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TV News Roundup – March 2010 – Week 2

Scott From LA — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:41:27 +0000

MacFarlane wanted Mr. T to replace Cleveland (video)
Who did Seth MacFarlane want to replace Cleveland Brown after the character left “Family Guy” for a spinoff? Mr. T. “It would be like Mr. T was in the show as Mr. T, and he’s just the fourth guy in the group,” MacFarlane said. Except, MacFarlane said, Mr. T is a born-again Christian, so it “didn’t really work out.”

Firefly stars reunite on Warehouse 13!
Remember Firefly/Serenity’s Jewel Staite revealed that she’ll guest-star on Syfy’s Warehouse 13? Looks like she’s bringing a crew member along with her: Sean Maher, who played Dr. Simon Tam, joins her in the episode “Mild Mannered.” Maher will play a regular guy who undergoes “a shocking physical change” after encountering one of the mysterious objects; Staite will plays his unrequited love. (Kind of a reversal on their Firefly roles, a nice touch.)

SyFy’s ‘The Phantom’ Miniseries To Air In June
According to a post on SyFy’s official Twitter account (via Phantom Site), the two-part “Phantom” miniseries will air in June. The miniseries may also serve as a backdoor pilot for a TV series, depending upon the ratings and fan reaction. The original “Phantom” comic strip followed Kit Walker — the 21st member of the Walker family to wear the costumed mantle over the course of 500 years. The new Phantom as portrayed by Ryan Carnes is Walker’s son, who discovers his legacy after the death of his adopted parents. Sandrine Holt, Jean Marchand, Cas Anvar and Isabella Rossellini are also set to star in the project.

Alan Tudyk books ‘Rockford’
‘Firefly’ alum will co-star opposite Dermot Mulroney
“Firefly” alum Alan Tudyk is set to co-star opposite Dermot Mulroney in NBC’s pilot “Rockford Files,” an update of the classic 1970s P.I. series. Tudyk will play Det. Dennis Becker, a friend of Rockford’s who is a bit embarrassed by that since all the other cops hate Rockford.

FlashForward is back: spoilers, answers and a sneak peek!
When will that finale air? “I don’t want to say exactly when it will happen, because I hope it will be a fun surprise when the audience catches up to it,” executive producer Jessika Borsiczky said. “The timing’s not exactly concurrent with reality, but I feel like we’re making it, especially now when we’re coming back in a week, it, we’re making it very clear where we are in time as we go, and how far away we are from that April 29th date.”

Syfy’s Riverworld debuts in April in one 4-hour block!
Syfy has set an April 18 premiere date for Syfy’s upcoming four-hour TV movie Riverworld, which will air in one block starting at 7 p.m. ET/PT. The movie, starring Battlestar Galactica’s Tahmoh Penikett and V’s Laura Vandervoort, is based on the books by Philip José Farmer and takes place on a world where everyone who has ever lived on Earth is resurrected simultaneously in an unusual afterlife.

More Lost spoilers: Who’s making a comeback
“I’ll be back. I’ve shot one, and I’ll be back again.” It’s important for Sonya Walger to complete her arc as Penny. “Oh, for me it was just lovely to be back,” she said. “I’m delighted to be able to go and sign this character out. I’ve had so much fun dropping in and playing her all these years that I would have felt very sad not to be able to go and pay my respects, as it were.” “I think that’s more of a question for the writers, you know?” Dominic Monaghan (who plays Charlie Pace) said. “When I started interacting with them this year, specifically [Lost executive producer and co-creator] Damon Lindelof, he said, ‘Look, I want to keep this as close to our chests as possible, so just keep your secrets.’ So I think if you got that out of Damon, that would probably be more of a worthwhile place to go.”

Summer Glau moves to ‘The Cape’
Glau, who has probably starred in more cult sci-fi series than any other actress, with stints on Fox’s “Firefly,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” and “Dollhouse,” has joined NBC’s superhero-themed drama pilot “The Cape” in a leading role. In the pilot, directed by Simon West, a former cop (David Lyons) is set up as a criminal and becomes a masked hero, the Cape, to clear his name.

‘V’ finds its theme: How far two mothers will go to protect their children
“You’ll learn more about the Vs anatomically in my first episode back than you did in the first four episodes and get an understanding of how they work, why they’re different. Everything is like that. The plan, why they’re here. We’re really going to dive into that kind of stuff. … That first episode coming back, just in Acts 5 and 6, there’s four huge reveals, just in two acts of that show alone.” Said writer Scott Rosenbaum.

‘Glee’ at Paleyfest
Co-creator/executive producer Ryan Murphy spilled that a show about the “power of theatricality” is in the works for the series’ second half that will include a Lady Gaga song. “She’s arguably the most important pop star right now,” noted Murphy. In revealing even more of what’s to come when the series resumes, Matthew Morrison (Will) spilled the beans about what the second duet he’ll be performing with guest star Neil Patrick Harris.

