Sci-Fi Storm

I didn’t realize it until JMS himself pointed it out in rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated, but Showtime is releating the Jeremiah premiere, “The Long Road”, Friday (3/8) at 10:45pm during its permanent time slot, after Stargate SG-1. And don’t forget – Friday starts the new SG-1 episodes…

We knew about the dueling Time Tunnel series and the rumor of the NBC pilot for Lost in Space. Now Variety is reporting that an agreement has been reached between 20th Century Fox Television and producers Kevin Burns and Jon Jashni – who administer Synthesis Entertainment, in charge of the rights to Irwin Allen’s properties – to resurrect those as well as Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Land of the Giants.

SCI FI Channel has confirmed that Michael Shanks, who is departing Stargate SG-1 ad the end of the current season, will make at least one appearance in an episode of the 6th Season, entitled “Abyss”. The 5th Season is currently running on Showtime, and then it will move to the SCI FI Channel in June.

Just a reminder…Jeremiah has its two-hour premiere this Sunday (3/3) at 8pm on Showtime, and then will fall into its regular slot the following Friday at 10:45pm. Plan is to run all the episodes, in order, no breaks. Also, Stargate SG-1 picks up with new episodes on the same Friday at 10:00pm.

David Duchovny (Agent Fox Mulder) will indeed be in the two hour series finale of The X-Files, set to air Sunday May 19th, according to the official web site. Plus, Duchovny will do a turn behind the camera as director of the untitled episode set to air on April 28th, which is based on an idea he co-wrote with creator Chris Carter and executive producer Frank Spotnitz. Oh, and don’t forget – you can preorder the 5th Season DVD Set over at our SciFi TV Store.

New Zealand actor Kevin Smith, who played the war god Ares on Xena: Warrior Princess, died from a fall back on Feb. 6th according to the New Zealand Herald newspaper. Apparently the day after he finished filming Warriors of Virtue II in Beijing, he was at a training camp for a new Bruce Willis movie, Men of War, when he fell from as high as six stories. He later died from his injuries, with his wife and parents by his side. He also leaves behind three children.

Smith recently finished work on the SCI FI original film and potential pilot Riverworld, to be aired later this year.

Apparently Michael Shanks’ departure is causing an uproar (WARNING – minor spoiler for season finale in article), especially among the female viewers, who were apparently attracted to the soft-spoken archaeologist, Dr. Daniel Jackson. apparently the season finale has already aired in Britain on Jan. 30th, and fears are that the female audience, which SCI FI president Bonnie Hammer praised in talking about the transfer of the show from Showtime, will abandon it.

Looks like Matt Groening’s Futurama will have its last adventure. Fox announced that they have no plans to order any more episodes, at least not right now. Apparently the production schedule for it is such that Fox needs to make an early committment, which they are unable/unwilling to do at this time. However, 20 episodes are done or in production that will carry it through the 2002-2003 season. And of course, there are the requisite efforts to get Fox to change their minds…

Dean Stockwell, who played Al on Quantum Leap, will rejoin fellow leaper Scott Bakula on Scott’s new series, Enterprise. He’ll play an alien named Grat in the episode “Detained”, set to air in April. Apparently he was on the set when his older brother and actor Gus Stockwell passed away. Gus had guest appearances in a number of TV series, including Quantum Leap.

Apparently rumors were getting out of control, so the SCI FI Channel saw fit to tell everyone that they did not ask for any cast changes. As previously reported Corin Nemec will join the cast as Michael Shanks (Dr. Daniel Jackson) will depart when the show moves to the channel this summer. Given how Shanks had been talking last year, I have no doubt he was leaving the show of his own volition.