The guys behind Fringe and the new Star Trek movie, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, have made a deal with CBS t

O’Loughlin hasn’t had much luck on TV, weathering first the cancellation of his cult favorite vampire drama and then the dismal hospital drama Three Rivers. CBS execs say they’re determined to find a successful vehicle for the charming Aussie actor and this could be the one.

Hawaii Five-O has plenty of remake potential since the only requirement for the series is the unusual locale. It does sound like Kurtzman and Orci might be keeping the original character names, too, which would make O’Loughlin the new Steve McGarrett. The original head of Five-O was played by Jack Lord and it’s a roll that not only made him famous, but in it he became a cultural icon.

From the much mocked opening wave and jazzy theme song, to the oft quoted “Book ‘em, Dano,” Hawaii Five-O is a true TV classic. But can a cult classic be retooled to suit a modern audience? Look at the new Star Trek movie. I’d say if anyone can do it, Kurtzman and Orci can.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: SF Universe

KYLE XY: THE COMPLETE THIRD AND FINAL SEASON

The boy without a belly button reaches the end of his saga in this, their third and final season of Kyle XY. Hey, wait, don’t we know that guy on the right side of the box. . .

The ABC Family series picks up with Kyle (Matt Dallas) and Jessi (Jaimie Alexander) working as a team to uncover the secrets of their origin. Kyle’s world is turned upside-down when his powers suddenly disappear, and he’s in for another surprise when Amanda (Kirsten Prout) comes home with an unexpected question. As one woman in Kyle’s life arrives, another must say goodbye – though Jessi assures him they will always be connected.

Bonus Features
• Kyle XY: Future Revealed – A look at what would have happened in Season 4
• Deleted Scenes
• Audio Commentaries

TRAILER

Have you ever watched Kyle XY? Is it worth checking out on DVD?

Photo: Amazon

Post from: SF Universe

On Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, Syfy presents a Stargate Universe marathon during the 8:30AM-5:30PM (ET/PT) time period, followed on Saturday, December 26, by a different twist on the season of giving (that’s the understatement of the year) with Saw I, Saw II and Saw III airing 4:30-9PM (ET/PT).

They save the best for last, and that’s the annual The Twilight Zone marathon which starts Thursday, December 31, at 8AM (ET/PT), and runs through Friday, January 1, ending at 6AM (ET/PT) Saturday, January 2.

They say the theme is “Twist Endings” but that sounds like every Twilight Zone episode to me. I’m guessing they’re going with “No change!” and “It’s a cookbook!”

To make the marathon really special, Syfy will run the episodes uncut and with special interstitials. If you’ve never watched the original Twilight Zone, set the DVR to pick up a few episodes at least – even after all these years, it’s brilliant television.

Pictured: (l-r) Jason Hawes, Grant Wilson — Syfy Photo: Cheryl Senter

Post from: SF Universe

Long, long ago, Sarah Jane Smith was one of Doctor Who’s companions. Now she’s semi-retired, living in a lovely suburban neighbor and she’s teaching the local children how to fight off aliens. A good deal of the screen time is devoted to the four young teens who star in the series. There’s Luke, Sarah’s adopted alien son, his friend Clyde, smart-as-a-whip Maria and new girl Rani. Rani has a nose for news and that could spell trouble for the lot of them!

This season, Sarah and the kids face off against a creepy clown, take a trip through time, investigate the heavens and defend the Earth, once again, from the devilish Bane! There’s lots of fun and action and there are just enough scares to be exciting without giving younger viewers nightmares.

The DVD also includes interview with cast and crew, a gadget glossary, a fun quiz (you get to see a fun Easter egg if you get the answers right) and more.

Though Sarah Jane Adventures is likely too silly for the die-hard Doctor Who fan, it is the perfect beginner’s scifi show for the nine to thirteen year-old in your house.

Both the first and second season are currently available at Amazon.com.

Photo: Amazon

Post from: SF Universe

Outer Space Astronauts: “Diplomatic Hat”

Air Date: Tuesday, December 8 @ 9:30pm – SERIES PREMIERE! With a sense of camaraderie, Captain Ripley invites some new ‘alien friends’ on board the U.S.S. Oklahoma for pizza night. With dinner plans locked in, Commander Amos has his hands full with the their diplomatic agent Ka’ak. Little does the OSA team know that the aliens are interested in more than the pizza, they want the whole ship… and the pizza!OUTER SPACE ASTRONAUTS — “Diplomatic Hat” — Pictured: (l-r) Peter Burns as Intern Jimmy Peck, Laura Valdivia as Andy Matheson, Stephanie Clinton as Sunny Hunkle, Adam Clinton as Commander Dick Amos — Syfy Photo

Post from: SF Universe

For the first time ever, starting TODAY, you can get all eight seasons of Red Dwarf on iTunes.

