“SGU Stargate Universe” Is No More! What Does This Mean For The Remainder of Season 2?

After one and a half seasons the SyFy show “Stargate Universe” has been canceled. As one of the main actors from “SGU” Robert Carlyle put it via his Twitter page, “It's over Guys!”. Carlyle played Dr. Rush on the most recent and maybe the last addition to the Stargate franchise. Though the show has been canceled it will still be airing the second half of its second season, starting in the new year, a small consolation for fans of the series.

SGU’s Epitaph  

“SGU” was notably darker than all the other Stargate series that came before it, possibly taking some cues from the cult favorite “Battlestar Galactica” reboot. The show featured stunning special effects and great locations. The locations were one of the highlights of “SGU”, while most of the older Stargate shows looked as though every episode was filmed in the rainy wilderness of B.C. Canada, “SGU’s” featured desserts and ice worlds along with the rainy B.C. wilderness. It was one of the elements which brought new life to the franchise.

Concluding the Story Arc: Will It Happen?

In the end though there are still ten more episodes to go in the series, which begs the question: will the mysteries of Destiny be revealed? In season 2 of “SGU” it was revealed that the purpose of the ship was to discover the origin of an apparently intelligent transmission found in the background noise of space. Interesting enough, but it is unlikely that the whole story of explaining the origins of the universe and possibly the meaning of life, according to Stargate story writers, can be wrapped in ten episodes. It’s more likely that the show runners will bang out the remaining episodes by telling the story of how the Destiny’s crew found their way back to Earth.  An ending like that is kind of a meager one, for a show that spent so much of its time trying to create depth in their characters. It gave the viewer the impression that you were to understand the characters so what they went through had some kind of an impact.  So what’s next for the “SGU” alum, well Lou Diamond Phillips can be seen in the made for TV movie “Metal Tornado” early next year… yay!     

Charlie Kelly's Rat Bat Bash Seminar -- "Now That's A Dead Rat!"

Here is another example of what makes the character of Charlie the best part of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. It's not just the glue/paint thinner that he gets high on or his vain attempts at lawyering. It isn't even his strange relation ship with his roommate/father Frank. The best part about Charlie are his janitorial duties, the ones that no one else in the group is willing to do. The worst of which is the Rat Bashing, "I've killed whole generations of rats, whole rat families smashed at the end of this stick. Makes you think, whose really worth more us or the rats?" Idiotic insights like that one just flow from Charlie's mouth.

Here is an instructional video on how to really smash a rat good, from Charlie Kelly.

Sy-Fy's Being Human Trailer -- Charm Doesn't Translate Across The Pond

Being Human was a U.K. show that cashed in on the whole Vampire, Werewolf craze created by Twilight. People couldn't get enough of fangs and fur and this show with a relatively unknown cast and thoughtful storytelling managed not only to make movies like Twilight look like a bag of shit but it also delivered a memorable television experience. Now that Sy-Fy has taken on Being Human (instead of just re-airing the original series in the U.S.) given it a new cast and, from the looks of this trailer, turned it into shit. I defer to something I wrote about the whole issue regarding BBC/U.K. shows being redone over here and I stand by what I said.
So, click here.

"Strange Days with Bob Saget" Premiere Episode Review

In the Premiere episode of Strange Days with Bob Saget, we find Bob riding with the Iron Order motorcycle club. Sadly, Bob is not the obscene comedian he is famous for being. It would have been brave to have him speak candidly while amongst a comedian’s easy prey, but he is actually quite civil with his biker companions. It shouldn’t really be surprising that Saget can hold back and be family friendly. He has spent most of his career doing just that. But why have him host the show if he doesn’t offers something a little different.

However, you can tell that his lower instincts are bubbling at the surface and just waiting to explode when he encounters some hard to not make fun of people, possibly the Bigfoot hunters. The Iron Order MC aren’t exactly the Sons of Anarchy, so I’m disillusioned. Anyone who is ruined by TV would expect something seedier out of a MC. The club is self described as law abiding and more known for drinking parties, though the way the show depicted them in a generous manner. The show is pretty light, just like any reality series of this kind. There is really nothing negative that can be said about Strange Days with Bob Saget. It delivers what it promises, but there is still room for improvement.

Holliday Gift Guide: Top 10 Complete TV Series For TV Nuts

TV Box Sets are great gifts for the TV buff, but why get one season when there is a whole series. It’s incomplete, and if they like the show they have to buy the other seasons and that’s more expensive, and kind of cruel. Why not go all out and get the entire series, if it is available and out there right now. With that spirit of giving in mind, here is a list of the top 10 complete series available to purchase right now. Why aggravate loved ones with only a part of a TV season?


1. Deadwood

Deadwood happens to be one the most insane series in history; it must be seen. It may win the prize for the most vulgar show ever made. Watch the main character Al Swerengen cuss at people in the most creative ways possible and see Timothy Olyphant play the character that was so good he essentially reprised it in Justified.








2. Rome

Cancelled before its time due to the insane cost of production, it has amazing sets and battles. It recounts the rise and fall of Caesar through the lives of two roman soldiers. There are only two seasons but they are some of the best television seasons to date. The storytelling is excellent and the characters are as charming and interesting as they come.







