest stars in an upcoming episode titled “Mild Mannered.” The hour-long episode is scheduled to premiere July 2010. Warehouse 13 stars Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek and Allison Scagliotti, along with series guest star, CCH Pounder. The 13-episode, dramedy is currently in production in Toronto and will premiere season two on Tuesday, July 13.

In “Mild Mannered,” Maher plays Sheldon, a quiet unassuming guy whose exposure to a dangerous object brings about shocking physical change. Staite portrays Loretta, the object of his unrequited love. Staite starred as Kaylee Frye and Maher as Dr. Simon Tam in the hit series, Firefly, the award-winning 2002 drama from creator Joss Whedon.

Warehouse 13 follows two Secret Service agents who find themselves abruptly transferred to a massive, top-secret storage facility in windswept South Dakota which houses every strange artifact, mysterious relic, fantastical object and supernatural souvenir ever collected by the U.S. government. The Warehouse’s caretaker Artie (Rubinek) charges Pete (McClintock) and Myka (Kelly) with chasing down reports of supernatural and paranormal activity in search of new objects to cache at the Warehouse, as well as helping him to control the Warehouse itself.

Warehouse 13 became the all-time Syfy leader in total viewers (4.1 million), Adults 25-54 (2.1 million) and Household ratings (2.9), as measured by 7-Day DVR data, making it the most successful series in Syfy’s 17-year history.
Warehouse 13 is produced for Syfy by Universal Cable Productions. Jack Kenny (The Book of Daniel) returns as showrunner.

CBS is running a contest seeking LOST promo’s from the fans. So gear up (you LOST cosplayers know who you are), make a 35 second promo for the last episodes of LOST and head over to the CBS Promo Contest to post your video!

Or, if your not into being in the public eye you should still head over to the contest site as you can vote on all the freaks LOST Fans who have posted videos. Go have fun!

NEW SYFY SATURDAY ORIGINAL MOVIE RED TO STAR FELICIA DAY (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, THE GUILD, DR. HORRIBLE’S) IN RE-IMAGINING OF LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD

New York, NY – March 8, 2010 – Felicia Day, star of web videos The Guild and Joss Whedon’s Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog, who also played “Vi” in the final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, will portray a werewolf-hunting descendant of Little Red Riding Hood in the new Syfy Saturday Original Movie, Red.

Scheduled to premiere in 2011, Red is Syfy’s latest re-imagining of classic fairy tales, legends and pop culture characters. The new line of films launched with Beauty and the Beasts: A Dark Tale, which starred Estella Warren, on February 27.

Syfy, one of television’s most prolific producers of original movies, is also developing films around the stories of Aladdin, Sinbad the Sailor and Hansel & Gretel, among other projects.

In the action-packed Red, Red (Day) brings her fiancé home, where he meets the family and learns about their business – hunting werewolves. He’s skeptical until bitten by a werewolf. When her family insists he must be killed, Red tries saving him. Red also stars Kavan Smith (Stargate Atlantis) and Stephen McHattie (Watchmen). Red is produced by Angela Mancuso and Vesuvius Productions in association with Chesler Perlmutter Productions.

In addition to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Felicia is most widely known for her work in web video. She co-starred in Joss Whedon’s Internet musical Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog, which was voted the Best Web TV of 2008 by Time Magazine, Entertainment Weekly and People Magazine.

Currently she stars in the web series The Guild, which she created, writes and stars in. The Guild was the winner of the YouTube, Yahoo and SXSW Best Web Series Awards for 2008. The series has generated more than 50 million views web-wide. Day also has a hugely popular Twitter following, reaching more than 1.7 million fans.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 96 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

Syfy sent a press release today exclaiming that season two of Warehouse 13 would begin July 13th. And keeping in theme, this season will have 13 episodes of wacky artifact fun! The press release:

SYFY’S HIT SERIES, WAREHOUSE 13 BEGINS SEASON TWO PRODUCTION THIS MARCH LEADING TO ITS SUMMER PREMIERE ON TUESDAY, JULY 13

Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek, Allison Scagliotti and CCH Pounder

All Return For Second Season Pick-Up

Nolan Funk (Nickelodeon’s Spectacular) To Guest Star In Four Episode Storyline

New York, NY – March 2, 2010 – Syfy’s #1 original hit series, Warehouse 13, commences production on season two this March in Toronto and will kick off the new season with a summer premiere on Tuesday, July 13. Series regulars, Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek and Allison Scagliotti, along with series guest star, CCH Pounder, reprise their roles in the series ratings leader for Syfy. The 13 episode, hour-long dramedy is slated to return this summer 2010.

Nickelodeon star, Nolan Funk (Spectacular, Drake & Josh) guest stars in a four-episode storyline in season two. Funk portrays Todd, a tech savvy local who takes a special romantic interest in Claudia (Scagliotti). This budding relationship is put to the test by the secrets they are forced to keep from one another.

Warehouse 13 follows two Secret Service agents who find themselves abruptly transferred to a massive, top-secret storage facility in windswept South Dakota which houses every strange artifact, mysterious relic, fantastical object and supernatural souvenir ever collected by the U.S. government. The Warehouse’s caretaker Artie (Saul Rubinek) charges Pete (Eddie McClintock) and Myka (Joanne Kelly) with chasing down reports of supernatural and paranormal activity in search of new objects to cache at the Warehouse, as well as helping him to control the Warehouse itself.

Warehouse 13 became the all-time Syfy leader in total viewers (4.1 million), Adults 25-54 (2.1 million) and Household ratings (2.9), as measured by 7-Day DVR data, making it the most successful series in Syfy’s 17-year history.

Warehouse 13 is produced for Syfy by Universal Cable Productions. Jack Kenny (The Book of Daniel), returns as showrunner.

Since this is being touted as a ‘big role’ it certainly makes us wonder if he may be the big bad guy behind everyone’s time-lapse. Frankly I am just happy to see James on a great show again. His stint on Numb3rs last year was nice, but just not enough.

The new season starts in England on April 3rd. BBC America has yet to announce when those of us on this side of the pond will be so blessed. I will keep everyone apprised!

Dr. Who New Season Trailer #1:

Spring Teaser Trailer:

This was first tipped off by Lost producer Carlton Cuse. Carlton was the co-creator of Brisco back in the day so if anyone should know it is he. This just makes me giggle inside to see this show being kept alive in such a bizarre way.

For those not familiar with the Riverworld book series, the story takes place on an Earth like planet where humans are resurected after some catastrophy on Earth. The planet is essentially one long river valley with the river starting at the polar north. Everyone resurected here are all approximately 25 years of age and in perfect health. They also encompass the whole of humanity, so there are people from the 20th century intermingling with people from 2500 BC.

The story line is vast and could easily be spun off into a regular series if Syfy gets good ratings. Here’s hoping they do!

My first memory of the Human Target: was from reading some old DC Comics issues of Batman in the 1980′s. It was an interesting character but not really enough to drive his own comic at the time. Christopher Chance, the name he went by but not necessarily his real one, was a master of disguise. When he entered into a contract with a client he would literally become that person. A very sharp mind, skilled martial artist and marksman made him a great bodyguard/double.

Next up, I ran into the character in the early 1990′s in a very short-lived (properly so) TV series starring Rick Springfield. Yeah… that pop singer/soap star was cast as a bodyguard. Well the series, which I still have on VHS if that tells you anything about my packrat problem, only lasted 7 episodes on ABC. The FX’s they used for Springfield doing his makeup was pretty cheesy, but the concept for the show was good.

Now we have the new FOX series, which at this point has had three episodes aired. Starring Mark Valley as Chance, Chi McBride as Winston his handler (formerly from Pushing Daisies) and Jackie Earle Haley as Guerrero the resident geek/brain (he was Rorschach in the film Watchmen).

