Sci-Fi Storm

Christopher Eccleston, who has previously starred in The Others and 28 Days Later, has been named as the Doctor for the upcoming 13-part BBC revival of Doctor Who.

The BBC is reporting that they are in negotiations to bring back the Daleks in the new Doctor Who series, but there is no deal yet. Why do they have to negotiate? Apparently in Britidh TV the writers sometimes (often? always? anyone sure?) get copyright on their characters, as Terry Nation did with the Daleks. His estate now owns those rights, so even the BBC has to make a deal to use them….

Robert Picardo, best known for playing the Emergency Medical Hologram on Star Trek: Voyager, and recently appeared a couple of times as the initially sleazy investigative lawyer Woolsey on Stargate SG-1 says he has been contacted about more appearances in the next season.

The cast for Stargate SG-1‘s spin-off series, Stargate: Atlantis, has finally been announced. Heading up the cast is Joe Flanigan (guest appearances on The Profiler and Tru Calling) will play Maj. John Sheppard, with Torri Higginson (Beth Kittridge in the TekWar movies and series) as Dr. Elizabeth Weir as the mission leader. Also announced are David Hewlett, reprising his role as the annoying astrophysicist and Carter adversary Dr. Rodney McKay, Rainbow Sun Francks (host of Electric Circus) as Lt. Aiden Ford, and Rachel Luttrell (Lisette in Anne Rice’s Feast of All Saints) is Teyla, a young leader of a primitive civilization. Also, Robert Patrick of Terminator 2 and X-Files fame will guest as Col. Marshall Sumner in the two-hour premiere in July.

The SCI FI Channel’s new CGI-animated series Tripping the Rift premieres tonight at 10:30pm EST, so fire up your TiVos. And (I hate to give press to something like this, but I’m being complete 🙂 Mad, Mad House premieres at 9pm, and Scare Tactics returns at 10pm. All part of “Sci Fi Thursday”.

Casting for the new Lost in Space pilot for the WB has been announced. Brad Johnson (Left Behind movies, Riverworld) will play family patriarch John Robinson, and the role of Will Robinson (hopefully less annoying this time 🙂 goes to Ryan Malgarini (Freaky Friday). Others don’t have roles listed, but Jayne Brook (John Doe, Chicago Hope) would play Maureen Robinson, Mike Erwin (Everwood) would be Don West, and Adrianne Palicki, who appears to be new, would play Judy Robinson according to TV Tome. No mention of Penny.

tchansen writes “According to Anime News Network, the Sci Fi Channel signed an agreement for the rights to do a live action remake of the fantastic animated series, Witch Hunter Robin. I just started watching the series on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim and it is very good, in my opinion. Hopefully, SciFi can remain true to the tone and pace of the animated show… but I’m not holding my breath.”

Is Dreamworks SKG planning a TV mini-series based on the 2002 version of The Time Machine? Apparently so, at least according to the Dreamworks SKG Fansite. It would apparently be a continuation of the story from the movie. Somehow I haven’t seen it yet, but I don’t remember it doing too well…

The WB has issued a press release stating that this is the last season of Angel. Creator Joss Whedon was informed so that he’s have enough time to produce an ending, and still on the table is possible movie events, but nothing is certain beyond season’s end.This is despite Angel gaining 36% more viewers this year and beating The West Wing, King of Queens and Becker to score third in several key demographics.

British TV producer Phil Collinson (“Sea of Souls”) will head up the Doctor Who revival, currently planned for 12 45-minute episodes, with 7 on those written by Russell T Davies, who has spearheaded the revival. In other news, The Sunday People reports that British actor/comedian/magician Paul Daniels (“The Big Breakfast”) will be the next Doctor, but not a lot of people are buying it.