James Callis joins ‘Eureka’
“Battlestar Galactica” veterans continue to pick up new gigs. Now fan favorite James Callis (Dr. Gaius Baltar) has joined the cast of Syfy’s “Eureka.” Callis will appear during the show’s upcoming fourth-season as Dr. Grant, a former resident of the town whose return is a cause for alarm. His character will have a romantic interest in Allison Blake (Salli Richardson-Whitfield), which causes friction with Sherriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson).

HBO puts ‘The Pacific’ online
HBO has put Sunday’s first hour of its WWII mega-budget production “The Pacific” on its site. Don’t get used to it, though, the other nine hours will only air on HBO (until the DVD release, of course). Since HBO is a pay channel that re-runs its best content for decades, it rightfully tends to be shy about putting content on the Internet. The network has uploaded the pilot episode of some series online, though not movies. The amount of violence and profanity in “The Pacific” is a concern, so registration is required to watch.

More heroes, ‘Battlestar’-verse for Syfy
The network has ordered a 90-minute pilot, “Three Inches,” from Fox Television Studios, writer Harley Peyton (“Twin Peaks”) and executive producer Bob Cooper. It centers on an underachiever who gains the power to move any object using his mind, but only for a distance of three inches. He recruits a team of fellow heroes, each with their own less-than-spectacular abilities. The network also is looking to order another “Battlestar”-related project. Details were slim, but Stern said the title would mark a return to the franchise’s space-opera roots.

Ultimate sci-fi TV pilot guide: Your favorite shows of the future
Here’s our list by network of the sci-fi and fantasy pilots, shows with the possibility of sci-fi and fantasy in them and shows that have been ordered to series. We’ve rated them on how we’re guessing they’ll do based on interest, star power and idea originality on a scale of 0-100 percent. (Possible spoilers ahead!)

‘Spartacus’ halts production
Star Andy Whitfield diagnosed with cancer
Starz’s freshman drama “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” has halted series production due to star Andy Whitfield being diagnosed with cancer. Whitfield plays the title role in the show and was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and will begin treatment immediately.

But Wait, There’s More…

The Fine Print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire weeks’ news. All stories are chosen by me for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

TV News Roundup – November 2009 – Week 1

Scott From LA — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:42 +0000

Parents Television Council praises Microsoft for dumping ‘Family Guy’
“The Parents Television Council praises Microsoft for waking up to the risk that was posed to its brand by serving as sole sponsor for a Seth MacFarlane special. The content on MacFarlane’s ‘Family Guy,’ ‘American Dad,’ and now the ‘The Cleveland Show’ every week on Fox should be more than enough evidence to make responsible advertisers head for the hills. The presumption that a Seth MacFarlane special would be any less offensive is simply naïve,”

‘V’ voice revisits familiar turf
Original creator Kenny Johnson happy with remake
As the creator of the original “V” miniseries in 1983, Johnson knows interest in the new “V” will also spur nostalgia for his original. And Johnson, who didn’t retain TV rights to the title, still has big feature plans for his own “V” remake. “If the show succeeds, it gives us an opportunity to go out with a one sheet that says, ‘You like the show, now see the original classic reborn,’ ” Johnson says. “And if the show doesn’t do well, we can always say, ‘Here is the “V” you’ve been waiting for.’ ”

Robert Carlyle talks ‘Stargate: Universe’
“He’s very isolated, very much on his own,” Carlyle says. “He only goes to people if he needs them.” When he was sought for the role, Carlyle says he was told, “We’re looking for someone who can make dislikable things seem quick likable.’ I said, ‘Well, I’m potentially your man.’”

William Atherton cast on ‘Lost’
“Die Hard” and “Ghostbusters” star William Atherton will have a guest starring role on the final season of ABC’s “Lost.” Executive producer Carlton Cuse revealed the casting in a series of Tweets last night: “Damon & I are die hard fans of this impeckable actor who keeps the bar high and just signed to guest star. Life is good!” he wrote …. then added that “yes it is a clue”…Atherton played the memorably douche-y “Walter Peck” in “Ghostbusters” and similarly douche-y “Dick Thornburg” in “Die Hard” (the 1980s weren’t very subtle with character names, were they?). He also had a recurring role on “Life.”

NBC: More ‘Chuck,’ no more ‘Trauma’
‘Chuck’ expected to launch in Jan.
The network has ordered six more episodes of dramedy “Chuck” and has opted not to pick up additional episodes from “Trauma” beyond the freshman drama’s original 13-episode order. The pickup for “Chuck” brings the show’s total third-season order to 19 episodes. With the expanded order, “Chuck,” originally not supposed to come on until after the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, is rumored to launch in January. The series now will finish production on its 13-episode order before winding down.

