Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - Audio: Garret Dillahunt Interview

At SciFi Talk:



Garret Dillahunt - Part 1 of 2

This talented actor is the new Terminator, Cromartie on The Sara Conner Chronicles. He has prominent roles in such films as the Best Picture of 2007, No Country For Old Men and The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford. He's also appeared in The 4400 as Mathew Ross and on Deadwood. He will star in the upcoming The Road and The Last House On The Left. Special thanks to Elizabeth Much at Much And House Public Relations. Music is by Return To Mono called Hope. Part One Of Two.

Podcast Link

Sanctuary - Video: 'Ready or Not'

Courtesy of The SciFi Channel and HULU:

Sanctuary - Ready or Not

Sneak Peek |00:30 |

Here they come. Series premiere Friday October 3 9/8C.

Watchmen - Video: Zack Snyder / Jackie Earle Haley Interview

Courtesy of the SciFi Channel's SciFi Wire and HULU:

SCI FI Wire - Watchmen

Web Exclusive |02:31 |

Director Zack Snyder and star Jackie Earle Haley talk about what it took to bring Watchmen to life.



Watchmen premieres March 6, 2009, and stars: Carla Gugino, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Stephen McHattie, Matt Frewer and Niall Matter.

Stargate Atlantis / SG-1 - New Zealand Con - Armageddon Expo Oct 25-27 '08 Auckland

At Armageddon Expo:

(Please follow the link for additional information.)



Meet TV and movie stars from: Ghostbusters, Hellboy, Fantastic Four as well as Stargate SG1 and Atlantis; check out animation voice actors from Naruto, Avatar, Hellsing, The Grim adventures of Billy and Mandy and many more. Experience the massive gaming displays from Red Ant, Microsoft, Ubisoft as well as comics, animation, DVD sale, toy stores, collectibles and many others.

Armageddon Expo 2008
Saturday 25th - Monday 27th October
9.00am - 6.00pm daily
Aotea Centre
$16.00 - $45.00

Guests include:


STARGATE SG-1

Michael Shanks
Ernie Hudson ("Ethon")


STARGATE ATLANTIS

David Hewlett
Andee Frizzell (Wraith Queen)


OTHER

Dave Wittenberg - Animation Guest - Naruto
WILDSTORM COMICS TOUR - Comic Artist/Inker/Colourer Guests
David Anders - Celebrity Guest
The Sandman - Wrestling guest
Eddie Correa – Music Guest - international TV music producer
JIM LEE - Comic Guest - All Star Batman and Robin
Michelle Ruff - Animation Guest - Bleach
Grey DeLisle - Animation Guest - Grim adventures of Billy and Mandy / Avatar and many more!
Margot Kidder - Celebrity Guest - Superman Films
Doug Jones - Celebrity Guest - Hellboy 1 and 2 & Fantastic Four 2
Crispin Freeman - Animation guest - Hellsing / Slayers / Naruto

Sanctuary - Movie Entertainment (CA): Amanda Tapping / Martin Wood Audio Interviews

At Movie Entertainment (CA):

JUDE'S PLACE

Finding Sanctuary

September 2008 by Judith Klassen



While she's best known for her role as Major Samantha Carter on Stargate, actor / producer Amanda Tapping did not spend her youth playing cowgirls and aliens. Sharp-eyed viewers may recall her hilarious turn as Lindsay Ward, the pathologically ambitious anchorwoman on The Newsroom. But, somewhere along the way, Amanda hopped off the comedy train and took a trip to another galaxy altogether. "I kinda fell into it," said Tapping. "I liked Battlestar, and Babylon 5, and Star Trek the Next Generation. But it's true; I was a Little House on the Prairie girl growing up. And I loved Carol Burnett. I was not a Sci-Fi junkie."

Hardcore sci-fi consumer or not, Tapping gets her audience. When asked why they initially created Sanctuary as webisodes instead of directly pitching the series to TV, Tapping explained, "We had a true sense of taking a show that lives and breathes in a certain genre to the fans where they live—which is on the internet. Sci-fi fans are an incredibly connected group. They will watch shows while they're blogging on their sites or sitting on forums. We wanted to cut out the middle man."

Tapping and her co-producers, Sanctuary show runner / creator, Damian Kindler, and Sanctuary director, Martin Wood, had no trouble attracting talent on both sides of the camera. Said Tapping, "What was really amazing, and it speaks to how special we see this project to be, is that so many people came on board because of the idea, and the people involved. [They] said, `We want in.'"

Sanctuary airs on Fri. Oct. 3 at 9 PM on TMN (The Movie Network in Canada) and 8 PM on MC (Movie Central in Canada).

Related Articles

Audio Interviews:

Amanda Tapping

Martin Wood

Sanctuary Trailer and Webisodes on TMN [NOTE: You can't access these trailers and webisodes if you're in the US)

Click here to visit the official Sanctuary website

Heroes - CinemaSpy: Exclusive Interview: Masi Oka

At CinemaSpy:

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



Exclusive Interview: Masi Oka

The star of NBC's 'Heroes' dishes on Season 3!

By Robert Falconer | Tuesday, September 30, 2008

After a second season that both fans and critics acknowledged could have been better, NBC and producer Tim Kring have high hopes for the third year of Heroes, the groundbreaking series that sprang onto the scene to much acclaim back in 2006.

They're not the only ones. The cast, too, is filled with anticipation about this new season, none more than Emmy and Golden Globe Award-nominated actor Masi Oka, who plays Hiro Nakamura, the Japanese nonconformist computer/anime geek whose ability to pierce the space-time continuum and manipulate time has empowered him with foresight into a dangerous future—and what he must do to change it.

Oka is characteristically optimistic about this season, certain that the writers have listened to fans and learned to sidestep the pitfalls leveled at Season 2's storyline. "...I think the writers took those words to heart and delivered something that the fans wanted," he says.

With numerous guest starring roles to his credit on such shows as Without a Trace, Will & Grace and The Gilmore Girls, along with recurring roles on Scrubs and Luis, Oka has been around the Hollywood machine long enough to know that ups and downs are de rigueur in the business. Moreover, the 33 year-old actor also co-starred in the recent Get Smart feature; has a background in improvisation; and continues to provide ILM with groundbreaking effects technology for more than 30 films thanks to degrees in mathematics and computer science from Brown University. His multidisciplinary passion for the industry probably goes a long way towards explaining his balanced outlook on life, and the gracious way in which he comports himself when answering repetitive questions from not only journalists, but the show's fiercely loyal viewers.

Last Friday, CinemaSpy sat down for a conference interview with Oka in which the actor talked about what's coming up for Heroes third season, his thoughts on Hiro's development, and other assorted topics...


