Saturday, May 18, 2024

Update, 19 May 2024




Greetings Science Fiction and Fantasy fans. I write this on 19 May 2024, so some 14 years since my last update on this 'blog. The photo above was taken in 2009 if anyone's asking. 


(Photo above.  As the engine became very tired having done uncountable miles over 31 years, I sold that already very rare Honda Cabrio in 2017 to a guy who converted it into a fully approved and certified Electric Vehicle).


I still have in storage the old hard drives from my original 486  Windows 95 and W98 computers. And in theory, I do intend to continue digitising and uploading the remainder of the "Eastlant ScifFi  Newsletters", that I have.  Might be another year and it might be another 5 years away.  


Be aware I don't often use my earlier 'blog on this platform,  "Kiwi Kat's Kakkle".  Mostly since 2013, I can be found on my main personal 'blog of  "southernislesreporter.wordpress.com"  and the associated 'blogs I use for alternate materials,  "centralandnorthernislesreporter" and "WheatbeltWarbler".


I can be emailed via those 'blogs' contact facility.


Currently resident in Christchurch, New Zealand, but could be moving back to Australia sometime before too long.


...or maybe moving 'back' to Scotland. Except I don't like the cold, I don't like the rain, and I don't like the wind ! LOL.  I just like the idea of moving to Scotland.   Maybe I should just stick with Aussie !


That's all for now folks,  Sunday 19 May 2024.

Sunday, January 03, 2010

Update, or lack of ! 4 Jan 2010

I'm in NZ at the moment, and regret that my Eastlant Newsletter Archive project has stalled since mid 2006 without me uploading any further items

I did especially bring that old hard drive (running Windows 95) with those email-newsletters on it, with me, and am retaining an old computer system (currently running Windows 98) so that computer could theoretically have the W95 HD installed to allow me to continue. Yes I have that old W98 computer in my "secure storage facility" (well, ok, it's the bottom of the wardrobe)

I don't seem to have half enough spare time at the moment

If anyone has a real and desperate need to access the as yet un-uploaded items, then email me personally at catejemma AT hot mail dot com (you know what I mean)

Labels:

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

44A 3 July 2001 inclu The Big Apple and cancellations and Screen Actors Guild

Eastlant Sci-Fi Group - 2000-2001 Season Progress Report 44A.
This is a digest of recent Sci-Fi- and genre-related news as of 3rd July 2001.
News & Notes
Editorial – The Season From Hell is Over!
It has been a strange season, both from the viewpoint of the TV shows themselves, and with regard to getting the tapes out, but with a few minor hiccups we survived again.
The Networks must be scratching their heads now, as they try to figure out what went right last year. I have never known so few cancellations, which also means that so many mid-season replacements never made it to the screen. Those that did fared very badly, principally because of Network stupidity.
Take “The Big Apple” for example. This Police/FBI drama set in New York was very well made, tinged with some acid humor and well acted. The writing was as tight as any current show and it had a lot of promise. So why didn’t it succeed? For one reason only. Some whiz kid at the network decided to premier the show just as the season finale run up began, so any potential audience was far more focused on what was happening at the West Wing, or on NYPD Blue, and as a result, highly unlikely to take on a new series.
Had they saved it for the summer, when there are few if any new episodes airing on the main networks, it would almost certainly have been a hit.
But then, when the system is run by idiots, why should this year be any different?
The second knock-on effect of the high success rate is that there will be considerably fewer slots available for new shows next season. This will have little effect on genre shows, as the main networks tend to shy away from these anyway, but this year the vast majority of the new drama shows will either never get to the screen, or will be pulled very quickly if they don’t immediately grab good ratings.
As always we shall see.
From my viewpoint, this has been a traumatic year. Apart from the usual strikes, disputes and go-slows that have hit the post office and the airlines, we have had equipment failures in spades this year. However, that is by no means the biggest issue as the year comes to an end.
At the start of the season, I had three editing teams, and a couple people helping on the admin side, and we were easily able to keep up with everything that was thrown at us. By the beginning of May, I was on my own, and the last few weeks of the season were a nightmare. It is still not quite over, as I have a pile of tapes to mail out, but another week or so should see it all done and shipped, so if you are waiting for tapes, you shouldn’t have to wait for much longer.
Be under no misapprehension however; I am not prepared to do an entire season like the last 6 weeks. There will have to be some changes.
I am considering the following methods of making the load manageable, and I would value any opinions on how these would be received by your good selves:
1. Not taking on any more new clients until the number drops below a new, lower maximum, probably 200. I might temper this by applying this to non-genre shows only, as I am reluctant to turn a genre fan away. I currently have about 40 clients who only take non-genre shows out of the 310 or so that I am currently sending tapes to;
2. Not editing non-genre shows and only offering these raw, unedited. This would save me about 30 hours of editing a week, but would mean fewer episodes per tape for the non-genre fans. I could maybe mitigate against that by offering to do LP tapes more frequently, so as to get maybe 5 or 6 episodes onto a tape, depending on how many ran in a particular block of episodes. This would also allow me to concentrate non-genre stuff during the genre reruns periods. It would mean you might have to wait a couple weeks longer to see your show, and take them on fewer tapes, but that also means a cost saving for you. This would not need to apply to all non-genre shows, as I watch some myself and tape them as they air – West Wing, CSI, The District, JAG, etc. Thoughts please;
3. No mix and match or archive stuff during the season – new episodes only and no offset tapes – you take them as they come – node by node – For example, I had a lot of requests this year from X-Files fans for only the Mulder episodes – sorry I just can’t cope with this sort of odd request now I am on my own. Anything like that will have to wait for the summer;
4. No fillers on finale tapes. After the last few weeks, this will almost certainly become policy. I have even been setting an alarm for the middle of the night so I could change converters in an attempt to keep up, and it’s no fun.
US Fans Please Note: This only applies to tape conversions going overseas. The numerous fans in the US that I supply with WB and UPN shows on a week-by-week or short-run basis need not worry. There will be no changes to that, as I have enough NTSC machines to open a store.
Now, none of this is set in stone, and nothing I do will be allowed to increase costs, so don’t worry about that either. I hope to be able to maintain the service to everyone that wants it, with little or no discernible effect from your viewpoint.
If you have any views on this, let me know. Any ideas would be welcome. Please note however that I may not be able to respond to all e-mails on this subject due to expected volume, so please restrict comments in these e-mails to this subject only.
Finally, I apologize for the need to make such changes, but it’s either that, or the rubber room.
Group News:
Get ‘em in Now
The Monthly newsletter will be out towards the end of this week, and Boy! There are some strong views to publish. If you want to get into this issue, let me have your submissions as soon as possible.
Still no convention reports, unfortunately. Odd that. The first thing I always wanted to do after running an event was to tell the world how good it had been so they would book for the next one. This is free advertising going to the dogs.
Actors, Studios Resume Labor Contract Talks
Here is an article from Reuters on the talks between the actors unions and producers. The consequence of an actors strike is the effect it could have on new shows this coming fall, although many series are already half way through the filming schedule for the next season.
Hopefully, after the writers were able to reach an amicable agreement with producers, the actors will do the same.
By Reuters/Variety
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Labor contract negotiations between major film and TV studios and two unions representing 135,000 actors resumed on Sunday morning after talks were extended past the current pact's expiration at midnight on Saturday.
``We'll take them an hour at a time,'' Greg Krizman, spokesman for the Screen Actors Guild, or SAG, said referring to today's resumed negotiations.
The two sides, meeting in Encino, Calif., at the industry's Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers headquarters, decided Saturday night to temporarily extend talks and are reportedly close to an agreement on a new three-year contract.
The Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday that negotiators were close to an agreement on a way to pay actors when their work is shown on cable TV so that their health care and pension contributions are not deducted from off the top of paychecks.
The newspaper also said actors are expected to get other concessions including increased minimum payments for TV performers and a special bump for guest stars in shows, as well as added payments in some cases when shows air on foreign stations.
Krizman would not comment on the reports.
The talks between SAG and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the studios have been running late into the night on daily basis since June 23.
Both sides have declined to characterize progress in the talks since the negotiations began on May 15.
The unions are reportedly seeking to boost their minimum pay scale by 9 percent over the term of a new contract.
Like the Hollywood writers, who clinched their own contract with the studios on May 4, the actors are also seeking higher residual payments when TV programs and movies are aired in reruns and in foreign markets.
The union says those residual payments are crucial to sustaining the bulk of its membership, most of whom are out of work or between parts at any given time.
While Hollywood's biggest stars like Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford have commanded salaries of $20 million or more per film, 70 percent of SAG members earn less than $7,500 a year.
Only an elite 2 percent of performers earn more than $100,000 annually, according to SAG.
The union has downplayed the risk of a strike, which would take a month or more for unions to authorize in the event that talks break down.
Studios, represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, have been hesitant to start production of new films until the actors' contract is settled.
A work stoppage by the actors could be damaging for California's economy, which is already staggering from the slowdown in the technology sector and an electricity crisis that threatens repeated blackouts this summer.
A study by the Milken Institute commissioned by outgoing Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan estimated that if the actors were to walk off sets for one month it would cost the region 21,000 jobs and $1.3 billion in lost income.
TV News:
Anderson To Quit 'X-Files'
In an interview with a British newspaper, Gillian Anderson, star of Fox’s "The X-Files" says that the upcoming season will be her last. She says she made her decision so that she can hit the London stage and spend more time with her six-year-old daughter, Piper.
"For the first seven seasons it was very difficult," Anderson, in England introducing a series of concerts by a youth orchestra, tells the Sunday Times. "[My daughter] spent a lot of time on set. She had a really hard time."
Like Hollywood actresses Kathleen Turner and Nicole Kidman, Anderson plans on doing a play in London's West End. She expects to hit the boards next summer, but declined to say what role she will be sinking her teeth into.
"Sometimes I am struck dumb by the narrow thinking with casting directors. Some actors won't audition, but I have to. Having been Scully for such a long time, I have to prove myself in other roles."
"The stuff I am going to do is as far from Scully as humanly possible," says Anderson, who last year appeared in the period movie "The House of Mirth" based on the Edith Wharton novel.
But Duchovny May Be Back After All
Maybe that movie career isn't looking as rosy as he thought it would.
David Duchovny (ex-Fox Mulder) recently retracted statements that he was done with the television version of The X-Files.
"If they wrote a good X-Files script, I would look at it the way I look at any script -- which is, I would really want it to be good," he recently told TV Guide.
While promoting his new movie, "Evolution," a few weeks ago -- a movie that has since bombed at the box office -- Duchovny said he would never return to the series. But in the TV Guide interview, he said that the Season 8 finale didn't resolve the Mulder character. He also said he was upset with the fact that no one told him he would be sharing a kiss with co-star Gillian Anderson (Dana Scully) until just hours before the scene was shot.
Witchblade Is A Maxi Mini
The cast of TNT's Witchblade told Comics Continuum that creators envision the show as a long miniseries. "The reason they're calling it a miniseries is they want everybody to know that there is a definite beginning, middle and end," Anthony Cistaro (Kenneth Irons) said. "You're watching an 11-hour movie. You've got that two-hour pilot and 11 hours of new material, 13 hours all together. It stands from beginning to middle to end."
But that doesn't mean TNT won't order more episodes if ratings hold up. "That's up to the viewers," said Yancy Butler (Sara Pezzini). "Hopefully, our numbers will be that good. I hope it will be picked up. I plan on it." Added Cistaro, "Let's be practical. If it gets the ratings, they're not going to end it."
Crosby Up For More X-Files
Denise Crosby may very well turn up again as Dr. Mary Speake when The X-Files returns for its ninth season this fall. During an interview, Crosby--who's best known for her stint as Tasha Yar/Cmdr. Sela on Star Trek: The Next Generation--said she would be thrilled, as she's eager to learn more about the character that's been seen so far in the episodes "Empedocles" and "Essence."
"Chris Carter doesn't reveal very much," said the actress, who was directed in "Essence" by veteran X-Files producer and director Kim Manners. (Manners put her through her paces more than a decade ago in the Next Generation episode "When the Bough Breaks.") "When I was coming onto the show, I don't think they'd even quite had it worked out who the baby was, what it was, how it was going to be born," Crosby said. "Chris was writing it in secret and wasn't very available. I just know that I was Scully's [Gillian Anderson] doctor, and I was taking care of her. Speake is an obstetrician."
Crosby--who's also contemplating a sequel to the documentary Trekkies, which she co-produced and hosted--considers Dr. Speake a character with tremendous potential. "She could align herself with Scully and protect the baby," Crosby said. "But for all I know, she could be an alien who tries to bring in the second coming. So I don't know what will happen. The show is so out there. But I'm sure Chris will think of something."
Night Visions Finally Ready to Roll
Dan Angel and Billy Brown--producers of Fox's upcoming genre anthology series Night Visions--said in a recent Fox press conference for the show that they were influenced by previous series and movies. "Being fans of The Twilight Zone and kind of classic horror films--a la Rosemary's Baby, The Omen, Repulsion--we've always loved the kind of metaphysical horror film, psychological horror, and also the kinds of twists and turns that a show like Twilight Zone used to have," Brown said in an interview. "We really felt like there hadn't been anything like that on TV in a long time."
Night Visions will be a 13-episode, one-hour series comprising two half-hour stories each week, the producers said. Angel and Brown--previously known for Showtime's John Carpenter Presents: Body Bags and Fox's Goosebumps series--enlisted top-notch talent for the various episodes, including actors Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, Thora Birch, Randy Quaid and Jack Palance and directors Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist) and Joe Dante (Small Soldiers). "They were very excited about doing anthology," Angel said. "They were very excited about the scripts and the stories. And there were even times when they didn't initially say yes until they read the script, then they changed their minds."
The initial stories focus on an air crash investigator (Aidan Quinn) who has mysterious visions, a radio shock jock (Lou Diamond Phillips) terrorized by an unknown caller and a medical student who autopsies a voodoo priest. Subsequent episodes will mix supernatural horror, science fiction and psychological suspense, the producers said. "Even though the content ranges from metaphysical to psychological to shows that are horror to ones that are more fantasy, they were always character-based, even if there was a supernatural element," Brown said. "It was either a metaphor or sprang from the inner needs of the character, and that was really something that we very much like and tried to do and feel that it makes for more compelling viewing. It gives the actor a really good role."
Angel added, "The myth out there in the television world and the network world is that anthology doesn't work. And to be honest with you, we've loved anthology. We were very successful with Goosebumps for kids. All the anthologies we grew up on and loved, from Night Gallery to Twilight Zone to the syndicated anthologies, like Tales from the Darkside and The Hitchhiker, for the most part, they've been very successful. ... So when you're dealing with a genre anthology, I think the good news is we were able to convince Fox that this could work. I think the audience is ready for this." Night Visions premieres with a special two-hour episode on July 12 and will air Thursdays at 9 p.m.
Fans To Write New Voyager
A group of Star Trek: Voyager fans--unwilling to accept the end of their favorite show--has come together on the Internet to shepherd fan fiction carrying on the story of the errant starship and its crew. Voyager: Virtual Season Eight will feature 26 new weekly stories based on the show's characters, starting June 20.
The team of fans is led by Holly "Thinkey" Simon, Coral Leane and Anne Rose. The "episodes" will feature book covers and Flash-driven video and will also be translated into German for international fans.
Interested? The site is at:
http://www.creativelogs.com/
Bakula Discusses Enterprise
Scott Bakula revealed details of his upcoming UPN Star Trek series, Enterprise, to fans at an Orlando convention earlier this month. "It's basically these people are getting on a ship and going out to explore for the first time," Bakula said in taped remarks delivered at the Orlando Leap convention**.
Bakula added, "It's very much like The Right Stuff or any of those kind of movies, where it's much more humanly based in terms of emotion and seeing this universe for this first time, which I think is really exciting."
Bakula also confirmed that the series takes place in the not-too-distant future. "It's only 150 years from now, in 2151," he said. "That's just around the corner." As for his character, Capt. Jonathan Archer, he said, "It's a really great part. I was really excited when I got the script, because it's the first starship, and I'm the first captain, and it's right from the beginning. Even if you don't know Star Trek, and you haven't followed the other series, this is basically the first one, so you don't need to come to it with lots of lore in terms of what Star Trek is or was."
Editor’s Note: ** No, I didn’t attend, even though it was only just up the road. I’m not a QL fan.
Here are a few more “Enterprise” related snippets form various sources:
The new ship is said to be smaller and flatter, with warp nacelles and a saucer section beneath the connective midsection (usually where engineering is located on Starfleet ships).
One group of fans claims to have gotten a hold of the “Broken Bow” (the pilot) script and give it a positive review. In the first episode summary, Captain Archer's crew rapidly assembles for a rescue mission to Qo'nos after a Klingon crashes on Earth. But Silik, a member of the chameleon-like shape-shifting Suliban race who takes orders from a shadowy figure from the future, abducts the Klingon. The S.S. Enterprise (built in part by Archer's father) pursues the Suliban to learn why the Klingon is so important to him. Vulcan first officer T'Pol has more space experience than the humans do, but she is reluctant to reveal too much information until she has to.
