Sci-Fi Storm

Syfy announced today that the widely praised adventure thriller 12 Monkeys has been greenlit for a second season, expected to air in 2016.

With Natalie Chaidez prepping her next Syfy series (UCP and Valhalla Productions’ Hunters), Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett (Nikita), co-executive producers and writers of the pilot, will be stepping up to serve as EP/Showrunners. Atlas Entertainment’s Richard Suckle (Suicide Squad, American Hustle, The International) and Charles Roven (Suicide Squad, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, American Hustle) will continue to executive produce with Atlas’ Jake Kurily producing. Roven served as producer on the original film.

Currently in its first season, 12 Monkeys has reached 15 million viewers to date, and is experiencing record L3 lifts for the network (average L3 lift is 104%). The renewal also comes as the series continues to gain momentum, with its most recent episode (Friday, March 6) seeing an increase of 6% over the prior four weeks, with 1.5 million total viewers.

“We are absolutely committed to 12 Monkeys, and have been incredibly impressed by the outstanding critical and audience praise the series has earned,” said Dave Howe, Syfy President. “The talent both on and off-screen have delivered a series that has us all on the edge of our seats, providing exactly the smart, exciting storytelling Syfy is known for.”

Jeff Wachtel, President and Chief Content Officer, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, added, “12 Monkeys is a show that has exceeded expectations at every stage. It’s had a great first season creatively, and is building a dedicated audience. We can’t wait to see where – and when! – Terry and Travis will take us next.”

12 Monkeys stars Aaron Stanford (Nikita, X-Men: The Last Stand, X2), Amanda Schull (Suits, Center Stage) and Kirk Acevedo (Fringe, Oz, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes).

In this Friday’s episode* – the ninth in the 13-part first season – Cole (Aaron Stanford) finds himself in 2017 at the height of the plague. Out of options, Jones (Barbara Sukowa) faces an impossible choice to replace the Core. 12 Monkeys airs Fridays at 9PM ET/PT; the season one finale will air Friday, April 10.

Syfy has confirmed in a statement to Deadline that they have passed on taking Ascension to series. But what is more interesting is what they said…”We were very happy with Ascension as an event series, but with so much high profile development in the works, we have decided not to pursue a full series,” according to the statement.

What that tells me is that although Ascension did well, Syfy believes that what they have in the pipeline is likely stronger.

I’m still disappointed…Syfy threw a lot at Ascension, and it appeared that they were “all in” for the show. And now we have this twist at the end that may never be resolved. 🙁

While there is some slight hope it could get picked up by another network, the odds are very slim…network hopping is pretty rare as another network is unlikely to be able to make a show work any better than it did on the previous network to risk it.

David Hasselhoff (Baywatch) will trade his red swimming trunks for a chainsaw when he portrays Gilbert Sheperd, the father of Fin (Ian Ziering), in the eagerly anticipated Original Movie Sharknado 3, Syfy and The Asylum announced today.

Hasselhoff joins stars Ziering, Tara Reid (April) and Cassie Scerbo (Nova) in the newest installment of the global pop culture sensation.

Syfy and The Asylum previously announced that Bo Derek will play April’s mother, May, Ryan Newman will play April and Fin’s daughter Claudia Sheperd and Jack Griffo portrays Claudia’s friend, Billy.

Additional cameo roles include Mark Cuban as the President of the United States; Ann Coulter as the Vice President; Jerry Springer as Mr. White, a manic tourist; *NSYNC singer Chris Kirkpatrick as a pool lifeguard, and Chris Jericho, who will portray Bruce the roller coaster ride operator.

Sharknado 3 will premiere on Syfy in July, causing mass destruction in Washington, D.C., before roaring down the Eastern Seaboard and into Florida.

Anthony C. Ferrante will once again direct, based on an original screenplay by Thunder Levin. Sharknado 3 is a production of The Asylum.

When it aired last July 30, Sharknado 2: The Second One became Syfy’s most-watched original movie ever.

It may not have a name yet, but it’s got two seasons already on order…the companion series to The Walking Dead, which AMC ordered a pilot for last September, has already been picked up for two seasons – an initial 6-episode season which would likely lead into the mothership’s sixth season, and a second season of an indeterminate number of episodes to air in 2016.

The companion show will be set in Los Angeles and have all new characters. It stars Cliff Curtis, Kim Dickens, Frank Dillane and Alycia Debnam Carey. Co-creator/co-writer (with Robert Kirkman) Dave Erickson will executive produce and act as showrunner. The Walking Dead production gang of Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero and David Alpert will also executive produce.

