Star Trek:

As much as possible, writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman treated the Trek books as canon in writing the new movie. Maybe including Diane Duane's Rihannsu books, which shaped our understanding of the Romulans? Also, they reiterate that the movie will show Kirk and Spock developing a bond. [Crave]

Meanwhile, actor Diora Baird says she plays a green-skinned girl in the new Trek, and she's either an alien or has a really bad skin condition. "In the original series, there were these infamous green women that Captain Kirk would hit on, and so without giving too much away, I'm one of those green girls." [TrekWeb]

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen:

Those cute hackers from the first Transformers movie? Won't be back in the sequel. Bah. Also, we are meant to worry about whether Sam and Mikaela can stay together. And the fact that it's two years later matters, to the humans as well as the Transformers. [Crave]

And you can see some not-very-revealing set pics of Shia and Megan at the Air Force Base in White Sands, NM here. [Transformers Live]

Dragonball:

Self-proclaimed Dragonball fan James Marsters says the live-action film is sort of between Dragonball and Dragonball Z, and we meet Goku as an 18-year-old. And his character, Lord Piccolo, starts out as a really ugly old guy who's been imprisoned for 1,000 years and had his youth stolen. There's a really memorable transformation scene when Piccolo gets his youth back. And there's "lots of flying" in the movie. [SFX via dbthemovie]

Also, Bulma actor Emmy Rossum says she rides a motorcycle in a leather jumpsuit and has five guns that spin around. And there's a monster in the movie who's sort of an eight-foot-tall guy based on something from the cartoon. [MTV]

Battlestar Galactica:

Rick Worthy, who plays Simon the Cylon, says he has some pretty great scenes with Grace Park (Sharon) coming up. [3xcusemyfrench]

And we'll find out who the last Cylon is pretty early in the last ten episodes. [E! Online]

Doctor Who:

Albert Finney will be appearing in one of the 2009 specials, and may be playing Winston Churchill. [Blogtor Who]

Sarah Connor Chronicles:

In episode five, "Goodbye To All That,"

John and Derek infiltrate a military academy in order to protect an integral member of the future resistance. Meanwhile, Weaver’s first assignment for Ellison takes an interesting turn of events when he discovers a specter from his own past.

And here are some pics from the episode. [SpoilerTV]

Life On Mars:

The American remake of the British cop show is taking an interesting turn with this latest casting call:

Fletcher Bellow (28-30 yrs old) In 1973 he is one of the first African-American detectives in the NYPD. Bellow manages to use his brains and sense of humor to navigate the system, and climb the ladder. He even manages to make peace with his bigoted colleagues on the force. In 2008 he will become Sam Tyler’s mentor on the force. Looking for an actor with a lot of personality, charm and humor...

[SpoilerTV]

Lost:

Ben has been separated from everything he loves and everything that passed for his family, now that he's off the island, so he can afford to be more ruthless and mobile. But the enemy he's fighting is "a formidable one," says Michael Emerson. And there's a scientific reason why everyone who escaped from the island has to go back. Also, Ben doesn't have any scenes so far with Locke, and instead he's working with people who are not on the island. There will be more character-centric episodes next season, about more different characters. We may get to see more of Ben's childhood. And the most surprising thing about season five is that "Ben has a plan." [E! Online]

More spoilers from recent film shoots. It appears the crew was working on a frosty college campus scene that may have been Oxford. Also, Penny and Desmond may have a baby together. And there's a "medical scene" involving clinic staff. [Spoilers Lost]

Daniel Dae Kim says there are consequences to moving the island and the people left behind there suffer, either physically or psychologically. "There are some that will pay a very heavy price." And Kim says his character's fate is up in the air, but he's already been to Hawaii recently. And Hurley goes through some massive changes next season. Also, Claire definitely won't be in season five, but will be back in season six. [E! Online again, plus EW via SpoilersLost]

Sarah Jane Adventures:

The reason Sarah Jane's sidekick Maria is leaving is because her dad gets a new job in the U.S., and when Sarah Jane hears the news she starts shutting Maria out to cushion herself against the impending loss. (But she comes around in time to give Maria a great send-off.) But we will be seeing Maria and her dad again after the first two-parter. In the first storyline, the gang finds Sontaran Commander Kaagh wandering the forest (?) and must stop him destroying the Earth using kamikaze satellites. In the second story, we meet Odd Bob the Clown, who transforms into different things. Another villain is a guy who finds a medallion that gives him superpowers. And Sarah Jane is reluctant to involve the Brigadier in her problems, because she doesn't want the kids exposed to guns. And the season's ending will leave you wanting more. (But probably not more evil clowns.) [Planet Gallifrey]

Heroes:

Are you seriously stoked for tonight's three-hour Heroes palooza? How about if I tell you that the theme of the season is "dysfunctional families," especially as it relates to the Petrelli and Bennett clans? How stoked are you now? Also, now that Mohinder is getting superpowers, someone else will have to step into his role of non-powered observer, and that'll be someone we've already seen before. [Heroes News And Spoilers]

In episode five, "Angels And Monsters," Natahn Petrelli and Ali Larter's new character Tracy confront Angela Petrelli. And she reveals that Tracy is one of a group of identical triplets that she and her husband genetically engineered, in their drive to create a set of artificial superhumans. Tracy's two "sisters" are dead, and she never got to meet them. Nathan yells at his mom about turning her kids into "guinea pigs." (I could actually see Peter rolling around in a giant transparent ball.)

And at the tail end of that episode, we meet the season's "big bad," who is someone closely connected to our heroes. (I'm betting it's Angela's husband, but who knows?) This person has a new superpower known as The Vortex, which involves zapping people into a negative space where they cease to exist, with no possibility of return. (Does this mean people will actually die and stay dead?) A big part of the new season is humanizing the villains and showing their point of view, and the eighth episode will show us the origins of all the villains, and maybe even make us see their point of view.

Also, I have no idea what Adrian Pasdar (Nathan) means when he says this about a confrontation involving his parents:

There’s stuff that becomes very patriarchal. It flips mom to dad and then they both stand up like those Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em robots,” he laughs about a parental Petrelli smackdown coming soon. “When the two of them stand up - Cristine (rose) and Robert Forster - it’s fantastic!

Translation, please? [SFX via Heroes Television]

What other info can we possibly give you to get you stoked about season three? How about the fact that Hiro gets his mind wiped so that he thinks he's a ten-year-old and Ando has to babysit him as well as saving the world? Also, Peter and Sylar work together, but they can't deny the fact that they're "yin and yang" in their cores. Oh, and when people's powers stop working, Nathan may actually fall out of the sky. Also, Sylar isn't the only character who has a baby in the future — so does speedster Daphne, and the dad is someone you know and love. (Hiro, maybe?) We also get to meet the Haitian's brother, who may also be named the Haitian. [E! Online]

Also, Milo Ventimiglia says episode four includes a bunch of future stuff, where Present Peter confronts Future Claire. And Future Peter hangs out with good Future Sylar. (I think.) And Present Peter becomes determined not to let Present Claire turn into the dark Future Claire. (I think.) [IGN]

And a couple of really important characters die in episode seven. [E! Online again]

Chuck:

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan has some Chuck spoilers, many of which we've reported before. New ones include the fact that the episode that airs after the Super Bowl will be in 3-D. And the new assistant manager at the Buy More, Emmett Milbarge (Tony Hale) will have Principal Rooney/Ferris Bueller relationship with Chuck. He'll notice all of Chuck's unexplained absences and disappearances, and start trying to get to the bottom of it. The Elle-Awesome wedding includes a bachelor party, which Chuck must plan. And the character Melinda Clarke Duncan plays in episode two is named the Black Widow, no relation to the Marvel Comics character. I think. [Chicago Tribune]

Also, it's possible we'll actually meet one of Chuck's parents this season. [E! Online again]

Smallville:

Here's what happens in the fourth episode of the new season, called "Instinct":

Tess and her team perform tests on Clark's crystal that she had retrieved from the arctic, causing it to send a beam of light into the universe. This triggers the arrival of Maxima (guest star Charlotte Sullivan), a queen from the planet Almerac, who is searching for her soulmate, who she believes sent the signal. Unfortunately, Maxima's power is too great for mortal men and her kiss kills them. The seductive Maxima arrives in Metropolis and begins her search, starting with Jimmy.

