Sci-Fi Storm

Rumors are starting to gather. Apparently, the Jim Henson Company is doing some pre-production for a possible 4 hour Farscape miniseries to continue on where the “To be continued” series finale left off. The Hensons didn’t confirm it specifically, but they are “commited to grow the property”.

Well, it looks like the SCI FI Channel still believes that Science Fiction has a place on their network. Recent reports that SFC was so pleased with the ratings for Stargate SG-1 that they went straight into talks for another season seem to have come to a conclusion, as Gateworld is reporting that next week’s TV Guide will feature the show on the cover with a picture of RDA and Michael Shanks and the line “Forget Trek! Stargate SG-1 is now sci-fi’s biggest hit! (Get ready for an underwater spin-off, too)”, the latter in reference to the proposed spin-off, Stargate: Altantis. It apparently will also act as the official announcement, as the official site and SFC are quiet so far.

Update 7/22: Everything was pretty much confirmed over the weekend at Comic Con, and the TV Guide issue is out. One thing I didn’t see mentioned before – a “beloved” character will die.

SCI FI Channel has previewed some of its plans for original movies for the 2004-2005 season. Part of the slate includes: Dead Rail, with a detective on a new bullet train fights aliens; Darklight, with an immortal warrior vs. genetically engineered creature complete with deadly virus; Chupacabra, where the mythical “Goatsucker” escapes in America; Raptor Island, where a search for a kidnapped scientist turns up everybody’s favorite carnivore; Mansquito and Hammerhead, both human-turned-creature flicks; Alien Blood, a vaguely V-like premise, except it sounds like they don’t pretend to be friends; and Larva, your worst nightmare about that hamburger you left out too long…

Thomas writes “Relic Hunter fans have launched a valiant campaign to bring back the popular television series- Relic Hunter for another season. An online petition has been set up at the following address, and fans are urging people to get invovled.
http://www.petitiononline.com/ThomasRH/petition.ht ml
Rumour has it that the show ended after lead star- Tia took time out to try other roles, and secure a family. Having recently married and since worked on the Disney blockbuster- Lilo and Stitch, fans are now hoping the show will be continued.
The syndicated show that made it to three seasons say a female Indiana Jones-esque character called Sydney Fox hunting for lost relics.
Recent talk suggested that the show may return as a televised movie based around the Xena chakram. This has yet to be officially confirmed.”

The two-hour premiere (well, it was really two connected episodes) of Stargate SG-1 this past Friday hit a 1.9 rating – tops for cable networks at that time, the highest rated season premiere ever and the highest ever rated June telecast for the SCI FI Channel. I hope they’re pleased…

Ellen Williams writes “Rumor has it that a televised Relic Hunter movie focussing around the Xena chakram is planned for next summer. According to Cult Times, Sydney Fox will uncover the weapon and two lost Xena scrolls.

In a recent interview, Lucy Lawless exclaimed- “Me and Tia always wanted to have the two series’ merge, but then Xena ended”. It is unclear yet whether Lucy Lawless herself will appear in the movie, which will feature references to Xena episodes.

Tia Carrere said: “It’s very exciting. It’s never been done before. We’re taking an established series and weaving a narrative around it”.

Rob Tapert- executive producer of Xena- has said that this will not hinder chances of a fully-fledged Xena movie in the future.”

The SCI FI Channel announced that Gale Anne Hurd (who produced the upcoming Hulk and Terminator 3) will produce the six-hour miniseries based on Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars. Robinson will consult, and the screenplay is being written by Gregory Widen (Highlander). Finally, some headway…

I probably shouldn’t mention this, as it will skew the odds…but starting June 6th, you will be able to register on the SCI FI Channel’s official web site for Stargate SG-1 for a chance to win a trip to the MGM production facility in Vancouver for a walk-on role. The season premiere for Stargate SG-1 is June 13th at 9pm ET (with a bonus episode at 10pm).

The creator of the original V miniseries is developing a new version. Kenneth Johnson said on Ilana’s V Page that he delivered the first story treatment to NBC, but he stresses that it is a LONG way from actually happening.

The SCI FI Channel has announced some of the voices for its first ever animated series, Tripping the Rift. Stephen Root (NewsRadio) is the purple captain Chode of the smuggling vessel Free Enterprise, with Gina Gershon (Snoops) as Six, a sexy cyborg and “Stuttering” John Melendez (I’m a Celebrity – Get Me Out Of Here!) as the voice of Spaceship Bob. Also included is a sexually confused robot named Gus (Maurice LaMarche, Pinky and the Brain); an “aesthetically challenged”, T’Nuk (Gayle Garfinkle); and Chode’s nephew Whip (Rick Jones).