The Fiction: The Motorway

In Martha's second trip on the TARDIS in the new Doctor Who, the Doctor takes her to New New York. Much like its present-day namesake, this city is trapped by traffic.

In fact, the only living residents of the city have been stuck in a quagmire called "the Motorway" for decades, all trying to get to a better place. Some even resort to kidnapping so that they can drive in the HOV lanes, which they've heard can cut years off their travel time. Once Martha is kidnapped she finds out they'll make it the ten miles to their destination in a short six years.

The Reality: Traffic and congestion.

It's been said that Americans spend an average of over 100 hours a year commuting, so it's no wonder that scientists are constantly trying to find ways to improve the driving experience. Writers are always imagining new ways for their heroes to get from point A to point B. But how many of those writer's dreams are coming true? Read on.

The fiction: Computer driven cars

Seen in: I, Robot
Pros: You can read, nap, or solve crimes while you're traveling. Accident cleanup is a snap.
Cons: Should the computer system decide to become murderous, you're in a lot of trouble.

The Reality: The Darpa Challenge

(image courtesy of the Team VictorTango website)

DARPA presents prizes to teams creating cars that drive on their own using "various sensors and positioning systems." Their 2007 challenge asked the vehicles to navigate an urban environment and "executing simulated military supply missions while merging into moving traffic, navigating traffic circles, negotiating busy intersections, and avoiding obstacles." Three and a half million dollars in prizes were awarded and six teams finished the course.

The Fiction: Mag-Lev Cars

Seen In: Minority Report
Pros: You can pave everything and make it a road, giving D.C. residents as many lanes than they could ever want. Pull right up to your 200th floor apartment.
Cons: Imagine an accident at those speeds, on the side of a skyscraper. Makes car chase a lot more dangerous.

The Reality: Mag-Lev trains.

While we haven't started putting mag-lev systems in cars yet, we have put them into trains. Japan has the most famous trains using the technology, where magnets are used to both levitate and propel the train. Using magnetic levitation for travel has a lot of advantages, including speed. Not to mention the potential benefits to the environment, and the noise reduction. As we pointed out earlier, the future of rail transport in the U.S. might very well lie with mag-lev technology.

The Fiction: Flying Cars

Seen In: The Fifth Element, many many others
Pros: No need for roads anymore, the sky is open to everybody.
Cons: The sky is open to everybody. The view becomes nothing but cars, and traffic is a nightmare still.

The Reality: Hovercraft

Vehicles that float on a cushion of air are actually more popular and widely used than most people think. They're good for going over any terrain, and they're used by militaries around the world. It also is the technology on this list that you are most likely to make in your own garage, if all the YouTube videos are any indication. It is unlikely that the flying cars in science fiction are powered by jets of air, but so far it's the closest thing we've got.

The Fiction: Vehicle A.I. that talks to you

Seen in: Knight Rider
Pros: Can let you know when it needs maintenance, keep you entertained on long drives, drive for you if you need to beat up some bad guys.
Cons: Can get a little snippy. Might lock you out.

The Reality: turn by turn GPS, cars that talk to each other

While we're not quite to the point where our vehicles are having conversations, we do have plenty of robotic female voices telling us to "turn left" and after we make a wrong turn, they scold us with a "recalculating." But GPS systems have become commonplace. What's the next frontier of the technology? Cars that converse with each other.

In this video from cNet, we see that systems are being designed where two vehicles will send signals back and forth in order to keep track of their distance from each other, their speeds, and other relevant information. The same system can also get information from stop lights to relay to the driver, letting you know if you really should try to gun through that yellow light, or maybe you should try to stop.

Does it seem like these innovations are too far outside our grasp? Well there are two famous fictional cars that science has managed to replicate, at least to some degree:

The Fiction: The Batmobile

The Reality: Voice recognition software, OnStar, and "the Tumbler."

The Batmobile's features change from model to model, in fact there is even a website devoted solely to tracking the changes in the vehicle. There have been numerous defensive innovations, as well as offensive weaponry installed over the years. While most cars aren't driving around with side-mounted spherical bombs, the Batmobile has long had voice recognition software. Now the Ford Sync system comes standard in many of their models, one of the many ways our cars are starting to obey our vocal commands.

In a set of ads using the Batman/Batman Returns style Batmobile, audiences discovered one feature that they could have installed in their own cars: OnStar. Of course, Batman has had hands free calling to his support network (namely Alfred) for years.

The most important thing to note is that when Christopher Nolan brought his own spin to the Batmobile in Batman Begins, the "Tumbler" was actually a functional vehicle. According to The History of the Batmobile:

"Their primary focus was to make this Batmobile as real as possible: at 9 feet wide and 15 feet long, the car weighed in at 2.5 tons but was still capable of 0-60MPH in under six seconds with a top speed of 110MPH. Thanks to its unique design, it is also capable of making unassisted jumps up to 30 feet."

One of the best car shows in the world, Top Gear, was able to actually have the car in the studio for a segment where they talk about its actual working features. There's a rumor that The Stig even took it on a lap around the track:

The Fiction: James Bond's Scuba Car from "The Spy Who Loved Me."

The Reality: The sQuba Submarine Car

James Bond was able to tool around underwater in a modified Lotus Espirit without getting his impeccable suit damp. The sQuba Submarine Car is not quite so watertight, but it still is a car that handily swims around underwater, just like the vehicle in the film. As Jalopnik reports:

"Though you're not going to stay dry if you want to go diving, because theres no airtight canopy to enclose you. To breathe, you'll have to wear a scuba mask connected to the car's integrated compressed-air tank. But who cares?! This is a car that goes underwater!"

You can read a complete write up of the car here.

See the car in action and learn about all its other features:

Since the sQuba is just a concept car at the moment, if you want a car that will travel land and water, you might have to settle for an amphibious car. In one of their most infamous segments, the gentlemen at Top Gear were challenged to make their own amphibious cars, and then cross the English Channel. You might be surprised at the results:

What's next in the future of transportation? The best place to find out is probably the science-fiction section of Netflix.

Our sister site Jalopnik has a stellar collection of movie cars — both official and replicas. These are mostly fan-made, drivable replicas of cars and bikes from science fiction.

Batmobiles

Some of the more ambitious projects are the Batmobiles. You can actually purchase kits to convert various car models into an Adam West-era Batmobile. But some fans prefer to make their Batmobiles the hard way.

It took Leif Garvin of Stockholm 20,000 hours and $1 million to convert a 1973 Lincoln Continental into the Tim Burton Batmobile. It may not be quite as hi-tech as Batman's car, but it does feature a voice recognition system and rear cameras. [via Toxel]

Bob Dullam attracted massive amounts of attention when he showed off his homemade Tumbler from Batman Begins. Dullam made the entire vehicle from scratch, and even made his own Batsuit and props to go with it. [via Superhero Hype]

And frequent builder Grant Hodgson made a Tumbler of his own. [via Jalopnik]

Bob Causey helped Dullam with his Tumbler and decided to create a Batmobile of his own. Causey took on the Batman Forever version, complete with a remote controlled top. [via /Film]

Kaneda's Bike

There are plenty of models of the iconic motorcycle from Akira, but many of those are non-working copies. Neo-Fukuoka, not a fan group but a professional garage, created multiple, working copies of Kaneda's bike, some offered for sale. [via Riding Sun]

But another fan, Matus, is also creating a replica of the bike from scratch, although he hasn't yet progressed to the exterior.

Mad Max Vehichles

Mad Max vehicles are a perennial favorite among vehicle modifiers. There are impressive lists of fan-made Interceptors at Last Interceptor and Mad Max Movies. But one fan stands out above them all. Adrian Bennett didn't just transform a Ford Falcon Coupe into the famous vehicle, he moved himself, his car, and his entire family from England to a tiny Australian town so he could live out his Mad Max fantasies. [via SCI FI Wire]

Other Mad Max vehicles have gotten the fan treatment as well, such as this Yellow Interceptor made by Grant Hodgson (who also did one of the Batman Tumblers):

And Goose's bike by Mike Acebo:

KITT

Knight Rider's KITT is another favorite, and again there are kits you can purchase to give your car KITT's Cylon eye. Of course, the best KITT mods don't just change the outside of the car, but are also incredibly detailed on the inside, such as this converted 1984 Firebird, which speaks in KITT's voice [via Jalopnik:

And this 1992 Firebird:

Frankenstein's Car

The Gator Car from the original Death Race 2000 would have been more fun, but some Russian fans of the Death Race remake took an impressive crack at Frankenstein's car, starting with a Chevy Camaro. [English Russia]

The DeLorean Time Machine

A DeLorean is already a DeLorean with those retrofuturistic gull-wing doors. But add a flux capacitor, a temporal display on the dashboard, and a liberal sprinkling of light-up buttons, and you've got yourself Doc Brown's time machine. [Auto Blog]

Ecto-1

George Barris, who famously designed the original Batmobile among other TV cars, famously made a replica of Ghostbusters' classic car, one that is perpetually for sale. But others have taken on the Ecto-1 challenge as well. Ghostbusters fanatic Joe Kerezman created an Ecto-1 of his very own.

And a fan calling himself "Venkman21" modified his from a Cadillac ambulance.

Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder

They may not hover, but fans can always pretend in their homespun landspeeders. [all via Interbent]

This puppy was made from a 1988 Ford Escort and is actually a licensed, street-legal vehicle.

This pre-distressed model, created by Daniel Deutsch, runs on batteries and can climb to 25 MPH — impressive, though not exactly putting the "speed" in "landspeeder."

Why the teeth and the clown's head on a pole? It's an art car from Burning Man.

And this last one — which is a bit heavier on the wheels — comes from Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and annual Star Wars Day.

Eureka and Degree Antiperspirant

What is it? In almost every episode of this Syfy Channel show, Degree Antiperspirant makes its presence known. In most, it's just someone using the product in the line of duty. But in one case, Degree sponsors a consumer products lab, which features prominently in this mock commercial for a new type of Degree antiperspirant.

Does it fit the story? Sure. In this case, it's a story about products, so it makes sense to showcase these products. And a commercial products lab sponsored by a company also fits reality.

Would people buy it? Not sure. It's a fictional product, but watchers of Eureka are probably also antiperspirant buyers. So audience members probably will buy Degree products.

Does it still exist? Well, the fictional product never existed. But the company still exists.

Knight Rider and Ford

What is it? In the revived 2008 Knight Rider series, the semi-sentient car, KITT, is a Ford Mustang. But it is also equipped with the ability to transform into other forms, coincidentally a variety of Ford models. In this clip, which prominently features the Ford logo, KITT transforms from a Mustang into a Ford F-150.

Does it fit the story? Sometimes. It makes sense that a sophisticated future-car would have some transformation abilities. But it's hard to believe that the optimum form for KITT would happen to be another Ford model in every single case.

Would people buy it? Maybe the F-150, but only a precious few are likely to buy the Mustang featured in the show.

