Update and Moving Day

Hi,

Lately I've been doing a column, reviews and interviews at Paperback Reader. It has became apparent that trying to do that, Scifi 411, and this blog was spreading myself a bit thin. So, I've decided to move my blogging to Paperback Reader's Group Blog. Don't worry, it won't be just about comic books. In the group blog I will pretty much talk about everything I've been talking about here. You can find the first post here. It is an update to my previous post about the upcoming 2006-2007 television season. There a some big changes, so check it out.

It has been fun and please keep up with me at the new blog. I should be posting at least once a week about something.

Survivor: The SF TV Series Edition Part 2

Well, as expected, I have updated the status of the murky fates for our current and possible upcoming SF series. So, here is the “score” so far:

Returning
The 4400, Battlestar Galactica, The Dead Zone, Doctor Who, Ghost Whisperer, Lost, Masters of Horror, Medium, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1

Canceled
Alias, Charmed, Justice League Unlimited, Night Stalker, Threshold

Status Not Officially Known (With my percentage chance of returning.)
Invasion (75%), Smallville (95%), Supernatural (75%), Surface (20%)

Possible New Shows (With the highest chance, currently, of making it.)
Aquaman (Mercy Reef), Blade, Caprica, Dresden Files, Eureka, Firebrand, Heroes, Jericho, Masters of Science Fiction, Motel Man, Persons Unknown, The Prisoner, Raines, Torchwood, Ultra

So, what do you think? Which of the possible new shows sounds best? (Check out the details on these at: http://scifi411.com/upcomingtv.html).

Which canceled show will you miss the most…or the least?

As expected, but good to hear confirmed, Medium has been renewed. I would be surprised if Surface makes it, but it would be interesting to see where they go after that season finale. I hope that Supernatural and Invasion make it. I have really enjoyed Supernatural and look forward to future episodes. Invasion started out way too slow, but has sped up into a “hurricane” of SF entertainment.

Of the new shows I have to say it is a really good selection this year and I’m sure others will pop up soon. Right now Caprica, Jericho, Motel Man, Persons Unknown, Raines, and Heroes have me most interested. I’ve got this bad feeling that Blade may disappoint and that Dresden Files will meet the usual fate for Sci Fi Channel movie/back door pilots. Caprica was a surprise. Rarely does an SF series get a spin-off, especially so soon. Kudos to Battlestar Galactica!

The marX Files

Check out my new column over at Paperback Reader…The marX Files! The column covers comic book related news. So if you are into comics or into comic book adapted movies and films, then you should check it out.

The Doctor (Who) Is In The House

Don’t forget that the new Doctor Who series premieres tonight on the Scifi Channel. If you are a fan of the old Doctor Who series then this is a must see. If you have never heard of it, then you really should try it. The first episode is a little shaky but it gets better from there. You really don’t have to know anything about the previous 8 doctors to enjoy this new series. It still has a bit of the old British quirkiness, but now with a darker layer of serious drama (and a new look that reminds me fondly of Farscape). I don’t know if Doctor Who will catch on in America, but it should.

Cheers,
Marx

Survivor: The SF TV Series Edition

Well, it’s that time of the year again. Networks are starting to tell us which shows will return and which will cease to exist. So, here is the “score” so far:

Returning
The 4400, Battlestar Galactica, The Dead Zone, Doctor Who, Ghost Whisperer, Lost, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1

Canceled
Alias, Charmed, Justice League Unlimited, Night Stalker, Threshold

Status Not Officially Known (With my percentage chance of returning.)
Invasion (75%), Masters of Horror (55%), Medium (95%), Smallville (90%), Supernatural (75%), Surface (20%)

Possible New Shows (With the highest chance, currently, of making it.)
Aquaman (Mercy Reef), Blade, Dresden Files, Eureka, Heroes, Jericho, Masters of Science Fiction, Raines, Torchwood, Ultra

So, what do you think? Which of the possible new shows sounds best? (Check out the details on these at: http://scifi411.com/upcomingtv.html).

Which canceled show will you miss the most…or the least?

Me? I’m going to miss Justice League greatly. This was an excellent animated series that was entertaining for both kids and adults. Night Stalker and Threshold had some good things going for them, but overall just didn’t cut it for me. I will miss Alias, but it was starting to get stale.

Of the new shows I have to say it is a really good selection this year and I’m sure others will pop up soon. Right now Jericho, Raines, and Heroes have me most interested. I’ve got this bad feeling that Blade may disappoint and that Dresden Files will meet the usual fate for Sci Fi Channel movie/back door pilots.

Which Stargate Character Are You?

Dr. Daniel Jackson: You are open minded and
considerate - basically an all around nice
person ... and did I mention stubborn?

Which Stargate Character Are You? (Now with pictures)
brought to you by Quizilla

I found this quiz at The Weekly View Blog.

"Can't stop the signal."

Would you like to see more Firefly/Serenity? Well, there is a movement, by entrepreneur Ace Underhill, to bring the series back with monthly DVD deliveries, TV On-Demand, or computer viewing via Streaming Download. It would be a first if they can pull it off. Imagine how things would change if shows like Firefly or Angel could live on after getting the axe from the network (aka ‘the man’).

So, if you're interested, click on over to their website at http://www.fireflyseason2.com/Index.asp and let them know what you would like to see. FYI - Joss Whedon is not involved at this stage.

I honestly think that something like this could work, especially with a Joss Whedon show.

King Kong

Or…the king returns.

Here is my review: watch it. If you enjoyed any of the King Kong films of the past, then you must see this film. If you haven’t and never wanted to, then you still must give this film a chance. Unless you are scared of gorillas. Then you should avoid it at all costs.

It didn’t do as well as expected in the box office, but I think that had more to do with the timing than anything else. No one was sitting at home and going, “Man, I wish they would make a remake of King Kong.” I was in that boat. I was curious, but I almost decided to just wait for the DVD. Ah, but who knew that King Kong could be turned into such an excellent film, one that is actually better than the original?