And then in the seventh episode, "Identity," after Jimmy snaps that pic of Clark rescuing someone and Lois vows to get to the bottom of the red-and-blue-clad savior, Lois assumes she'll have Clark's help solving the mystery. But Clark enlists Oliver Queen's help to dupe her. And in the following episode, Lois does indeed get superpowers, thanks to "an alien's wife" (huh?) and these include tossing people around like Fritos. This is also probably the episode where Kara reappears. [SpoilerFix]

Fringe:

The cow will be used sparingly, say co-creators Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. [Crave]

J.J. Abrams has some advice: Watch for an observer in the background. [Fringe Television]

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed:

Finished the Force Unleashed game yet? If not, here are some spoilers. In the end, Darth Vader throws you out an airlock in front of the Emperor, but then rescues you behind the Emperor's back. And then he orders you to raise an army against the Emperor. This involves rescuing Princess Leia and hanging out with Lobot (Yes!) and Garm Bel Iblis. You single-handedly found the Alliance, but then Darth Vader double-crosses you again, handing the Alliances' leaders over to the Emperor to torture and kill. You don't actually get that much freedom of choice in the game. [TK1138]

Knight Rider:

Your favorite TV show leaked out a whole new batch of script pages, for the episode titled "Don't Stop The Knight." This time around, Mike drives KITT in "attack mode" straight into a prison yard. "ATTACK KITT RACES for the prison fence — a Nightmare on Wheels!" And then KITT does a TURBO BOOST and soars over the fence, and lands in the prison yard "with a WHAM!". Yes, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley get out of the car and dance around in their shorts. And then KITT rescues some guy despite 10,000 guards shooting at it. And later, Mike hands over the guy they rescued to three women who are "like the Pussycat Dolls of international assassins." Seriously. And there's also a great scene where two henchmen have Mike cornered, and they're going to call their boss. Mike says they shouldn't do that, or the boss will "know I kicked your ass." While the slow-witted henchmen pause to unpack that statement, Mike kicks their asses. [SpoilerTV]

So it seems like you always play dark roles, like Crashdown, the Secret Apprentice... and now Doomsday. Are you like the Lord of Darkness?

I'm trying to figure that out. Well, you know, yeah. What's funny about that is the Doomsday character, or Darth Vader's apprentice, or a lot of these characters... they're not straight dark characters. They have other dimensions to them. And I think maybe that's why they offer [those roles] to me, I'm not really sure. In The Mist, I was a nice guy. That didn't work out too well for me.

But for example, Doomsday. You will not meet Doomsday, you will meet a guy named Davis Bloome. Who is a paramedic. Really nice guy, really conscientious individual. And the problem is that he's blacking out. He's having these blackouts. He wants to know what's going on with that, and when he learns the truth, it's horrifying to him, and hopefully it'll be horrifying to the audience, because we are trying to take our time with who he is as an individual before any of this stuff goes down. And he's a really good guy. I actually like him very much.

Or Darth Vader's apprentice.

He's a good guy?

I wouldn't say that, because he goes through and... causes some trouble.

He kills everyone he meets.

Not everyone. There's a few survivors. But Darth Vader's apprentice didn't start out that way. He started out as a very innocent young boy who Vader kidnaps, essentially, and then raises as a son. But it should be noted that if Darth Vader had a little good in him, well, who knows what he might have passed on to his adopted son? That's all I can say. These characters, I guess what I'm saying is: are they psychologically complex? Yeah, they actually are. And it's really fun to play.

So you're the final Cylon, right?

(Laughs.) I don't know, am I? I'll have to ask Ron Moore.

