On Friday’s episode of EUREKA, the show crosses over with SyFy WAREHOUSE 13.
In this sneak preview, Claudia Donovan (Allison Scagliotti) from WARHOUSE 13 has put her foot in it, and Douglas Fargo (Neil Grayston) tries to get her out of an explosive situation.
EUREKA airs Fridays at 9:00 PM ET/PT on SyFy.
Tag: SyFy
SyFy Announces 7 New Series
Somewhat to my surprise, SyFy is announcing a whole bunch of scripted shows.
From their press release:
“Building upon solid ratings and critical acclaim for returning hits WAREHOUSE 13 and EUREKA, and newcomer HAVEN, Syfy today announced a rich development slate of seven scripted projects featuring television icons Lee Majors and Kevin Sorbo; the SANCTUARY creative team of Damian Kindler, Martin Wood and Amanda Tapping; a swashbuckling space opera and an alien version of THE OFFICE from Universal Cable Productions plus a single camera 1/2-hour about fighting zombies and a dramedy featuring supernatural villains.
BALL & CHAIN
After months of emotional tumult, Edgar and Mallory call their relationship quits. As they say their final goodbyes, the ex-lovers are nearly hit by a meteorite that, it turns out, imbues them with extraordinary powers. Unfortunately, the powers only work when they are in close proximity to each other. Though the last thing they want to do is stay together, they’ll need to try if they hope to overcome the newly arrived other-worldly forces that threaten to destroy them and anyone else who gets in the way.
Executive Producers: Bob Cooper and J.J. Jamieson for Landscape Entertainment
Executive Producer/Writer: Andrew Miller
Studios: A Universal Cable Productions/Fremantle Media co-production
ME AND LEE
In this 1/2-hour single-camera series, a down-on-his-luck 20-something undergoes back surgery, only to find that the procedure did not go well. Enter Lee Majors, who claims he has the perfect solution. He entices the young man into his ultra high-tech lab and makes him bionic. Now intrinsically bound together, Majors tries helping his new partner get his life back on track.
Executive Producers/Writers: Matthew Salzberg and Jenji Kohan
Executive Producer: Steven Pearl
Studio: Lionsgate
ORION
NATIONAL TREASURE meets FIREFLY in this swashbuckling space opera about an adventurous female relic hunter and her team as they hunt down — and sometimes steal — valuable and powerful objects to sell on the black market, all while staying one step ahead of the bounty hunters hot on their heels.
Co-Executive Producers/Writers: Dirk Blackman & Howard McCain
Co-Executive Producers: George Krstic & Ryuhei Kitamura
Supervising Producer: F.J. Desanto
Studio: Universal Cable Productions
SHERWOOD
In this “Robin Hood” story for the 23rd century, a young man of privilege teams up with a misfit spaceship crew to right the wrongs of his family.
Writer: Damian Kindler
Executive Producers: Damian Kindler, Martin Wood, and Amanda Tapping for My Plastic Badgers Productions
LEGENDARY
A 1/2-hour single-camera series in which Kevin Sorbo plays an exaggerated version of himself … a former syndicated television series star. When a fan approaches Sorbo to enlist his skills in combating the underworld mythological creatures that threaten to destroy Los Angeles, an unlikely partnership is formed. Together, they use their intimate knowledge of the myths of Hercules to defeat a myriad of beasts.
Executive Producer: David Eick
Supervising Producers/Writers: Adam Karp & Royal McGraw
Producer: Kevin Sorbo
Studio: Universal Cable Productions
HUMAN RELATIONS
The OFFICE meets MEN IN BLACK in this project featuring an office Temp who slowly discovers that his off-kilter and odd-ball bosses at the strange hi-tech “ad agency” where he works are really aliens working on a plan to destroy the Earth.
Co-Executive Producer/Writer: Scott Prendergast
Executive Producers: Michael Rotenberg and Tom Lassally for 3 Arts
Executive Producers: John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky for Ternion
Studio: Universal Cable Productions
ZEROS
In this 1/2-hour single-camera satire, when the zombie population of Marshall City overcomes the 30-foot barrier separating the infected people from the rest of the city, the Zombie Extermination and Removal Operations company (the Zeros) are called in to keep the peace. When they can get out of their own way long enough to focus on a case, they are pretty effective with very unorthodox methods.
Executive Producers: David Kenin and Steve Brenner
Co-Executive Producers: Chris Provost & Dave Hales”
Not to borrow trouble, but ZEROES sounds a lot like a private sector version of Fearwerx’s ZOMBIE EMERGENCY RESPONSE OPERATIONS (Z.E.R.O.) seriocomic para-military team featured in a pilot film & web episode, a spin-off of their well-established merchandise line.
See WarOfTheDead.com to view the episodes and Fearwerx.com for ZERO merchandise.
Fearwerx is a division of Spherewerx LLC, which also owns Cinefantastique.