King Kong has more action than most can handle. It builds up slowly in the first hour, but kicks up to overdrive for the rest of the film. The special effects are awesome (King Kong, dinosaurs, giant insects, etc). The story is touching. The acting is fantastic. I have liked Naomi Watts in her other films, but this one truly showed her fantastic acting skills. This film truly is an instant classic. I give this film an A+.

Smallville “Reckoning” 100th Episode

Or…I reckon this one was 50% good.

Do not read further if you don’t want to be spoiled by moi, ok.

First off, I want to say that this has been the best season of Smallville so far. I’ve always watched this series off and on through the years, but usually only found the season premieres, season finales, and a handful of episodes in-between to be anything special. This season, we have seen Clark and his friends head off to college, battle Brainiac, and Lex show his true colors.

Oh yeah, and Clark got laid.

But, alas, all good things must come to an end. This 100th episode (that I was actually looking forward to) greatly disappointed me.

Sniff, sniff. Not just because I’m sorry to see Jonathan Kent die. But, I must endure more of the Lana/Clark/Lex triangle. Grr, Argh. Make it stop!

I was nearly blown away during the first half hour (get it?…”I reckon it was 50% good”). We had Lana learning the truth (Finally! How dense is she anyway?), Clark proposing (Unexpected – well except one of the commercials showed it, but it led me to believe they might actually have the hazelnuts to kill her off.), and then Lana’s death (booyah!). This blew me away…I thought, “Wow, they actually went against canon. They completely surprised everyone. Did Joss Whedon write this episode?” Then I thought, “Wow, until this moment I didn’t realize how perfect it would be if Lana died. Clark would never want to tell his secret to someone else he cared about. No more Clark angst about Lana, someone who is starting to look really stupid for not figuring this secret out yet. And now a perfect reason for Clark to hate Lex and a tragedy that would drive Lex completely to the darkside.”

Ah, but who knew that the writers would pull a page from Star Trek or Witchblade. Clark whines to Jor-El about how unfair it is that Lana is dead (this is when I started to get worried). I thought, “No, don’t you dare.” Then Jor-El does the whole, “gee there is this crystal that can turn back time” thing. You see, he has been saving it for a special occasion. Saving his people from his homeworld BLOWING UP didn’t really count, but I guess saving Clark’s girlfriend would be the right time. Frak! What can’t Jor-El (aka Mr. Deus Ex Machina) not do? He can take Clark’s power away. He can give Clark’s powers back. He can give powers to other people. Oh, and he can turn back time…I don’t buy it.

So, then time reboots. Lana is saved, but breaks up with Clark because he won’t tell her his secret. Clark’s dad dies from that pesky heart damage. The only way, this episode’s Tru Calling moment could have worked was if Lana died in the end anyway. Man, that would have been shocking and would have made this episode the best of the whole series. Instead, I feel that Jonathan’s death is trivialized because of the time restart gimmick.

So, on one hand the writers made me care enough about this season that I truly got angry by this episode (kudos), but if they don’t shape up and either get rid of Lana or have her learn the secret, I don’t think I will stick with the series next season. Hey, why don’t they hook Clark up with the mermaid chick that was his college sweetheart in the comics? I’m just so tired of this Lana/Clark mess. Could you tell?

Which Superhero Are You?

My results:

You are Green Lantern

Green Lantern 75% The Flash 70% Spider-Man 65% Superman 60% Hulk 60% Iron Man 60% Batman 55% Catwoman 55% Robin 44% Supergirl 40% Wonder Woman 40%

Hot-headed. You have strong will power and a good imagination.

Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...

2006 Predictions: Part IV (Kill Switch / Midnighters / Pretty Little Liars / Pen and the Sword / Warehouse 13 / Skrull Kill Krew / Torchwood)

Kill Switch

The unlikely duo of Mark Cherry (Desperate Houswives) and Don Mancini (Child's Play - yes I said Child’s Play) are creating this pilot for ABC. No, the series won’t be about Desperate Killer Dolls living on Elm Street. Cherry describes the one-hour SF drama, Kill Switch, as Touched by an Angel meets Quantum Leap. An odd writing combo, with an odd example series amalgam, indeed. I would have personally stayed away from the Touched by an Angel example. I wonder if Tru Calling meets Quantum Leap would work? That is what I think of when I read this description: The series centers on a woman who is executed for killing her daughter's murderer and then enters a type of purgatory. Every episode she finds herself in the body of someone about to be killed. She must figure out who the murderer will be and prevent it from happening.

"Instead of a whodunit, it's a who-will-do-it," Cherry said. The series supposedly will have a tone similar to Desperate Housewives. "The tone isn't exactly like Desperate Housewives" he said. "But it has humor and wit in it. [It] seemed like something in his wheelhouse." I’m not sure how to take this one. This could be really, really campy or interestingly different. I would normally give this a low chance of making it, but Desperate Housewives is big - like Godzilla standing on King Kong’s shoulders big - so ABC will probably take a chance on it. Hmmm…lets give it a 75% chance of being picked up.

Midnighters / Pretty Little Liars

The WB is so pleased with Supernatural’s performance that two new one-hour supernatural dramas are in the works. The WB has ordered scripts for both of them. Pretty Little Liars revolves around four 16-year-old girls whose fifth best friend went missing two years ago. The girls then become haunted by messages that start appearing from her. Midnighters revolves around teens who were born at the stroke of midnight who have gained access to a 25th hour of the day. Both series are being adapted from their Alloy book series published by HarperCollins.

To early to give a prediction on either one of these yet, but I’ll keep my eye on them.

Pen and the Sword / Warehouse 13

Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica) is developing these two series for NBC and the Scifi Channel. Pen and the Sword, being developed for NBC, is about a young man working in a building that is a portal to a medieval alternate universe. Warehouse 13, being developed for the Scifi Channel, centers on a pair of government officials that are banished to a storage facility in North Dakota in which every item has a supernatural or fantastical backstory.

