Hold on to your ears, true believers. Marvel shareholders approved the Disney takeover earlier this week. The deal, which was valued at about $4.3 billion, went into effect on Thursday. Now, many fans are wondering what will happen to their beloved characters.

As we noted in August, things will stay the same, at least initially. Universal Studios will continue their relationship with the Marvel characters and Hasbro expects to continue to produce toys through 2017. As for movies, there’s a lot going on. Thor starts filming this month, Captain America is scheduled to begin production and July and Iron Man 2 should be released this May.

In other words, it doesn’t look like Mickey has Spidey in his clutches.

Yet.

The image after the break is most assuredly NSFW (you’ll see some dude’s “Captain’s Log” as well as everything these young officers have to offer), so refrain from clicking the link if that sort of thing bothers you.

Set phasers to “Oh God No.”

[Via Dinner in the Darkroom]

From the Totally Awesome Department: Patrick Stewart will be knighted by Britain’s* Queen Elizabeth II.  The award recognizes service and achievement in all fields of society and is considered the highest honor for British citizens (Noncitizens may also be recognized). When men are made knights, they are called “sirs.” So let us say congratulations to Sir Patrick!

This will make him absolutely INTOLERABLE in 10 Forward.

*Who are the Britains?

Every trekkie knows that 2 Star Trek pilots were made. The first, “The Cage,” was rejected by NBC for being “too cerebral” (even back then they thought we were idiots). While “The Cage” was later re-packaged as “The Menagerie” Pt. 1 & Pt. 2, (beep once if you’ve seen it) the alternate pilot, starring Bill Shatner, ever aired.

Until now.

A German collector acquired a print which he shared with CBS. As a result, CBS will release this version on Dec. 15 as a part of the “Star Trek: Original Series – Season 3″ Blu-ray release. Above is a clip. Note the alternate opening monologue, title sequence and theme music. Also notable, the credits list George Takei as “Chief Physicist,” Paul Fix as “Ship’s Doctor” and Lloyd Haynes as “Communications Officer.”

We can’t WAIT to boldly see what no man has seen before!

[Via The Live Feed]

AMC’s ambitious remake of the short-lived, beloved television series, “The Prisoner” has finally aired (Part I at least). What did you think? Sound off in the comments below. Be seein’ ya!

Warning: The comments likey include spoilers. You have been warned.

Hide your gerbils! ABC’s re-imagined visitors have finally arrived. As their massive ships hover above Earth’s major cities, the scaly aliens attempt to infiltrate human society in very attractive costumes. The idea of seemingly benevolent aliens isn’t new, but it’s more compelling than clearly-defined good vs. evil. How will the contemporary Vs compare to their cheesy 80’s counterparts?

In a word: Pretty frakking well (OK, three words).

Warning: Some spoilers follow. If you don’t want to know, here’s the short, spoiler-free version of this post: It’s doing well and we like it. For the spoiler-rific version, keep reading.

First, the numbers. The November 3rd premiere posted a 5.0 rating/13 share in adults 18-49 and 13.9 million viewers total. In fact, it beat out the premiere of Fox’s heavily-advertised “The Cleveland Show” from Seth MacFarlane as well as “NCIS.” The second episode was seen by 10.7 million viewers and drew a 3.8 rating among adults 18-49. That’s a 27% drop from the premiere; not unexpected as 80’s nostalgia and pure curiosity inspired many of those initial 14 million viewers. Still, a 3.8 rating and 10.7 million pairs of eyeballs are enough to keep “V” on the air.

The story is just as promising. By the end of the first episode, we learned that the visitors have secretly existed among us for years. A resistance group has formed and one of the main characters, Ryan (filling the Robert Englund role as the cooperative visitor), is revealed to be a visitor, unbeknownst to his fiancée. In the 2nd episode, we’ve meet a foul-mouth priest and the FBI agent’s son who’s decided to become an agent for the visitors.

In other words, it’s moving along briskly.

This revamp of “V” is sexy, fast-paced and contemporary. Working with themes that Alien Nation and Battlestar Galactica addressed so keenly, “V” transcends the camp of Kenneth Johnson’s vision. Red jumpsuits and Yoko Ono-style sunglasses have been replaced  with smart suits and uniforms. More importantly, ABC is keen to address religion, trust and social class during prime time. Here’s hoping they’ve got the stones keep it going.

