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Star Trek – All Of Them – Coming To Netflix July 1

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For those wanting to mix a little “Trouble With Tribbles” from the original “Star Trek” with “Trials and Tribble-ations” with “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” will have a chance to finally do that beginning July 1.

Netflix announced it would begin offering every television episode ever made in the Star Trek franchise on its streaming service, part of the company’s push to remain the dominant entertainment provider.

The Star Trek acquisition was part of an overall deal that CBS Corp. — the owners of the Star Trek television assets — struck with Netflix. Other shows from the CBS library being offered include “Twin Peaks” and “The Twilight Zone,” according to TrekMovie. Streaming will be available for two years under the current contract (with a two-year extension option), but will be available in the United States only.

The shows that will be streamed on Netflix include both the aforementioned original “Star Trek” and “Deep Space Nine” along with “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Star Trek: Enterprise.”

In all, 726 episodes of Star Trek between 1966 and 2005 will be added to the Netflix library, and it’s highly unlikely the media provider paid anything near the $1 million per episode it recently gave to the AMC critical hit “Mad Men.” For one thing, the “Mad Men” deal is exclusive, and Star Trek is not.

Also, many of these Star Trek episodes have been available on various formats to fans over the years, thus are much more readily available for fans.

And for fans of “Star Trek: The Animated Series,” we unfortunately have bad news for you. TAS is not part of the overall CBS/Netflix, so you’ll have to look elsewhere if you want to see some of the 1970s work behind the original Star Trek that helped keep the idea alive.

CBS took ownership of the Star Trek franchise in 2006 after Viacom split up its media holdings. However, Paramount Pictures still has rights to the movie side of the franchise, including the most recent blockbuster hit “Star Trek,” directed by J.J. Abrams.

Streaming Netflix is available online as well as through a number of mobile devices, including Apple Inc.’s iPad and iPad 2.
Tags: J.J. Abrams William Shatner CBS -by MICHAEL HINMAN,

Wonder Woman Will Have Shorts After All

The development of David E. Kelley’s “Wonder Woman” as a television series has been fraught with problems.

In the beginning, NBC passed on the project due to a steep license fee from Warner Brothers, only to renege on the decision following a changing of the guard at the network. Since then, news that has leaked on the pilot production hasn’t been entirely supportive.

Amongst the elements under fire is the costume choice for Adrienne Palicki, who will be playing the Amazonian Princess in the series. The outfit was based on the #600 costume that was introduced in the comics last year … a design that received considerable criticism on its own.

But no press is bad press apparently, and the backlash faced by the #600 design helped sell the comics. Likewise, the discussion over the creative decisions being made on the television series is only helping to circulate news of the show itself. However, it appears than NBC is listening to fans and more costume changes are being made.

What changes exactly? Shorts, further aligning the character to her classic look in the DC comic series and to Lynda Carter’s appearance in the classic show. The costume has already undergone some tweaks, like trading Palicki’s blue boots for red ones, and switching the material used in the long pants, but the shorts could be among the most dramatic changes to the series yet.

“There was an initial outcry about the long pants – you know, skintight pants as opposed to those little shorts [worn by Lynda Carter in the original TV series], but the shorts were always planned,” NBC President Robert Greenblatt said. “They are actually used in the final confrontation when she beats Veronica Cale. We haven’t made any changes from what was planned. But it’s always good to hear the feedback. I’d rather have people really passionately engaged in conversation, even if they hate something, than be kind of bored.”

Also under fire is the general plot of the pilot and news that Diana Prince will struggle with three identities on the show. Greenblatt insists though that the show is in safe hands with Kelley and further changes are unlikely to be made to appease those vocal about their dislikes of the series.

“There’s always critiques of everything,” he said. “If we listen to all of that, we would probably never be able to get the job done. David’s a great writer… and I actually think he’ll bring an intelligence to [the show] that other … writers might not. I think it’s going to be interesting to see it cut together. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that nothing is a safe bet. Even with the best of intentions and the best people, you just don’t know until you see it finished – and we’re a few weeks away from that. But it’s been getting a lot of attention. A lot.”
Tags: Wonder Woman Warner Bros. NBC David E. Kelley Adrienne Palicki -by ALAN STANLEY BLAIR,

‘Warehouse 13,’ ‘Eureka’ Move To Mondays

Both “Warehouse 13” and “Eureka” have spent years pulling in record numbers to Syfy on Summer Tuesday nights. Now they’ll just have to do the same thing on Mondays.