Frankly the casting is spot on, all solid actors with their own strengths and they thus far have brought solid performances to the show. The main thing they have changed is the fact that Chance is no longer a master of disguise but rather a bodyguard. A highly skilled and connected bodyguard that is.

They have dropped many hints that he may have been a spy at one time, but nothing concrete. What we do know is, he speaks multiple languages, so far Japanese and Russian, knows martial arts, is a master shot and tactician.

I like the show for its action and humor. So far the writing has been very well done and as I said earlier, the casting is very good. They are actually using some quality comic book writers for the scripting, Carmine Infantino and Len Wein have writing credit on the first two episodes. Also they have had some excellent guest stars so far, Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica), Danny Glover, Alessandro Juliani (BSG), Sean Maher (Firefly), and Emmanuelle Vaugier (CSI NY).

I think FOX may have a good show on their hands, if they don’t muck things up like they have with other shows in the past. Over all I give this a 3.5 Stars out of 5!

Entertainment Weekly reports that NBC is passing on the Tennant drama-pilot Rex is not your Lawyer. At least for now:

An NBC rep declined to comment, but a Peacock source insists Rex remains under consideration for fall. “The sets are on fold-and-hold,” maintains the insider. “They will still be available if the show is picked up for the fall.”

This show has been in development, though Tennant has only been on its list recently, for over 2 years. Not a LONG time in Hollywood, but it still falls into the realm of developement hell.

Perhaps we will get lucky and the pilot gets leaked by an NBC Dr.Who fan. Or maybe they will put it on as a made for TV movie. In any case, I look forward to more David Tennant in the future.

According to a recent article in Variety, Adult Swim has ordered 40 more episodes of their great stop-motion animation show. This is a huge order and a major commitment from that studio.

The series has been on the air, sporadically, since 2005 and has brought droves to the Adult Swim late night programming venue. Each episode runs a meer 15 minutes and is generally made up of up to 10 skits. They have also produced several specials, including two Star Wars specials, some of which have appeared on DVD.

If you have not seen the show, take the time to watch a few of the skits. It is definitely up the alley of our reading/listening audience.

This is an excellent comic and I have been hoping they would make this into a TV series since reading the first few issues. From Wiki:

Powers is set in a world where superpowers are relatively common but not mundane. It follows the lives of two detectives, Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim, police officers in a Homicide department devoted to cases that involve “powers” (people with superpowers). Walker himself used to be a costumed superhero named Diamond, but became a police officer after he lost his abilities. Though stripped of his powers, he still retains his contacts within the superhero community, even becoming engaged to an ex-colleague, who is later killed. In later issues, Walker is offered the chance to become the world’s latest secret Guardian as part of The Millennium Guard, a secret group of intergalactic guardians, accepting the responsibility and the powers that come with it.

Lets keep our fingers crossed that this turns out at least half as good as what I can forsee in my head!

Better Off Ted, for those foolish enough not to be following it (catch up on HULU), is a sitcom about corporate life at a super-duper sized mega corporation, Veridian Dynamics. Its a very funny show, for which a good part of the laughs come from the R&D departments creation of some of the weirdest gadgets. This weeks show had the two primary scientists down in the Verdian storeroom of discarded inventions, when in the back ground you can clearly a Gold Dalek! I guess it was just Davros powered down.

BBC has produced a new version of the 60′s movie and 80′s TV show, Day of the Triffids. It will air on the BBC December 28th and 29th as a two-day event, each part 90 min in length.

Synopsis provided by wikipedia:
“The protagonist is Bill Masen, an Englishman who has made his living working with “Triffids,” plants capable of aggressive and seemingly intelligent behaviour: they are able to move about on their three “legs”, appear to communicate with each other and possess a deadly whip-like poisonous sting that enables them to kill and feed on the rotting carcasses of their victims. The book implies they were bioengineered in the Soviet Union and then accidentally released into the wild when a plane carrying their seeds is shot down. Triffids begin sprouting all over the world, and their extracts prove to be superior to existing vegetable oils. The result is worldwide cultivation of Triffids.”