Go ahead, tell me that isn’t the scariest damn thing you’ve ever seen. It was an episode of The Bionic Woman that coined the term “fembot,” and they appeared in two multi-part episodes. The fembots didn’t have AI, but relied upon their programming. Plus, they didn’t mind when people dramatically tore off their faces to reveal the mechanics beneath.

The mindless, murderous fembots are creepy, evil and infiltrated my dreams for weeks when I was young. It’s the removable face that gets me. This also explains my fear of mannequins and CPR dummies.

Look here for more on why robots suck.

It’s a given that if you build a robotic version of Beelzebub, things are pretty much bound to go wrong. The crew of the Palomino had to know things were going to go badly as soon as they spied the big guy. Eccentric scientist Dr. Hans Reinhardt paints his right-hand bot blood red, gives him whirling blades where his friendly hands should go and to top it off, there just *might* be a person trapped inside Max’s scary shell.

For kids who went to see The Black Hole, Disney’s low-budget answer to Star Wars, Maximilian was the stuff of childhood nightmares. Maximilian was a killing machine who never spoke a word and played the robotic bully to the lovable V.I.N.cent voiced by the talented Roddy McDowall. Perched on the edge of a galactic abyss, Max proved that even in the farthest reaches of deep space, robots are nothing but bad news.

Look here for more on why robots suck.

This one isn’t even fair. They’re sexy. They’re handsome. They’re responsible for the genocide of the entire human race. Light years from the cheesy ‘bots from the original series (”By your command”), Ron Moore’s cylons gave the series the dark edge it deserved. The theme of man-made machines that rise up to destroy their masters isn’t new, but few have pulled it off with such grim perfection as Moore.

Even today, I can’t watch clips of human-like robots without thinking, someday this machine’s successors will burst into my home with bloodlust software running full-tilt. Seriously, can’t you picture this thing putting a gun to your head?

Yes, cylons were an easy choice. But for very good reason.

Look here for more on why robots suck.

HAL 9000 is probably the most terrifying  of the lot. He’s faceless, emotionless and the Discovery’s central nervous system. When astronauts Dave Bowman and Frank Poole discover that the supposedly infallible HAL has made a mistake in 2001: A Spacey Odyssey, they decide to shut down all but its most basic functions. HAL doesn’t take too kindly to this, and gets a bit homicidal.

At that point, the movie is part haunted house, part beat the clock and the very reason we don’t have Gypsy, Tom Servo or Crow on NASA missions! Arthur C. Clarke has provided sci-fi fans with one of the most memorable characters of all time, as well a strong deterrent for AI in outer space.

Think of what could be. Planet Express Ship! The Infinite Improbability Drive! Forget HAL, he’s why robots suck!

Look here for more on why robots suck.

The Stepford Wives

Written by the great Ira Levin, The Stepford Wives is part satire and part commentary. In the story, a young New Yorker moves to Stepford, Connecticut. She notices that the men of Stepford are married to impossibly beautiful and conciliatory women. Of course, the cyber-shit hits the fan when our heroine discovers the truth — those men have taken to killing their wives and replacing them with fawning robots. Above is what Bravo calls the movie’s scariest scene, and we agree.

Levin’s novel is a modern classic and the 1975 film adaptation by Bryan Forbes is terrific and damn creepy. Too creepy in fact. Artificial intelligence that drives murderous men to build high-tech sex toys? No, no. That’s not what we want!

All I’m after is a pit droid to change the oil in my Saturn. Maybe a bending unit to make hilariously rude comments. Levin’s robots are submissive and eerie. Bryan’s actresses are emotionless and distant. And they’re all coming between me and my own Twiki!

Look here for more on why robots suck.

Artificial intelligence research has progressed by leaps and … oh, who are we kidding? It sucks! A robot that can navigate a maze of pink Post-It Notes? Really? That’s the best we can do? Where are the cylons? Where’s Daryl Hannah in Bladerunner? Heck, where’s Bender?

