Sci-Fi Storm

A couple of recent Syfy items – first, Season 2 of Happy! will debut Wednesday, March 27th. A trailer has been release which you can see below. Based on the graphic novel of the same name, it follows former cop and now hit-man Nick Sax (Christopher Meloni) and and an imaginary blue unicorn only he can see (Patton Oswalt) as they hunt down child kidnappers.

In less, well, happy news, the anthology series Channel Zero was not renewed for a fifth season. The series devoted each short season to a different “creepypasta” – short horror stories told online. The final series, “The Dream Door”, aired this past October.

SYFY announced today a second season pickup of the network’s original series Happy!, starring Christopher Meloni and featuring the voice of Patton Oswalt. From Universal Cable Productions, this twisted graphic novel adaptation has been hailed as “one of the craziest, most utterly off-the-wall TV series ever produced” by The New York Times Syndicate and launched as the network’s best series premiere since January 2016 across all key demos. The shocking Season 1 finale is set to air this Wednesday, January 31 at 10/9c on SYFY.

“Happy! struck a chord with our SYFY audience and disrupted the TV landscape with its unique storytelling and outrageous performances led by Christopher Meloni,” said Chris McCumber, President, Entertainment Networks, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “If people thought this season was crazy – I can’t wait for fans to see what Grant Morrison, Brian Taylor and the entire cast and crew have in store for Sax and Happy!”

Based on the New York Times best-selling author Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson’s graphic novel of the same name, Happy! follows Nick Sax (Meloni) – an intoxicated, corrupt ex-cop turned hit man – who is adrift in a world of casual murder, soulless sex and betrayal. After a hit gone wrong, his inebriated life is forever changed by a tiny, relentlessly positive, imaginary blue winged horse named Happy (Oswalt). In the must-see finale, Sax and Happy are locked in a climatic confrontation to rescue Hailey (Bryce Lorenzo) from Very Bad Santa’s (Joseph Reitman) lair, as Merry (Lili Mirojnick) sets out to save Amanda (Medina Senghore) from a far more powerful foe. The series also stars Ritchie Coster (Blue) and Patrick Fischler (Smoothie).

In less than an hour, the premiere of HAPPY! airs on SYFY on the east coast!

HAPPY! is based on New York Times best-selling author Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson’s graphic novel of the same name. The series follows Nick Sax (Christopher Meloni, Law & Order: SVU) – an intoxicated, corrupt ex-cop turned hit man – who is adrift in a world of casual murder, soulless sex and betrayal. After a hit gone wrong, his inebriated life is forever changed by a tiny, relentlessly positive, imaginary blue winged horse named “Happy” (Patton Oswalt).

Check out the latest promo video!

Check out the full trailer for Happy!, starring Christopher Meloni and Patton Oswalt – the show premieres on December 6th on Syfy!

A couple of tidbits from Syfy today…first, Syfy has pushed back the premiere date of Happy! for a week, and it will now premiere on Wednesday, December 6th at 10/9c.

Universal Cable Productions’ Happy! is based on New York Times best-selling author Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson’s graphic novel of the same name. The series follows Nick Sax (Christopher Meloni, Law & Order: SVU) – an intoxicated, corrupt ex-cop turned hit man – who is adrift in a world of casual murder, soulless sex and betrayal. After a hit gone wrong, his inebriated life is forever changed by a tiny, relentlessly positive, imaginary blue winged horse named “Happy” (Bobby Moynihan, Saturday Night Live).

Also announced are some cast additions to the Tremors reboot pilot.

Emily Tremaine (Vinyl) will play Emily McKee, the recently graduated “whip smart” daughter of Valentine McKee (Kevin Bacon, reprising his role from the original movie.)

Megan Ketch (American Gothic) will play Mindy Sterngood, a young doctor who is fixated on the older Val, but appears to be hiding something…

Shiloh Fernandez (Evil Dead) will play Nico Garza, who has been just hanging out in Perfection waiting for the opportunity to split, working at Earl’s Graboid Waste Gobbling company.

SYFY announced their upcoming fall and winter schedule, including the premiere of their new original series starring Christopher Meloni, HAPPY! on November 29 at 10/9c. The series, based on New York Times best-selling author Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson’s graphic novel of the same name, also features Patton Oswalt as the voice of the imaginary blue winged horse named “Happy.” HAPPY! is produced by Universal Cable Productions.