Not familiar with the show? Here’s how the BBC describes it:

Red Dwarf tells the saga of chicken soup machine repairman, Dave Lister, the show’s anti-hero. Lister is put into stasis for smuggling his pet cat Frankenstein aboard ship. After three million years, he emerges to find that he is the last human being in the universe. But he is not alone…

Over the three million years Lister was in stasis, Frankenstein has evolved into a James Brown-esque human Cat, and Holly, the ship’s A.I. central computer, has resurrected Lister’s anal-retentive, fastidious bunkmate, Arnold Rimmer, to keep him company. From the outset, the show’s writers took hold of the staples of science fiction and gave them a good shake. Other sci-fi series may have rogue robots, body swapping and quantum leaping, but never before have the heroes been so un-heroic. Or, as Lister so memorably put it, “Don’t give me the Star Trek crap. It’s too early in the morning.” The first season cast includes Craig Charles, Chris Barrie, Danny John Jules and Norman Lovett.

Think Futurama meets Monty Python and you’ll be getting close to this cult classic series. Try one episode, or buy them all – head over to iTunes and you could be watching Red Dwarf five minutes from now.

Photo: BBC America

Post from: SF Universe

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

Post from: SF Universe

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.

Maybe the studios feel that absence will make the heart grow fonder. Extended breaks haven’t hurt 24 or Lost all that much, but generally they aren’t good for the health of a series.

On the good news side, former Fringe star Mark Valley will debut in his new series Human Target starting in late January, slotting in after American Idol. Futon Critic also reports that Past Life will take Fringe’s spot on Thursdays for much of the break.

HUMAN TARGET: Christopher Chance (Mark Valley) is the human target, a unique private contractor hired to protect his clients from dangerous and imminent threats in the new action thriller HUMAN TARGET airing with a special preview event Sunday, Jan. 17 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: David Gray/FOX/WBTV

Post from: SF Universe

First up it’s Tricia Helfer on the November 16th episode of Two and a Half Men.

In “The Moustache Attachment,”  Chelsea (Jennifer Taylor) invites her beautiful college roommate, Gail (Tricia Helfer) to stay at the house while she gets over a bad breakup and Charlie (Charlie Sheen) dreams of threesomes. (Photo: Greg Gayne/WB ©2009 Warner Bros. Television. All Rights Reserved.)

Next, on November 23, Katee Sackoff plays herself on The Big Bang Theory’s “The Vengeance Formulation.”

After he’s humiliated on National Public Radio, Sheldon vows to destroy Kripke (? LOL), while Wolowitz tries not to destroy his new relationship with Bernadette. Katee Sackhoff appears as herself, offering Wolowitz some relationship advice.
(Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS ©2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Two lovely ladies and two very funny comedies. You can’t beat that.

Post from: SF Universe

It’s not like we didn’t now this was coming. We were warned and that’s not just a line from the movie. Here’s what the folks at National Geographic have to say about the truth beyond the legend.

The Maya believed that everything — including creation and destruction — occurred in cycles. Their calendar spanned five cycles, each lasting approximately 5,200 years. At the end of each cycle before this one, the Maya believed the current, flawed creation had to be destroyed for the world to be born again. Some believe the end of the current cycle on December 21, 2012, is an apocalyptic sign. And those who see a connection between the complex and incredibly accurate Maya calendar and a prophecy that the world will end in 2012 point to an unexpected discovery made by Princeton University scientist Adam Maloof as proof.

On Sunday, November 8, 2009, at 8 pm, National Geographic Channel examines the evidence behind the Maya calendar prophecies in 2012: Countdown to Armageddon. The special follows Maloof to three continents on a detective story that spans eons — with clues embedded in the oldest rocks on the planet.

In this special, you’ll see the investigation of identical rock shifts in both Norway and Australia, take a closer looks at the ruins of Chichén Itzá, which some believe to be the physical embodiment of the Maya calendar, and examine the Dresden Codex — the most comprehensive source for Maya astronomy, which has been locked in a high-security vault.

Is there proof that the Maya knew what they were talking about when they predicted the end of the world? Watch 2012: Countdown to Armageddon on November 8 on the National Geographic Channel, then catch 2012 the movie opening in theaters on November 13.

Photo:
Cameraman Thomas Sassenberg and Director / Executive Producer Andreas Gutzeit atop the Temple of the Warriors (Templo de los Guerreros) in Chichén Itzá, Yucatán, Mexico. (Photo Credit: © Story House Productions)

Post from: SF Universe