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Ascension conclusion preview and cast interviews
by Doc on Dec.17, 2014, under Television
Ascension concludes tonight at 9/8c on Syfy, so here is a little preview, along with interviews with Tricia Helfer, Gil Bellows and Andrea Roth!
Ascension soars with 1.8 million viewers in debut
by Doc on Dec.16, 2014, under Television
Syfy’s limited event series Ascension soared during its first night premiere, taking 1.8 million viewers aboard ship including 882K Adults 25-54 and 772 Adults 18-49 on Monday, December 15 from 9-10:25PM (ET/PT).
Syfy boasts three of the top 10 ad supported cable scripted series launches among Adults 25-54 this year – Ascension, Dominion and Helix.
Socially, Ascension achieved Syfy’s highest number of tweets for a scripted series premiere behind only the 2013 season one debut of Defiance.
Ascension continues Tuesday, December 16 and Wednesday, December 17, both nights at 9PM (ET/PT).
Ascension is an ambitious original drama following a covert U.S. space mission launched in the 1960s that sent 600 men, women and children on a century-long voyage aboard the starship Ascension to populate a new world. Halfway into their 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.
The series stars Brandon P. Bell (Hollywood Heights) as the confident and capable First Officer Aaron Gault, Brian Van Holt (Cougar Town, The Bridge) as the eponymous ship’s captain William Denninger and Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) as Viondra Denniger, the Captain’s beautiful, manipulative and dangerous wife (who also serves as the ship’s Chief Steward).
Ascension also stars Al Sapienza as Councilman Rose, Tiffany Lonsdale as Chief Astronomer Emily Vanderhaus, Andrea Roth as the ship’s head doctor Juliet Bryce, Jacqueline Byers as her daughter Nora Bryce, PJ Boudousque as Nora’s love interest James Toback, Ryan Robbins as Safety Officer (and Emily’s husband) Duke Vanderhaus and Gil Bellows as Harris Enzmann, the son of the Ascension mission’s founder.
Ascension is created by executive producer and showrunner Philip Levens (Smallville) and executive produced by Jason Blum (The Normal Heart, Stranded, The River, film franchises Paranormal Activity and The Purge) 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.
That rolling droid in Star Wars: The Force Awakens? It wasn’t CGI
by Doc on Dec.15, 2014, under Movies
The droid BB-8 (or as I call him, “soccer ball”) that rolled around in the teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, seemed almost certainly CGI…we’ve never seen anything real like it.
But it turns out, as part of J.J. Abrams return to practical effects and models, this little ball was real – at least in the sense that it was a physical model that actually DID roll around.
According to this article, Mark Hamill saw in it action, and even got to play with it. “And when they were demonstrating how they did this thing, live on set — because it’s not CGI, that’s a live prop — I was just amazed,” he said. “They let me play around with it. I was running it all around at the creature shop up in Pinewood. I’m telling you, it’s an absolute delight.”
And now I will be seriously disappointed if I can’t buy this thing for Christmas next year.
Ascension starts tonight!
by Doc on Dec.15, 2014, under Television
Tonight’s the night! Syfy’s event series starts tonight at 9/8c, with parts 2 and 3 airing tomorrow and Wednesday night!
Keep in mind, the end of tonight’s showing contains a MAJOR SPOILER for those who haven’t yet watched it, like all those on the left coast – so PLEASE be careful on social media!
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HotShot Trailer: Divergent Series: Insurgent
by Doc on Dec.13, 2014, under Movies
Here is the latest trailer for Insurgent, the second in the Divergent Series starring Shailene Woodley.
In Theaters 3/20/15
Syfy’s 12 Monkeys: Mind and time bending drama
by Doc on Dec.11, 2014, under Television
Syfy’s upcoming drama series 12 Monkeys, based on the 1995 Terry Gilliam movie starring Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt, has the potential to really pull out all the questions regarding time travel, and twist your mind while it does.
The show follows the journey of a time traveler, Cole, from the post-apocalyptic future. Using a dangerous and untested method of time travel, Cole arrives in the present day on a mission to locate and eradicate the source of a deadly plague that will eventually decimate 93.6% of the human race. Will Cole be able to save the fate of mankind or is mankind bound by fate? Taking place in the ravaged future of 2043 and the present day (2015), 12 Monkeys explores themes of destiny, fate, love and the possibility of second chances.
Could you go back on a mission to kill someone, especially if killing that person will create a paradox that will wipe you from existence? What if it would save 7 billion people? And what if you fell in love in the process?
Check out the preview below, along with some behind the scenes looks and a transcript of the panel from the Syfy Press Tour. But first, a few thoughts about the show.