It is waaaay to early too tell if these will make it, but with Ronald Moore’s success with Battlestar Galactica, I would be surprised if we don’t see one of these soon. I predict a 50% chance.

Skrull Kill Krew

There is little detail on this live action TV project at this time, except that Marvel mentioned it was in the works. I’m not sure who thought about this one. Of all things to pick, this wouldn’t have been my first choice. But, perhaps with a good showrunner, this project could be successful, or at least fun to watch. It could be sort of a funny version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Hmmm..I don’t know about this one.

But for those of you (which are probably many) who have never heard of Skrull Kill Krew here is a run-down on the comic. Skrull Kill Krew was a short lived 1996 Marvel comic book series. The comic book was created by Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, and Steve Yeowall. This comic book focused on a team of humans with the viral affliction Skrullovoria Induced Skrullophobia (SIS). The characters were infected with this virus after eating beef from Skrull alien shape shifters that had been trapped in cow form. Now, they have varying degrees of shape shifting powers and can recognize a Skrull no matter what form it takes. Unfortunately, the virus also damages their brains causing progressive episodes of neurological disease. The Skrull Kill Krew would travel across America, killing any Skrull shapeshifters they find in an attempt to stop them from taking over the Earth. Members include: Ryder (leader of the Krew with the ability to animate his dreadlocks and teleport), Catwalk (Kimberly Dee - a former supermodel with the power to take the form of a feline-human hybrid), Dice (Rob Fortune - surfer dude from LA with the power to transform his hands into various types of weapons), Moonstomp (a skinhead white supremacist from the UK whose skin is turning black), and Riot (Heidi Sladkin - a punk-rock chick that can turn into a giant insectoid creature).

It is still in the very early stages, but for now I have to predict a cloudy 30% chance of making it to TV.

Torchwood

The BBC has ordered 13 episodes for a spinoff series of its new Doctor Who series that will air on the BBC Three network. The new series, from Russell T. Davies, is called Torchwood—an anagram of "Doctor Who"—and will feature the character of Captain Jack (John Barrowman), a swashbuckling spacefarer who was introduced last season on Doctor Who. The series is set in modern-day Cardiff. Torchwood will launch in the Christmas special and second season of Doctor Who. The series will center on Torchwood, a renegade group of investigators. No stories will cross over between Torchwood and Doctor Who, the BBC said. "Torchwood is a British sci-fi paranoid thriller, a cop show with a sense of humor," Davies said in a statement. "It's dark, wild and sexy. It's The X-Files meets This Life. It's a stand-alone series for adult audiences, which will have its own unique identity. I have just begun working on the scripts with a team of writers and cannot wait to see the results."

I, like so many of my American friends, have not seen much of the new Doctor Who yet. Darn you DVD Regions! I’m eager to see it and hope to pick up the DVD in February. Sigh, but until then, what can I say? British SF is apparently taking an upturn with the success of Doctor Who, now this spin-off, and the recently announced The Prisoner remake. I look forward to hearing more about Torchwood, though, and chances are good it will do well. But I doubt it will ever make it to America’s (sometimes nationally egotistical) airwaves.

Hmmm…perhaps the British could remake Blake’s 7. Imagine that airing back to back with Battlestar Galactica.

The End...

That's all of my 2006 predictions for now. How many of these shows do you think will actually make it? Goodbye, paalom, hasta la vista, lehit, bai bai, tchau...later.

2006 Predictions: Part III (Eureka / Dresden Files)

Eureka

"...federal marshal Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) wrecks his car in the town of Eureka while transporting a teenage fugitive. Stranded, Carter quickly discovers that Eureka is not all it appears when a child vanishes in the catastrophic aftermath of an accident caused by a creation of one of the town's eccentric residents. Instinctively, he inserts himself into the investigation, working alongside the town's sheriff (Maury Chaykin) and an agent from the Department of Defense (Richardson-Whitfield). As the case unfolds, Carter is let in on one of the country's best-kept government secrets: Eureka is a haven created for the world's greatest minds to live, work and create. But, unknown to most, mystery, conspiracy and long-simmering secrets lurk just beneath the surface of this seemingly idyllic town." (The description given by the SciFi Channel on 9/28/05.)

SCI FI Channel has given a green light for the production of 13 episodes for a summer 2006 premiere. This series will be executive-produced by Andrew Cosby (Haunted) and co-executive-produced by Jamie Paglia.

I don’t know what to think about this one. When I first heard this I pictured a half campy SF show like Invisible Man (which I really enjoyed) or the even more campy Tremors: The Series (which I didn’t like so much). But as more info comes out, the more unsure I am about what kind of series this will be. For SCI FI Channel to give it a green for 13 episodes means someone thinks it has potential. SCI FI has become notoriously gun shy on new series. I wish they had been that way when someone green lighted Black Scorpion…yikes. Hopefully, this will usher in the return of more SF series on SCI FI Channel. Believe it or not, in Fall 2005 ABC was airing more new SF drama series than SCI FI (Lost, Alias, Night Stalker, and Invasion). SCI FI just has Scifi Friday, but perhaps I should count Tripping the Rift…maybe. Either way it is far from the high point, which was 2000-2001 I believe, when SCI FI was airing Black Scorpion, The Chronicle, Farscape, First Wave, Good vs. Evil, The Invisible Man, Lexx, and The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne. Not that all of those series were great, mind you, but it is nice to have choices. By the way, my favorites were The Chronicle (canceled far too quickly and seemed to reach a wider audience than the typical SCI FI Channel series), Farscape (classic, need I say more?), and The Invisible Man (season two’s writing was weaker, but the series had a great cast and a uniquely fun feel to it).

But we are now seeing advertisements for Eureka. It isn’t enough to get a real good gauge on it, but it is peaking my interest. This is an obvious 100% chance of being aired. The real question now is if it is good enough for a second season.

