Basically, the Network and I had different ideas about what the tone of the show would be. They bought something somewhat different than what I was selling them, which is not that uncommon in this business. Their desires were not surprising: up the stakes, make the episodes more stand-alone, stop talking about relationships and cut to the chase. Oh, and add a chase. That you can cut to. Nothing I hadn't heard before on my other shows (apparently my learning curve has no bendy part) but frustrating as hell given our circumstances - a pilot shot, scripts written, everybody marching together/gainfully employed... and then a shutdown. Glad I was for the breathing room, but it's hardly auspicious. So back into the writer cave I went, wondering why I put up with this when I can make literally dozens of dollars making internet movies. Why I do put up with this is divided into three parts.

One: They're not wrong. Oh, we don't see eye-to-eye on everything, but wanting the first episodes to be exciting and accessible is not exactly Satanic. Being Satan is, but that's in their free time and hey, there's no judging in the Dollhouse. This kind of back and forth has happened on every show I've done, so if you liked those, chances are that was a part of why. And the need to focus on the essentials of what makes this universe tick - and which wire to cut to make it stop - really does bring up our game. So we as a staff have gone from blinking like unhoused moles to delving in with the same relish we had when we started. The show is really coming together now, in a way that I believe excites us and satisfies the Network. Of course, I have no idea if anybody else will like it, but I have the same faith in the staff, the crew and the remarkable cast that I always did. More, in fact. And what's more crucial:

Two: Nothing essential has changed about the universe. The ideas and relationships that intrigued me from the start are all there (though some have shifted, more on that), and the progression of the first thirteen eps has me massively excited. The episode we're shooting now I wrote as fast as anything I have before, not because I had to (although, funny side-note: I had to) but because I couldn't stop the words from coming. Because I can feel the show talking to me; delighting, scaring and occasionally even offending me. It's alive. Alive! Which is a far cry from how I felt a month ago. It's been hilarious trying to keep up with what's in, what's out, who's met whom and when - we've shot all of the first seven episodes out of airing order - but it's come together in a pretty thrilling way. My huge gratitude to our cast for their precision and patience.

*****

As for what's been changed, well, some things I obviously can't tell you. Some I can, for the record: The original pilot was in fact thrown out. Again, at my behest. Once it became clear what paradigm the Network was shooting for, it just didn't fit at all, even after I'd reshot more than half of it (see above re: despair). To get a sense of how completely turned around I was during this process, you should know there was a scene with Eliza and the astonishing Ashley Johnson that I wrote and shot completely differently three different times, with different characters in different places (actually I wrote it closer to eight times), and none of it will ever see air. Which is as it should be (though I'm determined to get Ms. Johnson back in the future). The scene just didn't belong anymore. Similarly, the character of November has fallen out of the mix, because the show simply moves too fast now for me to do what I wanted with her. Season three, anyone...? Happily, Miracle Laurie is still with us in a new role, playing against (and pining for) Tahmoh's character, Paul Ballard. Their chemistry is deeply nifty. The only other major cast shift is that the Dollhouse head of security, Laurence Dominic (played by Reed Diamond), who was written just for the now-defunct first ep, has stuck like fly-paper, and Reed is very much in the family for the present. (Most of my problems seem to involve my actors making themselves indispensable. This is the good problem kind.)

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Fox Picks Up More Episodes of Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles



Fox announced that it picked up the back nine episodes of Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles. After all the rumors about low ratings, this one is a pleasant surprise. We love this show. In other, more perplexing news, Knight Rider has also been renewed. Knight Rider? That's just crazy. It's a terrible, terrible show. Even Val Kilmer can't save this clunker.

Posted on October 25, 2008
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Fringe Gets Full Season Pickup



Fox has ordered up a full season of Fringe.

Fox is feeling fine about Fringe, ordering a full season of the freshman series from creators J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The network has ordered nine additional episodes of the sci-fi thriller, for a total of 22. The Bad Robot/Warner Bros. TV-produced series has averaged a 4.2/11 in adults 18-49 and 10.7 million total viewers since bowing last month, making it the top-rated new show of the season to date in the key demographic.

"We're having a blast working on this show with this great team of producers," said Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly. "The series has really taken off creatively, and it's exciting to see that the audience is responding. We believe this is the first full season of many years to come."

Fringe is a very weird show, which is really growing on us. We especially like Joshua Jackson and Josh Noble's portrayals. Joshua is the brilliant son who must babysit his genius, certifiably nuts scientist father, played by Josh Noble. You will remember John for his amazing performance as Denethor in Lord of the Rings. As for the lead, Anna Torv, well, she's sort of growing on us too. But she's not who we would have cast in the role. But we do love seeing Mr. Abaddon from Lost as her mysterious boss. We're committed for the season.

Posted on October 9, 2008
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Eleventh Hour Trailer

Eleventh Hour is a new CBS show from Jerry Bruckheimer written by writer Stephen Gallagher (Doctor Who). You can find the show's website here. A Chicago Sun-Time story calls Eleventh Hour the "next X-Files-wannabee" and compares it to Fringe. Two X-Files wannabee shows is a good thing. The show premieres October 9th at 10PM est.



Posted on October 5, 2008
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AMC Moving Forward With Red Mars

AMC is moving forward with a tv series based on the novel Red Mars.

"Mars," a 1992 novel by Kim Stanley Robinson, chronicles the inhabitants of the first human colony on the planet. Hensleigh ("Armageddon") is the writer and will executive produce alongside Michael Jaffe and Howard Braunstein of Jaffe Braunstein Entertainment ("The Memory Keeper's Daughter") and Vince Gerardis, Ralph Vicinanza and Eli Kirschner of Created By ("Jumper").

"This fits in with our bigger vision of wanting series that feel like cinematic one-hour movies," said Christina Wayne, senior vp original series and miniseries at AMC. "We're always looking for big genres but to do them in slightly different ways so they feel fresh and new," she added, noting as examples the network's Western mini "Broken Trail" and crime-themed series "Breaking Bad."

Jeremy Elice, vp original programming series, added that the project will be character-driven. "It's not the spectacle of sci-fi that you typically see," he said.

