CAPRICA & BSG at Nerd Prom (aka Comic-Con) 2010

Maureen Ryan has confirmed with SyFy they are bringing CAPRICA to San Diego Comic-Con this year.

Starz has announced that Lucy Lawless will attend the SPARTACUS: BLOOD & SAND panel, and there is a rumor that James Callis will be attending with the EUREKA panel (he has joined the cast for the new season, which premieres July 9, to play physicist Dr. Grant).



The HAWAII FIVE-O panel will include co-star Grace Park. Writer/producer Mark Verheiden will be there for a panel about his new series FALLEN SKIES, co-produced by HEROES' Greg Beeman and executive produced by Steven Spielberg.

If any of you hear about additional BATTLESTAR GALACTICA alumni at SDCC this year, shout it out in the comments.

For the first time ever I am going to SDCC myself, and will cover as much as I possibly can from the TV and Film worlds over at my new site The FemmeBot. Come check it out!

Plan Your Weekend

Saturday night on Sci-Fi watch James Callis in Book of Beasts.

My associate, Proggrrl recently noted that on Sunday May 31 Bear McCreary will be in Burbank, at Dark Delicacies signing pre-release CDs of his OST for Caprica. (The CD officially comes out in a few weeks.)

As Bear states on his blog:

The first copies of my Caprica score go on sale this Sunday, May 31st at Dark Delicacies in Burbank, CA. I will be taking part in a massive signing that also includes legendary genre composers Christopher Young, Michael Giacchino, Stu Phillips, Mark Isham, Wendy and Lisa, Ron Jones, Ken Thorne, Geoff Zandelli, John Murphy, John Harrison and Richard Band. Holy Cow! What a crowd! :)

I will also be signing Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and the first three Battlestar Galactica CDs.

DARK DELICACIES
4213 W. Burbank Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505
Sunday, May 31st, 2008, 2pm
www.darkdel.com

Come by and pick up an advance copy of Caprica weeks before the official June 16th release date. Also, you can order signed copies from the Dark Delicacies website and still have them signed to you personally.

James Callis on Num3ers

The site, sfuniverse reports:

Battlestar Galactica’s James Callis, aka Gaius Baltar will be creating a little havoc for Don and the team on the season finale of Numb3rs. Callis is playing a “charismatic sociopath” who kidnaps someone very close to Charlie making this crime more personal than ever!

It all happens on Friday, May 15 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

I wonder if he gets a harem in the episode?

Excuse My French

hobbitofkobol has a ton of great videos from the recent Jules Verne Festival in Paris, including video of the main BSG event with James Callis, Jamie Bamber, and Mary McDonnell. And an exclusive interview with Mary McDonnell.

Around the Horn

Tahmoh Penikett - who played Karl 'Helo' Agathon on BSG - has been cast in new TV SyFy Channel movie Riverworld.

Joining the 33-year-old is fellow Canadian star Laura Vandervoort, 24 - who played Supergirl in Smallville. Penikett has also appeared in Smallville, as two different characters.

In Riverworld, Tahmoh will play war correspondent Matt Ellman, who is killed along with his fiancee (Vandervoort) but awakens in a mysterious world populated by everyone who has lived on Earth.

Alan Cumming - known best to geeks as the teleporting Nightcrawler in X-Men 2 - is to guest star as the Caretaker; Jeananne Goossen and Mark Deklin also have been cast.

World Screen reports that Ronald D. Moore, the writer and executive producer of Battlestar Galactica, has been added to the Master Class speaker lineup at the Banff World Television Festival, which is celebrating its 30th edition this June 7 to 10.

Recently Sci-Fi Wire reported that writer Eric Heisserer has been hired to rewrite Ronald Moore's script for The Thing, a prequel film to John Carpenter's 1982 horror movie of the same name.

World Screen also reported:

Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer has signed on to star in The Dealership, a new original series pilot for Canwest that will be distributed by FremantleMedia Enterprises.