Syfy has not confirmed publicly or responded to requests on this, but actor Gil Bellows said in a tweet this weekend that Syfy has not picked up Ascension for any sort of continuation of the story. Syfy is likely silent as the show is currently airing in Canada, and wouldn’t want to potentially torpedo the ratings.

We are still trying to get official word on this, but if true it is very disappointing, as it was a very interesting premise with a very fun cast, and we were left with a really big question to be answered…

Sadly, fans of Star Trek remain in mourning…TV and movie producer Harve Bennett, who produced four of the original Star Trek movies and many TV shows including The Six Million Dollar Man, Salvage 1, The Invisible Man and Time Trax, passed away yesterday at the age of 84.

Bennett was brought in help rescue the Star Trek franchise after the first movie downplayed the characters and action for special effects, going as far as binge-watching the entire original series and settling on a particular episode named “Space Seed” to come up with a new story that resulted in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, which he produced along with the next three movies. Bennett also worked with Leonard Nimoy to develop the story for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Interesting fact: Bennett could be heard in the title narration on each episode of The Six Million Dollar Man, saying “Steve Austin, a man barely alive…” The rest of the dialog was recorded by actor Richard Anderson, who played Oscar, but when they wanted to add a line he wasn’t available, so Bennett said it himself.

A special tribute issue to the late Leonard Nimoy, most famous for his role of Mr. Spock on Star Trek, will be released by CBS Watch! Magazine today, on newsstands nationwide and via [asin=B00U6FAMW0]Amazon[/asin].

Through photos and exclusive editorial content, the 100-page memorial issue celebrates every aspect of the man the world came to know and love as Spock, including his roles of director, photographer, poet and author.

Retailing for $9.99, the publication will be available for purchase on newsstands through June 16th. For more information, go to CBSWATCHMAGAZINE.com

Previously released special issues include CBS Watch! NCIS, The Wizard of Oz, George Strait, Star Trek and Survivor, as well as CBS Health Guide: Your Body.

On Fridays Helix, the CDC team, Alan and Sister Amy see the fallout of Michael’s wrath. Watch “Vade in Peace” Friday at 10/9c.
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On this sneak peek for Friday’s new 12 Monkeys, Ramse and Whitley visit Operation Spearhead. And don’t forget to watch the recap of last week’s episode! Tune in for “Yesterday” Friday night at 9/8c on Syfy!
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Industry veteran Katherine Nelson has been named Senior Vice President, Communications for Syfy and Chiller, it was announced today by Dave Howe, President, Syfy and Chiller, to whom Nelson will report.

In her new role, Nelson is responsible for overall communications strategy for Syfy and Chiller, including corporate communications, program publicity and talent relations. New originals on Syfy for 2015 which she will oversee include the scripted drama The Expanse starring Thomas Jane, and event miniseries Childhood’s End, starring Charles Dance. Based in New York, Nelson will oversee the networks’ communications teams in both New York and Los Angeles.

Nelson joins Syfy and Chiller from Esquire Network, a sister network within NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, where she had served as Senior Vice President, Communications since January 2013.

In making the announcement, Howe said: “Katherine is an accomplished communications veteran with a truly unique background and deep experience in promoting high quality, smart, provocative entertainment. She has proven herself to be strategic, creative and collaborative during her tenure at NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, and I know she will take Syfy and Chiller’s pioneering press efforts to new heights.”

At Esquire Network, Nelson developed and executed the communications strategy for the network’s debut in September 2013. A member of the core executive team, she contributed to the overall strategic direction of the network and oversaw all publicity and talent relations for its ambitious slate of original series and specials.

Nelson joined Esquire Network and NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment in January 2013 from SpaceX, the pioneering space transport company founded by Elon Musk. As Vice President, Marketing and Communications, she served as chief spokesperson for the company, and oversaw all areas of strategic communications and marketing, including corporate and internal communications, digital and social media, advertising, creative, events and commerce.

Prior to SpaceX, Nelson spent more than 20 years in the television industry. As Vice President of Communications for Discovery Communications’ flagship U.S. network, Discovery Channel, she was the leading strategist in communications planning, media outreach and award campaigns for many of the network’s highest-profile series and specials, including “MythBusters,” “Dirty Jobs” and the groundbreaking “Planet Earth.” Additionally, for more than 15 years, she led the network’s publicity campaign for the iconic “Shark Week” franchise. An acclaimed and award-winning digital strategist, Nelson launched award-winning Twitter brands @Discovery and @MythBusters. Also during her tenure at Discovery Communications, she launched multiple brands including TLC, Animal Planet and Science Channel, and managed communications for several additional networks and initiatives within the Discovery portfolio.