<![CDATA[io9: Eleventh Hour]]> http://cache.io9.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/io9.com.png <![CDATA[io9: Eleventh Hour]]> http://io9.com/tag/eleventh hour http://io9.com/tag/eleventh hour <![CDATA[10 Myths About Television That Fans and Viewers Believe]]> It's almost fall TV season, which means just one thing — it's time to start second guessing the TV networks. Many new shows will be introduced, and most of them will die an ignominious death. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5834269&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Which Trend Is To Blame For The Near-Death Of Science Fiction On Network TV?]]> Science fiction is an endangered species on the "big four" U.S. networks — Lost is ending, and pretty much every other show is in ratings freefall. Which trend should we blame for this turn of events? More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5514779&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Fringe's Walter Dances, While Ben's On Trial]]> This week Lost's Ben must atone for being the world's most compulsively watchable villain, while Fringe finally comes back. Also, it's the season finale of T:SCC, and Macaulay Culkin makes his Kings debut. Clips/spoilers ahead... More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5199859&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Sayid's Paradox, Dean's Nude Pose, And Tricia Helfer]]> Turns out the Dean-and-Sam Supernatural fanfic comic has already been created, and this week's episode is all about it. Plus Smallville has a Lex Luthor flashback, and Tricia Helfer gets rough with Chuck. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5189859&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Exactly How Many Kinds Of Terminators Are There In Terminator 4?]]> Today, we're indulging in toy spoilers (Terminator 4) and soundtrack spoilers (Dragonball). Plus the BSG clip you've waited for, and clips and dirt on Heroes, Eleventh Hour, V, Smallville and Dollhouse. What's next: hair spoilers? More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5156195&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[A Surprising Wolverine Co-Star Confirmed!]]> A French magazine printed tons of new Wolverine pics, and confirmed a shocking mutant costar. Plus there are new Astro Boy and Clone Wars pics, and Push/Heroes clips. And super-minor Doctor Who season five spoilers. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5146850&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Heroes Is Back, Gaeta's Still A Dick]]> Now that Heroes is back, it's Ando's time to shine, while Parkman becomes a fortune telling artist. Meanwhile, Chuck gets a hobbit, and we see who survived (if anyone) on BSG. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5144114&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Battlestar Carnage, Clone Wars Decapitations And Wolverine's Explosions]]> Today's spoiler assault: telltale pics from Wolverine, Transformers, Heroes, Lost and Wonder Woman. New clips from Clone Wars and Smallville. Battlestar mayhem. Hints about Doctor Who, Kick-Ass, Chuck and Eleventh Hour. Spoilers refresh your cortex! More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5141655&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Gaeta Gets In Adama's Face, Plus Locke Turns Island Detective]]> See Gaeta throw down on Adama, watch Clark discover Lex's fate, and the Losties once again step on a big pile of trouble, in this week's TV round up. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5139054&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Which Major TV Show May Be Turning Its Shippers Into Unwitting Incest Fans?]]> Today's spoiler harvest includes scorching Doctor Who set pics, Supernatural script pages, and the most shocking Fringe theory yet. Will there be crazy Lost twists? There will! Plus Sarah Connor, Star Wars and Smallville. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5135962&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Is Back, BSG Is Preggers, TV Is Saved]]> Lost returns, with tidings of WTF and joy. Also on TV: Clone Wars inspires Lemur people to fight, Batman and Blue Beetle bond, and the Supernatural takes on a magical D-bag. Clips and minor spoilers. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5134134&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[BSG Is Back, Hood's Crazy and Smallville's Chloe Causes Havoc]]> Whether you praise the gods, or the one true cylon god, can we all just be happy that the second half of Battlestar Galactica is back this week, along with a few other old friends? More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5129077&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[A Complete List Of Who's Back At The Start Of Lost Season Five]]> Today's extreme spoilers include Land Of The Lost, Push, and Lost images. Permanent death on Heroes! Shocking BSG video and Sarah Connor hints! Transformers! Smallville guest star! Plus Supernatural, Eleventh and Fringe. Mega spoilers!! More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5116517&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Does Science Drama Fail, Even When It Wins?]]