Sci-Fi Storm

So it’s hardly a secret that Peter Capaldi is taking over the role of the Doctor starting with this year’s Christmas episode of Doctor Who (titled “The Time of the Doctor”), and he had a very small cameo (well, his eyes did) in “The Day of the Doctor”. But the Daily Mirror published this article, which claims that Matt Smith will reveal that he is in fact the 13th Doctor – not the 11th as always thought, and not the 12th including John Hurt’s War Doctor – and is now facing his own death.

It is claimed that the “missing” regeneration is because of the metacrisis – when Tennant’s Doctor saved himself by diverting the regeneration energy into his previously severed hand in “Journey’s End” (and then forming another copy of himself).

Leaving aside the many ways in which showrunner Steven Moffat can write around the regeneration limit, this seems to be discounting something that happened right in the “The Day of the Doctor”!

SPOILER WARNING: In case you haven’t seen “The Day of the Doctor” yet, read no further. Then again, if you haven’t seen it by now…WHY NOT?!?
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BBC America, which co-produces the series Atlantis with the BBC, has renewed the series for a second season after a very strong debut this past weekend, the highest rated Supernatural Saturday show premiere on the network. BBC had previously renewed the show, having aired it earlier this Fall.

Atlantis is a retelling of Greek myths from the creators of Merlin, and has a similar feel and how the characters differ from their traditional myths. Jason (Jack Donnelly), while searching for his missing father in a mini-sub, suddenly finds himself transported to the lost city of Atlantis, where he joins up with Pythagoras (Robert Emms) and Hercules (Mark Addy) as they encounter the myths of ancient Greece.

In case you haven’t seen it yet…there was another special related to Doctor Who – but it wasn’t broadcast in the U.S. It’s called “The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot”, created by the Fifth Doctor himself, Peter Davison, and looks at what happens when Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy are determined to appear in the 50th Anniversary special episode, even though they aren’t actually invited…lots of cameos by former companions, family members, etc.
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A new trailer for Helix, which starts Friday, January 10th at 10/9c on Syfy!
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All time coordinates are set to tomorrow for the debut of “Day of the Doctor”, but in the meantime we have another minisode just released…this time, we get a first person look at what it was like to be a new soldier on Gallifrey, at what appears to be the end of the Time War…

As an added bonus, check out the Google Doodle, which is a Doctor Who-themed game (you may need to go to google.co.uk to see it).
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Colin Wilson’s novel The Space Vampires, which was adapted into the 1985 movie Lifeforce starring Steve Railsback and Mathilda May (along with a pre-Picard Patrick Stewart), may get another adaptation – but this time, for the small screen. Ringleader Studios has acquired the rights to produce an episodic series based on the book, to also be titled Lifeforce, as well as plans for a whole multi-media release.

The novel is set in the late 21st century, when a crew from Earth discovers a huge derelict spacecraft in the asteroid belt. Among many dessicated bat-like corpses they find three humanoids in suspended animation, which they bring back to Earth. The aliens turn out to be vampires, of a sort – they drain the life force energy from the humans, and Commander Carlsen, responsible for bringing them to Earth, attempts to stop them.

The movie adaptation is similar, but set in the present day with a hypothetical nuclear-powered shuttle doing a fly-by of Halley’s Comet, where they find the spacecraft. It also adds a more frightening zombie-like contagion to the story. It was a box office disappointment, but has a cult following. The British production received a heavy edit for release in the U.S. including some American voice dubbing, but [asin=B00AWWX6XY]recent DVD/Blu-ray releases[/asin] are of the original 116-minute U.K. release (or both).

In Friday’s new Haven, the ghost hunting Darkside Seekers arrive following rumors of a monster of ancient myth appearing. Will they reveal Haven’s troubles to the world? Tune in for “Monster’s Ball”, Friday at 10/9c on Syfy!
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Perhaps not exactly shocking that R2-D2 will be returning to appear in Star Wars Episode VII…but perhaps more surprising is that he is the first one actually confirmed, after months of rumors of the “big three”.

Let me go out on a limb…C-3PO will be in it as well. 🙂

What is a LOT more surprising is who build the droid for the upcoming film(s): Lee Towersey and Oliver Steeples, two German fans and members of the R2-D2 Builders Club. During Celebration Europe this past summer, Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy toured the Builders area and saw all the droids they had built and was amazed. Steeples half-jokingly said that the Builders were available if needed…and it looks like they were…

The CW has had a change of plans for the debut of The Flash. Originally it was planned that the character of Barry Allen would appear in episodes 8 and 9 of Arrow to introduce the character, but then in episode 20 he would become The Flash, serving as a backdoor pilot to spin off into another series.

Now the plan (per Deadline) is to leave him in episodes 8 and 9, but will now be given a traditional pilot with which, they hope, to kick off the series.

Here are a couple of neat items for your Hunger Games appetite: First, tonight is the Red Carpet Premiere for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in Los Angeles, but that doesn’t mean you can’t watch the red carpet – you can watch it live right here, starting at 9PM ET/6PM PT!
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