Counting Down Our Favorite Sci-Fi Movie Babes, Past & Present

I think they need to expand the list, as you can read in the article comments. Many good names were left off. They have poll at the bottom of the list, be sure to cast your vote.

Counting Down Our Favorite Sci-Fi Movie Babes, Past & Present

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Fox announces Fringe, Dollhouse return dates

I don't think this is a big surprise for all of us Fringe and Dollhouse fans. Since Battlestar Galactica left the airwaves, Fringe took over as the best Science Fiction show on Television. As for Dollhouse, I watch it because I like to see that chick from Tru Calling, Eliza Dushku. Of note, which is not mentioned here. When Fringe returns on September 17th, the filming will be done in Vancouver, BC. While the show is set in Boston, Season 1 was filmed in New York City. Apparently, a tax break the studio was receiving has run out. Hence, production is being moved to Hollywood North.

Fox announces Fringe, Dollhouse return dates



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Warp Drive Engine Could Suck Earth Into Black Hole: Discovery News

Warp Drive Engine Could Suck Earth Into Black Hole: Discovery News

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'Battlestar Galactica: The Plan' just released new trailer - see it here - incredible

'Battlestar Galactica: The Plan' just released new trailer - see it here - incredible

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BBCA’s ‘Primeval’ is cancelled – but is there still hope?

BBCA’s ‘Primeval’ is cancelled – but is there still hope?

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Star Trek: Don't Let The Name Fool You

Let me say up front, I was skeptical of the whole idea of an original Star Trek remake. Excuse me, a reboot, as it's referred to. If I rebooted my computer and it changed that much, I doubt Microsoft would be the giant it is today. So, let's just call this movie a similar story with the same name. Because, it's NOT the same Star Trek story that we have grown to love the past 44 years. Star Trek did not need another episode of "In A Mirror Darkly', but we got one.

In all fairness, this is a great film. Just not a good Star Trek film. It's a great story with action, comedy, special effects, and good acting. They did a fairly good job of finding likenesses of the crew. All through the movie it felt like I was watching a well made Trek parody on Saturday Night Live or MadTV.

The movie is riddled with historical Trek verbiage and nostalgia. They broke ALL the Trek rules. From the very beginning, the story exits from the chronicles that began in 1965. Kirk is a bad boy growing up. Spock is sexually involved with Uhura. Vulcan is destroyed, Romulus is destroyed. Ambassador Spoke meets and co-exists with his younger self. Spocks Mother (played by Winona Ryder) is killed when Vulcan is destroyed.

Towards the end, I was anxiously awaiting for the "miracle", "the turn back the clock", to put things back to where they re supposed to be. That never happened. The credits rolled and I went home disappointed.

Remarkably it has performed very well at the box office, approaching $200 million. What's not to like, right? I went to see the movie the weekend it opened, on May 9th. It was a Saturday 4:00PM matinee. I really expected there to be long lines and hoards of people waiting. Instead, I walked right up to the ticket counter, and then proceeded to the viewing room. It was dark and the movie had already started. I took a seat in the back, there was only one person in the row. After the movie was over, and the lights came on, there wasn't more than 15 people in the audience, all with disappointed looks on their faces.

Right now Gene Roddenberry and his late wife are turning over in their graves. It's blasphemy I say. They must have paid Leonard Nimoy a bundle of money to come out of retirement to do this film (and to do Fringe). I hate to think of what will happen in the sequels. Maybe they should bring Scott Bakula on-board, he has considerable experience "putting things right that once went wrong". This irony would have fit perfectly into J.J. Abrams twisted plot.

BTW, there is a sequel already in the plans, Untitled Star Trek sequel.


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Battlestar Galactica: My Final Analysis, Part II

After thoughts, 23 March 2009

Now that I've had time to get some sleep and think about the final episode with a clear mind, I still wouldn't change my opinions of my previous article. I took some time to research and read some of the other reviews on the Battlestar Galactica finale, and do realize some of my assessments were shortsighted.

The one thing I found about this season of Battlestar Galactica was the story was getting too complicated. This is why I had not written any reviews until this last week. There are many details which, if missed during the first three seasons, would greatly impact the emotional event the show was aiming for this season.

I think that it is a fatal error when a show gets too complicated. If this had been any other show, I would not have taken the time to even comment. But as we all know, Battlestar Galactica literally sucked us in; it was profound, and unique in every way. The actors, actresses, and crew put their whole heart and soul into making this season their best, and among the best entertainment available on television.

As a critic, and as an avid scifi fan, I've grown tired of the depressing stories where fear and intimidation rule. It's hard to find good scifi that doesn't feature the terrorist of the week, the gloom and doom, and all things apocalyptic. Not to mention CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. Battlestar Galactica is all that, and much more.