AMC has another great project in the works: the remake of the 1960s classic, The Prisoner. The Prisoner stars Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellen. Ian McKellan is great. But....Jim Caviezel? The guy that freaked out when he had to shoot a love scene with Jennifer Lopez because of his strict religious beliefs? That's going to take some work on his part. Because Patrick McGoohan was awesome in the role.Perhaps he's loosened up a bit since then. And it's not like The Prisoner had a lot of love scenes, anyway. Lots of bit white bubbles chasing the hero, but not much romance. In any event, AMC has our attention.

Posted on October 4, 2008
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Fox May Cancel Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles

SyFyPortal reports that Fox is extremely unhappy with the rating drop off for Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles and is ready to pull the plug on the show.

With ratings far below even the network's worst predictions, Fox could pull the plug on production for "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" as early as this week. The network has been disappointed by "Sarah Connor's" numbers so far this season, and some executives feel that the show is dragging down numbers for "Prison Break," which airs as a lead-out.

"Audiences just aren't responding to the show," a Fox source tells SyFy Portal. "Our biggest surprise are the 18-to-49s [a key advertising demographic], those numbers are in the toilet."

This would be bad news for "Sarah Connor," which had a strong first season despite airing just nine episodes in light of the Writers Guild of America strike. The show debuted at mid-season with an 11.1 rating/16 share -- the highest premiere of any genre show last season -- following an NFL playoff game, but quickly lost a good portion of its audience. By the time it was all said and done, "Sarah Connor" overnights averaged a 5.6/9, half of the premiere audience, with ratings reaching as low as a 4.5/7 at once point.

Getting a 4.5/7 could almost be a lifesaver for "Sarah Connor" right now, as the show hasn't even come close to reaching that number. After four episodes, the highest "Sarah Connor" has reached is a 4.1/6, and is averaging a 3.7. That's 34 percent off its audience average from the previous year.

The show is excellent: the writing, the acting, the intensity and the action are all feature film quality. The show lost its audience after the writer's strike -- just like Heroes did, although Heroes is faring better. You know how Fox is -- they cancel shows very quickly, there's little advertising and no chance to build an audience. Hey, we know it's kind of a depressing show, but we still like it. Once the Christian Bale movie version showed up on the radar, it became clear that there would be no way to stop Skynet from being created. But still...we're not happy to see it go.

Posted on September 30, 2008
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Joss and Eliza Talk Dollhouse

Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku get a little silly as they discuss their upcoming tv show, Dollhouse. We certainly hope the rewrites are going well. Not to be Debbie Downer or anything, but we're convinced Fox is going to wreck this show just as surely as they wrecked Firefly. We're just saying. Let's hope we're wrong.



Posted on September 25, 2008
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The WizardMaster Will Save the Day....Or Not



There certainly isn't a lot of room for humor in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. We're dealing with the end of mankind here, so it's kind of grim. But we nearly fell off the couch laughing at one part of tonight's episode. The terminator Cromartie has taken the appearance of a B movie actor named George Lazlo. Well in one scene tonight we get a news clip about how a little seen movie called WizardMaster has become a cult hit after the actor went berserk and single handedly killed 20 FBI agents. The film plays in the background and it's a hilarious Beastmaster riff -- the hero wears a loincloth, orders tigers around and consorts with blond bimbos lurking in the jungle.

There's one problem with the addition of Shirley Manson to the cast as the shapeshifting terminator who is a wealthy CEO. She's so scary and efficient it's really hard to see how Sarah and John have any chance at all of stopping Skynet. Still, there's always hope we suppose.

Posted on September 23, 2008
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Dollhouse Shuts Down For Rewrites

Joss Whedon has shut down production on his new show, Dollhouse, for rewrites. The shutdown will last about two weeks and shouldn't delay the show.

Filming on "Dollhouse" stopped Thursday after wrapping episode three. It came upon request from creator/exec producer Whedon, who had had spent little time in the writers room lately, busy directing the first two episodes of the series. Not completely happy with the quality of upcoming scripts, he asked producing studio 20th TV for a timeout.

Production on the midseason sci-fi drama starring Eliza Dushku is slated to resume Sept. 25. The news follows Whedon's revelation in July that he was shooting a new "prequel" episode to serve as the show's pilot. Whedon said he opted to craft a new introduction to the series after meeting with Fox executives.

If Joss says the show needs rewrites, then it needs rewrites. And he's just the guy to get things whipped into shape.

Posted on September 11, 2008
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Season Two of Terminator: The Sarah Chronicles Premieres Tonight

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles returns tonight on Fox at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time and we can't wait to see it. There's a great interview at Wired with series creator Josh Friedman. He talks about the second season, casting news and comparisons with Battlestar Galactica. Friedman has a much bigger budget this year, which is exciting. And Shirley Manson, lead singer of Garbage, joins the cast as ZeiraCorp CEO Catherine Weaver. That ought to be interesting.

On kicking off Season Two with a bang: "Last year we were establishing the world and the rules of the world and bringing people up to speed. This year, we have a bigger budget, so we can give viewers more sense of the place and Los Angeles. We have some really cool action sequences and show more of the future sequences where the Terminators have completely taken over.

"We have an awesome episode where we get a good sense of Cameron's back story -- and what she was made for. That's one of my favorite episodes so far. We also will show more of Brian Austin Green's past, his point of view and where he came from. [Green plays Derek Reese, John's uncle who traveled from the future.]"

On parallels to Battlestar Galactica: "I'm a huge fan, I'm just behind a season. It's almost so good and so close to what we're doing, sometimes it's painful to watch. We have a writer on our show who was on BSG the first two years, and she serves at a checkpoint to make sure we don't cover the same ground. I don't know who the 12th Cylon is and I've threatened to fire people who tell me anything about that show. I like the idea that there are hidden Terminators ... but you have to be careful or else it becomes Where's Waldo?, and a cheap effect. There could be a Terminator that we discover along the way. I can't even remember how many there are on the show right now."

All we have to say is that Summer Glau's Terminator character better miraculously survive that car crash from the first season finale. Or we will be mightily displeased. Here's the season two trailer:



Posted on September 8, 2008
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Fringe Will Start Off Jumping the Shark

Wired has an article about Fringe, the new show from J.J. Abrams. Abrams says Fringe won't be like Lost and that it will jump the shark right from the start.