I’ll tell you why we don’t have those things yet. In fact, it’s because of them! Every time we get a new movie like I, Robot or that forthcoming Bruce Willis stink bomb, it features sentient, pissed-off androids whose only motivation is to destroy human kind. Sure, it makes for an exciting movie but it hinders the MIT AI lab!

“Sure, I’ll fund your project,” says the wealthy investor. “It looks incredible. Here’s a a check for 10 million dollars. Who do I make this out … Hey, wait a minute. Aren’t these robots just going to rise up and enslave us?”

“Well no, Mr. High Profiled Investor. That’s just fiction and …”

“Don’t pull that over on me! I’ve seen The Stepford Wives!”

With this in mind, we’re begging sci-fi writers everywhere. Please write docile, helpful robots into your stories. We’re talking R2. We’re talking Rosie. But don’t do it for us, do it for these pathetic souls.

Look here for more on why robots suck.

Earlier today, geeks everywhere were shocked to learn of Disney’s acquisition of Marvel. According the the press release, “[The] acquisition highlights Disney’s strategic focus on quality branded content, technological innovation and international expansion to build long-term shareholder value.” In other words, HOLY CRAP MICKEY MOUSE PWNS SPIDER MAN.

So what does this mean for both companies, and for the fans? We took a look around, and here’s what we found.

Theme Parks

For years, Universal Studio’s parks have featured many of the Marvel characters. Specifically, there’s an Incredible Hulk roller coaster, a Spider Man immersive experience and walk-around characters like Wolverine and Captain America. There’s also a Universal Studios park right next to Disney World in Orlando. Will this deal change things? According to The LA Times, the answer is “No.”

‘“Our agreement with Marvel stands for as long as we follow the terms of our existing contract and for as long as we want there to be a Marvel Super Hero Island,’ said Universal Studios Florida spokesman Tom Schroder.”

Additionally, Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger said his company will honor the current relationship between Marvel and Universal, though Disney will “…use Marvel where we can on Disney platforms and in Disney places.”

In short: Marvel stays at Universal, will probably crop up at Disney, too.

Toys & Merchandise

Hasbro has been making the Marvel toys and, according to Reuters, they could be in trouble. Even though they’re contracted with Marvel through 2017, what happens then is up for grabs. After all, Disney has a longer-standing relationship with Mattel. From Reuters:

“…But the biggest lost opportunity may be on TV — analysts had expected Marvel’s relationship with Hasbro to extend onto screens.

In April, Hasbro signed a deal with Discovery to develop a kids’ TV network. Analysts say the Spidey-Mickey deal leaves the No. 2 U.S. toymaker in a spot.

‘We view this as a lost opportunity for 3rd party content as we had thought it was probable that Marvel-related TV content over time would gravitate toward the Hasbro/Discovery joint venture given Hasbro’s long-term licensing agreement with Marvel,’ Wells Fargo Securities analyst Tim Conder said in a research note.”

In short: Expect things to remain the same until 2017, and huge changes after that.

What does Stan Lee think?

Lest we forget Spidey’s father? What does Stan think of the whole thing? Here’s the answer, true believers, according to The New York Times:

“I couldn’t be happier with this agreement. It’s great move for Disney, for Marvel and for my company Pow! Entertainment since Pow! has a first look deal with Disney. From every possible point of view, the merger of Disney and Marvel is a match made in heaven. Just imagine, with this deal Marvel gives Disney a library of literally hundreds of unique and colorful characters that have the potential to make great, high-concept movies and long-lasting franchises — and nobody knows how to play in that ball park better than Disney. This is a great day for the two companies and for the entertainment community as a whole. To sum it up as simply as possible, when you combine the best with the best, everyone wins!”

In short: Stan’s happy. And that’s a good thing.

When The Clone Wars movie hit theaters, I avoided it. In fact, I still haven’t seen it. Likewise, I avoided the TV series. Then I heard some buzz about the show and finally gave in. A year later, I’m glad I did.

The first episode, Ambush, was great. In fact, it featured a side of Yoda that’s been absent for way too long. Instead of the backwards-talking (It wasn’t every single sentence back in the old movies), military leader, here was the reassuring Yoda. It was good to have him back.

The middle of season 1 started to sag, but by the end it was quite good indeed. A number of vicious bounty hunters appeared and brought some palpable tension to what’s certainly a show for kids.