James Cromwell will reprise his Zefram Cochrane role from FIRST CONTACT in the series premiere – the character will give a dramatic speech that sends the enterprising explorers on their way. In a different twist to the actor’s participation, Cochrane may appear as a hologram, since previous Trek history suggests that the human inventor of the warp drive would be presumed dead by the era of ENTERPRISE.
Buffy Sings and May Even Appear as a Puppet
Buffy The Vampire Slayer co-executive producer Marti Noxon confirmed last week that Joss Whedon is working on a musical episode.
"Almost all the cast sings," she said. "Joss himself is writing the music."
The episode will be the sixth of next season, though there's still no word on how the title character will return from her fate at the end of this season.
Experimenting with different genres is nothing new for the series, and Noxon goes so far as to joke about doing an episode of Buffy as a puppet show: "I'm dying to do an episode where you just turn it on, and for no explained reason, they're all just puppets."
Showtime To Make Odyssey
Christopher Gorham and Peter Weller will star in a Showtime original SF television movie Odyssey 5, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Executive producer Manny Coto wrote the film, about a space shuttle crew that witnesses the end of the world from Earth orbit.
The crew then discovers a way to go back in time five years and tries to save the world. The film, produced for Showtime by Columbia TriStar Television Distribution, is being directed by David Carson, who directed an installment of the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, the trade paper reported. Sebastian Roch, Tamara Craig Thomas and Leslie Silva also star.
Xena Creator Defends End
Rob Tapert--co-creator and executive producer of Xena: Warrior Princess--defended to a journalist for E! the series' finale last week. Fans have criticized the finale, but I am not going to give details, as they are too heavy on the spoiler front.
Tapert told E! that the reaction was "exactly what we thought it would be." He added, "We certainly have taken the heat. I have a friend who sends me e-mails, and I've gotten some faxes from people and letters. And people have had a very mixed reaction. But the finale was really based on where the series started, and it seemed to complete her journey looking for redemption."
Tapert, who wrote the finale with co-executive producer R.J. Stewart, added, "I thought it worked for me. People would say it was too ignominious, but I think it was what fueled Gabrielle to take the steps to be motivated. I really thought the end was appropriate. You don't really want to upset people, but we knew it would be emotional for the right reasons."
As for the future of the Xena franchise after six years of syndicated television, Tapert said, "This is about the fifth time that we have faced this sort of issue in the series, so I'm not worried about the franchise ending."
Firestarter: Rekindled Wraps
Principal photography has wrapped in Salt Lake City on The Sci-Fi Channel's upcoming original miniseries Firestarter: Rekindled, the network announced. Firestarter: Rekindled--based on Stephen King's original novel--is slated to air in December as a four-hour miniseries.
Firestarter: Rekindled picks up the story of Charlene "Charlie" McGee 20 years after the events in the 1984 feature film Firestarter, which starred Drew Barrymore. Charlie, now played by Marguerite Moreau (Queen of the Damned), is tired of running from the government that created her. But as she searches for answers to her psychic firestarting ability, she runs afoul of Rainbird (Malcolm McDowell), a sociopathic government agent who wants to control Charlie's powers.
Danny Nucci and Dennis Hopper also star. Philip Eisner (Event Horizon) wrote the miniseries, which is directed by Robert Iscove.
Fox Orders Galactica Telefilm
Fox has ordered a two-hour Battlestar Galactica movie from Studios USA, based on the 1970s series, which will stand as a pilot for a proposed Galactica series for the 2002-03 season that will run jointly on Fox and The Sci-Fi Channel, Sarah Timberman, president of Studios USA Programming, announced. As previously reported, X-Men director Bryan Singer will direct and will also executive produce with Tom DeSanto, Dan Angel and Billy Brown. "We're tremendously excited to be bringing the originality and immense talent of Bryan Singer, Tom DeSanto, Dan Angel and Billy Brown to bear on reinventing what was clearly such a pop culture phenomenon," Timberman said in a statement.
The next-generation Galactica will be set after the seventh-millennium time frame of the original series, which ran on ABC from 1978-80. "Our goal is to take the Galactica franchise and move it forward in both style and character, while bringing the scope and sensibility of epic science-fiction filmmaking to the small screen," Singer said in a statement.
Producers Dan Angel and Billy Brown said that the proposed series will feature some characters from the classic 1970s Galactica TV series. "Some of the characters will be revived," Brown said in an interview, but declined to say which ones. Added Angel, "All that is in discussion stage right now, but absolutely, the intention is to keep in the spirit of what was there before and to preserve--as Billy said--what was there."
"Hopefully, what we're trying to aim for is, there will be new characters, there will be some of the old characters," Brown said. "But since it's not totally written and totally signed off on--and also because there's such a huge fan base--we don't want to get out false rumors and have people, like, go crazy. But I think one thing we can say is that we're very much aware of the old fans. ... We want to honor the old show. We don't want to violate anything. It's like, if you watch the show, you're not going to go, 'Oh, well, they totally contradicted what was in the old show.' There won't be any contradictions, but there will be a taking it further and taking it forward in time."
Brown added that he and Angel were working on the script for a two-hour pilot for the series, which will advance the original storyline. "It does take place in a not-so-distant future from the end of the old show," Brown said. "It's going to be a sprawling, family saga that is set amongst the travails and adventures of the human colony."
Stargate Begins Landmark Season
Brad Wright, executive producer of Showtime's Stargate SG-1, said that the fifth season, which starts June 29, marks several milestones for the SF series. Among other things, the 12th episode of the season is the series' 100th episode, Wright said in an interview.
"We were very excited about that," Wright said. "It's the second series I've helped take to 100 episodes. I did Outer Limits as well. And it's amazing how quickly that time goes by." The 100th episode, "Wormhole Extreme," airing in September, is a departure for the series. "Rather than do a heavy, expensive big episode like we normally would do, we did a show that was in fact something of a parody of ourselves, kind of a Galaxy Quest version of Stargate SG-1," he said. The episode continues a story from last season, "allowing one of the characters that we've already introduced ... to end up doing a parody television series of Stargate called Wormhole Extreme. ... It's very funny. It is a balls-out comedy, as opposed to many of the episodes that we do."
The fifth season will also continue Earth's battle with the villainous Goa'uld. In January, the series will air a two-part episode--"Summit" and "Last Stand"--that will be the first time all the System Lords come together, Wright said. "It's a really large action story," he said.
The season premiere, "Enemies," will resolve the cliffhanger from last season, "Exodus." "I think it's one of our best episodes ever," Wright said. "At the end of last season, we found ourselves on a ship in another galaxy 120 years away from home, even at top speed, and with our archenemy Apophis. Another one of our enemies, who has almost wiped us out in the past, ends up inadvertently coming to our aid, and of course, they almost wipe us out too, but we manage to escape them."
Stargate SG-1 is about to begin production in Vancouver on its 14th episode out of 22 for the fifth season, Wright said. He added that he's awaiting word on a possible sixth season.
Editor’s Note: Get your checkbooks out Showtime – Season 6 is when they start asking for bigger paychecks.
“Spike” is Flavor of the Month
Here is a badly written (in my opinion) extract from the Scoops column of TV Now magazine:
James Marsters is Heating Up ... Sometime in November, in a TV land far away from the constrictive dictates of the WB, the only person worthy of Buffy's love, James Marsters, will appear as Charlemagne Bolivar on Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda. Bolivar is the archduke of a royal family of Nietzscheans -- genetically engineered superhumans -- and will be either a deadly enemy to Captain Hunt or one hell of an ally. You have to figure that the role will help draw fans of the syndicated series over to the UPN to check out Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Call it free press for the show and the network. Marsters might be the best thing going for the vampire series now that Sarah Michelle Gellar's Buffy is either *************or getting married to Freddie Prinze, Jr. -- an act that will decrease her sex appeal to some of the male and female fans. People Magazine found out how popular the California-born actor really is when Marsters won their 2001 Most Beautiful People Poll with an amazing 497,328 votes. Just think, all of the good things happening to this talented thespian could have benefited the WB if somebody on the executive board hadn't spiked the punch with idiot pills.
Editor’s Note: The ******** is spoiler avoidance for those who haven’t seen the finale yet.
And here’s their thoughts on Prue – Too!!
Shannen's Brew is Strong ... We know that the burning question on your mind over the last couple of weeks is why charming actress Shannen Doherty bolted from her successful WB series. According to an article coming up in Movieline Magazine, the wicked witch claims that there were times when she did superb acting on the show and felt that her efforts were too good to be in a childish TV series -- sort of like wasting way too much quality on such simple minds. Considering some of the blockbuster films under Doherty's belt, including Striking Poses and Mallrats, we would be nuts to argue with her. After the Movieline July issue hits the stores, don't be surprised if you see Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs chasing their former sister down the street with brooms cocked and ready to be deployed.
2nd Editor’s Note: Well, get you sweetheart. We now know who is the head of her fan club don’t we? What a stuck up bitch. I always thought Charmed was an ensemble show, not one starring her and co-starring the others.
EFC Fans Hit the “Blue Glitter” Campaign Trail
Over the last four seasons, Earth: Final Conflict has gone through more changes than caterpillar caught in a never-ending time loop. And now some adamant fans are saying enough is enough.
The mailroom at the main offices of Tribune Entertainment in Chicago has been getting an extra dose of envelopes filled with blue glitter and protest letters from fans that say their show is going down hill as it readies to air its fifth season this fall.
"Most of EFC's present fans were quite happy with various arcs developing in Season 4 because it finally appeared that we were about to get some serious Human/Taelon communication of a fairly sinister nature, and we were shocked at the abrupt and wasteful conclusion of the many intriguing storylines and major characters in one rather over-the-top episode that had been only vaguely foreshadowed," said Aestrae, one of the fan organizers of the protest. The "Blue Glitter" campaign was the idea of a fan known as "Seven," Aestrae said, however having fans attach blue ribbons and sending letters in blue envelopes was added to the campaign.
"(We wanted) to get the maximum visual impact to the fact that we do not want something totally different for Season 5," Aestrae said.
The idea for the campaign was inspired in part by the campaign last year by fans of the then WB network series "Roswell," who sent bottles of Tabasco sauce to network execs, the favored food of the alien hybrids on the show. While that campaign ultimately did not save the show on The WB, it did play at least a small role in UPN's interest in the show, and picking it up for its third season.
While the Blue Glitter campaign was originally designed for EFC, Aestrae said that the campaign also is trying to get another message across -- that not only has EFC seem to scrape the bottom of entertainment, but other science fiction shows are doing it as well.
"This is not just a protest about the course of one show, but rather a cry that those of us on the net unite in search of getting the point across that we wish quality sci-fi geared for a mature audience who do not appreciate flashy action-oriented shows without a strong underpinning of real substance, something EFC often had in the Taelon/Human myth-arc that Season 1 planted in our minds," Aestrae said. "I see this protest as a method of slowly educating the media that if they give us what we want, they will make a hell of a lot more money than if they just randomly give us what they think that we want. We want a complex universe that we explore on the show ... and is not afraid to look at deeper issues in a post-modern era of first contact gone very wrong, in a world where conflict does not just employ guns."
In the past four years, the show has changed from an X-Files type adventure with a double agent character named William Boone searching for the killer of his wife, while trying to help uncover the hidden agenda of the Taelons. However, the second season took a strong turn to something totally different, killing of Boone and bringing in Robert Leeshock as a more hip alien hybrid named Liam Kincaid. Now, the characters brought in since the second season, with the exception of Jayne Heitmeyer's Renee Palmer, have been bumped from the show, indicating yet another major change in the series.
"If EFC had been a total failure, I would understand the need to change, to try some other schemes," Aestrae said. "Yes, I know about the fans' complaints regarding Seasons 2 and 3, but it seems someone has no intention to repair the damages."
Pieces of Voyager up for sale
In an effort to raise money for several charities, Tim Russ (Tuvok, Voyager) is selling a piece of the fourth Star Trek series.
Russ' official fan club is sponsoring a Summer Charity Auction that began June 30 and will run until the end of summer. According to the official Star Trek site, there will be new items on the auction block each week, in many different price ranges.
Items on the block include autographed photos and items from the Voyager cast, partial and completely autographed cast photos, autographed call sheets from the series finale, autographed original scripts, action figures, Activision games, books, T-shirts ... and Tuvok's ears -- autographed by Russ.
The net proceeds will be donated to charities like Zenith Youth Homes, Wildlife Waystation, El Modena Family Shelter and Holy Family Services.
Visit the site at www.timrusswebpage.com
Movie News: In short supply this week.
Yeoh Confirms Tiger 2 In Works
Michelle Yeoh confirmed that a prequel to the Oscar-winning martial arts/fantasy film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is in the works. Director "Ang Lee is off to work on The Incredible Hulk, and I have started my own production company, and we're in the blitz of pre-production on a movie called The Touch," the actress said in an interview. "At the moment, everybody seems to be over their heads with work, but I've heard that Ang has found a couple of writers, and they're working on another Crouching Tiger film. Until he actually comes out and tells us, though, we're sort of in the dark."
In Tiger, Yeoh played Yu Shu Lien, the soft-spoken, wall-climbing, high-flying, sword-wielding unrequited love of Chow Yun-Fat's character, Li Mu Bai. What would Yeoh like to see in the next saga? "The character was so serious and contained, and the prequel would be about the younger couple, about the younger version of Chow and myself," said Yeoh, one of Asia's biggest stars. "So I'd like to see my character with a sense of humor and love and lightheartedness."
Editor’s Note: No sequel then? Sorry – couldn’t resist that one. Anyone who hasn’t seen the movie wouldn’t understand. If you don’t – go see it. Interesting movie.
''Rollerball'' remake to roll later
Variety reports that just seven weeks before the film's scheduled release, MGM has pushed John McTiernan's “Rollerball'' to the first quarter of 2002 in order to give the studio more time to capitalize on the remake's potential.
“I want the time to set this up right. In marketing terms, I want to do things with the film that are different than what has been done to date,” said Bob Levin, MGM's newly arrived president of theatrical marketing and distribution.
For now, that would include getting a trailer into theaters. Although Rollerball was slated to roll out on Aug. 17, MGM was still scrambling to complete a trailer. So far, theater audiences have only seen a teaser.
Levin added that he also wants to give the film “strong support” by playing the trailer in front of holiday releases, as well as through promotional activities and the possibility of MTV tie-ins.
“Rollerball,” a remake of director Norman Jewison's 1975 futuristic thriller, stars Chris Klein, LL Cool J and Jean Reno.
In the meantime, Levin will have his hands full with the release of “Legally Blonde,” starring Reese Witherspoon, on July 13; “Original Sin,” starring Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas, on Aug. 3 (pushed forward from Feb. 23); and the arthouse platform release of “Ghost World,” starring Thora Birch, on July 20.
Also upcoming are American Zoetrope's “Jeepers Creepers,” the Billy Bob Thornton/Bruce Willis starrer “Bandits” and John Woo's “Windtalkers,” starring Nicolas Cage. Levin joined MGM on June 22, combining the marketing and distribution roles previously held by two executives.
Editor’s Note: That is a direct quote from the Variety article, but my comment is “BULL COOKIES”. Here is a segment of a report from one of the fans in the invited audience for the recent test screening of the movie:
“It seems that the people behind ROLLERBALL are going to take the time to clean up the mess they created. Father Geek certainly hopes so anyway. As one of a very small group that have witnessed the original "Final Cut" in NYC a few weeks ago I really do sincerely hope that this is simply a "cover" story they are using while they take the time to reshoot and re-edit the hodgepodge that was offered up to that NYC audience. They now have the time to make the needed corrections, lets hope they DO it”
I seem to remember expressing some doubts about what they would do with this movie, and it seems that my fears may al have come home to roost.
Part B Follows Shortly.
Best wishes,
David Gerhard
Eastlant Sci-Fi Group
Fans Working for Fandom, Not for Profit.
44A 3 July 2001 inclu The Big Apple and cancellations and Srceen Actors Guild