A brief excerpt:

...Question: Is it hard to keep the balance of the sort of happy, naïve, enthusiastic person we met the beginning with the weight of the experience and the tragedy he’s had, and make it seem like he’s growing without making him grow too tragic?

Masi Oka: Oh absolutely. I think that’s an important balance to have and the writers, you know, are very conscious of that. But that’s what makes Hiro great, you know, is his enthusiasm. He’s not—he’s (only) discovered his power so it’s a little bit different.

One thing we know about Hiro is that he’s always going to be very pure. No matter what it is, he’s going to do what he feels is right in terms of saving the world. So his naiveté might have gone away because of all the tragedy he’s experienced, but his purity and his sense of morality will always stay the same.

So that’s something we’ll see, and his childlike sensibility. So he’ll always be—there will always be some sort of wonderment. You know, we’ll see him as he goes through various locations and he’ll find some like wonderful discovery at—wherever he goes.

Also, the writers have actually come up with a very creative way of finding that rediscovering of the power and we’ll see that later on in the season. So I think—it’s definitely a difficult balance. You know, you got (sight)—Hiro’s storyline; Hiro and Ando have always been kind of like the comedic relief. And we want to makes sure we have some sort of that entertainment on the fun side, the light side of saving the world to balance kind of the dark tones of the rest of the storyline.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - Video: 'Allison from Palmdale'

Courtesy of FOX and HULU, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles' 'Allison from Palmdale,' starring Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Brian Austin Green, Garret Dillahunt, Shirley Manson and Richard T. Jones. Guest stars include Leven Rambin, Busy Philipps, Leah Pipes, Jon Huertas and Jillian Armenante.

When a software glitch causes Cameron to forget who she is, she ends up at a halfway house where a social worker uncovers some of her distant memories.

Heroes - Video: 'One of Us, One of Them'

Courtesy of NBC and HULU, Heroe's 'One of Us, One of Them,' starring Milo Ventimiglia, Jack Coleman, Hayden Panettiere, Masi Oka, Noah Gray-Cabey, James Kyson Lee, Zachary Quinto, Brea Grant, Ali Larter, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Dania Ramirez, Adrian Pasdar, Greg Grunberg and Cristine Rose. Guest stars include Randall Bentley, Francis Capra, Ashley Crow, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jamie Hector, Jimmy Jean-Louis and Ntare Mwine.

H.R.G. and Sylar form an unlikely partnership to capture the escaped Level 5 villains.

Stargate: Ark of Truth / Continuum - Spring 2009 Air Date SciFi Channel

At NBCUMV:

Stargate Films Acquisition

SCI FI CHANNEL ACQUIRES HIT MOVIES BASED ON POPULAR 'STARGATE' SERIES

'The Ark of Truth' and 'Continuum' To Have U.S. Television Premiere on SCI FI




New York, NY – September 29, 2008 – SCI FI Channel has acquired the U.S. television rights to the two highly successful Stargate films Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum, which will mark their U.S. television premiere on the Channel. Both films are set to air in Spring 2009.

Continuing the legacy and thrilling journey of the popular Stargate SG-1 television series, Stargate: The Ark of Truth picks up after "Unending," the SG-1 series finale. Searching for an ancient weapon which could help them defeat the sinister Ori force, SG-1 discovers it may be in the Ori's own home galaxy, and the crew finds themselves fighting two powerful enemies. The film stars series favorites Amanda Tapping (2005 Saturn Award, Best Supporting TV Actress), Golden Globe® winner and three-time Emmy Award® winning actor Beau Bridges, Michael Shanks, Ben Browder, Christopher Judge, and Claudia Black. Robert C. Cooper serves as writer/director and co-executive producer along with Brad Wright. Both men are the co-creators of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis and currently serve as executive producers on Atlantis.

Stargate: Continuum, the adrenaline-driven, action adventure film, has members of SG-1 returning to a world where their history has been dramatically altered. Continuum reunites Richard Dean Anderson as Jack O'Neill, with all the series favorite crewmembers. The most northern filmed movie production in history, Stargate: Continuum features incredible visual effects, out-of-this-world battle sequences and breathtaking scenes shot on the Arctic ice. Directed by Martin Wood (Sanctuary) and written by Brad Wright, the film finds Ba'al as he travels back in time and tries to prevent the Stargate program from ever being started. The SG-1 team must somehow restore history and once again save the galaxy from oppressive domination.

The Simpsons - Video: 'Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes'

Courtesy of FOX and HULU, The Simpsons' 20th season premiere episode, 'Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes,' featuring the voice talents of guest stars Robert Forster, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Joe Mantegna.

Homer tries his hand at bounty-hunting and finds an unlikely partner in anti-crime.

The Colbert Report - Video: Sept 2 '08 Episode

Courtesy of The Comedy Channel and HULU, The Colbert Report's September 2 '08 episode.

Stephen welcomes Laura D'Andrea Tyson, former National Economic Adviser to President Clinton.

Stargate Atlantis - MGM Stargate: One New Photo From 'First Contact'

At MGM Stargate:

(Please follow the link to view the photo in its original format.)

Battlestar Galactica Classic - Video: 'The Lost Warrior'

Courtesy of HULU, Battlestar Galactica Classic's 'The Lost Warrior,' starring Tichard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, Lorne Greene, Herb Jefferson Jr., John Colicos, Maren Jensen, Noah Hathaway, Laurette Spang, Tony Swartz and Terry Carter. Guest stars include Katherine Cannon, Lance LeGault, Claude Earl Jones, Red West, Johnny Timko and Larry Manetti.

Apollo is marooned on a Western Frontier-like planet, where he meets a woman and her son...and a notorious gunslinger known as Red-Eye.

Sanctuary - SciFi Weekly: Amanda Tapping/Damian Kindler Interview

At SciFi Weekly:

(Please follow the link for the complete interview.)



INTERVIEWS

Executive producers Amanda Tapping and Damian Kindler blaze a new trail with their virtual masterpiece, Sanctuary

By Kathie Huddleston


Actress Amanda Tapping has gotten herself into a pickle that no Stargate teammate can get her out of. As the mysterious Dr. Helen Magnus on Sanctuary, she's not taking orders from anyone as she and her team hunt for "abnormals," strange and often terrifying creatures hiding among the human race. But on her new series she's also tackling something every bit as scary as an Ori mothership ... she's an executive producer on the first primarily virtual series. SCI FI's Sanctuary kicks off in a two-hour premiere on Friday, Oct. 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

In Sanctuary, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Will Zimmerman loses his position with the FBI and finds himself working tenuously with a homicide squad. When the things that forced him out of the bureau continue to haunt him, he is recruited by Dr. Magnus, who has a "sanctuary for all," a place where the extraordinary abnormals can be safe. In her sanctuary, they can be protected from the world, or if necessary the world can be protected from them. Now all Zimmerman has to do is "dare to believe in the unbelievable." Sanctuary was created by Damian Kindler.