Season 1 ended with a cliffhanger and season 2 picks right up where the action left off. Above is the teaser. Go ahead and tell us you don’t want to see it. We dare you.

There are few couples in all of science fiction more deliciously wonderful than Zapp “The Zapper” Brannigan and his hapless, defeated assistant, Kif. Originally intended to be voiced by Phil Hartman, Zapp was portrayed by Billy West and was based upon Shatner’s Captain Kirk. Even when he’s stripped of his rank after destroying the Democratic Order of Planets (D.O.O.P.), Zapp lands back on his two feet. Largely because of Kif.

Ah, Kif. Zapp’s assistant and Amy’s boyfriend, Kif is smart enough to recognize when Zapp’s about to get into trouble, but too timid to do anything about it. Some of our favorite Kif moments are his exasperated sighs. For example:

Leela: You know, Zapp, someone ought to teach you a lesson.
Zapp: If it’s a lesson in love, watch out; I suffer from a very sexy learning disability. What do I call it, Kif?
Kif: [sighs] “Sex-lexia”

If Kif and Zapp ever starred in a buddy road trip movie, we’d be first in line to see it. Here’s to Kif and the Zapper, one of our favorite sci-fi duos.

- Promotion in our weekly podcast.
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By keeping sponsorship exclusive, we get your product or service before the very geeks you’re after. If you have questions, please let us know. You’ll find the full details here. Thanks.

Last year, Cloverfield opened in theaters amid a strong online viral campaign. Like it or hate it (I loved it), the movie was enough of a hit to spawn a sequel.

There’s a video making the rounds this week that some are saying is part of the sequel’s promo. We’re unsure. It looks faked (the “blips” in the video seem like an add-on effect) and the monster basically appears at 0:30. Finally, the street sign reading “Cloverfield” is isn’t exactly subtle.

Still, it’s a fun little clip. What’s your take? Viral clip or fan art?

Earlier this week, Dark Horse released Star Wars comics for the iPhone, which is a first. In fact, they’ve released seven issues across three titles. I checked out one title this afternoon and I’ve got to say, I’m disappointed.

The first title, Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Shipyards of Doom [App Store link] is based upon Cartoon Network’s The Clone Wars. Upon launch, you’ve got a few options. Choose between a curl, fade or slide transition or have each page auto-advance after a designated amount of time. Additionally, you may jump to any page you like.

As for the comic itself, the artwork is rather dull. Not all of it, mind you, but several panels are quite plain. I understand that not every scene can be full of whiz-bang action, but there were enough boring panels for me to notice. The story is on par with an episode of The Clone Wars, so if you like the show you’ll like this issue.

As for the others, there are three issues under Star Wars: Empire, [App Store link] which are set just weeks before the events of episode IV, A New Hope. Finally, two issues of Star Wars: Legacy [App Store link] are set 100 years after the events of Return of the Jedi. Each issue costs $0.99US.

Ultimately, they’re OK. A fun bit of Star Wars and definitely worth a buck. But not stellar Star Wars at all. Check out the gallery below for screen shots.

[Via The Flickcast]

[View with PicLens]

Eastwick

Based upon The Witches of Eastwick with Cher, Jack Nicholson and Susan Sarandon, the series stars Rebecca Romijn, Lindsay Price and Paul Gross. The trailer makes it look like Charmed meets Desperate Housewives, so if you like the idea of magic-wielding cougars, tune in. Have we mentioned Rebecca Romijn? “Charmed” indeed. ABC’s Eastwick will premiere on September 23rd at 10 PM.

FlashForward

FlashForward is based on the Prix Aurora Award-winning novel of the same name by Robert J. Sawyer. It stars Joseph Fiennes and John Cho. The premise is interesting: For some unknown reason, everyone receives a glimpse of their lives 6 months into the future. It only lasts for two minutes and seventeen seconds, but no one misses it. Some even witness their own death. The FBI sends detective Mark Benford (played by Fiennes) to investigate. ABC’s FlashForward premieres on September 24th at 8 PM.