Eastlant Sci-Fi Group - 2000-2001 Season Progress Report 44A.
This is a digest of recent Sci-Fi- and genre-related news as of 3rd July 2001.
News & Notes
Editorial – The Season From Hell is Over!
It has been a strange season, both from the viewpoint of the TV shows themselves, and with regard to getting the tapes out, but with a few minor hiccups we survived again.
The Networks must be scratching their heads now, as they try to figure out what went right last year. I have never known so few cancellations, which also means that so many mid-season replacements never made it to the screen. Those that did fared very badly, principally because of Network stupidity.
Take “The Big Apple” for example. This Police/FBI drama set in New York was very well made, tinged with some acid humor and well acted. The writing was as tight as any current show and it had a lot of promise. So why didn’t it succeed? For one reason only. Some whiz kid at the network decided to premier the show just as the season finale run up began, so any potential audience was far more focused on what was happening at the West Wing, or on NYPD Blue, and as a result, highly unlikely to take on a new series.
Had they saved it for the summer, when there are few if any new episodes airing on the main networks, it would almost certainly have been a hit.
But then, when the system is run by idiots, why should this year be any different?
The second knock-on effect of the high success rate is that there will be considerably fewer slots available for new shows next season. This will have little effect on genre shows, as the main networks tend to shy away from these anyway, but this year the vast majority of the new drama shows will either never get to the screen, or will be pulled very quickly if they don’t immediately grab good ratings.
As always we shall see.
From my viewpoint, this has been a traumatic year. Apart from the usual strikes, disputes and go-slows that have hit the post office and the airlines, we have had equipment failures in spades this year. However, that is by no means the biggest issue as the year comes to an end.
At the start of the season, I had three editing teams, and a couple people helping on the admin side, and we were easily able to keep up with everything that was thrown at us. By the beginning of May, I was on my own, and the last few weeks of the season were a nightmare. It is still not quite over, as I have a pile of tapes to mail out, but another week or so should see it all done and shipped, so if you are waiting for tapes, you shouldn’t have to wait for much longer.
Be under no misapprehension however; I am not prepared to do an entire season like the last 6 weeks. There will have to be some changes.
I am considering the following methods of making the load manageable, and I would value any opinions on how these would be received by your good selves:
1. Not taking on any more new clients until the number drops below a new, lower maximum, probably 200. I might temper this by applying this to non-genre shows only, as I am reluctant to turn a genre fan away. I currently have about 40 clients who only take non-genre shows out of the 310 or so that I am currently sending tapes to;
2. Not editing non-genre shows and only offering these raw, unedited. This would save me about 30 hours of editing a week, but would mean fewer episodes per tape for the non-genre fans. I could maybe mitigate against that by offering to do LP tapes more frequently, so as to get maybe 5 or 6 episodes onto a tape, depending on how many ran in a particular block of episodes. This would also allow me to concentrate non-genre stuff during the genre reruns periods. It would mean you might have to wait a couple weeks longer to see your show, and take them on fewer tapes, but that also means a cost saving for you. This would not need to apply to all non-genre shows, as I watch some myself and tape them as they air – West Wing, CSI, The District, JAG, etc. Thoughts please;
3. No mix and match or archive stuff during the season – new episodes only and no offset tapes – you take them as they come – node by node – For example, I had a lot of requests this year from X-Files fans for only the Mulder episodes – sorry I just can’t cope with this sort of odd request now I am on my own. Anything like that will have to wait for the summer;
4. No fillers on finale tapes. After the last few weeks, this will almost certainly become policy. I have even been setting an alarm for the middle of the night so I could change converters in an attempt to keep up, and it’s no fun.
US Fans Please Note: This only applies to tape conversions going overseas. The numerous fans in the US that I supply with WB and UPN shows on a week-by-week or short-run basis need not worry. There will be no changes to that, as I have enough NTSC machines to open a store.
Now, none of this is set in stone, and nothing I do will be allowed to increase costs, so don’t worry about that either. I hope to be able to maintain the service to everyone that wants it, with little or no discernible effect from your viewpoint.
If you have any views on this, let me know. Any ideas would be welcome. Please note however that I may not be able to respond to all e-mails on this subject due to expected volume, so please restrict comments in these e-mails to this subject only.
Finally, I apologize for the need to make such changes, but it’s either that, or the rubber room.
Group News:
Get ‘em in Now
The Monthly newsletter will be out towards the end of this week, and Boy! There are some strong views to publish. If you want to get into this issue, let me have your submissions as soon as possible.
Still no convention reports, unfortunately. Odd that. The first thing I always wanted to do after running an event was to tell the world how good it had been so they would book for the next one. This is free advertising going to the dogs.
Actors, Studios Resume Labor Contract Talks
Here is an article from Reuters on the talks between the actors unions and producers. The consequence of an actors strike is the effect it could have on new shows this coming fall, although many series are already half way through the filming schedule for the next season.
Hopefully, after the writers were able to reach an amicable agreement with producers, the actors will do the same.
By Reuters/Variety
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Labor contract negotiations between major film and TV studios and two unions representing 135,000 actors resumed on Sunday morning after talks were extended past the current pact's expiration at midnight on Saturday.
``We'll take them an hour at a time,'' Greg Krizman, spokesman for the Screen Actors Guild, or SAG, said referring to today's resumed negotiations.
The two sides, meeting in Encino, Calif., at the industry's Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers headquarters, decided Saturday night to temporarily extend talks and are reportedly close to an agreement on a new three-year contract.
The Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday that negotiators were close to an agreement on a way to pay actors when their work is shown on cable TV so that their health care and pension contributions are not deducted from off the top of paychecks.
The newspaper also said actors are expected to get other concessions including increased minimum payments for TV performers and a special bump for guest stars in shows, as well as added payments in some cases when shows air on foreign stations.
Krizman would not comment on the reports.
The talks between SAG and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the studios have been running late into the night on daily basis since June 23.
Both sides have declined to characterize progress in the talks since the negotiations began on May 15.
The unions are reportedly seeking to boost their minimum pay scale by 9 percent over the term of a new contract.
Like the Hollywood writers, who clinched their own contract with the studios on May 4, the actors are also seeking higher residual payments when TV programs and movies are aired in reruns and in foreign markets.
The union says those residual payments are crucial to sustaining the bulk of its membership, most of whom are out of work or between parts at any given time.
While Hollywood's biggest stars like Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford have commanded salaries of $20 million or more per film, 70 percent of SAG members earn less than $7,500 a year.
Only an elite 2 percent of performers earn more than $100,000 annually, according to SAG.
The union has downplayed the risk of a strike, which would take a month or more for unions to authorize in the event that talks break down.
Studios, represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, have been hesitant to start production of new films until the actors' contract is settled.
A work stoppage by the actors could be damaging for California's economy, which is already staggering from the slowdown in the technology sector and an electricity crisis that threatens repeated blackouts this summer.
A study by the Milken Institute commissioned by outgoing Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan estimated that if the actors were to walk off sets for one month it would cost the region 21,000 jobs and $1.3 billion in lost income.
TV News:
Anderson To Quit 'X-Files'
In an interview with a British newspaper, Gillian Anderson, star of Fox’s "The X-Files" says that the upcoming season will be her last. She says she made her decision so that she can hit the London stage and spend more time with her six-year-old daughter, Piper.
"For the first seven seasons it was very difficult," Anderson, in England introducing a series of concerts by a youth orchestra, tells the Sunday Times. "[My daughter] spent a lot of time on set. She had a really hard time."
Like Hollywood actresses Kathleen Turner and Nicole Kidman, Anderson plans on doing a play in London's West End. She expects to hit the boards next summer, but declined to say what role she will be sinking her teeth into.
"Sometimes I am struck dumb by the narrow thinking with casting directors. Some actors won't audition, but I have to. Having been Scully for such a long time, I have to prove myself in other roles."
"The stuff I am going to do is as far from Scully as humanly possible," says Anderson, who last year appeared in the period movie "The House of Mirth" based on the Edith Wharton novel.
But Duchovny May Be Back After All
Maybe that movie career isn't looking as rosy as he thought it would.
David Duchovny (ex-Fox Mulder) recently retracted statements that he was done with the television version of The X-Files.
"If they wrote a good X-Files script, I would look at it the way I look at any script -- which is, I would really want it to be good," he recently told TV Guide.
While promoting his new movie, "Evolution," a few weeks ago -- a movie that has since bombed at the box office -- Duchovny said he would never return to the series. But in the TV Guide interview, he said that the Season 8 finale didn't resolve the Mulder character. He also said he was upset with the fact that no one told him he would be sharing a kiss with co-star Gillian Anderson (Dana Scully) until just hours before the scene was shot.
Witchblade Is A Maxi Mini
The cast of TNT's Witchblade told Comics Continuum that creators envision the show as a long miniseries. "The reason they're calling it a miniseries is they want everybody to know that there is a definite beginning, middle and end," Anthony Cistaro (Kenneth Irons) said. "You're watching an 11-hour movie. You've got that two-hour pilot and 11 hours of new material, 13 hours all together. It stands from beginning to middle to end."
But that doesn't mean TNT won't order more episodes if ratings hold up. "That's up to the viewers," said Yancy Butler (Sara Pezzini). "Hopefully, our numbers will be that good. I hope it will be picked up. I plan on it." Added Cistaro, "Let's be practical. If it gets the ratings, they're not going to end it."
Crosby Up For More X-Files
Denise Crosby may very well turn up again as Dr. Mary Speake when The X-Files returns for its ninth season this fall. During an interview, Crosby--who's best known for her stint as Tasha Yar/Cmdr. Sela on Star Trek: The Next Generation--said she would be thrilled, as she's eager to learn more about the character that's been seen so far in the episodes "Empedocles" and "Essence."
"Chris Carter doesn't reveal very much," said the actress, who was directed in "Essence" by veteran X-Files producer and director Kim Manners. (Manners put her through her paces more than a decade ago in the Next Generation episode "When the Bough Breaks.") "When I was coming onto the show, I don't think they'd even quite had it worked out who the baby was, what it was, how it was going to be born," Crosby said. "Chris was writing it in secret and wasn't very available. I just know that I was Scully's [Gillian Anderson] doctor, and I was taking care of her. Speake is an obstetrician."
Crosby--who's also contemplating a sequel to the documentary Trekkies, which she co-produced and hosted--considers Dr. Speake a character with tremendous potential. "She could align herself with Scully and protect the baby," Crosby said. "But for all I know, she could be an alien who tries to bring in the second coming. So I don't know what will happen. The show is so out there. But I'm sure Chris will think of something."
Night Visions Finally Ready to Roll
Dan Angel and Billy Brown--producers of Fox's upcoming genre anthology series Night Visions--said in a recent Fox press conference for the show that they were influenced by previous series and movies. "Being fans of The Twilight Zone and kind of classic horror films--a la Rosemary's Baby, The Omen, Repulsion--we've always loved the kind of metaphysical horror film, psychological horror, and also the kinds of twists and turns that a show like Twilight Zone used to have," Brown said in an interview. "We really felt like there hadn't been anything like that on TV in a long time."
Night Visions will be a 13-episode, one-hour series comprising two half-hour stories each week, the producers said. Angel and Brown--previously known for Showtime's John Carpenter Presents: Body Bags and Fox's Goosebumps series--enlisted top-notch talent for the various episodes, including actors Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, Thora Birch, Randy Quaid and Jack Palance and directors Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist) and Joe Dante (Small Soldiers). "They were very excited about doing anthology," Angel said. "They were very excited about the scripts and the stories. And there were even times when they didn't initially say yes until they read the script, then they changed their minds."
The initial stories focus on an air crash investigator (Aidan Quinn) who has mysterious visions, a radio shock jock (Lou Diamond Phillips) terrorized by an unknown caller and a medical student who autopsies a voodoo priest. Subsequent episodes will mix supernatural horror, science fiction and psychological suspense, the producers said. "Even though the content ranges from metaphysical to psychological to shows that are horror to ones that are more fantasy, they were always character-based, even if there was a supernatural element," Brown said. "It was either a metaphor or sprang from the inner needs of the character, and that was really something that we very much like and tried to do and feel that it makes for more compelling viewing. It gives the actor a really good role."
Angel added, "The myth out there in the television world and the network world is that anthology doesn't work. And to be honest with you, we've loved anthology. We were very successful with Goosebumps for kids. All the anthologies we grew up on and loved, from Night Gallery to Twilight Zone to the syndicated anthologies, like Tales from the Darkside and The Hitchhiker, for the most part, they've been very successful. ... So when you're dealing with a genre anthology, I think the good news is we were able to convince Fox that this could work. I think the audience is ready for this." Night Visions premieres with a special two-hour episode on July 12 and will air Thursdays at 9 p.m.
Fans To Write New Voyager
A group of Star Trek: Voyager fans--unwilling to accept the end of their favorite show--has come together on the Internet to shepherd fan fiction carrying on the story of the errant starship and its crew. Voyager: Virtual Season Eight will feature 26 new weekly stories based on the show's characters, starting June 20.
The team of fans is led by Holly "Thinkey" Simon, Coral Leane and Anne Rose. The "episodes" will feature book covers and Flash-driven video and will also be translated into German for international fans.
Interested? The site is at:
http://www.creativelogs.com/
Bakula Discusses Enterprise
Scott Bakula revealed details of his upcoming UPN Star Trek series, Enterprise, to fans at an Orlando convention earlier this month. "It's basically these people are getting on a ship and going out to explore for the first time," Bakula said in taped remarks delivered at the Orlando Leap convention**.
Bakula added, "It's very much like The Right Stuff or any of those kind of movies, where it's much more humanly based in terms of emotion and seeing this universe for this first time, which I think is really exciting."
Bakula also confirmed that the series takes place in the not-too-distant future. "It's only 150 years from now, in 2151," he said. "That's just around the corner." As for his character, Capt. Jonathan Archer, he said, "It's a really great part. I was really excited when I got the script, because it's the first starship, and I'm the first captain, and it's right from the beginning. Even if you don't know Star Trek, and you haven't followed the other series, this is basically the first one, so you don't need to come to it with lots of lore in terms of what Star Trek is or was."
Editor’s Note: ** No, I didn’t attend, even though it was only just up the road. I’m not a QL fan.
Here are a few more “Enterprise” related snippets form various sources:
The new ship is said to be smaller and flatter, with warp nacelles and a saucer section beneath the connective midsection (usually where engineering is located on Starfleet ships).
One group of fans claims to have gotten a hold of the “Broken Bow” (the pilot) script and give it a positive review. In the first episode summary, Captain Archer's crew rapidly assembles for a rescue mission to Qo'nos after a Klingon crashes on Earth. But Silik, a member of the chameleon-like shape-shifting Suliban race who takes orders from a shadowy figure from the future, abducts the Klingon. The S.S. Enterprise (built in part by Archer's father) pursues the Suliban to learn why the Klingon is so important to him. Vulcan first officer T'Pol has more space experience than the humans do, but she is reluctant to reveal too much information until she has to.