On Fringe's slam-bang setup: "When we did the pilot for Lost, we had the monster appear at the end of the first act because we wanted to say to the audience, 'We're jumping the shark now. We're not going to wait. We're doing crazy shit from the beginning.' On Fringe, we very consciously made what is in many ways a preposterous, front-end scientific story choice in order to say to the audience, 'This is what you're going to be getting on the show.' It may be more extreme in some episodes, less so in others."

On the Fringe mythology: "I'm drawn to overarching, long-term stories so there will still be a mythology through the evolution of characters and revelations about what 'the pattern' means. But we're writing the show so it is not as serialized as Lost.

"What made X-Files so great is that they'd do a number of shows that have nothing to do with the mythology. Fringe is closer to E.R. almost, where you have these ongoing relationships and story lines, and yet week to week, when the door bursts open, you're faced with the insane urgent situation of the week."

Science fact, not fiction: "Though you could say it's science fiction, the weird thing about Fringe is that a lot of the stuff is at least in the realm of possibility. It's not sci-fi -- it's just sci.

The show debuts on Fox next Tuesday, September 9th. We will be watching. You can see the Fringe website here. A few other articles about Fringe can be found here, here, here, here and here.

Here's a video with J.J. Abrams discussing Fringe



Posted on September 4, 2008
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Katee Sackhoff Talks About Battlestar Galactica Final Episodes

The last ten episodes of Battlestar Galactica will air in 2009. Katee Sackhoff talks about what fans can expect to see in the final chapter of the Battlestar saga. Katee Sackhoff says "it's a good solid ending." BuddyTV also has a post about what was revealed about the final episodes that will air in 2009 at Comic-Con. There are also details here about a Battlestar Galactica movie directed by Edward James Olmos that will air on Sci Fi after the tv series ends.



Posted on August 7, 2008
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Clip From Animated Buffy Series That Never Aired

Here is a short promo episode of what would have been an animated Buffy the Vampire Slayer Saturday morning cartoon series. Sarah Michelle Gellar reportedly passed on the animated series to focus on her film career. The voice playing Buffy in the animated series belongs to Giselle Loren. Several series regulars including Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head, Michelle Trachtenberg, Charisma Carpenter and David Boreanaz did lend their voices to this animated series that never aired. This four-minute clip was all of the animated series that was ever made. (via Animation Magazine )



Posted on August 5, 2008
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Worst Star Trek Promotional Idea Ever

In honor of the Star Trek original series being remastered and put out on DVD, CBS did this lighhearted promo. All we can say is: Dumbest. Promo. Evah. Oh, and yes, CBS really created this. Either that or a ten year old boy snuck into the recording studio and made it. We're not quite sure.



Here's a straightforward promo clip for the newly remastered series on DVD which is available for a nice discount at Amazon.com.



Posted on August 1, 2008
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Eureka Premieres Tonight on Sci Fi

Another of our favorite shows premieres tonight on the Sci Fi: Eureka at 9:00 p.m Eastern/8:00 p.m. Central. Sci Fi has done a host of webisodes and other content in connection with the show, which centers around a secret town filled with brilliant scientists making state of the art discoveries. Sheriff Jack Carter (who was recruited from the FBI) must keep the town and its eccentric residents in order so they don't blow up the world and accidentally create an alternate timeline. Oh, wait. That happened in season one.

Here's an infomercial for the Made in Eureka company's new product, Snatch-It. No, it's not a real product. But it should be.



Posted on July 29, 2008
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Sneak Peek at Chuck Season Two

Kristin de los Santos of E! captured the screening at Comic-Con of scenes from the upcoming season two of Chuck. It looks amazing. No wonder we love this show.



Posted on July 28, 2008
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Vampire Dating Site and Blood Drink Promote HBO's True Blood

HBO has come up with a number of clever websites to promote their upcoming show True Blood which debuts September 7th. Here's a few of them.

• BloodCopy, a blog that chronicles the amazing days we live in as vampires attempt to integrate with humans.
• LoveBitten, a dating site that connects humans and vampires.
• Tru Blood, a synthetic blood nourishment beverage.

True Blood comes from the creators of HBO's popular Six Feet Under show. Here's a video from the BloodCopy.com blog about what the patrons of the Merlottes think about vampires.



Posted on July 27, 2008
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Dr. Who Fans Furious Over Fake Phone Number

Dr. Who fans are furious that the Dr.'s phone number flashed during the show numerous times didn't work at all.

Doctor Who finished its latest series on Saturday night watched by a huge audience of nearly 10million. But it was another set of figures that got some fans really worked up - the Time Lord's phone number. The digits had been flashed up on screen several times in the previous week's episode as the Doctor's sidekicks Sarah Jane Smith, Martha Jones and the Torchwood team contacted him.

More than 2,500 fans - whipped into a frenzy of anticipation after a cliffhanger ending in which it appeared that star David Tennant might be leaving as the Doctor began regenerating - dialled it before the last episode aired on Saturday. One fan complained: 'They showed that number so many times, as if they were asking for it to be called.' But their attempts to contact their hero on his personal number - 07700 900461 - came to nothing when they discovered that it would not connect.

Writing on the BBC's website, one disgruntled viewer said: 'Grrr - I phoned the Doctor's phone number but there was just an annoying network message. 'What's the point in showing a phone number if you're not gonna use it?!' Ofcom, the TV industry watchdog, said the number was simply one reserved for use in television dramas.

In the U.S., tv writers usually use the "555" prefix so everyone knows it's not a real number. How odd that the British register phone numbers solely for use in television shows.

Posted on July 11, 2008
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ABC Wants Your Future Predictions

ABC wants your visions of the future for a new show called Earth 2100. They want user-created videos for the show.

In an unprecedented television and internet event, ABC News is asking you to help answer perhaps the most important question of our time - What will our world be like over the next one hundred years if we don’t act now to save our troubled planet?

The world's brightest minds agree that the "perfect storm" of population growth, resource depletion and climate change could converge with catastrophic results.

We need you to bring this story to life - to use your imagination to create short videos about what it would be like to live through the next century if we stay on our current path. Using predictions from top experts, we will feed you detailed briefings from the years 2015, 2050, 2070 and 2100 - and you will report back about the dangers that are unfolding before your eyes.

Your videos will be combined with the projections of top scientists, historians, and economists to form a powerful web-based narrative about the perils of our future. We will also select the most compelling reports to form the backbone of our two-hour primetime ABC News broadcast: Earth 2100, airing this fall.