I understand now that Starbuck was either an Angel or a spirit. Lee saw her viper explode. And in a previous version of this story she crashed her viper on Earth. Her spirit (or angel) later found it. But in the end she discovered who she was and why she was there.

The way the people split up throughout the land masses could be akin ot the twelve tribes of Jacob or maybe more directly related the 12 zodiac signs. We saw that back in season 2(?).

What did happen to Admiral Adama? Did he fly off into the sun like the rest of the vessels? What of his vessel?

Some reviews suggested the colonists were the "missing link" between Neanderthals and civilized humans. It's plausible, but there's not much to go on.

Also, I don't think many people would actually survive in the smaller numbers. They have no technology, which they are accustomed to. They are not accustomed to the elements, farming, or living off the land in any way. We know there were several ice ages in the last 150,000 years, meaning the poles were in different places, as well as deserts, plains, and mountains. I doubt very seriously that many would live more than a few years, and the few who did would have to procreate, and then they would have had to survive.

Forget for a moment that they felt they needed to rid themselves of all technology. They could have kept the ships in orbit and got anything they wanted from the planet. Remember, they do not know when or where they are. As President Lampkin commented, why were they so eager to give up their creature comfort? I don't think they were, and none of us would have been. But it would not have fit into Ron Moore's ending.

Contrary to what they led us to believe, there is definitely room for sequels, prequels, spin-offs, and motion pictures.

So say we all!


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Battlestar Galactica: My Final Analysis

Scifi fans around the planet are waking up this morning with the final thoughts of the very depressing series finale of Battlestar Galactica. Depressing, it was, and much of a let down. I have to disagree with the LA Times writeup on the series finale.

We knew from the storyline there would be a showdown with Cavil. We also knew Galactica was ready for the bone-yard, and that meant they were gonna have to take root somewhere else. I was just hoping it was not a sad ending where 38,000 people abandon ship, and live out their last days on the only inhabitable planet within a million light years of their home.

I watched it both times it aired last night and into this morning. I was hoping I had missed some details that would possibly cheer me up, but no. By the end of the 2 hour and 11 minute epic episode, I was looking at the clock asking "is it over yet? Enough already."

The closures were disappointing. For those who survived, they settled on various parts of this mostly uninhabited, but fertile planet. Turned out to be the Neanderthal period of Earth's history. While the last sequences try to make us believe it was a different Earth, but we know it was just time travel. The two Angels, the likenesses of Six and Baltar, have been in control of everything. Almost like a big game that God was playing with humanity. Oh I forgot, he doesn't like to be referred to as "God".

The mystery of Hera, wasn't a mystery at all. So 150,000 years later scientists find the remains of a child that held the DNA of all humans. Being a child it is unlikely she had any direct descendants. It was allot about nothing when all was said and done. Did you catch the shameless cameo by Ron Moore holding the National Geographic magazine while Six read it?

Starbuck was an angel? All those cryptic scenes with the pictures she drew and the music, all so she could input the right coordinates to jump Galactica to Earth? Then she just disappeared? This was a major letdown.

The confrontation with Cavil culminates in the CIC where Cavil and his followers back down. Cavil is promised resurrection in return for him giving up the fight, for good. To do this, the final five have to put their hands in the hybrid tank. Tory had her final "soapbox" moment when she realizes Galen is about to find out she killed his wife. I was hoping they would defer to their enlightened Cylon side; hoping their Cylon brethren would realize they've all done stuff to be ashamed of. But Galen freaks out and kills Tory. In the process, the shaky cease fire they just called is broken, Cavil is killed, and the idea of "resurrection" is never mentioned again.

Saul and Ellen go off to Earth with the masses and live happily ever after. Lee, and now President Lampkin, along with 38,000 or so survivors split up and go to different land masses. Galen goes to an uninhabited island in the northern hemisphere, by himself. Ho hum ho hum.

Laura dies, and Admiral Adama buries her. What I don't understand is why he leaves and Lee and Starbuck know he's not coming back?

Sam, who is the hybrid for Galactica, steers the fleet's ships away from Earth to the Sun. Part of that 'disposing of technology because of where it got us the first time' kinda' thing. Besides it would contaminate the natural progression of life on the planet. It's so Star Trek, and very much not in character of Battlestar Galactica.

They still keep the door open for more storylines, though. The scene with Baltar telling Six that he will help her get the information she needs would suggest some things do repeat themselves. The Centurion Cylons were given the Bayship and allowed to go their merry way. After 150,000 years, who can know how they have evolved or what civilizations they have altered or conquered.

This could explain the premise for the original Battlestar Galactica where the Cylons were an alien race not (known to be) invented by man.

Finally, we had the plug for MSNBC at the very end. I thought it added a nice flair to an otherwise sullen and drabby finale.


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What is Starbuck?

