Sci-Fi Storm

Illusion, an on-demand only science fiction network in the U.S., will begin showing classic Doctor Who serials, starting in January with “Tomb of the Cybermen”. They will follow that with “Genesis of the Daleks”. More information should appear on the web site when available.

USA Networks has officially cancelled its two SF shows, The Dead Zone, which ran for siz seasons, and The 4400, which ran for four. The Dead Zone helped USA’s push into original programming.

Catherine Tate, who is reprising her role as Donna Noble for the whole fourth series of Doctor Who, says that this next series could be David Tennant’s last in the title role, but Tennant himself laughed at it, and said she caused a “minor diplomatic incident”. He says that confirmed will be doing the 4 Doctor Who specials in 2009, but that no one has asked him yet about making a decision for 2010.

As feared, NBC has failed to renew the freshman time traveller Journeyman before the deadline passed Tuesday and its poorest ratings on Monday. The show did manage to complete the 13-episode order however and the remaining two episodes will be shown on schedule. Still awaiting its fate with NBC is Bionic Woman.

Piers Wenger, who produced the award winning telefilm Housewife, 49 and the upcoming Ballet Shoes, has been announced as the new executive producer of Doctor Who, taking the reins from Russell T. Davies, who is stepping down. Wenger will take over with the 5th series (set for 2010), and will also become Head of Drama for BBC Wales (which produces Who and its spinoffs) when Julie Gardner steps down in January 2009. Although Wenger’s list of credits is not very long, he was the Head of Development for Grenada Drama until earlier this year when he left to help create production company Mammoth Screen.

Bruce Allan writes in to inform us of a new letter writing campaign in the hopes of bringing back Star Trek: Enterprise. “New Enterprise Site & Forum On Line Now!

This site is for discussing the last Trek TV series (Star Trek Enterprise), which ran on the now defunct UPN,it is also Campaign Central for An Enterprise return to TV, with new episodes, while it is uncertain of how many fans are out there, the home page, which opened on June 22nd 2007, has had over 18,000 hits in just a few months, the forum was opened to the public on Nov 8th 2007.” Read More for the rest of the announcement, and visit the forums here.

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Sheldon Whittaker (Creator of Barrier) writes “The space race enters new heights and speeds down under, as New Zealand producer Sheldon Whittaker proposes to film a futuristic science fiction television series called ?Barrier?.

It?s the year 2439; Earth is a member of the United Alliance of Independent Worlds (UAIW), a loosely bound government that has endorsed the ?Barrier Racing League? to promote the development of faster starship engines.

The series follows the adventures of a maverick racing team that finds itself in trouble after salvaging new technology from an alien derelict. The project is currently under a submission and review process with various producers, While this process is going on we have set up several casting and show oriented polls, to let interested SF fans have some input.

We also welcome suggestions for other surveys, polls, or events that we could run.

Thank you.
http://www.barrier.net.nz/“

Despite the bleak outlook for its network sibling Journeyman, freshman series Chuck has gotten an
order to complete a full season – even in the face of the writer’s strike. No official word yet on the other NBC freshman SF show, Bionic Woman.

Sorry I’m late…been trying to get a lot of things done in advance of a much needed vacation. Anyways, after lots of unconfirmed reports, the BBC is finally confirming the return of Billie Piper for three episodes in the fourth series of Doctor Who. This means that the Doctor will have three different companions in the series – although it isn’t specified if Rose Tyler will overlap with Martha Jones, who will only appear in half of the episodes.

In a chat with the Premium Hollywood web site, Journeyman producer Kevin Falls says that the show could end with the 12th episode, which was the last one on the initial order for the show. Due to the WGA strike and the mediocre numbers, it seems unlikely that they would get an additional order for episodes. Falls said, “If?and let?s not kid ourselves, it?s a long shot that we would get a back nine, given the strike and our questionable numbers?but we wrote it in a way so it could be the series-ending show. I mean, it wouldn?t answer every question, but it would give you a lot to chew on.”