Posted at 6 p.m. Friday, May 15

Haven’t seen Season 1 of “Primeval?” It airs at 10 p.m. Fridays on Sci Fi.

PRIMEVAL
8 p.m. Saturday, BBC America
Tune in or out? out of four.

The British monster mash returns with new characters, new crises and most of all, new and bigger, badder beasties. In the new season, Nick Cutter (Douglas Henshall) and his team of dinosaur-finders race to close time/space anomalies that allow not just prehistoric creatures to cross into our world—but all manner of beings that are steeped in myths and legends.

Yeah, it’s a silly premise—but loads of fun.

Posted at 4:55 p.m. Tuesday, May 12

LOST
Season finale
8 p.m. Wednesday, ABC

It’s been a season of crazy twists and time-bending trips for the Losties and their fans. Can “Lost” masterminds Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who wrote this two-hour season finale, top what’s been happening on the island and set up for next year’s final season? Even Michael Emerson, who plays baddie Ben, told the Associated Press he was “a bit shocked” by the script. “Can they do that?” he asked. Apparently so.

Posted at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 12

“Fringe” airs its season finale at 8 p.m. Tuesday after “American Idol” on Fox. (“Idol” is likely to run past an hour again, so set your DVRs to run at least five minutes long.)

The Season 1 finale of "Fringe" will reveal more about more about Olivia, Peter and Walter. Fox photos

Nina Sharp fights for her life after being gunned down. Walter Bishop is out of the lab and with the Observer. FBI Agent Olivia Dunham comes face to face with William Bell.

As if fans weren’t eagerly anticipating the first season finale of “Fringe” enough, the sow’s co-creator, J.J. Abrams, said Friday that it will be “one of those tent-pole episodes in the mythology of the show.”

“I think it really does begin the story that we wanted to tell,” Abrams told reporters during a conference call. “The first season was sort of a setup of this world—the characters, their roles, their jobs. [The finale] is a massive sort of turning point in the long-term arc of the series.”

Posted at 10:15 p.m. Thursday, May 7

Leonard Nimoy, who first wore the pointy ears of the Vulcan Mr. Spock in the “Star Trek” series, delivers the Top 10 list of "Lines Never Before Said in a 'Star Trek' Film" on Thursday’s “Late Show with David Letterman.”

Nimoy reprises his iconic role in J.J. Abrams breathtaking new “Star Trek” film. He plays an older Spock to Zachary Quinto’s young version. They are both great, by the way.

Read the full list below.

Posted at 9:45 p.m. Thursday, May 7

INTERVIEWS WITH JOSS WHEDON, ELIZA DUSHKU, TAHMOH PENIKETT
SAVE "DOLLHOUSE"

SPOILER ALERT IF YOU AREN'T CAUGHT UP WITH "DOLLHOUSE."

Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse” may not last beyond Friday’s first season finale, but it’s going out with a bang.

Alan Tudyk promises a bumpy ride in "Omega," which debuts at 8 p.m. Friday. “I really like this next episode coming up,” he told reporters earlier this week.

Posted at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, May 7

WATCH THE 'STAR TREK' TRAILER
'STAR TREK' MEETS 'LOST' IN PARODY

BOLDLY GO—AGAIN—ON ME TOO
Chicago’s WEMU classic TV will air a marathon of the original “Star Trek” from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday. Find Me Too on your TV service here.

Chris Pine takes Capt. Kirk's seat in the new "Star Trek" film. Paramount photos

When J.J. Abrams’ bold new “Star Trek” opens Thursday, it’s going to make a lot of people happy.

It also will cause outrage, but that’s nothing new. Some “Trek” fans have been bickering from the moment Abrams’ re-imagining of Gene Rodenberry’s beloved vision of the future was announced.

The Enterprise bridge looks too slick, they said. The ship was built in San Francisco, not Iowa. Chris Pine isn’t buff enough to play Kirk. You can’t change that. You have to do this.

Posted at 7 a.m. Wednesday, May 6

EARTH FINAL CONFLICT: SEASON ONE
$40 for 22 episodes
Tune in or out? out of four.

This is a special treat for “Star Trek” fans. “Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry came up with this series, but it wasn’t developed until after his 1997 death. The syndicated series pit the people of Earth against alien visitors who claim to be helpful, but, well, that would be boring. Von Flores and Lisa Howard play humans who work for the alien Taelons, but also are part of the human resistance. Extras include and intro by “Rod” Roddenberry, Gene’s son; six episode commentaries and a making-of featurette. Seasons 3, 4 and 5 are already out on DVD, released by another company.

Philip Winchester and Tongayi Chirisa in "Crusoe." NBC photo

CRUSOE
$30 for 13 episodes
Tune in or out? out of four.

I didn’t hate NBC’s period adventure based on Daniel Defoe’s novel as much as, well, everyone else did. The foolish romp of a show was beautifully filmed in South Africa, didn’t take itself too seriously and offered MacGyver-like gadgetry and a lot of adventure. And hello, two buff, mostly shirtless guys (Philip Winchester and Tongayi Chirisa) hanging out in a treehouse? I’m in. A paperback of the novel is included with other extras.

Posted at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, May 5

The Fine Brothers are mashing up pop culture again in the latest “Lost” parody.

But really, hasn’t J.J. Abrams already done that? He used much of his “Lost” team to create the new “Star Trek” movie opening Friday.

In the latest parody, Kirk, Spock, Sulu and Bones end up on the “Lost” island where they meet Sawyer, Locke, Jin and Jack. Some pop culture time travelers join them, but Spock just can’t handle such an illogical place

You can watch all the "Lost" parodies at Just For Laughs or in my previous posts.

Posted at 11:30 p.m. Monday, May 4

Jasika Nicole and "Fringe" will return for a second season in the fall. Fox photos

The smallest things make Jasika Nicole happy about her job.

