The show, now filming in Australia, has released a ton of new information about this new version of K-9. Including an explanation for why he no longer looks like the original version on television. Co-creator and series writer Bob Baker (who also wrote the Wallace And Gromit films) fielded fans' questions on his official forum, and he said that when we first see K-9, he'll look identical to the version which the Doctor left on his home planet, Gallifrey, with his companion Leela. Also, the voice won't come from original voice artist John Leeson, but will have the same speech patterns.

So how does K-9 go from looking like his 1970s incarnation to getting all spiffed up? Here's the synopsis that Park Entertainment released:

K9 is a children's sci-fi/adventure series combining comedy, action and suspense "X Files" meets "Men in Black" with a zany dash of "Ghostbusters". K9 mixes live action characters with stunning visual-effects.

London, in the future: STARKEY (14) orphan and rebel ultimately plans to bring down the system but for the time being he is prepared to simply slip through the cracks. While evading the police he takes refuge in a large detached house, now the residence of reclusive scientist, Professor GRYFFEN. He is followed by JORJIE (14) an adventurous girl who partly admires Starkey's dissident stance, but mostly wants to share whatever excitement is afoot.

Inside the dilapidated mansion, they see Gryffen absorbed in an experiment with a strange piece of alien technology, a Space Time Manipulator (S/TM). DARIUS (15) an artful dodger who, among his many occupations, runs errands for Gryffen, confronts the pair, but at that moment a portal opens and through the hole torn in the fabric of space/time burst two reptilian warrior JIXEN. The Jixen attack Starkey. The teenager is saved from certain death by a small dog-like robot, K9 Mark I, who follows the Jixen through the portal and places himself between the monsters and boy.

In the ensuing battle, the only way K9 can defeat the Jixen is to blow himself and them to pieces. One surviving Jixen limps out of the mansion. Before expiring, K9 is able to give instructions that allow Starkey to initiate a regeneration program. A new, more sophisticated and futuristically designed K9 is regenerated.

K9 and Starkey, with the assistance of Jorjie, Darius and Gryffen, become the earth's front line defence against dangers threatening from anywhere and anytime in the galaxy. They will have a lot of fun, action, adventure, and some scares along the way, saving the earth from alien creatures, monsters and more than a few human threats.

And Baker said K-9 will meet "a menagerie of super monster 'uglies'" in the course of the first 26 half-hour episodes.

Meanwhile, production site Metal Mutt released a partial list of episode titles. The first two episodes are "Feast Of The Merons" parts one and two. Episode four is "The Last Oak Tree In England." Episode six is "Sirens Of Ceres". Episode seven is "Dreameaters." Episode eight is "Devil's Den." Nine is "Jaws Of Orthrus." Episode ten is "Oroborus." Episode eleven is "Alien Avatar." Episode 12 is "The Curse Of Anubis." And episode 13 is "The Fall Of The House Of Gryffen."

And there's a gallery of some of the locations they're using on the series, including some ominous tunnels, an old gun turret, some mediaeval steps and lots of countryside that K-9 will have to navigate somehow. More images are over at Metal Mutt.

Top K-9 image from Wired. K-9 News [Outpost Gallifrey]

Meet Piella Bakewell, Wallace's new (gasp!) girlfriend. She looks sort of cute, in a bleach-blonde Marge Simpson way. And I bet she's pretty good at baking pies. Here's the plot synopsis for the new W+G, which returns to the half-hour format that launched our heroes:

Wallace and Gromit have a brand new business. The conversion of 62 West Wallaby Street is complete and impressive, the whole house is now a granary with ovens and robotic kneading arms. Huge mixing bowls are all over the place and everything is covered with a layer of flour. On the roof is a ‘Wallace patent-pending’ old-fashioned windmill. The transformation is perfect.

Although business is booming, Gromit is concerned by the news that 12 local bakers have ‘disappeared’ this year – but Wallace isn’t worried. He’s too distracted and ‘dough-eyed’ in love with local beauty and bread enthusiast, Piella Bakewell, to be of much help.

While they enjoy being the ‘Toast of the Town’, Gromit, with his master’s life in jeopardy, must be the sleuth and solve the escalating murder mystery - in what quickly becomes a ‘Matter of Loaf and Death’.

Once again, the new Wallace and Gromit is co-written by Bob Baker, who wrote many of the weirdest Doctor Who episodes in the 1970s (and created K-9 the robot dog.) I wonder what scifi elements, besides those robot arms, we'll see this time around. Past installments have included cyber-pants, a moon rocket, a bizarre rabbit-capturing device... and the dreaded Were-Rabbit! [Wallace And Gromit, via Cinema Gaslight]