The two popular shows move back a day when they premiere new seasons July 11, part of an overall summer schedule for Syfy that includes plenty of unscripted television as well.

“Eureka” returns for the back half of Season 4 at 8 p.m. as the town where geniuses thrive continues to recover from the major timeline changes caused by the trip back to 1947. However, an “accident of astronomical proportions” moves the town to one of its most ambitious projects yet, causing the town to rally around its scientists. But nothing is always bright, as some local secrets begin to emerge.

On “Warehouse 13,” which begins its third season at 9 p.m., the agents are still reeling from the sudden departure of Myka (played by Joanne Kelly). Yet Artie (Saul Rubinek) wastes no time in bringing a new agent to the fold, Steve Jinks, played by none other than Aaron Ashmore of “Smallville” fame. And he has a talent that will keep you honest.

Making its series premiere right after “Warehouse 13” at 10 p.m. is “Alphas,” a team of ordinary citizens with extraordinary mental and physical abilities. Sound a little like “Heroes” or “X-Men”? Maybe, but it’s a bit of a cross between the two.

Like both, the Alphas are normal people trying to figure out new abilities. But like “X-Men,” they work together as a team. And it’s all done under the leadership of Zak Penn (writer of the upcoming “Avengers” movie directed by Joss Whedon) and Star Trek alum Ira Steven Behr.

The cast is really a lot of unknowns, except for David Strathairn who has appeared in a number of television shows and movies including “The Bourne Ultimatum” and “A League of Their Own.” The series also stars Malik Yoba, Warren Christie, Laura Mennell, Ryan Cartwright and Anita Ghanizada.

“Haven” returns July 15 with its much-anticipated Season 2. It was really one of Syfy’s only recent shows to survive its initial run (with shows like “Caprica” cut down in its first season, and “Stargate: Universe” abandoned in the second).

Based on a short story by Stephen King, “Haven” stars Emily Rose as Audrey Parker, who finds there is a lot of mystery in the sleepy town of Haven, Maine. Parker not only has to continue investigating various inflictions by the townsfolk, but also her own mystery and connections to the town.

Joining the series this season is Vinessa Antoine, who most recently played Judith Winter in “Being Erica.”

Syfy also has a huge number of reality shows on the schedule, including new series “Haunted Collector” and “Legend Quest.” Returning are “Hollywood Treasure” and “Ghost Hunters International.” -by MICHAEL HINMAN,

Mark Verheiden To Co-Write The Dark Tower TV Series

Battlestar Galactica writer/producer Mark Verheiden will team up with Akiva Goldsman to pen the NBC television series The Dark Tower, part of an ambitious adaptation of Stephen King’s bestselling fantasy epic.

The plan by Universal Pictures, NBC Universal and Imagine Entertainment calls for a film trilogy and a TV series that will serve as a bridge between the first and second movies. Ron Howard will direct first movie and the series. Academy Award winner Javier Bardem is closing a deal to star as gunslinger Roland Deschain.

Deadline reports that Verheiden will executive produce The Dark Tower series with Goldman. He previously served as a supervising producer on Smallville, co-executive producer on Battlestar Galactica and consulting producer on Heroes. He’s also a co-executive producer on Falling Skies, TNT’s upcoming alien-invasion drama.

Verheiden is, of course, also comics veteran, having written such titles as The American and Aliens for Dark Horse, and Superman, Superman/Batman and Smallville for DC Comics.

Michael Shannon Cast As Zod In Superman: Man Of Steel

Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon will play General Zod in director Zack Snyder’s Superman movie, now officially titled Man of Steel. He joins a cast that so far includes Henry Cavill as Clark Kent, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Diane Lane as Martha Kent and Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent.
Here’s the official press release:

MICHAEL SHANNON TO STAR AS GENERAL ZOD IN “MAN OF STEEL” FROM WARNER BROS. PICTURES AND LEGENDARY PICTURES

BURBANK, CA, April 10, 2011 – Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures announced today that Michael Shannon will star in the role of General Zod in director Zack Snyder’s new Superman film, titled “Man of Steel.”