Dresden Files

This two-hour back-door pilot is scheduled to air summer 2006 on SCI FI Channel.

"Based on the best-selling 'Dresden Files' novels by Jim Butcher, this 2-hour backdoor pilot film will be executive produced by Academy Award(R) winner Nicolas Cage and Norm Golightly of Saturn Films. Erik Dresden is a detective with extraordinary powers, the kind that could belong only to the descendant of a long line of wizards. Where others see the typical crimes of assault, kidnapping and serial killings, Erik sees otherworldly forces at work -- which only he knows how to combat. Whether consulting for the police on inexplicable crimes or following his own cases, Erik has a unique outlook on the world, and wields a wry sense of humor as one of his most potent weapons. The project is produced by Lions Gate Television and Cage's Saturn Films (The Life of David Gale, Shadow of the Vampire), with Morgan Gendel (Law & Order, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: The Next Generation) writing; Gendel and Anthony Peckham (Don't Say a Word, 5 Days to Midnight) are executive producers." (The description given by the SciFi Channel.)

Another book series adapted for television. In the past these haven’t fared well (at least in the eyes of the PTB), like Scifi Channel’s Anonymous Rex or Riverworld. But I feel good about this one (70%-80% chance of series pick-up). I can easily see this making it. In many adaptations for novels the author isn’t pleased, but at least it appears that the Dresden Files is the exception.

"I saw the clips [of the movie] and thought my jaw was going to fall off my skull," Butcher said. "I'm very pleased with how well [screenwriters] Robert [Hewitt Wolfe] and Hans [Beimler] get the whole wizard detective concept, and I liked the movie script very much."

Butcher added, "I am in regular contact with Robert Wolfe, the show's producer, who has been great about letting me suggest things here and there and about asking for my thoughts on things."

Paul Blackthorne (24) has been cast as Harry Dresden and Valerie Cruz (Nip/Tuck) “…will play a hard-nosed Chicago police detective who handles violent crimes and works side by side with Dresden."

2006 Predictions: Part II (Blade)

Spike TV has ordered a two-hour movie that will act as a pilot for a series based on the Blade movies. David S. Goyer is producing and co-writing the pilot with Geoff Johns.

“Tenacious vampire slayer Blade forms an odd alliance with Christa Starr, a woman who wants revenge upon the vampires' House of Chthon, and the powerful Marcus, for slaying her fraternal twin brother. But while Blade battles the vampires from the outside, Christa battles them from within -- after being changed into a vampire herself...”

It is believed that the pilot picks up where Blade Trinity left off. But don’t expect to see Abigail Whistler and Hannibal King; new supporting character will be introduced. Shen (played by Nelson Lee) will be making Blade his wicked vamp slaying weapons, while Christa will be working from inside Marcus Van Sciver’s vampire House of Chthon.

I’m eager to see what this series is going to look like. With David S. Goyer at the helm, it has potential. Although it won’t be as gory as the films, supposedly Goyer’s crew are going to try their best to get as close as they can. I don’t really care about the gore, I just want the martial art moves and overall action to still be there.

Wesley Snipes will not return as Blade, so success could hinge on his replacement. It has to be someone who looks and acts similar to Snipes’ Blade, but can add new layers to the character and make him his own. But hey, if James Bond can go blonde, then anything is possible. Recently, the actor/rapper Kirk Jones, aka Sticky Fingaz was chosen to be everyone’s favorite daywalker. Jones was last seen on television as a soldier in F/X's Over There, which I haven’t seen. What saye you? Is Jones a good pick? Other castmembers for the pilot include Jill Wagner, Neil Jackson, Jessica Gower and Nelson Lee.

I’m sorry to see them not use Abigail Whistler and Hannibal King. Even if they couldn’t get the actors back, it would have been nice to have continued developing these established characters.

So, will Blade slay the competition or be slayed? I’m forecasting 75% chance of the television movie being picked up as a series and clear skies tomorrow (somewhere in the world)..

Looking For A Few Good Club Members

William Shatner, best known as Captain James T. Kirk of Star Trek (duh) and the more recent Boston Legal character Denny Crane, has started up a new DVD club. The club has been christened (big surprise) the William Shatner DVD Club (www.ShatnerDvdClub.com). The club “showcases the best sci-fi movies that didn’t come to a theater near you. ”

Huh? Shatner explains, "Determining what movies get broad distribution and studio marketing support is a complicated process, and unfortunately the caliber of the film isn’t the only consideration. I’ve chosen a select group of memorable and entertaining sci-fi movies that never got the exposure they deserved, and made them available to fans everywhere at a great price.”

Sweet. Believe it or not, I actually think this is a great idea. There are so many excellent SF movies that come out every year that slide by the public. I’ve actually made it a hobby of buying DVDs of lesser known foreign SF films like “Brotherhood of the Wolf” and “The Returner” (two very different but very excellent movies by the way), so it comes to no surprise that I already have some the movie listed in the club. But do you?

Right now, new members get the werewolf movie “Ginger Snaps” for free. Others movies that members will get with membership are “Close Your Eyes” and “Immortal.” So, if your interested in checking out lesser known SF movies for a reasonable price, then check out Shatner’s new DVD club.

2006 Predictions: Part I (Aquaman)

In previous postings (“Six and Counting” & “The Lucky Seven”) I spoke about the new SF series and the other ongoing SF series on TV. Fall 2005 introduced 6 new SF series. What is the count now? Two down (Night Stalker and Threshold), one in danger (Surface), and three likely to survive for the sequel (Supernatural, Ghost Whisperer, Invasion). But, except for possibly Supernatural, I am not sure how many seasons they have in them. And, except possibly for Supernatural, none of them have franchise potential like Star Trek or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So, what will next season bring us? I have gathered together some of the most buzzed projects. I’ll even give them my “forecast” for success, just like a weatherman or psychic…same thing really.

To keep updated on the latest news on them or other possible future SF shows, I would suggest checking out my Upcoming TV Shows page on Scifi 411.

