Sci-Fi Storm

Syfy today announced that Tricia Helfer, who played the humanoid Cylon “Number Six” in the iconic award-winning series Battlestar Galactica, will star in the channel’s new original, six hour event series Ascension.

Helfer will play the beautiful, manipulative and dangerous “Viondra Denniger.” Viondra regards herself as a not-so-secret power broker aboard the Ascension. As the Captain’s wife, Viondra is afforded a position of power and privilege, which she leverages as the Ship’s Chief Steward.

In 1963, the U.S. government launched a covert space mission sending hundreds of men, women and children on a century-long voyage aboard the starship Ascension to populate a new world. Nearly 50 years into the journey, as they approach the point of no return, the mysterious murder of a young woman causes the ship’s population to question the true nature of their mission.

Ascension is an ambitious original drama created and written by Philip Levens (Smallville) who will serve as Executive Producer and Showrunner. The series will be produced in Montreal, QC by Sea To Sky Studios in association with Blumhouse Productions. Jason Blum (Stranded, The River, film franchises Paranormal Activity and The Purge) and Mark Stern are Executive Producers on the project along with Ivan Fecan, Tim Gamble and Brett Burlock on behalf of Sea To Sky Studios. The event series will be co-financed and distributed by Universal Cable Productions and Lionsgate Television.

Ascension is slated to launch in November 2014 and air through December.

Best known to TV audiences for her Leo Award-winning performance in Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica, Helfer recently toplined ABC’s drama Killer Women from Executive Producer Sofia Vergara. Previously, Helfer starred in Jerry Bruckheimer’s Dark Blue for TNT and guest starred on the hit series Burn Notice and Two and a Half Men. Her other guest starring roles include Chuck, Lie To Me, Franklin and Bash, Human Target and Warehouse 13.

Things seemed hopeful for renewal the near-future world of Almost Human after it’s freshman 13 episode season despite a quick dropoff of viewers from the premiere, but Fox has elected to drop the show. The show was running even in the ratings with its Monday night companion The Following, which has been renewed already, but with a strong slate of pilots nearing pick up including the almost-certain Gotham (produced by Warner Bros., who also produced Almost Human and The Following), Fox is looking to make room for a stronger performer.

In the first episode of Monday’s Metal Hurlant Chronicles on Syfy, a woman finds herself stuck in a bomb shelter with her neighbor. Then, Joe, a notorious gambler, is chased by the galaxy’s most notorious creditor. How will he escape – or will he get a second chance?

Check out the sneak peeks below and tune in at 10/9c.
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While you’ve been waiting for the return of Defiance in June, have you thought about the backstory of some of the Votans who came to Earth on the arks? Well now you can get a glimpse of a couple of them, in a rather unique format – in the style of a kid’s story flip book. Check out “Little Stahma”.

On the next Warehouse 13, Pete and Steve investigate a murder at a Renaissance Faire. Meanwhile, Claudia desperately attempts to revive her sister. Check out the sneak peek for “A Faire To Remember” below, along with some of the best lines from last week and a “thank you” shout out to the fans! Then watch Monday at 9/8c on Syfy!
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Check out the launch trailer for Syfy’ds Dominion! It starts June 19th…
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Having just returned from the Kingdom of the Mouse (and thus the reason for lack of updates), they finally announced today the guest lineup for the upcoming Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. Aside from the previously announced returning host of all five weekends, James Arnold Taylor (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Mark Hamill, our friend Ashley Eckstein will return for all weekends to host “Behind The Force” show which provides a behind the scenes look, this year focusing on the upcoming Star Wars Rebels, and will feature a member of the voice cast each week. (Alas, we won’t be able to make it this year…)

The guest stars include (subject to change):

Weekend I: May 16-18

Ahmed Best: Jar Jar Binks (Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones; Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith; Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Peter Mayhew: Chewbacca (Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith; Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope; Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi; Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Vanessa Marshall: Hera Syndulla (Star Wars Rebels)

Weekend II: May 23-25

Warwick Davis: Wicket W. Warrick (Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi); Wald (Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)

Jeremy Bulloch: Boba Fett (Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi); Capt. Jeremoch Colton (Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith)

Tiya Sircar: Sabine Wren (Star Wars Rebels)

Weekend III: May 30-June 1

Ray Park: Darth Maul (Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)

John Ratzenberger: Major Bren Derlin (Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back)

Taylor Gray: Ezra Bridger (Star Wars Rebels)

Weekend IV: June 6-8

Mark Hamill: Luke Skywalker (Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope; Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi); Darth Bane (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) (Note: Mark will apparently not be signing autographs)

Ray Park: Darth Maul (Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace)

Billy Dee Williams: Lando Calrissian (Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi)

Taylor Gray: Ezra Bridger (Star Wars Rebels)

Weekend V: June 13-15

Dee Bradley Baker: Captain Rex/the Clones, Bossk and several additional characters (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Cat Taber: Padmé Amidala and several additional characters (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Tom Kane: Yoda, the series’ narrator and several additional characters (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Matt Lanter: Anakin Skywalker and several additional characters (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Steve Blum: Zeb Orrelios (Star Wars Rebels)

On the next Warehouse 13, Artie attempts to show Claudia the truth about her sister. Check out “Secret Services” Monday at 9/8c on Syfy! And don’t forget to check the other bonus videos below!
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Programming advisory: Syfy is moving Metal Hurlant Chronicles to air after Warehouse 13 at 10/9c on Mondays, instead of before, starting this coming Monday.

The final (and short) season of Warehouse 13 starts tonight on Syfy at 9/8c…I was able to attend a press Q&A last week with stars Eddie McClintock (Pete)and Joanne Kelly (Myka) along with showrunner Jack Kenny, but before I get into that I thought I’d talk a bit about what the show has meant to me and my family.

With the recent departure of Being Human, the end of Warehouse 13 marks a bittersweet personal milestone…two shows that I’ve not only followed from the start, but also have had met with and interacted with the casts on both professional and personal levels and visited the sets, and I’ve been invested in from beginning to end at so many levels. Prior to that, in all the years of this site, I’ve never really been able to travel to the major conventions or press events. Even when Syfy started their “Digital Press Tour”, I wasn’t able to attend the first several because they typically were out in Vancouver, and I’m stuck here on the wrong coast for being involved with Hollywood TV media. Even getting to NYC can be a pain. I was supposed to go to San Diego Comic-Con a few years ago, but had to scrap plans, and now I’m not sure I even want to with how crazy it has gotten.
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