The rookie TV actress plays rookie FBI Agent Astrid Farnsworth on “Fringe,” which airs at 7 p.m. Tuesdays on Fox. Astrid spends most of her time cooped up in mad scientist Walter Bishop’s (John Noble) basement lab, never getting the chance to chase baddies like Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv).

That changes Tuesday, much to Nicole’s delight.

“She does get out of the lab one more time, but she’s not kicking any proverbial butt,” the bubbly Nicole told me Monday. “She’s being smart and tech-savvy, which is her job. But it was really exciting to get out of the lab because it’s happened only three times this season.”

That could change in the fall. Fox picked up J.J. Abrams’ freshman freak-fest on Monday for a second season, which means Nicole might get more opportunities to play Astrid as action hero.

“You’ve seen everybody step up to bat and save the day. You haven’t seen her do that before, but she has the power to do that. She’s got a gun,” Nicole said, laughing. “She has got a gun—and a badge. I know, because I saw her badge.”

The bubbly Nicole chatted more about the final two “Fringe” episodes this season, missing a Canadian cow and how unsettling the sentence "you are being observed" can be. [WARNING: We discuss the finale, but only one thing is a true-but-tiny spoiler concerning Astrid and Walter.]

Posted at 2:30 p.m. Monday, April 27

“Lost” airs its 100th episode on Wednesday. That digit—100—is apparently this week’s magic number. President Obama will discuss his first 100 days in office at 7 p.m. Wednesday on ABC. (CBS and NBC will show it as well; Fox is sticking to its regular schedule.) After that at 8 p.m., “Lost” will air “The Variable,” its 100th episode in which Daniel Faraday comes clean to the other Losties concerning what he knows about the island. You’ll find three clips from the episode below.

Posted at 10:45 p.m. Sunday, April 26

The Battlestar Galactica is having its final garage sale May 8-10, giving “Galactica” fans one last chance to own the life-size Viper Mark II craft from the show.

Got $30,000 to $40,000? That’s the estimated bid for the auction in Pasadena, Calif. If you can’t make it there, you can big online at Auction Network.

Posted at 6:15 p.m. Friday, April 24

If you been waiting for a showdown between Sylar and the heroes on NBC’s “Heroes,” get ready for Monday’s season finale. It’s a doozy. I won't spoil it for you, but expect a death, a resurrection—and another resurrection of sorts. It’s a great ending to Season 3 with some cool twists. If you want to see clips from the episode, which begins at 8 p.m. right after the season finale of “Chuck” (Save “Chuck”!), keep reading below.

I’ve also included some interviews with “Heroes” stars Zachary Quinto, Milo Ventimiglia, Greg Grunberg and Cristine Rose. Enjoy!

Posted at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 23

MY INTERVIEW WITH "PRIMEVAL" STAR JULIET AUBREY

Hannah Spearritt (as Abby Maitland), Andrew Lee Potts (Connor Temple), Lucy Brown (Jenny Lewis), Douglas Henshall (Nick Cutter), Ben Mansfield (Captain Becker) and Laila Rouass (Sarah Page) star in the news season of “Primeval.” BBC America photos

The dinosaurs are back on BBC America this summer in a new season of the thrill-packed “Primeval.” It was one of my surprise must-sees of last summer.

Posted at 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, April 21

"True Blood" returns June 14 for its second season on HBO. The network has released this peek at the new season. Enjoy.

Posted at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 21

CAPRICA
Out on DVD Tuesday
Tune in or out? out of four.

The “Battlestar Galactica” prequel series won’t begin airing on Sci Fi Channel until 2010, but the network is giving the 90-minute movie pilot an early DVD release to keep fans excited. And they should be.

Posted at 11:55 p.m. Monday, April 20

NBC brought one of the creepiest “Heroes” characters to the Web today. Eric Doyle, the Puppetmaster, is trying to go straight, but he’s coming up against some very annoying challenges.

The new Web series called “Nowhere Man” has Doyle (David H. Lawrence XVII) taking a job with Copy Kingdom, and running into a new boss that “Heroes” fans already know—Kyle Dilman (Brian Kimmet), the guy who also tried to boss around HRG.

Doyle appears in “Nowhere Man,” which launches a new episode each Monday, and also the latest iStory that begins Tuesday, as well as Chapters 107 and 133 of the “Heroes” graphic novels.

Posted at 5 p.m. Friday, April 17

AT LEAST DAVID JAMES ELLIOTT HAD FUN

Perfidia (Natassia Malthe) and John Serragoth (David James Elliott) battles evil. Sci Fi photo

KNIGHTS OF BLOODSTEEL
8 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Sci Fi Channel
Tune in our out? out of four.

David James Elliott should not have given up his “JAG” uniform—not for the medieval track suit he wears in this dull sword-and-sorcerer flick.

Posted at 2:45 p.m. Friday, April 17

WHAT A BLOODY MESS

Love those hair extensions! Sci Fi Channel photo

David James Elliott has traded his buzz cut and sharp oratorical skills for a shaggy mane and razor-like sword in Sci Fi Channel’s fantasy epic “Knights of Bloodsteel.”

“JAG” fans, vigilante John Serragoth looks nothing like Navy officer Harm Rab, thanks to the “nightmare” of hair extensions.

Posted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 15

Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, Richard Dean Anderson and Gary Jones aren’t ready to leave the “Stargate” universe just yet. The former co-stars of previous “Stargate” series will guest star on the new “SGU.”

Posted at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 15

Spike TV will broadcast the world TV premiere of “Zombie Strippers!” starring porn legend Jenna Jameson.

Don’t get too excited, boys, it’s been edited for TV. That means no nudity, a Spike TV rep tells me.

All together now … Damn!

Now you’ll have to watch the “cinematic masterpiece,” as Spike TV calls it, for the grandness of the “epic” story. Airing at 9 p.m. Sunday, April 19, “Zombie Strippers!” has Jameson playing “an angst-ridden exotic dancer in Nebraska who becomes infected with a deadly virus and morphs into a supernatural, flesh-eating zombie.”