James Cromwell will reprise his Zefram Cochrane role from FIRST CONTACT in the series premiere – the character will give a dramatic speech that sends the enterprising explorers on their way. In a different twist to the actor’s participation, Cochrane may appear as a hologram, since previous Trek history suggests that the human inventor of the warp drive would be presumed dead by the era of ENTERPRISE.
Buffy Sings and May Even Appear as a Puppet
Buffy The Vampire Slayer co-executive producer Marti Noxon confirmed last week that Joss Whedon is working on a musical episode.
"Almost all the cast sings," she said. "Joss himself is writing the music."
The episode will be the sixth of next season, though there's still no word on how the title character will return from her fate at the end of this season.
Experimenting with different genres is nothing new for the series, and Noxon goes so far as to joke about doing an episode of Buffy as a puppet show: "I'm dying to do an episode where you just turn it on, and for no explained reason, they're all just puppets."
Showtime To Make Odyssey
Christopher Gorham and Peter Weller will star in a Showtime original SF television movie Odyssey 5, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Executive producer Manny Coto wrote the film, about a space shuttle crew that witnesses the end of the world from Earth orbit.
The crew then discovers a way to go back in time five years and tries to save the world. The film, produced for Showtime by Columbia TriStar Television Distribution, is being directed by David Carson, who directed an installment of the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, the trade paper reported. Sebastian Roch, Tamara Craig Thomas and Leslie Silva also star.
Xena Creator Defends End
Rob Tapert--co-creator and executive producer of Xena: Warrior Princess--defended to a journalist for E! the series' finale last week. Fans have criticized the finale, but I am not going to give details, as they are too heavy on the spoiler front.
Tapert told E! that the reaction was "exactly what we thought it would be." He added, "We certainly have taken the heat. I have a friend who sends me e-mails, and I've gotten some faxes from people and letters. And people have had a very mixed reaction. But the finale was really based on where the series started, and it seemed to complete her journey looking for redemption."
Tapert, who wrote the finale with co-executive producer R.J. Stewart, added, "I thought it worked for me. People would say it was too ignominious, but I think it was what fueled Gabrielle to take the steps to be motivated. I really thought the end was appropriate. You don't really want to upset people, but we knew it would be emotional for the right reasons."
As for the future of the Xena franchise after six years of syndicated television, Tapert said, "This is about the fifth time that we have faced this sort of issue in the series, so I'm not worried about the franchise ending."
Firestarter: Rekindled Wraps
Principal photography has wrapped in Salt Lake City on The Sci-Fi Channel's upcoming original miniseries Firestarter: Rekindled, the network announced. Firestarter: Rekindled--based on Stephen King's original novel--is slated to air in December as a four-hour miniseries.
Firestarter: Rekindled picks up the story of Charlene "Charlie" McGee 20 years after the events in the 1984 feature film Firestarter, which starred Drew Barrymore. Charlie, now played by Marguerite Moreau (Queen of the Damned), is tired of running from the government that created her. But as she searches for answers to her psychic firestarting ability, she runs afoul of Rainbird (Malcolm McDowell), a sociopathic government agent who wants to control Charlie's powers.
Danny Nucci and Dennis Hopper also star. Philip Eisner (Event Horizon) wrote the miniseries, which is directed by Robert Iscove.
Fox Orders Galactica Telefilm
Fox has ordered a two-hour Battlestar Galactica movie from Studios USA, based on the 1970s series, which will stand as a pilot for a proposed Galactica series for the 2002-03 season that will run jointly on Fox and The Sci-Fi Channel, Sarah Timberman, president of Studios USA Programming, announced. As previously reported, X-Men director Bryan Singer will direct and will also executive produce with Tom DeSanto, Dan Angel and Billy Brown. "We're tremendously excited to be bringing the originality and immense talent of Bryan Singer, Tom DeSanto, Dan Angel and Billy Brown to bear on reinventing what was clearly such a pop culture phenomenon," Timberman said in a statement.
The next-generation Galactica will be set after the seventh-millennium time frame of the original series, which ran on ABC from 1978-80. "Our goal is to take the Galactica franchise and move it forward in both style and character, while bringing the scope and sensibility of epic science-fiction filmmaking to the small screen," Singer said in a statement.
Producers Dan Angel and Billy Brown said that the proposed series will feature some characters from the classic 1970s Galactica TV series. "Some of the characters will be revived," Brown said in an interview, but declined to say which ones. Added Angel, "All that is in discussion stage right now, but absolutely, the intention is to keep in the spirit of what was there before and to preserve--as Billy said--what was there."
"Hopefully, what we're trying to aim for is, there will be new characters, there will be some of the old characters," Brown said. "But since it's not totally written and totally signed off on--and also because there's such a huge fan base--we don't want to get out false rumors and have people, like, go crazy. But I think one thing we can say is that we're very much aware of the old fans. ... We want to honor the old show. We don't want to violate anything. It's like, if you watch the show, you're not going to go, 'Oh, well, they totally contradicted what was in the old show.' There won't be any contradictions, but there will be a taking it further and taking it forward in time."
Brown added that he and Angel were working on the script for a two-hour pilot for the series, which will advance the original storyline. "It does take place in a not-so-distant future from the end of the old show," Brown said. "It's going to be a sprawling, family saga that is set amongst the travails and adventures of the human colony."
Stargate Begins Landmark Season
Brad Wright, executive producer of Showtime's Stargate SG-1, said that the fifth season, which starts June 29, marks several milestones for the SF series. Among other things, the 12th episode of the season is the series' 100th episode, Wright said in an interview.
"We were very excited about that," Wright said. "It's the second series I've helped take to 100 episodes. I did Outer Limits as well. And it's amazing how quickly that time goes by." The 100th episode, "Wormhole Extreme," airing in September, is a departure for the series. "Rather than do a heavy, expensive big episode like we normally would do, we did a show that was in fact something of a parody of ourselves, kind of a Galaxy Quest version of Stargate SG-1," he said. The episode continues a story from last season, "allowing one of the characters that we've already introduced ... to end up doing a parody television series of Stargate called Wormhole Extreme. ... It's very funny. It is a balls-out comedy, as opposed to many of the episodes that we do."
The fifth season will also continue Earth's battle with the villainous Goa'uld. In January, the series will air a two-part episode--"Summit" and "Last Stand"--that will be the first time all the System Lords come together, Wright said. "It's a really large action story," he said.
The season premiere, "Enemies," will resolve the cliffhanger from last season, "Exodus." "I think it's one of our best episodes ever," Wright said. "At the end of last season, we found ourselves on a ship in another galaxy 120 years away from home, even at top speed, and with our archenemy Apophis. Another one of our enemies, who has almost wiped us out in the past, ends up inadvertently coming to our aid, and of course, they almost wipe us out too, but we manage to escape them."
Stargate SG-1 is about to begin production in Vancouver on its 14th episode out of 22 for the fifth season, Wright said. He added that he's awaiting word on a possible sixth season.
Editor’s Note: Get your checkbooks out Showtime – Season 6 is when they start asking for bigger paychecks.
“Spike” is Flavor of the Month
Here is a badly written (in my opinion) extract from the Scoops column of TV Now magazine:
James Marsters is Heating Up ... Sometime in November, in a TV land far away from the constrictive dictates of the WB, the only person worthy of Buffy's love, James Marsters, will appear as Charlemagne Bolivar on Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda. Bolivar is the archduke of a royal family of Nietzscheans -- genetically engineered superhumans -- and will be either a deadly enemy to Captain Hunt or one hell of an ally. You have to figure that the role will help draw fans of the syndicated series over to the UPN to check out Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Call it free press for the show and the network. Marsters might be the best thing going for the vampire series now that Sarah Michelle Gellar's Buffy is either *************or getting married to Freddie Prinze, Jr. -- an act that will decrease her sex appeal to some of the male and female fans. People Magazine found out how popular the California-born actor really is when Marsters won their 2001 Most Beautiful People Poll with an amazing 497,328 votes. Just think, all of the good things happening to this talented thespian could have benefited the WB if somebody on the executive board hadn't spiked the punch with idiot pills.
Editor’s Note: The ******** is spoiler avoidance for those who haven’t seen the finale yet.
And here’s their thoughts on Prue – Too!!
Shannen's Brew is Strong ... We know that the burning question on your mind over the last couple of weeks is why charming actress Shannen Doherty bolted from her successful WB series. According to an article coming up in Movieline Magazine, the wicked witch claims that there were times when she did superb acting on the show and felt that her efforts were too good to be in a childish TV series -- sort of like wasting way too much quality on such simple minds. Considering some of the blockbuster films under Doherty's belt, including Striking Poses and Mallrats, we would be nuts to argue with her. After the Movieline July issue hits the stores, don't be surprised if you see Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs chasing their former sister down the street with brooms cocked and ready to be deployed.
2nd Editor’s Note: Well, get you sweetheart. We now know who is the head of her fan club don’t we? What a stuck up bitch. I always thought Charmed was an ensemble show, not one starring her and co-starring the others.
EFC Fans Hit the “Blue Glitter” Campaign Trail
Over the last four seasons, Earth: Final Conflict has gone through more changes than caterpillar caught in a never-ending time loop. And now some adamant fans are saying enough is enough.
The mailroom at the main offices of Tribune Entertainment in Chicago has been getting an extra dose of envelopes filled with blue glitter and protest letters from fans that say their show is going down hill as it readies to air its fifth season this fall.
"Most of EFC's present fans were quite happy with various arcs developing in Season 4 because it finally appeared that we were about to get some serious Human/Taelon communication of a fairly sinister nature, and we were shocked at the abrupt and wasteful conclusion of the many intriguing storylines and major characters in one rather over-the-top episode that had been only vaguely foreshadowed," said Aestrae, one of the fan organizers of the protest. The "Blue Glitter" campaign was the idea of a fan known as "Seven," Aestrae said, however having fans attach blue ribbons and sending letters in blue envelopes was added to the campaign.
"(We wanted) to get the maximum visual impact to the fact that we do not want something totally different for Season 5," Aestrae said.
The idea for the campaign was inspired in part by the campaign last year by fans of the then WB network series "Roswell," who sent bottles of Tabasco sauce to network execs, the favored food of the alien hybrids on the show. While that campaign ultimately did not save the show on The WB, it did play at least a small role in UPN's interest in the show, and picking it up for its third season.
While the Blue Glitter campaign was originally designed for EFC, Aestrae said that the campaign also is trying to get another message across -- that not only has EFC seem to scrape the bottom of entertainment, but other science fiction shows are doing it as well.
"This is not just a protest about the course of one show, but rather a cry that those of us on the net unite in search of getting the point across that we wish quality sci-fi geared for a mature audience who do not appreciate flashy action-oriented shows without a strong underpinning of real substance, something EFC often had in the Taelon/Human myth-arc that Season 1 planted in our minds," Aestrae said. "I see this protest as a method of slowly educating the media that if they give us what we want, they will make a hell of a lot more money than if they just randomly give us what they think that we want. We want a complex universe that we explore on the show ... and is not afraid to look at deeper issues in a post-modern era of first contact gone very wrong, in a world where conflict does not just employ guns."
In the past four years, the show has changed from an X-Files type adventure with a double agent character named William Boone searching for the killer of his wife, while trying to help uncover the hidden agenda of the Taelons. However, the second season took a strong turn to something totally different, killing of Boone and bringing in Robert Leeshock as a more hip alien hybrid named Liam Kincaid. Now, the characters brought in since the second season, with the exception of Jayne Heitmeyer's Renee Palmer, have been bumped from the show, indicating yet another major change in the series.
"If EFC had been a total failure, I would understand the need to change, to try some other schemes," Aestrae said. "Yes, I know about the fans' complaints regarding Seasons 2 and 3, but it seems someone has no intention to repair the damages."
Pieces of Voyager up for sale
In an effort to raise money for several charities, Tim Russ (Tuvok, Voyager) is selling a piece of the fourth Star Trek series.
Russ' official fan club is sponsoring a Summer Charity Auction that began June 30 and will run until the end of summer. According to the official Star Trek site, there will be new items on the auction block each week, in many different price ranges.
Items on the block include autographed photos and items from the Voyager cast, partial and completely autographed cast photos, autographed call sheets from the series finale, autographed original scripts, action figures, Activision games, books, T-shirts ... and Tuvok's ears -- autographed by Russ.
The net proceeds will be donated to charities like Zenith Youth Homes, Wildlife Waystation, El Modena Family Shelter and Holy Family Services.
Visit the site at http://www.timrusswebpage.com/
Movie News: In short supply this week.
Yeoh Confirms Tiger 2 In Works
Michelle Yeoh confirmed that a prequel to the Oscar-winning martial arts/fantasy film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is in the works. Director "Ang Lee is off to work on The Incredible Hulk, and I have started my own production company, and we're in the blitz of pre-production on a movie called The Touch," the actress said in an interview. "At the moment, everybody seems to be over their heads with work, but I've heard that Ang has found a couple of writers, and they're working on another Crouching Tiger film. Until he actually comes out and tells us, though, we're sort of in the dark."
In Tiger, Yeoh played Yu Shu Lien, the soft-spoken, wall-climbing, high-flying, sword-wielding unrequited love of Chow Yun-Fat's character, Li Mu Bai. What would Yeoh like to see in the next saga? "The character was so serious and contained, and the prequel would be about the younger couple, about the younger version of Chow and myself," said Yeoh, one of Asia's biggest stars. "So I'd like to see my character with a sense of humor and love and lightheartedness."
Editor’s Note: No sequel then? Sorry – couldn’t resist that one. Anyone who hasn’t seen the movie wouldn’t understand. If you don’t – go see it. Interesting movie.
''Rollerball'' remake to roll later
Variety reports that just seven weeks before the film's scheduled release, MGM has pushed John McTiernan's “Rollerball'' to the first quarter of 2002 in order to give the studio more time to capitalize on the remake's potential.
“I want the time to set this up right. In marketing terms, I want to do things with the film that are different than what has been done to date,” said Bob Levin, MGM's newly arrived president of theatrical marketing and distribution.
For now, that would include getting a trailer into theaters. Although Rollerball was slated to roll out on Aug. 17, MGM was still scrambling to complete a trailer. So far, theater audiences have only seen a teaser.
Levin added that he also wants to give the film “strong support” by playing the trailer in front of holiday releases, as well as through promotional activities and the possibility of MTV tie-ins.
“Rollerball,” a remake of director Norman Jewison's 1975 futuristic thriller, stars Chris Klein, LL Cool J and Jean Reno.
In the meantime, Levin will have his hands full with the release of “Legally Blonde,” starring Reese Witherspoon, on July 13; “Original Sin,” starring Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas, on Aug. 3 (pushed forward from Feb. 23); and the arthouse platform release of “Ghost World,” starring Thora Birch, on July 20.
Also upcoming are American Zoetrope's “Jeepers Creepers,” the Billy Bob Thornton/Bruce Willis starrer “Bandits” and John Woo's “Windtalkers,” starring Nicolas Cage. Levin joined MGM on June 22, combining the marketing and distribution roles previously held by two executives.
Editor’s Note: That is a direct quote from the Variety article, but my comment is “BULL COOKIES”. Here is a segment of a report from one of the fans in the invited audience for the recent test screening of the movie:
“It seems that the people behind ROLLERBALL are going to take the time to clean up the mess they created. Father Geek certainly hopes so anyway. As one of a very small group that have witnessed the original "Final Cut" in NYC a few weeks ago I really do sincerely hope that this is simply a "cover" story they are using while they take the time to reshoot and re-edit the hodgepodge that was offered up to that NYC audience. They now have the time to make the needed corrections, lets hope they DO it”
I seem to remember expressing some doubts about what they would do with this movie, and it seems that my fears may al have come home to roost.
Part B Follows Shortly.
Best wishes,
David Gerhard
Eastlant Sci-Fi Group
Fans Working for Fandom, Not for Profit.