The promise is that all will be revealed. Since the last episode of Battlestar Galactica airs this Friday night, that means they will uncover all the secrets, right? Let's hope so.

One of the big questions we hope to get an answer about is simply "What or who is Starbuck?" They've done a really good job so far of not giving us too many hints. While I am not sure what or who she really is, I do think we will get more than a few revelations.

Things like, everyone is a Cylon. That wouldn't be a stretch, but probably won't happen. But I do remember during the "Razor" movie about Kara's father being the hybrid they killed (blew up the ship). Remember the little girl the should locked up in a room? I especially like the episode with the piano player, that turned out to be her father, that turned out to be a figment of her imagination.

Time travel. I suspect that Galactica traveled forward in time (2000 years) and that's why the ship is literally breaking up. We know Starbuck traveled in time, at least they'll be hard pressed to convince me otherwise. When she finds her body, that tells me something happened that circumvented the normal space-time continuum.

I think there will be some "climactic intervention", something that sets everything back to a better time. Because if the show ends with them all dying and the ship blowing up, and the few survivors taking refuge on Earth, that would be very disappointing. It would be a ratings coup with worst series finale in television history.

The recurring theme has been "it happened before, it will happen again". If the series is going to end, rather if the story's going to end, then that cycle has to be broken. I think we're going to find them back on Earth, a flourishing, populated Earth. There was that photo of Trisha Helfer in her famous red dress posing on the streets of New York. Maybe it was a ploy, but hopefully there was something to it.

It wouldn't be too far fetched for the producers to throw a huge wrench into the entire shooting match at the very end. Something crazy like it's all a huge holographic game being played out on someone desktop. Not unlike the end of "Men in Black II" or that episode of Star Trek where they downloaded the holodeck program to a small cube. It would definitely not be out of character for Ron Moore to do something wild like shout "Computer, end program" at the very end of the episode.

In any event, we will not any more Battlestar Galactica after Friday. At least until Caprica comes around. I will miss the show. An era will come to a close with this finale. All the original SciFi Friday shows will be gone, a mediocre show will fill it's spot.


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Save Knight Rider!

NBC surprised us with a new episode tonight. There's still hope. While nothing has been officially announced regarding the cancellation of Knight Rider, there is fear of it being canceled. Join the campaign to safeguard it!

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The Battlestar Galactica Reboot You Didn't See

This doesn't look too bad. It has the original look and feel, which I think would be a nice touch for a modern day remake. Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming was (one of) Hatch's unsuccessful tries to get a sequel series to the original BSG made; this particular teaser dates from 1999, and shows us just what we missed.

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Could Fringe become the best scifi series on television?

Could Fringe become the best scifi series on television? I believe so. After Battlestar Galactica airs it's last episode in a few weeks, Fringe will takes its place as the best scifi show on television. The latest episode of Fringe unraveled a seriously monumental scifi storyline in J.J. Abrams' new series. This could end up being the scifi/super-hero series everyone has been waiting for.

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'Fringe' Relocates To Vancouver For Second Season

The show is set in Boston, but filmed in New York. But if there is a second season of "Fringe" on Fox, production will move to Vancouver, B.C. instead. Entertainment Weekly is reporting the show could make its way to Canada next year after the $685 million film incentive program has already run out.

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Phoenix Five: Gone But Not Forgotten

The Cult Classic Austrailian Star Trek Rip-off: Phoenix Five was produced in 1969 and ran for 26 episodes in 1970. Sadly this series hasn’t made it to DVD yet. The lead actress of the show once complained “The script writers weren’t even aware of the capabilities of the spaceship!" And that spaceship would be the Phoenix Five which is on a mission to patrol the outer galaxies and to capture Zodian the humanoid whom with the aid of his computers Alpha and Zeta endeavors to become dictator of outer space.

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Write the Wrongs: Idolizing "The Fringe"

It was so wrong of Fox network to pre-empt "The Fringe" for "American Idol!" I wholeheartedly agree with the writer. But I knew Fringe had run about 6 weeks straight with new episodes, and it was time for them to take a break. The fact that Fox thinks they can put American Idol in it's place, well, they couldn't be more wrong. I cannot stand any of those "talent" shows as well as reality shows.

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Forget Originality: The A-Team Is Heading To The Big Screen

An A-Team movie is set for 2010. But will they screw it up like far too many movie remakes? Remember Tim Burton's Planet Of The Apes? How about the Dukes of Hazard, Miami Vice, and Speed Racer? Can they retell a story without alienating the fan base? My advice, stick the original story. Don't twist it up to the point the only thing it has in common with it's original show is the name. The show was popular for a reason, I hope they use it, and don't twist it up.


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David Hasselhoff: The Car Doesn't Talk?

