BSG – Delay of 3rd Season on DVD

The Third Season of BSG will not be released on DVD  until April 2008.  The same month the Fourth Season is schedule to premiere.  So far no one associated with the show will provide any details for the decision for the delay.

However, speculation is that NBC/Universal wants to give the TV movie Razor time to be released on DVD so they can maximize their profits.  Another reason for the delay could be to add the current web episodes and other extras on the Third Season DVD while creating additional buzz on the Fourth Season and final season.  Capitalism at its best! 

My hypothesis is that NBC/Universal is delaying the release of the DVD due to the pending Writers Guild strike.  If the strike does occur like everyone in Tinsel Town is predicting, it could be one long strike.  So NBC is looking at using BSG for their network programming while the strike is going on.  If so, then the Third Season would be the logical choice to show.  Then again who knows!

Heroes – The Line (season two)

Last night on Heroes – The Line we discovered that once again that judgment has come raining down on New York City for her sins.  The drums of Armageddon are once again beating.  Each day the drum’s beat becomes louder and louder until that fateful day of judgment when drums becomes silent – June 14 2008. Judgment day!  A plague of biblical portions rains across the land. 

Jeremiah 21:6 And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.

Peter’s journey through time/space brings us to that fateful day when the Big Apple once again is the battleground for good and evil.  Are our beloved heroes the catalysts that put the wheels in motion for this event to occur or the just pawns of the Company to push an agenda forward?  What is the “League of Twelve” connection to all of this?  Is Matt’s long lost father connected to all of this? 

Did the vaccine that Bob/Mohinder are developing cause this plague or is this plague a natural event to eliminate the humans who are not part this new evolutionary process?  Will Peter be the savior again or an instrument of the “League of Twelve” to cause this event? 

Who is Adam Monroe?  Is he a member of the “League of Twelve,” another “Big Bad,” or a much needed hero who can help save mankind from their pending fate? 

What we do know is that not only does Adam have a connection to Peter but he is also linked to Bob as we discover through the file Bob has.  Plus Adam is number 9 on the list of new heroes that has been introduced so far this season which is quickly growing.

All is right with the world for now – Claire is back as a cheerleader on Heroes 90210.   She can now save the world…I guess.  Speaking of Claire’s storyline, where is going?  Will Dylan, Brenda, Brandon and the rest of Peach Pit crew show up to give Claire an interesting story?  I tell you something is needed here!

This episode is the foundation on where the show is heading for this season – the destruction of New York, Peter at the center of the story, and majority of the Heroes contacted in some way or fashion.  You could almost say Season One repackaged.  Let’s hope there is more meat in this sandwich.

States with the most hybrid sales

Here is an interesting statistic that was published in the USA Today on Monday October 29, 2007

States with the most hybrids sales

1. California – 26.3%
2. Florida – 5.4%
3. Texas – 5.0%
4. New York – 4.7%
5. Virginia – 4.1%

Living in the Commonwealth of Virginia, I found our addition to this list rather interesting.  Even though I do my part to recycle and conserve all forms of energy, I find it rather empowering that other Virginians are doing their part too.

2008 Tour de France course

It is official, the 2008 Tour de France will start in the Brittany on July 5^th.   There will be 21 stages with the last stage on July 27^th in the city of lights – Paris after 3500 kilometers or 2175 miles of riding.  The Tour route will include ten flat stages, five mountain stages, two rest days, four mountain finishes, and two individual time-trials.  This year’s race will be less mountain stages and more flat stages, a switch from years past.

The question on everyone’s mind is which team and rider will be favored to win the Yellow Jersey?  With Discovery now disbanded and best of the best distributed among the other pro-teams, I would say that Astana with Cantador, Levi, and Johan Bruyneel as the team to beat.  This should be one interesting tour…I guess it is anyone’s to win.  Viva Le Tour!!!  See you in July!

Veronica Mars on Heroes

Wow, Kristin Bell on Heroes!!!  Before I could get these words of glee out of my mouth to my dear wife, the excitement turned to disappointment within minutes of Bells’ arrival in the episode “Fight or Flight.”  You see, I had high expectations that the infusion of Bell to Heroes would lift this season out of the pit of despair the show seems to wallowing in.

My disappointment was not Bell, who I think is an incredible talent.  Rather, my disappointment is once again with the writers/producers.  Instead of using the talents of Bell to create a unique character to build on, I thought I was watching a flash back of Veronica Mars minus Wallace, Logan, and the rest of the gang.  

Where has all the creativity gone from this once ratings hit for NBC?  As I mention before, the only interesting plot so far this season is the Parkman/Father/”League of Twelve” thread.  It was pleasant this week to be treated to just over half of the show to this interesting plot thread.  Too bad next week we will be subjected to “Pablo and Nikki” and Romeo and Juliet again …both plot threads that seem to not only be the weakest this season, but the ones with the least imagination.