“Aquaville” aka Untitled Al Gough and Miles Millar

The WB has made a pilot commitment and casting has begun. Who knew that Aquaman’s guest apearance on Smallville would lead to his own spin-off? But spin it has. No title yet, but the word “Aquaman” will never be uttered in the series. (It is rumored that the Producers will cut off the hand of any character who dares speak this cursed word). Producers Al Gough and Miles Millar (Smallville, Spider-Man 2) are creating and executive-producing this action drama series about a twenty something Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman. Greg Beeman (Smallville) will be directing the pilot. Alan Ritchson, the actor who played Curry on Smallville, will not play the role for the series. Which is probably for the best. I thought he did find, but I couldn’t see him being the lead for a series. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one.

"He did a wonderful job on the show, but this is going to be a different version of the 'Aquaman' legend," Gough told Variety . The pilot "will be different than what you saw on Smallville. That was our out-of-town trial version."

The casting call is: "Arthur Curry (aka Aquaman): 18-24 years old. Blond or light brown hair, drop dead handsome with an incredible swimmer's body...SERIES REGULAR" Curry will be able to breath underwater and have super-strength underwater, but he is only just beginning to understand his powers. Millar also told Variety that they hope to create "a grounded version of the Aquaman mythology," focusing on an Arthur Curry, who "knows what he wants to do with his life, which is protect the oceans."

Gough and Millar had actually been considering a Lois Lane series. But "this was the first idea where we really thought we had a franchise, where we could see 100 episodes.” Probably for the best, really. I like Erica Durance as Lois Lane, but I just don’t see how a Lois Lane series would work. Lois Lane without Superman, is like Superman without Lex Luthor.

But Clark has krypto freaks to fight every week. What the heck is Aquadude going to fight?

"There's a mystery surrounding the disappearance of (Curry's) mother and the Bermuda Triangle," Gough told Variety. He added that other weird occurrences related to the Triangle will provide many of the plotlines and Curry will be living with his adopted father.

Oh. Well that sounds kind of interesting. Since I recently saw Scifi Channel’s The Triangle mini-series (which was pretty good by the way), the Triangle spin actually sounds interesting.

Anyway, here is the casting call (who would you pick for these roles?):

[RACHEL STARLING - SERIES REGULAR] 18-24 years old. Rachel is a natural beauty with a radiant face and the perfectly toned body of an athlete. She has a sharp mind and a killer sense of humor. But if you look beyond her warm smile, you'll find something haunted about her. A drowning accident as a teenager has scarred her. While enjoying a "Semester at Sea", the boat capsized and she was stuck below deck. Although she blacked out, that last thing she remembers is being pulled free by a mysterious young boy wearing a seahorse necklace. Rachel comes from a well-heeled New York family. Her father was a successful newspaper editor, but he died when she was 14. She took his death very hard and decided to embark on the "Semester at Sea" as a way of getting over her grief. Her relationship with her mother, an award winning Broadway playwright, has remained strained. Her mother is an ultra liberal and doesn't approve of her joining the military. When she was selected to train at the Liberty Key West Naval Air Station, she achieved her dream of becoming a Top Gun, but she also has to face the fear of returning to the same area as her boating accident. Although there is a mutual attraction between Rachel and A.C., their relationship is complicated by the fact that Rachel is secretly engaged to another naval trainee, JESSE HICKS. Rachel finds herself torn between the safety and security that Jesse offers and the danger and mystery that seem to define A.C.

[JESSE HICKS - SERIES REGULAR] 18-24 years old. He's an incredibly good-looking, Top Gun hot shot. Jesse grew up in suburban Texas and was a high school football star. His father is a decorated three star General who is currently serving in Iraq. Jesse never considered any other career; he always knew he was destined to fight for his country. He fell in love with Rachel the very first time he saw her. Defying the rules, they embarked on a passionate affair. Jesse proposed a few weeks before the pilot episode and Rachel accepted his offer. They have to keep their relationship secret or face possible expulsion from the Top Gun program. Highly ambitious and competitive, Jesse is the kind of guy who wins at any cost. He is also reckless and sometimes dangerously aggressive.

[EVA TORRES - SERIES REGULAR] 18-24 years old. A fiery Cuban beauty. Eva hasn't exactly had an easy life. When she was six she fled Cuba with her family on a raft, which sank a hundred miles off the Florida coast in a devastating storm. She was the sole survivor. Although she was rescued, she has struggled to make a life for herself in America and was bounced from foster family to foster family. It was only when she finally turned 18 that she finally felt free. She came down to the Keys for a short break and never left. She manages a local dive shop, "The Old Man and The Sea" and counts A.C. as one of her best friends. Although they are from wildly different backgrounds they both felt an instant connection. Independent, sarcastic, strong-willed, Eva isn't afraid to express her opinion, even when no one's asking for it.

[MCCAFFERY - SERIES REGULAR] Star Name preferred. It's difficult to say how old McCaffery is. If you were to look at him, you'd probably guess 60ish. But you'd be way off. That's because McCaffery is from Atlantis. Since coming to the surface world, McCaffery has led a largely reclusive life as the lighthouse keeper at Atlas Point. He has watched A.C. grow up from afar, but always knew that one day their lives would intersect. This encounter leads to a long lasting friendship. McCaffery takes A.C. under his wing and explains not only his true origin but also his destiny. He is Obi Wan to A.C.'s Luke Skywalker. He is the voice of wisdom and experience who acts as a guide and mentor to the often hotheaded A.C. McCaffery is always bailing A.C. out of trouble and is someone A.C. can turn to when it comes to all things nautical. Having grown up underwater, McCaffery knows all the myths and legends of the ocean. He's also familiar with the creatures, both known and unknown to man, that inhabit the ocean's dark waters. Highly intelligent and fiercely loyal, McCaffery possesses an acerbic wit and doesn't suffer fools lightly.

