23 years of this site still chugging along...
Battlestar Galactica creator Glen A. Larson, 1937-2014
by Doc on Nov.15, 2014, under Obituaries, Television
The creator of a big part of my childhood passed away.
Glen A. Larson, best known as the creator of many science fiction shows as well as a variety of other popular shows in the 70s and 80s, passed away at the age of 77.
Larson was responsible for not only Battlestar Galactica, perhaps what he was best known for despite it only lasting one season, but he created such long running shows as Quincy, M.E., Magnum P.I., The Six Million Dollar Man, The Fall Guy, B.J. and the Bear, and Knight Rider.
Somewhat controversial, he was often accused of borrowing ideas from popular movies at the time for his TV shows, although that appears to be how Hollywood operates these days.
Many of his programs have been remade years later (Knight Rider and Battlestar Galactica), or have been floating around in development (The Six Billion Dollar Man, The Fall Guy).
Larson had hopes of doing his own remake of Battlestar Galactica, but Universal instead opted for the version that was produced for Syfy. He still had plans in the works for it, however.
He will be missed.
Haven preview: “Mortality”
by Doc on Nov.13, 2014, under Television
On Friday’s Haven, Dr. Cross could expose Haven’s secrets to the outside world, but does she have her own agenda? Tune in for “Mortality”, tomorrow night at 7/6c on Syfy!
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HotShot trailer: Insurgent teaser
by Doc on Nov.13, 2014, under Movies
Flying, burning buildings…in theaters March 20th, 2015.
Syfy’s Thanksgiving weekend: Helix “Black Goo” marathon, Z Nation, Haven and more
by Doc on Nov.12, 2014, under Television
Syfy has set their schedule for the Thanksgiving weekend, chock full of black gooey goodness…
Syfy will kick off the movie fun on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 27 beginning at 9:30AM (ET/PT) with 2001: A Space Odyssey, followed by Star Trek Nemesis, Space Cowboys, Stargate and Poseidon.
To get fans ready for the return of Helix, Syfy will telecast the entire first season of the hit drama on Friday, November 28 from 6AM-6PM. The Black Goo Friday marathon features cast interviews as well as a never-before-seen sneak peek of Season 2, which premieres Friday, January 16 at 10PM.
Haven (7PM), SmackDown (8PM) and Z Nation (10PM) will comprise the Friday primetime schedule.
The Saturday, November 29 movie marathon will begin at 10AM, highlighted by classic science fiction flicks ranging from Fifth Element and Terminator 2 to Blade: Trinity.
The holiday programming extravaganza will conclude on Sunday, November 30, beginning at 10:30AM, with movies such as 30 Days of Night and The Happening.
Z Nation preview: “Going Nuclear”
by Doc on Nov.12, 2014, under Television
In Friday’s Z Nation, the survivors must clash with an army of glowing, radioactive zombies to prevent a nuclear disaster. Tune in for “Going Nuclear” Friday night at 10/9c on Syfy!
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Ascension – Syfy’s launch back into space-based drama
by Doc on Nov.09, 2014, under Television
With Syfy’s renewed focus on the genre from which it was born, the upcoming event series Ascension leads the way on full thrust.
The concept is interesting – part science fiction, part period drama, part murder mystery. At the height of tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, in order to unsure that the Human race will survive, in 1963 the U.S. launches the U.S.S. Ascension, a secret mission to launch humanity to the stars. Carrying 600 men, women and children, the Ascension is 50 years in to their multi-generational mission and approaching the point of no return, when the first ever murder takes place on board. With no way to get advice back from Earth and no one trained in murder investigations, a web of intrigue and secrets might get unraveled and reveal the true secrets about the Ascension.
One of the intriguing parts of the show is going to be at the society level. If you took 600 people from 1963 – before women’s liberation, the Civil Rights movement, technological advancements, modern terrorism, and all the other things shaping our society, and placed them in a town with no outside influence but with the technology and a library of written knowledge and entertainment available at the time. Place a fixed restriction on resources, which would necessitate a strict limitation on population – forced birth control (something that was even more controversial back then), birth rights, etc.
What would happen over time?
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Mark Wahlberg to star, Peter Berg to direct The Six Billion Dollar Man
by Doc on Nov.06, 2014, under Movies
The Lone Survivor team of Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg will team up again for the big screen (and inflated) remake of the 70s TV series The Six Million Dollar Man.
