Sunday, September 7, 2008

Fringe - SciFi Weekly: Review

At SciFi.com's SciFi Weekly:

(Please follow the link for the complete review.)

REVIEWS: SCREEN

September 08, 2008

Fringe

GRADE: A

FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham is about to explore an X-Files for a new generation in J.J. Abrams' latest series


"Pilot"
Starring Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown
Written by J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci
Directed by Alex Graves
Fox
Premieres Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 8 p.m. ET/PT


By Kathie Huddleston

Flight 627, carrying 147 passengers, leaves Hamburg, Germany, and three hours later contact is lost. Carrying a new autopilot system, the plane is able to land itself at Logan Airport in Boston. FBI special agents Olivia Dunham (Torv) and John Scott rush to the scene, along with agents from several agencies. They board the plane in protective suits, only to find a horrifying scene and everyone dead...

Fringe - SciFi Weekly: J.J. Adams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci Interview

At SciFi.com's SciFi Weekly:

(Please follow the link for the complete interview. Photos at the site.)



Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv and John Noble

INTERVIEWS

September 08, 2008

J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci dig deep to discover "the pattern" in their new Fox series, Fringe

By Kathie Huddleston


They are no strangers to conspiracy television with deep, dark mythologies. Executive producers J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, in fact, cut their teeth on ABC's Alias. Not only did that series make Jennifer Garner a star, it also made mythology cool while dressing up sci-fi as a spy series. Add to that successful TV and movie writing and producing careers, and a little series by Abrams called Lost, and you have the formula for a new chapter in sci-fi conspiracy television called Fringe. Fox's two-hour pilot premieres Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Fringe tells the tale of FBI special agent Olivia Dunham, who must partner with a brilliantly insane scientist named Walter Bishop and his brilliant slacker son, Peter, to uncover a mysterious pattern of fringe science experiments that seem to be based on Walter's early work. Add to the mix a megacorporation called Massive Dynamics, which was created by a man who used to work with Walter, along with some fringe science gone bad, and the mythology begins to get interesting. Fringe stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Kirk Acevedo and Blair Brown.

Beyond Alias, Lost and Fringe, Abrams, Kurtzman and Orci have been involved with numerous television and movie projects. Abrams' projects included Felicity and the film Cloverfield. Kurtzman and Orci have written Hercules: The Legendary Journeys episodes and the film Transformers. The three producers co-wrote Mission: Impossible III and are working on the upcoming Star Trek film, which is due to be released next year.

Abrams, Kurtzman and Orci chatted with SCI FI Weekly about star Anna Torv, creating mythology and the Kurtzman/Orci band...

How are you incorporating the mythology?
Kurtzman: I think for us part of the general approach is to always know your big-picture idea, so that you are working backward from the larger story you want to tell, but at an episodic, week-to-week level. We really like to ask ourselves, "How do we surprise ourselves?" "How do we find structural ways into the story or turns and twists that we would have not predicted?" That, for us, needs to be the barometer on the week-to-week basis. Because the minute this starts to feel predictable or you can start to discern some kind of a pattern to the way we tell stories, I think the audience loses their interest.

Orci: My short answer is we're going to do it slowly, that's how. There is going to be an overarching theme that we love, but it's going to be doled out slowly, because we do have the amazing benefit of the convention of a procedural that allows you to tell stories with a beginning, middle and end, where you don't have to have a shock that changes the series every show.
Abrams: There is a mythology. There's an overarching storyline. These characters do not react exactly the same episode to episode. But, on the other hand, we know the reality of viewers and the way TV works. You can't make a show that requires you to watch every week and not, to some degree, limit the amount of viewers you're going to have. The crucial thing is finding that balance between how user-friendly is the show going to be and how hardcore niche you want to be. So a show like Alias or Lost, it's difficult tuning in for the first time at Episode 48. It's probably a conundrum. Although I believe the way Damon [Lindelof] has run the show and gotten to a place, I believe it is so dramatic and so compelling, hour to hour, that it's still great TV to watch. But you're going to understand tuning in to an episode of ER, Episode 203, where you don't need to know a thing. And you'll understand, "Oh, I get their relationship. I see it." Because you know the world. You know which way is up. You understand the rules...