Does it still exist? Yes. Most of the models shown are currently available, including KITT's normal form, the Ford Shelby GT500KR Mustang. But the show also acts as a general ad for the Ford motor company, which still exists.

Star Trek and Nokia / Budweiser

What is it? In the latest Star Trek movie, at one point, a stolen car is equipped with a car phone that plays the classic Nokia ring tone. Later, in a bar, a Starfleet cadet orders a "Bud Classic," a future Budweiser product.

Does it fit the story? No. This kind of product placement is supposed to reinforce the connection between the world we are seeing and the real world. But in these cases, I found myself pulled out of the movie, distracted by these products. In an otherwise entirely immersive film, these examples did more to hinder than help.

Would people buy it? Maybe. People will still buy Bud. And Nokia did more Star Trek tie-ins off screen as well, so that might boost sales. That is, if there's no backlash against sloppy product integration.

Does it still exist? Certainly, no one is buying car phones anymore, but integrated dashboard phone interfaces aren't entirely gone. And "Bud Classic" doesn't exist. But both companies are still doing all right.

Transformers and Chevy

What is it? In the first Transformers movie, Michael Bay showed off a variety of GM cars. In the new movie, he's apparently teamed up with Chevy to showcase their newest cars. This commercial is actually edited by Bay to tie in with the movie, since the movie will be the first look at some of Chevy's upcoming offerings.

Does it fit the story? Yes and no. Sure, there have to be cars. It's a Transformers movie. But I suppose the logos don't have to be so prominently displayed.

Would people buy it? Sure. There's some excitement over these models, which might indicate some future sales. Time will tell if the Transformers stigma hurts this at all.

Does it still exist? Yes. The Chevy Volt is an electric car supposed to be essentially getting its debut in this movie. Some of these models come out next year.

Smallville and Stride Gum

What is it? Smallville resident Pete Ross gains super powers from chewing kryptonite infused Stride gum. It's true. He gains stretchy powers from the altered gum, found at a One Republic concert in an abandoned Stride factory.

Does it fit the story? Yes. It's goofy, but not because of the Stride gum. Though apparently the writers of Smallville developed the plot point about gum in conjunction with Stride. Maybe not a perfect fit...

Would people buy it? Sure. Stride gum is a popular gum, and I don't think there's gonna be any real fear of actual Kryptonite-infused gum leaking into the market.

Does it still exist? Yes. Stride gum not only still exists, but it's branching out in its product placement, even sponsoring internet videos.

Wall-E and Mac

What is it? While it might just be an inside joke and not a product placement, Wall-e is filled with little Mac nods, including a post-apocalyptic theater constructed from an iPod and Wall-e making the Mac start up sound when he recharges, as in this clip.

Does it fit the story? Sure. The iPod theater certainly does, since it wouldn't surprise me if a cleanup robot stumbled on a few still-operable iPod video screens. But the Mac sound for Wall-E's start-up makes less sense... We can chalk that one up to inside joke.

Will people buy it? No. This model of iPod video doesn't exist anymore. And people don't buy Macs for the start up sound. It's certainly a nice shout-out, but it's probably not an effective ad.

Does it still exist? Not the iPod video. And Wall-e never really existed as a product. Mac as a company certainly still exists.

The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Dodge

What is it? Parts of this episode of the Sarah Connor Chronicles felt more like a commercial for the Dodge Ram than an episode of a science fiction television show. Montages showcased all of the features of the new Dodge Ram model, and the car helps our heroes on their fight against robot oppression.

Does it fit the story? Not exactly. The car does, but the sequences featuring the car really draw the viewer out of the story.

Will people buy it? Sure. The car does its part in the resistance, and it seems to run well and be well featured in the show. Anyone on the run from robot assassins will be convinced that this is the car for them.

Does it still exist? Yes. But not The Sarah Connor Chronicles. That show's run is over, sadly.

There's already precedent for science fiction shows living on past cancellation on Saturday mornings - Lost in Space, and more famously, Star Trek both had stints as cartoons, after all, and Happy Days even became a science fiction show when it became a cartoon:


It wasn't just television shows, of course; why could forget The Real Ghostbusters or Robocop keeping the flame alive for the failed movie franchises?



With all that in mind, can you blame us for thinking of these five dearly beloved - well, and Knight Rider - shows that could perfectly translate into the animated format so that they could stick around for a few more years (and hopefully get the Futurama treatment, coming back to life with a complete season order)?

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Why it'd work: Man versus machine, including time-traveling and ridiculous stunts? The biggest surprise is that the Terminator franchise hasn't made it to Saturday mornings already.
Why it may not be the best idea: Could the show's larger questions about the nature of identity and predestination thrive in an animated series? And, even if they could, would the audience be even smaller without Summer Glau, Brian Austen Green and Lena Hedley to make it look pretty (admittedly, in bruised and bloody way) each week?
Verdict: There could definitely be a Terminator cartoon... But a Sarah Connor Chronicles cartoon...? We're not convinced.

Pushing Daisies
Why it'd work: Quirky, filled with color and with four detectives solving weird mysteries on a weekly basis, it's a less-annoying Scooby Doo with Ned's magic finger replacing the comedic titular dog.
Why it may not be the best idea: Would network standards and practices have a problem with a cartoon with such a high body count every episode? Would the show's tendency towards the saccharine seem even more pronounced with animated actors?
Verdict: If it could keep the level of writing as the original - and Chi McBride and Kirsten Chenowith as voice actors - we'd happily tune into an animated Daisies every week.

Knight Rider
Why it'd work: It's a man fighting crime with the help of his talking car. Let's face it; this should've been a cartoon to begin with. Maybe the scripts would've been better than this recent go-around, if it had.
Why it may not be the best idea: Without the real-life car porn, is there any point to Knight Rider at all? Also, could the show's creators resist the lure of turning KITT into a Transformer now that CGI budget constraints would be gone?
Verdict: Thanks to the thoroughly generic nature of the original, there's nothing worth tuning up for a Knight Rider cartoon model.

Firefly
Why it'd work: High adventure on the space waves with a band of colorful characters risking life and limb as they try to survive? It's like Dungeons and Dragons grown up and transplanted into orbit.
Why it may not be the best idea: Would it hurt too much? Perhaps - or maybe we just wouldn't be interested if we couldn't see Jewel Staite on a regular basis. But Whedon's series work in large part because of the actors as much as the writing, and it just wouldn't be the same without them.
Verdict: Sadly, we're saying that the Serenity should stay grounded.

The Middleman
Why it'd work: From its origins as a comic book to its broad cartoony comedy as a television show, this is another series that has always felt like a cartoon despite its flesh and blood stars. Plus, as a cartoon, imagine everything it could get away with but couldn't afford on an ABC Family budget!
Why it may not be the best idea: We have no reasons why. Seriously, this is a no-brainer.
Verdict: Did you miss the part where we called it a no-brainer above?

So, did we forget a show that would be perfect for the animated treatment? Do you think that we're insane for arguing that a cartoon Firefly wouldn't work? And, most importantly, who do we have to beg for a Middleman animated series?

Monday:

There's a Dead Like Memarathon on the Sci Fi Channel, going until 6 PM tonight.

Chuck -
Andy Richter and Jenny McCarthy guest star as a lonely and horny suburban couple in the cul-de-sac where Chuck and Sarah go undercover. Chuck is on NBC at 8 PM.

Chuck Clip:

Chuck Clip:

Kyle XY -
The Tragers are broke (aaaah, a recession themed Kyle XY), and now the doe-eyed test-tube boy must work for mad-science squad Latnok, because he has to do everything around here. Oh and there's a really creepy teens-almost-having-sex scene waiting for you below, ick. Kyle XY is on ABC Family at 9 PM.

Kyle XY Clip

Kyle XY Clip

Kyle XY Clip

Kyle XY Clip

Kyle XY Clip

Heroes -
Hiro and Ando go to India and follow Matt's brain droppings, while Nathan's agents track down all the other super-people. Too....many...subplots...Heroes is on NBC at 9 PM.

Heroes Clip

Heroes Promo

One Way Out -
So if vampires can do it, what about people? A host tries to get out of a coffin on this new Discovery Channel program, One Way Out, at 9 PM.

Tuesday:

No new Fringe this week.

Movies:
Get comfy with Mexican border-tunnel ghosts, on the Sci Fi Channel at 11 PM, in Intermedio.

Wednesday:

Knight Rider -
Mike's favorite barman Sonny is dead. Rip that shirt and cry, cry, cry, Mike. Let it out. "Knight and the City" is on NBC at 8 PM.

Knight Rider Promo

Lost -
I'm happy to report that I totally called the Charlotte happenings last week, so ha. But this week the mainland crew finds out how to get back onto the island (but some people still need convincing). L"316" is on ABC at 9 PM.

Lost Promo

Lost clips:

Wreckreation Nation With Dave Mordal -
After last weeks' homemade Iron Man suit I'm officially tuning into this insane show of tricks gadgets and gizmos on the Discovery Channel at 10 PM.

UFO Hunters -
Why are aliens all such bad drivers? UFO Hunters on the History Channel tries to find out, at 10 PM.

Life On Mars -
Sam has to deal with yet more 70s law dogs breaking the rules, when a councilman is caught with a hooker. LOM is on ABC at 10 PM.

Movies:
Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem is on HBO at 8 PM. Warring races of Aliens and Predators, plus the Turducken-esque Predalien, attack a small town who must band together for survival.

Thursday:

There is a The Sentinel marathon on the Sci Fi Channel from 8 AM until 3 PM.

No new Smallville.

No new Supernatural.

Eleventh Hour -
Hood investigates the death of a TV crew whose helicopter pilot goes blind mid-traffic report, on CBS at 10 PM.

Movies:
Flashing lights and space age lazy boys make for one hell of a Time Machine at 7 AM on TCM.

Friday:

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles -
After sexy Shirley Manson went all flicky flicky dead on the mysterious factory workers, it's up to Sarah and her crew to figure out just exactly what went down in there. TSCC is on Fox at 8 PM.

TSCC Promo:

Batman: The Brave And The Bold -
The B-man goes to the wild, wild West on the Cartoon Network at 8 PM.

Batman: The Brave And The Bold Clip:

Batman: The Brave And The Bold Clip:

Batman: The Brave And The Bold Clip:

Star Wars: Clone Wars -
Anakin wants to teach Ahsoka discipline - oh, the irony. Clone Wars is on Cartoon Network at 9 PM.

Star Wars: Clone Wars Clip:

Dollhouse -
So last week we met Eliza Dushku's Echo, but has Joss Whedon convinced you that the Dollhouse would realistically be used for anything else but arcane sex? I guess we'll have to see one more episode to make that decision. Dollhouse's second episode "Target" is on Fox at 9 PM.

Dollhouse Promo:

Battlestar Galactica -
Ellen is back, bitches, and wearing a fancy dress. Bring it, mere mortals and weak little Cylon babies, I can smell the dark matter. Can you? BSG is on the Sci Fi Channel at 10 PM.