[TOM CURRY - SERIES REGULAR] Late 30s to early 40s, A.C.'s stepfather. He was born and raised in Chicago but fell in love with Keys while he was a student at the University of Miami. He was an outstanding athlete and was a member of the gold medal winning US Water Polo team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He joined the Coast Guard in 1986 and has made a good career out of it, rising to the rank of Captain. While he was still a rookie Coast Guard his life took a dramatic turn. While out on a routine night patrol he came across three people bobbing in shark-infested waters -- a woman, a baby and an old man. There was no sign of a boat or plane and the water was mirror still. When he got them back to land he discovered they had no ID and nowhere to go. Taking pity on them, Tom took them home. Tom quickly became enchanted with the beautiful woman, ATLANNA, and her baby son ORIN. Within a year Tom and Atlanna were married and Tom adopted her baby son as his own. They renamed the boy ARTHUR. The old man, McCAFFERY, took a job as the Atlas Point Lighthouse keeper, a position he still holds to this day. As Arthur grew up, Atlanna made Tom promise not to tell him about her connection to McCaffery. He reluctantly agreed.

I give this a 90% chance of being picked up. Reason: Smallville is doing great on the WB this season and “Aquaville” could be an excellent companion series. Plus, there is growing positive buzz about this project. Personally I would have gone with a Flash series, but I’ll give the fish whisperer a try.

Rumors of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated…

I return from the epic quest of…upgrading my computer. Heed my word Brother (or Sister), now I shall be able to update the Blog ever more often, tinker with Scifi 411 even more than before, and (most importantly) play new PC games! Well…and I’ve also been busy with gorging myself of holiday food and other stuff that I won’t bore you with. So, fear not, I shall now begin anew with new reviews, interviews, and my usual rambling.

Anyway, I have many, many reviews lined up for the next few weeks. Enjoy!

The Lucky Seven… (Part II)

Battlestar Galactica
(Marx gives it an A)
Battlestar Galactica Episode Guide

Dude, this is so not your father’s Battlestar Galactica. Whether that is a good thing or not matters if you like your Battlestar Galactica with light action/adventure, mostly just heroic guys, and shallow robotic aliens that hate humans, or if you like your Battlestar Galactica with dark gritty action/adventure, more women heroes, and complex religiously fanatical robots that hate humans.

This series has some of the best writing, acting, directing, and special effects ever seen on a television SF series. It may be just too dark or too different from the original for some, but I am really enjoying this series. I waver back and forth on whether the characters are too flawed. But they do seem real or at least highly developed, don’t they? They are much more complex than your general heroic SF character. With the mid-season finale, “Pegasus,” I just can’t wait to see how they conclude that story arc. Few other shows make me feel that way anymore. (Lost is one of the few.)

This series will have many more seasons to go and I can’t wait to see them. I just hope they are sure to balance the feel of the series, so it doesn’t get to depressing.

Lost
(Marx gives it an A)
Lost Episode Guide

Wow, last season was great, especially the last few episodes. This season, the first three episodes blew me away. Now we know something about this island they are on. But there are still so many more secrets to learn. What is that creature? Who are the Others? What will happen to Walt? What happens if they don’t push the button? How does Eko know all of this stuff?

I have only one big gripe this season. Dude, the flashbacks are starting to get weak. I don’t mind some important, revealing ones dealing with Jack, Locke, Kate, Walt, or Sawyer. But the rest just don’t have anything new to tell (unless they have an unsuspecting secret…hmmm). Sure, seeing how Michael fought legally for Walt or how Sun and Jin first met is touching, but is it important enough to eat up a huge chuck of an episode? Let’s cut back on the flashbacks or stick to really important ones, like Jack’s from “Man of Science, Man of Faith.” I would really like to see flashbacks for some of the new characters, too. Like Eko or Ana-Lucia. These new characters have secrets to tell, so let us see them. The flashbacks worked great on so many levels last season, but they just seem like formula filling this season. Hmmm…perhaps I’m being to judgy or just nit-picking so I can find something wrong with this excellent series. A few more episodes of flashbacks should give us a better idea whether are not they have any new master plans for this season’s flashbacks. Actually, I’ve recently seen some rumors of things to come, which lead me to believe that these flashbacks may start to improve.

With that said, this is still, in my humble opinion, one of the best shows on television. Unless they totally jump the shark this season, Lost is destined to become an iconic series in SF history, like Star Trek and X-Files.

Medium
(Marx gives it an A)
Medium Episode Guide

Medium has grown into a very, very strong show. Yes, the Force is strong with this one. The acting is fantastic (even the kids do a great job) and the writing is twisted (in a plot twist sort of way, although some of the twists are dark indeed). Medium is a strange, but highly addicting mix of family life with psychic investigations into terrible violent crimes. I’ve also heard about an upcoming 3D episode…

Stargate SG-1
(Marx gives it a B)
Stargate SG-1 Episode Guide

I love Stargate. I so love this franchise. This truly is the new Star Trek for my generation. This season is in hiatus until January (darn you Scifi Channel!), but half of the 9th season (can you believe it has been nine years?) has aired thus far. We are introduced to a new threat (about time), the Ori. “Hallowed Are the Ori” I thought I should throw that out in case they are real. Please don’t kill me, Ori! These guys are scary cool and still very mysterious. What kind of ships will they use to invade? How can the Stargate dudes & dudettes hope to defeat them? Will the Jaffa ever get over their dependency issues?

First off, I loved Claudia Black as Vala. Her character really added something. I will admit that she was a little overused. I kid you not, I told my significant other that I thought she was getting so much air time because the writers wanted us to like her before they killed her. I was unfortunately right. Darn you Marx for your genius! It’s rough I tell ya. But it looks like the writers liked her too much and will bring her back. I really cringed, though, when I saw how they saved her. A little too Deus Ex Machina for me. But I really hope that they bring her back and make her part of the team. What rule is there that SG-1 can only have one woman? The humor she adds and the synergy she has with Daniel Jackson is just too good to let go. When she “died” it really took the oomph out of this season.

