Archive for February, 2011
Video release updates – Doctor Who, H.R. Pufnstuf, Narnia, more
by Doc on Feb.19, 2011, under Video/DVD
Doing my periodic update of our Sci-Fi TV Store (if you think anything should be included, let me know!)…the next two classic Doctor Who releases will be [sfs=1107]”Frontios”[/sfs] and [sfs=1108]”Time And The Rani”[/sfs], released on June 14th; the classic Krofft show H.R. Pufnstuf gets a new [sfs=1109]Collector’s Edition[/sfs] which includes the only episode of “Horror Hotel”, a combo-spinoff featuring characters from Pufnstuff and Lidsville (along with a new [sfs=1110]standard release[/sfs]), out on April 12th; the MacGyver [sfs=1111]TV movies[/sfs], (released last June but I missed it); the CGI series ReBoot finally get’s its [sfs=1113]first two seasons[/sfs] released on DVD on March 1st; and The Twilight Zone get its Blu-Ray releases, with [sfs=1116]Season 3[/sfs] just out and [sfs=1117]Season 4[/sfs] due in May.
On the movie side, The Chronicles of Nania: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader will be released on April 8th on [sfs=1118]Blu-ray[/sfs] and [sfs=1119]DVD[/sfs].
Mayhew will voice Chewbacca for Clone Wars finale
by Doc on Feb.17, 2011, under Television
Peter Mayhew, the 7+ foot talk actor to provide life to Chewbacca in 4 Star Wars films, will reprise the role in a different way for the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars. While Mr. Mayhew played the physical role in the movies, the “voice” was a mixed recording of animal sounds. For the animated show, no physical actor is necessary – but Mayhew has learned to recreated the “Wookiee growls” and will do so for the upcoming two part season finale. In the episodes “Padawan Lost” and “Wookiee Hunt”, Chewbacca will cross paths with Anakin’s apprentice Ahsoka Tano. The finale is scheduled for April 1st.
Smallville‘s Ashmore joins Warehouse 13
by Doc on Feb.17, 2011, under Television
Aaron Ashmore, who played photographer Jimmy Olsen in Smallville, has been recruited as Pete’s new partner on Warehouse 13. He plays Steve Jinks, a young ATF agent with an innate ability to detect when someone’s lying, who is recruited by Mrs. Frederic (CCH Pounder) to become Pete Lattimer’s (Eddie McClintock) new partner.
If you forget, at the end of last season Myka (Joanne Kelly) quit the Warehouse – so what happens to her? We’ll have to see.
FYI, the recent holiday episode officially took place outside the timeline where Myka quit…it can be inserted anywhere prior to the season ender…
Firefly to air on Science Channel with commentary from Dr. Michio Kaku
by Doc on Feb.17, 2011, under Television
Firefly will make another return – in reruns, alas – but this time on the Science Channel. It will start Sunday night, March 6th, at 8PM ET with the original two hour pilot, followed by the first episode at 10PM. Then each Sunday will have an encore of the previous episode at 9PM, and the next one at 10PM.
As a special treat for “Firefly” fans, star of Science Channel’s “Sci-Fi Science,” and the cofounder of string field theory, Dr. Michio Kaku, will be commentating on the science behind “Firefly” for each episode. From terraforming, to anti-matter, Kaku will be explaining why the science fiction featured in the show really isn’t that far from science fact.
When “Firefly” first aired in 2002, Whedon’s sci-fi western quickly became a cult favorite. Set 500 years in the future, in the aftermath of a universal civil war, the story centers on the renegade crew of a small transport spaceship led by “Castle’s” Nathan Fillion, who directs the ragtag team through adventures into unknown parts of the galaxy, as they try to evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them.
Adrianne Palicki is Wonder Woman
by Doc on Feb.16, 2011, under Television
After all the rumors and suggestions as to who would make a great Wonder Woman, David E. Kelley and NBC have made their choice – Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights). Reportedly she is the only one that actually tested for the role.
From the random bits of useless knowledge department: Palicki played the part of Judy Robinson in the Fox/WB Lost In Space remake that starred Jayne Brooke and Brad Johnson but didn’t get past the pilot stage. This version had two sons and one daughter (no Penny but a David), and no Dr. Smith either, and if I remember the Robinsons were passengers on a larger ship that gets attacked and they separate from the mothership to escape. The ship’s control props were recycled for use as the Battlestar Pegasus on Battlestar Galactica.