The one-hour pilot will feature Helfer in the lead role of Rachel Carson, the tough-as-nails sales manager of an auto dealership founded by her father Frank, played by William Devane (Jesse Stone). Also on board for the show is Patrick J. Adams (Friday Night Lights) as Rachel's younger brother. The pilot is a production of Verite Films.

Tricia was recently on Chuck, and Maureen Ryan reports on efforts to save Chuck. (Mo also suggests that if Fox kills Dollhouse, Joss Whedon needs to find a home on HBO, AMC or Showtime.)

From Proggrrl's Tweet, we find out that Michael Ausiello reports that James Callis will play a "charismatic sociopath" on the May 15th NUMB3RS season finale.

SFX interviews Romo Lampkin actor Mark Sheppard. Newsrama reports on Astronaut Garrett Reisman's BSG cameo appearance. Jamie Bamber and Tricia Helfer's print ads for PETA. Complex on BSG's hottest women.

A new comic book explores the back story of the Final Five. io9 notes:

The Final Five - written by Battlestar TV writer Seamus Kevin Fahey (The man behind "Faith" and "The Face of The Enemy" webisodes) and co-writer David Reed, and illustrated by Nigel Raynor - flashes back to thousands of years before the TV show to show us a backstory of the Final Five that will either explain it all, or confuse and screw up continuity once and for all. And what does it have to do with Starbuck's death?

Also recently released is Battlestar Galactica: The Manga -- Echoes of New Caprica (v. 1).

The DVD for Caprica provides more confirmation of BSG coming to Blu-ray.

Battlestar Galactica makes the list of best series dramas of all time.

SF Crowsnest and UPI report on the upcoming BSG prop auction.

All of the Battlestar Galactica scenes from Robot Chicken provided on Adult Swim.

Check out this concept car the Hyundai Nuvis that looks vaguely Cylon.

Convention appearance updates via the Battlestar Blog.

A BSG crossword puzzle. Geeksugar's BSG quiz roundup. io9 points to this BSG fan anthem.

A PROGRAM NOTE: I'm pleased to formally announce that writer Sam J. Miller has joined the Sitrep team. His work has appeared in literary journals such as Fiction International, Strange Horizons, AlterNet, and The Minnesota Review—who nominated him for a Pushcart Prize. Unabashedly obsessed with the re-imagined BSG, he's the author of “Battlestar Galactica vs. Star Trek,” available at mental_floss. Previously Sam provided us with his essay on BSG's use of Laura Roslin's eyeglasses. Sam will be posting an insightful and interesting essay on the Sitrep with his commentary on the series finale, Daybreak, shortly. So, keep an eye out for that.

Viva La France

Jamie Bamber, James Callis and Mary McDonnell will recieve the Jules Verne Award Sunday, April 26, at Paris Grand Rex theatre as part of the Jules Verne Film Festival. And guests will have the chance to see projection on the big screen of the episode of "Finale Saison" Daybreak. (And let me say, seeing the finale on the big screen is the way to go.)

The festival also has an advance screening of J. J. Abrams' Star Trek later that Sunday. A big day for SF fans in Paris. (And Trek Movie's Anthony Pascale has a mostly spoiler free review of Trek here.)

Another Last Frakking Special Ad

Thanks, SevorTB.

Clip from Daybreak

Via SevorTB a clip from Daybreak Part One.

TV Guide Feature Scans

Via Spoiler TV, here are scans of the TV Guide BSG feature. Logan read the piece, and tells me it does have some spoilers which I, and some of you out there, probably do not want to read.
Tread lightly...

TV Guide Shoot

Tricia Helfer, Katee Sackhoff, James Callis, Edward James Olmos, and Mary McDonnell of Battlestar Galactica at their TV Guide Magazine Cover shoot. Issue on newsstands March 11, 2008.