This is a clip from Baywatch. When I saw it I just had to post it. It's completely obvious that it's an inside joke about Knight Rider.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR8CfgHZNdw





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The Sexiest Green Women In Space

Green women are a force to be reckoned within science fiction, and they range from pint-sized invaders to powerful warriors and cunning schemers. We list the green-skinned ladies who make the universe a more colorful place. What's not on this list is Zhann from "Farscape" and the singing Diva from "The Fifith Element". Probably because they are more blue than green. Nonetheless they were a force to be reckoned with within science fiction.

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Blame Time Travel For Kirk's Scarred Psyche

By now, you might have noticed that James Tiberius Kirk is, well... kind of a dirtbag in the new Star Trek movie. He trashes a gorgeous Corvette at age 11, and just gets more obnoxious from there on out. He's not just cocky like ShatnerKirk, he's actually irresponsible, where Shatner was sort of uptight. Is it just because he's young and immature?

Blame Time Travel For Kirk's Scarred Psyche | digg story

Exclusive: The New Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) Speaks!

Chris Pine, who takes on the iconic role of Capt. James T. Kirk in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movie, spoke exclusively with SCI FI Wire about the movie and Abrams' new take. Star Trek opens in May 2009.

Exclusive: The New Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) Speaks! | digg story

'Knight Rider' Falls To Almost CW Numbers

'Knight Rider' Falls To Almost CW Numbers

I hadn't got around to writing my own review for this weeks Knight Rider episode "Knight Of The Living Dead". But I wanted to defend this show in spite of it's bad ratings. I personally believe the Neilsen rating system is a load of crap. It's all rigged by the sponsors and the networks.

I'll say this, the episode was different than any previous Knight Rider episode in either series. KITT spends the entire episode, except the last 2 minutes in the belly of a plane. While I am a strong proponent of Knight Rider being about Michael and KITT, the man and his car, I think it was a very good Halloween story. I half expected the whole thing to be an elaborate Halloween trick in the end.

At least KITT was not incapacitated by some inferior technology, although he was set to self-destruct. The part about the Dr. Graiman getting shot a point blank range by someone he could not see, and only gets knocked unconscience, is a bit of a stretch. I mean if the shooter missed, what happened to the bullet?



Also see TV shows may see post-election ratings growth

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Voyager's Hot Rod

All I can say about this video is that it's very KOOL! Whether or not you like Knight Rider, the original or the new series, you probably like the theme music. Ms. Belanna over at Belanna's Voyager Page has done it again with a spectacular video. She's taken video clips from Star Trek Voyager and put it to the theme music of Knight Rider. It's Awesome. Please visit Belanna's Voyager Page and sign the guest book to let her know how much you enjoy her work.

Link to this video



Run Your Car On Water


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Galactica alum's new show joins CTV production slate

Battlestar Galactica's Aaron Douglas will star in The Bridge, CTV's new cop drama which has just been picked up for 11 episodes.

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Best Canceled Shows

A slideshow of the best TV shows that were cancelled,

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DIGG THIS --> Knight Rider: Knight Of The Hunter Reviewed

Could it be? The producers and writers read our blogs and heard our pleas for a change? While I'm not holding my breath waiting for that to happen, I think Knight Rider is showing signs of promise. The episode "Knight Of The Hunter" is reminiscent of the original show, Michael and KITT are the ultimate crime fighting team. And it would not be complete without a damsel in distress. Our man Hoff, the original Michael Knight, must have studied at the James T. Kirk school of "How to win in no-win situations." That formula always included a beautiful woman; Michael Traceur is a chip off that block for sure.

Episode Highlights and Leave comments at NBC.com

So Michael and KITT find themselves infiltrating a para-military camp run by some former disgruntled government contractors who's shady dealings got them kicked out of Iraq. After Michael gets the snot beat out of him during an interrogation by our mystery woman, Michael is confronted by her when snooping around the compound. She reveals her name is Cassandra and she is with MI-6, so they team up. The camp leader is watching all this and is in pursuit to kill them. Michael and Cassandra meet up with KITT and off they go.

KITT is configured as the F-150, they are being chased down a bumpy dirt road that is mined. KITT says "transformation would improve my mobility", and Michael gives him the approval. KITT hits a mine during transformation, flips end over end several times, and is wrecked off in the ditch.

This part makes no sense to me. How could a Mustang Cobra that sits low to the ground, with street racing tires provide more mobility on a mined, bumpy dirt road, than a decked out F-150 made for off-road? At night too. Do the writers have to incapacitate KITT in every episode? We know that during transformation KITT is vulnerable. Can we get just ONE episode where KITT is NOT out-manned, out-gunned, out-maneuvered, or incapacitated? PLEASE??

So Michael and Cassandra run away, and eventually find shelter in a cave. While Michael and Casandra dance around a romantic encounter, it takes well into daylight hours for KITT repairs itself. He rescues them, so they are off to catch the bad guys.

