ABC's V (Image from ABC's Mobile Website)
In the fall of 2009, there seemed to be an endless number of continued and new television shows Shooter Jr and I were looking forward to watching. Eighteen months later, it is a very different landscape on our DVR and TV Guide. Granted, there are still some great shows left but there a quite a few empty holes that will be difficult to replace. In the wake of the SyFy cancellations of Caprica and Stargate Universe in late 2010, I find myself wondering if ABC’s V will be able to survive for another season in the 2011-2012 timeframe.
Confession #1: I watched Caprica out of loyalty to Battlestar Galactica. BSG brought me back to the scifi genre. Somewhere between leaving college and rebuilding my life after my divorce I stopped watching science fiction. Somewhere between the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager television shows simultaneously airing I decided to focus on my career and my post graduate education. Somewhere between Shooter Jr being born and actually paying for cable television I lost track of shows like Andromeda, Farscape, and Babylon 5. But BSG brought me back and I owed BSG, Ronald D. Moore, and everyone else involved to watch Caprica.
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The sci-fi film/television production community is surprisingly close knit. Everyone seems to know everyone else, and it would be difficult to come up with two movies or shows that couldn’t be connected “six degrees of separation”-style. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that a lot of sci-fi contains nods to other works in the genre. One of my favorite things to do when rewatching sci-fi is to keep my eyes peeled for robots/ships/props/etc. from other TV shows or movies to make cameo appearances. And believe it or not, it’s actually pretty common. Allow me to be your guide as we take a look at sci-fi past and present to explore some of the coolest — and some of the most well hidden – of these appearances.
As Watchmen nears release — and Heroes/Villains approaches its season debut — I’ve heard a lot of stink about the later ripping off the former. Sure, they’re both studies in the reasons for and results of vigilanteism. But they approach the topic from opposite directions. Where all the Watchmen (save Dr. Manhattan) are just people in costume, the Heroes all have powers that set them apart from the rest of the world. Heroes explores the pain and suffering superpowers bring as they force their benefactors into vigilanteism — a classic (if slightly more focused in Heroes) comic viewpoint. Watchmen explores what wanting to be a savior does to normal people.
In the (bent for my purpose) words of Douglas Adams, anyone who wants to be a superhero is ipso facto totally unqualified for the job. Watchmen provides ample evidence for this. The Watchmen wllingly put on their costumes, built their toys, and love what they do. (Or at least love to hate what they do. Or do it out of the need to satisfy some neurotic need from a spoiled childhood. Or because they hate everyone. You get the idea.)
“Classic” superheros like Peter Parker, for example, have their great power (and responsibility) thrust upon them. Parker’s humanity remains, which stages an ongoing fight between his needs and the needs of society. Heroes follows a similar path, but focuses on how everyone has a different view on what comprises society’s “needs.”
And yes, this “master plan” focus does approximate the “master plan” in Watchmen. (I’m being intentionally vague to avoid spoilers for those who haven’t read it and/or plan to see the flick.) But I can say this: I personally believe that the “master plan” in Watchmen isn’t the point of the book — not to mention that the “master plan” concept is far from unique to Watchmen.
Anyway, if you’d like to engage further in this discussion, it came up recently in the Watchmen group read thread in the GWC Forum. Watchmen is this month’s GWC Book of the Month.
Whether you love or hate the voice of Sendhil Ramamurthy — the actor who plays Mohinder and laid down the introductory voice-over throughout the first two season of Heroes — you may hear a new voice in season three: that of “an Australian Aboriginal actor in his fifties.” BuddyTV reported last week that series creator Tim Kring is said to be seeking such an actor “to appear in multiple episodes as a storyteller with great wisdom and a soft, soothing voice.”
BuddyTV also floated rumors that NBC may bless the third installment of Heroes with upwards of thirty episodes. One thing’s certain, though: Heroes will return September 15th.
Crown, a unit of Random House, paid a reported $3 million up front for a forthcoming “alternate history trilogy” to be authored by Heroes creator Tim Kring and writing partner Dale Peck. The New York Observer reports that an “industry source” told them “the book is set in America and runs from the 1960s to the near future. The protagonist is a man named Chandler Forrest whose participation in LSD experiences administered by the CIA has given him superpowers.”