BSG Promo:

Movies:

Fantastic crap Disney movie The Black Hole is on TCM at 6 AM. Follow a group of scientists as they explore another spaceship on the edge of a black hole, seriously if you haven't seen this, DVR it at least.

Saturday:

Movies:
One poor astronaut returns home to find the rest of the world taken over by aliens in Alien Apocalypse, at 9 AM on the Sci Fi Channel.

Sunday:

Movies:
A Sci Fi original, The Path of Destruction follows a journalist who watches nanobots feast upon an oil rig, and I'm assuming, at some point, people. It's on the Sci Fi Channel at 9 AM.

Also on the Sci Fi Channel this week: the Chupacabra: Dark Seas original movie, see what the beastie looks like once and for all, at 11 PM.

Monday:

No new Chuck this week.

Kyle XY -
Kyle gets in a car accident, and Mama Trager's in bad shape. Will Kyle make a deal with the devil to save her? Kyle XY is on ABC Family at 9 PM.

Kyle XY Clip

Kyle XY Clip (lady calls Kyle 'dumb little bunny' hence forth we Matt Dallas will forever more be known as such)

Kyle XY Clip

Kyle XY Clip

Kyle XY Promo

Heroes -
Matt's gone missing, and his super fast blonde hottie is feeling feelings about it. Sylar meets a new friend (Dan Byrd) who helps him find his papa. But honestly I wish they would just keep the focus on Biker Ando and Matt, because they're just about the only characters I care about, and I don't want to see them go the way of Elle. Heroes is on NBC at 9 PM.

Heroes Clip

Heroes Promo

Tuesday:

Fringe -
Escaped convict and over all creep, David Robert Jones, is back and bothering Olivia again — which will only end in her shooting him, I'm sure. But enough about the please-god-please-show-some-emotion Olivia: people's faces are getting filled in with excess skin, check it out below. Fringe is on Fox at 9 PM.

Fringe Promo

Wednesday:

Knight Rider-

It's up to our hunky man-hero and his smart car to find a kid who is a federal witness against a drug dealer. Fingers crossed that the kid has a terrible Southern accent, a bad attitude and knows where "the body" is. "Fly By Knight" is on NBC at 8 PM.

Knight Rider Promo

Lost -
Locke takes matters into his own hands again, which usually means somebody is going to die. "This Place Is Death" picks up right where the last one left off, wherever, or whenever the hell that was. It's on ABC at 9 PM. Time to place bets on how long until Charlotte kicks it.

Lost Promo

UFO Hunters -
This week, the alien experts figure out what the hell was behind Chicago O'Hare International Airport's encounter with a mysterious disk in the sky. UFO Hunters is on the History Channel at 10 PM.

Life On Mars -
Sam gets to hang with a 70s rock star who needs his protection. Let the free love, drugs and groupie gags roll, man. LOM is on ABC at 10 PM.

Movies:
See the real 20,00 Leagues Under The Sea (the 1954 classic) before Will Smith ruins it with a prequel, on TCM at 9:30 PM.

Thursday:

No new Smallville.

No new Supernatural.

Eleventh Hour -
Hood follows the stem cell trail back to his Nemesis Gepetto's (Kate Burton) door to uncover her cloning cover-up in the episode aptly titled "Pinocchio," on CBS at 10 PM.

Movies:
A scientist teaches a dolphin how to speak, and then has to prevent it from being used in an assassination plot. Yes, I'm in love with this movie. The Day Of The Dolphin is on 3:45 on TCM.

Friday:

There's an all day BSG marathon running on the Sci Fi Channel from 8 AM until 3 PM.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles -
The start of Fox's new Friday night bloc of awesomeness (we'll come up with a better name, we promise). Kyle Reese is back — sort of — and he's got a lot to say. TSCC is on Fox at 8 PM.

Producer Josh Friedman hosts a clip from the new episode:

TSCC Promo:

TSCC Promo:

Batman: The Brave And The Bold -
Bronze Tiger and B-man team up, on the Cartoon Network at 8 PM.

Star Wars: Clone Wars -
Jar Jar and Padmé team up to annoy the piss out of, well, everyone who ever treasured this franchise. The two uncover a bio-weapons lab, and well... an idiot character stumbling around glass test tubes filled with deadly viruses — you do the math. "Blue Shadow Virus" is on the Cartoon Network at 9 PM.

Dollhouse -
It is time. Joss Whedon's awesome brain emenations are back on TV, and we cannot wait to see this world he has built for Eliza Dushku and friends. Follow a group of mind-wiped "dolls" who are programmed and rented out for just about anything from murders, to hottie dates for high-school reunions. Dollhouse premieres on Fox at 9 PM.

Dollhouse Clip:


Dollhouse Clip:

Battlestar Galactica -
Can BSG top last weeks justice-meting episode? My guess is yes, because in this episode Ellen wakes up — and I bet she's pissed at her husband for killing her off months ago. BSG is on the Sci Fi Channel at 10 PM.

BSG Clip (U.S. only, sorry):

BSG Promo:

BSG Promo:

Saturday:

Movies:
Get to know the original blood drinker before he was all leather, lace and Hot Topic fodder, with a Dracula screening on AMC at 1 AM.

And if you're going to talk classics then you must check out the snowy parasite alien creature that slaughters an isolated research team, in John Carpenter's The Thing on the Sci Fi Channel at 11 PM.

Sunday:

Movies:
When your soul is kept in a painting, and you decide to live a life a dangerous and terrible life, how long until you peek at the picture and check out what kind of monster you've become? Or would you care? The Picture Of Dorian Gray is on TCM at 8 PM.

Before he was Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds spent his days pissing off Wesley Snipes, aka the day-walker in Blade Trinity at 11:30 AM on TNT.

We noted on Wednesday that none of Fox's seven recently-announced pilots were the kind of sci-fi fare that we've come to expect (and worry about) from the network, and now that news of ABC and NBC's latest pilots has been released (more here), it may be time to wonder if sci-fi's lure has faded in light of recent ratings flops.

Of course, NBC's sci-fi phobia isn't entirely unfounded; in the last couple of years, Journeyman, Bionic Woman and My Own Worst Enemy have proven to be high-profile SF launches that flopped for the network, and with falling ratings for Heroes and rumors of the possible cancellation of both Knight Rider and Chuck circling, NBC could be forgiven for thinking that science fiction isn't really something they can succeed with long term (They'd much rather stick with er clones; two of the network's few announced pilots are medical dramas: Mercy and Trauma). In fact, you could make the argument that science fiction as a genre doesn't have a great track record for broadcast networks in general, especially considering the ratings worries of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and content concerns leading to reworkings of both Dollhouse and Virtuality over at Fox. Maybe the success of Fringe and Lost has more to do with JJ Abrams' name and the personal dynamics of the shows over the science portion (Remember, too, that Lost's producers have talked about having to introduce the sci-fi elements of the show secretly, over time)...?

(This is where you can insert your own argument about the failure of shows like Knight Rider or Bionic Woman being more closely attributed to their quality than their nature, and I think that definitely should be taken into consideration. But, at the same time, was Bionic Woman really that much worse that, say, NCIS? Or Law & Order? Do mainstream audiences hold sci-fi series to higher standards than other genres, or do the majority of them just stay away, and there's a discerning, curious crossover audience that'll give a show a try before bailing if it's not up to their standards?)

Instead, it's beginning to look as if television networks are beginning to look at more fantastical escapism for their audiences; Fox have a new pilot about reincarnation, and ABC have given the go-ahead to a television version of The Witches of Eastwick. Even Flash Forward, ABC's new high-profile series from David Goyer and Brannon Braga, could end up being played as a more spiritual/fantasy-based drama, depending on whether the series stays with the original novel's reason for the worldwide flash-forward (by-product of the Large Hadron Collider being activated), which - considering they've said that each season will end with another flash-forward, may not be the case.

(Interestingly enough, ABC may be the network to pay attention to next fall; in addition to Flash Forward and Eastwick, they've also greenlit Happy Town, a mystery pilot from the makers of Life on Mars that's described as being the next Twin Peaks.)

If we are about to see television networks shift away from hard sci-fi towards a particular urban brand of fantasy, there are some good reasons why, outside of the (relative) failure of sci-fi shows; the sleight-of-hand of urban fantasy allows for cheaper shows that require less world-building or technobabbled explanations that may confuse audiences, for example, and in the ongoing journey for television to grab as many youthful eyes as possible, exploiting the genre of Twilight and Harry Potter would seem like a no-brainer. Most importantly, of course, the term "science fiction" scares mass mainstream television audiences for some reason, despite the success of Fringe and Lost and Heroes, and the networks are just following the advertising dollars... which, of course, are following the mass mainstream audience.

It's not permanent, of course; all it'll take is another "surprise" hit SF show and we'll see science fiction stage another takeover bid, just as Heroes begat Journeyman, Chuck, Bionic Woman et al, and Lost's success brought us Surface, Threshold and Invasion. Jesse Alexander, we're pinning all our hopes on you.

With the Hollywood Reporter suggesting that Knight Rider is headed for the chopping block and Chuck fans so nervous about the show that they've pre-emptively created an online petition in support of a third season in case one is needed, it's no surprise that we're worried about the future of science fiction on the network. But, according to Variety, that's just part of a larger problem for the network... Namely, that no-one knows what NBC means anymore:

In its "Must See" days, the Peacock's brand was pretty clear, while ABC was all over the map. These days, the Alphabet web has a handle on its brand — it's the home of female-driven series like "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Bachelor" — while CBS (crime drama and broad comedy) and Fox ("American Idol" and male-driven skeins) are also easy to identify.

NBC's solution? Bring in the branding guys. The network's president of entertainment marketing, Adam Stotsky (who'd previously dealt with a similar problem at the SciFi Channel), has spearheaded a new initiative that has brought in outside consultants Naked Communications to decide what kind of channel NBC will become. And they're not just talking about advertising, as Stotsky explains:

There's an inextricable link between marketing and programming... These two things define the brand. We're all aligned against the same goals.

Specifically, Stotsky went on to say, what Naked defines as the NBC brand will help executives decide on what pilots and series to greenlight for next fall and beyond... So if anyone has any idea how to sway Naked into telling NBC that they should be a network that's very SF friendly, and also the kind of channel that lets talented creators (like, say, Ron Moore or Heroes and Lost alum Jesse Alexander, who has a pilot in with the network right now) do whatever they want without kowtowing to ratings or advertisers, that'd be great. Otherwise things could look very bleak at the Peacock in future.