We are glad there are also going to be opinions from top scientists, historians and economists involved - you wouldn't want it all to be from the public. We are curious how outrageous ABC will let the public be in these videos? Will it be all gloom and doom or will there be some optimism as well? (via Gawker)

Posted on July 9, 2008
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When Hellboy Met Chuck

In one of a series of clever cross-promotions, Universal has created a hilarious video in which Chuck and Hellboy play videogames and grouse that the government doesn't let them out enough. Hellboy II: The Golden Army opens in wide release on July 11. Take a look at the promo:



Posted on July 4, 2008
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Don S. Davis is Dead at 65

Don Davis, who played Major General George Hammond on Stargate SG-1, has died of a heart attack. He was 65. Don's representative and his wife, Ruby Fleming-Davis sent this message to fans:

Dear Fans and Friends of Don S. Davis,

So many of you have been touched by not only the work and art of Don S. Davis, but by the man himself, who always took the time to be with you at the appearances he loved, that it is with a tremendous sense of loss I must share with you that Don passed away from a massive heart attack on Sunday morning, June 29th.

On behalf of his family and wife, Ruby, we thank you for your prayers and condolences. A family memorial where Don's ashes will be scattered in the ocean will take place in a few weeks, and should you wish to, please make a donation to the American Heart Association in Don's memory.

Our condolences to his family and friends.

Posted on July 1, 2008
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34th Annual Saturn Award Winners Announced

The 2008 Saturn Award Winners have been announced. Cloverfield won for best sf film and Disney's Enchanted won for best fantasy movie. Sweeney Todd won in the horror category. Lost won for best network tv series. Some of the winning actors and actresses included Will Smith, Amy Adams, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Matthew Fox, Summer Glau, Michael Emerson and Elizabeth Mitchell. Here is the complete list of winners.

Best Science Fiction Film: Cloverfield

Best Fantasy Film: Enchanted

Best Horror Film: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet St.

Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film: 300

Best Actor: Will Smith (I Am Legend)

Best Actress: Amy Adams (Enchanted)

Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men)

Best Supporting Actress: Marcia Gay Harden (The Mist)

Best Performance by a Younger Actor: Freddie Highmore (August Rush)

Best Direction: Zack Snyder (300)

Best Writing: Brad Bird (Ratatouille)

Best Music: Alan Menken (Enchanted)

Best Costume: Colleen Atwood (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet St.)

Best Make-Up: Ve Neill, Martin Samuel (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End)

Best Special Effects: Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Russell Earl, John Frazier (Transformers)

Best Animated Film: Ratatouille

Best International Film: Eastern Promises

Best Network Television Series: Lost

Best Syndicated / Cable Television Series: Dexter

Best Presentation on Television: Family Guy: Blue Harvest

Best International Television Series: Doctor Who: Sci Fi Channel

Best Actor on Television: Matthew Fox (Lost)

Best Actress on Television: Jennifer Love Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer)

Best Supporting Actor on Television: Michael Emerson (Lost)

Best Supporting Actress on Television: (TIE): Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) / Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost)

Best DVD Release: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (remix)

Best DVD Special Edition Release: Blade Runner (5 Disc Ultimate Edition)

Best DVD Classic Film Release: The Monster Squad

Best DVD Collection: Mario Bava (Box Sets 1 & 2)

Best Television Series Release on DVD: Heroes (Season 1)

Best Retro Television Series Release on DVD: Twin Peaks (Definitive Gold Box Ed.)

The Life Career Award: Robert Halmi, Sr.

The Life Career Award: Robert Halmi, Jr.

The George Pal Memorial Award: Guillermo del Toro

The Filmmakers Showcase Award: Matt Reeves

The Special Achievement Award: Tim & Donna Lucas

The Service Award: Fred Barton

You can find more information about the Saturn Awards on the official website.

Posted on June 26, 2008
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The Terminator Spoiler of All Spoilers

What a nightmare for director McG: AintitCool totally spoiled the end of the upcoming film, Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins. It's a huge spoiler, like so big it wrecks the movie. Go read it at your own risk, we're not reprinting it here. Anyway, the plot twist is so annoying that it ruins the franchise for us. And AintItCool and Chud swear that it's a real spoiler. McG didn't deny it either on his blog. All he said was "only three people know the ending."

So, all we can say is...meh.

Posted on June 4, 2008
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Sci Fi Announced Summer Premiere Dates

Sci Fi Channel announced the dates for its summer premieres.

The new third season of Scare Tactics kicks off July 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT with two back-to-back episodes. New host Tracy Morgan (NBC's 30 Rock) joins the show. Before that, Ghost Hunters International returns with seven new episodes beginning July 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Stargate Atlantis's 20-episode fifth season begins July 11 at 10 p.m. The new season introduces a powerful new race and will feature the show's 100th episode. Robert Picardo joins the regular cast as Richard Woolsey, and fan favorite Paul McGillion returns for five episodes as Dr. Carson Beckett. Amanda Tapping (Col. Samantha Carter) and Stargate SG-1 star Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson) will also appear as special guest stars this season.

Eureka's third season premieres July 29 at 9 p.m. Season three delves deeper into the classified inner workings of Global Dynamics and will feature new characters, including Eva Thorne, aka "The Fixer" (Frances Fisher), whose mission is to clean up Global Dynamics.

We're most looking forward to the return of Stargate Atlantis and Eureka, although Ghost Hunters is growing on us now that they've gone international.

Posted on May 31, 2008
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Sci Fi Channel Asks What If?

The New York Times reports that the Sci Fi Channel plans to broaden the focus of its content to include shows that many fans might feel are outside the realm of fantasy and science fiction. They have run wrestling shows on the channel which doesn't seem like science fiction to anybody.

The Sci Fi Channel, still viewed by many as a niche network, is no longer a repository for failed fantasy shows cast aside by the broadcast networks. Instead, through a mix of original shows, movies and syndicated reruns (including old "Jericho" episodes but no new ones), the network has expanded its audience, especially among women, chiefly by stretching the definition of science fiction.

It is not just "Star Trek" or "Star Wars" that would fit the definition. Superheroes, Indiana Jones and even the baseball fantasy movie "Field of Dreams" would all be considered part of the genre as defined by Sci Fi's programmers.

"It's not just aliens, spaceships and the future," said Dave Howe, who was promoted to president of Sci Fi from general manager in January. "It's about asking that simple question, 'What if?'"