Snyder stated, “Zod is not only one of Superman’s most formidable enemies, but one of the most significant because he has insights into Superman that others don’t. Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role.”

As General Zod, Shannon will go toe-to-toe with Henry Cavill, who plays the new Clark Kent/Superman in the film. The main cast also includes Amy Adams as Lois Lane, and Diane Lane and Kevin Costner as Martha and Jonathan Kent.

Michael Shannon was honored with an Academy Award® nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Sam Mendes’ “Revolutionary Road,” with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Shannon was most recently seen in the award-winning HBO drama series “Boardwalk Empire,” from executive producer Martin Scorsese. He will next be seen in Sony Pictures Classics’, “Take Shelter,” from director/writer Jeff Nichols.

Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Deborah Snyder are the producers of the film. The screenplay is being written by David S. Goyer based on a story by Goyer and Nolan. Thomas Tull and Lloyd Phillips are serving as executive producers.

“Man of Steel” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

WC11: Terra Nova Cast, Crew On Recreating Past, Saving Future

The cast and crew of Fox’s upcoming science fiction series Terra Nova sat down with Spinoff Online at WonderCon on Sunday to talk about the scope of the big-budget drama, comparisons to Avatar, and why it’s more like Star Trek than anything else.

Terra Nova is set on a dying Earth in the year 2149, where the future of mankind is in doubt and the only hope for survival is to send people millions of year into the past to rebuild civilization. The catch is that it’s a one-time trip, so once you’ve traveled into primeval history, you’re stuck there. Brannon Braga, who’s written more episodes of Star Trek than anybody else alive, is the showrunner. Jason O’Mara stars as Jim Shannon, a family man who stows away through the portal to reunite with his family. Stephen Lang plays Commander Frank Taylor, the leader of the human colony who went back through time seven years earlier.

“[This human colony] is very much the International Space Station,” said Alex Graves, who directed the pilot episode. “They have a found a place to go where they stand a chance of figuring out how to save the future and also save the human race by migrating there and starting over.”

The time travel-heavy setup sounds similar to O’Mara’s last project, the short-lived U.S. version of Life on Mars, about a cop who is thrown back in time and forced to find his bearings in an unfamiliar environment. “I only do shows now that have time travel in the premise,” he said. “The more far-fetched the better.”

”I try to go for scripts that are interesting and a bit different,” O’Mara continued. “I don’t mind playing a cop as long as that cops in an extraordinary situation. I like it when my imagination gets tested and stimulated.”

Lang is faced with similarities to past projects as well, as he his best known as the hard-edged, militaristic Col. Miles Quaritch in James Cameron’s Avatar, the 2010 blockbuster about a group of humans invading another planet for its natural resources. “One involves a planet far, far away, and this is time travel,” he said. “If it’s my lot at this point in my career to play authority figures who have a military history, I have no problem with that.”

“In both cases, thematically, they are similar. Both things are founded on a second chance, creating a new life out of a life that was not so good,” he said, adding that “both of these seem to postulate living in harmony with the environment.”

Jason O’Mara as Jim Shannon

O’Mara’s character Jim Shannon will also have his own problems. During the course of the pilot, he escapes from prison, sneaks into a time-travel device, reunites with his family and then has to defend them from dinosaurs. However, O’Mara said, “It’s not just the dinosaurs that we have to worry about. There are things going on in the colony itself — human things.” Through it all Shannon is faced with the fact that he “wasn’t welcome, wasn’t invited to the party,” because of his status as a stowaway.

Lang’s character Frank Taylor plays in stark contrast to Shannon. Taylor came through first, helped create the settlement and acts as the overseer of the entire operation. “He’s not a founding father, he’s the founding father,” Lang said. “He’s the first one through the portal. How that operates you in terms of stress, in terms of ego — all the ramifications of that can be really, really interesting. Everything he’s done is based on righteous, and not self-righteous, idealism. He wants to bring about a better world.”