Dollhouse

Joss Wheadon’s nearly-canceled Dollhouse resumes a well-deserved second season in September. For the uninitiated, Dollhouse tracks the lives of impressionable agents who are fitted with a personality and skill set in order to complete a task, only to have all memory of the event erased as soon as the objective is achieved.

The show really grew on us last year and we’re looking forward to the next chapter. Fox’s Dollhouse premieres on September 25th at 9 PM.

Others with fall premiere dates include The Ghost Whisperer (Sept. 25 on CBS at 8 PM), Smallville (Sept. 25 on CW at 8 PM), Fringe (Sept. 17 on FOX at 9 PM), Supernatural (Sept. 10 on the CW at 9 PM) and Vampire Diaries (Sept. 10 on CW at 8 PM).

If you were expecting news on V, The Plan or Caprica, we’re sorry to disappoint you. The Plan is tentatively scheduled to air in November of this year, while the others won’t hit the airwaves until 2010.

Earlier this week, AMC announced that they’ve gotten the rights to turn Robert Kirkman’s comic serial The Walking Dead into a series. As a devoted Walking Dead fan I’m both elated and horrified by this news.

First, the good. Krikman’s ongoing story (more on that later) is tremendous. Zombie horror is nothing new, but Walking Dead’s approach is fresh. It follows a group of unlikely survivors in a zombie-riddled world as they fight — the undead and each other — to survive. The typical ingredients like bloodthirsty undead, violent battles and a sinking distrust are in place, but Kirkman doesn’t rest on the tried-and-true zombie formula. I won’t give anything away, but the “how” and “why” aren’t what you’d expect.

Now for my trepidation. Krikman’s motivation in writing The Walking Dead is to have a zombie story that doesn’t end. In the epilogue to the first book, he explains that the one thing he’s hated about every zombie move he’s seen is the end. His story is far-reaching and slower moving than we typically see on TV. Plus, by the end of the first volume of books a large number of characters have been introduced. Characters who don’t go away very quickly. The storytelling develops slowly and naturally, and the character’s emotions are real.

So what can we expect from AMC? It’s still an unknown quantity. AMC has produced two fantastic shows as of late, Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Additionally, Frank Darabont is on board to write and direct. Frank is a three-time Oscar nominee and director of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. What all this means is that the show is (probably) in good hands.

As I said, I’m both excited and anxious about this show. Here’s hoping it’s fantastic. The story deserves it. In the meantime, enjoy the fan film above.

Earlier this week, Craig Engler, who runs the SyFy Network’s Twitter stream, posted a couple of teasers about Caprica, the forthcoming BSG sequel. He revealed that a rough cut of the 1st episode is being shown around the network. Additionally, he was enthusiastic about a conference call with producer Jane Espenson (@capricaseven on Twitter).

Other rumors are appearing as the show’s January 22nd premiere approaches. According to Sci Fi Wire (an official blog of SyFy), Patton Oswalt will play the host of a late-night comedy show across “…several episodes.” I’m nervous about the selection. Not because Patton isn’t funny, he is. I’m thinking of John Hodgeman’s jarring appearance on BSG.

Additionally, Entertainment Weekly reports that Buffy alumnus James Marsters will join the cast for what they’re calling “… a sizable arc” as the terrorist leader Barnabus Greeley.

We’re very excited about the premiere of Caprica. If you’ve seen the pilot, check out Episode 32 of our show to catch our reactions. So say we all!

Elizabeth Montgomery

She’s best known for playing Samantha on Bewitched, but I enjoyed her performance as a soldier in the Twilight Zone episode, “Two.” She and Charles Bronson play the only people on Earth after a long and bloody war. The catch: they’re members of opposing armies. Eventually they learn to abandon their hate and begin life anew. It’s a fun yet predictable episode, and Elizabeth turns in some nice acting, despite the fact that her character doesn’t speak.

Anne Francis

Angelina Jolie has nothing on the lovely Anne Francis. Most famously, Anne played Altaira “Alta” Morbius in the classic Forbidden Planet. This landmark sci-fi movie was loosely based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest and was nominated for academy awards, pushed special effects forward and featured the first appearance of Robby the Robot.