Mega News

In convention news, James Callis and Tricia Helfer recently attended MegaCon in Orlando, Florida. Battlestar Galactica fans also had Jennifer Halley (Seelix) and Luciana Carro (Kat) also attending were Dirk Benedict (Old Starbuck) and Herbert Jefferson (Boomer) from the classic series. Here's a short YouTube clip of Dirk Benedict and James Callis on the Battlestar Galactica panel discussion. And Jennifer Halley (Seelix) was interviewed by the Fandamonia Podcast.

(In other convention notes, Wil Wheaton posted a clip from YouTube of a panel at Phoenix Comicon that inclued Wil, Yuri Lowenthal and Aaron Douglas. And Dean Stockwell has cancelled his appearance at the Leap Back Quantum Leap convention.)

Tricia Helfer has also recently done a number of interviews discussing the season finale Burn Notice and the finale of Battlestar Galactica. io9 wonders if Six could get her own BSG spinoff.

MediaBlvd. talked to Alessandro Juliani.

Donnelly Rhodes (Doc Cottle) was interviewed by The Vancouver Sun.

BSG co-exec producer Mark Verheiden reports that he's writing a feature project for DreamWorks Pictures called Quatermain.

There are a number of interesting essays and observations on BSG:

The Guardian and The Ampersand write about Battlestar Galactica revealed as the new Virgil's Aeneid.

The science of BSG is studied variously... The Next Big Future looks at the effects of nuclear war on the 13th Colony. Galactica Science examines the star and constellation patterns in Someone to Watch Over Me.

Discover takes a look a real world self-repairing materials, like the Cylon goo slathered onto Galactica's beams.

Brad Templeton, Chairman of the Board of the EFF does a deep examination of Cavil's plan, and the history of the Temple of Hopes (Temple of the Five.) See also: This.

Cristoph Mark of the Daily Yomiuri writes that Women are at dark heart of Battlestar Galactica. Southern Voice ponders stereotypes, as relates to the portrayal of Gaeta.

TV Editor, Rob Owen, for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette observes that Battlestar Galactica defies youth demographics:

Sci Fi Channel's "Battlestar Galactica" has always been more interested in politics and religion than it has in ray guns and spaceships -- call it "The West Wing" in outer space -- but what's become increasingly obvious in the current season is the writers' resistance to demographic-based storytelling.

Networks, catering to advertisers, generally prefer stories that put younger characters front and center, but "BSG" has done the opposite in its final batch of episodes that ramped up political intrigue and character drama in a tense, action-packed mutiny storyline.

...Viewers don't usually see 60-something action heroes in prime time, but that's what "BSG" viewers saw when Adama and Saul Tigh (Michael Hogan) took up weapons to protect an airlock while Roslin escaped.

And when it comes to love stories in prime time, it's rare for viewers to see characters outside the 18-49 demo getting kissyface. There hasn't been a more touching, scripted scene on TV this year than Adama with his arm wrapped around a bald, cancer-stricken Roslin as the pair slept.

Even though the older characters have been getting the most face time and best storylines this season, ratings are up among young viewers, with the show scoring its best ratings since its season two premiere in 2005. Imagine that.

Hear that, network execs? It's not about the age of the cast, it's about the writing and performances. Young viewers will watch shows with older characters. And right now there's none better than "Battlestar Galactica."

In other news...

My Roommate the Cylon has made its web debut. John Manalang reports:

Giving much respect and salute to the sci-fi series, this comedy spin-off revolves around the story of three roommates Bennett Jacobs (played by Alex Enriquez), Pjeter Odama (Tyson Turrou) and Dale McKinney (Kenny Stevenson). The catch? Well, after receiving a letter from a mysterious sender, one of these guys apparently had a skinjob—nothing gross or raunchy, it just means that one of them could potentially be a Cylon who wants to eradicate the human civilization.

While the inside jokes and silly references to BSG in My Roommate the Cylon may tickle fans of the series, it may not even put a grin on others. The classic slacker humor adds another comedic perspective to the new web series, thanks to the stars of the show. So don’t worry about brushing up on some BSG knowledge to enjoy it—it is indeed pretty frakkin’ funny.