In case anyone is keeping count, so far 8 new heroes have been introduced this season.  How many more heroes can they squeeze in before the season finale?  I bet the over is 16.

If you have not heard yet, Eli Roth of Hostel fame will be joining Kevin Smith in writing and directing an episode of Heroes: Origins.  From what I understand, his episode will be family friendly but suspenseful.  Not the torture horror that he is known for.  Should be interesting…

Browncoats on the march!

Are the Browncoats making a return?  Could be…Recently Moviehole.net had a phone interview with Alan Tudyk aka Hoban “Wash” Washburne where he mentioned that a direct-to-DVD sequel to Serenity could be on the horizon.  This news comes on the heels of the tremendous sales of the DVD box set of Firefly and the movie Serenity. 

“They had to put [the new DVD] out because they’ve been selling out of the other one [the DVD that isn't the 'Collectors Edition'] and so Universal’s like ‘So, let’s do another one’,” he says, adding “And now… there’s now a chance there’s going to be another movie”.

Don’t dust off your Browncoats just yet; Universal has not been given the okay for the project.  However, with the demand in sales of the DVD like they are, it is just a matter of time before this sequel becomes a reality.

If that was good enough, Joss Whedon has also mention about an ongoing comic based on the Serenity film.  I guess you can’t keep a good ship docked.  Long live Serenity!

Heroes – Episode 4 The Kindness of Strangers (season two)

Since Heroes returned last season from the mid season break (4/30/2007), I have not been nearly as taken in with the show as I was when it appeared in the fall of 2006.  I found that the plot lines have been drawn out; characters not nearly developed, too many new characters, and last 5 episodes were a bit anti climatic especially the season finally.  With that said, I have gone into this season a bit apprehensive about where the show is heading.  So far my fears have come true.  Season two is picking up right were it left off – tired plot threads, new characters that the viewer can not build an emotional connection too, and story up to this point which has been fragmented.

However, not all is lost.  Last night’s episode (The Kindness of Strangers) provide me a with slim glimmer of hope that Heroes has the potential to be once again a great show.  I not referring to the tired twins tread, Clair’s romantic thirst, or Peter’s amnesia issue, but plot that deals with the systematic assignation of what I like to called the “League of Twelve.”  These are the original heroes – Linderman, Deveaux, Kaito, the Petrellis, Bob and now Matt’s dad, who we discover could be the “Big Bad” of season two.  Wow!  I did not see this coming.  What a smart move to make the “Big Bad” the father of character whose roll has been limited and questionable up to this point.  Instead of wishing that character Matt should have died at the end of last season, I now look at becoming invested in to his back story and his AWOL father.  I want to know more about the company, the “League of Twelve”, Matt’s father/powers, and more about Matt.  Also, how many other Heroes parents have a connection to this group?  These are all questions that I can not wait to be answered. 

I found every show needs a good conspiracy to make it not only interesting, but to create an appetite in the viewer that needs be feed each week.  The successful shows like Dr Who (season 3), X-files, Jekyll, Supernatural, Lost, and BSG know how to maximize this technique to create an experience that viewer must schedule time each week to have.  I hope the producers and writers give the Matt/Father/”League of Twelve” plot the attention it needs.  If so, Heroes could once again become must see TV again…

Reaper – One of the best new TV shows of 2007

When did Mephistopheles become so cool?  If you’ve had the opportunity to watch the new show on CW called “Reaper,” you would know what I am talking about.  If not, then get on board for an enjoyable ride into the shadows of the world of Hell Inc. 

To give you a bit of synopsis of “Reaper,” it is about a slacker named Sam whose soul was sold to the devil by his parents before he was born in order to save his dad’s life from a terminal illness.  Sam does not learn his fate until he turns 21 and then his life changes forever…

I know what you are thinking.  If Sam’s soul is the property of Satan now that he’s 21, then his fate has already been written — permanent residence in the eternal flames of Hell.  So, what is left? 

Well, business has been booming for Hell for quite a while and right now Mephistopheles has a few more souls than he can handle which is creating opportunities for souls to escape back to Earth.  The devil puts this way, “We were unprepared for the influx. I blame myself.”

Now being the good businessman that he is and having street cred as the ultimate evil Satan cannot have these souls escape; it would be bad PR and business.  So, instead of condemning poor Sam to Hell, he makes him an employee – the Reaper, a bounty hunter for Hell.  Sam’s mission is to round up all the lost souls that escape Hell and return them back.  If he doesn’t…well consequences at the hands of Mephistopheles would be grave. 

