News Bytes:
- Bryan Cranston (Malcom in the Middle) will change type and become Lucifer in the new ABC Family Network supernatural show “Fallen”
- A recently uncovered ancient Grecian device, the Antikythera Mechanism, has been identified as the earliest predecessor of the modern day computer, dating back to the first century BCE
- Is China fast becoming the newest entertainment competitor around?
Movie Talk: Movie audiences get to choose between Apocalypto and Blood Diamond
Voices: Trampas Whiteman of The Signal podcast gives us his own deeper personal take on the Battlestar Galactica vs Star Trek “battle”. How many fandom crossovers can you fit into one short segment?
TV Talk: Both Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis fans will have to wait until April 2007 for new episodes to begin airing, rather than the previously announced March 2007 restart date.
This will be SG-1’s final showing with all new episodes after a landmark 10-years of new programming. The series started out on Showtime then moved to the SCI FI Channel, where it grew in popularity becoming the longest running scifi show in American television history.
SG-1 will run its final 10 episodes on Friday nights when it returns and Atlantis will begin its final 10 shows for season 3. Atlantis, the SG-1 spinoff series, will return in June of 2007 for the beginning of its season 4 with major casting changes.
Interview: This week, Michael and Summer talk to veteran actor Dennis Christopher (Chariots of Fire, Profiler, Angel, Deadwood) about his role in SciFi Channel’s latest winter miniseries, “The Lost Room”. Dennis portrays medical examiner Dr Martin Ruber, who initially helps out Detective Joe Miller (Peter Krause) but develops motives of his own for the objects in The Room.
Future Talk: What’s Coming Up?
- Screenwriter Gary Dauberman will be working with director Guillermo del Toro to help bring DC Comic’s “Deadman” to the big screen sometime in late 2007 or early 2008.
- Bradley Cooper (Alias) will be starring in the horror film called “Midnight Train,” the Clive Barker story about murder and mayhem on the New York subway.
Listener comments: If you have any suggestions or comments, please let us know. We’ve got plenty of voicemail from fans to listen and respond to, but you’ll hear that in a fresh, separate show.
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By far, one of the best and coolest interviews we have ever done for the show. Dennis is one interesting and cool dude to listen to.
Up here in Canada, one of the Movie Central channels has begun airing Stargate Atlantis a few weeks back. We are up to the 13th or so episode in the current season (titled “Irresponsible” I think). :o)
On the Antikythera device: There were some very sophisticated automata in the ancient world. Supposedly the imperial palace in Constantinople had mechanical animals that moved (not walking, though) and made life-like noises. Of course, math was fairly advanced as well. However, the ancients apparently didn’t see the practical applications of this tech. It was cool as wonderous toys and intellectual exercises, but they lacked the inspiration or will to apply it to manufacturing, farming, etc.
There’s something a bit similar in Chinese history, too. Back in the day, the Chinese had very advanced sailing vessels, and sent out trading and exploration missions as far as eastern Africa. Then the next emporer came to the throne and decided that the Middle Kingdom was too good to go other countries; other countries should come to them. The fleet was mothballed and China went back into isolation until the European powers came along.
Just goes to show what impact cultural values, or those of the ruling class at least, can have on a society’s development.
The Greeks had a computer, but what’s just as interesting, is they were “THIS CLOSE” to developing steam power.
There is evidence that there were ancient Greek inventors using steam to drive machinery for various temple effects like opening and closing doors and the like. There was one invention that use steam to turn a proto-turbine. It’s only happenstance that ancient Greece didn’t have a steam tech revolution.
Can you imagine what the world today might be like if circa 400BC the Greeks became a world dominating superpower with steam tech and rudimentary computers?!
Trampas Whiteman wins the Galactica vs Star Trek battle.
WOW, big news story, “Geeks build computer”!! Has it been a slow news day?!?!?!?
ah….ok…should have read this properly, Greeks….my bad!
Saw The Lost Room last night. Anyone else feel like they ran out of time to tell the story at T-30 min?
I’ve watched The Lost Room in bits and parts, I’ll probably have to rent the DVD or wait for it appear on On Demand before I can actually watch it properly but I’m 99.999% that this’ll end up being a real series on Sci-Fi, there’s just to many loose ends that need managing & it’s one of the better series Sci Fi Channel has.
re: Dennis Christopher – I’ve been a fan of the guy since Breaking Away
I plan on watching all three tonight back-to-back.
BOOOOYAH!
Finally, Dennis is getting the recognition he deserves and he got a series.
wicked!
ave it!
If this goes to series, Dennis’s character is going to get real interesting, real quick.
Can’t wait, and yeah, I agree this has series all over it. I’ll watch. 😉
Watched all three of the Lost Room and liked it quite a bit. Had the feeling of a pilot episode on steroids. Like the sound of the cabal wars. And I really liked that the “event” happen in recent history and wasn’t some ten thousand year ago thing.
I felt the ending of “The Lost Room” was pretty weak…but it did leave the door open for a possible weekly series and that might prove interesting.
Sam I agree with you on the ending. With an ending like that, I hope this *is* a pilot on steroids. It was still an overall good watch.
Still loving Slice of SciFi,
Cat