Beyond starring as Air Force colonel Samantha Carter for 11 years on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, Tapping has appeared on SCI FI's Proof Positive, The X-Files, Forever Knight, Millennium, and The Outer Limits. The actress was also a regular on Disney's Flash Forward and appeared in The Vagina Monologues.

Kindler has written or produced numerous television projects, including Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, Earth: Final Conflict, BeastMaster, PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal and both Stargates.

Tapping and Kindler chatted with SCI FI Weekly about moving from the web to television, English accents and virtual trailblazing.


...How is the television series different from the Web series?

Kindler: Well, it's quite different, but quite the same. It is interesting. Conceptually it is identical, and cast-wise it is identical. Basically, a lot of the creative changes were driven by a relationship with the SCI FI Channel in that they wanted a show that was a little bit broader, little bit deeper, little bit more based in reality. Less of a Frank Miller feel and more of an accessible, "this is our world" feel. We welcomed that. We have no [preconceived] artistic feelings about it. I want as many people to see and enjoy the show as possible, because that is what helps shows live long lives. We've spent a lot of time, myself, Martin Wood, Sam Egan, and Amanda, working on reshaping the show and finding different motivators for the characters and different ways into stories. So the show you'll see premiere is very familiar, but very different, deeper in tone and a little bit more mature in its sensibilities. ... But it also creates a real sense of originality and creates more of a special feel for the original eight webisodes, which were kind of their own concept.

Tapping: The characters are fleshed out a lot more than what you see on the Web. The backstories, especially Will's backstory, [are] dived into a lot more. We're repurposing some of the flashbacks and saving them for use throughout the series. In the pilot, for example, I think there is only one flashback, as opposed to the many that we had in the Web series. John Druitt is a bit different. Magnus is a little softer ... a little more approachable. Still mysterious and still sexy in a really intelligent, scary kind of way [laughs]. Her backstory is delved into a lot more. What the Web series allowed us to do is flesh it out. We took a very finite story and expanded it. So the Web series, the webisodes you saw online have now been expanded to a two-hour premiere and almost completely rewritten. We repurposed very little of it. ... We used some scenes. Will's introduction to the Sanctuary and the characters are all the same. The relationships are all the same, still got that dark edgy sort of quality to it, but we fleshed it out a lot more. I actually think it's a better story. It is a better story than it was...

Stargate SG-1 / Atlantis - GateWorld: Sabine C. Bauer Video Interview

At GateWorld:

(Please follow the link to view the video in its original format.)



LADY OF FICTION

GateWorld talks with Sabine Bauer

Sabine C. Bauer has been writing fan fiction for some time. When publisher Fandemonium was looking to launch its new Stargate novel series they approached her to kick off the first story. Now with three books released, Sabine couldn't be happier with her growth as a writer.

GateWorld caught up with the author at this year's Gatecon convention in Vancouver, British Columbia. In our video interview, we discuss Bauer's latest Atlantis work, "Mirror, Mirror." We explore her style of writing, the challenge of moving from SG-1 to Atlantis, and realizing her dream of writing professionally.

Our video interview runs approximately 18 minutes, and requires QuickTime 7.0 or higher. Transcript available at the link above. The interview is also available at GateWorld Play!

Don't forget, you can talk with Sabine and other Fandemonium authors directly in GateWorld Forum!



A brief excerpt:

GW: Now, how many titles have you written for Stargate so far?

SB: Three. I wrote the first one out of the box, "Trial by Fire," I wrote the number seven, which was "Survival of the Fittest," and I've just published my very first Atlantis book, "Mirror, Mirror."

GW: "Mirror, Mirror," which I was joking with Darren in a podcast the other day, it's "The Atlantis Variations", instead of the "Daedalus Variations!"

SB: I guess so, yes! [Laughter] It came out of, oh God, an idea I had years back about space odyssey, if you will, really taking the structure, or not necessarily the structure, but elements of Homers Odyssey, and transplanting it. Which is not an altogether bizarre choice given the gate system, given what can happen if it malfunctions, and OK, the end product is a lot less close to Homer than I thought it might be, because writing aptitude aside, my stories usually start with word one, and then they go wherever the hell they please to go ... I shouldn't say "hell" should I? Heck! [laughter]

Stargate Novels

The Pretender - Video: 'Every Picture Tells a Story'

Courtesy of HULU, The Pretender's 'Every Picture Tells a Story,' starring Michael T. Weiss, Andrea Parker, Jon Gries and Patrick Bauchau. Guest stars include Sam Ayers, Dennis Cockrum, Ed Evanko, Elizabeth Heflin and William Sanderson.

Jarod poses as Lieutenant Campbell of the Coast Guard in order to figure out why a man died at sea waiting for a rescue that never came.

The SciFi Guys: 'Tin Man' - Audio Interview and Contest

At the SciFi Guys:



THE SCI FI GUYS SPECIAL 1: THE TIN MEN FEAT ALAN CUMMINGS AND NICK WILLING

DTRN (Destiny Radio Network) is proud to announce in association RHI Entertainment and The Sci Fi Channel the second of its Sci Fi Guys Special, The Tin Men!

This special is to celebrate the recent release of the hit Sci Fi Channel miniseries, Tin Man, on DVD and will feature SCI FI Guys EXCLUSIVE special guest interviews with Alan Cumming (Who plays Glitch in the miniseries) and the British director of the mini series, Nick Willing.

A tent-pole miniseries release from RHI Entertainment and SCI FI Channel, Tin Man is a modern science fiction update of L. Frank Baum's timeless The Wonderful Wizard of Oz nominated for 9 Emmy awards and recently won a creative Emmy for the make up used in the miniseries.

When a sorceress named Azkadellia scorches the once-beautiful land of Oz into a desolate wasteland the only hope lies in an "outsider" named D.G. a young Midwestern woman whose troubling dreams have summoned her to the doomed paradise. D.G. embarks on a journey to find the great mystic man to save the Oz and on her way she befriends a scarecrow named Glitch, a tin cop named Cain and gentle manimal named Raw. The DVD is now available from all good DVD/Blu-Ray retailers rrp £19.99
and £24.99 respectively.

Listeners will also have the chance to win one of six copies of the mini series (three winners on DVD, three winners on Blu-Ray) by sending in there own re-imaging of a fairytale featuring their favourite Cult TV or Sci Fi Characters to competitions [at] dtrn.co.uk. Entries will be accepted up until 5pm BST on the day of transmission. Please note that the entrant must specify which format that they wish to win or else the judges will award them with either.

