Thursday, December 18, 2008

Star Trek - Los Angeles Times: Majel Barrett Roddenberry dies at 76

At the Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA):

(Please follow the link for the complete obituary.)



Majel B. Roddenberry dies at 76; wife of 'Star Trek' creator was voice of the Enterprise

By Dennis McLellan
December 19, 2008

Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the widow of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry and an actress whose longtime association with the "Star Trek" franchise included playing Nurse Christine Chapel in the original series, died early Thursday morning. She was 76.

Roddenberry died at her home in Bel-Air after a battle with leukemia, said family spokesman Sean Rossall.
"She was a valiant lady," Leonard Nimoy, who played Mr. Spock on "Star Trek," told The Times. "She worked hard, she was straightforward, she was dedicated to 'Star Trek' and Gene, and a lot of people thought very highly of her."

... She is survived by her son, Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry Jr.

Roddenberry had a love of animals and was dedicated to animal rescue. Instead of flowers, the family suggests donations in her name to Precious Paws, www.preciouspaws.org, or CARE (Cat & Canine Assistance, Referral and Education), www.care4pets.org.

Funeral and memorial service details are pending.

Supernatural / Battlestar Galactica - TV Guide Online: Best Shows of 2008

At TV Guide Online:

BEST SHOWS OF 2008

Among the 16 series chosen as the Best of 2008 are:



8. Pushing Daisies



9. Battlestar Galactica



13. Supernatural - Angels and demons. Smoking-hot stars. And a wicked sense of humor. Just a few of the reasons this one has TV's most obsessive fans.

Stargate Atlantis - Stargate Official Magazine Issue # 26

At Titan Magazines:



Stargate Magazine Issue 26

NEWS

Celebrating Stargate: Atlantis

The latest issue of The Official Stargate SG1/Atlantis Magazine is a 100-page special dedicated to Team Atlantis. We were taken aback by the news that season five would be the show’s last, but reaching 100 episodes is an outstanding achievement that's more than worthy of celebration. We spent the final week of shooting in Vancouver with the cast and crew – see below for more information about this issue’s exclusive report from the set.

The Best Bits

We’ve been privy to some of the remaining season five storylines, and know for sure that there are some of the show’s greatest moments are yet to come! Until they unfold, however, reminisce with us as we celebrate some of the show’s finest moments throughout the latest issue.

FEATURES

Set Report ‘08

In this issue, we bring you the first part of an exclusive report direct from the Vancouver set of Stargate: Atlantis. Here’s a taster: ‘Joe Flanigan, David Hewlett and Chris Heyerdahl [are] filming a scene for the penultimate episode of the season, Vegas. Written and directed by Rob Cooper, and subtitled CSI: Atlantis, the episode is something of a departure for the show. We stand in near total darkness while the scene is shot, and during a break in filming Joe and David both pop over to say hi, looking very dapper in their off-world garb. Not wanting to give too much away, of course, but keep an eye out for Vegas – you’ll never look at Sheppard in the same way!’

Cast Interviews

Our official affiliation with the Stargate: Atlantis cast and crew means we bring you an unrivalled line-up of cast interviews. In this issue, David Hewlett tells us about saying goodbye to his inner genius, we venture into Ronon’s trailer to talk dreadlocks, the dark side and the end of an era with Jason Momoa, we ask Joe Flanigan if we’ll ever get to the heart of John Sheppard, Rachel Lutrell talks Teyla, and Robert Picardo, the master and commander of many an expedition, tells us about his kissably large head, among other things!

Martin Gero

Stargate: Atlantis scribe, movie director, and Rodney McKay’s biggest fan – it can only be Martin Gero. Heading up this issue’s stellar line-up of interviews with the show’s talented creators, Gero talks about writing another season premiere and helming his first ever full episode, Brain Storm. Meanwhile, main unit director Andy Mikita talks about steering Stargate: Atlantis to some of its finest moments, and show-runners Joe Mallozzi and Paul Mullie take time out to help us digest the first half of season five.




ISSUE SPOTLIGHT

Say Cheese!

Athosian Halling in a purple track top, Jason Momoa puckering up, Joe Flanigan kicking back with a guitar…it’s all there in the latest issue’s special treat to celebrate Stargate: Atlantis’ 100th episode. Check out our awesome gallery of photographs from behind the scenes of season five!


EXCLUSIVE EXTRAS:

Advanced Telemetry

Movie news, concept art, and all the latest talk from the world of Stargate.

A Sergeant and a Major

We whisper with Gary Jones and Colin Cunningham about the final appearance of Walter Harriman and Paul Davis.

Kavan Smith

We talk to the man who’ll soon be hanging up Major Lorne’s uniform about Captain Kirk and more!

Season Five Special Features


Get the lowdown on the special features on the forthcoming season five DVD box set!

Classic Episode

Tao of Rodney – Staring death in the face, McKay reveals a softer side in this season three episode.

Stargate Atlantis - Cast, Staff and Crew Photo

From the January - February issue of the Official Stargate Magazine, inside back cover.

(Click on photo for a larger format.)