The changes evolved over several years. One result is a widening audience, especially among women. In April, for example, Sci Fi ranked sixth in cable networks in the 25-to-54 age group. Growth in female viewers outpaced that in men; 43 percent of Sci Fi's viewers are female.

Field of Dreams does have a supernatural element but it really is more of a sports or drama film. Just how far is the Sci Fi Channel planning to go? They may even change their name according to the Times. Some of the new name ideas include SCF and The Imagination Channel.

Here's an idea: What if the Sci Fi Channel tried sticking to fantasy and science fiction?

Posted on May 20, 2008
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The Andromeda Strain Returns

Ridley and Tony Scott have teamed up to scare the hell out of us once again with the sf classic, The Andromeda Strain. Based on the bestselling novel by Michael Crichton, the television movie will be directed by two-time Academy Award nominee Mikael Saloman (Backdraft, The Abyss) and will star Benjamin Bratt, Eric McCormack, Ricky Schroder, Christa Miller and Daniel Dae Kim (Lost). The telefilm will be aired in Hi Def on Memorial Day, May 26th and May 27th at 9pm Eastern time on A&E.

We read The Andromeda Strain when it came out and found it absolutely terrifying. The movie they made was also pretty scary. But now they've Ridley and Tony Scott re-doing the project, so you know it will be great. If somehow you missed the book, first movie -- or the awesome trailer they're running in theaters before Iron Man, here's the synopsis:

A U.S. military satellite crashes in a small town and unleashes a deadly plague killing all but two survivors. As the military quarantines the area, a team of highly specialized scientists is assembled to find a cure to the pathogen code-named "Andromeda," and a reporter investigates a government conspiracy only to discover what he is chasing wants him silenced.

The virus itself is horrifying: it works super fast and does terrible things to its hosts. We'll be tuning in.

Posted on May 15, 2008
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Bruce Boxleitner Joins Cast of Heroes

Bruce Boxleitner is joining the cast of Heroes.

Bruce Boxleitner, who played Scarecrow to Sabrina Duncan's Mrs. King in the mid-80s, has snagged a top-secret recurring role that was originally going to be modeled after Sen. John McCain. The character has since been reconceived, and now all I know for sure is that he'll be sharing scenes with a female series regular.

By the way, although it may seem like Heroes is getting ready to force-feed us another batch of newbies, an NBC insider insists that's definitely not the case. Yes, the show is introducing some new faces next season, but the primary focus, my source maintains, will remain "on the core characters from the pilot."

This is great news, but....Senator McCain? Last time we checked, he wasn't investigating mutants in the mainstream population. Or, is he.....?

Posted on May 9, 2008
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George Takei Explains The Sulu Dance

Here's something for a Friday: George Takei explains the origins and popularity of "The Sulu Dance." George is a really good sport: he's always gracious to his fans.



Posted on May 2, 2008
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Daniel Dae Kim Talks Lost

Lost returns this Thursday night, and we can't wait. Kristin Dos Santos of E! is hanging out in Hawaii with the cast, trying to get scoop and spoilers. Here she talks to Daniel Dae Kim about the three possibilities that surround his character Jin. Specifically, is he really dead or not? And if so, when does he die? Daniel also talks about getting the dreaded "call" from Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof.



Posted on April 21, 2008
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Grand Theft Auto Release Worries TV and Movie Execs

Grand Theft Auto will be released on April 29th and executives from other media, such as films and television, are worried that the new video game will cut into their revenues this summer.

When "Grand Theft Auto IV" launches April 29, it's expected to gross a record-breaking $400 million worldwide in its first week. That's good news for the game biz, but daunting for execs in other sectors of the media industry. TV network execs who pay attention to the numbers know that young male viewership can dip in the first few days after a blockbuster videogame launches. And home-entertainment honchos avoid releasing big titles aimed at that demo in the same time period. Now the question is whether film execs will have to factor videogames into their release strategies.

Last summer, "Pirates of the Caribbean 3" broke all box office records, with a $404 million worldwide haul in its first six days, roughly the same amount expected for "GTA IV." But while "Pirates" was only three hours out of someone's life at an average price of about $7, "GTA IV" is a $60 investment that provides dozens, if not hundreds of hours of content. That's money and time that has to come from somewhere else. And "Pirates" encouraged audiences to go to the movies. "GTA IV" is encouraging audiences to stay home.

So far this year, box office is 3% down from last year. The biz could use some megahits to ignite folks to start going to the multiplex in droves. But "Auto" may create a detour for some moviegoers, particularly the young men who play it most devotedly and are often first in line for tentpole releases.

April is not traditionally a time for big vidgame releases, but "GTA IV" was pushed back from its original date last October. So now the title from Rockstar Games, a subsid of Take-Two Interactive, comes just a few days before the start of the summer movie season and during the first week of May sweeps.

We think that videogames will occupy more and more of the free time of consumers that used to watch more television and see more movies. It's a growing area, and execs will have to factor it into their media release dates.

Posted on April 19, 2008
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First Review of Whedon's Dollhouse

Kristen at TV Guide has seen the pilot for Joss Whedon's Dollhouse. Here's what she had to say:

What's it about?

The logline don't lie: "Echo (Eliza Dushku) is a young woman who is literally everybody's fantasy. She is one of a group of men and women who can be imprinted with personality packages, including memories, skills, language—even muscle memory—for different assignments. The assignments can be romantic, adventurous, outlandish, uplifting, sexual and/or very illegal. When not imprinted with a personality package, Echo and the others are basically mind-wiped, living like children in a futuristic dorm/lab dubbed the Dollhouse, with no memory of their assignments—or of much else. The show revolves around the childlike Echo's burgeoning self-awareness, and her desire to know who she was before, a desire that begins to seep into her various imprinted personalities and puts her in danger both in the field and in the closely monitored confines of the Dollhouse."

What's it like?

Dollhouse is like The Bourne Identity meets Stepford Wives meets boarding school meets Los Angeles neo-noir meets the Whedonverse. In short, it's rad, man.

*****

Is Echo just a new name for Faith?

That's a negatory. Echo has a genius for contemplation and self-awareness that Faith couldn't begin to approach. Echo also has about 48 different faces to show the world, which gives her a good head start on Faith, who seemed to vary primarily between rage and desolation. In the first episode, we are shown that Echo is essentially like the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz—"If I only had a brain..."—but she's otherwise fully equipped with a soul, a rockin' bod, and a good, fearless heart.

