Sci-Fi Storm

Three weeks prior to the premiere of Syfy’s new ambitious series The Expanse on the network, the first episode will be available on a variety of VOD, TV Everywhere and digital platforms on November 23rd. The series, from Alcon Television Group, premieres on Syfy itself with a two-night premiere Monday, December 14 and Tuesday, December 15 at 10/9c, and continues on Tuesdays at 10/9c for the remainder of the season.

Said Dave Howe, President, Syfy: “The Expanse is the most ambitious series ever for Syfy, and early screenings are drawing high praise from critics and fans alike. With its cinematic feel, compelling characters, intense action and universal themes, it’s important for Syfy to provide the opportunity for as many people as possible to watch and fall in love with this series.”

Starting November 23 and available through the series’ Syfy premiere on December 14, The Expanse’s first episode can be viewed via Syfy On Demand, Syfy.com, the Syfy Now App, Hulu, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes, Playstation, Xbox, Facebook and YouTube.

Additionally, Syfy has partnered with Twitch, Wikia, IGN, IMDb, Good Reads, Crave Online and Roku to host the series premiere with original custom content.

Set 200 years in the future, The Expanse follows the case of a missing young woman that brings a hardened detective (Thomas Jane, Hung) and a rogue ship’s captain (Steven Strait, Magic City) together in a race across the solar system that will expose the greatest conspiracy in human history. The series is based on the New York Times bestselling book series collectively known as The Expanse, written by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (under the pen name James S. A. Corey).

Emmy® winner and Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Saddam, House of Sand and Fog) also stars as Chrisjen Avasarala. Rounding out the cast are Dominique Tipper (Vampire Academy), Cas Anvar (Olympus), Wes Chatham (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay) and Florence Faivre (The Following). Paulo Costanzo (Royal Pains), Chad Coleman (The Walking Dead) and Jay Hernandez (Suicide Squad) will appear as guest stars throughout the series’ first season.

Academy Award-nominated screenwriting duo Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men, Iron Man) wrote the pilot and serve as writers, as well as executive producers and showrunners. Executive producer Naren Shankar (CSI, Farscape) joins Fergus and Ostby as showrunners. Award-winning director Terry McDonough (Breaking Bad, Suits, Better Call Saul) directed the first two episodes of the series.

BBC One has given a green light to an ambitious series based on the rich universe of Philip Pullman’s [asin=0375847227]His Dark Materials trilogy[/asin].

The series follow the young orphan Lyra Belacqua, who exists in a parallel world to our own where each person’s inner self, called a daemon, has physical form outside their bodies in the form of a sentient animal. Their form can vary when the person is young but eventually take a single form as they grow older. Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon (who has not yet fixed form) discover Dust, a strange particle that was being researched by her uncle, Lord Asriel, and may hold the key to travel around the multiverse.

The first book of the series, Northern Lights (a.k.a. The Golden Compass in the U.S.) was turned into a feature film in 2007 starring Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman. However, the film suffered from starting in a world that needed a lot of exposition while trying to move the story forward at a rapid pace in limited time, as well as calls to boycott the film over the portrayal of parallel versions of the Catholic Church in the books (which was altered for the film to be less specific). It was a box office disappointment in the U.S. although internationally fared well, but it was decided not to press on with a sequel.

Production will take place in Wales for BBC One. Executive producers are Pullman, Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner for Bad Wolf; Toby Emmerich and Carolyn Blackwood for New Line; Bethan Jones for BBC One and Deborah Forte for Scholastic.

Believe it or not…but Fox has given a pilot production commitment for the Greatest American Hero remake – again. Last summer Fox gave a put pilot commitment, but it appears it didn’t take off, much like the main character (sorry…), so they are trying again, this time with Dope‘s Rick Famuyiwa writing and directing. Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Tawnia McKiernan are still executive producing along with Seth Cohen, for 20th Century Fox TV.

The original show followed a teacher (William Katt) who stumbles upon an suit of alien origin that gives the wearer super powers, but he soon loses the instruction manual and struggles to be a superhero while also teaching, and working with his federal agent handler (Robert Culp). A casting director has been hired to find a new lead for the series.

With Star Trek ready to celebrate its 50th year in 2016, CBS has finally pulled the trigger on a new Star Trek series. But it won’t be for a traditional TV network, or even syndication.

The untitled series will debut on the CBS broadcast network sometime in January 2017, that will only serve as a launching pad to CBS All Access, it’s recently launched streaming service.

Details of the show have not been released, but it is known that it will not feature the classic characters, who are still involved in the film franchise.

Alex Kurtzman, who has been shepherding the film franchise, will executive produce the new series for CBS Television Studios, with Heather Kadin from Kurtzman/Orci Paper Products, the shingle Kurtzman and long time producer partner Roberto Orci set up at CBS Studios. Orci is not expected to be involved.

According to David Stapf, CBS Television Studios President, “There is no better time to give Star Trek fans a new series than on the heels of the original show’s 50th anniversary celebration. Everyone here has great respect for this storied franchise, and we’re excited to launch its next television chapter in the creative mind and skilled hands of Alex Kurtzman, someone who knows this world and its audience intimately.”

Unfortunately this trend towards streaming services could leave the world of television fractured. Having to pay for streaming services piecemeal at $6-10 a pop is going to get complicated and confusing, and potentially more expensive than traditional cable.