The plot ending is where the writers got it right.We find out the reason the bad guys stopped chasing them is because the bad guys were making their move. At Michael they thought they would blowup the FDR Memorial Dam. But after they follow a truck they are sure is carrying a bomb, when it doesn't explode they realize they've been on the wrong trail. The real crime was the heist of $250Million gold from the Phoenix Federal Reserve.

As Michael, Cassandra, and KITT proceed at neck breaking speeds to stop the robbers, the gold has already made into the wrong hands. But as our bad guys attempt to flee, they are confronted with Micheal and KITT. On the surface it's a lopsided game of chicken; two HUMVEE's and 5 ton against a tricked out Mustang Cobra. When they resist, KITT deploys his laser weapons and destroys the HUMVEE's. By that time, the Phoenix police and National Guard arrive. This is what makes it science fiction.

The plot ending is what the original series made of. It is why I became a TV critic, and it's why I write. One man (with a beautiful gal in tow) can make a difference.

As for the rest of the story lines, it's all filler, stuff to fill the 43 minutes of the actual episode between commercials. We're gonna continue to see the "baggage" between Michael and Sarah. We'll see more character development with Billy and Zoe. Charles (Bruce Davison) and Carrie Rivai (Sydney Tamiia Poitier) are not in every episode. Alex (Yancey Arias) is the bad guy of the bunch, and it would not hurt my feelings if they killed off his character, although he did help with some comedy relief in this episode.

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20 Greatest Sci-Fi TV Shows - EW.com

From Star Trek to Firefly to The Prisoner... a perfect list of twenty classic sci-fi shows

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The Cartouche: DIGG THIS --> Knight Rider: An Open Letter To NBC

The Cartouche: DIGG THIS --> Knight Rider: An Open Letter To NBC

More reviews

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Battlestar Galactica Case Mod Makes You A Real Cylon

Though there are few things as potentially cringe-worthy as a Battlestar Galactica-themed case mod (or toaster, or pumpkin), we must admit that this project is pretty impressive.

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The Hour: Battlestar Galactica

"Battlestar Galactica star Katee Sackhoff on the cult sci-fi series and her role on Bionic Woman."

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'Sanctuary' Premiere Best Since 'Eureka' Debut

Viewers definitely wanted to check out a little "Sanctuary" on SciFi Channel last week. The debut of the Web series-turned-television series starring "Stargate SG-1" alum Amanda Tapping attracted 2.7 million viewers Friday night, marking the best rating for an original SciFi Channel series since the series premiere of "Eureka" in 2006.

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Scifi Books that Have Been Banned in the 21st century

Alien zoo sex, vulgar language, and the horrors of war have earned this novel (which shall remain nameless) a place on many a banned books list. And it’s hardly alone.

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The Greatest Depressions of Science Fiction

Science fiction never fails to predict bizarre, unwelcome futures and the current global economic meltdown is no exception. We love to imagine all the ways our world will end not with a bang, but with a flood of hemorrhaged garbage cash. Since the cyberpunk 1980s, the idea of financial disaster has haunted scifi.

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The most "storied" authors in the 25-year history of SciFi

It's been 25 years of Gardner Dozios' The Year's Best Science Fiction, and the 25th anniversary edition totals 692 pages of testimony to the state of the industry. Dozois dedicates the first 51 pages alone to a summation of the previous year, a trend he started in the first volume a quarter of a century ago. Congratulations is in order for the edit

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Review: 'Sanctuary' - Fata Morgana

The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS for the "Fata Morgana" episode of the SciFi Channel series, "Sanctuary."It is a dark and stormy night, and Dr. Helen Magnus, Dr. Will Zimmerman and Ashley Magnus find themselves in a small cemetery on a Scottish isle. Soon, all heck breaks loose as dinosaur-skull-headed “keepers of the dead” attack.

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Which Sci-Fi Series Should Return Next?

Now that it's been announced that V is coming back to join other recently revived sci-fi franchises such as Battlestar Galactica, Dr. Who and the upcoming J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot, the logical question is: What long-lamented sci-fi show ought to be next?

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JJ Abrams new sci-fi action show FRINGE debuts in the UK

FRINGE, the new show from the creators of LOST, ALIAS and CLOVERFIELD finally came to the UK TV screen this week with the screening of the pilot episode. Anticipation has been high, but was it worth the wait? The Sci Fi Freak Site review lets you know if it's worth catching the repeats.

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AMAZING Sci-Fi movie

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November, the Month for 'Star Trek' First Trailer

Initially expected to be outed by mid-summer 2008, the full length theatrical trailer of the J.J. Abrams' highly anticipated sci-fi is most likely to be released in November.

