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TV Log
Hailing Frequencies #377
9.21.07
HELLO
And here's the three hundred and seventy-seventh edition of "Hailing Frequencies."
If you want to be notified when this newsletter is updated, email me to be put on my "notification" list.
I'm about halfway through the season three DVD of Stargate Atlantis. I was totally bummed to see that none of the actors have commentaries, but the two Martins are always great, and, well, it's not like I could actually not buy the thing, right? Anyways, review's coming...
If you don't wanna wait, Gateworld's got theirs up (because they got an advanced copy like I used to, those bastards!).
September 2007 Desktop Calendar
NEW AT THE SITE
Highlander: The Source, a Review from ozzygreybeard
DARK CRYSTAL
TOKYOPOP and The Jim Henson Company will release the manga, Legends of The Dark Crystal: The Garthim Wars, the first of a multi-volume series, in November 2007. The manga's action take place centuries before the events of The Dark Crystal (1982), written by Barbara Randall Kesel, illustrated by Heidi Arnhold & Max Kim.
"Wings?! I don't have wings!"
"Course not. You're a boy."
DOWNLOADING
Now at NBC.com you can download full episodes of shows, including Heroes, The Office, Life, and Bionic Woman. In October, using NBC Direct for Windows PCs you can set up a "Season Pass" to download the shows automatically. The software client will store each ad-supported episode for up to one week, after which the license expires.
FRAGGLE ROCK
Koch Records will release Jim Henson's Fraggle Rockin' a 3 CD Collector's Edition October 30, 2007. The release includes all three original albums, re-mastered with photos and information from the original composers, Dennis Lee and Philip Balsam. The Fraggle Rock albums, Fraggle Rock, Fraggle Rock: Perfect Harmony and Fraggle Rock Music and Magic were originally released in 1983 (I.J.E., Inc), 1986 (Columbia) and 1993 (BMG Kidz/Jim Henson Records) respectively.
HARRY POTTER
Get your Christmas wish lists ready: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will be out on DVD This December 11, 2007 from Warner Home Video. Bonus DVD features include: 17-minutes of unseen footage; a behind-the-scenes featurette with Nat Tenz; a documentary from A&E, The Hidden Secrets of Harry Potter; and a featurette on editing from David Yates and Mark Day. If you want to buy more than one version, you're in luck, as it will be out on a single disc/widescreen and full frame DVD and 2-disc special ed DVD, a HD DVD Combo, and Blu-ray Disc. There will also be a Harry Potter Limited Edition DVD Gift Set with 12 (!) discs with two-disc editions of all five Potter movies for only $119.97 DVD and $149.99 Blue-Ray.
Scholastic Corporation's revenue for the first quarter hit $586.9 million, an increase of +75% vs. the same time last year, mostly because of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has a tentative opening date of November 21, 2008.
HEROES
EW has all 23 (!) episodes of Heroes done up with synopses and critiques. Good bit:
Best Moment After being ''killed'' during an attempted rape at the hands of the school quarterback, Claire awakens on an autopsy table, her skin flayed off. Never mind the episode — it might be the best moment of the series.
Del Rey is putting out Heroes profic with Heroes: Saving Charlie, by Aury Wallington (Hardcover/$23.95), on sale December 26, 2007.
INDY IV
Ain't It Cool News and other sites have noticed an article in The Edmond Sun, in which Tyler Nelson reveals spoilers gleaned from his bit part in the film. Here's the major points:
- Indiana Jones and the Soviet army are searching for the Crystal Skull in the jungles of S. America.
- The Soviets force Indy to work for them by holding Marion hostage. (How original.)
George Lucas has an interview with TV Guide where he rationalizes explains why Sean Connery won't be playing Indy's dad and another character was created to function for the plot:
"In the beginning, he was just in a little bit of it, and I think with the strength of Sean Connery, people would've wanted him to go all the way through the whole thing, and the story really didn't work that way. And so I think there would've been some disappointment that [his character] dropped out partway through the movie. By having somebody else fill that role, you lose him without any regret, so to speak, even though we got a great actor to play the part. And I mean, he's not his father, so it's much easier."