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A talk with Ascension‘s Al Sapienza
by Doc on Dec.09, 2014, under Television
I met Al Sapienza, who plays Councilman Rose on the upcoming Syfy event series Ascension which debuts next Monday night at 9/8c, in October with the rest of the cast (check out our previous article on the show and cast discussion), and then had a one on one discussion with him recently to talk about the upcoming series.
Rose is the head politician of the show. On the face of it, he’s second only to the Captain, played by Brian Van Holt, who is still an elected official but is ultimately in charge, followed by a council – something similar to a city’s mayor and council. But Rose has eyes on the Captain’s uniform – as well as for the Captain’s wife (played by Battlestar Galactica‘s Tricia Helfer).
Al’s a busy guy too…he recently appeared in a recurring role as a detective in Person of Interest, he played Mikey in The Sopranos, and many many guest roles. IMDB lists 24 future roles as well!
Al LOVES to talk about the show. He genuinely seems enthralled by all the various thought-provoking aspects of the show – the history (or lack thereof – see below), the culture, and yes, the politics. Alas, this stretched in to areas that would be some serious spoilers…so I can’t tell you a lot of what was said…yet. Next week, maybe. 🙂
Doc: One thing you said [during the press panel] that I thought was very interesting was that when researching the role, as opposed to trying to learn a new role, one thing you have to do in this show is you actually have to forget everything you do know.
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Continuum gets fourth and final season
by Doc on Dec.09, 2014, under Television
Canada’s Showcase and Syfy in the U.S. have agreed to a six episode conclusion of Vancouver-based sci-fi action drama series Continuum, to air in 2015.
“All great stories deserve an end. I am excited and grateful to finish Continuum with the riveting conclusion it deserves,” said series star, Rachel Nichols. “This series finale is dedicated to the devoted fans who have loyally supported us since day one.”
Continuum ended its third season with a cliffhanger that reached more than 2.35 million viewers and won the night as the #1 program in key demos in Canada.
“Continuum‘s award-winning success on Showcase is a testament to the quality of our Canadian original productions,” said Christine Shipton, Senior Vice President, Content, Shaw Media (parent company of Showcase). “With Executive Producer Simon Barry at its helm, the fourth and final season of Continuum is bound to deliver a heroic conclusion to the futuristic series.”
Continuum is created by Executive Producer Simon Barry (The Art of War) while DGC Award winner Patrick Williams (Shattered, Smallville) is Executive Producer and Director. Reunion Pictures partners Tom Rowe, Lisa Richardson and Matthew O’Connnor are Executive Producers. Additional casting details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Filmed on location in Vancouver, B.C., Continuum is developed and produced by Reunion Pictures. International distribution is handled by Endemol. The series is now seen internationally in over 132 countries.
Syfy plans to explore Krypton
by Doc on Dec.09, 2014, under Television
We’ve seen several version of what happened to the planet Krypton when Jor-El sent his only son Kal-El to Earth to escape its destruction…but we’ve seen little about what got them there.
Syfy and Warner Horizon Television announced today they are developing a one-hour drama series project Krypton, which will reveal a chapter of the DC Comics universe that has rarely been told.
Years before the Superman legend we know, the House of El was shamed and ostracized. This series follows The Man of Steel’s grandfather as he brings hope and equality to Krypton, turning a planet in disarray into one worthy of giving birth to the greatest Super Hero ever known.
Krypton is being executive produced by David S. Goyer (Constantine, Da Vinci’s Demons, Man of Steel, The Dark Knight trilogy, upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) and Ian Goldberg (Once Upon a Time, FlashForward) for Warner Horizon Television.
Goldberg is writing the pilot teleplay, based on a story conceived by Goyer & Goldberg.
Aaron Jakubenko joins Shannara; Summer Bishil joins The Magicians
by Doc on Dec.06, 2014, under Television
Australian actor Aaron Jakubenko (Neighbours, Spartacus: War of the Damned) will join the MTV straight-to-series fantasy series Shannara from Sonar Entertainment and Farah Films. Jakubenko will play Ander Elessedil, an Elven prince with the reputation for being the wild party boy who has yet to find his way in the world.
The fantasy drama is based on the popular Shannara series of novels by Terry Brooks. MTV has committed to 10 episodes.
At Syfy, another regular cast member for pilot The Magicians was announced, with Summer Bishil (Towelhead, The Last Airbender) playing Margo Hanson, a brilliant young student at the Brakebill’s Academy.
The Magicians is an adaptation of Lev Grossman’s best-selling fantasy book series from Universal Cable Productions, the pilot script was written by John McNamara (Prime Suspect) and Sera Gamble (Supernatural). The one-hour drama follows 20-somethings who, while studying magic in New York, discover that the magical fantasy world they read about as children is all too real and poses a grave danger to humanity.