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11 Awesome Sci-Fi Gadgets You Wish You Could Have

You know you have been watching a sci-fi movie or TV show, and you catch yourself thinking about what you would do if you got a hold of a killer gadget like a lightsaber or the Green Goblin’s glider. Today we take a look at some of the hottest gadgets from your favorite sci-fi shows and movies that you wish you could have.

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The History Of Product Placement In Science Fiction

Science fiction is all about showing us new and startling worlds — and it doesn't hurt to sell a few widgets along the way. Like Eureka, which recently proved that you can save the world using Degree antiperspirant. Think Reese's Pieces in E.T. the first example of products in sci-fi? Take a look at this comprehensive history.

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Screen Actors Guild to go on Strike?

SAG will possibly strike in November. The writers' strike affected the entire entertainment industry, and this would certainly rattle the industry just as much, if not more.

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Sci Fi Sports: Six Sweaty Moments of Geeky Triumph

If you watch enough high school movies, you'll begin to think that jocks and geeks are always at war. Not so, however: Science fiction is full of triumphant sports moments, and not just the ones that end in death.

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DIGG THIS --> Knight Rider: An Open Letter To NBC

Last Spring we got a preview of the NEW Knight Rider. It sounded promising, and we even got a special visit from the Hoff. So with much anticipation, I've watched the first 3 episodes, only to be disappointed.

Like many television of movie remakes of recent years, more often then not, they royally screw them up. Name a few you say? The Dukes Of Hazard, Starsky and Hutch, Planet Of The Apes, The Bionic Woman, and Dragnet (The Series). And I'm not looking forward to the new Star Trek movie by J.J. Abrams, because he admitted he was not sticking to the ORIGINAL Star Trek "universe".

Note to all would be producers of TV and movies remakes. DO NOT DEVIATE FROM THE ORIGINAL STORY. If you think you're gonna put your own spin on it and it will be wildly popular, you better take a look around before you spend the studios money.

Knight Rider has gone off the beaten path from it's ancestral roots, and it's not being successful. What do I mean?

1. The shows writers and producers need to watch and re-watch the original series, especially the 2 hour pilot. From a show foundation standpoint, they are trying to reinvent it.

Mistake #1, don't re-invent the show, stick with what worked. Michael and KITT were a crime fighting team. They helped people, small businesses, and towns. The new "Team" only goes after the big fish.

Mistake #2, the foundation (F.L.A.G) is out, and the FBI is in. Listen, KITT's not gonna save the world from another 9/11 style attack. But he might help put some bad guys in jail.

Mistake #3, there are way too many people on the "Team", mostly because a show has 5-7 main characters. The other team members detract from the stories.

Mistake #4, government conspiracies and cover-ups are not required to make a successful show. In the original series, we knew who the good guys were and who the bad guys were. Now we have a leader that is not exactly forthcoming about his intentions, and he would eliminate anyone of the team to further his agenda. I would remove this element of the show immediately.

Mistake #5. Because of the deviations, Mike Traceur's past is continuously coming back to haunt him. Something we didn't have with Michael Knight (Long). The attempt to kill off Mike Traceur in the series premier was short lived, since Mike Traceur keeps running into people from his past.

2. Bring back some of the original cast. I know that Edward Mulhare is no longer living, but his character could be revived but someone else filling the role. Patricia McPherson dropped out of show business in 1991, but would be a welcomed guest to the show.

What would really give the show a shot in the arm is the return of the Hoff and/or the original KITT. The show has nothing to lose at this point.

3. The original show features special effects and sounds. Some of these are corny, but the red light on the front, and the swishing sound are the only special effects from the original series brought to the new series. Fans identify with them, and is part of the entertainment. You need to work on that!

4. KITT is too vulnerable. In the TV movie and the first 2 episodes, KITT was incapacitated. This is unacceptable. The car is the show... The car is the show... THE CAR IS THE SHOW! Don't forget that.

5. KITT is too much like a real car, makes too much noise like a car. In this day and age loud cars are a menace to society. The original KITT was much more "science fiction" in every way, and I think that was part of it's attractiveness.

6. It's like the network wants to see this show fail, like the Bionic Woman did. The network and executives want things a certain way, see this article, and then can't understand when the show just doesn't appeal to even us hardcore fans. If NBC is still making new episodes of Knight Rider after Christmas, I will be very amazed.



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John Crawford

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DIGG THIS --> NBC's Life Is Resurrected

NBC's Life is back, a rare survivor of last years WGA strike. The cerebral Charlie Crews and his partner Dani Reese are back as LA's top crime fighting team. Crews is like Monk, Columbo, and Baretta rolled into one. Quite the opposite of Monk, Crews is afraid of nothing, as cold as ice.