Tom Cruise - Video: Valkyrie: Tom Cruise And Bryan Singer Interview

Courtesy of TV Guide's Hollywood 411 and HULU:

Celebrity Interviews - Valkyrie: Tom Cruise And Bryan Singer


Interview |01:53 |

Operation Valkyrie is in effect! Tom Cruise and Bryan Singer sit down with Maria Sansone to let her know that we should 'kill Hitler for Christmas.' Check out scenes from the movie Valkyrie here!

Stargate Atlantis / Sanctuary - NBCUMV: SciFi Scores Best Year Ever!

At NBCUMV:



SCI FI SCORES BEST YEAR EVER IN ALL KEY DEMOGRAPHICS

Published: December 17, 2008

#5 IN ADULTS 25–54; #9 AMONG ADULTS 18 - 49

NEW YORK – December 17, 2008 - SCI FI Channel's unprecedented growth for 2008 has resulted in its best annual ranking ever at #5 among Adults 25 –54, and #9 among Adults 18– 49, its best finish since 2005 among all entertainment cable networks. 2008 marks SCI FI's best year ever in all key demographics, most notably the double digit growth among female viewers. SCI FI has firmly established its mainstream appeal, and the aggressive strategy to broaden reach and attract new viewers yielded the network's highest reach ever, with new viewers fueling a +3% increase above SCI FI's previous highest reach ever record set in 2007.

In 2008, SCI FI averaged a 1.0 Household rating; 242,000 Adults 18–34 (up 4%); 616,000 Adults 18– 49 (up 5%); 695,000 Adults 25-54 (up 6%) and 1,278,000 total viewers (up 7%). SCI FI had two years of consecutive growth among females audiences, with a 12% increase among Women 25-54, a14% jump in Women 18-49 and 6% more Women 18-34. SCI FI also ranked among the top ten among Men 25-54 (#6), Men 18-49 (#9) and Women 25-54 (#10).


Program Highlights for 2008

Ghost Hunters


· In its full fourth season Ghost Hunters averaged a 2.0 Household rating (+33%), 2,783,000 total viewers (+41%); 1,767,000 Adults 25-54 (+43%), and 1,717,000 Adults18-49 (+33%). These are all series highs.

· Three of the top ten series telecasts among Adults 18-49, in SCI FI history were Ghost Hunters season 4 episodes, including the network's #2 highest performance in this demo (2,070,000 Adults18-49s on 10/22).

· In Ghost Hunters' Wednesday 9pm-10pm timeslot SCI FI is the #1 cable network in 2008 for Adults18-49 and Adults 25-54.


Battlestar Galactica

· The first half of Battlestar Galactica season 4 averaged a 1.8 Household rating, 1,576,000 Adults 18-49 (+15%); 1,726,000 Adults 25-54 (+19%) and 2,326,000 total viewers (+13%). Among Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54, this is the best half season or full season performance for the series since Battlestar Galactica season 1 (Jan-April 2005). Battlestar enjoyed its best season ever for female viewers, delivering 592,000 Women 18-49 and 646,000 Women 25-54.


Eureka

· Eureka delivered its best season to-date in key demos, while averaging a 2.2 Household rating and series-highs of 1,424,000 Adults 18-49 (+11%); 1,687,000 Adults 25-54 (+21%) and 2,972,000 Total Viewers (+20%).


Ghost Hunters International

· The spin-off to the record-breaking Ghost Hunters series, season 1 of Ghost Hunters International produced the network's best first season ever for an original reality series, averaging a 1.7 Household rating; 1,352,000 Adults18-49; 1,392,000 Adults 25-54 and 2,269,000
Total Viewers.


Destination Truth

· Destination Truth earned double-digit increases in its second season, delivering a 1.2 Household rating; 943,000 Adults18-49 (+17%); 992,000 Adults 25-54 (+28%) and 1,555,000 Total Viewers (+15%).


Scare Tactics

· Scare Tactics returned to SCI FI with its first new episodes since 2004 and delivered a 1.1 Household rating; 841,000 Adults18-49; 833,000 Adults 25-54 and 1,504,000 Total Viewers. This is the best full-season performance ever for Scare Tactics in all of these demos.



Sanctuary

· In its first season on SCI FI, the original series Sanctuary has averaged a 1.9 Household rating; 1,044,000 Adults18-49; 1,371,000 Adults 25-54 and 2,366,000 total viewers, the best first season for a SCI FI scripted series on these measures since Eureka debuted in 2006.



Stargate Atlantis

· In its final season Atlantis has averaged a 1.53 Household rating; 1,040,000 Adults18-49; 1,220,000 Adults 25-54 (+3%) and 2,029,000 total viewers (+4%).


Saturday Original Movies

· The Saturday original movies averaged a 1.52 Household rating (+3%) and 1,972,000 total viewers (+2%). SCI FI's highest rated Saturday original movie was Nov. 8th's Yeti, which averaged 1,071,000 Adults18-49 and 1,330,000 Adults 25-54.


Sunday Original Movies

· In 2008, the addition of Sunday original movies averaged a 1.2 Household rating (+15%) and 1,621,000 total viewers (+17%), up double digits over last year's time period.

SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com ) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 93 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.

Damian Lewis - Life - Video: 'Trapdoor'

Courtesy of NBC and HULU, Life's 'Trapdoor,' starring Damian Lewis, Sarah Shahi, Brent Sexton, Donal Logue and Adam Arkin. Guest stars include Garret Dillahunt, Shashawnee Hall, Jessy Schram and David Ury.

While investigating a triple execution-style homicide, Reese and Crews go up against an old nemesis, a Russian mob boss who has woven a deadly and wicked web.

The Colbert Report - Video: Nov 20 '08 Episode

Courtesy of The Comedy Channel and HULU, The Colbert Report's November 20 '08 episode.

Stephen welcomes Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker. Later, author Tom Friedman talks about his book, "Hot, Flat and Crowded."

Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Continuum - Double Pack!

At TV Shows on DVD:

(Please follow the link for the complete article.)



Stargate SG-1 - New Double-Pack, with new Packaging, for Ark of Truth and Continuum Direct-to-Video Films

Available at excellent prices on both DVD and on Blu-ray Disc early in March

TV Shows on DVD is reporting that on March 3, 2009, MGM/FOX is releasing Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum as a double-pack in both DVD and Blu-Ray formats. The DVD release of this Double Pack set is just $29.98 SRP, and can be pre-ordered from Amazon for $18.99 as of this writing. The Blu-ray Disc version of the Double Pack is $59.99 SRP,
and you can pre-purchase the Blu-ray release from Amazon for just $41.95 as of this writing.

The Spirit - Video: Samuel, Eva and Gabriel Interview

Courtesy of TV Guide's Hollywood 411 and HULU:

Celebrity Interviews - The Spirit: Samuel, Eva and Gabriel


Interview |02:03 |

Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes and Gabriel Macht sit down with TV Guide to talk about Frank Miller's The Spirit. Jackson stars as The Octopus and Eva Mendes as the femme fatale.

Sanctuary - Dec 19 '08 - NEW Episode + Marathon!

From SciFi.com's schedulebot, the SciFi Friday Line Up for December 19, 2008:

5:00P STAR TREK ENTERPRISE REGENERATION

6:00P STARGATE SG-1 (SEASON 7) AVENGER 2.0



7:00P SANCTUARY FATA MORGANA



8:00P SANCTUARY THE FIVE



9:00P SANCTUARY WARRIORS



[B][COLOR="Blue"]10:00P SANCTUARY INSTINCT - NEW episode! Battlestar Galactica's Rekha Sharma guest-stars![/COLOR][/B]



11:00P STARGATE ATLANTIS (SEASON 5) IDENTITY



12:00A SANCTUARY INSTINCT



01:00A STARGATE SG-1 (SEASON 8) AFFINITY



02:00A STARGATE SG-1 (SEASON 8) COVENANT

Psych - Video: Season 3 Q+A

Courtesy of USA and HULU:

Psych - Season 3 Q+A

Interview |10:49 |

With producers Steve Franks, Chris Henze & Kelly Kulchak

Stargate Atlantis - SciFi Magazine - Feb '09 Issue

At SciFi.com's SciFi Magazine:



SCIFI MAGAZINE - FEBRUARY 2009 VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Battlestar Galactica
Executive producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eick look ahead to the final 10 episodes. The ragtag crew has at last found Earth — but now what?

Stargate Atlantis
The cast and crew celebrate the series' 100th episode — and say farewell after five glorious seasons.

The Spirit
Will Eisner's masked crime fighter finally makes his way to the screen, thanks to Frank Miller, the man who remade the Dark Knight.

Push
Chris Evans can move objects with his mind, while Dakota Fanning can see the future. But can director Paul McGuigan make Push a hit?

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Patrick Tatopoulos — who designed Godzilla and the aliens of Independence Day — launches the vampire/werewolf war in Rise of the Lycans.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
F. Scott Fitzgerald's Jazz Age fantasy sends Brad Pitt backward in time.

Inkheart
Bookbinder Brendan Fraser's voice is so beautiful that whenever he reads his daughter a bedtime story, the tales come to life.

Coraline
Director Henry Selick transports Dakota Fanning to a parallel universe as Neil Gaiman's spooky novella comes to the screen.

Friday the 13th
Machete-wielding serial killer Jason Vorhees uncovers the secret to why he's always worn a hockey mask.

The Unborn

Director David Goyer pushes his creepy, creative boundaries by turning a dead twin against the living.

The Uninvited
Two terrifying teens turn against Elizabeth Banks in the eerie adaptation of the Korean thriller A Tale of Two Sisters.

$14.95 for a one-year subscription. Subscribe at the link above.

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Battlestar Galactica - Video: Katee Sackhoff Q&A - Part 2

Courtesy of the SciFi Channel and HULU:

Battlestar Galactica - Katee Sackhoff Q&A - Part 2


Web Exclusive |04:21 |

Katee Sackhoff (Kara Thrace "Starbuck") answers fans' queries in this special Q&A series.