NBC's turn for an extreme makeover [Variety]

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen:

Toy spoilers! (I know. I know.) Here's an amazingly detailed and very serious review of the movie's Audi R-8 tie-in toy. We just had to share this video because it's so dedicated. [Transformers Live]

Lost:

We'll learn which female castmember may be dying, in the closing seconds of the Jan. 28 episode. And Sawyer will make out with a non-Kate female this season. And the show is casting a "young Philip Seymour Hoffman" character, who has a small role in season five and a huge role in season six. Is it Jacob? A Dharma mastermind? Both? We'll find out, Darlton willing. [EW]

A bit more detail on exactly how the Oceanic Six's return to the island will become complicated, courtesy of Jorge Garcia. At first, they'll think they should return to the island all together, but then they'll decide to return separately. Some will go one way, others will go another. And the off-island situation will get a lot more complicated just as they're gearing up to go back. [TV Guide via Doc Arzt]

By the end of season five, we'll understand why Widmore might want to send Miles, Daniel and Charlotte, in particular, to the island. [NJ.com]

Doctor Who:

More set reports. Extras dressed as UNIT soldiers were tromping around a big tunnel, along with a mobile UNIT HQ. And then a scene involving police officers and an armed response unit pointing their guns at something inside the tunnel. It seems there's a "smouldering skeleton on the road," and UNIT is called in to investigate. [Doctor Who Forum, especially Scooty and Brian, and Alun Vega. You guys rule, as always!]

Supernatural:

SpoilerTV uploaded what we in the news business call a buttload of script pages for episode 4.18. (Technically, they're casting sides, so they may or may not be from the real script.) Lilith wants to know where the knife is, and Sam tries to trick her, to no avail. Sam attacks her, but it turns out she and Sam can't hurt each other. Lilith offers Sam a deal: she'll stop opening the seals and trying to free Lucifer, if the Winchester brothers give up their lives. (Because otherwise, Lilith will die in the final battle.) Sam says no, then changes his mind and says yes.

Meanwhile, a comic book publisher turns out to have been publishing a remarkably accurate comic about the lives of the Winchester boys. Their quest for answers leads them to a comic book store, where the store owner thinks they're LARPing. And then to the publisher's office, where she gushes over all their most private griefs and traumas. They have to take off their shirts and show their tattoos to get her to reveal the real name of the comic's writer. The writer, Chuck, is blown away to meet the real-life Sam and Dean, and starts believing he's a god. He's not very helpful to the Winchesters, who are just trying to figure out what's next.

Also: Dean gets hit by an SUV. A crucial bridge is out, so the boys are trapped in a small town overnight. And they decide to go incognito by eating tofu burgers and other health food — except Dean gets a bacon cheesburger by mistake. [SpoilerTV]

Meanwhile, a secret will soon be revealed that will make Dean feel guilty for all eternity. [EW]

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles:

The major character who will die is female, and close to John. And she's said on video that she's a fan of Michael Ausiello at EW. (Presumably in an interview. Anybody care to search the archives?) [EW]

Heroes:

We showed you photos of a tense meeting between Peter and his mommy. Now here's the video. [Heroes Spoilers]

Star Wars: Clone Wars:

The peace-loving Lurmens try to insist their world is neutral territory in this new clip from Friday's episode. Good luck with that! Also, there's a new still. [Lucasfilm]

Fringe:

The show will deal with computer viruses in a new, fringe-y way, involving what children get up to online when their parents aren't looking. Mr. Jones will be back, and we'll discover he's way more connected to Olivia's life than we realized. The "Agent Scott" storyline will sort of wrap up soon, but he'll still be a part of Olivia, and the things he reveals will propel the show forward. Every answer will — can you imagine it? — lead to more questions. [Sci Fi Wire]

Two pieces of bad news for Peter/Olivia shippers: Walter will start trying to play "matchmaker" between those crazy kids, which will only make things worse. And worse yet, they may actually be brother and sister. Could a Splinter Of The Mind's Eye moment be in our future? At the very least, Olivia has met Walter before the show's beginning, and questions about his connection to her birth are "the right questions to be asking," says Roberto Orci. [Zap2It and E! Online]

And here are some shots of that happy family at work, from episode 1x13, "The Transformation." (The one written by all the show's major producers, I think.) [Fringe Television]

Smallville:

Yet another DC villain shows up: the Toyman, in episode 1x14, "Requiem":

An explosion at LuthorCorp kills all the Board members and injures Oliver (Justin Hartley), who was there to announce the merger of his company with LutherCorp. Oliver believes that Lex is responsible for the blast, but Clark (Tom Welling) and Lana (Kristin Kreuk) learn that the bomber is Winslow Schott (guest star Chris Gauthier), a toymaker and former Queen Industries employee with a grudge against Oliver.

[KryptonSite]

Chuck:

The final 10 episodes of the season will have three seasons worth of developments, just in case the show doesn't come back. Among the shockers: someone will start figuring out the truth about Chuck's world. And Jordana Brewster will be back as Chuck's ex Jill in the season finale. [EW]

Kyle XY:

I'm still not excited about the Mama-Trager-hurt-in-car-accident storyline. Especially not now that I know Kyle has to take care of her and help a pregnant girl give birth by the roadside. But here are pics. [SpoilerTV]

Eleventh Hour:

Remember this show? Stentorian Rufus Sewell as a cranky science guy? Yeah. Anyway, Mariel Hemingway (!!) will appear later in the season as a woman whose children are taken hostage by a terrorist. [EW]

Knight Rider:

Do you care? Admit it, you kind of do. If so, here's what KITT looks like after his battle with KARR in tonight's episode. More pics at the link. [KRO]

Additional reporting by Alasdair Wilkins.

Monday:

Kyle XY -
Kyle's new psychic pal has him all spooked over Amanda's safety. So what's a test-tube baby to do? Follow the young girl everywhere she goes, of course. Spend time with the doe-eyed super-boy with the heart of gold at 9 PM on ABC Family.

Kyle XY Clip



Kyle XY Clip



Kyle XY Clip



Kyle XY Clip

Tuesday:

The Universe -
This week uncover the strangest things in the universe, like pulsar planets, planets beyond Neptune (Pluto no longer being allowed in the club), the secrets behind dark matter, and alcohol clouds. (Crap, I'll take two of those.) This week's Universe is on the History Channel at 9 PM

Fringe -
This week, meet Olivia's sister (and let's all hope she's not as trigger-happy and po-faced as the show's heroine). And speaking of the badass Miss O, isn't she all kidnapped? Find out what her captors plan to do with her, now that they have her in their clutches, on Fox at 9 PM.

Fringe Clip



Fringe Promo

Wednesday:

Lost -
Before you settle in and get ready for a mind blowing brand new Lost, remember the happy times with a special recap episode at 8 PM. Then buckle up and get ready to catch up with everyone's favortie Lostaways. And just for you, here's the latest clip from Wednesday's episode, full of the lovable nerd Daniel. This seasons premiere is on 9 PM at ABC.

New Lost Clip

Other Lost Clips -

Knight Rider -
KITT fights KARR, but really, it's just a CG Transformer thing. Ugh, stuff happens with fake science and then Mike takes off his shirt (I'm guessing). Let's all root for the evil robot to crush that lisping car into oblivion, with the whole cast inside. CRUSH THEM WALL-E STYLE, Transformer-thing! That's at 8 PM on NBC

Knight Rider Promo

UFO Hunters -
The UK is absolutely stuffed to the brim with aliens — just ask the UFO Hunters. This weeks episode takes us to all the fascinating foreign alien sightings, and discusses the Ministry of Defense's 2008 release of formerly classified UFO documents to the public. So it's time to learn about our alien friends from across the pond on The History Channel at 10 PM.

Thursday:

Smallville -
Clark gets all journalistic, and goes undercover as a cop in the crime-infested streets of Smallville, so he can uncover the mystery behind Detective John Jones' shooting. The ladies, on the other hand, quit their squabbling long enough for Lana to change Tess' opinion of the much-missed Lex. "Bulletproof" airs at 8 PM on the CW.

Smallville Clip

Smallville Promo

Smallville Promo

Supernatural -
This week, the brothers get to the bottom of why Criss Angel is such a huge douche bag, in the episode titled "Criss Angel Is a Douche Bag." Whether or not the guyliner-wearing lameass magician Angel is actually in the episode seems doubtful, but it is about magicians and includes cameos from Barry Bostwick, John Rubenstein, and Richard Libertini. Supernatural is on CW 9 PM

Supernatural Promo

Supernatural Promo

Supernatural Sneak Peek (next two episodes included as well)

Eleventh Hour -
Hood checks out a Miracle in Minnesota, when a boy's tumor disappears after he drinks from a natural spring. Find out whether it's science or magic, on CBS at 10 PM.

Movies

Learn all about the future of crime fighting with Tom Cruise in Minority Report on TBS at 1 AM.

Friday:

There's a mini Dr. Who marathon on the Sci Fi Channel from 8 AM until until 3 PM, which includes the super-cute "The Girl In The Fire Place" episode where the Doctor meets Madame de Pompadour.

Batman: Brave and the Bold -
Blue Beetle and Batman head out to Science Island (which could very well be THE Island for all we know), where he and Batman battle robots and chat about their love of gadgets (see below clip). "Fall of the Blue Beetle!" is on 8 PM on the Cartoon Network at 8 PM.

Batman Clip:



Star Wars Clone Wars -
"Defenders of Peace" is the conclusion to this two-part episode. The Jedi hide out on the Lurmen planet, but of course these little guys are completely pissed the the Jedi brought the war right to their doorstep. George Takei makes a voice cameo as a new villain, at 9 PM on Cartoon Network.

Clone Wars Promo

Battlestar Galactica
Mutiny is spreading among the humans, while an uneasy alliance is made between the final four cylons. But frak all that, take a look at Six and Saul Tigh's love child in the Canadian Promo. "The Disquiet That Follows My Soul," is on 10 PM on the Sci Fi Channel.

BSG Canadian Promo:







Saturday:

Movies:
It's a dragon-filled day on the Sci Fi Channel this weekend, starting with Dragon Wars at 3 PM, Dragon Sword at 5 PM, Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath Of The Dragon God at 11 PM, Dragon Heart at 1 AM, and Dragon Storm at 3 AM.

Sunday:

Movies:

Start prepping for your X-Men: Origins: Wolverine goodies on FX, with X-Men The Last Stand at 5 PM.

What happens when a company harnesses the power of time travel to take tourists back in time to shoot dinosaurs? Well, everything goes to hell of course. Cozy up with the so-terrible-it's-almost-good flick, The Sound Of Thunder, at 5 PM on the Sci Fi Channel.

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen:

I get the impression we're all a bit tired of toy spoilers. But if you're still digging the toy pics, click over to the link for more pics of this silver Audi that turns into — wait for it — a robot. [TFormers]

Lost:

The first 20 minutes of island-castaway show Lost's season premiere showed at the Paley Center on Saturday, and io9 reader Mighty Squid was there! Here's her detailed report:

We start off with an unidentified man in bed with a woman, when a baby's screaming wakes them. She says it's his turn, so he grumbles and gets out of bed. The man makes food, in a routine similar to Desmond at the Hatch, and we can see he's in Othertown. He feeds the baby and goes to a room set up like a TV studio. At this point, we can see he's Marvin Candle and he's recording the instructional video, explaining that the Arrow station was used for developing weaponry. Then he's interrupted by a report that there's trouble at the Orchid.