SCRIPTED ORIGINALS (in order of air date)

CHANNEL ZERO: NO-END HOUSE – Second Installment Premieres Wednesday, September 20 at 10/9c

Inspired by Brian Russell’s “creepypasta” tale, CHANNEL ZERO: NO-END HOUSE tells the story of a young woman named Margot Sleator, played by Amy Forsyth (“The Path”), and her best friend Jules (Aisha Dee “The Bold Type”), who visit the No-End House, a bizarre house of horrors that consists of a series of increasingly disturbing rooms. When Margot returns home, she realizes everything has changed. The second six-hour installment will be directed by Steven Piet (“Uncle John”). Franchise creator Nick Antosca (“Hannibal,” “Teen Wolf”) will return as executive producer and showrunner; Max Landis (“Chronicle,” “American Ultra”) will also executive produce.

HAPPY! – Series Premiere Wednesday, November 29 at 10/9c

Universal Cable Productions’ HAPPY! is based on New York Times best-selling author Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson’s graphic novel of the same name. The series follows Nick Sax (Christopher Meloni, “Law & Order: SVU”) – an intoxicated, corrupt ex-cop turned hit man – who is adrift in a world of casual murder, soulless sex and betrayal. After a hit gone wrong, his inebriated life is forever changed by a tiny, relentlessly positive, imaginary blue winged horse named “Happy” (Patton Oswalt). Executive producers Morrison (“Batman,” “The Invisibles”) and Brian Taylor (“Crank,” “Gamer”) co-wrote the pilot teleplay. Neal Moritz, Pavun Shetty and Toby Jaffe of Original Film (“The Fast and the Furious” franchise), Meloni and showrunner Patrick Macmanus will also executive produce. Taylor directed the pilot.

CO-PRODUCTIONS/ ACQUISITIONS (in order of air date)

CON MAN – Television Debut of Web Series Airs Saturday, September 9 at 10/9c

The short form web series, which debuted on Vimeo and Comic-Con HQ, will have its television debut with a Season 1 marathon on Saturday, September 9th beginning at 10/9c showing all 13 episodes back-to-back. The critically acclaimed, geektastic series, which recently received two Emmy® nominations for Outstanding Actor and Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series, follows the journey of Wray Nerely (Alan Tudyk), a washed-up, former sci-fi celebrity who revisits his glory days on the convention circuit. The series is executive produced by Tudyk, PJ Haarsma and Nathan Fillion, who also co-stars. The star-studded first season also features Seth Green, Felicia Day, Sean Astin, James Gunn, Tricia Helfer and many more.

Z NATION – Season 4 Premieres Friday, September 29 at 9/8c

Z NATION follows a team of everyday heroes, led by Lieutenant Warren (Kellita Smith), during their epic struggle to save humanity. Season 4 begins with a mind-bending jump in time. Murphy and Warren find themselves alive in Zona, the zombie free playground for billionaires. Meanwhile, the rest of our heroes are fighting alongside the last of the humans against the mutated Zombie Virus and the unkillable “MAD-Z’s.” Warren’s mysterious dream of a black rainbow and flesh-eating black rain propels the season forward and puts our heroes in the middle of an even worse Zompocalypse. Here they will have to battle Jugalo Zombies and find the Zombified President of the United States – or at least his thumb. Produced by The Asylum, Z NATION stars Kellita Smith, Keith Allan, DJ Qualls, Anastasia Baranova, Russell Hodgkinson, Nat Zang, Joseph Gatt, Emilio Rivera and Matt Cedeño.

VAN HELSING – Season 2 Premieres Thursday, October 5 at 9/8c

VAN HELSING stars Kelly Overton (“True Blood”) as Vanessa Van Helsing, a descendent of the Van Helsing lineage who must lead mankind against a world controlled by vampires in the post-Rising apocalypse. In Season 2, Vanessa and the other survivors discover old alliances have crumbled, and new connections expose long-buried secrets about The Rising, the Van Helsing heritage and the survival of humankind itself.

GHOST WARS – Series Premiere Thursday, October 5 at 10/9c

Created by Simon Barry, the horror series GHOST WARS is set in a remote Alaskan town that has been overrun by paranormal forces. Local outcast Roman Mercer (Avan Jogia, “Tut,” “Victorious”) must overcome the town’s prejudices and his own personal demons to harness his repressed psychic powers in order to save everyone from the mass haunting threatening to destroy them all. GHOST WARS is produced by Nomadic Pictures. Chad Oakes and Mike Frislev (“Fargo,” “Van Helsing,” “Hell On Wheels”), Simon Barry (“Continuum”), Dennis Heaton (“Motive”) and David Von Ancken (“Code Black”) serve as executive producers. The series also stars Vincent D’Onofrio (“The Judge,” “Daredevil”), Kim Coates (“Sons of Anarchy”), Kandyse McClure (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, “Hemlock Grove”), Kristin Lehman (“Motive”) and Meatloaf (“Fight Club”).