The fun starts at 8pm BST on Wednesday 1st October and will also feature the usual mixture of Sci Fi Guys news, reviews and discussion.

Total Recall 2070: Video: 'Machine Dreams; Part 1'

Courtesy of HULU, 1999's Total Recall 2070 series premiere, 'Machine Dreams; Part 1,' starring Michael Easton, Karl Pruner, Cynthia Preston, Michael Rawlins, Judith Krant and Matthew Bennett. Guest stars include Hrant Alianak, Kim Coates, Vince Corazza, Anne Marie DeLuise and Nick Mancuso.

Part 1 of 2. Hume and his new partner embark on a mission to locate a missing 12-year-old boy.

Interesting short lived series that aired on Showtime. Nominated for an Emmy in '99 for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series for the episode, 'Machine Dreams.'

Stargate Atlantis - Australia: SciFi Pi Blog: SGA Season One Marathon - Oct. 4/5 '08

From Australia's SciFi Channel's SciFi Pi blog:

(Please follow the link for the complete blog update.)



What's On This Week Sep 29 - Oct 5

CAPTAIN'S BLOG

Sunday, September 28

by Captain


Our first sci-fi-fantastic week in October gets the only 'O' month off to one hell of a bang. A Galaxy sized bang!

Welcome to the week that holds SCI FI's Stargate: Atlantis Season One Marathon.

The Whole Season. The Whole Weekend. This Weekend. You'd be crazier than a human-starved Wraith to miss it!

Starting from 9am on Saturday morning and 9am on Sunday morning, with all twenty episodes, one after the other...

..And if that wasn't enough Stargate action for you for one weekend, check out our
feature documentaries on Sunday afternoon - From Stargate to Atlantis at 2.50pm and Behind the Mythology of Stargate SG-1 at 3.50pm.

It's the cherry on the cake of your Stargate weekend.

David Boreanaz - Bones - Video: 'A Boy In A Bush'

Courtesy of HULU, from Bones' season one, 'A Boy In A Bush,' starring Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, Michaela Conlin, Eric Millegan, T.J. Thyne and Jonathan Adams. Guest stars include Paul Butcher, Evan Ellingson, Natacha Roi, Michelle Anne Johnson, Paul Parducci and Kathleen M. Darcy.

Brennan determines that Charlie was sexually assaulted before he was murdered, which leads Booth to conclude they're on the hunt for a serial pedophile. When the prime suspect is eliminated, Booth and Brennan pay a heartbreaking visit to Charlie's mother.

Exosquad: Video: 'A Traitor Among Us'

Courtesy of HULU, Exosquad's 'A Traitor Among Us,' starring the voice talents of Lisa Ann Beley, Robby Benson, Gary Chalk, Wally Marsh and John Payne.

J.T. communicates with the fleet that the Earth GRAF shield is operational and that a Venus GRAF shield will soon will be. A traitor named Diana is discovered among the Resistance troops.

Sanctuary - SciFi.com: Amanda Tapping Quiz

At SciFi.com's Sanctuary site:



A quiz on Amanda Tapping.

ReGenesis - Video: 'Faint Hope'

Courtesy of HULU, ReGenesis' 'Faint Hope,' starring Peter Outerbridge, Maxim Roy, Conrad Pla, Mayko Nguyen, Dmitry Chepovetsky, Sarah Strange, Greg Bryk and Ellen Page. Guest stars include Mark Rendall, Patrick McKenna, Rosemary Dunsmore, David Storch, Eli Gabay and Tannis Burnett.

Carlos Serrano, the Senior Researcher at NorBAC, wants to help a friend dying of AIDS participate in cutting edge research.

Sarah Jane Adventures - Digital Spy (UK): Elisabeth Sladen Interview

At Digital Spy (UK):

(Please follow the link for the complete interview.)



Elisabeth Sladen ('Sarah Jane Adventures')

Friday, September 26 2008, 09:24 BST

By Neil Wilkes, Editor


The Sarah Jane Adventures - CBBC's Doctor Who spinoff for kids - is back for a second series. We say "for kids", but a large number of fully-grown Whovians may well disagree. The new run of 12 episodes promises to deliver a Smörgåsbord of delights for all ages, from a Sontaran in episode one to the much-anticipated return of The Brig in the series finale. We paid a visit to the set of the show to find out more from the lovely Elisabeth Sladen.

How would you say this series of Sarah Jane Adventures is different from the first?

"It comes in the dialogue. It's just more explanatory and it doesn't cut off quite so quickly. There are more grown-up stories and it's much harder hitting, I think. We stay with the problem this time, therefore we have to have dialogue that will not patronise."

Have you learnt more about Sarah Jane this series?

"I learn more about her every day. Russell [T Davies] said 'There are so many places she can go. We're only just starting to find out about her'. When the series started, I did think 'where is this going?' Quite honestly, when the pilot went out, I thought I was going to get so much stick from journalists. I love the programme, and always thought it was very good, but that's not always other people's perceptions. It's lovely how people have been so embracing of it..."

The Sarah Jane Adventures begins Monday at 4.35pm on BBC One.

Media Blvd. Magazine: Amanda Tapping Talks About Sanctuary

At Media Blvd. Magazine:

(Please follow the link for the complete interview.)



Amanda Tapping Talks About Sanctuary

Saturday, 27 September 2008

The British-born Vancouver resident recently spoke to MediaBlvd Magazine about the extraordinary visual effects of this new series

By Christina Radish

The Sci-Fi Channel’s newest original one-hour drama, Sanctuary, follows the adventures of the beautiful, enigmatic and always surprising Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping). A brilliant scientist who holds the secrets of a clandestine population -- a group of strange and sometimes terrifying beings that live in hiding among humans -- the 157-year-old Helen, along with forensic psychiatrist Dr. Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne), quirky tech-wiz Henry (Ryan Robbins) and her fearless daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup), seeks to protect this threatened phenomena, as well as unlock the mysteries behind their existence.

Following a record-breaking 10 seasons as Air Force Colonel Samantha Carter in Stargate SG-1, as well as a season on the series’ popular spin-off series Stargate Atlantis, Amanda Tapping is branching out as both executive producer and star of Sanctuary. The British-born Vancouver resident recently spoke to MediaBlvd Magazine about the extraordinary visual effects of this new series.


A brief excerpt:


MediaBlvd> You’ve had experience working with special effects, but is it weird to work in such a minimalist set-up, where almost everything in the room is just a green backdrop?

Amanda> Initially it is, but it feels more like doing theater than anything else, and that was my training. It actually feels like you’re putting on a play because you don’t have a huge set to play with. The hardest thing with shooting an almost entirely virtual show is getting a sense of the scale. We’ve shot in the catacombs under Rome, and we’ve shot in huge chapels. The Sanctuary itself is this massive structure. It’s really hard to get a sense of just how big it all is. And so, when we started to see the fully finished effects, we were like, “Wow, the Sanctuary really is huge!”