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is in production and is set for a May 22, 2008 release.
JOURNEYMAN
Kevin Falls, exec prod of NBC's Journeyman, has a talk with SCI FI Wire bout how the audience isn't going to understand what's happening to the main character, Dan Vasser ( Kevin McKidd), at first: "And I think that's the strength of the first few shows, is Dan trying to figure out what's going on, coupled with the fact that he has no control of it. So in order for him to get back to the present, he has to finish a leg of his mission, or the procedural, as we call it. So we want him grasping for answers."
Journeyman premieres Sept. 24 and will air Mondays at 10 PM. Here's a sneak-peek review:
I just watched the Journeyman pilot. (I have digital cable through Time Warner and the On Demand system, under "Entertainment" NBC has some interesting pilots before they appear on Network.)
Drawn as I am to time travel (my favorite sub-genre in SciFi) and its universal acceptance of "The Grandfather Paradox," I was eager to see the show that will follow Heroes. Kevin McKidd stars (I still think this is a blond-haired, blue-eyed Daniel Craig look-alike) with the most intriguing actress name I've seen in years, one Moon Bloodgood.
It is set in San Francisco (a big plus photogenically), and the character jumps back and forth into the past. (Highlight for spoilers.) It does actually mess with "The Grandfather Paradox" (Also messed with in the film Butterfly) and he does indeed change the future, while avoiding his previous self. At the end of the pilot, the one person he convinces of his protracted disappearances from the normal time line, is his wife. Convincing his brother, a San Francisco police detective, one would expect future episode(s) to broach that subject. Well-produced, well-photographed, well-acted, should hook viewers that will stay tuned after Heroes. The time jumps themselves could, and likely will be, better defined, but is only a slight distraction.
I give it an A-. You may well have already seen this, if not, look for it, I think it will be good TV
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA
Yes, kids, it's true. Mad Max' own George Miller will be directing Warner Bros.' Justice League of America, which should go into production in early 2008, pushing plans for a second Superman Returns movie to the back burner. It's not known exactly who will make up the league yet (though I'm rooting for the Incredible Kiss-Up Guy and Mr. Bubble-Gum Pants), beyond the necessary Superman and Batman characters who will not be played by Brandon Routh and Christian Bale. Rumors have Wonder Woman, the Flash, and Aquaman in the league, but we'll have to wait and see.
LOST
Well, the Emmys came, the Emmys went, and all that fantastic sci-fi and fantasy on TV got completely ignored again...Well, except for the obvious choice of Lost's Terry O'Quinn for best supporting actor. Congrats, Mr. Locke.
MISC...
- Okay, it's not really sci-fi, but, as usual, I don't care. MGM will launch its first wholly-owned channel in the U.S., in full HD, debuting in the fall on DIRECTV. The MGM library has over 4,100 classic and contemporary titles in a variety of genres, and there's no Ted Turner colorizing them this time! The channel will also have original entertainment-oriented programming. Cool.
- Metalocalypse: Dethklok The Dethalbum, the group's first album, will be released on Adult Swim's Williams Street record label on September 25, 2007.
- Google is offering $30 million in prize money to whoever can land a robot high-res camera on the moon before December, 31, 2012. After that, a reduced $12 million prize will be offered. More info at Google Moon.
- The New York Times has a review up of Dragon Wars that goes directly against mainstream opinion -- RottenTomatoes lists the film at a 14%. The Times urges us to enjoy the movie by maintaining our sense of humor.
- In-between reading scripts for the next X-Files movie, David Duchovny has sold a project to Cartoon Network and will produce a pilot for live-action series about a high school kid who launches a city news show.
- To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Poltergeist, Warner Home Video and National CineMedia are releasing a remastered DVD October. 9.
- The Hollywood Reporter says Giovanni Ribisi has joined the cast of James Cameron's Avatar.