Sunday, July 23, 2006

 
Convention Reports and Open Newsletter - 14 July 2001

 

Eastlant Sci-Fi Group

Convention Reports and Open Newsletter

July 2001

Editor’s Notes:

 

Last month’s comments seem to have put the cat among the pigeons.  The response was pretty good and very varied.  I will include below every response we got, and maybe next month the input will double again.

 

 

Convention Reports

 

Delegate Reports:

 

The Australian convention reports have been promised for next month.  I know the problem of the aftermath from a convention, so it’s understandable that the organizers of two events close on each other’s heels must be a little shell-shocked at the moment.

 

I should also have a report from the UK’s Starfury Convention next month.   If anyone has any others to report on, feel free.

 

This month we have one convention report to publish, from Olga Kalmikova in Russia, on the first event that her club has taken part in. They are now in the same position we were in the 60s when we attempted the first fan-run Sci-Fi cons, so the numbers may seem low, but it’s a very good start for a society that was severely restricted until just a few years ago.

 

Olga’s English is very good indeed, so I have made no changes to the report beyond those picked up by the spell-checker – i.e. the differences between European and American English.

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Moscow Fantasy and Sci-Fi Convention # 3. July 1st and 2nd, 2001.

 

By Olga Kalmikova

 

I hereby give permission for e-mail this report to be sent onwards to other e-mail addresses and internet newsgroups, and may be loaded up to websites and used in print fanzines which are not primarily intended for profit, also it may be edited for length, where such editing doesn’t change the original meaning and intent.

 

This Fantasy and Sci-Fi Convention was the 3rd one but only the first one for our Sci-Fi Club. In fact our Club exists less time than this Convention. One of our members was intended to take part in it to encourage us to start taping and dealing in fantasy because the large group of fantasy movies and literature was expected there.

 

We decided to try and arrange a kind of round table for discussion of Sci-Fi and Fantasy Movies and Series. I should mention and there are not a lot of Sci-Fi series can be found on air here in Russia but there is a large Babylon 5 fan-club and a few Star Trek and The X-files ones but they all have their own policies and don’t want to make any contacts as close as we actually want. I’m not going to criticize them for it. It is up to them of course, but I feel that I should explain the whole situation or the Report won’t be a complete one.

 

So, it was our first Convention and we prepared a few presentation. It all took place in a country hotel not far from Moscow and there were 57 people involved. It is less than we expected but the organizers just didn’t want to have a lot of outsiders who as they put it "don’t understand the entire situation". We had a hall for 2 day we spend there.

 

For the 1st of July we arrange a presentation and a following discussion devoted to Sci-Fi Movies. As we have almost all the newest Sci-Fi movies here in the movies we were able to discuss all the

things. Thanks to our friends in "Eastlant Sci-Fi Group” and personally David Gerhard we were able to prepare a pretty nice presentation, at least people who took part in the following discussion

told us. It was a real fun and as we tried to control the whole event the discussions were very long and was over after 1 a.m. But we should say that all other discussions which were to take place that day were over far earlier and the people who were involved there came to our room and took part in the presentation and the discussion. Of course everyone who prepared the whole event was very pleased as people paid so much attention to our event.