> Scientist adventure show Eleventh Hour, which garnered top ratings and has in recent weeks gotten genuinely fun to watch, may become proof that scifi can't win on TV. Even when the audience is huge. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5113005&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Things Improve on "Eleventh Hour" with Flesh-Eating STDs]]> CBS' hit science escapism show Eleventh Hour has blossomed over the last two weeks, getting weirder, more futuristic, and pushing a "scientists are better than jocks" agenda. Spoilers ahead. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5110398&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Keanu Reeves Gives Away Earth Stood Still's Ending]]> We tried hard to abstain from toy spoilers, but some new G.I. Joe toy pics are just too good not to post. But we also have rock star spoilers, as Gerard Way talks Watchmen. Meanwhile, Keanu Reeves may have given away the ending of The Day The Earth Stood Still. And there are big changes afoot for Davis and Clark on Smallville. All this, plus spoilers and hints for Doctor Who, Lost, Torchwood, Benjamin Button, Dragonball, Heroes, Eleventh Hour and Pushing Daisies. Just remember, if you're high enough up in the air, everything looks like a toy spoiler. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5102266&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Eleventh Hour Gets Fourteenth Through Eighteenth Hours As Well]]> It may not be a favorite around these here parts, but Eleventh Hour has proven popular enough with the rest of America to be given a full-season order by CBS... Well, an almost full season, anyway. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5100681&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[This Week On Heroes, Everybody Dies But Seth Green]]> If they killed off all the characters on Heroes, would that save this season? The ridiculous cliffhanger and promos make it seem like almost every character is dying, or in imminent danger of death. But will there be any real deaths? Watch a clip from tonight's episode and judge for yourself. Also, there are preview clips from Chuck, and tons of trailers for Fringe, Pushing Daisies, Eleventh Hour and more. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5100193&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Klaatu's Ultimate Goal And Smallville's Legion Villain — Revealed!]]> Welcome to Black Friday. We've collected a shocking number of spoilers to fortify you before your shopping rampage. Including exactly what Keanu Reeves is up to in the Day The Earth Stood Still remake, and what Hugh Jackman says will happen in Wolverine 2. Plus, Geoff Johns totally gave away the identity of the villain who fights the Legion in an upcoming Smallville. Plus, we find out which dead Lost characters we'll be seeing again, what Jack gets up to in Torchwood, and just who might be dying in Heroes. All this, plus spoilers and pics from The Road, Transformers 2, Fringe, Battlestar Galactica, Eleventh Hour, Pushing Daisies, Stargate Atlantis, Kyle XY and Chuck. Spoilers are fortifying! More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5099731&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[A G.I. Joe Showdown, A Lost Episode Breakdown]]> Greetings, spoiler fanatics! We've finally gotten a non-blurry picture of a certain Transformers toy. Plus, a callsheet for a crucial Lost episode turned up, and it gives away a whole bushel of shocking plot twists. A G.I. Joe actor explained all about the movie's crucial ninja showdown. Plus there are some major hints for Dollhouse, Heroes, Sarah Connor, Smallville, Pushing Daisies, Chuck, Reaper, Eleventh Hour, Fringe, Supernatural, The Survivors and the Wonder Woman DVD movie. We spoil because we love! Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen: Finally! Some non-blurry images of the Soundwave toy. We were about to need an ophthalmologist. More pics at the link. [TFW2005] G.I. Joe: Storm Shadow does fight Snake Eyes in the movie, says actor Byung Hun-Lee. He explains:
Yes, they have grown up together actually, like brothers, but there is a big misunderstanding between them. So even though they have grown up together, they become rivals, so they have to fight. It's kind of their destiny. I cannot talk about the twist, but the relationship between him and Snake Eyes — the dynamic between them — should be one of the most interesting points of the film.