Sanctuary - Photos and Fan Review from Sanctuary's Event with the Tampa Bay Rays

Fan review and photos courtesy of Karen, who has given me permission to post. This is from the SciFi Night at the Tampa Bay Rays on August 30 in St. Petersburg, FL. (Please click on photos for a larger format.) (Thank YOU, Karen, for sharing both your story and your lovely photos!)

Sanctuary at Tropicana Field 08/30/08
:

I went in my car with Melissa, my buddy or "niece" who tolerates and is greatly amused by my geekiness. She did however want to wear a Sanctuary T-shirt. Her parents were planning to join us closer to game time. I personalized all the adults Tampa Bay Rays T-shirts with Sanctuary on the backs and then sayings from the promos.

Arriving an hour before the gates opened we were surprised to find that there were already lines forming to get into the venue. We struck up conversations with some of those standing with us and found that there were several events going on concurrently at the game. It was figurine night, the last installment of the Saturday concert series featuring a local band and the reason we were there - Sanctuary, for SciFi night.

So much for "sunny" Florida, we were soon thankful that the stadium has a dome and air conditioning. Just prior to the gates opening the wind picked up and it began to rain. A typical Florida downpour. As we entered the gate we headed toward the escalator to try to find the line for Sanctuary. There was no visible posting of the event and upon inquiring where to line up the staff directed us in the opposite direction. We ended up having to backtrack around the incoming tide of soaked humanity.



It was worth every raindrop. As we rounded the corner I spotted Robin [Dunne], Amanda [Tapping] and Damian [Kindler] sitting beneath that same escalator we had been directed around. They were wearing navy blue Tampa Bay Rays training jerseys. There were a few people, ten or so, lined up getting the new promotional poster signed. The older gentleman in front of me the first time ( yes, fangirl went back multiple times) had asked Damian what this was about. Damian asked if he had seen Stargate. He replied "No," then Damian asked X-Files? "No" again,, at this point Damian shrugged, handed him his autographed poster and said "Hello" to me. He commented that the Sanctuary T-shirt my 16 year old was wearing was a collectors item now. I agreed as I continued to watch Amanda and Robin's reaction to the elderly man as Damian was signing the poster for me. After the man had walked off Amanda fell forward onto the table, laughing and shaking her head. Melissa pointed out the back of my shirt to Damian. He called out to Amanda - "hey check this out." I asked him how his flight was and he explained it was great and that David Nykl was on their flight into Atlanta headed to Dragon*Con.



I had taken the opportunity to order some personalized chocolate for Amanda and friends. There were red M&M's imprinted with "SANCTUARY" and "10/03/08 9pm" and blue and aqua ones imprinted with "GREAT 'N POWERFUL" and "AMANDA YOU ROCK." I also had some Dove milk chocolates in red foil. Inside the foil was imprinted with one of four sayings all beginning with SANCTUARY. Sanctuary dare 2 believe in the unbelievable, Sanctuary for all is not an empty motto, Sanctuary leave the world you know behind and finally Sanctuary October 3, premier 9pm on SciFi.



I reached into my bag and produced a bag of red M&M's for Damian, Amanda and Robin and then another bag of blue and aqua for Amanda. They were her birthday present. Amanda and Robin put their heads together trying to discern what was written on the small candies. Amanda reached across the table and gave me a big hug. She asked where I had gotten them. I explained that all things are available on-line.



I offered to help promote Sanctuary in the Tampa area. I asked if she remembered me from Tea at AT3 and she hugged me harder. We talked briefly about the event at the Paley Center in NYC and how I anticipated the reinvented version of Sanctuary, then I moved along since others were in line. I reached into my bag to remove the ice packs used to keep the candy from melting - even though it was raining the temperature was well above 80F, and realized I still had the Dove chocolates in there. Doh!