Candle goes down underground, and we see a bunch of Dharma guys digging. They've hit "some weirdness" in an area where we know the Donkey wheel is. Candle yells at the foreman for digging into a dangerous area, where they know there's equipment that can control time. We see that one of the diggers is Daniel Faraday in a Dharma jumpsuit. Cue "Lost swoosh."

Back at the funeral home in the future, Ben and Jack keep talking about how the Oceanic Six need to go back. Back at their hotel, they see a news report of a dangerous murderer escaped from a mental institution: It's Hurley.

Back on the island, Locke is no longer with the Others — he's surprised to be alone, and starts yelling and running around. It's raining.

On the raft, Daniel says they were inside "the radius" and should be fine for now. Back on the beach, Juliette and shirtless Sawyer are wondering what's going on. Bernard comes running out of the jungle and screams for Rose. Rose finds him and they embrace. Sawyer tells them to calm down and go back to the camp — but there's no camp. No Dharma kitchen. No wreckage. Daniel arrives and tells them he knows what's happening, and they need to get to the nearest man-made object: the Hatch.

On the way to the Hatch, Sawyer demands an explanation of what's happened, and Daniel says he coudl barely explain it to a physicist. Sawyer slaps Daniel in a humorous way and keeps demanding answers, as well as Daniel's shirt (which Daniel doesn't give him.) Daniel says the island is skipping like a record, or maybe it's just them.

Meanwhile, Locke sees a plane flying overhead, and he ducks. A Mary statue falls out, just like the ones they found before. Locke runs to the crash site, and it's the Nigerian plane, still stuck in the cliff. Locke yells, but gets no answer, so he tries to climb up. Someone starts shooting, and hits Locke in the leg, and he falls. Then he sees a man running towards him with a gun — it's Ethan! Locke tries to explain to Ethan that they know each other and Ethan shouldn't shoot. But Ethan raises the gun to kill Locke — just as the flash happens again.

Now it's night time, and suddenly there's no Ethan. Locke is freaked out.

Back in the future, Sun tries to check in at an Oceanic flight counter, and gets led into a room where the door locks behind her. Charles Widmore enters through another door, pissed that Sun spoke to him in public. He asks what she wants, and she says she wants Ben dead.

And then there's the scene (which you've mostly seen in a clip already) of Sayid and Hurley at the safe house. Sayid fights the man, and Hurley stands outside holding a gun, with blood on his shirt. Someone snaps a cameraphone pic of Hurley, and then he and Sayid get away. Hurley is a bit spaced out. [Thanks Mighty Squid!]

More random tidbits: Sawyer's mysterious words to Kate were asking him to look after his daughter Clementine. But when Kate shows up with an envelope full of money, Cassidy is freaked. In episode 5x11 "Whatever Happened, Happened," Kate tells Cassidy, "Because your daughter deserves to know her father cared about her." Also, actor Kavita Patil will play a character named Rupa Krishanvani in episode 5x07, and there's speculation she's a flight attendant with the mysterious Ajira Airways. [The ODI]

Michael actor Harold Perrineau now says it's possible he could return at some point, even though his character got blown up. [The ODI]

The show was filming episode 5x12, including a scene in "Tim's Supermarket Long Beach" where Kate frantically searches for her son. And there's a smashed-up car with a bloody handprint on the hood. [SpoilersLost]

Here are a stunning 31 interviews with the show's cast and crew about the new season. [SL-Lost]

And here's the official description for episode 5x04, "The Little Prince": "Kate discovers that someone knows the secret of Aaron's true parental lineage. Meanwhile, the dramatic shifts through time are placing the lives of the remaining island survivors in extreme peril." (Co-written by Brian K. Vaughan!)

Battlestar Galactica:

Some deets from Ron Moore himself. There will be some more answers about the Final Five, and their responsibilities for the events we've already witnessed. We'll understand the relationship of the song "All Along The Watchtower" to the show's mythology by the end. And here's what's coming for Baltar:

He's about to take a step back from where he's been going, given the shocking discovery of Earth, but he will also find that perhaps there is something both true and untrue about his conception of "God" and what it means for him and the entire human race.

As for Lee, he's found his true path as a leader in the civilian government, and he'll have a "key idea" in the final episode that helps bring the show to its conclusion. Romo Lampkin will be back twice more this season, "once as a lawyer, and once as something bigger." Lucy Lawless will not reappear at all. And the Sixes will have way more screen time coming up. And finally, the TV movie "The Plan" will finally make good on that promise the show made in its opening credits for so many episodes, which Moore now regrets agreeing to in the first place. [MediaBlvd]

Ellen Tigh actor Kate Vernon says there will be "fireworks" when she and Saul get back together, but at the same time Ellen is "above" and "beyond" the whole Saul-killing-her business, "now that she's fully realized. She understands that that needed to happen." So it'll be "a very happy reunion." We'll be amazed by Ellen's destiny, and the role she plays in the final picture. And she says she's in seven of the show's final nine episodes. [Access Hollywood and Los Angeles Times]

Also, the show updated its "You Will Know The Truth" page one last time, and here's our first look at Starbuck and her piano-playing pal Slim, who shows up later in the season to make some sweet music with her. [Sci Fi]

A new video featurette about the show's "second unit" includes a few glimpses of upcoming episodes. [Galactica Sitrep]

Here are a ton of photos from Friday's all-new episode, including writer/director Ron Moore on set. Dude! [SpoilerTV]

Plus the episode's Canadian trailer also includes a very different look at its events. In particular, the scenes involving Tyrol and Saul are pretty eyebrow-raising. [Battlestar Blog]

Heroes:

Actor Jimmy Jean-Louis hasn't gotten a call to come back to the superpowered soap opera yet, and he suspects his character, the Haitian, may not appear during the "Fugitives" story arc at all. [Heroes Spoilers]

And here's a longer version of the behind-the-scenes video we showed you before, with more of an explanation of why/how our heroes are "bagged and tagged."

Apparently in episode 3x23, we'll be meeting Angela Petrelli as a 16-year-old idealist, determined to make the world a better place. And her younger sister Wendy, who looks up to her. [Heroes Spoilers]

Dollhouse:

Fox released a new featurette about Joss Whedon's brain-erasure drama.

The mind-wiped "Active" named Sierra comes out "guns blazing" in the show's new pilot. And in an upcoming episode, we learn more about who she was before she became an "Active." Meanwhile, Topher, the nerdy programmer who creates the fake personalities, has no friends away from work. But he's in love/lust with someone at his work — maybe an "Active." [TV Guide via Whedonesque]

Smallville:

Some casting pages from episode 8x17, "Hex," have turned up. There's lots of wacky action with Chloe in Lois Lane's body, where she has a hard time dealing with how much everybody sucks up to Lois all the time. She throws her weight around and trying to order a geeky reporter ("Bug-Eyes") to dig up dirt on Zatanna the magician, and "the 411 on where the 5-0 took that antiquities dealer." She may be referring to Dini, the owner of Dini's Antiques, who mysteriously starts exposing himself indecently and speaking in Latin. (And it turns out Dini got cursed by Zatanna, because he knew too much, or wished for the wrong thing. As soon as he stops caring about knowing a dead language, his Latin is gone, replaced with English. And he warns that Zatanna is after a spell that is supposed to save her dead father, but really will endanger the whole world.)

At one point, Chloe/Lois is with Clark, and they see a woman being mugged. Chloe, who knows Clark's secret, tells him to do something. So Clark, who thinks this is Lois, calls 911. Exasperated, Chloe/Lois tackles the mugger herself.

Meanwhile, Green Arrow uses knockout gas to disable the guards at a LuthorCorp facility so he can snoop around. Also, Ollie meets up with Zatanna/Cassie, who asks for his help. She offers to bring back Ollie's own parents from the dead, but he says he's dealt with their death — and maybe Cassie/Zatanna should do the same. The item Zatanna wants is dangerous, and it should stay buried. So Cassie curses Ollie, causing him to scream, and then says, "Always take the wish." [SpoilerTV]

Knight Rider:

Exactly how much will KARR look like a Transformer in this week's new episode? Behold! [Knight Rider Online]

Meanwhile, in episode 1x15, "Knight Fight," Mike has to infiltrate a fight club — yeah, I know — as he helps an old friend investigate the death of a tough drill sergeant. [SpoilerTV]

Talking at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, Angela Bromstad - NBC's President of Primetime Entertainment - told reporters that the network's troubled superhero soap opera's future was "very secure" despite falling ratings:

We have a great relationship with Tim Kring ... what’s important is we never lose sight of being responsible in production. And television is about the characters and the writing, and we want to make sure that that show is on track. But very secure. I think that what Tim is interested in doing is getting back to the core of the show and that it's these ordinary people with extraordinary powers and that they may have taken on too much in terms of characters and multiple storylines.

However, it may be worth noting that NBC - never the most genre-friendly network - may only have Heroes in their SF stable come fall; while both 30Rock and The Office have already been renewed for next year and Heroes is safe, Knight Rider was defined as a show that "may not be back next year" by Bromstad. If cancelled, the show follows on from the one-season failures of Bionic Woman, Journeyman and My Own Worst Enemy to show that the peacock network isn't, apparently, the place to go for science fiction in future. If Chuck goes - although that may be a stretch at this point, considering okay ratings and positive statements from the network about the series - then Heroes may find itself very lonely indeed...

Heroes safe (for now) [THR Live Feed]

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen:

Remember that rumor about how Isabel Lucas' character turns into a Transformer with a deadly tongue and stuff? Well, a new PhillyFilmGirl set video from the Princeton filming seems to bolster that claim. Shia, Megan and Ramon run away, and then Isabel stalks towards them. There's a crowd of screaming students who run past Isabel — so they're not running from her, but from something else, something which doesn't scare her. [Seibertron]

Knowing:

Here are some supposedly new images from the Alex Proyas-directed thriller about numbers in a time capsule that predict the end of everything. I honestly can't tell if they're new or not, every time I see an image from this movie I'm distracted by Nic Cage's weirdly skeletal face. [BadTaste]

Battlestar Galactica:

How sad will our guys be when they find out Earth is deserted? How sad would you be? Check out this new clip and see for yourself. Unless you're outside the United States, that is, in which case try the link. [Sci Fi Wire]

Meanwhile, we'll definitely learn tons of answers, including the identity of the final Cylon, well before the show's final three-hour episode, say producers Ron Moore and David Eick. [Cinemablend]

Lost:

In the first couple episodes, it appears as though a female character on the show is not long for this world — and it's someone who just got cast in a major motion picture. (Racking my brains, not sure whom this refers to.) [EW]

Also, that opening scene of the season premiere involves a faceless character waking up and going about his business... and then we realize who it is, and that it's on the island, during the Dharma Initiative's heyday, and it's a huge surprise. And the second hour of the premiere, "The Lie," is less high-octane and more reflective. [Crave Online]

Charles Widmore suggests that he and Sun should pick up where they left off... and then Sun reveals that the two of them have something in common. And a main character on the island gets shot, by someone we haven't seen in a long time. [TV Guide]

Fringe:

John Noble was on a local talk show, and they showed a brief clip from the Jan. 20 episode, "Bound". [Fringe Television]

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles:

Did you think Riley died from slitting her wrists? Me neither. In any case, she didn't. But there is still a huge death coming in the second half of the season, says star Thomas Dekker. And it sounds like we're possibly going to get less pouty John and more smart, resourceful John, which is a good thing in my book. Also, John and Sarah are going to be fighting less — it sounds like we have the actors to thank for that. And it sounds like we're going to see some development of John's attraction to Cameron.

