How annoying is it to start watching a show, only to realize it’s already been cancelled?  SCI FI Channel is one of my favorites, but they’re also one of the most frustrating in that they seem to pick up shows I never saw when they were first out, didn’t realize how great they were, only to find out that the 13 eps are all that there are and most likely ever will be.

Case in point: MOONLIGHT.  I vaguely remember promos for it when it first came out, but I never saw it during its original run.  I only managed to just now catch it when SCI FI picked it up, and I really found I enjoyed it.  (I’ve even managed to DVR all 13 eps so I can enjoy them at my leisure – that is until I run out of space…!)

I always had liked Sophia Myles from when she did DOCTOR WHO, but Alex O’Loughlin was a major surprise.  Gorgeous (with or without all the tats covered up), talented, funny and a decent actor given the source material, he definitely makes me want more…!  (The writing varies, ep to ep, which may be why the show didn’t get the audience it needed the first time around.)

Unfortunately, just like with THE PRETENDER, no amount of fan campaigns seem to be able to revive this vampire saga, even for a movie to ease our withdrawal pains.  Luckily, though, Alex O’Loughlin appears to be getting a 2nd chance on American TV with the new series, THREE RIVERS.  This time around, instead of playing a character who feeds off other’s blood, he plays a transplant doctor who gives others new life.  (Nice turnaround, eh?)

I’ve only seen a couple previews, but it looks good.  Especially with ER going off, it was about time for a new "doctor drama" to fill its shoes.  We’ll see, though.  With my luck, this will be another show that lasts anywhere from 2-13 eps before the Powers That Be pull it…  <sigh>  Better go make sure I have room on the DVR so I can grab ‘em while I can!!

Technorati Tags: alex o'loughlin, doctors, Drama, moonlight, Sci Fi Channel, sophia myles, three rivers, vampires

After 5 years and quite a few cast changes, the Sci Fi Channel’s STARGATE ATLANTIS will be coming to an end January 2009. 

Originally a spin-off of STARGATE SG-1, ATLANTIS took a few characters we originally met on SG-1 (Dr. Elizabeth Weir and Dr. Rodney McKay), tossed in some new characters (John Sheppard, Dr. Carson Beckett, Lt. Aiden Ford, Teyla Emmagan, and Ronon Dex) and made their home base the lost city of Atlantis, which turned out to be in another galaxy.  They then looked for a new threat to keep us interested each week as the Go’auld and the Ori pretty much had had their butts kicked back in the home galaxy, but bad guys can be found everywhere, can’t they…? 

Hence, the Wraith, a group of aliens who feed on humans became the villains of the piece.  Not content to have just one set of bad guys for us to boo, the show also brought in the Replicators, originally battled by the SGC on STARGATE SG-1, and who began as just nano-technology-based ‘bugs’ who then grew and evolved into a race of people determined to take over the galaxies by using any and all resources to "replicate" themselves until only they exist.  And in between fights with the super villains, smaller battles occured with other races not quite as happy to see the Atlantis team as they might have been.

To add additional interest, characters like Samantha Carter, Richard Woolsey and Jack O’Neil made crossover appearances from SG-1 with some of the ATLANTIS characters popping up on SG-1 while it was still on the air.

Never quite getting the ratings that STARGATE SG-1 enjoyed, ATLANTIS was still one of the few high-quality sci fi shows still on the air at this point.  It will be missed.  However, like SG-1, it appears that there may be some ATLANTIS movies in the offing to keep the show and characters alive.  And as for the STARGATE franchise, like STAR TREK, it will just be taking on a new face–STARGATE UNIVERSE will take us just that bit farther out (a la LOST IN SPACE or STAR TREK VOYAGER):

The previously unknown purpose of the "Ninth Chevron" will be revealed, and it will end up taking a team to an Ancient ship "Destiny", a ship built millions of years ago by the Ancients, used to seed Distant galaxies with Stargates. This team, led by Colonel Everett Young, must now continue the Ancient’s work, and  it will encounter new races, new technology and new enemies, as this crazy runaway ship takes them to the far ends of the Universe!

Casting for the new show hasn’t been finalized, but it is expected to air sometime in 2009. 

Technorati Tags: Sci Fi Channel, STARGATE, Stargate Atlantis, STARGATE UNIVERSE

The SARAH JANE ADVENTURES, a DOCTOR WHO spin-off, starts Apr 11th here in the US on the Sci Fi Channel.