In other bits of humor... BSG cast members are among the insane crossovers of Jedi Celebrity Chefs. Continuing with food, how to make a BSGLT with the BSG toaster. (HT Proggrrl's recent tweet.)

Duane Dudek of the Journal Sentinel ponders Felgercarb Toothpaste.

When things get tough, think about Life Lessons from BSG: How to Take It Like A Man from Jaxz's Frakin Fandom blog.

Comic and manga news.

The Battlestar Wiki keeps good track of Ron Moore's smokes and drinks for his podcasts.

And David Eick will be at the National Association of Broadcasters:

'Battlestar Galactica' Creator and Executive Producer David Eick to Present Keynote at NAB Show

Battlestar Galactica Co-Creator and Executive Producer David Eick will present an afternoon keynote address entitled "The Making of Battlestar Galactica" at the 2009 NAB Show on Tuesday, April 21st in Las Vegas. The Super Session will focus on how to launch and produce a hit TV franchise that breaks the traditional mold seen in many television program storylines.

Eick's presentation will be followed by a sit-down discussion with Battlestar Galactica co-supervising producer and writer David Weddle. Weddle's credits also include supervising producer of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and author of 2001's critically-acclaimed biography "If They Move, Kill 'Em! - The Life and Times of Sam Peckinpah."

Cons: Starfury and New York Comic Con

For those of us who can never make it over to the UK for Sean Harry's fantastic Starfury cons, a fan known as hobbitofkobol has done us a lovely favor and transcribed the sessions at last month's Q&A sessions with Tahmoh Penikett, Nicki Clyne, Jennifer Halley, Michelle Forbes, Katee Sackhoff, James Callis and Mark Sheppard. Terrific photos (some of which we've borrowed here) provided by fan benelie. BRAVO.

By the by if you are in the neighborhood and can get to one of Starfury's events, every fan I've talked to about these cons just loves them. The next BSG one is Mission Starfury in November 2009. Go if you can!

Speaking of good conventions: the New York Comic Con is coming up Feb 6-8. As you can see from their official schedule (and this blog by con Director Lance Festerman) no official BSG panels seem to be happening, which is a shame. Though the con does say: “Most Movie and TV Panels are Still Not Announced – And Will Be Revealed Closer To NYCC.”



There are some BSG-related events on the books: a ton of BSG comic book related panels; Tahmoh Penikett at a DOLLHOUSE panel with Joss Whedon where they will screen part of the first episode and giveaway some posters; Mark Sheppard at the SEGA booth promoting THE CONDUIT; there is a panel about the web series EMMISARY, which co-stars Aaron Douglas. SuperBSGfan Seth Green and his ROBOT CHICKEN posse are doing a panel as well. Last year's RC panel was the best thing I saw at NYCC last year other than the all-cylon BSG panel, make sure to be there if you’re attending!

Off the wireless

[photo: LA Times]

The first season 4.5 videoblog is up…"The Fifth Is Among Us."

The Los Angeles Magazine waxes poetic about BATTLESTAR GALACTICA this week. The Star has 10 Tips for The Battlestarved (great new word!). This blogger penned a thoughtful essay. And this gentleman at The Atlantic twists the knife one last time – yet I couldn’t stop reading his piece. Maybe because he likes to complain about TV shows that “become the culture’s homage to vertigo—to the suspicion that we live in a universe of surfaces, pointlessly arranged, whose invitations to depth or transcendence are all red herrings, shaggy dogs, wild goose chases, and decoy ducks.” ...Does he know something that we don’t?

Time Out and Live@7 interview Katee Sackhoff.

Access Hollywood interviews Tricia Helfer. (Yeah Tricia, I'm gonna be a soppy mess too, when it's over.)

IGN interviews James Callis and Katee Sackhoff.

Comic Book Resources and Cort and Fatboy interview Mark Verheiden.

The New York Times Syndicate and FanCast interview Jamie Bamber.