More casting for SyFy's 'Alphas'
Syfy has announced two new cast members for its previously announced pilot ALPHAS.
Laura Mennell (WATCHMEN) will play Nina Theroux.
” Seductive, intelligent and confident, Nina’s Alpha ability allows her to influence people into doing whatever she wishes but her power can sometimes spin out of control. Her skill also comes with a personal drawback in that she can never be sure if anyone’s feelings for her are real. Nina was the first team member enlisted by Dr. Rosen ((David Strathairn) to whom she remains extremely loyal. “
Malik Yoba (DEFYING GRAVITY) has been cast as Bill Harken, a former FBI agent.
“Harken’s Alpha skill allows him to intentionally activate a ‘fight-or-flight mechanism’ producing a power surge of adrenaline giving him increased strength, speed and immunity from pain.”
Syfy’s Executive Vice President of Original Programming, Mark Stern said: “Malik and Laura are perfect additions to an already impressive ensemble cast. They both have great intensity and charisma. We look forward to seeing them breathe life into the complex characters of Harken and Nina.”
The screemplay is by Zak Penn (X-MEN: THE LANST STAND), and will be directed by LOST’s Jack Bender.
ALPHAS is scheduled to begin shooting in Toronto next month.
CAPRICA Season 1.5 – Trailer
Also from The Chicago Tribune’s Watcher Blog, GALACTICA spin-off prequel CAPRICA promises to be more action and drama oriented in its second half, now that the basic premise has been established.
In Season ‘1.5″ viewers will see the return of James Marsters (ANGEL) as terrorist Barnabus Greeley, Scott Porter as polygamist Nestor Willow, and John Pyper-Ferguson will return as Tomas Vergis, the bitter business rival of Clyon creator Daniel Graystone (Eric Stoltz).
At CAPRICA’s Comic Con panel, Marsters said his character is “looking out on a society that’s eating itself alive, as far as he’s concerned… He’s disgusted.”
The show will also return to virtual world ‘New Cap City’, where the physically deceased character Tamara Adama (Genevieve Buechner) lives on.
Asked if CAPRICA will get a second season on SyFy, executive producer/co-creator Ronald D. Moore, said that he firmly believed that it will— although that decision will not be made for some time.
The second half of the first season of CAPRICA is expected to begin airing in January of 2011.
'Galactica' Cylon War Web Series
According to The Chicago Tribune , Syfy’s developing an online BATTLESTAR GALACTICA series, to be called BLOOD AND CHROME, to feature a young William Adama, set during the first Cylon War.
SyFy’s executive vice president of original programming (and the co-head of original content for Universal Cable Productions), Mark Stern told them that GALACTIC and CAPRICA’s Michael Taylor is set write the the script for the new web feature.
BLOOD & CHROME would be made up of nine or ten ‘webisodes’, each running nine to ten minutes. The series, if all goes as planned, would be shot mainly using actors against green screen, to be be composited into CGI sets (as was initially done on SANCTUARY).
The article explains that highlly detailed scans were made of the BSG physical sets before that series ended, with the idea already in mind that future projects might make use of them as virtual sets.
Writer/producer Michael Taylor told the Tribune that the web series isn’t going to shy away from R-rated “blood and guts and sex”.
“Because this is initially meant to air online, we pretty much have no restrictions in that department.”
It’s not yet known if BLOOD & CROME will star Nico Cortez (pictured), who played young Bill Adama in RAZOR, the Direct-to-DVD Galactica movie. The web series will likely feature new actors & characters, though one other character from RAZOR may appear.
If BLOOD & CHROME is greenlit and successful, it could be the springboard for more projects of a similar nature—or even a new cable series for SyFy.
'Mega Python Vs. Gatoroid' – Clip
Courtesy of SyFy, here’s a beind the scenes clip from the upcoming MEGA PYTHON Vs. GATOROID
This clip premiered ar Comic Con, showcasing the SyFy original movie, starring 1980s pop singers Debbie Gibson (MEGASHARK Vs. GIANT OCTOPUS) and Tiffany (MEGA PIRANHA).
More proof that SyFy originals are the modern cable version of the Drive-In. And that’s not bad thing, especially for free on TV.
By the way, my head cold-muddled brain keeps wanting to turn the title into MONTY PYTHON Vs. GATORADE. Am I the only one?
Tonight's 'Warehouse 13' – Teaser
Here’s the teaser for tonight’s episode of WAREHOUSE 13.
From the offical description:
When an artifact gets delivered to the local town instead of the warehouse, it leads to a plethora of B-movie characters, including gladiators, cowboys, robots and beach-storming marines in “Beyond Our Control.”
WAREHOUSE 13 airs Tuesdays at 9:00 PM ET/PT on SyFy.