“There’s not one stone that’s been laid in that community, not one timber that’s been put up in that community. that I don’t have a personal relationship to,” he continued. “I’m vested. I’m vested in the success of this place, I’m vested in the history of this place.”

Making a new society in the land of dinosaurs can be tough, although and Taylor may be close to the breaking point before the show even begins. Lang added, “It’s not a pressure you leave behind on the weekends. It’s a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week situation there where everything you do is new and presents an all new series of creatures and challenges you haven’t seen before.”

Because of this, viewers can expect some conflict eventually between the two leads, but not right away. “We start out as allies, I become his deputy,” O’Mara said.

“When the show opens I’ve been there for seven years,” Lang said. “So my antenna is just tuned to things. When Jason gets there he’s jumpy, jumpier then I am. I know what’s what.”

Terra Nova is a show of unprecedented scope and effects, ranging from recreating a prehistoric environment, time-travel effects and, oh, yes, giant dinosaur rampages. When seeing the script for the first time, Graves thought, “This is damn near impossible to do. How do we do this? When do I start?”

”I read the script and thought, ‘There’s no way we are gonna be able to pull this off!’ and that’s what makes me excited,” Lang said. “In the end, it comes down to do you care about the people. You can love the creatures, but if you don’t care about the people, if their fate is not really important to you on a week-to-week basis, then we won’t succeed. If you do care about the people, we’ll be in good shape.”

But don’t expect Terra Nova to turn in to an epic soap opera the way that shows like Lost and Battlestar Galactica became in their later seasons. The show will, according to the producers, be focused on a tight done-in-one episode treatment where problems are introduced and solved in the span of an hour. “One thing the writers tried to avoid was the Fringe/Lost dynamic of ‘this is a cult thing for a core group of people who watch it every week,’” Graves said. “This is not like that at all.”

“We will answer those questions right away, but we will answer them in an unorthodox way that we think is really cool,” Braga added. “It’s closest to Star Trek than anything else I’ve done since Star Trek in that it’s a very humanistic show. It’s about second chances for humanity, it’s about bettering humanity, and the episodes will be mostly standalone episodes that tell metaphorical little sci-fi parables in this frontier Western post-modern town.”

Stephen Lang as Commander Frank Taylor

Don’t expect everything to be laid out, though, as O’Mara’s character will still hold some mysteries about his background, such as just why he was in jail in the first place. “Some of the stuff they told me, some of the stuff they couldn’t,” he said. “They had to say ‘trust us, we know what we’re doing,’ which always makes me nervous. It’s Hollywood after all.”

Terra Nova shoots in Queensland, Australia, an area the cast and crew hope is able to convey the beauty and majesty of the age of dinosaurs. “It looks absolutely stunning,” O’Mara said. “We all agreed as a cast, it makes you feel like you’ve gone on a journey to arrive at a place that’s out of this world.”

Brisbane serves as Chicago in the year 2149. “It was sort of our version of Blade Runner,” Graves said. The set for both future Chicago and the technology, weapons and outfits for the prehistoric age all had to be created from scratch. “There’s nothing that exists for Terra Nova that we could use,” he added. “I’ve never seen a television show with production design like this ever.”

Terra Nova is executive produced by none other than Steven Spielberg, whose connection to dinosaur-themed fiction is obvious. Spielberg isn’t a silent producer, however, and was very active in the production of the show. “He riffs on ideas like comics riff on jokes,” Graves said. “It’s fun to sit there and watch his brain unravel.”

One specific idea of Spielberg’s that Graves discussed was that the air of the distant past is so clean and free from pollution, that it literally poisons many colonists when they first arrive. They get oxygen poisoning and are forced to wear the gas masks they use in the future because of pollution, but this time because of a lack of it. Spielberg is also bringing with him Jack Horner, the paleontologist he consulted for Jurassic Park. Horner is helping to ensure the creators get the dinosaurs and animals right, but also to make sure the environment and plant life are accurate.

”Every new show I do feels like a terrifying first experience,” Braga said, conceding that not even his experience running Star Trek for more than a decade could help him cope with Terra Nova. “[Terra Nova] is also very Gene Roddenberry-esque in that it’s about leaving behind greed, ignorance, the emotional components, the more corrupting components of human beings and their behavior; we are hoping to leave them behind in the dystopian future and start again.”