Tahmoh Penikett joins Mortal Kombat
by Doc on Feb.16, 2011, under Online Video
Battlestar Galactica and Dollhouse alum Tahmoh Penikett was announced today to be joining the cast of the online series Mortal Kombat, which we announced Monday. Reportedly he will take on the role of Kurtis Stryker, a NYC cop who uses his police equipment when he fights.
Update: I completely missed the fact that Ryan Robbins (Sanctuary) is also in the cast, reportedly as every gamer’s favorite Thunder god, Raiden…
Being Human preview: “It Takes Two to Make a Thing Go Wrong”
by Doc on Feb.15, 2011, under Television
In the next all-new episode of Being Human, Aidan and Josh discuss a break-up with Josh’s sister Emily. Little do they know that due to the break-up, Emily is going to need a place to crash. She claims with assumption that it’s okay with Aidan, and he says it is Josh’s sister, only to leave the decision in Josh’s hands. When Josh asks for how long, Emily replies, “Just until I get back on my feet.” If they do decide to let her stay, will she even stay safe until she gets on her feet while living with a vampire, werewolf, and ghost? You have to watch the clip and tune in to Syfy on Monday at 9/8c to find out!
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Felicia Day announces Dragon Age: Redemption web series
by Doc on Feb.15, 2011, under Games, Online Video
Felicia Day, the darling of geek culture since appearing a number of times on Buffy the Vampire Slayers and since then appearing in all sorts of genre media such as web series (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and the long-running comedy series The Guild, which she also created) and video games (her character is my current companion in Fallout: New Vegas), announced her next web series creation: Dragon Age: Redemption, a six part series set in the world of BioWare’s Dragon Age video game series. Day will star as Tallis, an elven assassin who goes on a quest to capture a renegade magician. Along the way, she gathers her own fellowship. “She can’t accomplish her mission alone, so finding allies is tricky,” Day says. “The success or failure of the mission will have a big impact on her future and her freedom.”
A gamer herself, she knows that game-to-movie adaptations haven’t gone well (has there really been a good one?) “I put every single effort into making this something that gamers will be proud of. Even though we were constrained a lot as a Web series, none of the people who were involved took that as a constraint. They took that as a challenge.”
Peter Winther (The Librarian: Quest for the Spear) directed.
Dragon Age II, the next installment in the game franchise, comes out March 8th for [asin=B0047TG2R0]XBox 360[/asin], [asin=B0047TLIBU]PS3[/asin] and [asin=B0047THYWC]PC/Mac[/asin].
Merlin preview: “The Changeling”
by Doc on Feb.14, 2011, under Television
In the next all-new episode of Merlin, Arthur is approached about his arranged engagement to a princess, Elena. It’s against his own wishes and he’s caught in deciding whether he should honor the royal tradition or if he should make the choice to not go through with it. Watch the clip and tune in on Friday at 10/9c on Syfy to see if Arthur will choose the right destiny of marrying his eventual Queen, or if the true feelings of his heart will prevail.
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Initial cast for Mortal Kombat announced
by Doc on Feb.14, 2011, under Games, Online Video
Warner Premiere (a division of Warner Bros, which specializes in the development and production of both features and digital content for home entertainment platforms) is producing a live-action digital new media series “Mortal Kombat”, based on the iconic gaming franchise which has already spawned multiple arcade and console games, two movies, two TV series and an animated series, and yesterday they announced the initial cast which will include Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Voyager) as Lieutenant Sonya Blade (reprising her role from the unofficial short film “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth”), Michael Jai White (The Dark Knight) as Major Jackson ‘Jax’ Briggs, and Darren Shahlavi (300) as Kano.
Kevin Tancharoen, who directed and produced the popular, unofficial “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth” fan short that garnered over 10 million views worldwide, is bringing the same immersive directing style to this live-action digital new media series. Fans will be able to delve deep into the history of the warriors they know and love including “Sub-Zero” and “Scorpion.” Shooting for “Mortal Kombat” is currently underway in Vancouver.
In addition to the digital series (details on distribution have not been released yet), a new game will be released on April 19th, 2011, on both the [asin=B003O6E1JS]Playstation 3[/asin] and [asin=B002I0J998]XBox 360[/asin], in Standard, Kollector’s and Tournament Editions. (link fixed for PS3 version)