SyFy Radio interviews Jane Espenson.

The L.A. Times interviews Michael Hogan and Rekha Sharma.

Tahmoh Penikett, with two shows about to go on air, has been interviewed recently by The L.A. Times, TV Guide, and Watch With Kristin.

Fear.net interviews Bear McCreary.

The Space podcast interviews Alessandro Juliana and Nicki Clyne, and in this other show, claims to have director Andrew Stanton revealing a WALL-E/BSG connection.

Slice of SciFi interviews Aaron Douglas.

Darth Mojo has begun blogging again, and has put up a very cool post about VFX radiosity, including a ton of great renders of BSG ships that I’m sure we’ve never seen before. Well, OK – maybe only SOME of you guys are with me on how cool this is. The rest of you, move along.

The UGO TV Blog posts an explanation written by auction CEO Alec Peters of why there are TWO arrows of Apollo on auction.

The Star and Wired’s Geekdad blog mark geek territory as they proclaim the crucial nature of BSG’s final season for geeks everywhere. Duh.

Entertainment Weekly has a Guess Who’s the Final Cylon bracket game up…and has put the BSG 4.0 DVD (and the return of 4.5) on this week’s Must List.

There is apparently a BSG-themed rollercoaster being developed for the Universal theme park in Singapore (see 12/3 & 12/8 entries).

The Hero Complex blog things J.J. Abrams’ STAR TREK owes a massive debt to BSG and STAR WARS for its battle scenes.

You can watch Rekha Sharma guest starring on SANCTUARY here.

If you have a Tivo DVR or a Windows PC, you can watch the film MY NAME IS BRUCE, written by Mark Verheiden, on Amazon VOD.

In this Vancouver Sun piece, Ron Moore discusses how fraktastic the Vancouver BSG crew is and how they helped the show excel. Moore also confirms that BSG Production Designer Richard Hudolin is working on the CAPRICA series. Thank the gods!

The Straight has some updates on CAPRICA casting in Vancouver.

For those of you who enjoyed the “Battlestarbook” this week…the fan who created it is going to do more.

Trying to get your friends hooked on BSG? Show them this fantastic primer written last year by Salon, just before the start of 4.0. Combine it with these vids, for the perfect prep session.


[Thanks to readers Kate and Stu for tips]

Inside The Secrets Of The Behind The Making Of...

Someone has just posted the Bear McCreary "documentary" onto youtube. Not sure how long it'll be there, especially now that I'm posting about it...but you must, MUST, watch part 2, 6 1/2 mins in, right away. LOLOL

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3

You Will Know the Truth

You Will Know the Truth.

greycoupon runs down the details on the promos shown today on Sci-Fi.

Here's one in slow mo:


If anyone has seen one in normal speed on YouTube or some place, note the link in the comments.

James Callis talked to Choire Sicha of the Los Angles Times about what to expect in the final 10 episodes:

"I don't think anything could prepare you guys for what happens at the end. We weren't prepared," he said.

Hmmm … Go on!

"It's quite — do we use the phrase "space opera"? There is something operatic about the ending of the show, only in the sense that it's like a full orchestra. Imagine very single person in the cast represents an instrument, and you've heard their theme or fugue. And then all the instruments play together. Everybody involved in this thing together — it's like the '1812 Overture.' Not only have you got all of the violins and the flutes, you've also got the flipping cannons they brought off Napoleon's ship, blowing off the roof. It's going off with a bang, this thing."

Was he perhaps setting our expectations too high?

"Honestly you can't be disappointed," he said. "I think if Adolf Hitler were back, he'd be crying in his handkerchief."

Now there's a quote blurb the PR department can use...

Happy Turkey Day

Wishing all our US readers a lovely yummy holiday weekend (and don't forget to obsessively stalk the Sci Fi Channel tomorrow for more promo vids, plskthx).