Robert Englund, who played Freddy Krueger in "The Nightmare on Elm Street" films, and former UFC fighter Tito Ortiz co-star.

Posted at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9

KROD MANDOON AND THE FLAMING SWORD OF FIRE
9 p.m. Thursday, Comedy Central
Tune in or out? out of four.

You have to love a show that offers rippling pecs, nubile women and flashing blades. I do, anyway.

Posted at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 8

JJ Abrams and his “Fringe” crew scored a massive casting coup: Leonard Nimoy will play the mysterious William Bell.

A Fox official just confirmed top me that Nimoy, aka Mr. Spock of the original “Star Trek,” will appear as Bell this season, possible the May 12 season finale. Fans of the show know that Bell runs the sketchy corporation Massive Dynamic, as well as crazy Walter Bishop’s old Harvard lab partner. But while Walter was institutionalized, Bell founded his company and became a gajillionaire.

The news was first reported by the Fringe TV Web site. Nimoy will play an old version of the Spock character in Abrams’ upcoming “Star Trek” reboot that opens in May.

Posted at 9:34 p.m. Tuesday, April 7

Sci Fi Channel says the March 20 series finale “Battlestar Galactica” scored the show’s best ratings since 2005.

The Live + 7 DVR data, which measures both the broadcast ratings of the show as well as the DVR play backs for one week, shows that 3.1 million people watched the episode, Sci Fi reports. That was 2.1 millon viewers in the 25-54 age group, and 2 million in the 18-49 group. It was the best performance for “Battlestar Galactica” in all categories since Feb. 4, 2005.

Sci Fi goes on to say that the “BSG” finale is now the No. 5 most-watched original series performance in adults 25-54, the best performance for any original series on this measure since 2005, and is the No. 4 most-watched telecast in adults 18-49.

“Battlestar Galactica” ended with a bang in March. Now fans are looking forward to the prequel of sorts, “Caprica,” which tells the story of humanity long before the events that started “BSG” transpire.

It won’t begin airing on Sci Fi until 2010, but the network is releasing a limited-edition, uncut version on DVD from Universal Home Entertainment on April 21. And I have it!

Sorry. I’ll review it and post the week of release, but I’ll try not to spoil anything about the story. The movie serves as the pilot for the series.

Posted at 8:50 p.m. Tuesday, April 7

Ryan Carnes (above) did a cameo on "Samantha Who?" last year. ABC photo

Sci fi veteran Tahmoh Penikett and Illinos’ own Ryan Carnes have been cast as leads in two Sci Fi Network projects.

“Battlestar Galactica” vet Penikett (left), who currently stars in “Dollhouse,” will play a reporter in “Riverworld.” The four-hour film co-stars Laura Vandervoort, who played Supergirl on “Smallville.”

Pittsfield native Carnes, who has starred on “Desperate Housewives,” will play the title role in “The Phantom,” an updated version of the classic comic book.

Both productions, developed by Sci Fi and RHI Entertainment, began filming April 6. Sci Fi says the four-hour movies also will serve as backdoor pilots. They will debut in 2010.

Click the link below to read Sci Fi’s description of the two projects.

Posted at 10 p.m. Monday, April 6

FRINGE
8 p.m. Tuesday, Fox
Tune in or out? out of four.

Fox’s creepy thriller comes back with more than a bang after an “American Idol” forced extended hiatus. FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) and crew help a boy empath found living underground. He in turn helps Olivia hunt for a serial killer called “The Artist,” who likes to surgically alter women—after he kills them. And that boy’s bald head? Fans who know the show’s mythology will totally see where that’s going. Fun stuff!

Posted at 4:45 p.m. Monday, April 6

Anna Torv says she’s never sure what she can reveal about the future of her “Fringe” character, FBI Agent Olivia Dunham.

But one thing she did tell reporters last week was that Olivia will not be hooking up with Joshua Jackson’s Peter Bishop.

“A couple of episodes ago, he was chatting up my sister, so I don’t know how they’re going to resolve that,” she said, laughing. “I certainly hope they wait until that’s sort of sorted out.”

The Australian actress, who can be seen in BBC America’s “Mistresses” on Friday nights, said she doesn’t want Olivia and Peter to get together any time soon.

“I think that’s what makes it kind of fun when it’s like, ‘Oh, are they or aren’t they? What’s going on?’” she said. “I think there needs to be a few more close calls before they, you know, start heading down that track, because then you’ve got to break up and get back together again and the whole bit, right?”

Posted at 3 a.m. Monday, April 6

Give a guy a superpower and suddenly he wants to be TV’s next action hero.

James Kyson Lee thinks it’s high time his “Heroes” character, Ando Masahashi, started flexing more muscle.

“I think he has the potential to be a more actiony character,” Lee told me during an exclusive interview on Friday. “And I’m pretty athletic in real life, so I’d love to incorporate some of that.”

Posted at 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 27

Seth MacFarland, David Goodman and the writers of “Family Guy” has skewered many a pop culture icon—from “Star Wars: A New Hope” to Christian Bale’s recent meltdown on the set of “Terminator: Salvation.”

The gang goes where not one of them has gone before in Sunday’s 8 p.m. episode, called “Not All Dogs Go to Heaven.” They lampoon “Star Trek: The Next Generation”—with the help of the cast of that series—Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, Denise Cosby, Gates McFadden and Wil Wheaton.

Posted at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, March 21

THE COLOR OF MAGIC
7 p.m. Sunday, ION
Tune in or out? out of four.

Based on author Terry Pratchett’s book series “Discworld,” this uneven British import is one fantasy I don’t want to have. When failed wizardry student Rincewind (David Jason) is assigned to guide bumbling tourist Twoflower (Sean Astin) around the city-state of Ankh Morpork, they encounter evil wizards, dragons, barbarians, a flying space turtle and a star that threatens to destroy Discworld. Unfortunately, some second-rate effects and awful writing makes their adventures jump from silly to exciting to dull.