Terra Nova debuts this fall on Fox.-by Karl Keily

WC11: “Human Target” Panel

The stars and executive producer of Fox’s action drama “Human Target” took center stage in the Esplanade Ballroom at WonderCon on Sunday afternoon. Sitting down to talk about the past two seasons, as well as ruminate on a possible third, were Mark Valley (Christopher Chance), Jackie Earle Haley (Guerrero) Janet Montgomery (Ames) and executive producer Matt Miller.

Jenna Busch, moderator of the panel, kicked off the hour by asking Miller to recap what happened during the show’s second season. Miller said he tried to grow the world while developing both old and new characters further.

“I got a Green Lantern ring. Its free, its WonderCon; what are ya gonna do?” said Valley when asked what he’s been up to lately. Shifting to the show, he said, “I got to do a lot more talking during the second season. Talking to other people. The first season I did a lot of explaining and exposition, but this time I found myself doing scenes with a lot more people.”

Haley joked that if they get picked up for a third season, the infamous scene where Ames has to squeeze through an air duct in nothing but her underwear and oil would be repeated with an even smaller duct.

“I got in my underwear a few times in season two,” Montgomery said. “Ames did, not me, it was all character. It was interesting because I asked what the oil was for when we shot the scene. It looked big enough for me to squeeze through with my clothes on. They said, ‘No, you’re gonna need to undress and use the oil.'”

“Janet would now like to perform for you, live!” Haley interrupted, with Montgomery saying she was game if anyone in the audience had any oil. Sadly, they did not.

Montgomery said it was fun joining a mainly male cast. “They kind of took me under their wing and looked after me,” she said. “In her underwear!” added Valley.

Miller credited the amazing production values to the crew in Vancouver. “I think everyone who comes on the show, deep down wants to be an action director, so they really get up for it. As far as I’m concerned, we are doing the best action out there on television.”

Valley said despite the action scenes, he’s never been hurt on the show. “I get hurt all the time!” said Montgomery. In the last episode of the season, she recalled how she was hanging on a ledge about a foot off the floor and fell right off.

Mark Valley jokes with a fan

“I’m not sure whether I like working on the show more or being a fan of the show. I find watching the show, I am completely invested in all of the characters,” said Haley, admitting to geeking out over script readings where he gets to find out what happens to all the characters.

“I read the script like it’s a comic book, without the comics obviously, without the pictures. Then we shoot it, and I’m kind of a fan of the show myself,” added Valley.

The moderator asked the cast to drop clues as to details in the story people may not have picked up on. Valley and Haley pointed out that their characters both have the same tattoo, the origin of which hasn’t been fully explained. “Next season, she gets the tattoo,” joked Valley to Montgomery.

Miller said the next season will feature more on Baptiste’s relationship with Chance and Guerrero’s history. One specific storyline will feature Guerrero hiding from his ex-wife who gets released from jail. “Even Guerrero has his kryptonite,” said Miller.

Busch asked Miller what he would like fans to send to Fox as part of a campaign to make sure the show gets picked up, to which Miller responded, “Guns!” He then quickly specified that he meant water guns and not real ones.

Miller went in to what might happen Chi McBride’s character Laverne Winston if the show gets picked up for a third season, saying they went in to some of Winston’s back-story in season two and season three will feature him trying to save his nephew in order to get back in his wife’s good graces. “It doesn’t work out so well for him,” said Miller.

Characters that might come back for a potential season three include Baptiste, Roger Bart and Harry. “I have to think, did they die? No, they didn’t die. Which ones died, which ones are in jail,” asked Valley.

Haley said the only real difference between TV and film is that TV is a lot quicker. “TV has caught up to movies,” he said. “I feel ‘Human Target’ looks like an action movie of the week.”

At this point Busch opened up the panel to questions from the audience.

A season two DVD will be released towards the end of the summer, featuring behind the scenes bonus footage, said Miller.

Jackie Earle Haley discusses his character, Guerrero

A fan asked the panel to comment on Guerrero’s change from a computer nerd character in season 1 to a badass action hero in season two. “He’s sort of like the gimp in the box, and once in a while you bring him out,” said Miller. “I don’t know if he’s more of a bad ass, but he is morally questionable with some of the things that he does. That’s sort of the fun of the character.”

