If you have kids at home, you have the perfect excuse to check out Cartoon Network’s live-action feature Ben 10: Alien Swarm. Sure it was made for the tween crowd, but I won’t tell anyone if you happen to enjoy it, too.

The new movie is based on Cartoon Network’s popular animated series Ben 10 Alien Force. It’s all about a group of teens who chase down alien threats with the help of their own individual superpowers. Sixteen-year-old Ben Tennyson (Ryan Kelley) has a clever watch gizmo that lets him dial up a variety of alien alter-egos that he can transform into depending on the situation. The transformation sequences reminded me of Power Rangers but with a new level of sophistication since the monsters are digital as opposed to actors in a rubber suit. Ben’s un-transformations are particularly smooth and spectacular and that’s just a few of the large number of special effects you’ll find in the movie.

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John Barrowman was a guest on a BBC radio show this morning to promote his new DVD An Evening with John Barrowman. Jumping straight to the big news he said, “Most definitely, Torchwood will come back to the BBC.”

He says that the whens and hows are still being talked about but they’re looking at another 13 episode run, not 5 which is extra great news.

As for appearing with the new Doctor Who, John says it hasn’t been discussed but followed with, “I’m prepared that it won’t happen.”

If you’re a John Barrowman fan, you’ll want to listen to the full interview which does play here in the US. Visit the Steve Wright in the Afternoon webpage for the streaming link. John comes on at the 2.23.35 mark but if you have time, listen to the whole thing. They play some great music and there’s nothing like a UK traffic report. (Can someone explain “the anticlockwise” to me? Is that the UK version of a traffic circle?)

During the interview, John talks about filming the special, he speaks fondly of his parents and his first “public” appearance when he was 4-years old performing on the counter of a record store.

When asked about where he gets his inspiration, he had this to say, “People should be inspired by what they do themselves.”

I like that. It doesn’t appear that the DVD is available yet in the US, but you can buy John’s brand new autobiography I am What I am.

Photo: Newscom

A&E’s own ghost hunting series Paranormal State is coming to a city near you — provided that you live near one of the 10 cities major cities included on their list.

Starting this Monday, November 3o, Ryan Buell, the founder of the the Paranormal Research Society will be appearing in front of audiences across the US along with with his tech specialist Sergey Poberezhny. They’ll be traveling in a special tour bus which will be used to record fan “confessionals” about their spookiest enocunters and the best stories will be uploaded to their interactive tour site www.paranormalstatetour.com. Fans at home can also enter their stories directly into the online data base which will then be used to complile an interactive map of paranormal activity. It will be interesting to see if the events appear evenly across the map or if certain areas of the country will be more highly concentrated than others.

“Paranormal research has always been a passion of mine,” said Ryan Buell. “Since the launch of our A&E series, we’ve been getting thousands of calls from people wanting us to investigate their homes. Although we’d love to, we can’t possibly visit everyone. This is our effort to cover more territory, talk to more people and ultimately find answers to the unexplainable.”

The “Paranormal State” tour will travel to the following major U.S. cities and locations:

November 30, 2009 – San Francisco, CA – Embarcadero Center

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Friday Night Lights star Aimee Teegarden is guesting in this week’s episode Legend of the Seeker (check local listings).

I particularly wanted to share this photo. When I glanced at it at first, I thought Kahlan had wings!

Legend of the Seeker: Torched

Premieres weekend of November 28
Kahlan and Richard set out to rescue a mysterious girl named Annabelle (guest star Aimee Teegarden), the only other living Confessor, and try to prevent her from accidentally unleashing the powers she possesses.

Photo credit: ABC Studios

Agent Olivia Dunham – “I am thankful that scotch exists.”

Peter Bishop – “I am thankful that Walter stopped counting out loud while he urinates.”

Dr. Walter Bishop – “I am thankful that I still have wonderful LSD flashbacks.”

Happy Thanksgiving from SFUniverse and Fox!

CR: Michael Courtney/FOX

If you have a young scifi fan in your house, tune in to Disney XD channel on November 27 at 5:00 pm for the premiere of their new scifi adventure Skyrunners. The movie was written by Richard C. Okie (“Quantum Leap” and “Earth: Final Conflict”) and the alien creature effects were designed by Weta Workshop Ltd., the Academy Award-winning special effect shop that work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia” films so it has a great scifi pedigree.

The story revolves around two teenage brothers Tyler (Joey Pollari) and Nick Burns (Kelly Blatz of Disney XD’s “Aaron Stone”) who find a small UFO crashed outside their town. They take ship home and after spending time with it  Tyler begins to develop superhuman powers.  Part of his powers is the ability to communicate with the alien who owns the ship and that leads him to an ominous plot to take over the world. With brother Nick occupied by school and girl troubles, Tyler goes to the authorities but that only makes the alien more angry and soon Tyler is in deep trouble. Can his brother save him and the world from an alien meanace? Find out when Skyrunners premieres on Disney XD (the Disney channel for tween boys) on November 27. Sounds like fun.

(DISNEY XD/JAE FREW) JOEY POLLARI, KELLY BLATZ

Futon Critic broke the news yesterday, saying that Fringe will be going on a seven-week hiatus in the new year.  Add this to the fact that Fox is leaving the show on Thursday nights and it might sound like the death knell for our favorite quirky scifi series.

Fear not.

The long hiatus is becoming more common than ever before and even Fox’s hit Glee will be taking a four-month break after it airs its last new episodes in December. ABC’s V is also sitting out for months and Supernatural is in reruns now until late January.

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Ghost Hunters Academy: Back To Basics

Air Date: November 24 at 10:00 on Syfy

Things heat up on Ghost Hunters Academy as the group heads to Philadelphia to investigate the place where Al Capone did time at the Eastern State Penitentiary.

This jailhouse has been around since the 1800s and certainly has seen it all. From inmates dying in the hospital ward to prisoners going crazy in solitary confinement. The dark dreary cellblocks may be filled with spirits, simply trying to plead their case.

Many claim to have heard footsteps and voices nearby, as well as seen shadows lurking the halls. But the students may be shaking in their boots from more than just ghosts this week. Steve and Tango make an addition to the class.

A new investigator-in-training arrives, causing some dissension among the group. Will she be able to make the cut and send someone packing, or will the original team remain intact? Find out in this dramatic episode of Ghost Hunters Academy!

GHOST HUNTERS ACADEMY — “Web of Deceit” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Karl Pfeiffer, Heathyr Hoffman, Chris McCune, Ben Smith, Susan Slaughter — Syfy Photo: Michael Perez

Take a walk on the dark side with the new extended trailer for Family Guy: Something, Something, Something, Dark Side.

You can watch it at Apple.com/trailers or download it exclusively at the iTunes Store. Either way, you’ll get a good laugh of this replica trailer from The Empire Strikes Back told Family Guy style.

I don’t laugh out loud at much but when the At-At hits the ground in the trailer and does the traditional Family Guy gasp and sigh. . .  too funny.

The saga continues as Luke (Chris), Leia (Lois), Han Solo (Peter) and Chewbacca (Brian) have evaded the dreaded Imperial Starfleet led by the cunning, conniving and curiously short evil lord Darth Vader (Stewie), setting up a new secret base on the remote ice world of Hoth.

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Plan on traveling this holiday season? Here’s an important message from the Galactic Senate.

(Courtesy of Lucas Film)