 

The next day, July 2nd, the presentation and discussion were devoted to Sci-Fi and Fantasy Series. As I have mentioned the most popular and well known shows here are Babylon 5 and The X-files. We showed some episodes of the shows which were not on air here and it of course attracted everyone’s attention. At least everyone was talking about it the next day. And we got some new members to our Club and even more orders for the tapes. From the first day our Club was founded we tried to establish something like "Eastlant Sci-Fi Group" and try to let people see the shows that are not on air here or won’t ever be as we think. I’m sure that this convention helped us a lot and again I want to thank "Eastlant Sci-Fi Group" for their support and without them we wouldn’t have been able to show any episodes from the serials we like and hope the people liked.

 

The discussion again was very long and we just controlled it better I think and tried to arrange for some general meeting for everyone who is interested in taking part in our Club events and to help us to deal with the tapes.

 

So, it was our first time and I think we succeeded. We got a lot of new experience and I hope that we have new people involved. Our next target is to hold people with us and we hope that next year our discussions and presentations will be even more interesting because we will help everyone involved to watch all the new and good shows we have thanks to "Eastlant Sci-Fi Group".

 

**************************************************************************

 

Editor’s Note:  First, thanks to Olga for the report, and for giving us kudos for helping.  However, she gives us too much credit.  All we did was nag her into getting her club involved. They did the rest.  Also, thanks should go to the fellow fans who contributed to the cost of the tapes that we sent to Olga’s club.

 

Second, although Olga tells us that this was the 3rd convention in the area, from our earlier correspondence, I get the impression that the first two were really just glorified monthly meetings by this other club.

 

I have recommended to Olga that they attempt to persuade the other group to open the event to a wider delegate base for next year, and if they refuse, or more likely don’t have the backbone, that Olga’s club goes it alone and runs against them.

 

This small group of Muscovite fans really do have that pioneer spirit that we enjoyed in the 60s. They have even involved their local TV station in their activities, and their numbers are growing at a remarkable rate.

 

If any other organizers out there have any advice for Olga, let me know and I will give you her e-mail address so you can get I touch to offer moral support.

 

 

 

Open Newsletter
 

Responses and New Subjects

 

As several of you had comments to make on more than one subject, I am not going to try to completely separate them.  Here is each comment, published as it came in, warts and all.  If you have any responses, just quote the name of the author when replying and I will bunch the responses together as best I can next month.

 

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First Mostly Xena

****************************************************

 

 

A MIDSUMMER NIGHTMARE:

What in Tartarus I am going to do with myself when Xena ends?

by Samantha Cabrera-Diaz (UK)

 

My last chance to see a new Xena episode will be Saturday, June 23rd. There's a little get together in Pages Bar, Westminster (London), a Xena Night to remember. If everything goes according to plan, we should be able to watch "A friend in need part I and II", the last two episodes of the final season 6. I am taking the big box of Kleenex, because I am that kind of girl and you can't never find enough tissues when you need them (haven't you noticed?). I did know since a year ago that this was most likely the last ever season and that Lucy Lawless and Renée O'Connor deserved the chance to expand her acting careers... But it still hurts!

It will be like saying goodbye to a good friend; in this case, two good friends, the best friends and soul mates you can imagine, Xena and Gabby. I am going to miss them a lot! I couldn't replace them with Dark Angel or Witchblade, no way José, I am not that heartless! Nothing compares to Xena!

 

My life is anything but extraordinary, really boring stuff (really!), but the warrior princess and the battling bard made me dream of fantastic places where gravity didn't exist and the good guys/girls always (or almost always) won. I won't admit to it in public, because I know it's silly, but sometimes, when confronted with a rude bus driver or about to give up on something, I ask myself "What would Xena do?". And she always comes up with the goods.  She would kick the driver's ass and teach him a lesson, so I just pay my fare, smile knowingly and take my seat. She wouldn't give up on Body Pump Class at the gym just because it hurts (everywhere), so I keep going until the class is finished. Hey, other people have lucky underpants; I've got a chakram key ring!

 

I know I am sad, but my consolation is that I am one among many. I just hope I don't get to the extreme of attending a Convention in 20 years time still discussing how Gabby could fit her whole collection of scrolls and kitchen instruments (plus wardrobe) in the saddles of Argo or why Xena got to kiss all those guys but she never could kiss Gabby on screen while remaining (both of them) conscious, fully alert and in their own bodies. CPR doesn't count. Honest.

 

Some people took Xena too seriously in my opinion. They wanted REAL mythology and REAL history lessons, that's why they dismissed the program so quickly as being a children's show, but children and adults would get different levels of depth in every episode. For me, it was great to be along for the ride. I used to love Greek and Roman mythology when I was a kid and I love history, and it was always fun to watch Xena helping Ulysses or replacing Cleopatra to seduce Marc Anthony. She had always a better twist to the story than the one I remembered, even if it was totally implausible.

 

We had dramas, we had comedies, dramatic musicals, comedic musicals, even sometimes very dramatic comedies like "Married with Fishsticks" that nobody but Ted Raimi understood.

We had scantily clad women and empowerment for women, not exactly the same thing.

And what about the message of tolerance for all? Xena and Gabrielle had friends in very different tribes (Centaurs, Amazons, Vikings, Pre-hispanic drag queens...), Xena had also romantic relationships with Russian, Scandinavian, Chinese, Roman, African-Celt, even Greek boyfriends (and girlfriends). She didn't even make a big issue if they were already gone to Tartarus (i.e. Marcus) or she got pregnant without having had a vis a vis with the father/co-producer of the little Eve. Non-important details, of course.

 

My only regret now that it is almost over is that Xena and Gabrielle are leaving us through the back door and not having half the recognition other show ending this year, ST: Voyager, has had. Here in the UK, where I live, it's even worse: Xena has been cancelled at the beginning of season 4 in Channel 5, the minuscule terrestrial TV channel that airs it here...They would rather put on some contest hosted by Jerry Springer. And Sky, the satellite channel which has aired up to the fifth season, is only going to start season 6 in a couple of weeks, sandwiching Xena in between repeats of ST: the Next Generation and The Simpsons at 5pm on Sundays (which means that Xena is going to be heavily edited).

 

I am going to have a lot of spare time from now on, maybe I will get around to finish my Law degree for once and for all, who knows, but I will never regret having had the chance to see these two girls growing old together and sharing a lot of friends with me in the process. Thank the Gods (and David!) for my video collection. I will be really happy when they release the whole six seasons in DVD and I can bore my grandchildren to death 30 years down the line, with the stories of the REAL warrior princess and her best friend, the REAL battling bard of Potaidea, “not that rubbish they call now Xena: Warrior Princess, the movie”, with Drew Barrimore and Tom Green’s Daughter as Gabrielle and Co-executive producer.

 

Xena and Gabrielle forever!

 

PS:”I guess we will still have Xena Fan fiction…”.

 

*******************************************************

 

Dear David, I'm responding to your "prods" regarding The X Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I am quite happy with The X Files as it appears now, with actor Robert Patrick.  He is doing a fine job, and I like the interplay between Agents Doggett and Scully (rather a role reversal from the beginning shows between Agents Scully and Mulder).  I would like to see David Duchovny make some cameo appearances during this upcoming season, but even if that doesn't happen (given all the press Mr. Duchovny's giving saying that will never happen), I think the show stands on its own.

 

Regarding Buffy the Vampire Slayer's move to UPN, I will actually be gaining both it and Roswell.  While I was at first concerned about the possibilities of bizarre crossovers with some of UPN's other shows, the show's creator, Joss Whedon, has stated repeatedly that UPN will allow Buffy to evolve without the network's interference.  I think that UPN probably realizes it's best not to mess with a good thing and will leave it alone.  Personally, I can't wait.  The local Fox affiliate kept changing the day and show times of all of the WB shows they aired, so it was always a crapshoot as to whether or not I would record the correct shows (who's home to watch a TV show between  5:00pm and 6:00pm?  I don't know about you, but I work for a living!).

 

Hope you enjoyed my little non-rant!  Keep up the good work! 

 

Sincerely, Belise Draper (USA)

 

*****************************************************************

From Bertha Siegrid Noltenius Aurich in Peru

 

Article #1

 

Well, back to our old debate about why XWP ended, why there are no future seasons.

 

I haven’t had enough time this week to check the Internet and get what the Fandom is saying about the final episode. As you’re saying, it seems like there are a huge number of fans that are disappointed, it doesn’t really surprise me, in fact, it was predictable.

 

Inside the Xenaverse there a lot of different opinions, different points of view about the orientation of the show, what is it really about. At the end no one can possible satisfy them all.

 

As I told you in one e-mail, this last season was very disappointed to me (at least so far). There are some exceptions, of course, but in general...

 

After five seasons, which had ups and downs, but always being loyal to the spirit and background of Xena, Warrior Princess, and which made me a fan for all these years; after an episode like Motherhood, the expectations for the six and last season of the one show I love so much were waiting to be satisfy.

 

But so far, I have seen the worse season of XWP. The orientation now is so far away from what it had been for five years. Also, there are so many gaps in the scripts, direction. I'm not an expert, but even someone like me can feel those gaps. When I went to Venezuela in February, I met some fans and they told exactly the same thing, so I'm not saying nonsense at all....

 

The scenes, the costumes, etc. are wonderful, like always. But still, some potential resources in the stories hadn’t been exploited as they could have.

 

What happened to the warrior princess with a dark and evil past, who fights against the consequences of the sins done by the Destroyer of Nations and saving the ancient world????.......

 

To me, Xena finding her redemption would be the mean part of this wonderful adventure, which begun six years ago; not Xena and Gabrielle kissing...

 

For many other more reasons I think it's better to end now and not go for another disappointed season.

 

If Lucy doesn’t want to continue with Xena and move on with other projects, well, what can we do? I believe that sometimes a fan has to respect that. It's her life, must be a job for her. Something I don’t like, it's the fact that she's not being honest when she has to answer about the reasons. Also, it's true that it could be not only her, as far as I'm concerned, it should be a board decision.

 

I really think she didn’t want to continue. I watched the ET report about the final episode, and she didn’t seem sad at all, even Renée was crying, even Kevin Sorbo cried when HTLJ ended.

 

Whatever the reasons are, the show ended. It’s sad, of course, but it’s also a new beginning, things will change in the Xenaverse, but never die.

 

You are right about the Next Generation, in fact I thought about it last year, when they first announced that there wouldn’t be a six season. It would be the ancient world after Hercules and Xena, the legacy they left behind, another legendary heroes, another myths, more adventures. I wonder if the producers are thinking about this already.

 

About the 40 friends you say you are about to lose, I believe that real friends don’t get lost, no matter what happened they are always there. I don’t think it’s fair for you to blame Lucy.

 

To me, that’s one of the greatest things this amazing journey had brought me: wonderful friends around the world, and that’s something I would thank Lucy and the rest of the crew if I had the chance.

 

It’s amazing how much I have changed since this "madness" started. Getting to know different people, from different cultures, another point of view, real friends who will last, it’s a incredible adventure to me.

 

Of course, you know what I’m talking about, right?

 

That´s why there’s no end at all. I will keep all the good things I got these last six years, most of all: the new friends.

 

So, no matter the tapes, you will keep hearing from me my friend, at least once in a while. I promise.

 

Wishing you all the best,

Siegrid.

 

P.D.: Please, forgive the errors!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Editor’s Note: Siegrid is right.  So far, very few of the Xena-only fans have even suggested that they won’t be back for other things, or at least keep taking the newsletters.  That is good to know.