Miller admitted that changing the theme song in season two was a mistake and that if the show is brought back for a third season, they would bring back the composer from the first season. “I had no idea the backlash that replacing the opening theme music would have. Mea culpa. In hindsight perhaps things would have been done a little differently,” said Miller.

Miller said shooting Vancouver and treating it as though it were San Francisco was a lot easier in season 1, since Chance was in hiding and not out in the open. In the second season, while they have shot more scenes to resemble San Francisco, that is weighted by the fact that the show frequently leaves its home city in the course of the narrative, meaning there are less San Francisco shots to be made overall. “I would love it if we got to shoot in San Francisco!” said Montgomery. Haley said he partly took the show because it was shooting in Vancouver, pointing to the Vancouver hat he was currently wearing as proof of his love for the Canadian city. Haley had first fallen in love with the city while shooting “Watchmen.”

A fan pointed that the same actor was used for two different walk on roles in back to back episodes. “The guy who looks like John Legend, right? Yeah, one of them was John Legend and the other was him,” joked Valley.

The next fan to take the mic asked if the producers were doing anything, such as cutting the budget, to give “Human Target” an edge over other potentially renewed shows like “Fringe” and “Lie to Me.” “You seem to know more about the numbers, maybe we should ask you! What are our chances?” asked Montgomery. “I think the question is, ‘Why are we here?” said Valley. On a more serious note, Miller said negotiations are currently going on and they would do whatever it takes to get a season three. “You may have to do some more work in air ducts with oil,” Miller told Montgomery.

Janet Montgomery looks forward to a third season of the series

Haley commented on his relationship with the character of Ames in the series. He said that it was tough to pin down exactly what type of relationship they have.

Valley said that he saw the character of Christopher Chance as Keen Eddie’s older brother that beat up on him sometime.

Miller said that Baptiste would frequent the show more often in a season three, but he would never join the crew full time. “You don’t want to ever see Baptiste completely defanged.”

The scene where it snowed in San Francisco happened almost accidentally. Originally, the scene was meant to be shot in the rain, but the day they had the rain machines it was so cold they couldn’t use them. They shot the scene without rain, but it didn’t have the same visual impact, until it suddenly started snowing Vancouver. Even though they knew it doesn’t snow in San Francisco, Miller said, they just went with it because it looked so beautiful.

The last questions of the event asked the panel what fans could do to ensure a season 3 of the show happens. “We really appreciate the support that everyone has given us so far towards a season three. It wouldn’t be a show without the hardcore fans and I just wanted to make sure I said we really appreciate that,” said Valley.

“Be as vocal as you can, we would really appreciate that,” said Miller, noting that in today’s world of Facebook and Twitter, Fox really does pay attention to what fans say about the show online.

Haley added, as the last comment from the panel, that he encourages fans to oil up and film their own air duct scenes, than post them online to protest the show getting canceled. With the audience in stitches, the “Human Target” panel officially ended.-by Karl Keily,

Nothings On ep 22Darrell & Donny have ADD

The bad boys of podcasting discuss being out of shape,Wonder Woman,No Ordinary Family,and we go on tangents as usual.

HBO Cancels ‘In Treatment’ Sessions

Dr. Paul Weston is closing his practice: HBO has pulled the plug on ‘In Treatment,’ the Gabriel Byrne drama that followed the therapy sessions of a psychologist and his clients. The show lasted three seasons.

Though the series was a critical success — Byrne won a Golden Globe in 2009 and Glynn Turman and Dianne Wiest won Emmys for their performances in the first season — it never performed well in the ratings, drawing only 259,000 viewers for its season 3 premiere, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

HBO did soften the blow, somewhat, by keeping the door open for future projects for the characters of the shrink and some of his patients. “It’s true that we have no plans to continue with ‘In Treatment’ as previously formatted. However, we are in continued conversations with the executive producers to find another way to continue telling these rich stories,” HBO said in a statement.

What that means is not quite clear — spin-offs, perhaps, or a similar “therapy” show but in a different setting?

I guess you need to be a Freudian to figure it out.by Harley W. Lond,