According to the show’s official site on Sci Fi:

The Sarah Jane Adventures features Sarah Jane Smith, a companion of the Third and Fouth incarnations of the Doctor from the original series of DOCTOR WHO. Elisabeth Sladen reprises her role and is back in action, discovering alien plots to take over the world, or simply helping lost extraterrestrials get home.

Aided by her new young friend, Maria Jackson (Yasmin Paige), and her newly (and genetically engineered) adopted son Luke Smith (Tommy Knight), Sarah Jane has no problem taking on any challenge!

The Sarah Jane Adventures was created by Russell T. Davies, executive producer of the new Doctor Who series. He also serves as an executive producer on The Sarah Jane Adventures, along with Phil Collinson and Julie Gardner.

Technorati Tags: Doctor Who, Sarah Jane, Sci Fi, Sci Fi Channel

Taking a page from LOST, Sci Fi Channel has created an 8 1/2 minute ’summary’ of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA that tells you all you need to know about the last couple of seasons in order to get you ready for what is supposed to be the last season…

(The voice on the summary sounds suspiciously a lot like the one from LOST, too…)

Technorati Tags: Battlestar Galactica, Edward James Olmos, Jamie Bamber, Katie Sackhoff, Sci Fi, Sci Fi Channel, Tricia Helfer, TV

I was watching the latest STARGATE ATLANTIS tonight when I caught the newest BATTLESTAR GALACTICA commercial. This time, instead of just having the usual sound bites by a few of the characters plus a note about “coming in March” they finally added the premiere date (at least for SCI FI Channel on Dish Network): April 4th! The official website is still saying “coming in March”. Hmmmm… Someone at the website isn’t keeping up with the advertisers!

Guess I’m going to have to add it to all the calendars in the house so I can make sure I don’t miss the first episode of the final season. (I HATE falling behind, especially when I’ve been waiting this long for the new stuff!)

I just hope they’re not going to split the ’season’ into 2 chunks as has been rumored, with only 10 episodes in 2008 and then dragging out the last half of 10 into 2009. That would really bite. It’s not like Sci Fi Channel’s ‘original’ movies make up for the delay! (I mean, really, how many fake snakes and bats can one person take?)

Maybe they expect us to order the Battlestar Galactica Series 2 Dolls and make up our own adventures for the duration, eh? LOL

Technorati Tags: Battlestar Galactica, Edward James Olmos, James Callis, Jamie Bamber, Katie Sackhoff, Sci Fi, Sci Fi Channel, Tricia Helfer, TV

iF MAGAZINE got a chance to chat with Burn Gorman (Doctor Owen Harper) about the new second series of TORCHWOOD, and in the second part of the interview found out about WHO might be guest starring before the season is over, and more about the ever changing relationships of the TORCHWOOD team. They even chatted with him about his obsession with comic books…

Burn Gorman also talks about the directions he’d like to see his character go in, along with some great behind the scenes commentary and parts he’d like to play/movies he’d like to see made.

Check out the interview at iF MAGAZINE

Technorati Tags: Burn Gorman, Sci Fi, Sci Fi Channel, Torchwood, TV

Here’s the info, straight from the SCI FI WIRE the official newsfeed from SCI FI Channel, so it’s gone from rumor to fact now:

Fourth Who, New Sarah Due

SCI FI Channel has acquired the fourth season of DOCTOR WHO and its hit spinoff series THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES from BBC Worldwide America. Both series are slated to premiere on SCI FI in April. [Since I get both channels, "double the pleasure, double the fun" for ME!]

THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES is written and produced by the same creative team behind DOCTOR WHO, including multiple-award-winning writer Russell T. Davies. The series centers on Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), former companion to the Doctor, who investigates offbeat mysteries with her young friends Maria, Luke and Clyde.

The fourth season of DOCTOR WHO, meanwhile, brings back star David Tennant as the 10th Timelord, joined by a new companion, Donna Noble (Catherine Tate), who reprises her role from the previous Christmas special. The Doctor’s previous companion, Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman), also makes a triumphant return in the middle of season four.

(Guess the writers’ strike IS a good thing if it means we get WHO sooner than normal, eh?!)

Time to make a BIG note on ALL my calendars!!

Technorati Tags: David Tennant, Doctor Who, Sci Fi, Sci Fi Channel, Season 4, Tenth Doctor