Supernatural

If you’ve been a long time fan of the show, then you know that it started out Thursdays in the 8/9pm time slot for the first five seasons. Then starting with season six, they shifted it to Fridays at 8/9pm. Now, much like when it started, Supernatural is going to be on Wednesday nights at the 8/9 o’clock slot preceded by the new DC hero show Arrow. I can’t speak for Arrow yet, as I’ve not seen it, but I can speak for this time shift of Supernatural.

The premise of the show, for those who don’t know,  is that Dean Winchester and his brother Sam have been raised as Hunters. A Hunter is an individual who knows what lurks in the darkness and actively hunts it, usually having been initiated into this life through personal tragedy involving it. Through seven seasons they’ve fought numerous creatures out of lore such as vampires, werewolves, wendigo, shapeshifters, demons and much, much more. With the help of supporting cast, these two have survived things that would drive the most well-adjusted insane. Every season builds upon a rich mythos that few shows can ever truly reach.

I never wanted to start watching this show as it had a CW label on it. I figured it was the next in a long line of teen drama that I wasn’t looking forward to. Much like the story with Game of Thrones, I was finally persuaded to sit down and watch the pilot. From there, I caught up to the live airings quickly and never looked back. I have to say that the show hung on remarkably well considering its competition was CSI, Grey’s Anatomy and the Thursday night NBC line up. Not really remember what all was on NBC at the time, but this was my go to. Matter of fact, I’ve introduced several people to the show who followed suit in skipping stuff to watch Sam and Dean Winchester kill the Monster-of-the-Week or deal with one of the plot threads that ran so well through the show.

When they moved it to Friday, I followed eagerly with it. It did go into the dreaded Death Slot, but since they dealt with the dead so often, I wasn’t concerned. This was another bump in the road, but the Winchesters could endure because of the strong storylines that their creative team kept producing. Even in season seven, where I haven’t enjoyed everything they’ve done, I’ve still come back for more because it’s still entertaining. The back half of this season has truly picked up that feel of the show again. It makes me hopeful for the finale and what they will throw at us fans next season.

Initially, when I started to write this article, I was a little concerned for the show. In a way I’m still a bit concerned. I’d follow this show no matter where it landed, because it’s just that good! However, the time slot they’ve placed it in puts it up against stiff competition for the first time in two seasons. It goes up against veteran shows like Criminal Minds on CBS, Modern Family on ABC, and Law & Order: SVU on NBC. I’ve never watched Modern Family, but I know it performs rather well. Criminal Minds and SVU have always been popular, and have always killed in the ratings. Supernatural stands to be one of the most popular shows on the CW, although I can still find a ton of people who ask what it is when I bring it up. In a way, putting it behind Arrow might not be such a bad thing. For the bulk of the show, it followed Smallville until it ended its run after ten seasons. Having the superhero show lead-in, could be good. However, Arrow still has yet to prove itself as a series. This can also be a bad thing, where as Nikita has been going for a little while and it fairly well-received. At least, as it comes up to its third season, it seems to be. This gives it a comfort zone to follow. However, the line up change now has Nikita following America’s Next Top Model. I’m not sure who thought that was a good idea, but from what I’m to understand the ANTM has been slipping in ratings. Not really much to say on that except that I’m not sure why these shows are popular to begin with. Yes, this one is filled with beautiful women. In the end though it’s nothing but another reality series with a bunch of catty individuals who want the top prize. Yawn….

I’m not sure why the CW truly did this. If anything I would have preferred for Supernatural to return to its roots as the Thursday 8/9pm show. This is far from the first time a network such as CW has made such mistakes.  My hope is that they haven’t made another one.

To check out the Fall Preview schedule here’s a link to TV Guide to find out where your favorite shows will be!

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The retail PS3 version will be available in the UK on May 25th.  No word on the US retail release, or when the PlayStation Vita, or Windows versions will be released yet.  So I guess those of us without PS3s will have to continue to wait.

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Of course the Spidey mask comes off several times in the trailer, but at least the first time there is a really good reason for it. I didn’t see any mention of J. Jonah Jameson, and it would be a crime if he’s not at least in a couple of scenes.  It may not be completely accurate to the comics, but it looks like a fun movie to me.  I guess time will tell if Sony learned their lesson from Spider-Man 3.

The Amazing Spider-Man opens in Theaters everywhere on July 3rd.

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From NBC’s Official Press Release:

Our entire way of life depends on electricity. So what would happen if it just stopped working? Well, one day, like a switch turned off, the world is suddenly thrust back into the dark ages. Planes fall from the sky, hospitals shut down, and communication is impossible. And without any modern technology, who can tell us why? Now, 15 years later, life is back to what it once was long before the industrial revolution: families living in quiet cul-de-sacs, and when the sun goes down lanterns and candles are lit. Life is slower and sweeter. Or is it? On the fringes of small farming communities, danger lurks. And a young woman’s life is dramatically changed when a local militia arrives and kills her father, who mysteriously — and unbeknownst to her — had something to do with the blackout. This brutal encounter sets her and two unlikely companions off on a daring coming-of-age journey to find answers about the past in the hopes of reclaiming the future.