[IGN] Lost: OMG major spoilers! A leaked callsheet provides tons of details for episode 5.04, "The Little Prince." Our characters are jumping between 2004 and 2007, and then later 1989, and there are nosebleeds aplenty for Charlotte and later Juliet. Locke wants to go back to the Orchid. And then Sawyer watches Kate help Claire give birth. and Miles gets a nosebleed. Meanwhile, at St. Stephen's Hospital, Jack resigns, Sayid doesn't trust Ben, and Tony attacks Sayid. Also, Jack wants to see Kate, and Ben admits he's been trying to take Aaron away. Kate is having it out with Ben, and then Sun shows up with a gun and they discuss the fact that Jin isn't dead. Ben takes Sun to see proof of Jin being alive. Plus there's more. Read it for yourself below. [SpoilersLost] Meanwhile, slightly less Earth-shattering news. A big Hungarian guy will be playing a doctor who walks past Jack in the hallway. And he might be in more than one episode. [SpoilersLost] Dollhouse: There's a casting call for the ninth episode of Joss Whedon's brainwashed super-agent show, the final one of the batch the network has ordered so far. We meet the Bashford family: Margaret, a gracefully aging beauty; Jack Dunstan, Margaret's much younger husband; Nicholas, Margaret's ne'er-do-well son; Jocelyn, Margaret's pretty but arrogant daughter; and William, Margaret's hard-drinking ex-playboy estranged brother. [SpoilerTV] Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Does Brian Austin Green know something we don't? In a new interview, he hints that he may not be on the Terminator show for the long haul. (Assuming there is a long haul.) Green says he won't be playing Derek Reese forever, and adds: "My job now is to try and create other memorable characters and move on." He also sounds a bit blase about the show, compared with earlier interviews where he was super enthusiastic. [BuddyTV] Heroes: One of our main characters will die soon, and this will put an end to one of the show's big love stories right now. (Daphne maybe?) Also, there will be tons of deaths coming later, maybe at the end of the "Villains" storyline or during "Fugitives." Hunter (Zeljko Ivanek) loads a bunch of the heroes onto a transport plane, which then crashes. Several of the heroes die in the crash. Angela Petrelli won't be on that plane, but it sounds like Matt Parkman might be. [E! Online] Here's how "Villains" ends, according to the official synopsis of "War." Bear in mind that Arthur Petrelli apparently dies in the previous episode:
In the aftermath of the showdown against Arthur Petrelli, the Petrelli brothers (Adrian Pasdar and Milo Ventimiglia) find themselves battling against one another and Nathan makes a move that will have global repercussions. Meanwhile, Sylar (Zachary Quinto) holds Claire (Hayden Panettiere), H.R.G. (Jack Coleman), Meredith (guest star Jessalyn Gilsig) and Angela (Cristine Rose) hostage at Primatech and a face-off ensues. Elsewhere, Ando (James Kyson Lee), Matt (Greg Grunberg) and Daphne (guest star Brea Grant) continue their attempts rescue Hiro (Masi Oka) — and Dr. Suresh (Sendhil Ramamurthy) may be their only hope.
[Heroes News And Spoilers] And you will get a satisfying resolution to the "Villains" storyline, Tim Kring promises. [Sci Fi Wire] Smallville: Neither Chloe nor Doomsday are in their right minds, says Sam Witwer. And Davis doesn't have any control over his Doomsday side right now. He's definitely in the rest of the season and might be in the following season, and there is a long-term Doomsday plotline in the works. [E! Online] Meanwhile, John Glover probably won't be back, ever. [E! Online] Chuck: You notice how everybody from Chuck's past is a spy, and the mysterious Fulcrum organization is involved in all of it? This "mythology" will be explored, promises producer Chris Fedak. Also, in "Chuck Vs. The DeLorean," Morgan wants to buy an old barely operating DeLorean, which he wants to call the DeMorgan. [Sci Fi Wire] What's coming next for Lester? Vik Sahay says:
We're going to have situations where you again see Lester be granted status and a spotlight, and then see how he handles it. He's being confronted with himself more and more. It's a burning, slow reveal of who this guy is and how he handles himself in circumstances he thinks he wants to be in.
[TV Guide] Fringe: Anna Torv talks about playing Olivia. [Fringe Television] Also Jasika Nicole provides a tour of the set here, but I didn't see any spoilers. [Fringe Television again] Wonder Woman: Here are some new pics from the direct-to-DVD animated movie. [Warner Bros.] Survivors: Here's the official description of the miniseries' sixth and final episode:
Abby and her friends find themselves on the run from Samantha and Dexter, who've formed a dangerous alliance that threatens everyone's freedom... Meanwhile, Sarah is confronted by a face from the past which leads her to betray her new friends. When Naj goes missing, the family is forced to face the dangers of the city in order to find him. Their food and water supplies have been stolen from their car by desperate urban survivors, so they know they may not be able to survive long enough to find Naj. The family is nearly torn apart when Greg and Abby find themselves on opposite sides of an argument. Meanwhile, Naj is befriended by a feral boy named Darren. Darren lives with the sinister Craig and June, who look after a group of children who forage amidst the ruins of the city, in return for shelter and protection. Naj soon sees that Craig is ruthlessly exploiting Darren and the others but, without Abby, he faces a struggle to save himself. With his adopted family searching for him in the deserted city, time is rapidly running out and Dexter is only a step behind them all...
