Fan Rants

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).

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.

Those are the facts of life… Johnny saw two movies this week, How to Train your Dragon and Robin Hood. He liked one of them. MacGruber is discussed at length. We get a little confused with Prince of Persia. We talked about TV and how Kevin is crazy behind. We both think Rush should have had his way with that woman who really wanted him to. Of course we talk about Lost, but since the final episode hadn’t aired yet we didn’t know what we were talking about. It’s amazing how correct Johnny was and how wrong I was.  Either way, it’s fun to listen to our theories. There was a bunch of other stuff too, but I guess you’ll just have to listen.  BTW, Kristin shot J.R.

Music this week was all 8 bit stuff.  First was the artistNESessity off the album The Heartbits

The second artist was Ozzed from the album Lesser Than Three

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Okay, for those of you that follow the podcasts you know my opinion of the newest series in the Stargate pantheon. Otherwise, well lets just say that it really hasn’t wow’ed me yet.

That being said, I was a little taken aback when I saw Stargate Universe on next weeks DVD release list. I mean, does SyFy really need to split up seasons like this on DVD? How many of you are going to drop your hard-earned dollars on 10 episodes of this series and a couple of exclusive vid’s? It’s like shoveling money through the Stargate!

And here’s the bite, the blu-ray release at Best Buy will set you back $48! At least Amazon has it for $39, but that is still silly high for 10 episodes of anything…much less this drek!

Well I have not been quite about my particular disdain for the new Stargate Universe series on our podcast, but it seems they are finally bringing in the big guns! Michael Shanks will be appearing on two episodes later this season that explores the backstory for why Dr Rush is such a prick.

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.