That’s all well and good, but for me, Anne never looked as charming as she did in “The After Hours.” In this episode of The Twilight Zone, Anne wanders into a department store to buy a thimble for her mother. She’s brought to the mysterious 9th floor which houses just one counter, one employee and one thimble for sale. As she investigates the “rude woman” who waited on her, she becomes agitated and is asked to rest in a back room.

She wakes up after the store has closed and returns to the 9th floor, where a group of mannequins seem to call her name and surround her. At last she realizes that she herself is a mannequin who has returned after enjoying her turn living in the “real world.”

It’s a creepy episode that moves along briskly and features an absolutely beautiful Anne Francis.

Mariette Hartley

No wonder Spock fell for Zarabeth … she was played by Mariette Hartely. When he and Bones tried to follow Kirk through the atavachron in the episode “All Our Yesterdays,” Zarabeth was waiting, having been exiled there. It isn’t long before she gets a certain science officer’s green blood boiling, and we don’t blame him.

She also played Sandra Horn in The Twilight Zone’s “The Long Morrow,” in which her beauty inspired an astronaut to endure 40 lonely years in space.

Catherine Schell

Fans of Space: 1999 will remember the beautiful and talented Catherine Schell who joined the cast as a regular in season 2. She also appeared in Doctor Who in 1979 and currently runs a hotel in France. Who knew?

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “No Barbarella?!” That’s right, no Barbarella. Why? Eh, that character was too cartoonish, too over-the-top. Not that Jeri Ryan in that Starfleet uniform wasn’t silly, but you know what I mean.

Was there anyone that we missed? Let us know.

It was the cameo to end all cameos. That clever JJ Abrams put R2-D2 in Star Trek, though he wouldn’t say where. Instead, the studio announced a contest on Facebook. At long last, a winner has been identified and R2’s cameo revealed. If you want to know where R2 is in Star Trek, click below. Screenshot included. If not, just move along. There’s nothing to see here.

Here it is (stop reading if you don’t want to know. This is your last warning):

During the Drill Machine sequence, as the Enterprise comes out of its barrel roll amidst the destruction of the other Federation ships above Vulcan, we cut to an interior, over-the-shoulder shot of Kirk on the Enterprise bridge, looking through the front viewscreen. In space, R2-D2 is floating in the debris from about the top middle of the screen to the bottom right.

There’s a great interview with Duncan Jones up at Star Wars.com right now. Duncan directed the forthcoming movie “Moon” which looks absolutely fantastic. In the interview, Duncan discusses the movie, robots and the inspiration he drew from Star Wars as a kid:

“…All I knew was that it was the most exciting place in existence, and hopefully one day the Millennium Falcon would pull up outside the house and Chewie would come and get me to go on an adventure with the rest of the gang.”

We’ve all been there, Duncan. Moon should be just the type of smart sci-fi movie that’s been absent from theatres lately. The whole interview is worth reading. Check it out.

Who needs styrene plastic, CGI or even LEGOs when you have paper, a printer and some rubber cement? With a little love and a whole lot of practice, now you can have some of the most memorable ships from the Star Wars saga come to life on your desktop. Thanks to some clever calculations, visitors to Creative Closeup can download free paper patterns for just about everything. Our favorites include the Millennium Falcon seen above, TIE Fighters, AT-ATs, X-Wings and many more. We won’t deny how cool it would be to have one of these masterful paper models on our office desk, we just don’t think our Jedi skills or our patience is strong enough to make the effort.

[hat tip to Andreas for this post]

When The Plan was announced at the end of Battlestar Galactica’s run, I feared that it would be a lame attempt to recapture the glory of the series (see “After M*A*S*H“). Now that the teaser trailer is out, I’m starting to get excited about it. There are references to several episodes in the brief clip which need a thorough examination.

One thing is clear: Cavil was behind everything. The genocide, the plot’s shocking moments, the works. In Kobol’s Last Gleaming, Boomer shoots Adama twice in the chest. Ultimately he survives. In the trailer, we see Cavil reprimanding her for botching the job and not shooting him in the head. We can only assume that took place after she was assassinated by Cally and resurrected on the base ship.

