Sci-Fi Storm

Syfy just announced that Dichen Lachman, who starred as Sierra on Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse on Fox and appears in the upcoming Torchwood: Miracle Day, as well as guest appearances on Hawaii Five-0 and NCIS: Los Angeles, will play Izumi, a reclusive, centuries-old vampire royal whose unexpected return to Boston’s vampire society throws main character Aidan (Sam Witwer) and the city into disarray. Being Human begins production on its second season this month in Montreal and will air in 2012.

Being Human became an instant hit for Syfy when it premiered in January 2011 averaging 1.8 million viewers making it the channel’s most successful winter season scripted series launch in 6 years.

In the series, leading everyday lives is a lot harder than it looks for three supernatural roommates – vampire Aidan (Sam Witwer), ghost Sally (Meaghan Rath) and werewolf Josh (Sam Huntington) – who share their secrets and a Boston brownstone. Together they learn that there are fates worse than death and more to life – and the afterlife – than most “normal” humans could ever imagine.

The BBC finally announced the air date for the beginning of Torchwood: Miracle Day as July 14th – 6 days after it airs in the U.S. – and it has some U.K. fans upset. Although at some level it seems fair since we have traditionally gotten these programs a week or more later, this is also a traditionally U.K. production, even though now U.S.-based Starz is footing most of the bill and they likely have first-air rights. Not to mention that BBC scheduling can be pretty tight.

Still jonesing for some Torchwood? Here’s a little hit for you to tide you over – and 11 minutes behind-the-scenes feature for Torchwood: Miracle Day which gives a good look into the new characters…

It seems like Russell T. Davies is a bit tired of Torchwood – but he isn’t necessarily done yet. In an interview with The Guardian mostly about the new funding model involving the Starz cable network in the U.S. (and we may see more of it), he mentions that he might be tired of doing Torchwood. “In theory I could have handed it over to a bunch of strangers and said good luck to them – and if there was another series I might do that because I think there’s only so long you can spend doing Torchwood. I start the series and I think, I’m never doing this again…”

But then, thinking about the end of the show, “It’s hugely exciting and I’ve got to do this again. I’ve got one more story that I can tell – just one more that has Gwen right at the centre of it – that would be fantastic. So I’m my own worst enemy.”

He also spoke briefly about creating another children’s show after the passing of The Sarah Jane Adventures star Elisabeth Sladen. “We loved her,” Davies says of the actor, adding that the team couldn’t bear to do any kind of spin-off that didn’t have her in it: “It just wouldn’t be comfortable.” But the production team would like to create another show for children. “That’s the best audience that you’ll ever work for. Make a good kids’ show and they’ll remember it when they’re 80.”

Torchwood: Miracle Day will air on Starz starting on July 8th, and sometime later in July on BBC1.

So, that Torchwood web series starring Eliza Dushku that ties in to the upcoming Torchwood: Miracle Day? Seems it is a bit more than a web series (can we even call it that if its only available via iTunes for a charge? Perhaps the term “micro-series” is better?) – it’s actually an episodic interactive game! It will be released as “10 3-minute chapters” (a 3 minute game?), sold in bundles of 3 for 99 cents or all 10 for $2.99. Still not sure how they package 10 chapters in bundles of 3…but here is a bit more:

“Torchwood: Web of Lies” is an episodic interactive experience for iOS that fuses together motion comic and gameplay elements to tell an original and digitally exclusive Torchwood story. Players will participate in a parallel storyline to “Torchwood: Miracle Day” that includes lead characters Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper – voiced by John Barrowman and Eve Myles.

“Torchwood: Web of Lies” runs alongside weekly premieres of “Torchwood: Miracle Day”, providing fans with a way to engage in the world of Torchwood between episodes. It reveals a past day in the lives of Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper – a day they’ve both forgotten. The events of that day fuel a modern day conspiracy-laced treasure hunt, as Holly Mokri, voiced by Eliza Dushku (“Dollhouse,” “Tru Calling,” “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”), labors to uncover the secrets of Miracle Day. Each week a new episode unlocks, allowing players to access another piece of original motion comic narrative and game which ties into and extends plot developments of the show, as well as providing new twists in its own narrative.

So, it is apparently animated (so I guess we won’t see Eliza…), and runs only on iOS, so I guess I won’t be seeing it for a while…and again makes me think it can’t be called a “web” series.

Need another Torchwood fix before the premiere on July 8th? Well, here’s more, courtesy of Starz:

While we wait for Torchwood: Miracle Day, we can finally see some footage on the new extended trailer that appeared on Access Hollywood yesterday.

Updated: added a much better trailer…

Starz Entertainment, which is co-producing the upcoming Torchwood: Miracle Day with BBC Wales and BBC Worlwide, announced the guest star list for the series. In addition to Torchwood alumni John Barrowman, Eve Myles, and Kai Owen and new headliners Mekhi Phifer, Bill Pullman and Alexa Havins, that the 10-episode, hour-long series will also feature an impressive list of guest stars: Wayne Knight (Seinfeld, Jurassic Park), C. Thomas Howell (Southland, The Outsiders), Ernie Hudson (OZ, Ghostbusters), Nana Visitor (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), John DeLancie (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Mare Winningham (Mildred Pierce, George Wallace) and Frances Fisher (Titanic, The Lincoln Lawyer).

Torchwood: Miracle Day will debut in the U.S. on Starz on July 8th at 10pm ET/PT.

Torchwood: Miracle Day begins with a day when nobody dies. The result: a population boom, overnight. With all the extra people, resources are finite. It’s said that in four month’s time, the human race will cease to be viable. But this can’t be a natural occurrence – someone’s got to be behind it. It’s a race against time as C.I.A. agent Rex Matheson investigates a global conspiracy. The answers lie within an old, secret British institute. As Rex keeps asking “What is Torchwood?,” he’s drawn into a world of adventure, and a threat to change what it means to be human, forever.

In a series of tweets from Torchwood: Miracle Day scribe Jane Espenson that I somehow missed (not surprisingly – when you go to lunch and come back to 400-500 tweets, it’s hard to keep up…), she mentioned that there was going to be a web spin-off/companion series titled, Torchwood: Web Of Lies – but at the same time she dropped not-so-subtle hints about who might be on it: “We have faith in Torchwood: Web of Lies. #hint” was one, then “It’s tru; there’s an echo of my past work in #Torchwood: Web of Lies. (I know you already solved my little puzzle, but this is fun.)”

Of course, “Faith”, “Tru”, and “Echo” are all names of a favorite genre actress – Eliza Dushku, who Espenson has worked with before. No confirmations yet, but I can’t believe it is a diversion…we’ll be keeping an eye out, but we’d watch it anyways. (Thanks to Blastr for paying more attention than me 🙂 )

Actor John de Lancie, best known for is role as the antagonistic alien Q in the Star Trek franchise, has signed on to a guest role in the upcoming Torchwood: Miracle Day, according to a tweet from writer Jane Espenson:

I just this minute got permission to tell about the Torchwood guest star I was tweeting about. Two great Sci Fi fandoms collide…

He’s de licious. He’s de lightful. He’s de lovely…

Yes. Our friend Q from Star Trek: TNG, John De Lancie, is part of the #Torchwood family!