[BBC via SurvivorsBBC] Supernatural: Here's what happens in "Sex And Violence," the episode we showed you some casting pages from: "Both Sam and Dean make new friends, and one of the boys gets laid. Later Sam and Dean fight each other, but not over the girl-over a guy!" [E! Online] Pushing Daisies: In the next few episodes, Aunt Lily makes sure Mr. Dwight Dixon doesn't get too comfortable in Coeur d'Coeurs. Meanwhile, Ned and Olive get some one-on-one time when they enter a cook-off together, because they get locked in a trunk together, within smooching space. [E! Online] Reaper: Sock gets a shot with a shape-shifting demon who can become any supermodel his heart desires - but this comes with some strings attached. [E! Online] Eleventh Hour: The show gets a new character: an FBI agent named Felix, who thinks Jacob's a genius and has a crush on Rachel. Is this a love triangle in the making? [E! Online] Additional reporting by Katharine Duckett. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5098492&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Which TV Shows Are You Actually Watching?]]> Pushing Daisies is falling off our screens, and many other promising science fiction shows are teetering on the edge of cancellation as well. Blame the Nielsen box, the most fail-ridden technology in history. The networks don't actually know what you, the real people, are watching, but that doesn't mean you don't count. We're curious — which current TV shows are you actually watching? More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5081469&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Smallville's Big Wedding Day, Plus A Must-See Stargate Atlantis]]> It's the most nerdtastic week ever, as Pushing Daisies finally returns, we get a Walter-filled Fringe, Chloe marries her little Jimmy, and scientists fill the sets of Stargate Atlantis, including Dave Foley who plays McKays arch nemesis. Seriously if there was a better yin to McKay's yang, I can't think of one. Also Jar Jar Binks is pratfalling all the way to rescuing Padme in this weeks Clone Wars — hey, you never know — this could be the episode he gets mercilessly tortured in. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5090071&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[New "Earth Stood Still" TV Spots Give Away The Movie's Plot]]> Did a toy company accidentally give away the goods on Transformers 2's biggest new robot? You decide. There's no doubt, however, that two new TV ads provide a way better idea of exactly why Keanu Reeves visits our planet in The Day The Earth Stood Still, and what the film's central conflict is. Also, a new set pic gives us our first look at a crucial character in the new G.I. Joe movie. There are also life-changing, pulse-pounding spoilers for Lost, The Last Airbender, Sanctuary, Eleventh Hour and Supernatural. Rend the fabric of space-time by reading some forbidden spoilers! More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5078011&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Whoopi Goldberg Wigs Out, And A Teddy Bear Wants Your Soul]]> This week's Life On Mars is pulling in the big celebrity cameos: one Ms. Goldberg and one massive wig. Also, Supernatural employs the use of a real-live teddy bear to up the pre-sweeps week stakes. Click through for clips from this week's episodes of Sarah Connor, Supernatural and Smallville. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5074568&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Eleventh Hour Once Again Revels in Torturing Teenagers]]> What the hell is it with pseudo-science action show Eleventh Hour and child torture? Is that like the only kind of weird science there is left? First we have an episode where our FBI science investigators have to solve a mystery about kids who are killing each other by licking toads, then an episode where kids are having seizures because they like to eat red things, and now this week a bunch of autistic teens are abducted and returned a month later as supergeniuses. Tonight I'm going to report live from my sofa about Eleventh Hour, and tell you all about why kids must be eliminated by science. Spoilers and sugar-fueled ravings ahead! More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5071760&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[First Look At McLovin As A Superhero, Plus Snake Eyes' Motorcycle From G.I. Joe]]> Sometimes the best spoilers can come from an enterprising photographer — like the intrepid soul who got our first glimpses of the awesome motorcycle that super-ninja Snake Eyes will ride in the new G.I. Joe movie. Or the person who caught a precious snap of Christopher Mintz-Plasse (aka McLovin) and Aaron Johnson in their superhero outfits, from the filming of Kick Ass. Or the ever-vigilant souls who caught another glimpse of Lost filming — including one character's surprising return. And then there are times when the spoilers come straight from the horse's mouth, like Jon Favreau's predictions for the Avengers movie. We also have spoilers for Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, Life On Mars, Eleventh Hour, Fringe, Smallville, Chuck and My Own Worst Enemy. Spoilers are audio, visual, and mental. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5070805&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Trek Pics! Final Cylon Clues! Lost Filming!]]> Are spoilers an endangered species? Blogger Impudent Strumpet (love the Brave New World reference!) says that Gmail should avoid showing you any preview text for emails that include spoilers. Will your RSS reader one day shield you from the mere possibility of being spoiled? Better get the goods while you can, I say. The goods, in this case, include some new Star Trek pics, and another little clue as to the identity of the final Cylon on Battlestar Galactica. And another Lost set report. Plus there are spoilers for Transformers 2, Smallville, Heroes, Fringe, Sarah Connor Chronicles, Life On Mars and Eleventh Hour. Get your spoilers now, before Google takes them away! More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5070257&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Soon To Be Departed Show Defeats New Anti-Science "Hit"]]> Don't feel too depressed about the success of Eleventh Hour (or even Life On Mars); we have something that'll put their audience into some context - they're both still being beaten in the ratings by the fourteen-year-old ER on NBC, now in its final season. Perhaps Thursdays at 10 are just a good time to show anything on one of the three major networks... In which case, expect to see my new "Please move Chuck to Thursdays and make it a bit better while you're at it" campaign starting any time soon. [Hollywood Reporter] More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5068652&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Find Out What Happens In Episode Six Of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse]]> Spoiler party! We've had a look at casting calls for upcoming episodes of Joss Whedon's mindwiped agent show Dollhouse and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Also, Jon Voight has some ideas about what his character may be up to in the Transformers sequel. There are tons of spoilery pics and interviews from Heroes, Chuck and Smallville, including some very bold costume choices. Plus spoilers for Eleventh Hour and Star Wars: Clone Wars. Start your weekend by finding out what's ahead in the weeks to come, thanks to the magic of spoilers! More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5068130&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Eleventh Hour in Real Time, Now with Breakfast Paranoia]]> Just for the hell of it, I'm liveblogging ultra-popular new science crime show Eleventh Hour tonight. Last week, it was the most popular scifi show on TV in the ratings. Can it keep up with its own success? Only a blow-by-blow account can truly answer that question. For my liveblog impressions, updated every 5 minutes or so, see below. Spoilers ahead! More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5068117&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Why Science Fiction Still Hates Itself]]> Click to view If geek stuff is so hip, then why are two of the season's biggest scifi hits, CBS show Eleventh Hour and bestselling Neal Stephenson novel Anathem, adamantly classified as Not Scifi? Because nerd culture will never be pop culture. That's why Borders slashed its scifi section. And it's why JJ Abrams, director of the new Star Trek movie, denied that it's for fans of the scifi franchise, instead telling Entertainment Weekly that "it's for fans of movies." Successful science fiction, in other words, is still stealth. To get your spaceships and freaky science into the mainstream, you have to hate yourself just enough to shove your inner dork into a gym locker and keep her there. Stealth science fiction is nothing new. Creators have been churning out scifi for decades and calling it "adventure" or "suspense" or "slipstream" or "speculative" or "magic realism" — anything to get their stuff shelved in "fiction" or "drama" rather than "nerdville." I shouldn't really pin this on creators, entirely: Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union was classified as literature, despite the author's repeated protestation that it was science fiction. But Chabon's position is a rare one. Usually you find creators eager to distance themselves from nerdliness, which explains why Eleventh Hour producers emphasized over and over in interviews that the show is "science fact, not science fiction." Their strategy for the Jerry "CSI" Bruckheimer-created show worked. While the weird-science-crime premise of Eleventh Hour is nearly indistinguishable from the unabashedly scifi series Fringe, Eleventh Hour is rising in the ratings and garnered 12 million viewers last week. Fringe, on the other hand, is sinking in the ratings, earning a healthy-but-flagging 9.5 million viewers (down from 13.2 million at its peak ratings during its second week). Granted, you can't put too much stock in these ratings yet. Both shows are still very young, and are getting a lot of help from the popular shows that air right