Report 18A.This is a digest of recent Sci-Fi- and genre-related news as of 2 January 2001.

News & Notes

Happy New Millennium

Of course, being Sci-Fi fans, we all knew that the true beginning of the 21st Century was 1 Jan 2001, and not 2000, as the unthinking masses believed.

So, anyone seen any Monoliths yet?

Group News:

Where’d Everybody Go?

Since about Wednesday of the week before last I have been effectively running this little operation on my own, as everyone else went home for the holidays.  This hasn’t really affected the taping, but it has made me slow on answering e-mails.  I have had to prioritize savagely, so if you are feeling slighted because we haven’t answered you yet, we can only apologize and tell you that we will get to you eventually.

As a result, this newsletter will be short and to the point and normal service should be restored by next week.

Also, we have mailed out well over 200 tapes in the last week, with about 100 more to go.  If you haven’t heard from us yet that your tape is on the way, you will shortly. As soon as I have finished this, I will be sending out the next batch if warning messages.

Mass E-Mail Protocols

The computer professionals amongst our clientele will be aware that recent changes to Internet protocols, especially with regard to mass mailing have made it necessary to split large groups of recipients up into blocks of 100 or less addressees per message.  This is no real problem with regard to the tape trading division, as we have between 3-400 recipients of this newsletter, but the next time we have to mail out to our convention addressees we may have a problem, as they number over 5,000.

However, we made one mistake last week and about 80 recipients didn’t receive Part B.  Again, we apologize (we are doing a lot of that lately), but it isn’t worth sending it again, as a new version will follow this newsletter, probably tomorrow.

The Things PayPal Don’t Tell You

Until recently, we have been receiving just small payments through PayPal.  This week, we received our first notification that a large payment had been made, and with it, a requirement from them that we register as a business user.  After we had done this, they informed us that a charge of 1.9% + 35c per transaction would be levied against whatever we receive, which does not help us.

If you prefer to use PP regardless, we will understand if this is the case, as it is after all somewhat cheaper than Bidpay and a lot easier to use, but in this case, I’m afraid that we are going to have to ask you to mark up the amount by 2% to cover this charge.

Anyone who has already sent payments via PayPal need not worry about those.  We can carry it for a few payments, but anyone who initiates a payment after reading this, should mark up as directed above.

This may seem mean, and we don’t like asking for more money from you, but we are already running this operation on a shoestring, and if everyone started using PayPal, then we could end up in difficulty.

You should also be aware that for larger amounts, PayPal are quoting 1-2 weeks before they will hand the money over.

TV News:

Spotnitz Talks 'X-Files' 8

Executive producer Frank Spotnitz is talking again about the ongoing eighth season of The X-Files... and what we can expect to see happen as that season progresses in 2001.

While talking to Melissa J. Perenson of SCI-FI Weekly, Spotnitz was asked about familiar faces for the eighth season. The producer revealed, "We'll see Krycek and Covarrubias in the second half of the season. I think their roles become more important when Mulder is returned. But Skinner, to me, is extremely interesting this year, because his role has changed fundamentally."

Given that they're headed into their own mid-season TV series, what about the Lone Gunmen? Spotnitz says, "They [appeared] in the first episode, and again in "Via Negativa," the episode I wrote with Doggett, and again in episode 11. We hoped to use them more, but it's difficult, because they're in production now on their own series in Vancouver; it's going to be logistically difficult.

And of course, David Duchovny will be back. On this point, Spotnitz says, "[We're] almost up to that point, in terms of writing the shows. But he's not going anywhere, so he's going to become an important part of the show. It really becomes a three-lead series at that point. I think, over time, a bond will form between Scully and Doggett, and it doesn't go away once Mulder returns. I think it's going to be interesting to see how these two men play off of each other once Mulder comes back."

'X' As Strong As 'Andromeda'?

Does the developing Mutant X have a good chance of becoming the hit that last year's Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda was? There are some that think so. Katz Television thinks so. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Katz is pushing the Mutant X TV series strongly as their "first recommendation" to their station clients.

Though the previous years showed a decline, generally, in viewership of syndicated programming due to overcrowding, the year ahead may be much improved. While talking to the trade, Katz VP Bill Carroll assessed the situation, saying, "But what is encouraging people now is this season's success of Tribune Entertainment's new Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda...This says to the market that the right show will still break through. This is a business that believes that another of these hit shows is always just over the horizon."

Charmed Star Doherty Busted

Shannen Doherty, star of The WB's Charmed, was arrested on Dec. 28 on charges of drunken driving when a California Highway Patrol officer pulled her over for weaving across the lanes of a Los Angeles-area freeway, E! reported. Doherty's black Ford pickup truck was pulled over about 3 a.m. in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Doherty was given a sobriety test at the scene, but refused to take a Breathalyzer test, E! reported. She was then taken to the Ventura County Jail for a blood test to determine her level of intoxication, the California Highway Patrol told E! Doherty was booked on suspicion of drunken driving and released without bail a few hours later. She's due in Ventura County Superior Court for arraignment Jan. 26.

Voyager Cast In Dark

Star Trek: Voyager star Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine) told TV Guide that cast members don't know what will happen in the finale of the series' seventh and final season. "They're afraid we'll squeal," Ryan told the magazine about the producers' decision to keep the cast in the dark, according to a report on the Associated Press wire service.

But, Ryan added, "I suspect that we'll get home." Once Voyager ends its journey, Ryan said, "I'd love to do something without special effects or rubber glued to my face. It'd be a nice change of pace."

Movie News: 

No Godzilla In 2001?

Word has it that Toho has no plans to release and expected new Godzilla film for 2001. According to Monster Zero, a third film in this latest Godzilla movie series was not a part of the studio's 2001 line up of films.

It should be noted that this could be good news, supporting previous word that Toho was planning on taking more time in crafting the third film, which may be hitting screens in Japan in spring 2002.

Myers Finds Inner Ogre

Mike Myers--who will voice the computer-animated ogre in the upcoming fantasy movie Shrek--told USA Today that the movie is inspired by William Steig's popular children's book of the same name. "He's an ogre who has yet to come to terms with his own ogreness," Myers told the newspaper. "He's in a little bit of ogre denial."

Shrek, which premieres May 18, is the second collaboration between the Antz team of DreamWorks and Pacific Data Images, USA Today reported.

It's Myers' first foray into animation. "It's a very cool world that Shrek journeys through," he said. "It's like the first time I saw Fantasia. Or Yellow Submarine."

 

Odds and Ends: Short items not worthy of an article in their own right.

There have been several recent rumors regarding the coming X-Men 2 movie, some of which suggest that WWF wrestler The Rock has signed on to play the Beast. These rumors now appear to be incorrect. While appearing at a recent convention, Stan Lee and Bryan Singer revealed that Dwayne Johnson had signed up for the role of the Beast. This could also be nothing more than chaff, but as soon as we have any definite news, we will let you know.

Coming Attractions reported a rumor that Bill Paxton (Vertical Limit) may be under consideration for the role of Bruce Banner in the upcoming feature-film version of Marvel's The Hulk comic series.

 

Part B follows shortly.

 

Best wishes,

David Gerhard, Chairman

Bob Jenner, Information Officer

Alexandra Benedict, Entertainment Industry Liaison Officer

Eastlant Sci-Fi Group

Fans Working for Fandom, Not for Profit.