Firefly & Serenity fans, feast your eyes on this 1:1 scale, screen-accurate reproduction of Malcom Reynolds’ sidearm! Just how accurate is it? The prop is crafted from the same mold of the stunt gun carried by Nathan Fillion himself while on set. That being the case, no it doesn’t fire real bullets, and that’s probably a good thing. On the other hand, this polystone prop makes for a great display piece, and would look great in the hands of any Browncoast cosplayer, or even a Steampunk enthusiast. It has that lovely antique-brass paint that lends itself so well to that aesthetic. At just $80, it’s an affordable addition to any fans arsenal, and although it’s currently sold out, ThinkGeek should have more in stock any day now. If you want, you can sign up to have them notify you as soon as they’re in stock by clicking here.
Here’s the latest ‘supercut’ birthed from the internet’s vast collection of video clips and collections: Abed, the geeky, reference-filled character from Community says ‘cool’ a lot. And I mean a lot. If you ever wanted to hear a word slowly turn to mush in your brain and never regain its original meaning, then this video is for you, because ‘cool’ will never be the same. Many fans are feeling that way too, as Community showrunner Dan Harmon was dropped by Sony Pictures Television. A sad event, to be sure, but at least (for now) the writers are still on board, which is also important. Hopefully the quality can still stay the same despite his absence.
In their quest to create a new hit superhero show, CW has tried a lot, but maybe they’ve found their mark: a Green Arrow show. Simply titled “Arrow,” it follows Oliver Queen as he adopts the guise of vigilante Arrow. He’s defending Starling City now (instead of Star City) and will attempt to right his family’s wrongdoings. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by all this good television recently, but this isn’t really striking me as interesting. The voiceover was very dull and the average “TV CGI” was present as well, particularly the bouncing tennis balls. That said, perhaps CW will have an excellent story to surprise us with when Arrow starts this fall.
Community just wrapped up, and you may have missed the last three episodes that aired all in one evening, but here’s a taste of what you should be catching up on: 16-bit Community (they call it 8-bit, but I think everyone has forgotten exactly what 8-bit is). Anyway, I think this is a pretty fantastic way to cap off their third season, and I can only hope more geeky jokes show up in the fourth!
Here’s our first look at the latest cover art for IDW’s Star Trek x Doctor Who crossover series Assimilation². This fourth issue in the eight-part seriesfeatures a cover by series artist J.K. Woodward, and depicts an Enterprise away-team along with the Doctor and Amy, as they stumble across the skeletal remains of several Borg drones, set against the visage of a Borg cube within the clutches of a Cyberman. To find out what that’s all about, we’ll have to wait until the issue hits shelves this August. Hit the jump to catch a glimpse of the issue’s variant covers by artist Francesco Francavilla!
Posted by Tim Sheehy on May 16, 2012 in Television
It’s true, NBC’s Community has been picked up for a fourth season. I suppose I should just be happy the show is even coming back, especially considering NBC’s penchant for cancelling their programming at the drop of a hat, but there’s something bittersweet about the whole thing. First there’s the reduced order of thirteen episodes. While it shares that fate with 30 Rock‘s final season, both The Office and Parks & Recreation will be receiving 22 episodes this fall. This either implies the show will also be coming to an end, or that a mid-season pickup will be contingent on it doing well — which brings us to the next problem. NBC has decided to move Community to Friday nights — traditionally known as “the place television shows go to die.”