before they do — hit House leads into Fringe, and mega-hit CSI leads into Eleventh Hour. Still, the Eleventh Hour strategy of "deny scifi" is echoed in the success of other current pop culture. Neal Stephenson's new novel Anathem, which shot right to the top of bestseller lists when it hit bookstores in September, is an epic tale of alien life on a very Earth-like planet. Though Stephenson has written other science fiction like The Diamond Age and Snow Crash, you wouldn't know it from looking at Anathem. Even though it's a novel about aliens and spaceships, the book isn't marketed as scifi. William Morrow called Anathem "an adventure," and the book jacket makes no mention of Stephenson's scifi novels. Only one of the blurbs included on the novel's dust jacket even makes reference to his scifi work, and that's a Salon.com review that refers to "speculative fiction." Even the marketing campaign for Anathem reflected the "deny scifi" strategy. Marketers didn't mention taking out ads in any scifi publications or websites, except for the Eos blog. And that hardly counts: Eos is an imprint owned by Harper Collins, which also owns the imprint that published Anathem. Stephenson has spoken publicly about what he calls the "bifurcated careers" of people who do science fiction. He believes that people who become popular among scifi fans don't enjoy the same levels of fame in mainstream pop culture, and gives as an example the actor Hugo Weaving, who played Agent Smith in The Matrix. Weaving is like a rock god among scifi fans, but to the mainstream movie-watching public he's not exactly a glamorous celeb. Stephenson has a similar problem. Though his last four books were science history adventures, he's was still best-known to fans of the scifi genre. But no more. Perhaps the fear that Stephenson is becoming the literary equivalent of Weaving is what motivated Anathem's marketing campaign, or maybe it was the realization that Borders wouldn't order as many copies of the book if it were labeled what it is: A space opera, pure and simple. Whatever the motivation, it worked. While Anathem enjoys bestseller status as an "adventure," novels that are just as worthy won't even make it to most bookstores because they're labeled "science fiction." Just a few years ago, I would have argued that a lot of this self-loathing among scifi creators and promoters came from a fear of science itself. The past decade in America has been a bad time for science, with funding cuts to to several NASA space programs and government refusal to fund crucial stem cell research because it might endanger "souls." Aligning with science was not the popular thing to do. But I feel like that time has passed, and science phobia is clearly not what's going on here: In fact, Eleventh Hour is combating the scifi label by calling itself "science fact" (though of course it's practically anti-science in its cluelessness about said facts). These days, science is an acceptable middle-class pursuit — hell, science might even save the world economy. Writing stories about science isn't geeky because science is a part of everyday life. What's more, it's part of the good life. Techies become millionaires. So people are rejecting the scifi label not because of science, but because of the fiction. Science has become a part of everybody's pop culture, but science fiction hasn't. And by extension, the people who like science fiction haven't. The nerds at Comic-Con, the dorks at the comic book store, and the dweebs who wish Borders carried more scifi are not the kinds of people that marketers want associated with their cultural products. Something about science fiction remains grubby and unappetizing to the mainstream. Maybe that's because it's the one branch of science that rarely makes money, and never results in a lucrative patent. Or maybe that's because it's associated with troops of socially awkward people who would rather play war games than actually go to war. Whatever the cause, we know the result. If you want to make pop science fiction, you'd better call it something else. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5065675&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[The Inside Scoop On Watchmen, Trek And Transformers 2]]> A guy who's seen Watchmen twice has some news for you about the movie's ending. And that same guy, Kevin Smith, spilled the beans a bit about the structure of the new Star Trek movie. Meanwhile, Roberto Orci told the fans which robots won't be showing up in Transformers 2, and what Soundwave's alt mode won't be. There's also a super-spoilery new video about Sarah Connor Chronicles. And the spoiler floodgates are opening on the new James Bond movie after its first showing. Plus there are some decent spoilers about Life On Mars, Heroes, Fringe, Chuck, Eleventh Hour, Knight Rider, Sanctuary, and Smallville. Which one of those shows features a bikini-clad car-washing girl? It's a spoiler! More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5065725&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Indian Lesbian Bakers, Romulan Lore, And More Lost Secrets]]> Among