I also like the new general, Henry "Hank" Landry, played by Beau Bridges. The new doc played by Lexa Doig is good too. Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell, played by Ben Browder, is excellent. But, except for the first episode of the season, “Avalon,” Mitchell has been way underused. That is until “Babylon.” But, then back to underuse. I think the writers just haven’t figured out yet what they are going to do with him, but having him learn those Jaffa martial art moves was a real good step.

This season has breathed a new life in this long-running show. So much, that the writers almost changed the title of the series to Stargate Command. But, I can tell that the sense of adventure isn’t there as strongly as in the past. (Something to be expected with such a long running series.) But if they can pull off this new team and new threat, then I feel good about another season (or more) of SG-1.

Oh, and if you haven’t heard yet, SG-1 and Atlantis have been renewed for another season. This new direction is still a little rough around the edges, but there are so many new possibilities for stories with the introduction of these new characters, the aftermath of the fall of the Goa'uld, and the introduction of the Ori. Let’s hope that the writers figure out how best to use them.

Stargate Atlantis
(Marx gives it an B+)
Stargate Atlantis Episode Guide

Stargate Atlantis is doing anything but sinking. Although the Wraith are starting to get a little old, overall the season is much stronger than the first. Who knew that not only Ford vehicles could be turned into death machines, but so could Atlantis’s Ford? This turning Ford into a Wraith juice (yuck) addicted super Ford is an ultra cool twist for his character, and far better than the typical useless death of many a SF hero (Yar got killed by an oil goo monster, Fraiser didn’t duck, don’t get me started on the Lone Gunmen, and Anya got skewered – don’t worry Anya…it isn’t that Xander didn’t cry because he did not love you, he didn’t cry because he only has one eye for crying and…well…you know what happened to it).

The new character Ronon Dex (aka their Wolverine) is an excellent addition to the cast. Shepard is becoming a stronger character. So is McKay, but the writers do sometimes get a little carried away with him. Teyla is now the only weak link in the cast. Not necessarily because of the actress, but because the character is written just to perfect. She is a diplomat and a warrior. She is calm, patient, attractive, etc. The only thing wrong with her? She has inherited abilities giving to her from Wraith experimentation on her ancestors, but that wasn’t her fault. Some of the Stargate people don’t trust her. Yet again, not her fault. Lets see, Shepard doesn’t always follow orders, Ronon has a temper, and McKay is McKay (cowardly, egotistic, and a bit of a geek). Let’s see some depth to Teyla.

But otherwise, this season is shaping up nicely. It currently, to me at least, is beating out its older brother Stargate SG-1. There is just more action, adventure, and freshness. I have no doubt that we will see two or more seasons before this series ends.

Interview With A Shaman

With the growing popularity of psychic television shows based on real people, such as Ghost Whisperer and Medium, we decided to go find a real life “Ghost Whisperer” and ask him what it is like to be a psychic. This is a preview of the upcoming Paranormal section for Scifi 411.

"Hollywood has indeed come calling, in the form of screenwriters wanting to make a movie based on the life of this shaman/minister." [MORE]

The Lucky Seven… (Part I)

In a previous post, “Six and Counting,” I spoke about how the six new SF series (the ‘Sinister Six’ if you will) were doing. Today I’m going to touch on how the returning SF series (‘The Lucky Seven’ if you will) are doing. The 4400 and Dead Zone had their seasons during the summer, so I won’t discuss them right now. I also won’t talk about Alias because I haven’t seen this season yet. I save this series for DVD. Hey, I can’t watch everything on TV. I do have a life you know…I think.

Smallville
(Marx gives it a B)
Smallville Episode Guide

I have enjoyed this series off and on over the years, but was always frustrated with the lack of story development. When are Lana and Chloe going to figure out Clark’s secret? When will Lex finally start going to the dark side, instead of this constant walking the line? When will Clark actually fight a real super villain instead, of these “freaks of the week” nonsense? I know that the writers can only do so much with the storyline of Clark before he became Superman, but the little reboots have been starting to get a little silly.

Well, this season may finally be a move forward. They are going to college. Lana and Clark are finally together (many times, if you know what I mean), but Lana still doesn’t know Clarks secret. Grr, Argh…tell her already. I can’t believe Lana doesn’t already know and it is really starting to make her look stupid. I already think Clark should get over this crush and go for Chloe. Chloe would be a much better catch. She’s smart, resourceful, funny, and she can handle the truth (Lana, you can’t handle the Truth!). I don’t know what Clark is worried about, anyway. What room does Lana have to judge...

“Lana I’m an alien”
“Yuck, that’s gross”
“Hey, what are you talking about? You were a witch.”
“What did you call me!?”
“What?”
“That’s it; I’m breaking up with you again and dating another guy to obsess over me until he wants to kill me. Now I must go and cry for the 100th time.”
“What?”

Ok…where was I?

Although I have been frustrated in the past, this season is shaping up to be the strongest yet. Lex is getting darker, James Marsters is playing a real super villain (hopefully the writers will know how to use him), Chloe is in on the super secret, Lana & Clark are sitting in a tree with no freak love interest getting in the way, more guest star heroes (Aquaman, possibly the Flash again, and maybe more later), and we get to see the characters go to college. Hopefully Clark will graduate, unlike Buffy…poor, poor Buffy. So, this season may be really great if the writers can keep the momentum up, which they unfortunately don’t always have a good track record of doing.

Charmed
(Marx gives it a C-)
Charmed Episode Guide

Charmed (in case you don’t know) is about three sisters who are witches. Not only that, but they are the “Charmed Ones,” given great powers to fight those pesky demons. They must balance saving the world while keeping a love life and making sure the world doesn’t find out, which isn’t easy. Look at poor Buffy, of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Dating truly is tough enough without secret identities and a destiny to save the world thrown into the mix.