SGA - Cinema Blend: Video: Amanda Tapping Talks About Sanctuary

At Cinema Blend:



Amanda Tapping Talks About Sanctuary

By Kelly West: 2008-09-28

I’m writing this from Colorado where the Scifi channel is hosting a digital press event. This weekend we were fortunate enough to spend some time with Amanda Tapping, star of Stargate Atlantis as well as the new Scifi series, Sanctuary. Tapping, who is just as gorgeous in person as she is on the small screen, is equally friendly. She’s also very enthusiastic about Sanctuary and was kind enough to talk with us about the show. We’ve got the video of the interview for your viewing pleasure.

Tapping talks about Sanctuary as well as her thoughts on fan-fiction, being a working mom, and leaving SGA to do Sanctuary.

[NOTE: Two videos at the Cinema Blend site. Please follow the link to view them in their original format.]





Sanctuary premieres on Scifi this Friday, October 3rd at 9:00 p.m. Scifi has videos and info about the new series up on their website. There’s a great Sneak Peak video on there as well.

Stargate Atlantis - GateWorld: Full Coverage: First Contact

At GateWorld:



FULL COVERAGE: First Contact

Discussion

Episode Guide

An excerpt from the Production section in the Episode Guide:

"It was the most cryptic, enigmatic pitch of a story I've ever heard. The pitch was: 'You go to Atlantis and something happens and Daniel has to help everybody to get rid of the bad guys that are coming.' I was like, 'Wow, did you spend a lot of time thinking that one up?' But it's one of those things. Stargate is like old home. It's always nice to be able to revisit that universe and those individuals and to play that character again."
(Actor Michael Shanks, in an interview with The National Ledger)

Photos

Transcript


Download (iTunes)

Download (Amazon)

David Hewlett: A Request to Vote to Donate!

From David Hewlett's 'A Dog's Breakfast' blog:



This is not an update...

Written by dgeek

Friday, 26 September 2008 22:12

Sorry, just wanted to pass this on to you all and your friends and families:

Vote to Donate!

No donations necessary! Just vote for Doctors Without Borders and they get a portion of a million dollar donation!...all you have to do is leave your email address to prove your vote...if you get a second, it's an easy and cheap way to help out my favourite charity!

I'll give you the post Atlantis wrap-up when I get a second...freedom is time consuming!

Thanks,

D!


~~**~~**

Doctors Without Borders

Sanctuary - Comics Online: Amanda Tapping/Robin Dunne Interview

At Comics Online:

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



CC 2008: Interview with Sanctuary's Amanda Tapping and Robin Dunne

SciFithe_matt writes "Amanda Tapping (Stargate's Samantha Carter) returns to SCIFI Channel this fall with a new original series Sanctuary. The show was originally conceived as an internet series but now has made the jump to television.

This year at Comic-Con we had the chance to once again speak with Amanda Tapping as well as her co-star Robin Dunne about the new project.

...CO: Is there an over-arcing story for this first season or is a series of stand alone episodes?

AT: There is a story throughout the season but I can't tell you too much about it right now...I have to be cloak and dagger about it. There is a 13 episode arc. We bring in Helen's back story and explain a lot about who she is and how she is. Things are just fleshed out. We also really get to explain the Sanctuary and why it exists.

This year at Comic-Con we also had the chance to speak with Amanda Tapping's co-star Robin Dunne about the new project.

...CO: Previously the series started out online. Have you incorporated those episodes into this new show or will this be totally separate from the online work?

RD: There are similarities but the show has been totally revamped. We are getting into the characters more and we are making a show that is set in this fantastical world with such spectacle, but at the same time we have these characters and stories that are really compelling. We hope that the characters are easy to relate to even though they are set against this crazy background. I think that this show is that wonderful combination of glitz and eye candy mixed with really compelling storytelling. For an actor its really just amazing...

Stay tuned to ComicsOnline.com for more coverage of Sanctuary!

Stargate Atlantis - MGM Stargate: Behind the Scenes: Tracker

At MGM Stargate:

(Please follow the link for the complete article.)



Dr. Jennifer Keller (Jewel Staite) and Kyrik (Mike Dupod)

Behind the Scenes: Tracker

September 26, 2008 (Episodes)

Writer and producer Carl Binder gives fans an insight into how ‘Tracker’ came to the screen.


It’s been over a year since Dr. Jennifer Keller joined the personnel of Atlantis, and in that time she’s had quite a ride. So much has happened to the young Dr., in fact, that she’s almost a different person – and that was exactly what writer Carl Binder wanted to explore with ‘Tracker’.

“I’d always been wanting to do a follow up episode to ‘Missing’, like a year later,” he explains. “I was trying to come up with a story in which I could once again throw Keller into some sort of difficult situation, facing adversity, so I could show how being a part of Atlantis for a year has changed her. She’s no longer the fish out of water, but somebody who can roll with it and face it. So I really wanted to show how she had changed. I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to do that. Obviously, she’s afraid, but she’s also taking charge of the situation. One, she’s trying to escape, and two, she’s trying to deal with this guy, and show some strength in the middle of this adversity...”

Sanctuary - Space Channel: The Circuit - Video Clip from Sanctuary Behind The Scenes

At Canada's Space Channel's new current events series, The Circuit, a video clip is up from this week's broadcast, and contains a whole 15 seconds of video from the behind-the-scenes look at Sanctuary, at the very end of the video clip.



The video clip is of Sanctuary Creator/Writer Damian Kindler, discussing the state-of-the-art technology used to make the show.

"We use a lithograph and we use stone tablets for our scripts. And, once in awhile we send a balloon and/or carrier pigeon to make it to the next equinox's change, so that the studio can get their notes back by the summer solstice."

HypaSpace Podcast:: Neil Gaiman, Frank Miller, Peter Jurasik Audio Interview

From Canada's Space Channel's HypaSpace Podcast:

HYPASPACE PODCAST

September 26 -

Tom Green, Neil Gaiman, Christopher Paolini, Frank Miller, and Peter Jurasik are featured in interviews this week.

Podcast Link

Psych - Video: 'Black & Tan: A Crime of Fashion'

Courtesy of USA and HULU, Psych's mid-season finale, 'Black & Tan: A Crime of Fashion,' starring James Roday, Dulé Hill, Timothy Omundson, Maggie Lawson, Kirsten Nelson and Corbin Bernsen. Guest stars include Amanda Detmer, Melanie Lynskey, Jilon Ghai, Amanda Pays, Corey Sevier and Katharine Isabelle.