Now, Sam’s job is not as simple as it sounds.  He is going up against souls with supernatural powers that are pure evil without any real powers of this own.  To help him with his task, Satan provides poor Sam with a “vessel” that changes depending on the job or soul that he has to capture.  In the first episode, the vessel was of all things a Dirt Devil mini-vacuum, and in the second episode, it was a radio controlled car.

Yes, it sounds silly and yeah it is, but believe it or not these “vessels” do the job in capturing these escape souls.  Once the soul is collected they must be deposited at the nearest gateway or opening to hell…the DMV.  As Mephistopheles explains it, “anywhere that seems like on Earth is hell on Earth” and he could not be more on the mark about DVM.  Mephistopheles puts it another way, “Drop off a fugitive, renew your license.  I’m all about the perks.”  Sam is not alone; he enlisted Sock and Sam co-workers and friends from the big box discount store The Work Bench to help fulfill his job obligations.  What a recipe of great fun, laugher, and far out adventure!

The true charm of the show is the writing and the cast.  Show creators Tara Butters, Michele Fazekas, Tom Spezialy, and Mark Gordon provides the audience with a touch of comedy and light adventure with a mixture of satirical commentary about the uninspired youth of today sprinkled in. 

Ray Wise steals the show as the devil!  Wise plays Mephistopheles like a warped, comic CEO whose goal is not to punish Sam but be his mentor.  Wise’s delivery is dead pan and not too over the top.  As a viewer you can’t wait for him to make his next appearance.  The rest of the cast Sam (Bret Harrison), Sock (Tyler Labine), Ben (Rick Gonzalez), and Missy Peregrym provide great performances with the ability to carry the show without needing Wise in every scene. 

With two episodes under their belt, let’s hope that Sam doesn’t fall down on the job.  Getting “fired” by Mephistopheles would not be pretty! 

What is wrong with Heroes?

Heroes is back!  So far over the last two weeks I have enjoyed the new season of Heroes.  The first two episodes have been a nice treat in getting reacquainted with some of my favorite characters after last year’s anti-climatic and disappointing season finale along with meeting a few new faces.  So far the creators have done a respectable job in wrapping up loose storylines and providing updates to a majority of the Heroes we meet last season.However there are a few issues that I have found that is diminishing my Heroes experience so far.

1. The commercials – okay I know that commercials pay the bills and being one of the hottest shows on TV, the buy time is a huge money maker for GE.  But come on…every 7 or so minutes there was a commercial break.  I wouldn’t be a bit surprised that the actual show time is less than 40 minutes.  Boy, I feel cheated.
2. Okay I like Hiro and love that he transported to feudal Japan, but really…you can see this story thread a mile way.  Hiro is actually the hero of his childhood.  His travel back in time is not accident; it is part of the timeline and Hiro’s development as a hero.  I have seen this one several times in Star Trek.  Any new ideas?
3. What is up with the entire product placement? First it was Nissan.  You remember the car that Claire received from HRG for her birthday…Yeah a Nissan Rogue.  It is the same model that Nissan was pushing in all their commercials during episode one.  Between the enormous amount of commercials and now product placement, I am wondering if I am watching an info-commercial that has a story.
4. Characters.  I thought Lost had a huge cast, but Lost has nothing on Heroes.  Every time I turn around a new actor/actress has signed onto Heroes.  Who will it be this week?  To be honest, I have a hard enough time keeping everything straight from last season.  Now I have all these new connections and characters to track.  Before long I will need to map the whole Heroes tree/universe in Visio just to keep me sane!

Okay, with all that off my chest I am now ready to see where this season takes us and let’s hope the season will be as good as the hype.

Indiana Jones – News

On Memorial Day 2008 the fourth installment of Indiana Jones series hits the silver screen – Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  Not only is Jones back, but so is his true love Marion (Karen Allen) along with a new side kick played by Shia LaBeouf. Beyond bits of casting information, most of the film details are still under wraps.

Don’t fret all you Jones addicts; you can still get your Indy fix before the film is released thanks to Dark Horse Comics.  Dark Horse comics have announced that it has acquired the rights to launch a new comic series starting in February 2008 based on the continuing adventures of Indiana Jones.  This release is just the beginning for Dark Horse.  First to be published is two Indian Jones books that are a collection of re-prints of past Jones adventures under Dark Horse.  These books will be followed up in April with the first volume of a graphic novel of Indiana Jones Adventures.  These books will come out every quarter.  After the film is released in May 2008, an all new monthly Indian Jones comic series will then be released. 

So dust off you fedora, get out on your leather jacket, and snap your bull whip, because Jones is back and let the adventures begin!