SUPERSTITION – Series Premiere Friday, October 6 at 10/9c

The series centers on the Hastings family, owners of the only funeral home in the mysterious town of La Rochelle, Georgia. The family also acts as the keepers of the town’s dark secrets and history. Known for its haunted houses, elevated graveyards, odd townsfolk and rich history of unusual phenomena, the town is also a “landing patch” for the world’s darkest manifestations of fear, guided into the world by an ancient, mysterious malefactor. XLrator Media’s Barry Gordon and MVPTV’s Mario Van Peebles (“Roots,” “Bloodline,” “Hand of God,” “Empire,” “Lost”) will produce, and Van Peebles will also write, direct and star in some of the episodes. Joel Anderson Thompson (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, “Boomtown,” “House M.D.”) has been tapped as showrunner, and Laurence Andries (“Alias,” “Six Feet Under,” “Supernatural,” “The Pacific”) will executive produce.

ALTERNATIVE (in order of air date)

GAME FACE – Airing Tuesdays at 9/8c

SYFY’s all-new FACE OFF spinoff series, GAME FACE premiered on Tuesday, August 22 and will air Tuesdays at 9/8c. The seven-episode series is based on SYFY’s award-winning FACE OFF with an electrifying new twist. GAME FACE will feature former FACE OFF all-stars as they go head-to-head each week, with multiple make-up reveals and eliminations throughout each exciting episode. Every week, four artists will race against the clock to complete three challenges, with eliminations after every round, but only one artist will walk away with the $10,000 prize. McKenzie Westmore, a member of a multi-generational family dynasty whose name is synonymous with the make-up effects field, will host alongside the renowned judges, multiple Academy Award winner Ve Neill (“Pirates of the Caribbean,” “The Hunger Games”) and Academy Award® winner Rick Baker (“Star Wars,” “The Exorcist”). GAME FACE will also feature a panel of rotating guest judges which includes Emmy Award winner Eryn Krueger Mekash (“The People V. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story,” “American Horror Story”), industry veteran Glenn Hetrick (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Spider-Man 3”) and creature designer Neville Page (“Avatar,” “Prometheus”). GAME FACE is a production of Mission Control Media with Dwight D. Smith, Michael Agbabian and Ian Mallahan serving as executive producers.

With the 25th anniversary of the beginning of what was then the Sci-Fi Channel coming up in September, Syfy is going through a new reboot – but that doesn’t mean you are losing any of your current favorite programs, as the channel recommits itself to genre programming and fandom at large.

“I can think of no better occasion than Syfy’s 25th anniversary to get back to our roots, double down on premium original programming, and put fans at the center of everything we do,” said Chris McCumber, President, Entertainment Networks for NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “As the only television network dedicated to the genre 24/7, we’re building the ultimate universe for this passionate community to call home.”

Syfy unveiled a new logo, typeface and look that it will use across all of its divisions, including an expanded news division, starting June 19th. “This is a wholesale change, top to bottom, of the way we express ourselves,” said Alexandra Shapiro, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Digital, Entertainment Networks for NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “Our new branding is designed for the digital age and tailored to the consumption patterns of our audience, allowing us to celebrate and engage with fans on every consumer touchpoint.”

Additionally, Syfy is scaling and expanding its editorial division Syfy Wire to infuse breaking genre news, in-depth analysis and thought-provoking original content across its entire ecosystem. Through Syfy Wire’s website (http://syfywire.com) and on air via future program development, programming integrations and regular interstitials and lower thirds, Syfy Wire will cover the latest and greatest in genre TV, film, books, comics, gaming and technology. Syfy Wire will also take the lead on this year’s reporting from San Diego Comic Con, once again airing for three nights.

Syfy also announced the pickup to series of two pilots, Superman prequel Krypton and the graphic novel adaptation Happy!.
(continue reading…)

Got some new casting moves announced this week…first, Syfy’s live-action/animated blend Happy!, based on the graphic novel from Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson, will get Saturday Night Live‘s Bobby Moynihan to voice the animated title character.

The show follows Nick Sax (Christopher Meloni, Law & Order: SVU), an intoxicated, corrupt ex-cop turned hit man, who is adrift in a world of casual murder, soulless sex and betrayal. After a hit gone wrong, his inebriated life is forever changed by a tiny, relentlessly positive, imaginary blue winged unicorn named Happy, making for a strange buddy act.

Meanwhile Katie McGrath, currently playing Lena Luthor – the little sister to Lex Luthor – on Supergirl has been upped to a series regular on the show. McGrath previously starred in BBC’s Merlin and has been a recurring character on Frontier for Netflix. She also had a co-starring role in Jurassic World.