3. Buffy The Vampire Slayer

The un-debatable superior to all other Joss Whedon shows and that’s proven with its success, Buffy The Vampire Slayer enjoyed seven seasons filled with evil fighting, word play jokes and most importantly saving the world. It’s not an opinion that this series is well loved and is enduringly entertaining.








4. The Wire

You just can’t watch one season and not watch the rest. Sacrilege! As one of the most complex television series, it has lasting payoff that can only be gotten from watching the entire series, or maybe just the first three, but still. The series has such memorable and fleshed out characters that the actors who played them are practically now typecast forever. That means you Bubbles!







5. Lost

It’s a TV phenomenon, it is insanely satisfying to watch such a drawn out show all at once, and the box set comes with backgammon.










6. Freaks and Geeks

The dramedy about teen angst played out amongst a group of high school social outcasts. It is Judd Appatow’s television debut and has all the elements that have make his films popular today. Not to mention most of the stars as well.









7. Battlestar Galactica

A vast improvement on a 70’s sci-fi series, Battlestar Galactica produced in its 4 seasons produced stories which rivalled, if not surpassed non sci-fi series in storytelling and characters. And now you can watch this action packed series (but not really that actiony in the last season) in high quality surround sound many times, because it is a very re-watchable series.







8. Arrested Development

Being the funniest comedy to come out of network television in the last decade makes Arrested Development a great pick for any occasion. It had a short run with 3 seasons, but although the series was on the edge of cancellation for its entire run, it never ran out the clock and every episode was hilarious.








9. The Shield

Critically acclaimed but slightly forgotten in its later years, The Shield is a solid series that never lost it touch in the 7 seasons it aired. It is now the template for gritty police drama’s, although most still lack the quality of The Shield delivered. Michael Chicklis is neutered in No Ordinary family, but that was not the case in The Shield as Vick Mackey, the dirty cop and head of the police strike force in California.






10. 24

You could watch 8 days of the epically unkillable Jack Bauer as he kicks, shoots, stabs and tortures hundreds of terrorists and people he doesn’t like “for America’s sake”.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reboot: Who is Whit Anderson?

News broke today that Warner Bros. is set to make a film reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. A few names of producers were dropped but the big surprise was the choice of a little known actress named Whit Anderson, as the film’s screenplay writer. The photo used in most of these news articles announcing Anderson as the new Buffy script writer looks like it was pulled from a Dove Body Wash advertising campaign. Now, Anderson doesn’t have any writing credits to her name according to popular site imdb.com, but she does have some acting credits.  “Through Walls” marks her first imdb.com credit, a short film where she played a mysterious art dealer.  She also voiced the part of Jill, in the short “Saw Rebirth”, which is a motion comic set in the Saw universe. Her largest claim to fame was a part in “Yes Man” as a Yes Patron. I’m assuming a Yes Patron is one of the screaming extras that you could see in the crowed during one of the motivational speeches given during that film. But will hardcore fans say Yes to Whit’s take on the Buffyverse?    

The problem is Anderson’s writing chops are going to be compared to those of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode writers such as Jane Espenson, David Fury, Marti Noxon and of course, the creator of the whedonverse – Joss Whedon. Most people say, no Joss Whedon equals no Buffy. Not so. Over the seven seasons, the show had many writers, the best of which were just mentioned, without them Buffy and the Scooby Gang would not have meant as much as they do to people. These writers really knew how to tell the Buffy story. They wrote the words and they were damn good. Unless Anderson is some sort of savant who can simultaneously please all the diehard Buffy fans, while recreating the whole mythos of the story, this film is going to be another Buffy Movie. Everyone remembers Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie right? The vampires had those crazy ears and they would float around then Ben Affleck gets beaten in basketball by one of them - good times now, but total crap then. Anderson has big some shoes to fill and she must be aware of the fact that critics and fans alike will be unforgiving if her version of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” ever hits theaters.     

“The Event” Has Slowed to a Crawl

The new fall TV lineup offered many choices for the avid viewer. For the nostalgic cop show lover there is “Hawaii Five-0” or if you are more of a sitcom person there is “Outsourced.” Then there is the “Lost” void, that rather large niche viewer base that required fodder for water cooler talk and has been left in the wind ever since Jack and the gang walked into the light.  One new show has obviously been vying for that empty spot and that is “The Event.”

Initially one of the highlights of the new season, “The Event” with its jarring, flash back riddled storytelling, that is seemingly unrightable to the viewer, but that is the hook. The unknown is what drew in the “Lost” audience among other things, primarily though it was the mystery. “The Event” has mixed that kind of unnecessarily opaque storyline seen in “Lost” with the action of the now retired “24” (not canceled, Jack Bauer can’t be canceled). Strange mysteries, aliens, wormholes and explosions “The Event’s” first episodes were very entertaining, but can they keep that pace?

 If “The Event” wants to survive for a second season it will have to maintain a few core elements.

·        Wormholes are a must. Most people don’t know what to make of them and unless you are a sci-fi aficionado or a fan of Stephen Hawking’s theories, wormholes are as good as magic and just as mysterious.

·        Keeping the aliens in the show lightly defined is key. If you give too much away people will not be as interested in them, remember the oddly quiet man smoking a cigarette in the fedora always draws the most attention from viewers.

·        Keep the action in every episode. There are multiple storylines that are active in the show and at least one of them needs to be action oriented during an episode. If all of the storylines are moving like molasses then you might as well have aired a rerun.