It's Fashion Week in Santa Barbara, and all around town it's models, parties, and death by electrocution. Shawn and Gus go undercover as male models to investigate the murder of a prominent designer.

Stargate Atlantis - Cinema Blend: Video clip from 'The Lost Tribe'

At Cinema Blend:

A video clip from 'The Lost Tribe' -- with major spoilers!

Stargate Atlantis' 'The Lost Tribe' airs Friday, October 10 at its NEW time -- 9pm -- on the SciFi Channel (US).

Stargate Atlantis - SciFi Channel Updates for First Contact

From the SciFi Channel's Stargate Atlantis site, updates for September 26, 2008:


First Contact

* Episode Synopsis

* Episode Photos


NEW Alex Levine Blog update for First Contact




NEXT new episode: The Lost Tribe airs Friday October 10 at a NEW time -- 9pm -- on the SciFi Channel (US). Michael Shanks guest stars.

Can McKay and Jackson prevent a cataclysmic chain of events? Friday October 10 9/8C



Trailer for The Lost Tribe

(Please follow the link to view the trailer in its original format.)





NEW Season 5 Quiz!

Stargate SG-1

Stargate Atlantis - Robert Picardo Answers Your Questions!

From Joseph Mallozzi's blog update for September 26, 2008:

(Please follow the link for the complete blog update. NEW photos of Robert Picardo at the site [in their original format].)



September 26, 2008: Robert Picardo Answers Your Questions!


Back in late 2007, when we received word that Amanda Tapping would not be reprising her role as Colonel Samantha Carter on Stargate: Atlantis, the production was faced with the task of choosing a new commander for the Atlantis expedition. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that difficult given that Paul and I immediately agreed on the short list of candidates: “Picardo, Bob. That is all.” I picked up the phone and gave Bob a call, asked him how he’d like to join the show as a regular. He was surprised yet delighted at the prospect of coming aboard. “Uh, can I get back to you on Monday?”he asked me. “I need to run this by Linda.” Well, Bob’s lovely wife Linda thankfully gave him her blessing and so it was that Robert Picardo joined the cast of Stargate: Atlantis.

It’s interesting that, in season 5, Bob stepped into a position vacated by Amanda Tapping given that, whenever I do interviews, I often draw parallels between the two. They are both incredibly kind, professional, delightful to work with, and gifted actors who always elevate the performances of anyone they share a scene with.

As production on the show’s fifth and final season wrapped, I asked Bob whether he might be interested in doing a little fan Q&A for the blog. He was kind enough to say yes and, after shooting his last scene, dropped by my office to answer some of your questions which I dutifully transcribed and now present to you as part of this special Robert Picardo Guest Blog Entry…



A brief excerpt:


Sylvia writes: “Please share description of a couple of scenes with the cast that stand out as memorable to you personally.”

RP: I liked my scene with Joe at the end of The Seed wherein Woolsey recognizes the necessity of casting aside the rule book. I thought that was the beginning of his real education as a leader. I also enjoyed the comic moments I was given to play particularly in the upcoming episode Remnants.

Behind the scenes photo from 'Vegas': Actors David Hewlett, Robert Picardo, Gary Jones, David Nykl

Stargate SG-1 - GateWorld Play: Video: The Phenomenon - Tom McBeath

At GateWorld Play:

(Please follow the link to view the video in its original format.

Video: The Phenomenon - Tom McBeath

The actor behind Colonel Harry Maybourne reveals a special encounter he had with two fans, as well as his awe for conventions.

Eureka - NBCUMV: SciFi's Eureka Scores With Best Season To Date

At NBCUMV:



SCI FI'S EUREKA SCORES WITH BEST SEASON TO DATE

Published: September 25, 2008

NEW YORK — Sept 25, 2008 — With the conclusion of the first half of its 3rd season (Season 3.0) on Tuesday night, SCI FI Channel's hit original dramedy Eureka had its best season average to date with 1.56 million adults 25-54.

Ratings highlights include:

· Eureka completed Season 3.0 with its best season average ever in P25-54s, 1.56 MM P25-54s (note that this includes full DVR playback for only five of the season's eight episodes).

· Eureka was the #1 cable entertainment program in August and September on Tuesdays for P25-54 viewers.

· Eureka's Season 3.0 produced double-digit increases vs. the summer 2007 Season 2 in HH ratings (+11%), total viewers (+12%) and P25-54s (+12%). The series has also increased by +3% among P18-49 viewers.

· The first half of Season 3 of Eureka averaged a 2.1 HH rating, 1.310 MM P18-49, 1.560 MM P25-54 and 2.776 MM total viewers to-date in Most Current Data.**

Eureka is an offbeat, relatable dramedy with a unique sci-fi twist. Nestled in the Pacific Northwest, Eureka is a small town with big secrets. Shrouded in secrecy, the picturesque hamlet is actually a community of geniuses assembled by the government to conduct top-secret research. What they've unwittingly created is a place where anything imaginable can happen… and does. Eureka airs Tuesdays @ 9pm ET/PT only on SCI FI.

Executive produced by Jaime Paglia and Charlie Craig, Eureka stars Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Joe Morton, Jordan Hinson, Ed Quinn, Erica Cerra, and Neil Grayston. The show is produced by SCI FI Channel, in association with Universal Cable Productions.

**The "most current" data for Eureka includes full DVR playback for only five of the season's eight episodes.

Sanctuary / Stargate - Channel Guide: From "Stargate" To "Sanctuary"

At Channel Guide:

(Please follow the link for the complete interview.)



From "Stargate" To "Sanctuary"

Amanda Tapping Loves Her Fans.

By Elaine Bergstrom

It's 4pm in Vancouver and Sanctuary star Amanda Tapping has already put in a full day on the set. After our interview, she'll be heading back to work for a few more hours. This type of schedule has been par for the course for Tapping since she began working as both producer and star of Sanctuary, which premieres Oct. 3 on SCI FI Channel. Still, she gave me plenty of time as we talked about the genre she loves, the fans she adores and the fun of filming in Canada, the country the British-born actress now calls home.

...What will you do on the web?

AT: "At this stage, we would start the social networking aspect of it -- get the fans involved with games. And then, if the show is a success, we can carry it forward and make the web a separate entity. I would love to see Magnus walking down a corridor in Sanctuary and sort of look toward a door but not open it, and then on the web have the fans able to open that door and see things they won't see on television. We'd make it an interactive experience."

I love your website and your interaction with fans. There seems to be a much closer relationship between sci-fi fans and their stars than there is with mainstream series.