The arguments over piracy are never-ending. From the legality to the methods, people will continue to argue over downloading copyrighted content till winter comes (and then some). The debate just got a boost recently, when news started making the rounds singling out Game of Thrones as the most-pirated show this year. In fact, the April 30th episode received 2.5 million downloads in the first day it was up. Erik Kain called out HBO themselves, saying “they have only themselves to blame.” In addition, HBO co-president Eric Kessler’s quote from November has been brought back up, where he stated that “cord-cutting” is a fad and that customers will flock back to cable once the economy settles. Read more…
Being the fanboys that we are, it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t take a moment acknowledge the untimely passing of Joel Goldsmith. Joel was an Emmy-nominated composer who scored a number of our favorite films and television shows. His credits include several Stargate television properties, Sanctuary, the live-action adaptation of Witchblade, along with a few Sci-Fi cult-classics from the late-70s and early 80s, such as Moon 44 and LaserBlast. Read more…
Here’s a few bits of Doctor Who news from the past week. Producer Steven Moffat recently stated that contrary to popular belief, The Doctor isn’t the main character of the show. Instead he believes that while The Doctor is certainly the hero, the main characters are, in actuality, his companions. With the impending exit of Amy and Rory next season, one story will be coming to an end, with Jenna Louise Coleman’s story about to begin. Sadly, he hasn’t given any further details regarding her upcoming role as the Doctor’s new companion.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Apr 24, 2012 in Dr. Who, Fandom
No, it isn’t a Doctor Who x Space Jam mash-up — I’d kill to hear one — instead, it’s the latest Doctor Who-themed shirt to hit TeeFury. With the team’s name emblazoned across the chest and a spiffy silhouette of what appears to be a sonic screwdriver-wielding David Tennant in place of the usual NBA logo, nobody will question your loyalty to our favorite team. Like most every shirt featured on TeeFury, it’ll only be available for the rest of the day and comes in both men and women’s sizes for only $10 plus shipping.
Having read all George Martin’s on-going saga A Song of Ice and Fire, as well as having seen every episode of HBO’s Game of Thrones to date, I feel one aspect that remains consistently featured throughout would be the food. Martin often takes his time writing detailed descriptions of Westerosi cuisine, from their aromas to the taste itself. So, naturally Bantam has decided to use those descriptions to help craft A Feast of Ice and Fire: The Official Game of Thrones Companion Cookbook, in what I can only guess as being a sad attempt to cash in on the Game of Thrones-craze. That said, I really wouldn’t mind taking a look at some of the recipes included in the book. Martin certainly makes them sound appetizing enough when you’re reading his novels, so I would hope the authors & chefs involved could succeed in capturing the taste. A Feast of Ice and Fire should hit shelves May 29th and will retail for $35.
Is winter coming? Watch plastic bleed as HDMprojects on YouTube recreates the Game of Thrones Season 1 trailer with Playmobil figures in one of the cutest renditions of Game of Thrones I’ve seen in a while. It’s probably just because they’re all smiling the whole time – endearing, or just creepy? It’s also surprisingly accurate, all the way down to the lighting and environments. The real question is, though, would you re-watch the whole series like this? Read more…
It can be hard for Whovians having to wait for the next series of Doctor Who to start. With the season premiere still months away, you’ll probably need something to pass the time. While you’ve probably watched every episode on Netflix or Amazon’s instant video service, we tend to overlook the numerous novels, audiobooks, and radio dramas the BBC churns out on a regular basis. I’m sure some of you might not have known about the plethora of content available via Amazon or Audible, but there’s quite a bit of it t0 choose from, and fans of The Doctor both past and present will likely find a fair share of adventures starring their favorite incarnation of the Time Lord. One word of advice however, keep in mind the intended audience of these stories can vary from children to adults, so make sure to read the reviews before you spend your cash.
On Disney this June, it looks like we’re getting some more Tron in our lives. Tron: Uprising will be a new CGI cartoon (with the main character being voiced by Elijah Wood) set in the existing Tron universe in which they’re searching for a new Tron. This could either be very cool or very bad – that said, this short teaser does look nice. At the very least, CGI is a perfect artstyle for this series given the setting! Read more…
I’m actually really excited about this. Former Heroes star-turned-producer Masi Oka plans to adapt Keizoku 2: SPEC for US television. For those who might not be familiar with the series, Keizoku 2: SPEC is a Japanese television drama about a pair of detectives who investigate cases often labeled unsolvable using special abilities. In a sense, it kind of reminds me of Sherlock or House M.D. but with a bit more intrigue. As far as I’m aware, this will mark the first time a Japanese drama is being adapted by Hollywood, so its kind of a big deal. The American cast should be announced later this May. Read more…
I truly miss David Tennant’s stint as Doctor Who‘s Tenth Doctor. He was so brilliant in that role that it actually took me awhile to accept Matt Smith as a suitable replacement — a topic that’s debated after two full seasons in the role. Recently, Tennant starred in an television ad with Virgin’s Sir Richard Branson to market their Tivo on-demand service. Read more…
Probably not, but it’s a possibility. Earlier this week, UK tabloid The Express published a juicy rumor regarding the upcoming 50th anniversary series of Doctor Who. Reportedly, a source close to the production is claiming plans are in place to have Matt Smith regenerate during the climax of the season finale, to be replaced our the first female Doctor. They also indicate that Sherlock star Lara Pulver is among the front-runners being considered for the role. Read more…
What’s the best way to market to a target audience that only wants one thing? Brains are on the top of the undead’s list of “things I want,” so Don Draper and his cohorts have to figure out the best way to sell to this decaying group of potential customers. Of course, when zombies are involved, so is Rick Grimes. This funny little skit by BarelyPolitical combines two of the biggest TV series into one crazy amalgamation of death, marketing, and brains. And Hershel is spot-on!