From director Jon Favreau (“Iron Man,” “Iron Man 2”) and the fertile imaginations of J.J. Abrams (“Lost,” “Person Of Interest”) and Eric Kripke (“Supernatural”), comes a surprising “what if” action-adventure series, where an unlikely hero will lead the world out of the dark. Literally. The series stars Billy Burke (“The Twilight Saga”), Tracy Spiridakos (“Being Human”), Anna Lise Phillips (“Terra Nova”), Zak Orth (“Romeo + Juliet“), Graham Rogers (“Memphis Beat”), J.D. Pardo (“A Cinderella Story”), Giancarlo Esposito (“Breaking Bad”), David Lyons (“The Cape”), Maria Howell (“The Blind Side”), Tim Guinee (“Iron Man”) and Andrea Roth (“Rescue Me”). Kripke, Abrams, Favreau and Bryan Burk (“Lost,” “Star Trek”) serve as executive producers. “Revolution” is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions, Kripke Enterprises and Warner Bros. Television. The pilot was directed by Favreau.

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Enjoy the post cast review and let me know what you think.. What an awesome end to season 4 and we are glad it will be back for season 5.

Matt

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Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet
by Gerry Davis with an introduction from Tom MacRae

The TARDIS brings the Doctor and his friends to a space tracking base in the Antarctic – and straight into trouble. A space mission is going badly wrong, and a new planet has appeared in the sky.

Mondas, ancient fabled twin planet of Earth has returned. Soon its inhabitants arrive. But while they used to be just like the humans of Earth, now they are very different. Devoid of emotions, their bodies replaced with plastic and steel, the Cybermen are here.

Humanity needs all the help it can get, but the one man who seems to know what’s going on is terminally ill. As the Cybermen take over, the Doctor is dying…

This novel is based on the final story to feature the First Doctor, originally broadcast from 8 to 29 October 1966. It was also the first Cybermen story featuring the First Doctor in his very last adventure as played by William Hartnell.

 

Doctor Who and the Ice Warriors

by Brian Hayles with an introduction from Mark Gatiss

 

The world is in the grip of a second Ice Age. Despite a coordinated global effort, the glaciers still advance. But they are not the only threat to the planet.

Buried deep in the ice, scientists at Britannicus Base have discovered an ancient warrior. But this is no simple archaeological find. What they have found is the commander of a spaceship that crashed into the glacier thousands of years ago. Thawed from the ice, and knowing their home planet Mars is now a dead world, the Ice Warriors decide to make Earth their own…

Can the Doctor and his friends overcome the warlike Martians and halt the advance of the glaciers?

 

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 11 November to 16 December 1967. This was the first Ice Warriors story and features the Second Doctor, as played by Patrick Troughton, and his companions Jamie and Victoria.

 

 

Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks

by Terrance Dicks with an introduction from Gary Russell

 

UNIT is called in when an important diplomat is attacked in his own home – by a man who then vanishes into thin air. The Doctor and Jo spend a night in the ‘haunted’ house and meet the attackers – who have time-jumped back from the 22nd century in the hope of changing history.

 

Travelling forward in time, the Doctor and Jo find themselves trapped in a future world where humans are slaves and the Daleks have already invaded. Using their ape-like servants to Ogrons to maintain order, the Daleks are now the masters of Earth.

 

As the Doctor desperately works to discover what has happened to put history off-track, the Daleks plan a time-jump attack on the 20th century.

 

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story originally broadcast from 1 to 22 January 1972 featuring the Third Doctor, as played by Jon Pertwee, with his companion Jo Grant and The Brigadier.

 

 

Doctor Who: The Three Doctors

by Terrance Dicks with an introduction from Alastair Reynolds

 

A mysterious black hole is draining away power from the Universe. Even the Time Lords are threatened. The Doctor is also in trouble. Creatures from the black hole besiege UNIT Headquarters. The only person who can help the Doctor is… himself.

 

The Time Lords bring together the first three incarnations of the Doctor to discover the truth about the black hole and stop the energy drain.

 

The Doctors and their companions travel through the black hole itself, into a universe of anti-matter. Here they meet one of the very first Time Lords – Omega, who gave his race the power to travel through time. Trapped for aeons in the black hole, he now plans to escape – whatever the cost.

 

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 30 December 1972 to 20 January 1973. Featuring the first three Doctors, William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee, together with Jo Grant and The Brigadier.

 

Doctor Who and the Ark in Space

by Ian Marter with an introduction from Steven Moffat

 

The survivors of a devastated future Earth lie in suspended animation on a great satellite. When Earth is safe again, they will awaken. But when the Doctor, Sarah and Harry arrive on the Terra Nova, they find the systems have failed and the humans never woke.

The Wirrrn Queen has infiltrated the satellite, and laid her eggs inside one of the sleepers. As the first of the humans wake, they face an attack by the emerging Wirrn.

