John Schneider (Part 1)

I interviewed John Schneider at the Motor City Comic Con earlier this year. He's super nice and quite humble. Here's a short snippet I captured...


I'll include the transcript later on.

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Eureka

I've only seen a couple episodes of the series but I'd like to buy the DVDs. The show has a cool premise and the love story between Allison and Jack looks cute.


What are your thoughts on Eureka?

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Chuck Bartowski is Pretty Awesome!

Chuck is the perfect geek chic TV show. I really hope NBC doesn't cancel it. The Buy More team was hilarious every week. The love story between Sarah and Chuck was delightfully charming and sweet. When Casey gave Chuck one of his death looks, watch out. And last but not least, when Jeff played the keytar at Ellie's wedding...priceless.

Is Chuck one of your favorite TV shows? If so, what are some of your favorite episodes, scenes or quotes?

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TV Review: Sanctuary

Sanctuary is pretty much a freak show.

The SciFi Channel's latest offering is loaded with weird creatures and at times tries too hard to create an eerie feel. The premiere wasn't spectacular but it did enough to keep me intrigued to see what happens next week. The story started off slow, too slow. But once we got pass all the lackluster cop stuff and onto an introduction of the actual sanctuary things got interesting.

As far as the production value goes there were a bunch of clique bits of dialogue and the writing isn't nearly as smart and subtle as Battlestar Galactica but the special effects were nicely done (aside from the cheesy mermaid). However some of the costumed creatures looked fake, like the monster butler and the creepy plant killer. But it wasn't that distracting from the storyline.

One nice surprise was seeing Kandyse McClure from BSG playing Robin's ex-girlfriend.

Bottom line: I'm not completely sold on this series but I'm going to give it a few more episodes to really impress me.

Did Sanctuary make a fan out of you?

***

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Season 3 of Heroes: Still Interested?

The second season left viewers in a shaky place. Characters were killed off and the aditon of new characters gave the show an odd balance. Storylines felt dragged out and I was wondering if Heroes could recoup after the Writer's Strike and prolonged periods of gaps of new episodes.

Here are some things I like about season 3 so far:

Suresh has a super power. And it's very X-Men Beast like but I'm not sure if he's turning into a villain or if he's fighting off his inner darkness. We'll have to see.

Ando and Hiro's friendship is in question. This makes things interesting. Will Ando turn on Hiro or will Hiro turn on Ando?

Maya and Suresh hook up. They make an extremely cute couple but I don't think it will last long. Plus, wasn't she just falling in love with Sylar last season? Girly needs to take a chill pill before she gets herself into more trouble.


They show seems to have landed on better footing. Hopefully things will keep getting better. And by all means, please don't drag out the storylines or what fans they have left will decide to TiVo something else.

What are you thoughts on the new season of Heroes?

***

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Season 2 of Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles

I wanted to see how the first few episodes turned out before I posted my thoughts on it. Although the first season was a little dry at times I finally feel like the show has found its cadence. There's a more established vibe with characters so it makes it easier to follow the story without all the cumbersome explanations that seemed to bog down the show last season.


In episode 4 "Allison from Palmdale" Summer Glau offers a great portrayal of her character's back story. We get to see Cameron act in a way we've never seen her before: smiling and laughing. This little revelation sets the stage for what is to come.



And finally, I look forward to seeing John Conner's transformation from geeky guy to kick-butt leader. It's about time he gets some real training.

What are your thoughts on season 2 so far?

***

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Smallville Returns for Season 8

No Lana. No Lex. No Kara. And Clark is M.I.A. That's the scenario the Smallville 8 premiere brings us to. Things will never be the same on the Kent farm and that's exactly what needs to happen in order for Clark to grow as a character and for him to fulfill his destiny.



I must admit I'm already missing Lana and Lex, they were pretty much the back bone of the show for so long. But that last scene with Clark and Lois at the Daily Planet was a charming prelude to their inevitable relationship, which is the stuff legends are made of. Plus the scenes where Clark collaborated with the Justice League made me ecstatic to know that The Green Arrow (Justin Hartley) will be a solid member of this season's cast.

Also, the introduction of a new villain in Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman) could prove to be rather intriguing. Will she be able carve her own place in Lex's evil stead. I sure hope so! The battle between Clark and the dark forces is a big part of what makes Smallville so captivating.


What are you thoughts on the new season so far? Where would you like to see the storylines go?

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TV Review: Fringe

The series premiere for Fringe was layered full of intrigue, making it a prime example of a pilot episode done right. On every facade Fringe delivers from superb acting to impressive special effects all the way down to a solid plot that leaves the audience wanting more.