AT: "I cannot say enough about sci-fi fans. I have never met a more stalwart, focused, supportive group of fans in any genre. Part of it is the social networking. They're really an active group. Stargate lasted 10 years and I attribute it to the fans and to the fact that they stuck by us. I don't do a lot of conventions, but I do smaller ones, and it's a great way to say thank you to them. They really are an incredible group. It makes taking a big leap of faith -- like leaving the Stargate franchise to jump on to Sanctuary -- easier by knowing there is this groundswell of fans to support it..."

Sanctuary - SciFi.com: Video: Extended Sneak Peek

At SciFi.com:

Sneak Peek

Sanctuary

Watch a extended sneak peek from the premiere episode of "Sanctuary."



Sanctuary premieres on the SciFi Channel (US) on Friday, October 3 '08 at 9pm.

Stargate Atlantis / SG1 - Multichannel News: Sci Fi Buys ‘Stargate SG-1’ Flicks

At Multichannel News:

(Please follow the link for the complete article.)

EXCLUSIVE: Sci Fi Buys ‘Stargate SG-1’ Flicks For Spring ’09 Schedule

Scores U.S. Rights to Premiere Made-For-DVD Movies

By Kent Gibbons -- Multichannel News, 9/26/2008 2:27:00 PM

Sci Fi Channel has acquired the U.S. television rights to premiere both of the Stargate SG-1 made-for-DVD movies released so far by MGM, with plans to make them Sunday-night movie events next spring, network officials told Multichannel News Friday.

Stargate: Ark of Truth, released as a DVD this past March, will air first, in early spring, and Stargate: Continuum, released as a DVD this past July, will air late in the spring, according to Thomas Vitale, senior VP of programming and original movies at NBC Universal-owned Sci Fi.



Vitale wouldn’t reveal the purchase terms, but said it was part of a deal that also included the new TV series Stargate Universe, scheduled to debut on the channel next summer (possibly July).

Sci Fi also ordered from MGM and the Stargate production team a made-for-TV movie to follow Stargate Atlantis, the series that’s wrapping up its run on Sci Fi with the current, fifth season. The 100th and last episode of Atlantis finished shooting last week.

The Atlantis movie might not air until late next year, Vitale said, and could act as a “bridge” when Universe takes a break. Sci Fi generally splits its series seasons in two with several months in between the first and second set of episodes...

Heroes - Video: The Butterfly Effect - Commentary

Courtesy of NBC and HULU, Heroes' 'The Butterfly Effect - Commentary.'

Heroes - The Butterfly Effect - Commentary

Behind the Scenes |42:47 |

James Kyson Lee; Greg Beeman, Executive Producer & Director; Brea Grant

Stargate Atlantis - Behind the Scenes Video & Photos from 'First Contact'

From Joseph Mallozzi's blog update for September 25, 2008:

(Please follow the link for the complete blog update and to view the NEW photos [in their original format] and video of the new alien race introduced on Friday's Stargate Atlantis episode, 'First Contact.')



Writer Carl Binder

September 25, 2008: A First Contact Sneak Peek, Underrated Authors, and the Mailbag


If there are two things Martin Gero loves, it’s show tunes and heist movies. So, very early on in his Stargate career, he was presented with an irresistible challenge: How to combine these two greatest passions into one hugely awesome episode of Atlantis?

“Impossible!”you say? Well then, I would have to agree with you. But how about going with one or the other? Say an episode in which the team travels to a planet with a civilization built upon the worship of Broadway musicals? Or an episode in which the city of Atlantis is the target of an SF-style heist? Okay, let’s go with the latter.



Martin had wanted to do this story for a while. As far back as season 2, I remember him pitching it out only, in the original version, Atlantis was compromised by a crazed Aiden Ford (and equally crazed cohorts) who had taken the city in order to get their hands on something special. Something very special. Something so special that, at the time, none of us could think of what it could be. So the story was tabled.



Flash forward to earlier this season. Martin is still spinning this heist story, but this time as the possible mid-season two-parter. I had pitched out the idea that given the wraith’s weakened position in the Pegasus Galaxy as a result of the heavy losses they had suffered over the past year, it would make sense for advanced civilizations that had been in hiding for hundreds of years might seize the opportunity presented by the shift in the galactic status quo to make themselves known. We went back and forth on who these aliens might be until Rob [Cooper] came up with a clever spin on a familiar notion. So we had our villains and we had their backstory. All we needed now was a motive. And it came compliments of Alan McCullough who pitched out an idea about the team discovering a secret lab on Atlantis that was once the workplace of the enigmatic Ancient Janus.



With all of the major pieces in place, Marty G. took the week to spin it in his head, we all gathered and broke the two-parter, then he wrote the script. That was easy part. Then, it came time to design the look of these new interstellar baddies. Well, we knew what we wanted. Something cool-looking. And we knew what we didn’t want: lycra, shiny plastic bits, and enormous cod-pieces (q.v. SG-1 super soldier). After much discussion between Mary G. and Production Designer James Robbins, the villains were given their look: sleek, nefarious, body armor chic. Check ‘em out in the posted pics. And in tomorrow night’s episode, First Contact, the first part of our spectacular mid-season two-parter.



Hey, you may have noticed I host a little book of the month club here on this blog, the purpose of which is to introduce readers to new authors and offer a forum for discussion on literary works in the fields of SF, fantasy, and horror. With our October/November selections set, I was looking ahead to January 2009 and started thinking it might be nice to consider some underrated or underappreciated authors, authors who, for whatever reason, aren’t getting the recognition they deserve. So who, in your opinion, should we be considering? Pitch me your Top 5 Underrated Authors.



Today’s entry is dedicated to birthday gals Narelle from Aus and Rachel. And an extra special dedication to regular Becky L. who is undoubtedly going through a very tough time right now.

Today’s video: Bam Bam shows off the suit.



Today’s mailbag:

Missy writes: “Has there ever been a story idea that you really wanted to write for Stargate Atlantis but never got the chance??”

Answer: In the coming days, I’ll post a rundown of certain episodes that did not make the cut (a.k.a. story ideas that got shelved that we would have inevitably reconsidered had we done another season).

Heroes: Video: The Second Coming - Commentary

Courtesy of NBC and HULU, The Second Coming - Commentary.

Heroes - The Second Coming - Commentary

Commentary |43:39 |

Adrian Pasdar; Tim Kring, Creator & Executive Producer; Allan Arkush, Executive Producer & Director

Sanctuary - Cult Times Magazine # 157 - Christopher Heyerdahl Interview

At Visimag:



Cult Times Issue 157

Only $2.99 [.pdf file] (print price $7.99)

Cult Times 157 INTERVIEWED...