What's not to like?

Posted on April 18, 2008
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Amy Acker Joins Dollhouse Cast

Joss Whedon blogs that he's finalized the cast for Dollhouse. Amy Acker (pictured on left) and Miracle Laurie (on right) have joined the ensemble.

Hi campers. We're having the read-through of the script today. Why would I be nervous? YOU'RE nervous! Anyhoo, I just couldn't resist letting you know that the recurring roles have actually been cast for some time now. I'm shocked that any part of our casting process hasn't been leaked somehow. And though I'm a fan of secrets, I'll give you the last two pieces of this particular puzzle:

November (who will be recurring but does not appear in the pilot) will be played by the luminous Miracle Laurie.

Dr. Claire Saunders will be played by... yet another name I'm gonna have trouble remembering how to spell... Amy Acker.

All in all, pound for pound, soup to nuts, man vs beast, it's a pretty amazing ensemble. I'm not sure how I landed this troupe, but rest assured I'm gonna write bestest good word for talkacting to them yes! They're in good hands.

Onward... to adventure! -j.

Amy Acker is a fan favorite and Miracle Laurie is a relative unknown. It's an interesting cast: we'll see how well they work together.

Posted on April 17, 2008
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A Battlestar Galactica Primer



Salon has an in-depth primer about Battlestar Galactica which is quite interesting. There is a complete summary of the show so far, character descriptions and a list of nagging questions. Here's an answer to our most nagging question: who is the final Cylon?

Ronald Moore has promised he'll reveal the identity of the final Cylon before the end of the series. But here's what we know so far:

-- The final Cylon is familiar to Number Three. She recognizes it during her vision in the Temple of Jupiter. She says "You ... forgive me ... I had no idea ..." and tells Baltar that he was "right," before collapsing.

-- In the extended cut of "Razor," the hybrid claims that the "fifth [Cylon], still in shadow, will claw toward the light, hungering for redemption that will only come in the howl of terrible suffering."

-- In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Moore claims that the final Cylon is not on display in the promotional poster for the fourth season. Since the poster contains almost every major character in the "Galactica" universe, including Starbuck, Adama, Apollo and Roslin, this leaves us with either an as-yet-unknown Cylon character or a supporting character Cylon -- or Moore was leading us on.

How could the final Cylon not be a character that we know? Wouldn't that be sort of anti-climactic? In an interview Edward James Olmos joked that it was in his contract that he wouldn't be a Cylon. It can't be Adama, because that would just be ridiculous. Right???

Posted on April 7, 2008
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NBC Unveils SF and Fantasy Entries for New Season

NBC unveiled its upcoming television schedule and it's quite heavy with SF/Fantasy elements, which certainly works for us. Here's what's coming:

Debuting on May 29:

Fear Itself. The show, a horror anthology series from the makers of Masters of Horror, will feature such stars as John Billingsley and Shiri Appleby and showcase the talents of directors including Brad Anderson, Mary Harron, Ernest Dickerson, Ronny Yu, John Carpenter and Stuart Gordon.

Shows on the fall 2008-'09 schedule:

Chuck, airing Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Heroes, airing Mondays at 9 p.m.

My Own Worst Enemy, airing Mondays at 10 p.m. Christian Slater makes his television series debut as Henry Spivey, an efficiency expert and married father of two who learns that he has an alter ego named Edward Albright, an operative who speaks numerous languages and can kill with his teeth. The network is touting it as "Jekyll and Hyde meets Jason Bourne." Heroes veteran David Semel directed the pilot and will stay on as executive producer.

Knight Rider, airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. NBC scored a hit with a two-hour backdoor pilot movie that aired in February, and the series picks up where the movie left off. K.I.T.T., the supercar with a mind of its own, returns, as do stars Justin Bruening, Deanna Russo, Sydney Tamiia Poitier and Bruce Davison.

Shows debuting in winter 2009:

Merlin, airing Sundays at 8 p.m. A fantasy series set in Camelot but inspired by 21st-century storytelling, Merlin stars Colin Morgan (Doctor Who) as the title character and Bradley James as Arthur, and it explores the characters' lives before they became legends. Co-stars include Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Richard Wilson and Angel Coulby.

Kings, airing Sundays at 10. A modern-day spin on the King David tale, the show stars Christopher Egan as David and Ian McShane as the king. Michael Green (Heroes) penned the pilot and will executive-produce. I Am Legend helmer Francis Lawrence directed the pilot and will executive-produce the series as well.

Series debuting in summer 2009:

The Listener, airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. Toby Logan (Craig Olejinik of Thirteen Ghosts) is a 24-year-old paramedic and telepath who's always ignored his ability to hear people's thoughts ... until now. Having changed his mind, he uses his unique gift to help others.

Miniseries debuting in 2009:

The Last Templar. In this four-hour miniseries, four horsemen dressed as knights crash the New York Metropolitan Museum during the opening of an exhibition of Vatican treasures and swipe an arcane medieval decoder, thereby sending an archaeologist (Mira Sorvino) and an FBI agent (Scott Foley) on a wild chase for the secrets of the Knights Templar. Co-stars include Victor Garber and Omar Sharif.

We recently read the book, The Last Templar: we liked it and it should make a great miniseries. Plus -- Victor Garber from Alias! Well, and of Eli Stone. And Mira Sorvino, too. That works quite well.

In addition to the new shows, there will also be new webisodes for Heroes, Chuck and The Office, which will debut on NBC.com beginning in July. Additional chapters of webisodes for each show will roll out throughout the season.

Posted on April 3, 2008
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Battlestar Galactica Premieres Early Online



Battlestar Galactica returns to television this Friday, April 4, 2008. But the producers are doing something a little different this time. Fans who just can't wait until the evening can watch the premiere online at SciFi.com starting at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time on Friday. Just tell your boss you have an important conference call to make from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. on Friday and close the door. Oh, and you might want to use earphones so that the robust sounds of an intense space battle don't blast all over your office. (Oh, and for frak's sake please don't write in to tell us that there is no sound in space because of the vacuum. We know -- and we don't care.)