I will be transplanting myself to another city this weekend for work reasons, a two-month trip, so posting from me will likely be quiet. But let me leave you all with a delicious Baltar fanvid by the always-brill vidder bop-radar. Bop's vid was selected as one of the Best Fanvids of 2008 by New York Magazine, way to go bop!

Says NYMag.com's selector: "The definitive Gaius Baltar character study, hilarious and kind of terrifying. Gaius is the unreliable narrator who takes himself quite seriously, which allows me to be amused at his antics, afraid for him and of him. This vid has made me impatient for the last season of BSG to hurry up and start already!"

So say we all.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA actors in the news...

Michelle Forbes gets a part on Alan Ball's new HBO series TRUE BLOOD. Season one, which just began airing last night, is apparently wrapped so is this for season two?

Tricia Helfer and Katee Sackhoff keep on truckin'...

James Callis, Aaron Douglas and Richard Hatch discuss their next projects with fans at Dragon Con. And you Callis fans out there please note we're still seeking confirmation of which Merlin project he is talking about a commenter on this post updated us on this, and thinks it is a Sci Fi Channel TV movie about Merlin.

Driveby DragonCon Goodies

Sorry folks but my "real job that pays actual money" has been mad busy this week, so I am a bit behind on the posting, and sharing collected DragonCon links with you. However, I cannot let another moment go by without sharing the following, which is guaranteed to provide much fandom happy:




- nnaylime's massive collection of panel videos on youtube and for download! Remember to leave comments thanking her, she's a trufan. She's got some other reports up of her con experience on her livejournal, if you're looking for that.

- jettdelirium's wonderful photos and write-up of her experience at the Colonial Fleet party

- bobbarker's glorious party and parade photos

Too fun...no wonder the cast hung out all night!

[photos: jettdelirium and bobbarker]

DragonCon Tweets

TechGOnzo and einaphets are twittering from DragonCon this weekend...here are a few fun bits:

Olmos working with attorney gen. to catch the guy who scammed fans at Jump con says "As much time as it takes to bring this bastard down" (via)

Olmos "this is my first con in the USA in my entire life". "...most fun i've had in public in my entire life" (via)

Direct to DVD sept 8 starts shooting. Its set in "lay your burdens down" time, says Hogan. (via)

Question: what on the show do you wish could happen in real life: Douglas- "Communal Showers" (via)

Grazier says he doesn't know anyone who hasn't cried after reading the final episode script. (via)

Question, entire cast: plans post-bag? Callis is doing a tv show Merlin, which he is playing the lead. (via)

EJO thanks the fans for being so fun at DC (via)

Tigh: "so say we all" and that's it folks, end. (via)

Regarding a new role for James Callis: is TechGOnzo is referring to BBC's MERLIN, which premieres in the UK on BBC1 next month, and midseason on NBC here in the US? There has been no official announcement yet that Callis has joined the cast, which includes Michelle Ryan and Anthony Stewart Head...we'll see if that turns out to be more than a rumor. MERLIN actually has a character named Gaius, played by Richard Wilson.


In other news: Michael Hogan partied with The Colonial Fleet till 2am last night...and Edward James Olmos is wearing his ADAMA '08 tee shirt today. Niiiiiiice. :D

First bits of fun from DragonCon

[photo by squirrely24U]

Livejournalist m-a-r-i-k-s has posted some lovely photos of the first BATTLESTAR GALACTICA panel at DragonCon this weekend in Atlanta. This panel incluldes Tahmoh Penikett, Richard Hatch, Michael Hogan, Edward James Olmos, Aaron Douglas, Kevin Grazier, and James Callis. WOW!

Fans Wickedpenguin and wisteria have posted some panel videos... Let us know if you find more as they trickle up into the webs...

Cosplay and Michael Hogan: together at last



wisteria's video of panel - Part 1

Dragoncon - BSG Panel - 082908
Uploaded by alannab99

Part 2



Part 3



ETA: Oh and that other guy sitting on the panel, between Douglas and Callis? He is going to appear on BSG in season 4.5...I didn't catch his name, anybody know it?