Later, we see Cavil and Six conspiring to discredit Baltar’s Cylon Detector. As you’ll remember, the test required plutonium, which Six suggested be taken from one of the Galactica’s nuclear warheads in the episode Bastille Day. Baltar estimated that it would take over 60 years to test the whole fleet (numbering almost 50,000 people at the time) in the episode Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down. Plus, it supposedly produced a false negative on Boomer, so it was indeed discredited.

In another scene, Cavil is telling a battered Ellen that the cylons will attack the fleet at 33-minute intervals, which was the premise of one of our favorite episodes, “33.” Speaking of Ellen, we even see Saul (with both eyes intact) debating the ethics of killing Ellen. “Some would call that murder,” he says to Cavil. Of course, Saul goes through with it in the episode Exodous, Pt. 1.

In season one, Doral stormed the Galactica with a suicide vest, posing as a reporter. In the Plan clip, we see Cavil handing him that vest.

After viewing the trailer and seeing the familiar stories from a new perspective, I’m hopeful that The Plan will avoid being gimmicky and offer a compelling look at the collection of stories we’ve come to know as the genocide of humanity. Edward James Olmos directed, and we know he has a deep affection for these characters. Here’s to November.

* “Zaprudering” is a neologism derived from the Zapruder film, the amateur 8mm film that is the only known visual record of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. It’s used here to indicate painstaking analysis of the trailer.

Good news for Battlestar Galactica fans. A brand new trailer for The Plan has hit the web. Since you’re a rabid BSG fan like us, you’ll remember that The Plan tells the story of the destruction of Caprica and the 12 colonies from the cylons’ perspective. We cannot wait to see it, if only because it’s new BSG. Fortunately, it looks like it’ll actually be very good.

Look for The Plan on SyFy this November. Click to watch the new trailer.

I love zombie stories.

The first zombie movie I saw was the great Night of the Living Dead. The scene of the little girl the basement who kills and them devours her own mother is among the scariest I’ve seen. 28 Days Later and its sequel, 28 Weeks Later are two contemporary zombie movies I enjoyed. The notion of rage as an infections disease is compelling, and the opening scene of our hero wandering a deserted London is downright chilling.

As for books, I’m currently enjoying Robert Kirkman’s The Waking Dead series, a serialized graphic novel that Kirkman hopes will never end:

“…there is something I hate about each and every zombie move I’ve ever seen. There’s something about ALL of them that I just absolutely cannot stand. The end … I want a zombie move that never ends.”

This demonstrates what I love most about zombies. They’re so flexible. Shawn of the Dead played them for comedy, I Am Legend turned them into intelligent vampires,* and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is just what you’re thinking: Brain-hungry, undead monsters in Jane Austin’s world.

Zombieland, the new film from Ruben Fleischer, ads its own twist. Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg are two uninfected men who’ve figured out how to get by in a zombie-riddled world. They team up with Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin to kick ass and find … ready? … the last Twinkie in the world.

If the trailer is to be believed, this should be a funny, bloody shoot-em-up. I can’t wait! Click below to watch the trailer (no glimpse of Bill Murray yet, who plays a zombie).

*Or tried. That movie actually sucked.

Fans of the dark and brooding UK scifi series Torchwood should mark their calendars. BBC America will air the special abbreviated series 3 of the hit TV show over five consecutive nights beginning on Monday, July 20th. Judging from the trailer available on the BBC America website, the 5-part mini series promises to pack quite a punch and brings familiar characters face to face with the death of fallen friends.

We’re glad Torchwood is returning, we just wish we had a full season to look forward to instead of the smaller mini-series format that seems to have swept through the dramatic worlds of Doctor Who producer Russell T. Davies like a wave of mutant Daleks. Like its spin-off companion, the new season of Doctor Who will be presented in very small chunks, spread over an entire year instead of the standard 13 or 24 episode blocks TV goers are used to. Hopefully, in the end, quality will win out over quantity.

We have a feeling that any Trek fan with small children is going to go ga-ga over these new Star Trek styled bibs and pull-overs. Created by hand and sold by rhoadwork on Etsy, they come in a variety of styles including the one seen here, classic TOS command, and of course Red Shirt. And don’t tell us you’re not itching to put this on your baby, and then hand him a jar of raspberry jam just so he can inevitably end up looking like Admiral Kirk from Wrath of Kahn. You know you want to!

[hat tip to Fanboy for this post]