Posted on April 2, 2008
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Whedon's Dollhouse Gets New Dolls

Joss Whedon's upcoming show Dollhouse just got some new castmembers, in addition to star Eliza Dushku. Battlestar Galactica co-star Tahmoh Penikett, who plays Helo, Fran Kranz, Dichen Lachman and Enver Gjokaj have all signed on for the show.

"Dollhouse" revolves around a group of young men and women who are imprinted with different personalities for different assignments. They have no memories of their previous lives, until Echo (Dushku) begins to try to find out who she was. Penikett will play Paul Smith, an FBI field agent obsessed with the urban myth of Dollhouse and a twisted romantic foil for Echo.

Kranz will play Topher Brink, a twentysomething genius programr responsible for imprinting the dolls. Lachman will play Sierra, a doll like Echo and her friend, who has every personality in the world but her own. Gjokaj will play Victor, also a doll and a friend of Echo's, who is childlike when he's inactive, and everything from Errol Flynn to young DeNiro when he's active.

The show was greenlit for seven episodes before the writers' strike and we're really looking forward to seeing it. It's produced by Fox, though. You know what they did to Firefly. Enough said.

Posted on March 26, 2008
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Lost Returns in Late April

Lost will return to TV screens on April 24th and will wrap up the current season with five new episodes. The truncated season was necessitated by the writers' strike interruption. But things are back on track now.

Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, co-executive producers of ABC's Lost, told SCI FI Wire that the current season's final batch of new episodes will unspool a story arc based on a plan devised in anticipation of the writers' strike. "The last two weeks before the strike, we actually sat down and said, 'Here is what we want to tell for the rest of the season,'" Kitsis said in an interview. "We all sat down, and the entire staff came up with a battle plan in place."

When Lost returns in late April, it will wrap up the fourth season with five episodes, three fewer than planned before the strike took place. "We got to tell a little more story this season than we anticipated," Kitsis said. "It's really worked out well. We came back from the strike, and everyone is just really excited, and I have to say, creatively, every day has been a pleasure. Everything we're doing right now is exciting, and every script that is going out, you're jealous if you didn't write it."

As for the missing episodes? "I feel that the three missing episodes will be made up over the course of the next two seasons," Horowitz said. "Seasons four, five and six are meant to encompass 48 episodes." Kitsis added: "I have a feeling it will mean more, like, two-hour shows as opposed to more episodes, but those are decisions above our pay grade."

We've been very happy with this season so far, although some fans are really getting tired of the flash-forward scenes. But we aren't. Plus, Lindelof has promised that the mystery of the four-toed statue will eventually resolved, so that makes us happy. Lost returns on ABC on April 24th at its new timeslot. It's still on Thursday, but starts an hour later at 10 p.m. ET.

Posted on March 25, 2008
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Battlestar Galactica Top Ten

Here are the Top Ten Reasons to watch the new season of Battlestar Galactica from The Late Show with David Letterman.



Posted on March 22, 2008
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Sarah Michelle Gellar and Seth Green Talk Buffy and More

Most of the original Buffy cast showed up for the panel at Paley Fest 2008 and all seemed to be getting along, he said in his report. Alyson Hannigan and David Boreanez failed to show. But Sarah Michelle, Seth Green, Nicholas Brendan, Joss Whedon and Charisma Carpenter were all smiles. Michael Ausiello of TV Guide interviews Michelle Gellar and Seth Green in this video, in which they discuss many things, including Buffy's gay affair in the ongoing comic.



Posted on March 21, 2008
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Goodbye to The Bionic Woman

Producer David Eick confirmed that The Bionic Woman has been put on the scrap heap, never to rise again. He sounds pretty frustrated about it.

"I just felt that the process was so frustrating, and the conditions under which we were making that show never really came to fruition in such a way that I felt like we could make the show well," Eick said in an interview at SCI FI Channel's upfront presentation to advertisers in New York on March 18. "The actress [Michelle Ryan] we found was wonderful. Some of the writing was good."

But, he added: "We just didn't ever bring it all together like we did with Battlestar. At a certain point, when it becomes that frustrating, I think you're better off to say, 'Let's try again another time,' and let it go."

Bionic Woman, a reboot of the 1970s series of the same name, debuted to strong ratings last fall, but its numbers dropped precipitously after that, and behind-the-scenes problems persisted. Cancellation was expected after the network failed to order additional episodes once the writers' strike ended.

Bionic Woman was a disaster: the show never gelled. Katee Sackhoff stole every scene she was in, for one thing. She is just a much more charismatic actress than Michelle Ryan. Although Michelle may have sounded a bit dull and flat because she was covering up her English accent. In the one episode they had her do her normal accent, she was so much more compelling.

Posted on March 19, 2008
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Battlestar Galactica Cast to Visit David Letterman

Ten stars of Battlestar Galactica will descend upon the David Letterman show to present a Top Ten List on March 19th.

They include Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, Tricia Helfer, Grace Park, Michael Hogan, Aaron Douglas and Lucy Lawless. The show airs at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT.

The fourth season of Battlestar Galactica kicks off on March 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT with two back-to-back half-hour specials, with the first new episode premiering the following week, April 4, 10 p.m.

We can't wait to see how the writers wrap up the series, although we admit we are a bit wary of they "getting to Earth" storyline that's been hinted at. Who is the missing Fifth Cylon? What do the Final Five want? Ron Moore says that the Final Five are "fundamentally different" than other Cylons, which is not terribly helpful.

Posted on March 13, 2008
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Noah Wylie is the Librarian

Noah Wylie will return to his duties as the globetrotting, adventure-seeking Librarian, in the third movie for TNT. The first two movies were monster hits for TNT, so the entire cast is returning, including Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin. This time the Librarian heads to New Orleans in search of a mysterious evil chalice.

Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: The Next Generation), who directed the second Librarian installment, The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines, will once again take the helm. Electric Entertainment's Dean Devlin, Kearie Peak and Marc Roskin are executive-producing. Wyle and Electric's Phil Goldfarb are producing, with the company's Rachel Olschan co-producing. The project began shooting in New Orleans this week.

The Librarian: The Curse Of The Judas Chalice opens with a restless Flynn attempting to assimilate back into his career as a librarian at the New York Metropolitan Library after many adventures abroad. Led to New Orleans by strange dreams, he finds himself in the midst of uncovering a conspiracy that involves the notorious vampire Prince Vlad Dracul. Once again, Flynn must overcome his fears and protect one of the world's most sacred artifacts, the Judas Chalice, or face the consequences of it falling into the wrong hands.