- Variety reports that the cast and release date of March 28 are now set for the Superhero farce, written and directed by Craig Mazin (of Scary Movie 2&3 fame), and produced by David Zucker and Robert K. Weiss. We're getting: Drake Bell, Sara Paxton, Christopher McDonald, Leslie Nielsen, Kevin Hart, Marion Ross, Ryan Hansen, Jeffrey Tambor and Brent Spiner.
- Look for Molly Shannon in a multi-episode arc during sweeps for ABC's Pushing Daisies.
- DreamWorks Animations SKG and Paramount now plan to release Monsters vs. Aliens to March 27, 2009.
NARNIA
Disney has responded to production delays in The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader by pushing the release date back to May 7, 2010.
Check out the Narnia images at IGN. 
NOT SCI-FI, BUT EEEEW GROSS!
From Faron - http://cbs11tv.com/local/local_story_255220211.html.
NOT SCI-FI, BUT THIS REALLY SOUNDS LIKE ANDROMEDA STRAIN
Mystery illness strikes after meteorite hits Peruvian village - Thanks, Angie.
THE OAKS
Fox's supernatural series The Oaks -- about three families who live in the same haunted house -- has taken on Gina McKee and Sienna Guillory in lead roles. McKee will play the wife of the family that lives in the house in 1988 family, a harried mother of two struggling to keep passion alive in her marriage. Guillory will play the 2008 couple's neighbor. Production starts up in November.
RANDOM DIALOG QUIZ
Can you name the TV show? "You know, I make a pretty mean Caesar salad...I'm just kidding."
Highlight to read the answer: Quantum Leap (pilot ep.)
RATINGS
- CBS' rerun of Jericho got a 2.2/4.
- NBC's rerun of Medium got a 2.3/4.
- CW's Sunday rerun of Smallville got a 0.9/2.
- CW's Thursday reruns of Smallville got a 1.6/3, Supernatural a 1.5/3.
Top Network Shows, week of 8.27-9.2, 2007
Ghost Whisperer 3.0
Jericho 2.3
Heroes 1.9
Smallville 1.2
Supernatural 1.1
ROBOT CHICKEN
Go, baby! Robot Chicken got some really nice ratings for Adult Swim September 16 with 2.3 million overall viewers, with an increase of 70% in 18-34 compared with the same time period a year ago.
STAR TREK
The rumors are true. Zoe Saldana will be Uhura in the JJ ABrams' Star Trek movie.
EW's got a countdown of their choice for the top 10 TNG episodes. The choices are pretty pedestrian -- social themes and Picard Picard Picard -- but the critiques are fun.
"There was such a need, that show came on and it just blew people's minds," Nichelle Nichols said of the original Star Trek, noting that women come up to her to this day telling her, "You changed my life...I just said to myself, 'If she can do it, I can do it.'"
At DragonCon, Nichols told Cinema Blend that "women of any color could see themselves in me and say, 'Yeah! That's where I want to go!'" As for Zoe Saldana's playing her role, Nichols basically talked around it, then focused on her own role in Lady Magdalene's. The original interview can be streamed here.
Slate.com says an unnamed studio source says Warner Bros. television is worried that J.J. Abrams' Star Trek work "is going to become his life" until it opens next year. WB has paid Abrams $10 million a year to produce new TV, so you can understand their concern.
The latest DVD remastered incredibly wonder super-duper special-ecial DVD box set for Star Trek: The Next Generation will be released on October 2nd will have 49 (!) discs, according to The Official Site. We'll get all 176 episodes and dozens of bonus stuff: featurettes, mission overviews, producion stills, a tribute to the late Gene Roddenberry, and more. SRP $440, but Amazon's got it cheaper - Star Trek: The Next Generation - Complete Series
TrekNation has a retro review of TNG's "Conspiracy."