Crews has an uncanny ability to solve the most perplexing crimes. He is compulsive, and thinks outside the box on everything. Reese is a conventional thinker, and keeps Crews balanced and between the navigational beacons. In the season opener, a killer is putting dead bodies in luggage style crates, and depositing them in key locations. Crews used tracking data from GPS to outwit the killer, which turned out to be a young, but emotionally disturbed stationary store clerk. In the second episode, Crews and Reese go up against a steroid abuse ring, and the misfits peddling it to solve a brutal murder.

Charlie Crews is a cop that spent 12 years in prison for murder, but was later released after proven innocent. He received a $50 Million settlement and got his old job back. He also agreed to not pursue the case that sent him to prison. Season 1 was all about his "secret" pursuit, and ends with what is believed to be all the evidence to show who framed him. But Season 2 so far has been mostly absent of that. Solving the crime of the week is the primary focus. He did find the girl, who is now grown, who was in the house during the murders, and has her in protective custody. And he is still harassing Jack Reese, a key player in his conviction, whom Crews believes is the mastermind. Jack Reese is also the father of his partner. His partner is a recovering addict. While she is a great cop, she has a past. So far in 2 episodes we've had zero character development for Dani Reese.

New this season is Captain Kevin Tidwell, new captain of the Robbery/Homicide division. At first he came off as hard nosed, but soon he was following Crews' and Reese's lead. Life airs on NBC Monday and Friday Nights at 10PM.

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John Crawford

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DIGG THIS --> Knight Rider: A Mixed Bag

NBC is banking on another series remake again. After it flaunted The Bionic Woman, and was just starting to gain some momentum, NBC pulled the plug. Just a victim of the WGA strike, I think. Now they've brought back Knight Rider, bigger and sexier than before. Ok, I like a bit of nostalgia once in awhile, I'm a huge fan of the original series. We got a big mouthful of Knight Rider last Spring with a pilot made-for-television movie. So, we had a good idea of what to expect. I don't think you need to be from my generation (old enough to remember the original series in prime time) to appreciate the new series. The creators built the foundation with the movie, and now we have a NEW crime fighting team with an invincible car. Well, that's the theory at least.

Most of the similarities end there. After the first two episodes, I'm thinking this new series leans towards the lame side. I mean, they have this car that should be invincible, at least the old KITT was close. 25 years later, a vastly more sophisticated and technologically advanced KITT is far from infallible. For instance, in last nights episode, KITT was nearly beaten in a street race. WHAT??? OK, the guy had NOX, but that whole scene is wrong. The original KITT could reach speeds well above 200MPH in super pursuit mode. And to top it off KITT had a melt down because it's not capable of doing a "transformation" during a turbo boost. Yeah, that's my tax dollars at work, jokingly of course. It sounds typical, though, for something to cost so much and have a such a weakness.

Let's transplant that flaw to another venue. During the pilot of Star Trek: The Next Generation, when they first encountered Q. When the Captain ordered the ship to be "seperated" at maximum warp, Data warned that maneuver had never been tried at such velocities and is not recommended. So the Captain ordered it so, and the ship craps out, dead in space, has to be towed back to space dock. ST:TNG would have been on less episodes that the Bionic Woman.

In the original series, KITT was always rescuing Michael. Seemed every week a new gadget was being showcased. Maybe because it was 1982, and the whole idea was far off the reality scale. It was all "jee-wiz, wow, bang, hey that's kool". In 2008, though, the technology is not so impressive. The stories seem to focus more on the main characters, their histories, their secrets, and their motives. This will be the shows undoing. What did we ever know of the original Michael Knight? Devon Miles? or FLAG? The good guys and the bad guys were clearly marked, and they didn't switch sides.

Clearly, this is one of televisions fatal flaws, certainly so for science fiction. The writers like to twist things up every which way, they mistakenly believe this will heighten the intrigue and cause viewers to tune in. In reality, it confuses and alienates them, and they do not tune back in.

So, here's my advice to the shows writers and producers. Knight Rider is all about the car. It's not about Michael, his partner girlfriend, or any of those other groupies in the bat-cave. It's not about Michael's "lost" memory, or the efforts to keep things from him. Knight Rider is ALL about the car, period. Your show will live allot longer if you focus on that. The writers and producers need to go back and watch to original series pilot, remember where the story came from.

Knight Rider has a whole new crew, but really only one person that's been around a while, Bruce Davison. Rumor also has it that Val Kilmer is the voice of KITT, but neither he (nor the identity of the voice) is listed anywhere on the official Knight Rider site.

Knight Rider airs on NBC on Wednesday nights at 8PM.

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John Crawford

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DIGG THIS -->Fringe: Quality Scifi Returns To Television

The WGA strike last year must have been good to some science fiction writers. This fall featured the premier of Fringe. Fringe is simply awesome, it's like the X-Files on steroids! Fringe pushes the envelope in every direction, including the time-slot it airs - 9PM Eastern Time. The subject matter is mature and intense, but not overly complicated. I think one could watch a single episode, and not knowing the whole background, would be drawn into the story.

