The folks at Couch Potato TV run a report each week called Sci-Fi Saturday, and this weeks report goes into detail on a number of new shows coming out this fall. For keeping track of existing shows to see who is and is not getting renewed, EW has the Fall TV Cheat Sheet, while IGN is running the Endangered Series List.
The changes include a smaller budget and a limit of 13 episodes, but even so I was very happy to learn that Dollhouse has been renewed for a second season by Fox. It joins the ranks of Fringe on the same network, Heroes and Medium on NBC, Lost on ABC (for 3 more seasons), and Smallville and Supernatural on the CW. All shows I watch and enjoy, although some more than others. Still undecided are Chuck (decision on Monday, promising), Reaper (perhaps syndicated with cast changes), and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (not very hopeful). There are some excellent shows that have been confirmed canceled, like Eli Stone and Pushing Daises, and some new shows worth looking forward to, like Flash Forward from Robert J. Sawyer, or the remake of V, from the folks who did The 4400 and staring several Firefly actors. So as with all years, it’s a mixed bag. And while I want to see every one of the Undecided shows returning, if there can be only one, I hope it is Chuck.
Season 3 of Primeval kicks off on BBC America tomorrow night, bringing our crew of time-traveling dinosaur secret agents back for another round of fun. For those who haven’t watched the show, the dinosaurs do most of the time traveling, the members of the secret government agency combat them. Word has just surfaced that Warner Brothers will be bring it to the big screen, or at least a variation of it. I am hoping they at least have the sense to use the original cast, but they have already announced they will move the action to the U.S. Back in the UK, for the second Bank Holiday in May, London Expo is going on this weekend, with all kinds of movie goodies.
There are a number of viral Terminator: Salvation sites online, as there were for the new Trek movie and many others. One such site is Resist Or Be Terminated, done as the propaganda arm of John Connors resistance. Another is Enitechlabs Research, at first glance a particle physics web site. But a camera they have developed that takes pictures about 3 years in the future has begun to show some disturbing images, and something seems to be after the scientists now. Then there is Skynet Research, who are looking for a few good robotics design engineers, offering free download and installation of their Distributed Computing Network software, and giving away their security systems to install in your home or business…
If you haven’t already, of course. I love the reboot known as Star Trek 11, and can’t wait for the next one. Simon Pegg as Scotty and Karl Urbana as Bones both brought something to the characters that gave them a spark of life even the originals didn’t have (shields up, prepare to repel flames), and Zach Quinto as Spock was dead on the money. There were a few details I can quibble with, that still didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the movie; but the folks at Sci-Fi Wire said it first and better, so read their version. Above all, go see the movie!
Ghost In The Shell 2.0 is not a remake of the Starwars school, but rather an updating of the original masterpiece using modern animation tools and techniques. Scene for scene, it is exactly the same movie… except it looks and sounds better. There is an excellent collection of old and new frames for comparison at Asian Blueray Guide to give you an idea of the differences between the two versions. Expect it out in the US come August or September. If you can’t wait, it will be playing at Annecy, the worlds biggest animation festival. The Festival starts June 8th and runs to the 13th, showing over 500 films from 63 countries, including 10 feature Film Official Selections including Coraline, Monsters vs. Aliens, and Redline. The 2.0 trailer…