Circling back I saw that there was no line. We approached the table again and Amanda and the guys mugged for the camera with their M&M's. I handed the Dove bag to Amanda and asked her to unwrap one - instructing her to read the inscription. She replied "Oh wow, Damian look at this..." and there are other sayings as well I offered. I commented on the lack of line and she replied it was hit and miss, lines and then none. It had been really busy when the gates first opened. We departed again waiting for the rest of our family to arrive. Melissa asked if she could take a photo of me with Amanda so back to the table we went. Amanda and Robin were chatting with some fans but again there was no one else on line.

I approached Damian and he told me that he never had his words written in chocolate before, and that it was great! I finally had worked up the nerve to ask him about the show itself. He went on to describe the amazing qualities of the new RED camera, Martin Wood's vision and how incredible Amanda's performances have been. It is like nothing you have ever seen before! It will blow you away.



I told him I was hooked after the webisodes and could barely wait for the SciFi premier. I asked if he would take a photo with me and he agreed. I then asked Amanda for a photo and she obliged. More fans were lining up again and I didn't want to monopolize any more of their time so I said my goodbyes and good lucks and sought out our seats for the game.

While we were waiting on line for snacks a few fans had approached us and asked where the signing was. We gave directions to no fewer than twenty people. We chatted with others about the show, the movies and even Atlantis' cancellation.



Amanda thanks her catcher



Robin takes the field






From our seats the best view I had was of the outfield monitor. I snapped a few shots of Amanda, Damian and Robin taking the field, tossing the first pitches and then leaving the field - all off the monitor except for one. I had hoped that there would be promotional trailers playing on the monitor between innings or pitching changes but there were none. I think that was a missed opportunity to get some of the 34,805 in attendance to watch the premier. Oh well. I got to speak with Amanda, Damian and Robin and get some snapshots to share with fans who couldn't be there and that's what really matters.

Thanks for listening, Karen

Stargate Atlantis - 'Whispers' Behind the Scenes Videos and Photos!

From Joseph Mallozzi's blog update for September 7, 2008:

(Please follow the link for the complete blog update, and to view the new behind the scenes photos from Stargate Atlantis' 'Whispers' [in their original format] and five -- count 'em 5! - behind the scenes videos from 'Whispers!' Joe, THANK YOU so much!)



Director Will Waring


September 7, 2008: I Suffer a Field Injury, The Whispers Breakdown Part II, and Oodles of Pics and Vids

**snippage**

Speaking of the book club, author Stephen Dobyns turned his Q&A around in record time so I’ll be turning this blog over to him tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope you’re all very busy reading this month’s selections because the week of September 15th fast approaches when we’ll be discussing Justina Robson’s Keeping It Real with author Justina Robson. The following week, author Glen Cook be dropping by to field your questions about this month’s fantasy selection, The Black Company, and author Sarah Langan will be joining us the week after that to talk about The Missing, this month’s horror selection.



Dr. Allison Porter (Nicole De Boer), Maj. Anne Teldy (Christina Cox) and Sgt. Dusty Mehra (Janina Gavankar)


**snippage**

Anyway, continuing with the Whispers breakdown…

ACT THREE

INT. MICHAEL’S LAB - NIGHT: Mirellus‘s revelation.

Another straightforward scene. Sheppard realizes the answer to dealing with Michael’s experiment lies in the data, and since his wraith reading skills are as rusty as Teldy’s, they set off to find Beckett and Porter.

INT. HOUSE - NIGHT: Beckett heads out to investigate.

Unable to contact Sheppard, Beckett is going stir crazy. His friend is in trouble and he is, in effect, stranded and can‘t help him. At which point he hears the sound of movement outside. As he explains to Porter, if there’s a threat out there, they’re as good as sitting ducks. Subscribing to the theory that the best defense is a good offense, he heads out to check the perimeter. In his mind, he can look around and stay close enough to the house in the event Porter sounds the alarm. Unfortunately, his little stroll takes an unexpected turn...