NOTE: The video clip above is from when “Color of Magic” aired in Britain.

Posted at 9 a.m. Friday, March 20

Joss Whedon’s fans know that his current show, “Dollhouse,” had a shaky start on Fox after its well-documented, troubled trip to the small screen.

But things are looking up. The audience for last week’s episode grew by 21 percent, to 4.3 million viewers. That’s not bad for a show that airs at 8 p.m. on Fridays.

Those numbers could improve with this week’s installment, titled “Man on the Street,” which Whedon wrote and is very excited about. He’s been calling it a game-changer.

In the episode—which is indeed an improvement over earlier episodes—FBI Agent Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett) comes as close as he ever has to uncovering the secrets of the Dollhouse, the clandestine group that erases the memories of its agents, or dolls, and implants them with new personalities for their missions—which can be anything from being a rich guy’s date to a hired assassin. He also comes face-to-face for the first time with the doll he knows by her former name, Caroline, who is now called Echo (Eliza Dushku).

Sound complicated? No worries, Whedon says. Even if you’ve never seen the show, you’ll understand everything after Friday’s episode.

“It explains the premise and at the same time really gets under the skin of the Dollhouse and of Paul’s character,” he told reporters during a conference call this week.

Click the link below for more excerpts from the call.

Posted at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 19

Tahmoh Penikett with Grace Park (left) and Eliza Dushku (right). Sci Fi, Fox photos

Tahmoh Penikett gets all the ladies.

The Canadian actor spent four seasons romancing Grace Park on “Battlestar Galactica,” then moved on to “Dollhouse,” where he’s in hot pursuit of Eliza Dushku.

On Friday, he catches her. Penikett’s been living a fanboy’s dream, and this Friday fans will get the final one-night double dose of Penikett. “BSG” wraps up its run with a 2-hour, 11-minute series finale beginning at 8 p.m. on Sci Fi, while “Dollhouse” airs a “game-changing” episode at 8 p.m. on Fox. (Ready, set TiVo people!)

“I’m pretty grateful to have been able to work with two of the best [writer-producers] on TV now,” Penikett said of “BSG” boss Ronald D. Moore and “Dollhouse” creator Joss Whedon.

Penikett was in Chicago a few weeks ago to promote both shows. I pumped him for information about what will happen to his “BSG” character, Capt. Karl “Helo” Agathon, his Cylon wife Sharon “Athena” Valerie (Park) and their hybrid child, Hera.

He was, as you would expect, evasive.

“Sorry man,” he told me over tea. “I know everyone’s dying to know. But I can’t say any more.”

What we do know about Friday’s “BSG” finale is that Helo, Athena and a group of volunteers led by Admiral Adama will attack the Cylons and attempt to rescue Hera, who could be the savior of humanity (and the Cylons, come to think of it).

“It’s such an epic finale—epic and just,” Penikett said. “I think of it so much like a feature [film], because it has that weight and resonance. It’s going to stick around for a long time in people’s minds. It’s clearly one of the biggest finales and it’s going to blow people away.”

Penikett did say that he and Park share a “massive, emotional” final scene together, and that he is pleased with the unpredictable way Helo’s story ends.

"There will be some conclusions and a lot of questions, which is perfect and the way it should be,” he said.

As for Friday’s “Dollhouse,” Penikett said the show hits its stride with the “Man on the Street” episode.

"'Man on the Street’ and the last five episodes [are] so strong,” he said. “It’s so obvious the show has found its feet.”

Penikett’s character, loner FBI agent Paul Ballard, comes face to face with Echo (Dushku), the operative who is implanted with a new identity for every mission she is sent on by the mysterious Dollhouse organization. Up to this point, Ballard has been thwarted at every turn as he investigates the Dollhouse.

He’s been tipped off about Echo and her past life before her real personality was erased. He wants to save her, but their meeting isn’t a pleasant one.

“You’ll see an interaction, for sure, and it’s going to be violent,” Penikett said.

Click the link below for a few more tidbits from the interview.

Posted at 7:50 a.m. Thursday, March 19

“Battlestar Galactica” ends its run Friday after five years and four seasons with a two-hour, 11-minute finale beginning at 8 p.m. on Sci Fi Channel. In the recent retrospective, “Battlestar Galactica: The Last Frakkin’ Special,” series star Edward James Olmos (right, with Mary McDonnell) said “BSG” “will be seen in 25 years and understood a lot better.” I think it has made a powerful statement already. It ranks atop my list of TV’s best sci-fi series.

Now remember, I’m going by the shows that touched me in some way, so really these are my faves. And boy was it difficult to figure out—I’ve watched a lot of sci fi TV in my day. I’m not including anthology series such as “The Twilight Zone.” Please share your best list in the comments section.

1. BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 2003-09 Best ... series ... ever. The show, a remake of the cheesy 1970s series, debuted as a 2002 mini-series that took the 9/11 tragedy and transformed it into a grand space opera in which a robot civilization infiltrated and then destroyed the homeland of humanity. “BSG” presented current events as viewed through a sci-fi lens.

Click the link below to see the rest of my Top 10.

Posted at 7:45 p.m. Monday, March 16

All you “Ghost Whisperer” fans who have been telling me about how frustrated you are with the Melinda-Jim-Sam situation have new new tormented love life to follow.

CBS launched the third season of its “Ghost Whisperer” Web series, “The Other Side,” on Friday, and poor ghost Marc (Justin Baker) is trying to get the attention of living, and taken, Olivia (Jaimi Paige). You can watch it here.

The Web series follows the same theme as the current season of the TV series—a second chance at love. In the first Webisode, called “The Haunting,” Olivia goes stag to her 10-year high school class reunion when Marc starts bugging her. He even pops up in the back seat of her friend's car (photo).