Newhart returns as Judson, who once having been a librarian, now serves as head of the library. Curtin comes back as Charlene, the extremely serious-minded, no-nonsense personnel director for the library.

Katic plays Simone Renoir, a gorgeous young New Orleans jazz-club singer, who uses her hypnotic performances to charm an off-guard Flynn. Turned into a vampire by the infamous Vlad Dracul 400 years ago, Simone has been on a lifelong hunt to find the man who condemned her soul to walk the night forever. She teams up with Flynn to outwit those hoping to find the chalice and use it for their evil agenda.

Davison plays Professor Lazlo, an elderly, crippled man who is a brilliant professor at the University of Bucharest. Seemingly harmless, he is taken hostage by the villainous Kubichek, who wants Lazlo to lead him to the Judas Chalice.

It's a fun, family-friendly franchise.

Posted on March 10, 2008
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Terminator Season Finale is Tonight

Tonight is the two hour season finale of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on Fox. The show has not been renewed yet, so it's possible that this will be the series finale, which would be a shame. The writers' strike messed up the storyline: only nine of the planned thirteen first season episodes were shot when the strike started.

Tonight Sarah and John continue their search for the Turk, the chess-playing computer that has vanished. The Turk is the forerunner of Skynet. And speaking of Skynet, a Terminator movie has been greenlit and will most likely hit theaters in 2009. Christian Bale will play the grown up John Connor in the horrific post-nuclear world populated by the machines. It's all quite annoying because the whole point of the tv show is to stop Skynet from being built and avoid that future. Still, Christian Bale will make a great resistance leader.

Posted on March 3, 2008
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Jon Stewart Loves His Big Screen Wii

One highlight of the Oscars was when Jon Stewart played Wii with the 11 year-old singer on the giant screen behind him. Now that's what we call a nice big screen. Here's the clip:



Posted on February 26, 2008
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Ghost Whisperer Renewed. Still Waiting For Moonlight Renewal

Ghost Whisperer starring Jennifer Love Hewitt is one of the shows that has been renewed in what has been a slew of renewal announcements. The Denver Post listed a few of the renewals and show restart dates in this article. Numb3rs and The Big Bang Theory were among other CBS renewals.

Post-strike, the networks are posting return dates for original series. On the CW, nine episodes of "The Game" return beginning March 23; six of "One Tree Hill" return April 14; five of "Smallville" return April 17; five of "Gossip Girl" starting April 21; five "Reaper" April 22; four "Supernatural" April 24.

On NBC, "My Name Is Earl" resumes April 3 with a one-hour episode. "30 Rock," "The Office," "Scrubs" and "ER" pick up April 10; "Law & Order: SVU" returns April 15; "Law & Order" returns April 23.

CBS has renewed "Cold Case," "Criminal Minds," all three "CSIs," "Ghost Whisperer," "NCIS," "Numb3rs," "Two and a Half Men," "Without a Trace" and "The Big Bang Theory," along with previously announced "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race."

For Ghost Whisperer you can also catch season 2 of The Other Side webisodes on the show's official website. Things are less clear for Moonlight, the great show that started following Ghost Whisperer last year. Hollywood Reporter writes that the fate of Moonlight is still up in the air. There will be four new Moonlight shows beginning April 4th but CBS really needs to hurry up and renew Moonlight!

Posted on February 21, 2008
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Val Kilmer is the New Voice of Knight Rider's KITT

Val Kilmer has replaced Will Arnett as the voice of KITT on re-imagined Knight Rider television series. Apparently, there was a carmaker conflict. Arnett had done all his work and everyone liked it, but he has been the longtime voice of GMC Trucks. And KITT is strictly a Ford product.

For the better part of a decade, Arnett has done voice-over work for General Motors -- as the voice of GMC Trucks. NBC's new "Knight," however, is "played" by a Ford Mustang. What's more, Ford isn't simply providing cars for "Knight Rider." It's taking an active role in the marketing and branding of the pic, a backdoor pilot for a possible series. Ford's logo even appears all over NBC's on-air promos for the pic.

Not surprisingly, when GM found out about the Ford connection, it asked Arnett to pull out. "I was very excited at the prospect of playing the part of KITT in the new 'Knight Rider' movie," Arnett said. "However, because of a long relationship with General Motors as the voice of GMC Trucks, I had to respectfully withdraw from the project."

While NBC and Universal Media Studios will have to scramble to replace Arnett's dialogue with Kilmer's work, the upside is landing a well-known name for the part. In addition to his roles in pics such as "Batman Forever," "Heat" and "Top Gun," Kilmer has done plenty of voice-over work, including the voice of Moses in 1998's "The Prince of Egypt."

Val Kilmer is KITT?? Ok, fine, cheesy as it may be we'll be tuning in. Plus, we heard the series has a Transformers-like vibe.

Posted on February 7, 2008
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Stargate Atlantis Filming Season Five Soon

Stargate Atlantis will begin filming its fifth season in late February, according to the Sci Fi channel.

Fan favorite Paul McGillion will return for five episodes to reprise his role as Dr. Carson Beckett. Amanda Tapping (Col. Samantha Carter) will appear as a special guest star in several episodes, and Stargate SG-1 star Michael Shanks (Dr. Daniel Jackson) will appear as a special guest in episodes as well.

Robert Picardo, who plays International Oversight Committee rep Richard Woolsey, joins the Atlantis cast this season as Woolsey assumes command of the Atlantis expedition. The team, led by Lt. Col. Sheppard (Joe Flanigan), Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett), Teyla (Rachel Luttrell), Ronon (Jason Momoa) and Dr. Jennifer Keller (Jewel Staite), must adjust to his unique leadership style.

In the fifth season, the status quo is shaken following the events of season four, which is currently airing on SCI FI Fridays at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Cherished friends are lost, others are found. New alliances are forged while new races are introduced.

Season five was picked up for twenty episodes, which is good. The season will include a 100th episode, which is when the writers usually go off the rails with some kind of crazy "funny episode, just for the fans." Please don't let them do that this time. Because it's always awful.

Posted on February 5, 2008
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J.J. Abrams and the Mystery Box

J.J. Abrams, the