More importantly, the show is going back to being more serialized again. That wall of names written in blood was basically a device to allow the show to do more self-contained episodes where the characters chased down one "mission" per episode. But now the network has relented on the demand for self-contained episodes, because those lead to too many Terminator-of-the-week episodes, and too many people zipping back in time. As Dekker puts it, "I was like, 'This time machine's busier than freaking JFK airport.'" And yes, Kyle Reese shows up in the present, thanks to some weird paradox. [Sci Fi Wire]

Smallville:

Clark and Doomsday will definitely have to throw down at some point — but maybe not this season. Clark may have to become Superman before he can take on Doomsday, suggests actor Sam Witwer. [TV Guide]

Life On Mars:

The show is looking for someone to play the wife of Michael Imperioli's character, Ray. [EW]

Stargate Universe:

Just as this new spin-offs first three-parter is called "Air," the sixth episode is called "Earth." And, says producer Joseph Mallozzi, "This one involved a long, long discussion on the workings of a certain technology which forms the impetus to another terrific character-driven story." Also, the show may be a slight change of pace: the first ten episodes include no forested planets. Instead, the emphasis is on the ship, and some locations that aren't typical of Stargate. [Gateworld]

Supernatural:

Maybe you haven't seen these "sneak peek" clips from upcoming episodes yet?

True Blood:

Lafayette does die in the books, but that doesn't mean he won't be back in the TV show. Anything's possible. The books also won't provide many clues to the nature of Michelle Forbes' character Maryann. "She's definitely a new kind of supernatural creature in Bon Temps," says producer Alan Ball. But at the same time, she's also ancient. [EW]

Knight Rider:

You also won't be able to tell what's coming next on Knight Rider from the books, either. (Just kidding.) But here's a new interview with the show's producer Gary Scott Thompson, about everything that went wrong. (How long do you have?) And there are glimpses of some upcoming set pieces, including Mike getting tossed from an exploding RV. [MediaWeek]

G.I. Joe:

Are you ready to pump up the volume? Here's the first look at the new movie's M.A.R.S. Troopers. (Apparently it stands for Motorized Attack Robo Squad in the toys, but here it stands for Military Armaments Research Syndicate.) Bigger version at the link. [Hisstank]

Harry Potter:

Here are a few new Half Blood Prince pics. [Movies Spoilers]

Push:

Dakota Fanning plays "Cassie Holmes, a snarky, teenage “watcher” who can glimpse images of the future," and it's the most grown-up, mature role she's ever played. [MTV]

Battlestar Galactica:

The first reviews of the midseason opener are online, but they basically contain no details other than "It's great! And there are a lot of twists!" [Chicago Tribune and Star-Ledger]

Meanwhile, here are some new promos, with the "You Will Know The Truth" tagline. (Dave Eggers should totally sue.)

Lost:

Josh Holloway says you'll see a new side of Sawyer this season — a more take-charge, leader-y side, and he also gets to be more heroic in the wake of his selfless plunge into the ocean last season.

Meanwhile, Michael Emerson says the island did travel in time (duh) and after Ben turned that wheel, he appeared in the desert two years later, as we saw in an earlier episode. And Emerson says he would "make myself nuts" if he tried to get a handle on all the moments in the past, present and future of his character. "I'm not even sure how many continents I have visited this season." And the reason why the Oceanic Six have to return to the island has to do with something Ben did, which "went really wrong." Also, Emerson thinks Ben may die, but he'll also survive to the end of the series. (He could both die and last until the show's end, thanks to all the time-flipping.) And here's a cute picture of him! [The ODI]

Are you ARG-crazy? Well, if you were, you'd have been playing around with the website for fictional Ajira Airlines, which eventually lets you see some stills (previously released) plus a picture of LAX departures, a flight plan to Guam, and the letters "N824," which may refer to Frank Lapidus' helicopter. [SpoilersLost]

Doctor Who:

Rumor patrol: Word has it a designer has done "extensive work" on seeing how CG versions of the Martian Ice Warriors would look — but it's not for any particular episode, necessarily, just so the show's producers can see what the Warriors would look like, for future reference. Or possibly, they're showing up soon. In related rumor-mongering, fans claim that Neil Gaiman denied that his episode for season five will feature the Ice Warriors. (In fact, Gaiman says there's nothing to deny, because there's nothing in the pipeline, and it's all pure speculation.)

Also, Mark Gatiss has an Ice Warrior story called "Cold" in the Doctor Who Storybook 2009 (and past storybooks have yielded stories that later became episodes, including "Blink.")

Oh, and there's also still talk of the production team having created animatronic Sea Devils, but there's also a rumor the Sea Devils have been written out of the 2009 specials, in favor of the Hath, those fishy guys whom the Doctor's daughter was fighting. And maybe Jenny will be back at Easter? Or not? [Doctor Who Forum]

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles:

TV Guide talked to producer Josh Friedman, and he had a few hints. Sarah may or may not have been hallucinating when she saw a UFO, but her shooting of that guard and the fact that she got shot will "haunt the show." Meanwhile, the suicide attempt by Riley the cat-fancy girl will expose all sorts of lies and hidden relationships — including Jesse's relationships to Derek and Jesse. [Sarah Connor Society]

Knight Rider:

Your favorite show! Here's a new teaser:

[KRO]

And here's the description for episode 1x14, "I Love The Knight Life":

Mike (Justin Bruening) and KITT (voiced by Val Kilmer) are trying to track down a stolen serum that maximizes the recipient’s physicality before it gets into the wrong hands. With the help of the lab’s research assistant, Billy (Paul Campbell) learns some information about the serum that will help Mike when he takes on the now powerful thief. Meanwhile, Sarah (Deanna Russo) is overwhelmed with her new duties and quickly learns how much work it will take to reinstitute the Foundataion for Law and Government.

[SpoilerTV]

Additional reporting by Katharine Duckett.

Terminator Salvation:

The new movie happens in 2018, after the bombs have gone off, but never specifies exactly when Judgment Day happened, to avoid tangly timeline issues. The film does make an effort to respect the earlier movies' timeline, says McG. [Star-ECentral]

Dollhouse:

A new review of the Joss Whedon show's replacement pilot, "Ghost," includes some details I haven't seen before. In this version, we actually meet Eliza Dushku's character before she becomes a mind-wiped puppet. When we first meet Dushku, she's playing Caroline, a girl who's gotten herself into a tough spot. She winds up at the Dollhouse, where Adelle DeWitt offers her a five-year contract, and promises the organization is there to help people. The next time we see Caroline, she's having the time of her life dancing with a man she met three days earlier. But then she goes back to the Dollhouse and all knowledge of that encounter is erased from her mind. Now she's an "Active" known as "Echo." And as we mentioned in our review of a partial copy of the script, most of the episode's plot involves Echo serving as a hostage negotiator for a Mexican businessman, Gabriel, whose daughter has just been kidnapped.

A new character we meet (who isn't in earlier scripts, I think) is Lawrence Dominic, Adelle's right-hand man who puts the well-being of the Dollhouse above everything else. Also, in this version, Echo has lingering memories of walking in on computer geek Topher reprogramming her fellow "Active," Sierra. And her hostage-negotiator personality has an unforeseen flaw. The rest of the script seems to be the same as the pages we read, including another "Active," Topher, trying to confuse FBI agent Paul Ballard, who's on the trail of the Dollhouse. [Futon Critic]

Doctor Who:

It's never too soon to start obsessing about spoilers for the Easter special — which starts filming Jan. 19, hopefully yielding lots of set reports. So far, there are a few facts, like the Doctor meets new characters Malcolm and Christina, and gets reunited with the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. Also, he's supposedly without his TARDIS, and Tunisia is supposed to be standing in for an alien planet.

More fanciful rumors: we visit the Daleks' homeworld of Skaro (hence the title, "Planet Of The Dead," since our first trip to Skaro was in the episode "The Dead Planet.") Also, maybe Tunisia is the site of the eighth Doctor's final battle against the Daleks during the Time War, as shown in a huge flashback? Or maybe not. [Ultimate Doctor Who Site]

Battlestar Galactica:

Another short clip went up on the "clues" site, and this time Adama is having a quiet freak-out. Is he changing places with Tigh, becoming the drunk lunatic to Tigh's quiet steely leader? Also, note only one toothbrush: is Roslyn gone? [YouWilKnowTheTruth via Battlestar Blog]

And here are pics of new BSG billboards, showing people's cut-off faces. A clue? Will everybody on the show lose their eyes? [Galactica Sitrep]

Lost:

A new ABC 2009 promo includes snippets from Lost, Life On Mars and other upcoming shows. [SpoilerTV]

Heroes:

Some new details about the start of Volume 4, "Fugitives." The arc picks up three months after the end of Volume 3. Claire is getting ready to go to college, when she finds out that her bio-daddy Nathan has created a special section to detain anyone with superpowers. Nathan's mission excludes Claire, Peter and Angela, so Nathan himself won't be exposed as a superhuman. But Claire hears that Nathan's next target is Matt Parkman, so she rushes to save him. Meanwhile, Mohinder and Tracy are still working on developing a new superpower formula (why why why?) and the special properties in Mohinder's blood make him an important factor in fighting the new heavy, the Hunter.

At last, most of the heroes are captured and on a plane en route for Guantanamo Bay. Claire gets loose and tries to free the others. Tracy freaks out and freezes the plane, killing the pilot. The plane crashes, but first Peter jumps out with Claire.

In the second episode, we discover most of the heroes survived the plane crash, but Maya was captured. Meanwhile, we learn more about the Hunter's past ties with HRG and Angela Petrelli. And Hiro and Ando help Daphne search for Matt Parkman, who meanwhile discovers his ex-wife Janice is about to give birth to a son who's important to the Hunter.

In the third episode, Matt's son is born and we see the death of a character who first appeared in Volume Two. (Maya?) In the fourth episode, "Cold Wars," we learn still more about HRG's ties with the Hunter, and a Cold War program that trained people to hunt down superhumans. And in the fifth episode, Sylar infiltrates the team that's hunting superhumans. Sylar discovers his dad is still alive — and it sounds like he's the team's next target.