CBS has created “gamisodes” to go along with the videos. At the end of each “Ghost Whisperer: The Other Side III” episode, viewers can delve into an interactive game where they assume Marc’s identity. According to CBS, fans “can interact with the Spirit World by decoding authentic messages from the grave.” Fans who play can earn a chance to win a trip to L.A. and a tour of the “Ghost Whisperer” set.

Expect to see a lot of Saturn cars, as Saturn is the exclusive sponsor of the Webisodes/gamisodes. OnStar also gets a plug.

CBS will post a new Webisode each Friday.

Posted at 4:25 p.m. Sunday, March 8

“Watchmen” ruled at the box office this weekend, earning $55.7 million in ticket sales and causing a heated debate over whether director Zack Snyder’s adaptation of the cult comic is actually any good.

I loved it, but I’m sucker for superheroes, even flawed ones.

The debate moves to TV on Monday, when movie bloggers Drew McWeeny of HitFix and formerly of Ain’t it Cool News squares off against David Poland from Movie City News on “Attack of the Show” at 6 p.m. (Central) on G4.

G4 is promising “two very different perspectives on the film.”

Last week, “Attack of the Show” got a visit from the movie’s blue man, Dr. Manhattan. You can watch the clip here.

Posted at 10:50 p.m. Friday, March 6, 2009

“Star Trek” spawned four spin-off and one animated series, 10 movies, dozens of books and on May 8, a relaunch by J.J. Abrams of epic proportions.

Beam me up already.

The latest and most awesome trailer is opening screenings of “Watchmen” in theaters this weekend. I can only imagination how amazing it looks on the big screen. I’m giddy as a schoolgirl watching it on my computer—for the 20th time. (Click to Apple to see it in hi-def.)

We see Starfleet Capt. Pike convincing a rebellious James T. Kirk to enlist. There are amazing shots of skydiving in space, a planet imploding and boffo, bruising space battles.

Then comes the goose-bumps-for-geeks moment: a bloodied Cadet Kirk sits in the captain’s chair for the first time as he takes control of the Enterprise.

And for anyone who’s sniping about Chris Pine not living up to William Shatner’s bed-hopping bravura, just check out Pine’s sexy two-fingered salute to Zoe Saldana’s Uhura. Looks like he’s doing just fine.

Check out the earlier trailers HERE, and then tell me what you think. Will Abrams, Pine, Saldana, Zachary Quinto (Spock), Simon Pegg (Scotty), Karl Urban (McCoy) and Anton Yelchin (Chekov) boldly take us where no “Star Trek” fan has gone before?

Posted at 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 6

ASHES TO ASHES
8 p.m. Saturday, BBC America
Tune in or out? out of four.

You don’t have to feel nostalgia for the 1980s to get into this sequel to the British hit “Life on Mars,” but it sure helps.

Fuzzy perms, leg warmers and Adam Ant—you’ll find them all when modern-day police psychologist Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes) is transported back to 1981 after being shot. It’s a fantastical leap for viewers, but one they’ve already taken with “Life on Mars,” which saw contemporary cop Sam Tyler make a similarly surreal trip to 1973, where he fought crime and butted heads with racist, sexist detective Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister).

Alex has studied up on Sam’s case—he did make it back to his real life and report his experience, but that’s all I’ll spoil of “Mars”—and she’s more than equipped to handle the situation. She knows all about Gene and his boys, and laughs off their sexist remarks by calling them “figments.”

In the original “Mars”—not the current ABC version—Sam constantly fretted over his situation. Although she’s not exaclty shouting “I love the ’80s,” Alex seems to be having a better time. She’s rocking the off-the-shoulder sweat shirt look of Jennifer Beals in “Flashdance,” guzzling booze, dancing to an ’80s soundtrack (Adam Ant again) and sexing with a slick businessman. <

Alex knows that she’s in a coma and dreaming, saying matter-of-factly, “I might be one second away from life or one second way from death.”

All she’s got to do to mind-leap back to the present and the daughter she misses is snap out of it, she decides. She searches for clues in her casework and tries to make peace with her mother, who will be killed later in 1981, in order to trigger that wake-up call.

Maybe reliving the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana will shock her back to her future.

Posted at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25

So just how did John Locke die on "Lost"? I think we're going to find out tonight. Here are three preview clips. Tune in at 8 p.m. Wednesday to ABC.

Posted at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25

Lou Diamond Phillips is going from Chicago to the wide expanses of space.

The veteran actor, who guest stars in an episode of A&E’s Chicago-shot “The Beast” at 9 p.m. Thursday, has joined the cast of Sci Fi’s upcoming new Stargate series, “Stargate Universe.” He will play a military commander in charge of a space expedition that can’t find its way back to Earth. (Phillips is shown at right with "The Beast" star Patrick Swayze. On Thursday he plays Capone, a DEA agent who has gone under cover in a drug gang.)

Also joining the “SGU” cast are Ming-Na, Elyse Levesque and Alaina Huffman, which means ys, fanboys, women will be on that expedition! They join already announced cast members Robert Carlyle, Justin Louis, David Blue, Jamil Walker Smith and Brian J. Smith.

“Stargate Universe” will premiere sometime in October with a two-hour movie directed by Andy Mikita and produced by longtime “Stargate” franchise exec producers Brad Wright and Robert Cooper.

Click the link below to read more about the actors and their characters on “SGU.”

Posted at 9 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23

The Fine Brothers have gotten into the Oscar spirit with their latest “Lost” parody by dumping Wall-E and the Joker onto their island with several "Lost" and "Heroes" characters.