But not everyone is what they seem, and the only way the Doctor can discover the truth is by joining with the dead mind of the Wirrrn Queen. The price of failure is the Doctor’s death, and the end of humanity.

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 25 January to 15 February 1975. Featuring the Fourth Doctor, as played by Tom Baker, and his companions Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan.

 

Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster

by Terrance Dicks with an introduction from Michael Moorcock

 

Centuries ago, a Zygon spaceship crash landed in Loch Ness. Now, with their home planet destroyed, the alien creatures plan to take over Earth. Their most powerful weapon is a huge armoured dinosaur-like creature of terrifying power that they brought to earth as an embryo – the Loch Ness Monster.

 

The Doctor, Sarah and Harry soon discover that the Zygons have another weapon. They can assume the identity of any human they capture. Who knows which of their friends might really be a Zygon?

 

UNIT faces one of its toughest battles as Broton, Warlord of the Zygons, puts his plan into action and the Loch Ness Monster attacks.

 

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 30 August to 20 September 1975. Featuring the Fourth Doctor, as played by Tom Baker, with his companions Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan and The Brigadier.

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–Edith Keeler, Star Trek, “The City on the Edge of Forever”

It’s no secret that art imitates life imitates art. In the worlds of science fiction, what might be tomorrow is the stuff being dreamed up today, and it’s usually inspired by the future tech that somebody grew up reading about or seeing in a movie or on TV. Star Trek has become almost cliched when it comes to translating tech from the screen to reality. For all the things Star Trek has given us, there has always been one glaring item on this fanboy’s wish list.

The Enterprise herself.

According to the stories, the Enterprise won’t be built for over 200 years. Besting Scotty’s reputation as a miracle worker, however, the curator of the Build the Enterprise website claims he can do it in 20.

Under the screen name of BTE Dan, the curator claims the “Gen1″ Enterprise could get to Mars in 90 days, to the moon in 3, and could run planet-hopping missions for dropping off masses of robotic probes. The BTE site launched just this week, detailing nearly every aspect of the project, from conceptual designs, ship specs, and even a funding schedule. With apologies to J.J. Abrams, this Enterprise would be built the way it was done originally – in space. When complete, Enterprise will boast a rotating 1G gravity section inside the saucer, and it would be similar in size and appearance to the iconic starship’s look from the early theatrical films.

BTE Dan claims his design is “quite functional,” moving a few parts around for better performance with today’s technology. As he explains, this Enterprise is designed to be a spaceship, a space station, and a space port, capable of supporting a thousand people on board at once, either as crew or as visitors.

As everyone knows, warp drive hasn’t been invented yet. BTE Dan tells us the ship will utilize an ion propulsion engine powered by a 1.5GW nuclear reactor that will allow it to travel at constant acceleration. Three additional reactors would create the electricity needed for ship’s operations.

What, no phasers? Enterprise isn’t expected to see combat. The ship’s laser will be used for cutting through the ice crusts of Europa to enable probes access to the ocean below.

BTE Dan correctly points out that “the only obstacles to us doing it are the limitations we place on our collective imagination.” The funding proposals to Congress and NASA suggest that a program designed to build a fleet of Enterprise ships – one built every 33 years with far more advanced technology than the previous one – would have relatively little impact on changes to government spending.

The website includes a blog, a forum, and a Q&A section. BTE Dan responded to the question, “What if someone can prove that building the Gen1 Enterprise is beyond our technological reach?” His answer: “If someone can convince me that it is not technically possible (ignoring political and funding issues), then I will state on the BuildTheEnterprise site that I have been found to be wrong. In that case, building the first Enterprise will have to wait for, say, another half century. But I don’t think that anyone will be able to convince me it can’t be done. My position is that we can — and should — immediately start working on it.”

I couldn’t agree more. Considering how tired and hopeless things have been looking in the field of space exploration lately, and considering all of the advances that program has given us in the past, it’s about time we injected the system with a little dose of optimism. That it comes in one of the most inspiring packages ever conceived is a wonderfully geeky bonus.

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Now I could go on for a long while telling you what each one was and my thoughts on all of them, but I don’t feel like ripping off their article. I’m sure the contributors at io9 would thank me for that. So why mention this article at all? One author that gave response to their call: Gwenda Bond, the author of Blackwood, chose Bitterblue!

If you weren’t aware, we have a contest currently running to win a copy of Bitterblue and a $50 VISA cash card. For the article with all the details on how to enter, go here!

I always like seeing stuff like this myself, a story that makes people feel good. There are some great choices on the io9 list for certain, some I’ve never read myself. As a fan of sci-fi and fantasy, I love to delve into a good story and get lost for hours. I prefer them not to be an apocalypse every story. I like the idea that the good guys get the upper hand.  It makes me feel like there’s a brighter world, even amongst the gloom of the day.

If you have read the other two books in the Kristin Cashore series; Graceling and Fire, please comment or write us at podcast@scififx.com. We would certainly love to hear from you, especially myself! I’m always on the look for a new series to start!

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