The original movie is as campy as you might expect from a crazed plant monster 60′s film. And the 80′s TV show is as crappy as you might expect from most 80′s sci-fi no-budget BBC features. But this one has got my attention.

Written by Patrick Harbinson, formerly of ER and Law & Order fame, it stars Dougray Scott, Joely Richardson, Brian Cox, Vanessa Redgrave, Eddie Izzard and Jason Priestly. It’s a good pedigree that they can still screw up if they try, but here’s to hoping for the best. I just can’t wait to see Eddie chasing after man-eating plants…HA!

Magic Missle!

For those of you not familiar with the show, it is the story of a young Merlin as he discovers his powers and abilities while living in Camelot. He is befriended by young Arthur and the show is angled toward family viewing.

I have been watching the show from the beginning and enjoy it. The acting and effects are well done for a TV series and it is well cast. Quite happy that it got picked up for a 3rd season!

Merlin stars Colin Morgan as Merlin, Bradley James as Prince Arthur, Anthony Head as King Uther, Katie McGrath as Morgana, and John Hurt as the voice of the Great Dragon.

Doctor Who Advent Calendar

I’m not sure how I feel about this. I liked Sliders, but that was almost 15 years ago!  Then again, I’m not sure how I feel about the Doctor playing a Chicago lawyer either…

Then again… What if Hulu did go to some kind of a pay model?  I don’t think that’d be a bad thing if it was done properly.  I’ve heard rumors ranging from “pay for individual shows” to “pay per subscription” to “pay for additional, exclusive content”.  These are all just wild rumors, probably not based on any real information.  Pure speculation on the part of anyone with an active imagination and a blog.  HEY…. I have at least one of those things!  Here’s how I think that Hulu could be successful with a pay model:

1. KEEP BROADCAST SHOWS AD SUPPORTED.  Basically, don’t change what’s currently on Hulu.  It’s a good starting place.  I think that a per show/network subscription would end up not making nearly the same amount that is made from ads.  Also, a broad, all encompasing site fee would drive away more people than it would keep around.

2. Charge for exclusive extras.  This wouldn’t make you all that much money, but the shows are making this content ANYWAY.  Bloopers, gag reels, deleted scenes… Think DVD extras.

3. Charge a show based subscription fee for some cable content.  I’d HAPPILY pay $3-5 per show a month for a subscription to my favorite Showtime/HBO/Cinemax/Encore/etc shows.

If the above model were put into place, I’d watch all my favorite broadcast shows for free, and I’d end up paying around $15 a month in subscription fees.  In other words, Hulu would be making fat bank off my (and many other peoples) lazy ass every month.  They would also probably INCREASE their customer base.  What do YOU think?

Perhaps if the shows writers were to kill off the annoying VPOV (viewer point of view, the fat guy) I might give it more business myself! Check the pic, he doesn’t even know his finger isn’t loaded!

According to the books official twitter feed “Deadline Productions will make Pride Prejudice and Zombies into a 6 part television series”.

While I have not read this cult hit yet, I have several friends that have and they rant on and on about how great it is. The concept is simple enough, take a classic piece of literature and insert zombies and ninjas. Sounds like a win win to me!

And really…that Doctor Fate costume is amazing! I hope to see some people trying to recreate it at an upcoming convention.

Here is the info that Fox sent out on the plans for its midseason. Premier date, timeslot, regular airing time:

24: Jan 17 & 18th, 8pm – Two night four hour event – Sundays 9pm EST
American Idol: Jan 12 & 13th, 8pm – Two night event – Tuesdays 8pm EST
Fringe: April 1st, TBD – Thursdays TBD
Glee: April 13th, TBD – Tuesdays TBD
Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares: Jan 29th, TBD – Fridays TBD
Human Target: (NEW!) Jan 17th, TBD – Wednesdays TBD
Our Little Genius: (NEW!) Jan 13th, TBD – Sundays TBD
Past Life: (NEW!) Feb 11th, TBD – Thursdays TBD
Sons of Tuscon: (NEW!) March 14th, 8:30pm – Sundays 8:30pm

Also of note is the fact that ‘Lie to Me’ has had nine more episodes ordered to round out the season. No date or time yet on those.

