Sci-Fi Storm

Who says syndication is dead…Tricon Films & Television and PPI Releasing announced that the Syfy series Sanctuary will be available in broadcast syndication, with 78% of U.S. markets already sold, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and stations from the ABC Owned Belo, Cox, Hearst, Fox, LIN, Meredith, Hubbard, Journal, Pappas, Post-Newsweek, Titan and Wiegel groups. The episodes are expected to start airing later this year.

The show, which had four seasons on Syfy after starting as a web series, was officially canceled by Syfy last May.

Before I get any questions – this appears to be strictly a deal for the existing four seasons of shows, not new content. However who knows what could happen…

Here are some of the big and our favorite stories we covered in 2012…

In January, rapidly rising British actor Benedict Cumberbatch joined Star Trek: Into Darkness, while CW’s Arrow dropped “Green” from the name and named Stephen Amell the lead actor.

We lost actor Ian Abercrombie and the voice of the Robot from Lost In Space Dick Tufeld.
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Happy Birthday, Syfy! On Monday, December 10 at 9PM (ET/PT), the Channel will celebrate two decades of award-winning, imaginative entertainment programming during the star-studded Syfy 20th Anniversary Special.

From iconic series such as Farscape, Battlestar Galactica and Warehouse 13 to Ghost Hunters, Face Off and the upcoming transmedia experience Defiance, the special will look back on Syfy’s launch and evolution, and ahead to the future through the personal, behind-the-scenes insights of the creative talent themselves.

Said Dave Howe, President, Syfy & Chiller: “For 20 years, Syfy has been the leader in visionary and provocative entertainment programming. In this celebratory special, the extraordinary talent at the heart of the powerful Syfy brand will talk exclusively about the lasting impact Syfy has had on the media landscape for the last two decades.”
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We made a long-awaited update to the Sci-Fi TV Store today…quite a few upcoming releases in July.

On July 10th, [sfs=1231]Season 3[/sfs] of Warehouse 13 is released on DVD only. Also on that day, the next two classic Doctor Who releases come out: [sfs=1218]”The Krotons”[/sfs] featuring Patrick Troughton, and [sfs=1217]”Death to the Daleks”[/sfs], featuring Jon Pertwee.

On July 17th, Syfy’s [sfs=1221]Eureka: Season 5 (DVD only)[/sfs] and [sfs=1226]Sanctuary: Season 4 Blu-ray[/sfs] and [sfs=1227]DVD[/sfs] (both their final seasons) will be released.

On July 24th, the first full season of Star Trek: The Next Generation is [sfs=1228]released on Blu-ray[/sfs].

And then on August 14th, two more classic Doctor Who episodes are released: The [sfs=1220]special edition of “Spearhead From Space”[/sfs] featuring the debut of Jon Pertwee, and [sfs=1219]”The Greatest Show in the Galaxy”[/sfs] featuring Sylvester McCoy.

Remember – pre-order any of these or anything else you want from [aml] via these links, and support our site!

Syfy officially announced today that it will not renew Sanctuary for a fifth season, according to Mark Stern, Syfy President of Original Content.

“We’re honored to have been part of this incredible series. In addition to garnering unmatched devotion by fans worldwide,” Stern said in a release, “Sanctuary was a bona fide trailblazer, setting new standards with its highly innovative production techniques–including pioneering green screen and RED camera technology–and Emmy-nominated visual effects. It’s been an amazing ride and we look forward to our next project with Amanda Tapping, Martin Wood and Damian Kindler.”

I’m still sure that stars Amanda Tapping and Robin Dunne will find themselves working on something else together, and Space Milkshake is pending release. And I have a feeling that whatever it is will be produced by Damian Kindler and Martin Wood, who have been working with Tapping since Stargate SG-1. Tapping and Wood already working with Sanctuary supervising producer Gillian Horvath on new series Primeval: New World, with Amanda taking a spin as director.

We’ve got some more cast and production info for the upcoming Canadian spin-off Primeval: New World, following last week’s news that Eureka‘s Niall Matter will star in the series. And it includes some Sanctuary/Stargate SG-1 relationships as well!

Sara Canning (The Vampire Diaries) will star as a predator expert, opposite Matter’s inventor and hero character. Miranda Frigon (Heartland), Geoff Gustafson (Once Upon a Time) and Danny Rahim (Young James Herriot) will co-star.

And for fans of the original Primeval, star Andrew-Lee Potts will guest star in at least one episode.

On the directing side, Sanctuary‘s Amanda Tapping will join Stargate franchise producer/directors Andy Mikita and Martin Wood and Eureka director Mike Rohl.

Wood and Gillian Horvath, who both produce Sanctuary, will executive produce.

In Friday’s season finale of Sanctuary, Henry enters the room carrying with him what appears to be a heavy piece of electronic equipment that was recovered outside the homeland district that he intends on studying to find out whats keeping everyone inside. Nikola quickly determines that he had single handily designed this little machine years before he was fired from SCU, which could contain almost any type of creature through pure electricity. Suddenly, they realize that a handful of these machines could produce enough energy to create an electrified web to destroy hundreds of bodies. Tune-in to the season finale tomorrow, as the team races to prevent the unleashing of a doomsday weapon.
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In Part 1 of the Sanctuary season finale, Magnus meets with the captain, whom for the most part has left Magnus and team alone from activities throughout the Sanctuary. Though as she’s escorted through the hangar, she suggests to the captain that things might have to change. As the group walks around the corner, they’re carefully approached by a group of abnormals and the officers quickly draw their weapons. Magnus and a representative confirm that they’re friends of the Sanctuary and that they only wish to speak to the Captain face to face. The officers are ordered to stand down and the Captain is asked for their support for the success of the mission. Tune in to Part 1 of the Season Finale this Friday, December 23 at 10/9c as the team races to prevent the unleashing of a doomsday weapon.
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In this week’s Sanctuary sneak peek, Will and Magnus find themselves trapped in a cave with a Michelle, a woman who has spent her life studying cryptozoology, and a dragon that she and her team have captured. Magnus demands to be released along with the dragon but Michelle refuses citing that the dragon is “too big of a prize” to let go. Magnus tries to make Michelle see the dangers in transporting a dragon but she refuses to listen claiming everything is under control. They begin the transportation process but as the old saying goes, “Never wake a sleeping dragon.” Tune-in the all-new episode of Sanctuary, this Friday at 10/9c on Syfy!
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Note: “Chimera” has a special airing early this week – Tuesday, November 29th at 10/9c, as well as it’s normal Friday slot.

Magnus and Tesla are transported to a virtual Sanctuary. The virtual Sanctuary looks exactly like the real Sanctuary which initially causes them confusion as to whether they were transported or not. They come to realize that the computer is using their conscience to build the digital cloud around them as well as what it is in its own database. While they are discussing this, something rushes past them and disappears. Brushing off the disturbance, the two get to the task at hand and decide to start their search in Henry’s lab. They call the elevator and luckily they look before stepping in as there is nothing but a big hole where the elevator should be. Catch an all new episode of Sanctuary tomorrow, November 29th at 10/9c!
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