 

Article #2

 

There are a few comments that crossed my mind when I read your news report.  About the Hollywood actors, Wow! The image we people  outside USA get is that all actors there get extremely well paid, but now I can see that only a few ones. How is it possible that in Hollywood the majority of the actors could earn so low salaries? Even here in Perú the actors get higher salaries!

 

One thing about the Internet is that you can’t move through it without being spoilt. Well, now I know how Xena ends, and after reading what Tappert said, I have to tell you: I completely agree with him. When the Warrior Princess finally find her redemption and forgive herself is the moment for this wonderful journey to end. When it started she almost died, she would have been forgotten as the Destroyer of Nations.

 

Now she dies, but she will live forever, and Gabrielle finally finds her way. It seems it ends like many Greek myths, tragic but beautiful. Well, I can’t wait to watch it! I believe that one of the greatest legacy of Xena, is that many female action series came behind, there was a motivation on the screen.

Now I’m trying to promote the idea of requesting  a Next Generation series. We’ll see.

 

I totally respect the decision Gillian A. has made, it’s reasonable. Working in such a show must take a lot of hours, and we fans have to understand that the actors have families who need them, specially the children. That’s why I respect LL’s decision, she has a 13 year old daughter and a little son who need to spend more time with her.

 

Just one last comment (I have to) I just can’t believe Shannen Doherty said such a things to Movieline Magazine, such an arrogant!! I do watch Charmed sometimes and I don’t see it as a childish show. Still, I don’t believe children should watch it.

 

What I really believe is that she felt like she didn’t get the “attention she deserved”. She has an attitude problem, we saw that in 90210. I also think she can’t work in team. It’s a shame that she isn’t going to stay, though, because her character was a good one and the story will change indeed. But the show can of course go on without her. And if you ask me, I don’t think her performance was better than the performance of the other two actresses.

 

 

*********************************************************

Vanessa Hoy (UK)

 

So, without giving too much away...the vast majority of fans who have seen the enders are very unhappy with the outcome. One big name in the Xenaverse has said that the Fandom imploded on Monday and there sure do seem to be some very upset people out there.

 

I've never been involved in Fandom before, so I have no real yardstick by which to judge but in my limited experience of Xena this kind of negative fan reaction is unprecedented. Even the mainstream media seem to be picking up on it slowly (an article appeared in a big Australian

Newspaper yesterday).

 

So maybe if you have a mind, you might want to check out a couple of the bigger sites and lists (ausxip.com, ATX, etc.). I'd be interested in your take on things...

 

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Then Mostly X-Files

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Nimrod – UK

 

Not having seen the latest few series of the X-files (The BBC is really terrible with alternate genre series over here), I can't really say about the continuation of the X-Files without DD, but one thing that may work is what they've done with Star Trek - TNG. Maybe CC should finish the series and try to get DD and GA to do a series of movies - one every year/18 months or so to complete the various story arcs and tie up the loose ends. That should please DD who wants to work on his movie career, but will still keep him regularly employed as I doubt he's going to get much in the way of big time work outside of the X-Files. That last, of course, is just my personal opinion.

 

Thanks for the newsletters and the lists etc. Very much appreciated.

 

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Patricia Dunn (US)

 

In response to your topic “X-Philes – should the show go on for a 9th season without DD or should it fold?”

 

My thoughts on Season 9 are mixed. Since the season finale had such a wonderful feeling of closure for M & S the “powers that be” should have released Gillian Anderson from her contract and attempted the show with Doggett/Reyes only.

 

I believe the show itself is strong enough to appeal to fans with new leads, but only if they

are allowed to develop the chemistry and working dynamic we came to appreciate and depend

on from DD and GA. Robert Patrick and Annibeth Gish should be given that opportunity without

the constant comparisons which will be made if Scully remains on the show without Mulder.

 

Thanks for all your hard work,

Patty

 

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Joe Rosa (US)

 

David, here's my input on the anti-Carter thing.  It's a conspiracy!!

 

He should do a few episodes on X Files about it!  Really though, I think it is an anti-Carter thing.  Personally, I thought Harsh Realm was pretty good, Millennium was great and The Lone Gun Men was ok.  I think the suits wanted instant $$$ because of the Carter name, but heck, you've got to give a show a chance.  In the old day, a show lasted at least a half season, before it was canceled.  Neither Harsh Realm or LGM did and Millennium was canceled after 3 season.  I thought it was better than some of the XF's stuff.  As for DD, good riddance!  He's nothing but a baby and does he really think his movies are any good?  Give me a break!

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Sally Flavell (UK)

 

Just read your latest newsletter and thought I would offer a little comment in response to your question of 'should the X Files go on to a 9th season without DD or should it fold?"  Seems like the question has already been answered for us, but for what it's worth, here's my little offering!  I think I got carried away a bit so feel free to delete whatever you want.  I'm more than a little angry about the whole thing, as you can probably tell!! 

 

I think XF should have been wound up after the 7th season, when David D decided he no longer wanted to be a full time actor on the show.  Had they finished it then, it could have finished on a relative high with most of the fans satisfied that Mulder and Scully, who are after all the whole ‘being’ of the show, were still together.  As it is now, goodness only knows how they are going to resolve this and quite frankly, for me the whole thing has just descended into complete farce.  Having brought Mulder back from the dead a mere 5 months after burial (?!! Are these people real?), they then expect the (as they think) gullible fans to accept that a virus has kept him in a state of decomposition but still alive (hello? Are the guys who make the show on this planet?) only to (presumably, though as I haven’t seen ‘Existence’ I don’t know) kill him off anyway.  Surely to goodness they can’t expect us to believe that Mulder would just walk out on 7 years of partnership with Scully and disappear into the big blue yonder?  I wish these people would wake up and give the fans what they really want.  A happy ending with Mulder and Scully together.  But as it is, no way is it going to end like that at all.  In fact, I dread to think how it is going to end.  For me, the X Files ended when Mulder left – Mulder and Scully have not been the same together since he ‘returned’ and now he is disappearing again, this time for good.  I really think they have ruined the show and completely disillusioned those fans who have stuck with the show from the beginning and know what it was really all about.

 

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Scarlett Goode (US)

 

Oh dear, insulting the X-Files at this point would be like kicking a puppy. But hey, I'm an X-Files old timer, so I feel I've got the right to kick whatever I want. Season 8 was an embarrassment as far as plot, continuity and characterization were concerned. I am mildly curious to know how they are going to explain Mulder's absence considering the lovey dovey, happy family ending.

 

When fans watch a show *in spite* of lousy dialogues and storylines and use the phrase "I despise Chris Carter as much as the next fan" on a regular basis, then there is something, very, very wrong, don't you think?

 

The show should have ended with dignity after the movie as it was planned to begin with, but dignity has never made any money and FOX has decided to milk the X-Files cow until it dies. Said cow is now pretty weak and the milk tastes sour, but Chris Carter has got his head so far up the bovine's rear that he still hasn't noticed.

 

 Duchovny was right to leave and I wished Anderson would have the guts to break her contract instead of burying her talent in what has become a hefty pile of manure.

 

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Matt Pollari  (US)

 

It is a REAL SHAME that FOX canceled a great show like The Long Gunmen!! The show certainly was not X-Files, It had a more comedic twist, it was not all about aliens.  The three gunmen were great and the girl that played Eve was great!  In more ways than one.…       I wont go any farther on that subject just to say I see why the Gunmen liked her some much!  Overall IT IS A REAL DISAPPOINTMENT THAT IT WAS CANCELED BECAUSE IF IT WAS NOT I CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE WATCHED ALL THE SECOND SEASON EPISODES!  Another thing is that they canceled the show without resolving the cliffhanger!! THOSE BASTARDS! LOL! 

 

Hopefully they will resolve it on X-Files next year and that the Gunmen and Eve will show up on X-Files next year because I want to see more of them!

 

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Sarah Reeson (UK)

 

In response to the question:

 

X-Philes - should the show go on for a 9th season without DD or should it fold?

 

Lets face it, it shouldn't be here at all...!

 

If I get made a TV Executive when I'm next re-incarnated I'm going to introduce a law which states that ALL SF shows run for 5 years, no more. Less is great: I'd say 3 years is enough time to tell a story and move on. Five years is the absolute maximum.

 

That's what should have happened with The X Files: as I see it, it's been pointless since "The End". All the great story ideas had been used, the Alien Conspiracy stuff covered in just enough detail to

make the ambiguities interesting...but the lure of the dollars keeps bringing people back. The X Files Movie could have been a great way to wind it all up and leave enough ends untied to allow for a thousand years of speculation. But no...keep bringing them back, keep recycling the story ideas until one of the leads decides he's had enough and basically renders the show pointless. Why is it so

difficult to let go of something when it's at it's best?

 

If one looks at Babylon 5 as an example of how it's possible to do a great thing in a confined time frame it's easy to believe that all SF could be made to span a set period. With clear guidelines and a

well-planned arc it's even easy to compress your story if constraints dictate. I think lots of people forget that the B5 Season 5 finale "Sleeping in Light" was filmed a year earlier and would have ended the shows FOUR year run if renewal hadn't suddenly appeared at the last minute. For me, a lot of B5 Year Five looked and sounded like it had been hastily added...which in a sense it had. The show was going to end in Year Four and that's how it played out to the last minute.

 

A lot of Year 5 didn't need to be there...

 

What's wrong with ending on a high? I'll probably get staked for this, but I'd like to see Buffy the Vampire Slayer end where it is now, on what was one of the best episode finale's I've EVER seen. I'm wondering how it's possible to top "The Gift"...and I immediately got nervous when I heard that there was a musical episode planned for next season. I'm in the same camp as David here on the "Lyre, Lyre" issue...and I think although "The Bitter Suite" was innovative for it's time it was still a substitute for a good plot.

 

If I had my way it would be a NECESSITY for any Star Trek series to end after 5 years...mind you, they'd have to throw away the "Reset Button" too...

 

 

 

Club Section
 

Here is a new club to add to the list:

 

From Jacqueline Haun

 

Hi, I noticed you were asking about the clubs you supply to, asking for information about them.  You don't supply to our group *as* a group, but you supply to many, MANY of our members on an

individual basis, so would you be amenable to giving us a mention?

 

I think the Eastlant e-mail has been passed around more any other single referral on our list in the last two months. It's how I found you guys. :-)

 

Our club is the Bloody Awful Poet Society (BAPS) and was formed to cheer on the possibility of Spike's redemption on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."  We currently have over 300 members online, a

*very* active message list (currently averaging over 6,000 messages a month), and host regular online chats about Buffy episodes as well as wildfeed chats during the regular season.  Our

web site,

 

http://www.bloodyawfulpoet.com,

 

features episode analyses, essays and reviews from a Redemptionista point of view, Redemptionista fan fiction, Spike/James Marsters photos and artwork, and a Fun section that includes a new "Spoiler Whore Zone" where we try to compile current Buffy spoilers and speculate on them. (Especially the Spike-related ones, obviously!)

 

 

 

Here are the clubs we have listed so far:

 

Infinite Frontiers, one of the UK’s premiere SF clubs,

 

http://www.infinitefrontiers.co.uk

 

and Friends of Science Fiction (FSF) in Sydney Australia.

 

www.fsf.com.au/

 

If you run a club, let us have your details and we will post them here next month and in all future issues.