College Humor is at it again. Some of you might recall their Game of Thrones video game parody from last year. This time they’ve given the 11th Doctor and crew a 16-bit JRPG makeover. The video follows the fifth and sixth seasons of Doctor Who, so if you haven’t been keeping up you’ll be in for some spoilers — that said, they don’t actually do a great job of summarizing the series, not that they ever intended to. Just try to appreciate the cute references, like the group squaring off against a Weeping Angel with the only commands available being “blink” or “don’t blink.” The soundtrack is a real treat, though.
The other day, Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim played a little April Fool’s joke by bringing back their Toonami anime blockfor an evening. They caught a lot of fans off guard, by marathoning classic Toonami programming like Astro Boy, Big O, Outlaw Star, Gundam Wing and more — they even had Steve Blum return as the voice of T.O.M. the robot, going as far as reviewing Mass Effect 3. When Toonami left the air a few years back, I remember fans calling it as an end of an era, well now it looks like they might get a chance to revive it. Adult Swim is asking its fans to voice their desire via twitter with the hash tag #BringBackToonami. Read more…
Japan has its fair share of strange commercials, but this latest one for Disney’s Tokyo resort has to be one of the most adorable ads I’ve ever seen — so much, that the animated short has me convinced that I’d sit through an entire animated series centered around it. The 30 second anime short tells the story of a little girl and her time spent visiting the theme park over the years, from her first time as a kid, to meeting her future husband, eventually growing old together. It’s well animated, and the cute rendition of “A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes” fits it so well. Am I weird for wanting them to make more of these? I’ve included a bunch of screenshots from it after the jump.
Last week the BBC promised to release their first trailer for the upcoming season of Doctor Who, and now they’ve delivered. Oddly enough, it includes quite a bit of Amy and Rory, which leads me to believe that most of what we’re seeing takes place within the first half of the season. If that’s the case, then we’re in for a hell of a ride. It also seems like the Daleks will be making their return — I’d call it triumphant, but when is it ever when The Doctor’s involved. Also, any else notice Cleopatra? What’s that about?
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Mar 27, 2012 in Television
The last few weeks have been absolutely brutal for Sci-Fi fans. First, Fox decides to drop Terra Nova despite relatively strong ratings, then SyFy opts to pass on the latest Battlestar Galactica prequel, even though it looked far more interesting than Caprica. While we had hoped Netflix would provide some light at the end of that tunnel, it now seems as though talks to revive Terra Nova have ceased. I’m sure many of you had your fingers crossed, especially after Netflix managed to pick up Arrested Development the other month. The rumor seemed promising, but perhaps its for the best — the show’s budget would need to be slashed, and I couldn’t begin to imagine what Terra Nova would even be like without it.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Mar 26, 2012 in Television
HBO has thrown together a twenty two minute special summarizing the entire first season of Game of Thrones. If you’ve already seen the series or read the book, the video provides a decent refresher course, but otherwise, there’s quite a few spoilers. If you plan on watching the series in its entirety, or reading the book instead, you’ll want to steer clear. For me, it’s the first time I’ve had a chance to catch Emilia Clarke sporting her natural brown hair. It’s a real shame she has to dye it blonde or wear a wig for her role of Daenerys, she’s quite stunning as a brunette. Season two premieres April 1st on HBO. Read more…