Fringetastic

God damn it so much Fox…

According to The Futon Critic, Fox is putting Fringe on a 7 week hiatus starting in February.  They SAY this is so that they won’t have to show any Fringe repeats during 2010, but the buzz has been buzzing that Fringe is “on the bubble”.  While Fringe is hiatusing, presumably on a beach somewhere in Mexico with a pretty girl and a belly full of rum, Fox will present its midseason offering drama “Past Life”, a new series about a pair of past-life detectives who investigate whether what is happening to you today is the result of who you were before.  Sounds lame.  BOO.  And how many times have we heard this line from Fox right before they cancel a show?  In my opinion, Fringe is one of the best shows on TV right now.  It doesn’t deserve to be anywhere near “on the bubble”.  Listen up Fox, don’t even think about canceling this show.

All will be revealed as the Doctor and his companion Adelaide face terror on the Red Planet in one of the scariest adventures yet. Peter O’Brien (Casualty, Neighbours) guest stars as Ed, Adelaide’s second-in-command at the base.

The Waters of Mars is written by Russell T Davies (Torchwood, Queer as Folk) and Phil Ford and directed by Graeme Harper. The executive producers are Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner (Torchwood, Life on Mars).

The remaining episodes, starring Tennant, will air over the holiday season as a two-part special. Airdates will be released in early December. Tennant shot a total of four specials before exiting the role – Planet of the Dead was the first one to air, last July, on BBC AMERICA.

The book looks good and I am planning on picking it up this weekend. Here is the blurb from the publisher:
On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester’s Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener’s hand is severed as “the dome” comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when — or if — it will go away.

Now this is good news to me, I was a big fan of the Warren Ellis comic back in the early 2000′s. There was even a pilot made for the WB back in 2005, but it got dropped before it even officially got released (it was unofficially leaked to the net that year though, not bad if you can find it, I liked it).

The concept is a good one that can be translated easily enough to the small screen. Essentially its a covert agency that uses smart mob techniques to mobilize its 1001 agents. From wikipedia:
The purpose of the organization is to protect and rescue the world from the consequences of the various secret projects that the governments of the world have established, which are unknown to the public at large.

Now, that last part wasn’t in the TV Guide Magazine article, but I don’t think anyone can watch the show and not have that opinion of the Rush character. Anyway, it is good to see that Shanks will be working on a franchinse that he is heavily endebted to. And its got to be better than putting on fake wings and a copper helmet like he is in the show Smallville.

Edward was best known to me for his starring role in the 80′s TV show, The Equalizer. Here was a man who could express empathy for those hurt and yet instill a fear into those that hurt them. It was a good solid show that appealed to a large audience. Just enough action to keep the guys watching and plenty of drama to keep the women hooked.

He recently appeared in the Simon Pegg comedy, Hot Fuzz. I know he will be missed, but 79 years is a pretty good run these days. I hope he rests in peace.

From everything I’ve seen, this new series isn’t a reboot, but a remake.  Updated technology, updated cultural references, updated hotties.  The new series is already garnering critical acclaim based on a prescreening of the pilot episode, but that doesn’t really mean jack shit.  I’m just wondering how ABC is going to fuck this one up.  There’s already been talk that production has been halted, supposedly due to the Olympics, which while they do occur in Vancouver, I haven’t heard of any other shows fully and completely halting production.  The other rumors I’ve heard (and that I’ll spread like butter on a hookers ass) is that ABC plans to air the 4 completed episodes, then wait for feedback.  If the feedback is positive they will resume production… Maybe. If they resume production it would probably be sometime in the middle of next year.  Thanks a lot ABC.  Now go eat a dick.