STAR WARS
George Lucas also told TV Guide that he's in the middle of producing Clone Wars:
"It's basically like Star Wars [in that it] takes place between, obviously, Episode II and Episode III, but it's the same kind of action. Unfortunately, it doesn't fall into the realm of what animation [typically] is, which is either adult, kind of off-color humor or kiddie stuff. This is, like Star Wars, sort of in between those two things. It's a lot of battle stuff, and it's obviously the Clone Wars, so it's a war picture...It's like Episode IV in that the Emperor and Darth Vader are heard about—people talk about them—but you never see them because it doesn't take place where they actually are. There are stormtroopers and all that, but there are no Jedis."
TRANSFORMERS
Transformers transforms into DVD and HD DVD on October 16 in a two-disc special-edition set, as well as on a single disc from DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment.
TOP US MOVIES TODAY FROM THE NUMBERS
1. The Brave One...............$16,724,496
2.
3:10 to Yuma.................$30,773,079
3.
Mr. Woodcock................$10,242,000
4 Superbad......................$112,616,737
5. Halloween......................$52,109,197
6.
The Bourne Ultimatum.....$217,054,945
7.
Shoot 'Em Up..................$11,143,000
8.
Dragon Wars....................$5,856,000 (very sad)
9. Rush Hour 3..................$133,734,000
10.
Balls of Fury..................$29,388,309
Weekend Box Office Estimates: September 14-16, 2007
The Brave One (Warner Bros.) $14.0 million - opening weekend
3:10 to Yuma (Lionsgate) $9.2 million - 2 wk total $28.5m
Mr. Woodcock (NewLine) $9.1 million - opening weekend
Dragon Wars (Freestyle) $5.4 million - opening weekend
Superbad (Sony)
$5.2 million - 5 wk total $111.3m
Halloween (2007)(MGM/W) $5.0 million - 3 wk total $51.3m
The Bourne Ultimatum (Universal) $4.2 million - 7 wk total $216.2m
Balls of Fury (Rogue Pictures) $3.3 million - 3 wk total $28.9m
Rush Hour 3 (New Line) $3.3 million - 6wk total $133.2m
Mr. Bean's Holiday (Universal) $2.7 million - 3 wk total $28.5m
Source: Box Office Mojo
TOP BOOKS SCI-FI/FANTASY @ Amazon, 9.21.07
1. Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling
2. Eclipse (Twilight, Book 3)
3. New Moon (Twilight, Book 2)
4. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
5. Twilight (Twilight, Book 1)
6. Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-6)
7. His Dark Materials Trilogy
, by Philip Pullman
8. Making Money (Discworld Novels)
9. Spook Country
10. Inferno (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 6)
TOP DVDs SCI-FI/FANTASY @ Amazon, 9.21.07
1. Smallville - The Complete Sixth Season
2. Heroes - Season 1
3. Transformers (Two-Disc Special Edition)
4. The Secret (Extended Edition)
5. Stargate Atlantis - The Complete Third Season
6. Shrek the Third (Widescreen Edition)
7. Superman - Doomsday (DC Universe Animated Original Movie)
8. Spider-Man 3 (2-Disc Special Edition)
9. Lost - The Complete Third Season
10. Supernatural - The Complete Second Season
INSANE TREK TRIVIA
This Week's Question: "Weird is part of the job." -- Who said it to whom?
Send your answer to julia.houston@gmail.com. All correctly answering trivia maniacs will have their names mentioned in the next letter. The first winner gets to make a request, anything they like -- within reason -- for the next "Hailing Frequencies" Issue. Please let me know if you don't want me to post your email address if you win.
Last Week's Question: What is James Kirk's brother's name?
Answer: George Samuel Kirk
First winner
Lou
For his request, he solicits suggestions on the best way to focus on timed exams without freaking out (my words).
Second winner
James
Third winner
Pianokeyboardorg
Fourth winner
Renee
Fifth winner
Michael
Sixth winner
Neil
Seventh winner
evay
Ninth winner
Leonard
Tenth winner
athena28
Eleventh winner
Doug
CAPTION CONTEST
Send in your best caption for the picture below. The best (as in, my favorite) entry will appear in next week's issue.
[Insert caption here.]
