Science Fiction (and Fantasy) on Television

Saturday 13th December 2003

The BBC's "Big Read" has finally concluded and there are no prizes for guessing that Lord of the Rings has once again been voted as Britain's favourite book. In similar polls I can remember stretching back over the last decade and more, LotR is always first. With the final in the trilogy of films based on the book about to go on general release, even more people are reading the novel - and so they should! The films are utterly amazing and yet the books have so much more.
Also nice to see such other genre books as His Dark Materials at third, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fourth and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire fifth. With Nineteen Eighty-Four making the Top Ten, we even have straight SF up there. If we include Winnie the Pooh and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, that makes seven of the Top Ten favourite books that fall under my own loose SF&F description. Similar movie polls are often half filled with SF movies like Alien and Blade Runner. And the blockbusters of recent years likewise. So why do so many TV producers STILL not recognise that SF&F is hugely liked and make more good stuff?

Friday 12th December 2003

Carnivale has been renewed for a second season of 13 episodes.

Tuesday 9th December 2003

Lena Olin may not be present in Alias at the moment, but guess what, her character Irina Derevko (Sydney Bistow's mother) has a sister. Yes, Sydney's aunt will be dropping by for some episodes. She will be played by Isabella Rossellini.

Tuesday 2nd December 2003

Don't tell anybody, but JMS is working on something significant for B5 again. More news in January. And I'm not referring to either the DVD releases of all the B5 movies nor the full boxed DVD set of all the Crusade episodes which are both expected next year.

Tuesday 2nd December 2003

The sequel to The X-Files film? According to Razor, who are looking at The X-Files: Resist or Serve computer game, David Duchovny has said, "We're also working to put together the next X-Files movie. I'd imagine we'd get into shooting in the next year or so, depending on when the script is written."

Tuesday 2nd December 2003

Russell T Davies who is creating the new Doctor Who has said the new companion will be different to earlier ones, "A screaming girly companion is unacceptable now. I don't mean in terms of women's rights - dramatically, we've got Buffy the Vampire Slayer now, so a screaming girly companion would be laughed out of the room." Just thought I'd point out they weren't all screamers! In fact, when Bonnie Langford was chosen because of her scream, most of us groaned and were relieved when she was replaced (in 1987) by Ace (Sophie Aldred) who WAS a kickass non-screamy companion. And considering the BBCi animation, although I personally don't care to see Richard E. Grant take on the TV role, I think Sophie Okonedo (see pic) as Alison would make a great companion to the TV Doctor.
Russell also comments that the series won't be loaded with old monsters. That is fine - the last thing we want in a 21st century TV show is a load of rubber suits. But I predict here and now that the Daleks will be seen again in due time...

Monday 1st December 2003

It was a huge party in Wellington, New Zealand which turned into a reflection of Middle Earth for the premiere of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. All manner of Orcs, Wizards and Hobbits turned out amongst a crowd of 100,000 fans and Elijah, Peter et al pronounced their gratitude to all and sundry. The real news is that some serious hints have been dropped on the possibility of making The Hobbit (which is the story of Bilbo's original adventures and how he got the Ring in the first place). Peter Jackson would be interested in directing; Mark Ordesky would be interested in producing and we already know Ian McKellen would be delighted to recreate Gandalf. And Ian Holm so deserves to be allowed to play Bilbo. Reading between the lines, I get the impression that they have probably started negotiations for the rights to film the book. This really should happen. It would be filmed after King Kong of course, but could conceivably be packaged for a Christmas 2007 release.

Archive Index

Archive Index

Odyssey 5, Firefly, Star Trek, X-Files, Babylon 5, Crusade, Dr Who, Andromeda, Lexx, Dark Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, The Invisible Man, Stargate SG-1, Blake's 7, Farscape, The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, The Lone Gunmen, The Avengers, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Red Dwarf, Roswell, Total Recall 2070, Hercules, Xena: Warrior Princess, Earth: Final Conflict, Charmed, Alien Nation, Futurama, Outer Limits and so many more. Essential information, background, links, etc. on all Science Fiction and Fantasy shows are here!