Sci-Fi Storm

I hadn’t heard if the children-oriented Who spinoff, The Sarah Jane Adventures went into production after the special in January, but it did, and there will be some familiar aliens. The Slitheen, a family of Raxacoricofallapatorians who first appeared in the first series Who episodes “Aliens of London/World War Three” will return looking for revenge. The show debuts later this month, and an updated web site (not available outside the U.K.) should debut as well. I wonder if it will eventually make it over to BBC America?

It’s known in Disney circles that Lucas and Disney have been in talks about expanding the presence of Lucas properties at the Walt Disney World Resort and possibly others – it’s been long rumored that a long-awaited update to the Star Tours attraction is in the works, and more recently that the newly renamed Disney Hollywood Studios may become more “land-oriented” with a section of the park devoted to Lucas, and a section of Tomorrowland in Disneyland as well, perhaps to counter Universal’s scoring of the Harry Potter franchise for Universal’s Islands of Adventure park. Now it appears the relationship may go beyond the parks, with the upcoming CG-animated Clone Wars and future live-action show airing on Disney networks (which includes ABC). Note that I take anything Jim Hill says with a grain of salt. Sometimes he’s spot on, other times he says things are absolutely certain that never happen. I’m not sure if what he’s saying is based on any data, or he’s extrapolating. But as someone who is also a Disney fan, I’d like to see an expanded Star Wars/Indy presense in the House of Mouse.

The BBC has announced a fifth series of Doctor Who – but it won’t air until 2010. No specific reason is given, but I don’t believe this is terribly unusual in the U.K. Not confirmed is whether David Tennant will return as the doctor, but after the fourth series airs next year, there will be another Christmas special in December 2008, and three specials with David Tennant and series head Russell T. Davies during 2009 (which sounds like they are not episodes but production specials). At least we still have this years Christmas special (featuring Kylie Minogue and the Titanic), and the fourth series next Spring (in the U.K., probably summer in the U.S.) featuring the return of Catherine Tate as Donna.