THIS WEEK'S WINNER:
"The Family Guy censure team has struck again." - Sue
Honorable mentions...
"One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things does not belong,
Tell me which of these things is not like the others,
Before I finish my illogical song." - Michael
“See no evil, see no evil, see no evil… wait. That’s not right! Dang! With these pointy ears on, I can’t hear myself think!!!”- Neil
"I look ridiculous? What about you guys with the black boxes over your eyes?! SHEESH!" - BrownRd226
"Fashion don'ts this season: round ears!" - BTCHONWHLS
"After seeing this photo, I've decided to trade, I want a bar across my face, and give these ridiculous ears to these three strangers who just wandered in from the New Orleans Saints football game" - ozzygreybeard
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR"
Last week's topic: I've been thinking a lot about the importance of the score in movies and TV. What's your favorite movie or TV score, and why?
***
The music soundtrack to The Magnificent Seven wins hands down! Having seen this film about fifty times, and never, ever, on broadcast TV, when it opened in Washington D.C. , I saw it for seven days in a row. The music interacted with the film perfectly, through out. It enhanced the visual and made the film a great experience. It was great, when Marlboro used it in the early days of the Marlboro man, who wore an English Sheepskin coat, one of which I bought shortly thereafter. Every time I wore it, in the dead of winter in Minneapolis, I was transported to the little Mexican town where some of my most favorite actors plied their trade.
I can throw in some runners up, in no particular order: Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid, Blade Runner, Nighthawks, Shane, Camelot (Richard Harris version) High Noon (of course) the first Highlander (with the incredible voice of Freddie Mercury and Queen) and the only TV entry, all of the Highlander The Series, which opened with Freddie singing...we were born to be Kings, we are the Princes of The Universe...and from the film Do You Want To Live Forever?
I believe there are many great films that rose to the "great" status when the music was added, all the Star Trek films are a case in point. In closing, you would have to be my age to remember Disney's Song Of the South.
***
I'm not going to go with the movie scores since, while I enjoy them, I find it very hard to pick one that I really like and would consider exceptional. In the majority of films, music is used poorly so it just doesn't have the impact it should.
I'll stick to tv scores instead and 3 imediately spring to mind:
1) Star Trek TNG: The Best of Both Worlds - I'm sorry but the 'borgy-bit' of music just send chills down my spine whenever I hear it!
2) Babylon 5 - Christopher Frank did an excellent job with the entire series but in particular, I like the first season soundtrack and a bit from In The Beginning where Londo is describing the Minbari onslaught and the way humanity tried to hold on - "in the end, they simply ran out time...."
3) Farscape - There was a little bit of music towards the end of the first season that I really liked. It was quite a quiet, gentle and very simple bit as the characters were parting ways and I thought it fitted the mood beautifully. (Request - if anyone knows where I can get a copy of the soundtrack covering some of the score from the first and second season, let me know. So far as I can tell, it is near impossible to get hold of!!)
Later
mac
***
Oh lord, ask an easy one, whydontcha? I have to say thank goodness for iPods and days worth of soundtracks so I can easily listen to whatever strikes me. Because of my job, I listen to a lot of music. On average, about 6+ hours a day of music or audiobooks. According to my most played list in iTunes, I listen to the "Stargate: Atlantis" soundtrack, followed by "Stargate: SG1", followed by "SG1: Best of Season One", followed by "Stargate: The Movie". This makes sense to me, I really like the sound they used, although my love of the music may be tied to the fact that these are my favorite shows. I wonder if we associate TV music closely with the show they came from, liking and disliking the music because of the show? Next on the list are the two MST3K "Clown in the Sky" CDs. How can you not love their songs? "We Sing the Praises of Pants!"
***
The orgy scene music decides this one for me -- Conan the Barbarian.
BTCHONWHLS
***
Next week's topic: What would you pick as the best three Star Trek TNG episodes?
***
Send me something if you've got something to say. It can be about anything that's on your mind!
HAILING FREQUENCIES CLOSED