SHARKTOPUS Trailer Released
Do you sit around at night saying, “I LOVE movies that crossbreed ocean life and I LOVE Eric Roberts…but why hasn’t there been a movie with both?” Well my friends, don’t worry – Syfy and Roger Corman have you covered with the release of the first trailer of SHARKTOPUS!
More detail would be given but honestly, the trailer speaks for itself. SHARKTOPUS is set to air on the Syfy network later this year. Until then…beware the calamari!
[serialposts]
Stargate: Universe – Atlantis Crossover
Looks like SyFy and MGM Television have ironed out the details
for a STARGATE: UNIVERSE — STARGATE: ATLANTIS crossover.
Producer/writer Joseph Mallozzi’s Blog reveals the following:
With word from producer John G. Lenic that the deals have been closed on those ATLANTIS alums, we can now move forward on the script, secure in the knowledge that both extra-special guest stars will actually be on hand to say the dialogue written for specifically for them. Great news for fans of the old series.
There was a reluctance to move ahead with an SGA crossover, particularly on my part, because the feeling was it would step on the timing of the SGA movie, STARGATE: EXTINCTION, the events of which directly proceed the Atlantis series finale, Enemy at the Gate.
But given the delay on the movie front and the ideal premise pitched out by Remi Aubuchon and Brad Wright, it was decided to go ahead with the crossover.
Not a big deal, but it will require some changes to the STARGATE: EXTINCTION timeline which, in turn, will beg a host of questions, some of which will be answered in episode #15, some of which won’t…at least not right away:
1) Where the hell is Atlantis? When last we saw our fair city, it was parked in the waters of San Francisco.
Of course, logic would dictate it couldn’t sit there for very long without rousing some suspicion or, at the very least, creating some inconvenience for boaters.
Read the rest of Mallozzi’s humorous observations about the crossover at the link above.
EUREKA: Founder's Day – Review
–WARNING: SPOILERS–
*
EUREKA’s Season Four premiere, Founder’s Day, was a pleasant surprise for me.
During the second and third years, I found myself less interested in the SyFy series, feeling it had become predictable and repetitive.
Never having been a faithful viewer of the generally amiable show, I pretty much just stopped watching, catching maybe two or three episodes last season.
Intrigued by the coming attractions, I tuned in to see the arrival of new recurring character Dr. Trevor Grant, played by BATTLESTAR GALACTICA’s Baltar, James Callis. It’s handled in a interesting way, as Founder’s Day turns out to be a time travel story.
Sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) isn’t in the mood for a 60th Anniversary Founder’s Day celebration, as he’s dealing with his daughter Zoe (Jordan Hinson) going off to college, and discovering via ‘Dear John’ hologram that his third season scientist love interest Tess Fontana (Jaime Ray Newman) has left for a job in Australia. Both character were seemingly written out of the series—or at least, that was the impression that was given.
Trying to jog off his blues, Carter gets a phone call, and suddenly, the trees around him suddenly appear to shrink.
Thinking this is just another of the weird things that happen in the town, and with no cell reception, he flags down a man driving the period car he saw astrophysicist/mechanic/mayor Henry Deacon (Joe Morton) working on earlier in his day. This guy’s got the period clothes an manner down to a tee, and there’s even a period Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers game on the radio.
Only it turns out that it’s live, not a recording, and that he’s just met Dr. Grant, a confidant to Einstein and future founder of the town. It’s 1947, and Camp Eureka is still a secret Army base.
In short order he’s arrested, and discovers that his unrequited (unasked?) love interest Dr. Alison Blake (Salli Richardson-Whitfield), HenryDeacon, Deputy Jo Lupo (Erica Cerra, and techo-nerd Douglas Fargo (Neil Grayston) have all been transported back in time, due to an activity the were all enganed in at the time.
The base commander believes them to be spies, and only Dr. Grant will consider there might be some truth to the story, due in part to the existence of an experimental device he and Albert Einstein could never get to work, one which was being used as a display in 2010, being tinkered with by Dr. Blake’s gifted but autistic son (Meshach Peters).
Eventually, the regulars do get back to the present, with one hitch: Dr. Grant was transported as well, and the timeline has been changed. And as it turns out, very personally for all them.
The acting was uniformly good (never a problem with this series), the writing clever, the sense of period pretty good — although we’re asked to accept some fairly progressive social attitudes and swallow a real whopper of an scientific anachronism for the sake of the story.
Perhaps most impressive are the risks taken with the characters and storylines. The writer/producer Jaime Paglia has set up a high-stakes situation that makes one fairly certain there’s a re-set button in the future.
But pressing it or not pressing it is going to cost some characters dearly. I’ll be tuning in to find out how it all plays, as this is an arc that will strech over several episodes. I might even get back into the habit of watching EUREKA regualrly.
The episode was directed by Matt Hastings.
EUREKA airs Fridays at 9 PM (8 Central) on SyFy.