Some viewers might be repeating Wall-E's “Too sooon” when it comes to the Joker/Heath Ledger jokes. But is it too soon? The spoof, the second of their new season, is pretty awesome. Here are some other great lines:
Charlie: “We sniff the markers like, all the time.”
Hurley to Shannon: “Sorry dude, I wasn’t looking at your eyes.”
Joker: “Did I ever tell you how I got these scars? I got them when I made Hurley make this giant pencil disappear.”
Sawyer: “What are we waiting for, let’s kill Brokeback.”

You can watch more from the Fine Brothers at Just for Laughs. Read an earlier post here.

Posted at 1:15 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22

Sci Fi’s latest original series, “Warehouse 13,” has begun production in Toronto, the network has announced.

The premise of “Warehouse 13” sounds like another riff on “The X-Files,” just like Fox’s “Fringe” is. That doesn’t mean it’s not going to be good.

In “Warehouse 13,” two Secret Service agents Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly, center) and Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock, right) are assigned to Warehouse 13, a “top-secret storage facility in windswept South Dakota which houses every strange artifact, mysterious relic, fantastical object and supernatural souvenir ever collected by the U.S. government.”

The warehouse’s caretaker, Artie (Saul Rubinek, left), sends the agents to investigate reports of strange activity in hopes of finding more objects to add to the piles in the facility. CCH Pounder has a recurring role as Artie’s boss, Mrs. Frederic.

The series premieres in July with a two-hour movie.

Posted at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20

The "Dollhouse" cast: Tahmoh Penikett (from left), Enver Gjokaj, Eliza Dushku, Dichen Lachman, Fran Kranz, Olivia Williams and Harry Lennix. Fox photo

DOLLHOUSE
8 p.m. Fridays, Fox
Tune in or out? out of four.

I’m a big fan of Joss Whedon and his series’ “Firefly,” “Angel” and, of course, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

“Dollhouse” is none of those. And honestly, I’m disappointed. I’m not suggesting the guy needs to repeat himself to make me happy, but his Web hit “Dr. Horrible” was perfectly different and I loved it.

Whedon’s getting a little too serious with “Dollhouse,” in which a covert group is convincing people who have no other options to have their minds wiped clean of their own memories. After that, the “dolls,” or “actives,” are imprinted with the memories of others in order to assume different identities for each mission.

It’s a little human trafficking mixed with fractured identities injected with a little weird science—and a whole lot of boredom. "Dollhouse" seems to be devoid of any of the joy in those other shows.

At this point the actives, chief among them Echo (who in her past life was Caroline), mindlessly trade pleasantries at the Dollhouse, get massages, swim, shower and sleep. Nothing too exciting there.

My belief was that their missions, or engagements as Dollhouse doyenne Adelle DeWitt (Olivia Williams) calls them, would allow the actives to really bust out the personalities and action. But Eliza Dushku, as nice as she is to look at as Echo, seems kind of brain-drained no matter who she is. In last week’s misfire of a series premiere, she played a troubled hostage negotiator. On tonight’s much better second episode, she’s an adventurous gal on a hunting date with the devil. Bows and arrows, backwoods, dead rangers—you’d think there’d be plenty of opportunity for Dushku to give us just a glimmer of her “Buffy” slayer Faith. Instead, she’s a scared victim until the last part of the episode.

Yawn. I want some action. I want some mystery. I want a lot more smart-ass dialogue. (Ironic boy genius Topher (Fran Kranz) provides some, but even he’s a little lethargic.)

Hope comes in the form of FBI agent Paul Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett), who is hell-bent on uncovering the “urban legend” of the Dollhouse, as well as the series’ mythology involving an escaped active called Alpha. This guy has recovered his memories (and has kept a lot of imprinted knife skills) and is secretly feeding Ballard hints about the dolls, as well as killing people. All that becomes more firmly established tonight and next week.

Maybe Dushku’s Echo—and the series—will get more interesting as she and the other actives start to malfunction like Alpha, regaining some of their own memories. Maybe then she’ll show us all some personality.

Posted at 12:45 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14; Updated several times up to 1:30 a.m.

Michael Trucco's Sam Anders had a lot to say during the latest "Battlestar Galactica" episode. Sci Fi photos

I just finished watching the latest episode of “Battlestar Galactica” again, and all I can say is "wow."

Wow . Only an episode of “BSG” can answer so many questions, but leave so many unanswered.

“No Exit” opens with the quote “All this has happened before. And it will happen again.” It leads to the story of all the Cylon-human battles, Ellen Tigh’s final resurrection, Samuel Anders’ memories of the history of the Final 5 Cylons, how the other skinjobs were created, and so much more.

My head hurts.

I’m patting myself on the back a little, because it appears that for once I was correct in figuring something out about this show. Ellen (Kate Vernon, right) and Saul Tigh (Michael Hogan), who Vernon has said have been married for 2,000 years, are Ma and Pa Skinjob after all!

A whole lot happened in this episode. If you click on the link below, you can read about some of my favorite moments. I'm not heavy into theories (because I'm often wrong), just observations.

If you want to learn more about "No Exit” from the folks who actually know what they are talking about, check out Maureen Ryan's The Watcher blog. She'll post a Q&A with writer Ryan Mottesheard and co-executive producer Jane Espenson on Sunday. In fact, go to her blog by 2 p.m. Saturday and offer her some questions to ask the pair.

Posted at 3:45 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13

Weeks after learning that Ellen Tigh is the Final Cylon, many “Battlestar Galactica” fans still are reeling from the revelation.

Ellen returns to rock our world again during Friday’s 9 p.m. episode, “No Exit.” As the clip above says, “She knows the truth.” Hmm … what could that mean?

Kate Vernon (right), who plays the wife Col. Saul Tigh (Michael Hogan) killed in Season 3, isn’t telling anything about Ellen’s mysterious agenda.

“I get to reunite with my husband in the good old-fashioned way that they do,” said Vernon, who knew for two years that her character would be the Final Cylon. “I can’t really talk too much about that without spilling something.”