• The Sarah Jane Adventures
Star Elisabeth Sladen

• Heroes Brea Grant, aka Daphne, the super-speedster

• Fringe Star Joshua Jackson

• Eli Stone Victor Garber on playing Jordan Wethersby

• Sanctuary Christopher Heyerdahl on playing John Druitt, aka Jack the Ripper

Sanctuary, the previously web-only shows comes to TV, and Christopher Heyerdahl is on hand to tell us about playing John Druitt, aka Jack the Ripper, and a Wraith on Stargate Atlantis.



• Dead Set Writer Charlie Brooker

PLUS... • Unique TV Listings

October 2008's UK cult programmes listed, with full episode details

David Boreanaz - Bones - Video: 'The Perfect Pieces in the Purple Pond'

Courtesy of FOX and HULU, Bones' 'The Perfect Pieces in the Purple Pond,' starring Emily Deschanel, David Boreanaz, T.J. Thyne, Michaela Conlin, Tamara Taylor and John Francis Daley. Guest stars include Eric Millegan, Ryan Alvarez, Todd Robert Anderson, Debra Christofferson, Dean Cudworth, Matt Doherty and Ransford Doherty.

A shocked teenager finds a dismembered body laying in pieces in a strange purple pool of water.

Chuck - SciFi Weekly: Zachary Levi Interview

At SciFi Weekly:

(Please follow the link for the complete SciFi Weekly interview.)



INTERVIEWS

September 26, 2008

Zachary Levi returns to spy harder in a second season of Chuck

By Ian Spelling


Zachary Levi is atop a wave he hopes to ride for a long, long time. Levi stars as the title character on Chuck, and NBC, more on the strength of critical acclaim than ratings, renewed the show for a second season, ordering 13 episodes. Then, more recently, the network, apparently on the strength of what it had seen of the first few second-season episodes, ordered nine more hours, thereby ensuring that Chuck, even before it kicks off its sophomore year, will be assured a full 22-episode second-season run. So why the support? Well, Chuck is one of network television's most winsome shows, a quirky combination of action, comedy, romance, SF and spy intrigue.

The key figure is, of course, Chuck Bartowski (Levi), the very average Joe who saw his life completely transformed when a CIA/NSA database got downloaded into him, thus making him and his survival paramount to both agencies. To keep him safe, the CIA sent the lovely Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski), while the NSA sent John Casey (Adam Baldwin). And so, surrounded at all times by Sarah and John—and let's not forget that Chuck adores Sarah and she likes him back, or that John may have to kill Chuck—Chuck basically works as a spy, all the while juggling his familiar responsibilities as a pocket-pack-sporting member of the Nerd Herd at the local Buy More electronics superstore. Season two begins on Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and SCI FI Weekly spoke with Levi in advance of the premiere.



A brief excerpt:

Chuck is loaded with pop-culture references. We've seen the Tron poster and heard references to Dune and Lost and Adam Baldwin's old show, Firefly. How big a fan are you of that kind of thing?

Levi: I love it. And we, the cast, we try to throw in even more as much as we can, especially when it comes to the video-game stuff and the nerd-related stuff, quoting sci-fi films and television shows. I think, A, it's a lot of fun for us, and B, it's all those great little easter eggs that audiences just eat up. They love them, and I know why, because I love them. I love that stuff. One of my favorites was that Lost reference that we did, "Oceanic Flight 815." That was so great, because I'm such a huge fan of Lost. It went by so fast, and those are my favorite kind. You just throw them out there and whoever gets it, gets it, and if they don't get it that's fine, too. But it's a little treasure for people to find, and it layers the show and makes it that much better, in my opinion.

Sanctuary - SciFi Wire: TV Smackdown V: Sanctuary Vs. Blood

At SciFi Wire:

(Please follow the link for the complete article.)



12:00 AM, 26-SEPTEMBER-08

TV Smackdown V: Sanctuary Vs. Blood

This week, SCI FI Wire will run a daily series of stories looking at the competition among new television series we like to call our Fall TV Smackdown. We'll pit two fall shows against each other and see which one comes out the winner. Are the comparisons fair? Of course not. It's about as fair as Sylar cutting open Claire's brain in the Heroes season premiere.

It's all about the ladies in this sci-fi-vs.-fantasy feature matchup as SCI FI Channel's new original series Sanctuary takes on HBO's True Blood. It's a monster mash that has a cool, virtual world with Amanda Tapping in one corner and hot, randy vamps with Anna Paquin in the other ... with accents.

True Blood. HBO, Sundays, 9 p.m. ET/PT. Premiered Sept. 7. After the invention of synthetic blood allows vampires to "come out of the coffin"--they don't have to feed off humans anymore--they've managed to gain rights as citizens...



Sanctuary. SCI FI, Fridays, 9 p.m. ET/PT. Premieres Oct. 3. Sanctuary is billed by SCI FI as the first television series to feature live actors against primarily virtual sets, along the lines of 300 and Sin City. While it began life as an eight-episode Web series, the television show features a two-hour premiere that starts at the beginning of the story. While investigating a murder case, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne) begins to suspect the explanation offered at a murder scene. Will soon discovers that his suspicions are right. When a woman named Dr. Helen Magnus (Tapping) approaches him, she takes Will to a place she calls the Sanctuary and tells him an amazing tale. According to Magnus, the world is filled with Abnormals, fantastic creatures that are the stuff of fairy-tale books and incredible legends. The world needs to be protected from some of them, while others need to be protected from the world. Magnus has made it her mission to find and study these creatures and to offer them sanctuary if they want it. She is joined on her mission by her fearless daughter, Ashley (Emilie Ullerup), a loyal butler who looks a lot like Bigfoot and their technical wizard, Henry. As Will learns more about Magnus' world and her nemesis, John Druitt (Christopher Heyerdahl), he must decide whether he can "dare to believe in the unbelievable."

Sanctuary's Secret Weapon: With an incredible virtual world and a brunette Tapping with an English accent, who needs reality? Sanctuary is executive-produced by Tapping, creator Damian Kindler, Martin Wood and Sam Egan.



The Outlook: SCI FI's big new SF entry, Sanctuary, offers to put Tapping back in action in a role very different role from Stargate SG-1's Lt. Col. Samantha Carter, and that's a good thing. Beyond that, it's dripping with mythology and has loads of action and extremely cool visuals, not to mention some nicely drawn characters. Along with Fringe, Sanctuary has more of a fully realized world than any of the other fall offerings. Taking up residence on Friday nights, the series should be an excellent match for Stargate Atlantis. With 13 episodes ordered, look for Sanctuary to do very well for SCI FI.

The Winner: It's going to be a knock-down, drag-out marathon, with True Blood already being renewed for a second season and Sanctuary a shoo-in, considering that Battlestar Galactica and Stargate Atlantis are headed out. Let's call this one a draw, with virtual fangs. --Kathie Huddleston