The Spirit:

Lions Gate released a new official synopsis for Frank Miller's movie of Will Eisner's The Spirit:

It is the story of a former rookie cop who returns mysteriously from the dead as the Spirit (Gabriel Macht) to fight crime from the shadows of Central City. His arch-enemy, the OCTOPUS (Samuel L. Jackson) has a different mission: he’s going to wipe out Spirit's beloved city as he pursues his own version of immortality. The Spirit tracks this cold-hearted killer from Central City’s rundown warehouses, to the damp catacombs, to the windswept waterfront ... all the while facing a bevy of beautiful women who either want to seduce, love or kill our masked crusader. Surrounding him at every turn are ELLEN DOLAN (Sarah Paulson), the whip-smart girl-next-door; SILKEN FLOSS (Scarlett Johansson), a punk secretary and frigid vixen; PLASTER OF PARIS (Paz Vega), a murderous French nightclub dancer; LORELEI (Jaime King), a phantom siren; and MORGENSTERN (Stana Katic), a sexy young cop.

Then of course, there’s SAND SAREF (Eva Mendes), the jewel thief with dangerous curves. She’s the love of his life turned bad. Will he save her or will she kill him?

I like the way every one of the women of The Spirit gets a cheesy little tag, like "punk secretary and frigid vixen." I also love the idea that these women surround him at every turn; it conjures a great mental image.

Death Race:

The prison-race movie includes a final scene tying up the fates of Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson and co-star Natalie Martinez, which was filmed months after the movie wrapped filming. It was added after test audiences felt the original ending was too open-ended. So if you notice a final scene that seems a bit tacked on, that's why. [Sci Fi Wire]

Life On Mars:

The American remake of British time-travel cop show Life On Mars has gone from a C-list cast to a surprisingly A-list one, and here they are shown off in the first official photos, including Gretchen Moll and Harvey Keitel. It definitely looks a lot closer to the British version than the earlier pilot did. [Daily Mail]

Lost:

Don't panic! Even though Desmond got a happy ending with Penny at the end of season four, he's "still part of the cast." And we'll be seeing Penny again. [TV Guide]

But you should panic after all, because Terry O'Quinn says "there's some question" as to whether Locke will appear "all the way" up to the end of the show. [Spoilers Lost]

Oh, and some extras had to work late, because they were filming a scene at Hawaii Convention Center, which usually stands in for an airport on the show. This time around, the key word was "Heathrow." More Widmore intrigue, perhaps? [Hawaii Blog]

Dollhouse:

Will Joss Whedon's new show about brainwashed programmable people for hire feature a beautiful cast? See for yourself.

Fringe:

The third episode of J.J. Abrams' oh-fine-call-it-the-X-Files show will be called "The Ghost Network." [Spoiler TV]

Knight Rider:

Because I know you guys get horrendously upset when I don't include a Knight Rider spoiler in here, here's a doozy: original driving wheel David Hasselhoff is making arrangements to put in an appearance in the new show. And he may have his own KITT. The idea is for both Mikes, and both KITTs, to team up to defeat some horrendous menace that can only be stopped by two smart-alecky cars. But the show won't bring back the Hoff unless there's a storyline that really demands it. [Sci Fi Wire]

The Middleman:

In the last two episodes of the season, the Middleman TV show diverges from the comic in a serious way for the first time. Even though the final two episodes feature Manservant Neville, who's also in volume three of the comic, the storylines will be different. Also, we won't get to find out why/how the Middleman became the clean-living man he is today. That would have been the subject of the 13th. episode of the season, which got canceled to free up money to show the awesome parallel world in the 12th (and now final) episode. [NJ]

Doctor Who:

There won't be any "Children In Need" special this year, meaning rumors of a meeting with several past Doctors are false. The first special of 2009 is "the Easter special," co-written by Gareth Roberts, and it features a new monster. Catherine Tate would jump at the chance to return, and "anything is possible," says Russell T. Davies. [Blogtor Who]

Torchwood:

It's rumored James Marsters will be back as the roguish Captain John Hart in the five-episode story "Children Of Earth." [DenOfGeek]

The Sarah Jane Adventures:

More episode titles from the second season of the Doctor Who spin-off. After "The Last Sontaran" and "Day Of The Clown," there are "Secrets Of The Stars," "The Mark Of The Berzerker," "The Temptation Of Sarah Jane" and "Enemy Of The Bane." (I'm guessing Sarah Jane's temptation has to do with going back in time to the 1950s and having the chance to save her parents from dying when she's a baby. Somebody needs to sit Sarah Jane down in front of a copy of the Doctor Who episode "Father's Day.")

