In today’s news, one show keeps is premiere date and one show gets its date pushed forward. 

Source: lost-media

FEBRUARY 2ND STAYS THE DAY OF ‘LOST’ RETURN!

The White House has come to its senses and won’t hold the State of the Union speech on Feb. 2.

Dharma lovers were agag when word leaked out this week that Team Obama was mulling scheduling SOTU on the same night ABC had long ago slotted the final season premiere of “Lost.” Doing so would likely result in a one-week delay of the premiere, and many fans reacted by declaring, “This will not stand.”

Read more here…

Source: scifiwire

ABC DELAYS FLASHFORWARD TWO MORE WEEKS

ABC is delaying the return of new episodes of its sci-fi series FlashForward by two weeks: It now returns March 18 in its Thursday 8 p.m. ET/PT timeslot rather than the original March 4.

The network gave no reason for the delay, other than to say it would allow the show to air weekly for the rest of the first season without repeats or pre-emptions (and, we presume, to take it out of the path ofAmerican Idol on Fox). Of course, according to a schedule posted by Robert J. Sawyer, author of the book on which the show is based, the show was already scheduled to run without pre-emptions before the change. Does this mean ABC is actually cutting two of the new episodes?

Read more here…

Lost fans rejoice! I wonder how much White House officials and ABC actually consulted with one another over this. I mean think about all the commercial programming that was bought to air during the shows premiere. Think of all the millions of dollars ABC might have Lost (heh heh) due to such a scheduling conflict. Makes you go ‘Hmmmm’.

I haven’t missed FlashFoward much since its hiatus. I had continued watching it during its season just because i want to know the why’s and where fore’s, not so much due to the fact that I felt vested in the show. So what’s another two weeks really?  Are  you unhappy with this shift in schedule?

via hollywoodcrush

NEW ‘VAMPIRE DIARIES’ CAST MEMEBER, DILLON CASEY, COULD GIVE PAUL WESLEY A RUN FOR HIS MONEY

A vampire vet is all set to join the cast of “Vampire Diaries” as a guest star, in the new year. Dillon Casey, who starred in the MTV mini-series “Valemont” about…you guessed it…vampires, will be playing a character named Noah, a CW rep confirmed to us.

The storyline is still being kept under wraps, but according to Vampire-Diaries.net, Noah becomes “obsessed” with Elena (Nina Dobrev).

Read more here…

via scifiwire

ABC CUTS V, FLASH FORWARD EPISODES, BUT NOT BY MUCH

It’s sort of official: The relatively low ratings for ABC’s V and FlashForward hurt the shows, but not enough for the network to pull the plug entirely. ABC is cutting its final order for each show by one episode, the Futon Critic site reported:

Read more here…

If it weren’t enough that Stefan had his hands full keeping Elena safe and away from Damon, he has another hurdle coming his way, via ‘Noah’.  Nothing stirs the pot more than a love triangle, oops, I mean quadrilateral. How do you feel about Elena having yet another vampire vying for her attention?

Honestly, when I quickly glanced at the news headline for ABC’s V and FlashForward, I assumed the shows were being cut entirely and I let out a whiny NOOOO!, then exhaled with a ‘Whew’ when I saw it was for only one episode each. After many an episode I finally got into FlashForward and really enjoy it. I had never heard of anything like this before (cutting one episode), but I am glad they are deciding to do this instead of scrap both shows entirely. It like giving someone half a book; just when you get all involved in it’s story, it ends, and there are no more chapters to read. I would have lost my faith in television had that happened. Do you think cutting one episode from each show will ruin the story?

from Scott D. Pierce at Deseret News: 3 science fiction series are really struggling

Dying is easy. Comedy is hard,” goes the old saying.

But when it comes to television these days, science fiction is hard. Really hard.

ABC is struggling with both “V” and “FlashForward” — both in terms of the ratings and getting the shows made.