Ghouls just want to have fun

Fringe - Video: 'Blood In The Cabin'

Courtesy of FOX and HULU, Blood In The Cabin.

Fringe - Blood In The Cabin

Web Exclusive |00:47 |

Oh, okay. Here's the problem. Everybody on board is dead.

Fringe premieres on FOX on Tuesday September 9 '08 at 8/7C.



Sanctuary - Paley Center for Media New York: SCI FI Channel Premiere: Sanctuary

At the Paley Center for Media New York:



SCI FI Channel Premiere: Sanctuary

Thursday, October 2, 2008
6:30 pm ET
Paley Center New York
In Person

Amanda Tapping, “Dr. Helen Magnus”/Exec. Prod.; Rob Dunne, "Dr. Will Zimmerman"; Damian Kindler, Creator/Exec. Prod.; Sam Egan, Show Runner/Exec. Prod.; Martin Wood, Dir./Exec. Prod.; Moderator: Michael Logan, TV Guide

Journey with the Paley Center as we preview the SCI FI Channel’s new series Sanctuary, starring Amanda Tapping (Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis) as the enigmatic, 157-year-old Dr. Helen Magnus, protector of "abnormals" living secretly among us. (Note to the wise: You might want to keep a watchful eye on whomever you wind up sitting next to.) Adapted from the Internet-only show of the same name, Sanctuary premieres on SCI FI on October 3, but we have it first: Join us for a sneak peek of the pilot, plus an exploration of the show’s cutting-edge “green screen” technology, a trivia contest, and so much more.

Official Site: Sanctuary on SciFi.com

Send us a question you would like asked of our panelists [at the link above].

Ticket sales dates:

Subscription, Members Only:
September 12, 2008 at 12:00 pm

Subscription, General Public:
September 16, 2008 at 12:00 pm

Individual Tickets, Members:
September 19, 2008 at 12:00 pm

Individual Tickets, General Public:
September 23, 2008 at 12:00 pm

Fringe - Video: " Rooftop Chase"

Courtesy of FOX and HULU, Rooftop Chase.

Fringe - Rooftop Chase

Web Exclusive |00:59 |

I'll just stay down here. You see if you can flush him out.

From J.J. Abrams ("Lost"), Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the team behind "Star Trek," "Mission: Impossible III" and "Alias," comes a new drama that will thrill, terrify and explore the blurring line between science fiction and reality. When an international flight lands at Boston's Logan Airport and the passengers and crew have all died grisly deaths, FBI Special Agent OLIVIA DUNHAM (newcomer Anna Torv) is called in to investigate. After her partner, Special Agent JOHN SCOTT (Mark Valley, "Boston Legal"), is nearly killed during the investigation, a desperate Olivia searches frantically for someone to help, leading her to DR. WALTER BISHOP (John Noble, "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King"), our generation's Einstein. There's only one catch: he's been institutionalized for the last 20 years, and the only way to question him requires pulling his estranged son PETER (Joshua Jackson, "Dawson's Creek") in to help. When Olivia's investigation leads her to manipulative corporate executive NINA SHARP (Blair Brown, "Altered States"), our unlikely trio along with fellow FBI Agents PHILLIP BROYLES (Lance Reddick, "The Wire"), CHARLIE FRANCIS (Kirk Acevedo, "Oz") and ASTRID FARNSWORTH (Jasika Nicole, "Law & Order: Criminal Intent") will discover that what happened on Flight 627 is only a small piece of a larger, more shocking truth.

Fringe premieres Tuesday, September 9 '08 on FOX at 8/7C.


Sanctuary - The Province: Local actor Tapping finds Sanctuary

From The Province (Vancouver, BC, Canada):

(Please follow the link for the complete two-page interview.)



Local actor Tapping finds Sanctuary

After 10 years of combat boots, she has to navigate the stilettos

Glen Schaefer, The Province

Published: Sunday, September 07, 2008

Amanda Tapping is not an easy person to get a chunk of time with.