Even though Maria and her dad leave after the first story, "don't be surprised" if we see them again, says a producer. Also, one story is a sequel to a Doctor Who story. Bradley Walsh plays "an alien with three identities," and Floella Benjamin (from "The Lost Boy") turns up again. And, as we've mentioned, the Brigadier and Mrs. Wormwood of the Bane are both back. [The Time Vortex]

Sarah Connor Chronicles:

Not to be undone, the Terminator TV show also features a very beautiful cast, despite the impending destructage of everything. [SpoilerTV]

Smallville:

Somehow I missed this from those TV Guide scans yesterday. When the Justice League tracks Clark down, he's powerless and in a shady Russian work camp. Afterwards, neither the League nor Clark will be the same again. Also, in the third episode, Oliver Queen's poisoning causes Lois to revisit her feelings for him when she visits him in the hospital.

And in episode four, after Jimmy finds the letter Chloe wrote to Clark back in "Fever," Jimmy asks her why she's never said those things about Jimmy. Chloe says Jimmy's insecurity about Clark is wearing thin. Also, Shelby the dog will make a reappearance. Chloe does some investigating for Clark, to find out the truth about Maxima (Charlotte Sullivan), the alien queen who wants to mate with Clark. But then Maxima uses her powers to seduce Clark (??) and Lois walks in on them in an elevator. Also, Clark offers Lois "her old room back" on the empty Kent farm. [Kryptonsite]

Chuck:

And here's another cast photo, this time for nerd-spy show Chuck. [Spoiler TV]

Also, it turns out Captain Awesome's real name is Devon Woodcomb, and his parents go by Woody and Honey Woodcomb. [Zap2It]

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed:

Not only does the new Star Wars video game tell the story of a previously unknown "internecine feud" between Darth Vader and the Emperor Palpatine, it also shows how the two of them unwittingly created the rebellion that eventually destroyed them.

Your character, Vader's secret apprentice known as Starkiller, visits a satellite orbiting the smugglers' moon of Nar Shaddaa, on a mission to destroy a Jedi elder, leaving no witnesses. Along the way, you can kill a ton of militia troops, deflecting their lasers with your light saber and then using the Force to hurl a piece of metal through a window, causing the glass to shatter so your enemies are sucked out into vacuum before a safety wall closes.

Also, when you Force-throw a Wookiee into a tree on the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk, the Wookiee writhes realistically and the tree shatters into splinters. [Wired]

Displaying why he truly is the biggest baddie, Vader first takes on a son-like Secret Apprentice, then tries to kill the Apprentice's girlfriend, disowns him by throwing him against a wall when caught by the Emperor, then goes after him himself. All this abuse can only end with the SA turning to the good side — sigh, he was sexier when he was murdering anyone who laid eyes on him. But aside from the mushy love stuff, check out that action. The SA splits an AT-AT in half, and throws his light saber through multiple trees and impales a Wookiee. And finally we get a glimpse of the inevitable show-down between Vader and his SA. Even if this game fails, the crazy Force action and cool story should make it worth watching.
[EW via Kokatu]

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Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello's insider sources spilled about Witwer's casting along with the addition of Cassidy Freeman as Lex Luthor's Supergirl-like spy named Tess. This character oversees all of Lex Luthor's dealings in Lex's absence, is obsessed with the missing bald villain, and will do anything he asks of her.