And then in the sixth episode, "Shades Of Gray," we discover the whole story about (yawn) Sylar's past. We'll get flashbacks, but no actual time travel. In the seventh episode, Monica (remember her?) reappears, and she's the key to helping some of the heroes escape from captivity. And allegedly, invisible man Claude is back in episode nine. In the penultimate episode of the volume, there will be two major deaths, and in the final episode, there'll be "the mother of all deaths," plus a shocking plot twist. [Zona Heroes, via Google Translate]

Stargate Atlantis:

Are you tired of reading interviews where the stars of BSG make statements about how the show's final episode will potty-train your kids and leave your grout spotless? How about Robert Picardo's thoughts on the SGA finale instead?

I thought they pulled out all the stops for the finale, not only with different beloved characters in the Atlantis gallery that pop up, but I think it's a pretty spectacular one hour [with] three different storylines really hurtling toward the conclusion... It's going to have good action, great visuals, and it's got a nice little emotional punch at the end. I think it was a very nice way to not only wrap up the series but to open the door to some television movies, because where we left off at the end it certainly begs the question of what's next. I think it's a very well-crafted finale.

Now isn't that better? [Gateworld]

100 Feet:

Are you excited about this horror movie, which is making its debut on the Sci Fi Channel instead of in theaters? Maybe this synopsis will get you lathered up:

[Famke] Janssen plays Marnie Watson, a woman granted early release from her prison sentence for manslaughter (killing her husband – a violent NYC cop – in self defense) on condition she wear an electronic ankle bracelet and remain within her home, effectively under house arrest, for the remainder of her sentence. Her late husband's partner keeps tabs on her from a patrol car parked across the street, hoping she'll violate probation and he can send her back to prison. But the 100-foot radius her ankle bracelet allows isn’t the worst of her problems. Her dead husband – now a malevolent ghost is still in the house, where he died - intent on savage revenge.

They say revenge is best served savage. [ShockTillYouDrop]

Brave And The Bold:

OMG, a couple of clips from Friday's new episode, where Batman and Green Arrow meet Merlin, and then Bats has an unfortunate transformation.

Knight Rider:

Here's the official synopsis for the Jan. 21 episode, "Knight To King's Pawn":

Sarah is not coping well with her father's death and decides to leave town. Concerned, Mike goes looking for her and in return gets the answers he has been searching for about his past. Meanwhile, the NSA has decided to dismantle the SSC now that Dr. Graiman is dead and they can then move forward with KITT's nemesis KARR. With Torres' permission they take out KITT's chip that contains his personality and memories and place it in KARR. Upset by what has happened, Mike, Sarah, Billy and Zoe devise a plan to find where KITT has been taken and get him up and running and destroy the evil KARR once and for all.

[Knight Rider Online]

Watchmen:

Just how much do you see of Sally Jupiter in her crime-fighting prime? "We have a couple of flashbacks where we see her in her heyday as a costumed crime fighter, but they’re more like photographs," says Carla Gugino. And in case you missed it a while back, here's her Vargas Girl pinup art from the movie. [MTV]

Race To Witch Mountain:

So The Rock is a cab driver who picks up two strange kids with superpowers, being chased by shadowy evil dudes. And they have to reach Witch Mountain in time to stop an alien invasion, and a UFO TV show host (Carla Gugino) helps them. And here are some new stills. [SciFiCool]

Doctor Who:

Digital Spy came up with ten spoilers for the Christmas special (and for once, I think there aren't any annoying fakes.):

1. The mysterious Cybershades can jump quite high.
2. Neither the Doctor nor the Other Doctor recognise each other. But the latter doesn't remember much anyway.
3. There are two words that the Doctor never refuses.
4. The Other Doctor has a TARDIS - and it's magnificent.
5. For a while Rosita becomes the Doctor's companion (but then you'll know that already if you've read our interview with the lovely Velile Tshabalala).
6. The script includes the customary line "what about the children?"
7. At least one previous incarnation of the Doctor makes an appearance.
8. Miss Hartigan (Dervla Kirwan) is a very special lady.
9. The Other Doctor's fobwatch is a very important clue.
10. "I suppose ** *** ***, **** ***** ** *****."

[Digital Spy]

Also, you'll glimpse all nine of the previous Doctors during the Christmas special, most likely in clips or something. And here are a few new pics, I think. [Daily Mirror]

The episode looks quite cheap and talky until the last ten minutes, and then it goes totally "batarse." And there's a whole Oliver Twist thing going on with those kids in the warehouse. And there's a visual allusion to "Earthshock," the famous Cyberman episode where a companion dies, towards the end of the episode. [SFX]

The Christmas special is "Godzilla meets Oliver," says a journalist. And says RTD: "How can this Doctor, the tenth Doctor, be meeting the next Doctor? And it's not just the next Doctor you get to see, you get to see some old ones as well, which is rather exciting. It's a Doctor-fest, in a way. But as to how the two of them can be together, and the very sad story — very sad, Christmassy story — behind that, you've got to watch on Christmas day." (And don't listen to that interview unless you want to hear RTD insult Stargate.) [BBC Radio 5 via Outpost Gallifrey]

More quotes from Rosita actor Velile Tshabalala. Apparently Rosita was "a lady of the night," and "one night she was out earning her living and a Cyberman came to attack her. The other Doctor came to rescue her and it went from there. He wasn't a client, he came and saved her!" Awww. [Digital Spy]

The Doctor takes a ride in the Other Doctor's TARDIS, and there's a new kind of sonic screwdriver. The Cybershades are "dog-like," and there's a "Cyber-King." There's a mysterious man named Jackson Lake. Also, the first of the 2009 specials will take place abroad, in an "exotic" location. (The U.S.? Or Tunisia?) And RTD is co-writing two of the specials, but he'll write Tennant's final two stories. "The big climax is mine, all mine," said the innuendo-proof Davies. [BBC]

There are reports that the Doctor meets Scrooge (and he's an alien) in this episode. And allegedly, Tennant says these lines in the episode:

But you're the Doctor! The next Doctor! Or the next-but-one, a future Doctor anyway. No don't tell me how it happened! Although I hope you didn't just trip over a brick, that would be embarrassing. Then again, painless. Worse ways to go. Depends on the brick.

And there's a major twist at the end of the episode. Also, some speculation that the Other Doctor's fobwatch has the initials "JL" on it, for "Jackson Lake." [Doctor Who Forum]

Bad sign for those of us who are hoping it really is a future Doctor: apparently the Other Doctor's TARDIS is a hot air balloon, and it stands for "Tethered Aerial Release Developed In Style." [Yahoo News via Planet Gallifrey]

Also, I knew that David Tennant's Doctor will not have a companion during the 2009 specials — but he's without a TARDIS as well? Or is that a misprint? Apparently the Radio Times also mentioned this fact. Oh, and the story's climax may remind you of the end of Buffy season six. (The "yellow crayon" thing?) [Guardian]

More on that business of the Doctor being TARDIS-less in 2009. Here's some random Livejournal person who's heard the Doctor's TARDIS gets "TARDIS-jacked" at the end of the Christmas special. By the Other Doctor? Or Dervla?? [Skywaterblue]

Battlestar Galactica:

Here's another new promo, a bit more of that business where Tyrol touches the wall and something weird happens.


[Galactica Sitrep]

Heroes:

It's never too soon for preview clips, I guess. Here's a clip from 2009's first episode.

[Heroes Spoilers]

Lost:

In those jumpsuited set pics we posted yesterday, the eagle-eyed among you might have noticed a bearded figure. That, apparently, is Eric Lange, wearing a jumpsuit that says "Radzinsky" on it. And apparently Lange is playing the "infamous" Radzinsky, in both episodes nine and ten of the new season. [The ODI]



Another new promo. [SpoilersLost]

Sanctuary:

Promo pics from episode 13, "Revelations Part 2." [Spoiler TV]

Knight Rider:

Because you demanded it — more Knight scoopage. Here are the official descriptions of January's episodes which start the show's shakeup (i.e., the disappearance of most of the supporting cast):

Don't Stop The Knight (Airs Jan 7, 2009): MIKE AND KITT TRY TO RESCUE A KIDNAPPED FOREIGN AMBASSADOR FROM A TERRORIST IN TIME FOR PEACE TALKS—Mike (Justin Bruening) and KITT (voiced by Val Kilmer) are sent on an endless string of mini-missions by a crazy terrorist in exchange to keep Ambassador Olara Kumali (guest star Vanessa Williams) alive, but they soon realize that they are part of a bigger plan. Trying to outsmart the terrorist, Rivai (Sydney Tamiia Poitier) and a team of FBI agents find themselves in an explosive situation. Meanwhile, Sarah (Deanna Russo) and Dr. Graiman (Bruce Davison) try to fix a sick robot.

Day Turns Into Knight (Airs Jan 14, 2008): MIKE AND KITT CONTINUE ON THEIR QUEST TO STOP A TERRORIST FROM DETONATING A NUCLEAR WEAPON AND KILLING THE AMBASSADOR—Mike (Justin Bruening) and KITT (voiced by Val Kilmer) are now transporting a bomb in the trunk of the car, but in order for it not to explode they must stay above 100 miles-per-hour. Trying to come up with a plan to disable the bomb, they load KITT onto the plane to buy some time and keep up their speed. Clinging to life, Rivai (Sydney Tamiia Poitier) manages to give a clue to find where the terrorist is hiding. Meanwhile, Sarah (Deanna Russo) receives some upsetting news about her dad. Bruce Davison, Yancey Arias and Paul Campbell star. Smith Cho recurs and Rick Hoffman and Richard Roundtree guest star.

[KRO]

Additional reporting by Katharine Duckett.

Watchmen:

The first 20-odd minutes of this film showed at the Butt-Numb-A-Thon festival, and it's pretty close to the book. After the credits, we see the cops on the street near the Comedian's apartment discussing his murder. Then the camera pans past a figure with a "End Is Near" sign, then up to a panoramic view of the alternate-history NYC, complete with zeppelins and a Gunga Diner balloon.

Rorschach's narration starts, and he rappels into the Comedian's apartment, looking around at his weapons cache. The picture of the Minutemen in the Comedian's apartment turns into the same picture in Hollis Mason's home, where Nite Owl I (Hollis Mason) is reminiscing about his old-school superhero days to Nite Owl II (Dan Dreiberg.) Hollis asks Dan if he misses it, and he lies and says no. The camera lingers on the sign for Hollis' auto body shop, obsolete models a specialty.