The Vancouver-based star of the long-running series Stargate SG-1, which ended after 10 years but is continuing life in made-for-TV movies, is also a recurring player in the spin-off Stargate: Atlantis, and most recently signed on as star and executive producer of the currently-shooting new sci-fi series Sanctuary.

So an interview we tried to schedule when the movie Stargate: Continuum came out last May finally happened last week, during breaks in shooting at Sanctuary's Burnaby soundstage. Sanctuary's 13 episodes wrap this week.

In sci-fi circles, what Tapping calls "the genre," she's the kind of name that can launch a series, as she's doing now with Sanctuary. But hers isn't the kind of fame that follows her home on rare days off with her three-year-old daughter and home-builder husband.
"It's the best of both worlds," says Tapping, who can draw thousands of fans to appearances at such events as San Diego's annual Comic-Con. "I never went into acting to become a celebrity, I never got that culture, I still don't get it. Working in Vancouver, raising my family here, it's perfect, I get to do exactly what I want to do..."

Burn Notice - Video: Bruce Campbell - Success

Courtesy of USA and HULU, Bruce Campbell - Success.

Burn Notice - Bruce Campbell - Success

Interview |02:27 |

How has the Burn Notice success impacted you?


Stargate SG-1 - Season 10 Mini-Marathon Sept 10 '08

From SciFi Channel's schedulebot, a Stargate SG-1 season ten mini-marathon has been scheduled for Wednesday September 10 '08:

08:00A UNINVITED



09:00A 200 - Richard Dean Anderson guest stars as Maj. Gen. Jack O'Neill



10:00A COUNTER STRIKE



11:00A MEMENTO MORI



12:00P COMPANY OF THIEVES



1:00P THE QUEST - PT 1 - Cliff Simon and Morena Baccarin guest star



2:00P THE QUEST - PT 2 - Cliff Simon and Morena Baccarin guest star



3:00P LINE IN THE SAND - Tim Guinee guest stars



Photos courtesy of GateWorld

David Boreanaz - Bones - Video: 'The Man In The SUV'

Courtesy of HULU, from Bones first season, 'The Man In The SUV,' starring Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, Eric Millegan, T.J. Thyne and Jonathan Adams. Guest stars include José Zúñiga, Bahar Soomekh, Dave Roberson, Anne Dudek and Federico Dordei.

A car bomb explodes in front of a busy cafe, killing the driver and a number of the cafe's patrons, and injuring others. Since the car was registered to a prominent Middle Eastern man with government ties, Agent Booth calls Dr. Brennan into the case.


Stargate SG-1 - 6pm Weekday Rotation Episodes week Sept 8 '08

From the SciFi Channel's schedulebot, the Stargate SG-1 6pm weekday rotation episodes for the week of September 8 '08:

9/08/2008 ETHON



9/09/2008 ARTHUR'S MANTLE



9/10/2008 THE SCOURGE



9/11/2008 OFF THE GRID



9/12/2008 CRUSADE



Photos courtesy of GateWorld

Stargate Atlantis - 5pm Weekday Rotation Episodes week Sept 8 '08

From the SciFi Channel's schedulebot, the Stargate Atlantis 5pm weekday rotation episodes for the week of September 8 '08:

9/08/2008 EPIPHANY



9/09/2008 CRITICAL MASS



9/10/2008 GRACE UNDER PRESSURE



9/11/2008 THE TOWER



9/12/2008 THE LONG GOODBYE




NEXT week: The LAST week of the 5pm weekday rotation episodes for Stargate Atlantis -- Star Trek: Enterprise takes over the time slot on September 22 '08.

Photos courtesy of GateWorld

Exosquad: Video: 'Blitzkrieg'

Courtesy of HULU, Exosquad's 'Blitzkrieg,' starring the voice talents of Lisa Ann Beley, Robby Benson, Michael Benyaer, Gary Chalk, David Kaye, Wally Marsh, Rob Morton, Richard Newman and John Payne.

Neosapiens are in near total control of the Homeworlds, and Lt. J.T. Marsh is imprisoned after being charged with mutiny.