It seems Crown bought the trilogy based solely upon a 25-page treatment and “what was described as a video trailer that editors had to log on to a web site to see.”
(Thanks to drustar for the great CC-licensed photo.)
Tim Kring/Dale Peck Trilogy Sold To Crown For $3 Million [NY Observer]
We’re still in a holding pattern waiting for new Heroes episodes come September, but in the meantime NBC has greenlit additional weekly webcomics to help fill in some of the infamous “Company’s” back story. The new comics will debut each Tuesday, starting April 15th, on NBC.com.
Series writer Chuck Kim, who also wrote the story arc for these latest comics, told Entertainment Weekly, “We’re basically focusing on a group of agents within the Company. We’ll be touching on HRG [Noah Bennett]. The story will start right about the end of season two.” He goes on to say that the story will include Bob, Elle, and The Haitian, as well as introduce new Company characters. Some of the new characters may turn up in new episodes, like Hana, who made a very brief appearance in season two.
And if you haven’t yet read the Heroes webcomic, jump right over via the link below and start at the beginning where 80 comics await to help plug the gaps between season one and two episodes and expand the Heroes universe.
Heroes WebComics [NBC]
‘Heroes:’ Exclusive Peek At New WebComic [EW.com] [via]
According to Variety, NBC is planning to make use of the web provisions in that newly-signed writers’ contract to produce a series of Heroes webisodes which will “air” starting in July. So far there’s no word whether they’ll take the form of short BSG-style webisodes or contain longer, more show-like content, but at this point we’ll take whatever we can get.
NBC Bringing Shows To The Web [Variety] [via]
Fans have been assembling “unofficial” sound tracks for some time now, but as of March 18th you’ll be able to skip the hassle and buy one — including the theme, of course. The disc will include tracks from artists including Bob Dylan, Wilco, Panic At The Disco, and others.
Here’s a complete track listing:
1. Heroes Title – Wendy & Lisa
2. Fire and Regeneration – Wendy & Lisa (*new release)
3. He’s Frank – Brighton Port Authority featuring Iggy Pop (*new release)
4. All For Swinging You Around – New Pornographers
5. Glad It’s Over – Wilco (*new release)
6. Weightless – Nada Surf (new release)
7. Nine In The Afternoon – Panic! At The Disco (new release)
8. Chills – My Morning Jacket (*new release)
9. Natural Selection – Wendy & Lisa
10. ABoneCroneDrone 3 – Shelia Chandra
11. Not Now But Soon – Imogen Heap (*new release)
12. Jealously Rides With Me – Death Cab For Cutie (*new U.S. release)
13. All Things Must Pass – The Jesus and Mary Chain (*new release)
14. Homecoming – Wendy & Lisa
15. Man In The Long Black Coat – Bob Dylan
16. Maya’s Theme – Yerba Buena (*new release)
17. Keeping My Composure – The Chemical Brothers featuring Spank Rock (*new release)
18. Heroes – David Bowie
* Denotes an exclusive new release on the “Heroes” soundtrack album.
The bad news: it’s a Best Buy/Zune Marketplace exclusive. Of those two options, I’d probably choose Best Buy. But why not just release this?
[via]
NBC is again auctioning a number of Heroes props — and more importantly, a number of canvas prints of original Giclee art from the show. My personal favorite: Hiro vs. Dinosaur, pictured above and starting at a $250 opening bid.
The bad news: the art from NBC’s last round of auctions went for $2,500 to $6,000 — a little beyond my budget. But I might be able to snag Claire Bennet’s fake driver’s license.
Heroes Auctions [NBC] [via]
If the fact that Hiro Nakamura wears one isn’t enough to make you drool for this watch like I do, there’s a practical side as well: its high-res face can display the time in 37 cities — perfect for anyone planning to blink from Tokyo to Times Square instantly. Of course, you’ll have probably have to set it manually after a jaunt to feudal Japan.
Even the uninitiated will appreciate Nixon’s skate and snowboard cred, and you’re unlikely to run into anyone else wearing one — unless I find a spare $150 in the near future. I know it’s over-priced, but I’m a bona-fide watch fiend. This one’s totally on my list.
The Connect [Nixon]
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