Dan goes home to find his door has been kicked in, and Rorschach is in his kitchen, eating beans. They talk about the Comedian's murder (Rorschach makes the joke about "human bean juice") before going down into Dan's basement. Dan says it's not a mask-killer, and tells Rorschach: "Watchmen are over." As Rorschach leaves via a subway tunnel, Dan asks what changed, and Rorschach says, "You quit." Dan's left sitting before his costume display case and looking at the Comedian's bloody pin. [CHUD]

Iron Man 2:

Don Cheadle speculates that the character he's taking over, James Rhodes, will be in a suit of power armor this time around. And Rhodey becomes more integral to the story of Iron Man as the saga goes along, not less. [IGN]

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen:

Still more toy spoilers. The Jetfire toy packaging identifies him as a Decepticon, but fans still think he switches sides and becomes an Autobot during the movie. Meanwhile, there's a toy for Springer, a G-1 Transformer who has a relationship of sorts with Arcee, the triple-motorcycle Transformer. It may just be a bonus toy, or it may indicate the triple-changer Springer is actually in the movie. [Transformers Live]

Battlestar Galactica:

New promos let you know what questions you should really be asking. (Is it just me, or does this really push you towards Dualla being the final Cylon?) [Battlestar Blog and Battlestar Blog]

And here's a new clip. By the way, the "Sit down Cylon" line appears to come from an already released clip where Adama confronts Tigh in his quarters, and they just dubbed that in to frak with you. [YouWillKnowTheTruth]

Also, the webisodes will help to explain some decisions Gaeta makes in the second half of season four, says writer Jane Espenson. We'll learn some of Gaeta's backstory in a very satisfying way. And the webisodes also explore being in (very) cramped quarters with Cylons, and how suspicions and secrets flare up when bad stuff starts happening. [Sci Fi Wire]

Doctor Who:

And here are a couple of new pics of the Cyber-attack in the graveyard, from the fanatically awaited Christmas special. [Daily Mail]

Dervla Kirwan says she plays "an evil woman in charge of the Cybermen." [Telegraph via PlanetGallifrey]

Lost:

It will be "extremely" difficult for the Oceanic Six to get together and go back to the island, says Jorge Garcia. "Major complications will ensue" when the sixsome tries to travel to the island together, so the escapees may have to travel back separately. [TV Guide]

We'll finally meet Jack's grandfather (played by Raymond Barry from Born On The Fourth Of July) in episode seven. [EW]

Also, episode 5x12 will introduce us to Graham, a British SVP at a major financial company, jockeying for the CEO position, and he's ready to come into his own and be a leader. (Wondering if they came up with this storyline back when people still wanted to be CEOs of financial companies.) [SpoilersLost]

Daniel Dae Kim says halfway through shooting season five, he and on-screen wife Yunjin Kim still haven't had a scene together. [TV Guide via SpoilersLost]

Dollhouse:

Here's a cute new pic, from the cover of SFX. [SpoilerTV]

Fringe:

Joshua Jackson talks about the Bishops' father-son relationship and teases some upcoming revelations about his character's childhood. [Fringe Television]

Heroes:

You'll be shocked — shocked! — to hear that Sylar didn't die in Monday night's episode. He'll emerge from the wreckage, and set off on a quest to find his powers, and the truth about his real parents. Also, the blonde character who will appear to die, but actually not be dead, is not Elle. This hasn't happened yet, but it will happen to a character who deserves a second chance because she rocks. And Hiro still lacks powers. [E! Online]

Smallville:

In that upcoming episode where a magic spell turns Chloe into Lois, there's a scene where Clark stares lovingly into Chloe's eyes — but only because he thinks she's Lois. This is the moment when Chloe realizes how hard Clark has fallen for Lois. [EW]

Also, what happens when Lana comes back? Kristen Kreuk explains:

Lana is coming back after being away for a long time. The audience gets to find out what happened to her, what occurred during that time period. She’s very different when she comes back. Then she gets a beautiful send-off. She’s been a victim for so long, so she gets a beautiful send-off as a hero that her fans will really, really like.

And she says if there is a season nine, you won't see her in it. [Fearnet]

Pushing Daisies:

Bryan Fuller is reworking the last episode to give you a bit more closure. [EW]

Knight Rider:

Do you care? Do you, really? If you do, then Billy from BSG wants to share some spoilers in a video interview. Do it for Billy. [KRO]

Additional reporting by Katharine Duckett.

Land Of The Lost:

This Sid-And-Marty Krofft remake just released its official synopsis:

Will Ferrell stars as has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall, sucked into one and spat back through time. Way back. Now, Marshall has no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures from beyond our world—a place of spectacular sights and super-scaled comedy known as the Land of the Lost.

Sucked alongside him for the adventure are crack-smart research assistant Holly (Anna Friel) and a redneck survivalist (Danny McBride) named Will. Chased by T. rex and stalked by painfully slow reptiles known as Sleestaks, Marshall, Will and Holly must rely on their only ally—a primate called Chaka (Jorma Taccone)—to navigate out of the hybrid dimension. Escape from this routine expedition gone awry and they’re heroes. Get stuck, and they’ll be permanent refugees in the Land of the Lost.

[Movies Spoilers]

Star Trek:

TrekMovie talked to co-writer Roberto Orci, and he gave out a few morsels of Trek knowledge. Like, in Orci's mind, Captain Robau (Iron Man's Farah Tahir) was born in Cuba but grew up in the Middle East, before becoming captain of the U.S.S. Kelvin. And the alien security officer on the Kelvin, Alnschloss K’Bentayr (right), isn't directly related to Mr. Arex from the animated series, but the designer may have thought of Arex somewhat.

Also, that cop in the trailer is probably a human under all that robo-stuff, but the movie doesn't make it clear either way. And there is some explanation for why the Enterprise is being built in Iowa. And he says the humor won't be as broad as it was in his Transformers — like Kirk never pees on anyone. [TrekMovie]

The Day The Earth Stood Still:

So I just saw this movie, and I was listening for the phrase "Klaatu Barada Nikto," which we'd been promised, and I didn't hear it. But now, Keanu says in an interview that he sort of mutters it at the start of the movie, right after he gets shot. And it means "Stand down." (It keeps Gort from putting the smackdown on all the soldiers after they shoot Klaatu, I guess.) [Boston Herald]

Wolverine:

A guy who knows a guy says that Banshee (an Irish mutant with a sonic scream) will turn up in the Wolverine movie, with a non-speaking role. He'll be a younger version, in his early twenties. [ComicBookMovie]

Heroes:

Kristen Bell won't be back, but someone else will. [EW]

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles:

The first episode of 2009, episode 2x14, will be called "Good Wound," and it airs on Friday Feb. 13. [SpoilerTV]

Fringe:

Jared Harris, who plays Mr. Jones, says his character will definitely be back at some point, possibly a few times. [Sci Fi Wire]

Lost:

Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse released a new video in anticipation of season five. They revealed that Ben Linus will be reading James Joyce's Ulysses, and episode seven of the new season is called "3:16," which is significant for a couple of reasons. And they revealed a new Dharma symbol, with a phallic lantern in the middle. [E! Online]

Smallville:

The title of the season's 16th. episode, "Turbulence," refers to interactions between Clark and Tess aboard Oliver's jet. Also, the turbulence associated with Jimmy's emergence from his coma. Tess takes Clark with her to an important press conference in another city. (And I'm just guessing this means she, and everyone else, have forgotten they learned he was an alien in the previous episode.) Clark tries to find out from Tess exactly how much Lex told her about him. When Jimmy sees Davis, he reacts violently, and also has an angry outburst at Chloe. And Davis goes to a cathedral, where he confesses he's hurt people he cares about.

And then in episode 17, "Hex," we meet that Zatanna-esque character we mentioned. And she casts a spell that turns Chloe into Lois, literally. Does wackiness ensue? We think it might just. [KryptonSite]

Also, Jimmy will actually witness Davis murdering someone... but is he hallucinating? Or has he discovered Davis' secret? And when Chloe is confronted with this news, whose side will she take? [EW]

More details on those events come from a set of casting sides for "Turbulence." In the teaser, Davis confesses to a Catholic priest about the people he's hurt and the beast within, and the fact that he he roams the streets looking for lost souls to help out. We see a scene where Davis finds a teenager buying drugs, and grabs him by the scruff of the neck, screaming "Go home!" Then he catches up with the drug dealer. The dealer is relieved to realize Davis is no cop — but then finds out Davis is something much, much worse.

And later, Jimmy is in hospital and sees a dissheveled man running for his life. The man gets in an elevator but doesn't manage to escape. And then Jimmy sees the attacker's face: Davis. But later, Jimmy is freaking out and Davis is super calm. They get Jimmy hopped up on meds and send him home. Chloe is v. pissed at him. [SpoilerTV]

And a new CW Winter trailer shows a bunch of clips from various shows, including Clark acting quite Superman-like, and a bit of Supernatural as well. [OSCK]

True Blood:

Here are a passel of new characters who will be joining the show in the second season, including which ones will be getting naked. (Handy!)

[SID MATT LANCASTER] This small, fatherly-looking man in his 60s is the Stackhouse family lawyer, who arrives at Sookie’s house unexpectedly. Obviously distraught, he’s sad to be the bearer of bad news…9 speeches & 3 lines, 1 scene (29)

[SHAWNELLE] “Trouble on legs,” this sexy barfly in her 20s propositions Jason (Ryan Kwanten), and when that fails, tries to work her wiles on his companion, Hoyt. She’s a real siren, out for a good time…2 speeches & 3 lines, 1 scene (44)

[CORALEE] This bar patron in her 30s is questioned by Andy about the recent murder. She’s gossiping about the death with her friend Vonetta when the angry Terry throws them out of the bar…2 speeches & 3 lines, 1 scene (44)

[VONETTA] Coralee’s friend, this bar patron in her 30s gossips avidly about the recent murder — right up until Terry throws her off the premises…1 speech & 2 lines, 1 scene (45)

[NEWS ANCHOR] Via satellite, this female news anchor in D.C. interviews Steve Newlin and Nan Flanagan, who exchange their explosively opposite views on the air…1 speech & 2 lines, 1 scene (21)

[SARAH NEWLIN] Late 20s - bright, pretty, cheerful wife of Fellowship of the Sun head Minister Steve Newlin (Michael McMillian), Sarah is an example of the new “hip” evangelical movement, hates vampires with a passion, deeply believes in her mission, her marriage, her country and her church. very feminine, but down-to-earth, also with a healthy appetite for life’s many pleasures… as she sees it, it’s all part of God’s gift to us. No actual nudity, but implied…SERIES REGULAR 7/13

[DAPHNE] Late 20s / early 30s - Daphne is sexy and down to earth, a real country girl, not the greatest waitress, but Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell) couldn’t care less, once he gets to know her better. Common sense, no-nonsense, funny, definitely not neurotic. Nudity is preferable in this role…6 episode arc beginning with this episode.

[LUKE] A BIG HANDSOME, BEAR OF A GUY, around 25ish. All the energy Jason (Ryan Kwanten) has spent in his life getting girls, Luke has spent in the service of God. And growing. And being insanely competitive. Southern, Texan. no nudity required, although the guys at the church camp do spend time in their underwear…6 episode arc beginning with episode 202.

[True Blood]

Knight Rider:

And because no day is complete with Knight scoopage, here's a behind the scenes video of possibly the last ever episode. [KRO]

Additional reporting by Katharine Duckett.