I once enjoyed this series. Honest. But I feel that it started going downhill after Prue’s death. Even further after they killed Cole. That is after making him switch between evil and good so fast it would even make dual-personality-super-villain Two-Face confused.

This season has continued the slow spiral to series finale. I’m getting so tired of the “why can’t we have normal lives” moaning. Guess what, girls? Apparently, the whole world is defenseless without the Charmed Ones, so get over it. Ever hear of balance? What is more frustrating is that they have learned this lesson over, and over, and over again. Make it stop please! Plus, you’ve got a kid with super powers who could change the balance of power. Guess what; no matter what you do the demons aren’t going to leave him alone. Period.

After faking their deaths and magically taking on new lives, the sisters are trying their best to avoid magic and fighting those mean demons. But a new Buffy…I mean witch… is in town. She has become their protégé. Do I smell spin-off? First off, what was up with her clothes in the first few episodes? Could they get any campier? This show is almost as much comedy as fantasy, which was nice at first, but the campy factor is growing to Godzilla proportions this season.

I also dislike how man-hating this show is. You heard me, people, I said it. Silly man, Charmed is for women. Some people thought Buffy the Vampire Slayer was man-hating? Yeah, right. This show either kills, turns evil, turns stupid, or neuters…err…I mean de-powers every man that is on this show. I know, girl power. But at least Buffy had Angel, then Riley, and then Spike. Not that Leo hasn’t been helpful, but he is (especially now sans powers) generally just being saved or giving advice.

Last season had some high points. I found the Avatars’ plot line rather interesting. Maybe the writers will prove me wrong, but it just seems like the characters are stuck in a loop. Over and over again with evil boyfriends, demons after their kid, the Source, the sisters wanting a normal life (what is “normal” anyway, especially in a world like theirs?), and the government wanting to butt in. It is all starting to get a little old. Sorry, but this series is just no longer charming.

Review: Blood and Brains

Zombies, the other dead meat. Not only are they one of the few supernatural creatures in folklore that start with the letter Z, but they also are really, really big in movies and games right now. Don’t believe me? Look at the recent movies: Land of the Dead, Resident Evil 2, 28 Days Later, Undead, etc. Look at games like the uber-popular video game series Resident Evil (and its many wannabe clones). And there are even entire RPGs that focus only on those smelly, shuffling brain eaters.

If you play RPGs of the D20 Modern flavor and you want to add the Zombie genre into your game, then you really need Blood and Brains: The Zombie Hunter’s Guide. This 56 page PDF book is written by Michael Tresca (Blood and Blades, etc) and published by RPG Objects. This book covers everything (and more) that you have ever seen in movies, television, and games that dealt with the Zombie persuasion.

The book starts out with background info on what exactly a Zombie is. Then, we are given new occupation choices: Boy Scout, Cheerleader, Jock, Mental Patient, NCRPC (National Center for Reanimation Prevention and Control) Employee, Nerd, Prep, Scream Queen, Stoner, and Y-Mart Employee. By the way, you can find classes of these occupations in Blood and Blades. Advanced classes: Bokor (a spellcaster that creates and controls zombies), Mad Scientist, Necromancer, Psychokinetic (bend that spoon), and Zombie Hunter.

There are also many excellent Zombie genre hack & slash feats like Backhand Slash (handy when those pesky Zombies sneak up behind you), Bring It On (you’re too crazy to worry about madness ratings), Chainsaw Impale (sweet, need I say more?), Cool (pressure, what pressure?), First Impression (shotgun go boom, scare weak creatures), Hardware (you knew that your hardware department experience would help you someday), Improvised Implements (tools, I don’t need no stinking tools), Improvised Weapons (anything around is a deadly weapon), Improvised Weapon Damage (now the pen is truly mightier than the sword), Over The Shoulder (who wouldn’t want to shoot a shotgun over their shoulder and hit that zombie behind them), Rifle Spin (remember that lever-action rifle spin reload trick in Terminator 2? Now you can do it too.), Slapstick (when you fight hand to hand you fight dirty), Stud (handy with the opposite sex), Suck On This (a classic zombie-killing shotgun technique), Virgin (very useful in horror movies-but that’s about it), and Whatever (you don’t frighten easily).

Chapter 2 deals with the fine art of Zombie Hunting, with new weapons, including chainsaws and gatling guns. Sometimes you survive, but not without losing a chunk to those nasty zombies. Hence, the section on prosthetics. And there are new options for fighting with guns and a small section on madness rules. You can find a more detailed version of these madness rules in Blood and Blades, by the way. Chapter 3 deals with new powers and spells. Two of my favorite spells are Possess Zombie and Zombie Belch.

Then, Chapter 4, the chapter with every kind of Zombie-like creature you can think of. There are even a few not so Zombie-like creatures that you wouldn’t expect, like the Hsing-Sing (a Bigfoot like race from the Himalayas), Creep (alien parasites that turn their victims, including the Hsing-Sing, into zombies), and the Trillian (weird 50’s looking aliens that kill people with gas and turn them into zombies). There are also 21 variations of zombies, including Atomic, Nazi, Radiation, Toxic, Ultrasonic, and Radiation Zombies. Ah, then let us not forget one of the best sections in the whole book…the Zombie template, which has a chart full of abilities that can be randomly assigned. One of my favorites is the TV travel under the movement section, which allows zombies to travel through TV sets.

I give this book a B+. It would have been an A, but I would have liked to have seen some of the earlier chapters fleshed out more (pun intended). More information on the National Center for Reanimation Prevention and Control would have been nice too. Also, more on the madness rules would have been good (which you can find more info on in Tresca’s Blood and Blades). But overall an excellent book with some great fiction sprinkled throughout. If you combine this with Tresca’s Blood and Blades and Blood and Spooks, you can cover just about anything found in horror films.

So, if you are serious about adding Zombies into your game, then this is the book for you. Your players will never know what kind of Zombie they will run into next. Trust me, after your players run into a Video Zombie, they will never feel safe watching TV again.