Most of the story takes place in Boston and its surrounding suburbs. The snowy setting establishes the show's vibe quite nicely. We're introduced to FBI special agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) who's latest call to duty is about to change her life forever. As she follows the case and becomes engaged in a race to save her partner/lover's life she encounters a crazed scientist (John Noble), a rogue genius (Joshua Jackson) and a homeland security agent (Lance Reddick) who help her make sense of all the strange science that's happening around her.


Bottom line: Fringe has all the right ingredients to make a wonderful season. Let's hope they keep things fresh and captivating every Tuesday night.

What were your impressions of the show?

***

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Fringe Debuts Tonight on FOX

Fringe is probably the most highly-anticipated sci-fi TV show premiere of the year. The premise is amazing, the cast seems nicely chosen and it's another J.J. Abrams production. Tune in tonight at 8 p.m. (EST) to see if it's really the next big thing. And remember to come back here and share your thoughts. I'll be posting my review.

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Battlestar Galactica Republican Look-a-likes

John McCain = Colonel Tigh
President Roslin = Sarah Palin
I wish I would have thought of this first! The similarities are too funny. And the plot only thickens because Cindy MCain kind of resembles Ellen Tigh. Hilarious.

Can you think of any other sci-fi connections for the presidential candidates?

[Hat tip to FilmChat]

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The Gemini Division - A Review

It's intriguing listening to Rosario Dawson talk. In a matter of minutes she easily builds a rapport with the viewer through her natural storytelling style.

Anna Diaz (Dawson) is a woman in love who has a good dose of vunerability and paranoia. Even in one of the most romantic cities in the world, with one of the most handsome guys by her side (Justin Hartley) she senses that something is not right. It's that feeling that gives this series great potential. The eerie tone was nicely set, now I'm ready to see the action.

Dawson and Hartley have a charming onscreen chemistry and I wouldn't be surprised if they got paired up in a feature film.

Things I look forward to seeing: finding out who she's talking to and hearing some cool tunes for the soundtrack.



So what are thoughts on the first two webisodes of The Gemini Division?

[Hat tip to Wired for the pic]

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New Trailer for The Gemini Division

Very cool. Be sure to watch the premiere this Monday!

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Rosario Dawson stars in new sci-fi webisode

Awesome news! Rosario Dawson will be starring in her own web series this August alongside Smallville favorite, Justin Hartley, who played the Green Arrow.

The Gemini Division tells the story of Anna Diaz, a NYPD detective who gets caught up in a battle over some mysterious genetically modified soldiers gone AWOL. But as the story evolves, she wonders if she's fighting on the right side.

It's cool to see how the traditional TV programing model is being reshaped by the Internet and it's even cooler to have one of my favorite actresses be one of the first to bridge the gap between two.

The Gemini Division premieres on August 18th. Be sure to come back here and share your reviews!



[Hat tip to SciFi Chick]
[photo credit Wired magazine]

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Battlestar Galactica: The Final Season

I never thought I'd say this but Battlestar Galactica is really good! I remember when the show first came out critics were giving it their seal of approval and some went as far as saying it was "the best show on TV". I highly doubted that because I figured it was just like Star Trek and none of those series grabbed my attention (except the episodes with the Borg and Seven of Nine, they're just cool).

If you haven't watched the show yet, Battlestar tells the story of the last humans in space trying to find their way to Earth as they fight off man-made artificial intelligence gone awry called Cylons. They're kind of like the robots in Jame Cameron's Terminator. And that was the main appeal for me, I wanted to see these Cylons in action. But they're not the only thing that makes this show so interesting. There's plenty of drama.

Starbuck is such an intriguing character, you never know what's she's going to do. Her relationship with the younger Adama is increasing complex. At first I wanted them to be together but now I'm not so sure. Then there's Admiral Adama played by Edward James Olmos. He commands every scene and whoever cast him deserves some major kudos. The love story between human and cylon is also delightful. And the episodes with Lucy Lawless are always fun. She looks so much different from her Xena: Warrior Princess days.

Grace Park (Sharon) and Kandyce McClure (Dee) are on my ones to watch list because with the right roles down the line they could become movie stars.

And I could go on...Battlestar Galactica is that impressive. I've only watched a couple handfuls of episodes courtesy of the SciFi Channel's marathon but they've made a fan of me.

The new and final season of Battlestar Galactica starts tomorrow at 10 p.m. on the SciFi Channel. Give it a shot, it might surprise you too.

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TV Review: The Sarah Conner Chronicles

David Nutter has seen better days.

He's my favorite director and although you might not know him by name, I'm sure you know him by his work. He directed the pilots for Roswell, Dark Angel, Smallville and Supernatural. His latest venture iss the two-part premiere for The Sarah Conner Chronicles that aired Sunday and tonight. I missed the beginning 15 minutes of the first installment but what I watched lacked Nutter's usual cinematic feel. The premiere wasn't bad but it wasn't exceptionally good either. And I don't believe that Nutter should get all the blame.