the phrases I never thought I would type: "hair spoilers." But now it has come to pass — a certain actor has gotten a new hairstyle, which may foreshadow an upc oming TV storyline. Or not. Can you stand the tonsorial suspense? Also, Star Trek scribes Orci and Kurtzman gave their daily interview, and explained some interesting stuff about Romulan culture and Spock's family. There are also potentially world-changing updates on Lost, Heroes, Smallville, Chuck, Life On Mars, Eleventh Hour, Eureka and Sanctuary. Wear a big floppy hat if you want to save us all from hair spoilers! More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5064880&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Green Lantern Explained! Quantum Of Solace Clips! The Spirit Poster!]]> Spoilers not only beautify your car, they expand your outlook. Today, we have some more comments from Marc Guggenheim about exactly where the new Green Lantern movie's storyline is coming from. A couple of Quantum Of Solace clips do absolutely nothing to resolve our "is it scifi" confusion, but show that James Bond keeps brooding. A new poster for The Spirit gives a clue as to the tone of Frank Miller's new movie. There's a small but significant Lost spoiler. Plus videos, pics and revelations for Heroes, Life On Mars, Eleventh Hour, Clone Wars and Stargate Atlantis. Spoilers are decorative, but also functional. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5064324&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Two New Possibilities For BSG's Final Cylon]]> Are you running out of candidates for the final Cylon on Battlestar Galactica? We noticed a couple of guest stars appearing in the last few episodes, who are so out of left field, they could just be the answer. Meanwhile, Ludacris tells us the secrets of the dystopian game-playing movie Game, and we have some new Kick Ass set pics. Plus, Heroes may actually be killing someone for good this time around. Really. Plus there are some pretty decent spoilers for Fringe, Lost, Smallville and Eleventh Hour. Spoilers aren't just what we read, they're who we are. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5063014&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Nerds Vs. Jocks Vs. Droids Vs. Padme Vs. Pigeons Vs. Serial Killers On This Week's TV]]> This week on TV, Chuck's nerd pals get into trouble with some jocks led by real-life football star Michael Strahan. Walter uses pigeons to do his sciencey bidding on Fringe. And Padme gets into some trouble on Clone Wars. Clips of the nerd-jock fight, some shocking revelations on Heroes, and some Smallville, Fringe and Star Wars action await below. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5062470&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Science Hits Back At Eleventh Hour's Slurs]]> Worried, like Annalee, that CBS' new Eleventh Hour series is trying to turn America against science with its' ridiculous take on the subject? You're not alone - the world's self-proclaimed "largest biotechnology organization" has created a website specifically aimed at giving the science fact about the show's science fiction. But is this real, or just the latest strange take on ARG advertising? More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5062173&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Eleventh Hour's Past Comes Back To Haunt Itself]]> Want to see the original version of the show that turned Annalee Newitz against science? BBC America is reshowing all four episodes of the British version of Eleventh Hour - starring Patrick Stewart as Rufus Sewell's older, more English cousin, investigating science gone evil - in a marathon tomorrow, starting at 1pm EST. [BBC America] More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5062162&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Why Heroes' Ratings Freefall Doesn't Matter - And Why Knight Rider May Have A Long Drive Ahead]]> We're firmly into the new fall TV season now, but every single week seems to confuse TV execs with news of rollercoaster ratings and imminent cancellations (followed by non-denial denials). We decided to look at how some of our favorite - and less than favorite - shows are performing so far, as well as try to predict which shows (if any) are headed into troubled waters... or headed out. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5061052&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Eleven Ways "Eleventh Hour" Smears the Reputation of Real Science]]> Judging by the ratings, a lot of people tuned in last night to watch Eleventh Hour, Jerry Bruckheimer's Fringe-esque show about Hood, a "special science adviser to the FBI" played by Rufus Sewell. Based on a British show that failed, the series winds up making science seem even more like a preposterous Medieval fantasy than Fringe does. After watching last night's season premiere, we came up with eleven ways that Eleventh Hour manages to smear the reputation of good science in its misguided effort to represent what real "biophysicists" like Hood do. More »
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