After just the first 3 episodes, I have come to expect to get queazy sometime during the episode. So if you're not a fan of blood and/or needles, you are hereby warned. Last week's episode "The Ghost Network", was particularly unnerving, and I have to wonder how it got past the "sensors" for a 9PM timeslot. While I'm not a fan of Lost, or Mission Impossible, creator J.J. Abrams is certainly on track for success with Fringe. If they can get through the first half season without some cranky network executive calling for it's cancellation, I think we'll see Fridge for a few seasons.

Fringe airs Tuesday's at 9PM EST on Fox.

Our cast of characters:
FBI Agent Olivia Dunham, former Marine and now rising star of the FBI, is the lead character. When a German commercial airplane experience catastrophic failure in flight, but lands by auto-pilot with all hands dead, Agent Dunham is specially picked be part of a Homeland Security task force investigating it and and a series of unexplained phenomena called "The Pattern". Olivia is driven by the personal guilt of sexual involvement with another FBI agent, and his betrayal. She sees the simple link between all the "incidents" and a global company called Massive Dynamics. She hunts down a man in Baghdad, and convinces him to get his father released from a mental institute in order to help solve or at least explain these phenomenon. Olivia Dunham is played by Australian native actress Anna Torv.

Peter Bishop is played by actor Joshua Jackson. Peter has a mysterious past. Besides being the son of a brilliant, but weird scientist, which did not make for a fondly memorable childhood. Peter is immensely intelligent and well traveled. He also appears to be well connected, both good and bad, in high and low places. Olivia hunted down Peter in Iraq and convinced him to get his father released from a mental hospital. He was brought in to the task force to supervise his father.

Dr. Walter Bishop is played by another Australian native, John Noble. There was an accident in Dr. Bishop's Harvard lab 17 years ago which caused the death of an assistant, and forced him into a mental institution. He is father of Peter Bishop, and thus explains Peters unpleasant childhood. Peter got him released from the mental hospital at Olivia's request to help solve these strange phenomenon.
Homeland Security Agent Phillip Broyles is played by actor Lance Reddick, is a Baltimore, MD native. As luck would have it, no scifi drama seems to be complete without a government conspiracy. Agent Broyles is the link to the yet undisclosed conspiracy that awaits us. While he is the strong and immovable task force leader, we found out at the end of last week's episode that he is, in fact, "in bed" with Massive Dynamics.

Agent John Scott is played by actor Mark Valley. The character of John Scott was killed off in the first episode, supposedly. Agents Scott and Dunham were partners in the FBI, and they were romantically involved. After a passionate moment where he proclaims he loves her, they are called away on a mission, and both recruited for the Homeland security task force investigating "The Pattern". While chasing a suspect Agent Scott is hit by an chemical explosion. Not quite dead, his injuries and condition are a complete mystery to known science. The only lead to a cure is Dr. Walter Bishop, who is in a mental institution. Olivia tracks down Peter Bishop and convinces him to get his father released because she believe he can save Agent Scott's life. He does in fact save Agent Scott's , but is later killed in a car chase when Olivia discovers he is part of "whoever" or "whatever" caused the deaths on the plane. The 'dead" body is taken to Massive dynamic for "questioning". At the end of last week's episode, we learn they are still downloading information from him. Since he is listed in the opening credits, and not as a guest star, I'd say we haven't seen or heard the last of Mark Valley on this show. It's also a safe bet that Massive Dynamics has been and will be the root cause of all the unexplained phenomenon known as "The Pattern".

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John Crawford

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The Fold, A Hypnotic Review

This is a review of a new scifi series called "The FOLD".

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John Crawford

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Battlestar Keeps On Keeping On, According To Six

While the audience waits impatiently for the final half-season of Battlestar Galactica, the cast and crew have already moved on... kind of. Tricia Helfer has been talking about her experiences on the show, from how little she knew at the start to the reaction of the cast to the end of the show... even though that end keeps on staying out of reach.

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Admiral Adama Will Direct the Upcoming Galactica TV-Movie

News continues to pour in about the upcoming Battlestar Galactica TV-Movie, which will be filmed after the completion of the fourth and final season of the series. Galactica staff writer Jane Espenson (a longtime writer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer) will write the script, and Admiral Adama himself, Edward James Olmos, will direct

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First Pics Of Battlestar Galactica's Cool Prequel Caprica

It's mostly TV spoilers today, thanks to a ton of scans from TV Guide. But today's spoilers do include some new set pics from the Battlestar Galactica prequel Caprica, which reveal what it would be like to live on Caprica some 50-70 years before the Cylon apocalypse.

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