Now called The Six Billion Dollar Man, it will star Wahlberg as astronaut Steve Austin, who becomes critically injured when a test flight of an experimental aircraft crashes. When he awakes, he discovers that both legs, one arm, and one eye have been replaced by “bionics”, artificial replacements with superhuman capabilities that allow him to run faster, have super strength, and see minute details. In exchange for receiving these replacements, he becomes an agent for the Office of Scientific Intelligence.
A movie adaptation has been batted around for years, including at one point comedic versions with Jim Carrey and Chris Rock rumored.
Key roles get actors in Syfy’s The Magicians pilot; Bridget Regan joins Agent Carter
by Doc on Nov.06, 2014, under Television
A few casting additions were made today. First up, Syfy and Universal Cable Productions have cast Stella Maeve (Chicago PD), Hale Appleman (Teeth) and Arjun Gupta (Nurse Jackie) in key roles for the upcoming pilot The Magicians, an adaptation of Lev Grossman’s beloved #1 New York Times best-selling book series, which begins production in New Orleans this December. Acclaimed independent film producer Mike Cahill (I Origins, Another Earth) is signed on to direct.
Stella Maeve will play the beautiful and confident Julia, a wealthy and brilliant Ivy-Leaguer who seems destined for success. But Julia’s future plans are forever altered after she is denied admittance to the mysterious Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy. Unaccustomed to failure, Julia finds life meaningless now that the possibilities of a previously unseen magical world have been denied to her. But she may get another chance to pursue a career in magic when she’s recruited by a secret society. Maeve can currently be seen in a recurring role on the NBC series Chicago PD. She most recently starred in the independent features Dark Summer opposite Keir Gilchrist, All Together Now, which premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival, and Independent Spirit Award-winner Starlet. Previously, Maeve co-starred with Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart in The Runaways. Maeve is repped by Paradigm Agency and Principato-Young Entertainment.
Hale Appleman will portray Eliot, a student at the Brakebills who is an odd combination of a preppy with intrinsic coolness. Effortlessly hip, with his air of self-possession, Eliot is accustomed to commanding any clique, and he’s a natural leader of his fellow magical students. He will prove a sometimes frustrating ally in Quentin’s fortunes — and may soon factor into a series of perilous adventures. Appleman played Tobey Cobb in the 2007 film Teeth. He made his film debut in Chad Lowe’s feature Beautiful Ohio, and portrayed cartoonist Judd Winick in Pedro, Nick Oceano’s 2008 film dramatizing the life of AIDS educator Pedro Zamora. He also recurred on NBC’s Smash. His theater credits include Alex Timbers’ The Last Goodbye, which was at the Old Globe in San Diego, and Streamers on Broadway. He is represented by Innovative Artists and D2 Management.
Arjun Gupta will portray Penny, a young man with an edgy look and attitude. He’s deliberately intimidating to Quentin, his new roommate and fellow magic student at Brakebills. A reluctant telepath, he is bedeviled by voices that hint at pathways to other worlds. Gupta played Sam in the first three seasons of Nurse Jackie opposite Edie Falco, and currently recurs on ABC’s How to Get Away With Murder. Gupta is repped by Gersh and Untitled Entertainment.
Also announced is that Bridget Regan, who we loved in Legend of the Seeker and has also appeared in Beauty and the Beast, White Collar and most recently in Jane the Virgin, is joining Marvel’s Agent Carter in a recurring role as Dottie, a small town Iowan girl who will have a big impact on Agent Carter.
HotShot Trailer: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies official trailer
by Doc on Nov.06, 2014, under Movies
Opens December 17th…
Haven preview: “Morbidity”
by Doc on Nov.06, 2014, under Television
When Audrey and other residents are overcome by a mysterious illness, the truth about the Troubles could be exposed to the outside world. Check out the preview below, and tune in for “Morbidity” Friday at 7/6c on Syfy!
As a side note, Syfy announced that WWE Smackdown, which has owned Friday nights for a long time, will move to Thursdays starting January 15th. This will free up the 8-10pm slot on Friday, which could allow Haven to move up to a better slot – it was moved to Friday due to the competition from NFL Thursday night games, but because Smackdown wasn’t going to budge from its slot (it is after all regularly beating all other cable programming), and Z Nation was hitting it big at 10pm, it only left 7pm for Haven. So let’s hope it moves up to 9pm with the switch and Syfy gives it a boost with a catch-up marathon or something.
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