Syfy greenlights ‘Being Human’
Syfy has handed out a 13-episode order to a U.S. version of the BBC show from RDF Media USA. “Human” revolves around three twentysomething roommates — who happen to be a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf — as they help one another navigate the complexities of living double lives.

‘Holmes’ spies MacFarlane special
Warner Bros. to replace Microsoft
Warner Bros. Pictures has agreed to step in and replace Microsoft as the sole sponsor of Fox’s Seth MacFarlane variety special, set to air Nov. 8. The studio plans to use the time to promote its Christmas tentpole “Sherlock Holmes” via an extended trailer during “Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show.”

McKellen enrolls in ‘Academy’
Actor to star in half-hour mockumentary series
The thesp has signed to star in a half-hour mockumentary series, “The Academy,” that is being shopped to U.K. and U.S. buyers by DLT Entertainment. McKellen would play his fictional brother, Murray McKellen, who heads a run-down drama school, the Clapham Academy of Creative Arts, that is hoping to secure new funding through a docu on the school.

Nathan Fillion Says ‘Dr. Horrible’ Sequel Has A Title, Several Songs Written
“There are plans,” Fillion told MTV News. “The media for the sequel has not yet been decided, but there is a title. Joss, I was talking to him right before we won the Emmy,” said Fillion. “He said that he’s finished writing a song or two. He told me a couple of verses to the song. It’s going to be great,” he said. “I know a bunch of cast members of Dr. Horrible who would love to get back into it.”

Ultraman creator wins a battle
Tsuburaya defends rights to kiddie TV fave
A court in Guangdong, China, has ruled in favor of Tsuburaya Prods. in its rights dispute with Sompote Saengduenchai, prexy of Bangkok-based Tsuburaya Chaiyo and Chaiyo Production, who claims to be co-inventor of the series. The Guangdong court issued the first ruling on the case on Oct. 23. A second, final ruling, is expected within 30 days. At stake are the merchandising, broadcasting and other rights to the Ultraman series outside Japan.

A ‘Lost’ Q&A: Damon Lindelof answers (most of) your questions!
“I think it is our intention to end the story of Lost in the final episode of the television series. We have no desire whatsoever to make a movie or leave any threads hanging. That being said, some people will think it’s enormously satisfying. Other people will think it’s not satisfying enough. It all depends on the way that you watch the show. But the worst thing we could ever do is just answer some things and then say we’ll answer other things in the Lost movie in theaters two years from now.”

‘Criminal Intent’ has a new captain
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio joining USA’s drama series
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio has joined USA Network’s “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” completing the casting transformation on the police procedural for its upcoming ninth season. She will play the new captain taking over the Major Case Squad.

NBC has ‘Zeroes’ interest in drama project
Feature writer-helmers look at last hour of crisis situations
The feature writing-directing team of Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor are venturing into television with a one-hour project for NBC. “Zeroes,” from Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun, is described as a high-intensity drama chronicling the last hour of a crisis situation. “We want to drop right into it and sustain the absolute most berserk state of crisis, when all of the options have been exhausted,” he said. “We want to take that last 60 minutes and sustain it for the entire show.” “Zeroes” refers to a fictional team of guys called in as a last resort who are “absolutely ruthless” in their use of force, Taylor said.

Official: TNT picks up ‘Southland’
In a rare industry move, a cable network has picked up a discarded broadcast series. TNT has obtained the exclusive rights to run the six unaired episodes of “Southland” which were on NBC’s fall schedule before the broadcaster unexpectedly axed the show two weeks before its premiere. TNT will air all 13 produced episodes of Warner Bros. drama, including its seven-episode first season when it premiered as NBC’s midseason replacement last April. TNT will then decide whether to commission additional episodes.

TV ratings: Every fall sci-fi show compared by number of viewers
ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox need more live viewers than The CW and Syfy for their shows to be considered successful. And if you’re worried about your favorite show, watch it live and watch the commercials. Those initial ratings are still the most important, although terms like “time shift,” “DVR +7″ and “7 day viewing” are becoming a fact of life we’re going to want to embrace, because they’re going to keep some of our shows alive.

But Wait, There’s More…

The Fine Print

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Bruce Moyle — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:58:59 +0000

The Podcast
This episode comes in at 22megs.Direct Link to mp3

Reviews

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

The mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth, so as Hellboy and his team returns they must save the world from the rebellious creatures. Now, as the creatures who inhabit the spiritual realm gear-up for an all out attack on the human plane, the only one capable of saving the Earth is a tough-talking hellspawn rejected by both worlds.

Clip

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