Vernon and “BSG” mastermind Ron Moore took part in a conference call back in January, a week after we learned Ellen’s initial secret. They kept pretty mum about what was coming in the final six episodes, except to say that it makes perfect sense Saul and Ellen—who apparently have been married for a couple thousand years—are both Cylons.

“I liked the idea of saying that this couple had been together a very long time that this couple was something special, that they were sort of this eternal romance and this eternal love, which I really thought was real interesting and cool,” Moore said. “And it completed sort of the framework of the final five. And it just fit, you know, it all kind of fit.”

Does that mean that Ellen and Saul are the Adam and Eve of the humanoid Cylons? Or the true Cylon leaders? Mom and Pop Skin Job? Click the link below to see if Moore and Vernon did actually reveal more.

Posted at 1:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 13

"TERMINATOR" STAR SUMMER GLAU'S ROBOT LOVE

Eliza Dushku stars in Joss Whedon's new show "Dollhouse." Fox photo

As Faith in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” Eliza Dushku killed vamps and demons. As Echo in Fox’s new “Dollhouse,” she faces as much danger, just not from otherworldly foes.

Echo is an “active,” a clueless operative who is programmed to be anyone a Dollhouse client requests—from a hostage negotiator to an art thief to a sexy gal who gets hunted by her bow-carrying date. After each assignment, the actives return to the Dollhouse, where their memories and personalities are erased.

“She’s blank. She’s had her personality and memories erased and she’s ... a child with no inhibition, no fear,” Dushku told reporters during a conference call earlier this week. “It’s exciting in the sense that every week there’s sort of a new star of the show and it’s whatever character I am imprinted to be.”

“Dollhouse,” debuting at 8 p.m. Friday on Fox, reunites Dushku with her longtime friend, “Buffy” creator Joss Whedon, who came up with the idea for their new venture during a chat with her over lunch.

According to Dushku, the ideas the pair explore in the series, including what makes a person, altering a person, objectifying people and allowing powerful people to get what they want, will make some viewers uncomfortable.

“It’s provocative. It’s disturbing in some ways. It’s controversial,” she said. “We’re dealing with altering and programming people and I think that that’s a very sensitive topic, but I think that it’s relevant.”

Dushku talked more about playing Echo, the myriad personalities implanted in her, and what happens when Echo starts to remember. Click the link below to read excerpts form the conference call Q&A.

Posted at 10:45 a.m. Friday, Feb. 13

ELIZA DUSHKU WANTS TO MAKE YOU UNEASY WITH "DOLLHOUSE"

Summer Glau has kicked butt in space in “Serenity” and on Earth in “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.” And she’s not tired of being an action star.

“I really cannot complain,” the 5-feet-6 actress told reporters last week. “I’ve really been—it’s great to be on TV, on a TV show and get to play a complicated girl. And for that I’m very, very grateful.”

That girl actually isn’t a girl at all; or even human. Glau plays Cameron, a cyborg sent back in time to protect John Connor (Thomas Dekker), the savior of humankind, on Fox’s “TSCC,” which returns at 7 p.m. Friday after a two-month hiatus.

Friday’s episode, “The Good Wound,” offers a reunion of Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) and John’s father, Kyle Reese (Jonathan Jackson, left). The cyborg Weaver (Shirley Manson) will protect John Henry.

Glau also hinted that Cameron will be doing a few "unexpected things" in Friday’s episode, although she wouldn’t elaborate beyond saying that the final nine episodes will be action-packed.

“People are going to be on a rollercoaster wondering what is going to happen next,” Glau said. “I think everybody is going to be really thrilled.”

Glau said all that action meant she’s been wearing quite a few squibs—the special effects devices that explode to imitate bullet shots.

“It seems like I’m always putting on a squib jacket and running around and shooting people and I’m having a blast,” Glau said. “The back half is going to be exciting.”

Click the link below to read more from Summer Glau and “TSCC” creator Josh Friedman.

Posted at 10 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9

Fans of “Doctor Who” travel companion Martha Jones will get another chance to see her—well, the actress who played her—on BBC America later this year.

Freema Agyeman (right) stars in the post-apocalypse drama “Survivors,” a reboot of a 1970s series that already has aired a six-episode first season in Britain with plans to create another six-episode season.

Agyeman plays Jenny Collins, a teacher struggling to deal with life after a virus has wiped out much of the population.

“Survivors” is one of three new sci-fi shows that BBC America will air later this year. “Being Human” is a new creature feature comedy that BBC America is co-producing. The network also secured rights to Season 2 of the dinosaur drama “Primeval,” which aired its thrilling first season last year.

Click the link below to read BBC America’s descriptions of the shows.

Posted at 11 a.m. New York time, Feb. 9

CHUCK VS. COMIC CON, OR OBAMA
"TORCHWOOD" AT COMIC CON

"Fringe" stars John Noble (from left), Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown, Mark Valley, Jasika Nicole and Kirk Acevedo. Only Valley was missing from the Comic Con panel. Fox photo

Fans learned one thing for certain at New York Comic Con’s panel for “Fringe” on Sunday: Fox loves the show.

The network is so into its new hit that it lobbied to get the mysterious “Observer” character, the bald-headed guy who watches all the creepy goings-on and is played by Michael Cerveris, onto the platform when Barack Obama was sworn in as president, executive producer Jeff Pinkner said.

“They spent a lot of time and effort” but ultimately failed, Pinker told the packed house of at least 2,000 fans.

The network did manage to get Cerveris on the sidelines at the New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles divisional playoff game this year, a development that angered star Joshua Jackson, who plays Peter Bishop.

“I don’t mean to be a pissy actor,” said Jackson, who was stuck way up high in the nosebleed section during the game. “But I mean, really Fox? You couldn’t hook a guy up?”