Lena Headey (Sarah Conner) is no Linda Hamilton, and I'm sure I'm not the first or the last person to say that, but I think that will work to her advantage in the long run. Headey has a toughness to her, but yet we sense the vulnerability in her eyes with subtle expressions that offer us a window into her struggles and make us care for her character. And in TV, we really need to care about the characters. That's what keeps us coming back every week. Sarah's voice overs are a nice touch, reminiscent of Dark Angel, but without the same spunk. I hope the show keeps that component and builds upon it.

Thomas Dekker (John Conner) is a nice replacement for the role of the soon-to-be leader of the future. He carries over his misfit role from Heroes but he has yet to do anything that has wowed me with his acting ability. Even so, I'm not counting him out, as his character develops he could end up really impressing me so we'll see what comes our way.


Summer Glau (Cameron a.k.a. The Female Terminator) is the one part of the show that really worries me. I'm just not buying her role as their protector. Sometimes her face is so blank, but not in a good way. Arnold Schwarzenegger's blank emotionless stare is classic, Robert Partick's metallic glance was deadly, and even Kristanna Loken's stare was wicked cool in T3, but Glau doesn't have that flare. And some of her action sequences are unbelievable. I keep wishing that somehow she would magically get the same kick-butt vibrancy that Jessica Alba had in Dark Angel or Kate Beckinsale had in Underworld. But it never happens. On the other hand, I do look forward to a romantic storyline that might emerge from her and John's relationship. That could be very interesting.

All in all, this show is not stellar but it's promising.

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Freeze Frame: Smallville

The set-up: Lex Luthor makes a clone of his deceased brother Julian in a misguided attempt to create the kinship he always longed for. But his plan backfires.

"If you want to play God, remember His greatest gift: Freewill. Let me live my life."

~Julian, as said to Lex in the episode Gemini

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Katherine, Come Back!

Anyone else want Katherine Heigl to return to Sci-Fi?

I knew she was going to be a big star back when she played Isabel Evans on Roswell. Her portrayal of a teen alien was top-notch.

Now that she's won an Emmy and Knocked Up the box office I hope she doesn't forget her humble sci-fi roots. I remember when Roswell fans across the country united and sent thousands of hot sauce bottles to TV executives pleading with them to keep Roswell on for another season. Those were the good ol' days.

So what movie would be perfect for Ms. Heigl?

That's easy...anything with Will Smith in it. We all know he's bound to save the world again. Whether it's from aliens, robots, zombies or something just as menacing. Mr. "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" can pack the theaters with plenty of sci-fi lovin' fans.

I can imagine Heigl being Smith's snarky partner in some futuristic cop drama. They can't stand each other. She plays it wild and he likes following the rules. (Think of an X-Files Mulder/Scully dynamic). Maybe they're on a distant planet keeping the peace between humans and cyborgs when something goes wrong and they're the only ones who can make it right.

Or something like that.

Here's to hoping that Heigl gets a kick-butt SF role.

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DVDs (Not Diamonds) are girl's best friend

The X-Files Complete Collector's Edition is out on DVD just in time for the Christmas season. And if you're a TV series collector like me then here's something else you can add to your wish list.

It's become somewhat of a tradition in my family for my siblings and I to buy each other new seasons of our favorite shows. Last year my little sister got me Smallville season four and this year I got her Golden Girls season one for her birthday.

Here's to hoping you get your favorite TV show or better yet GIVE it someone special.

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Smallville: Lights, Camera, Action

Oh-my-gosh!!! Tonight's episode of Smallville was superb.

Christina Milian was looking totally fab as Rachel, an A-List actress, coming to town for a film shoot. She and Clark had some sparks flying when they "read through her lines". Watch out Lana!

There was some major foreshadowing going on through the storyline of Warrior Angel as to what is going to happen to Clark and his gang. We all know that Lana is going to get killed off at some point, this just served as a little reminder to enjoy the Clana days while we can.

Other coolness involved Clark getting a red cape as a gift from Rachel. The last scene when it blew in the wind as Clark walked back to the barn was pure sweetness. The director gets mad kudos for that.

And the BIGGEST scene of the night was when the Warrior Angel fanfreak threw Lana off the high-rise and Clark plunged off the building to save her. The look in Lana's eyes said it all: "Whoa!"

A guy like Clark can save me anytime.

So what where your thoughts on it all???

Oh--and check out The CW website to enter a contest to be the vlogger of the month.

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Smallville is back!!!

And so am I.

Get ready for some posts about the new season of Smallville and Heroes plus all things sci-fi. Oh yeah!!!

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