The addition of Doomsday to Smallville was most likely made in hopes of keeping the tension and suspense that walked out the door with the exit of Lex Luthor and Lana Lang (although both are rumored to make appearances). The debate has been on as to how they would make such a ridiculous character like Doomsday blend in among the real people. Looks like Doomsday will play a bartender at the Ace Of Clubs in Metropolis named David Bloome (my money was on tattoo artist). But by night Bloome becomes a serial killer. It's just a matter of time before he pisses off Clark by trying to kill Chloe, if she's out of the government's pokey. Truly Witwer is the luckiest actor of 2008, he's immortalized in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, manned a raptor on BSG and now could very well get to kill Superman on Smallville.

[Michael Ausiello]

The Force Unleashed takes place right where Episode III left off. Darth Vader goes to the planet Kashyyk on a personal mission to find a hidden Jedi. The battle on Kashyyk is all around him (blasters coming at all angles), but that is not why he is there. Interestingly enough you cannot make Vader run — because well, Vader doesn't run.

As Vader, you get to use a lot of power from the force. I don't think it needs to be said because of the title but there aren't other weapons in this besides the force and your lightsaber. But who needs a blaster when you can just pull the roof down on your enemies? Vader rips apart a ton of warrior Wookies, trees, and doors and uncovers the Jedi's secret hideout. In mid-strangle Vader demands the Jedi to tell him where the strong presence he feels is coming from. Out of nowhere a little boy appears, grabs Vader's lightsaber and the Dark Lord realizes that this kid is quite powerful.

Fast forward over many years of torture by Daddy V (according to news reports) and the little boy has grown up and is Vader's secret apprentice. Secret because if the Emperor found out, Vader would be in a world of lightning pain from his master. What's the plan? Send the secret apprentice out to kill all the Jedi, and then team up to kill the Emperor. Oh yeah, and there can't be any witnesses to any of the events that take place, because remember you're a "secret" apprentice. Which means you get to kill everyone (good guys and bad guys). And players gain force points for the finesse in which they chose to use their force powers for slaying, so get creative. You will be able to use the force to push and pull, the force grip (choking!), the force repulse and lightning (which can later be used to electrify objects and hurl them as they explode).

As many of us know there will be a few new faces in The Force Unleashed.

Jedi Shaak Ti's Padawan, Maris Brood, is one of them. Brood wields lightsaber tonfas, is in hiding on the planet Felucia and is scary as hell upon first look.













Master Rahm Kota is the Obi-Wan figure. I expect lot of incredibly general predictions to come from him about the young apprentice's future as he seems to be tied to him in some spiritual Jedi way.












I didn't get to see Juno Eclipse in action. You heard her voice throughout each level guiding the apprentice along the way, and eventually getting much more personal and asking if he is injured in one scene, which must have been the first signs of their love interest. Planet Felucia is another welcomed visual treat during the game. Especially since you get to fight Felucian warriors and their pet Rancors.






And finally there's PROXY. Who looks like C-3PO without his clothes and bit more slender. PROXY is the plucky sidekick to the apprentice and can take the form into any personality profile that is loaded into it's memory. He takes the form of Lord Vader often when dolling out responsibilities to the apprentice.







Returning vets are Vader, the Emperor, Shaak Ti and Bail Organa, making a quickie appearance voiced by Jimmy Smits himself. Vader was brought to life by Matt Sloan who did the voice of Chad Vader (the Vader that manages a grocery store in all the online video shorts.)

There will be alternate endings and you can expect a lot of twists and turns. Many of the characters warned the young Apprentice over and over that you can't trust a Sith. Hope he watches his back.

The classic John Williams score is still intact, with an additional hour of new music from Mark Griskey. The music complements nicely the amazing graphics and new touches. It's quite gratifying, when embodying the whole "evil" side to the story, to watch the new surrounding characters' will to live. For example if you grab a stormtrooper or another character with the force they will struggle and try to grab people or things around them, or if you impale a character with a lightsaber they will try to take it out. With all the attention to detail combined with the twisty story it should make for one excellent movie, I mean video game. Alas there are no online capabilities but there will be multiplayer available on PSP and DS (up to 4 players) and the Wii version will allow you to duel your opponents. Sounds like a good time for the dark side.