Jackson was the star of the panel, offering the best one-liners and cracking up the audience, who clearly appreciated him. The rest of the panel consisted of Pinkner; Anna Torv (who plays FBI agent Olivia Dunham); John Noble (scientist Walter Bishop); Lance Reddick, Kirk Acevedo and Jasika Nicole (FBI agents); and Blair Brown (a boss at the shady biotech firm Massive Dynamics).

As funny as Jackson was, Pinkner seemed to be in a revealing mood, offering several hints about little extras fans can pick up watching the show.

“There are several little games embedded in the show,” he said. The Observer can be spotted in every single episode, he said, whether or not he is mentioned. Also, every episode contains a clue about the following episode. And those “Pattern” icons that appear before commercial breaks? They’re a code, he said.

“It’s not easy to crack,” he said, “but it ultimately speaks to the larger controlling issues of the show.”

Jackson said that he has such a hard time figuring out the intricate plotlines that he made a flow chart that covered his dressing room wall. The diagram has gotten so big now that he had to take it home, he said.

“I’m such a nerd,” he said. “I’m an actor with a flow chart.”

If you want to know more of the secrets Pinkner and the cast revealed—and what happened in the sneak peek of Tuesday’s episode that we were shown, click the link after the photo below.

Jasika Nicole laughs at Joshua Jackson during the "Fringe" panel. Fox/Getty Images photo

Posted at 6:45 p.m. Saturday, from New York Comic Con

MY EVE MYLES, EUROS LYN INTERVIEW
CHUCK VS. COMIC CON, OR OBAMA
NYCC ON THE "FRINGE"

Eve Myles cracked everyone up at the "Torchwood" Comic Con panel. She appeared with director Euros Lyn (below) BBC America photos

“Torchwood” fans on Saturday came out in force at New York Comic Con, welcoming star Eve Myles and director Euros Lyn on their first visit to a U.S. fan convention.

Fans crowded into the 4:15 p.m. panel like Capt. Jack Harkness goes after an attractive man, or woman … or alien.

“I’m overwhelmed and enthralled by the positive, energetic response,” said Myles, who plays cop-turned-alien hunter Gwen Cooper on the British series. She told me she had been to a fan convention in London, where the fandemonium is understandable to her.

“To have the same, if not bigger response, here is mind-blowing. It’s a pleasure,” she said before the pair’s 6 p.m. autograph signing session. I had just pointed out that line of fans waiting to meet her stretched several hundred people long.

Lyn, who directed the upcoming Season 3, called “Children of Earth,” said he had heard from “Torchwood” producer Julie Gardner that the show was popular in the U.S.

“I wasn’t prepared for the scale of enthusiasm,” he said. “For us it’s this little show we make in Cardiff [in Wales],” he said. “To know it has an international following is really something.”

At the panel, fans showered the pair with compliments and asked several interesting questions. Lyn, and especially Myles, answered many with, as she herself would say, cheekiness. Click the link below to read a few things we learned Saturday:

Posted at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, from New York Comic-Con

EVE MYLES GETS CHEEKY AT 'TORCHWOOD' PANEL
CHUCK VS. COMIC CON, OR OBAMA
NYCC ON THE "FRINGE"

Eve Myles can’t wait for fans to see the upcoming Season 3 of “Torchwood,” the British sci fi import that has become BBC America’s most popular series ever.

“I just want you to see it!” Myles, who plays former cop Gwen Cooper, told me on Friday in New York. “It’s so packed with so many wonderful stories … It’s funny and it’s dark. It’s fast. If you’re hungry it’s going to feed you.”

The new season, titled “Children of Earth" and written by series creator Russell T. Davies, will consist of just five episodes instead of the normal 13, and they are expected to air over consecutive nights. BBC America has not set airdate at this point, but expects to in a few weeks.

In the new season, all the children of Earth suddenly freeze in their tracks and say, “We are coming.” Gwen, Capt. Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) and Ianto Jones (Gareth David Lloyd) face their toughest challenge ever, Myles and director Euros Lyn said.

“An omnipotent force is threatening humanity with calamity and Torchwood is left to save the day,” Lyn said.

Might that force be mankind itself? Myles hinted that “Children of Earth” takes its cue from the first-season cannibal-hillbillies episode called “Countrycide,” which dealt with mankind’s savagery.

“I think [the new season] kind of highlights that whole thing about mankind, humanity and how we treat one another, and what its like to have the past come back and bite you really hard on the ass,” Myles said. “Torchwood is very much caught up in it and has no choice but to try and help. They do their best, but sometimes the best isn’t good enough.”

Viewers needn’t worry they’ll be ripped off by the shorter season, Myles and Lyn say.

“I think people are going to be surprised,” Myles said. “It’s a five-hour movie. It’s massive … It’s completely brave and it’s completely ambitious. It’s exhausting; it’s got more weight than the whole [previous] 26 episodes.”

If that doesn’t convince fans, Lyn has another idea.

“They could watch it twice over,” he said, as he and Myles laughed.

“That’s a good idea. I like that,” Myles said, adding that it’s best to keep fans wanting more. “I’m sure they’ll want more after this …

“It’s gutsy and I’m the proudest Welsh woman in the world.”

If you can’t wait for more clues about the upcoming season from Myles and Lyn, click the link below.

Posted at 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5

BBC America has just released the first look at the new season of “Torchwood,” called “Torchwood: Children of Earth.”

Here’s the network’s description of the 5-episode season:

In one epic story told over five nights the new series, airing later this year on BBC AMERICA and BBC One in the UK, re-joins Captain Jack (John Barrowman), Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) and Ianto Jones (Gareth David Lloyd) who are still coming to terms with the death of two of their closest friends. Despite their pain, they have a job to do. This time they are faced with their fiercest threat to date - one which throws the future of Torchwood and the entire human race spiralling into danger. They battle against the odds but do they stand a chance of saving mankind?

I'll be at New York Comic Con this weekend, and have interviews set up with Eve Myles and director Euros Lyn, so check back here for updates on the season.