And Fox, which has canceled both “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” and “Dollhouse” because of abysmal ratings, seems to be headed down the same road with “Fringe.”

The future of “V” is about as up in the air as one of those giant spaceships hovering over a major Earth city. The day that the show premiered, ABC announced that a new executive producer/showrunner had been hired to helm the series.

Read More here

from Sci fi Wire: FlashForward hits a series low and ABC halts production

The ratings for FlashForward fell yet again with last week’s episode, down 8 percent to a new low of only 8 million. And today, according to The Hollywood Reporter, ABC has stopped production on the freshman series for this week.

A rep for the network said that the six-day hiatus had always been built into the show’s schedule, adding, “They want to maintain the high quality of the show, and this gives the writers the opportunity to do so.”

Reason to worry? Perhaps.

But before you start panicking that you’ll never learn exactly how we get to the world of April 29, 2010, it’s too soon to know whether this will mean good news or bad news for viewers.

Read More here

By Kris De Leon at Buddy TV: Three Things to Look Forward to When ‘The Vampire Diaries’ Returns in January

The Vampire Diaries has left us high and dry with lots of cliffhangers and unsolved mysteries. While I don’t know who turned Logan Fell into a vampire or who caused Elena’s accident, I do have some teasers to look forward to when The Vampire Diaries returns in January, thanks to TV Guide Magazine.

Warning: Spoiler Ahead!!!

The Mystery Vampire
Though there is no word yet on this new mystery vamp on the loose, but his identity and ultimate agenda in Mystic Falls are the show’s next big focus, according to Plec. And as we unearth more details about the new vamp, we’ll also learn more about the 27 tombs and the possible aftermath if the tombs are opened.

Read More here

From Chris Curtis at Broadcast Now: RTS rewards Being Human werewolf

Millennium FX won best special effects for Being Human (Touchpaper Television for BBC3) despite working with “small budgets and tight deadlines, and with no post-production enhancement”. The judges said the werewolf transformations “were a tour de force”.

The judges praised Scott’s work which portrayed “in grim detail” the result of a vicious beating. “The make-up was so convincing, so livid and so credible that it immediately pulled you as a viewer into the heart of the story”, they said.

Read More here

From Ian Spelling at Sci FI Wire: Alice (and her commitment issues) go to Wonderland

Just as writer-director Nick Willing completely turned The Wizard of Oz on its ear with the Syfy’s Tin Man, he’s up to the same trick with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, reinventing it as an upcoming modern-day, off-the-wall four-hour Syfy movie entitled Alice. The biggest change? Alice isn’t a little girl anymore, but rather a 20-something with daddy issues and commitment problems.

All those tweaks were fine with Canadian actress Caterina Scorsone, whose credits include Goosebumps and 1-800-Missing. She beat out 300 women for the coveted role of Alice Hamilton and interacts with a wide variety of re-imagined characters that includes the Hatter (Andrew Lee Potts), the Queen of Hearts (Kathy Bates), Jack Chase (Philip Winchester), the King of Hearts (Colm Meaney), Caterpillar (Harry Dean Stanton), Dodo (Tim Curry) and the White Knight (Matt Frewer).

Read More here

I’ve honestly never seen Flash Forward, but I watch V and I really hope they pick it up next year. They can’t just leave us hanging like that! I’m excited about the Vampires Diaries returning too, I want to know how they walking in the sun and exactly who Alaric is.

What do you think of the Being Human werewolf? What are you most looking forward to when Vampire Diaries comes back? Do you watch Flash Forward or V?

Jarett Wieselman at the New York Post: Save ‘Eastwick’ campaign launches

Damn it, just when I thought my fall TV trackrecord was going to remain unmarred by cancellation (“Glee,” “Flash Forward,” “Vampire Diaries,” “Modern Family” and “Cougar Town”) ABC had to go and pull the rug out from under me by snuffing out “Eastwick!”

Adding insult to injury, the campy witch dramedy was also one of my favorite fall offerings thanks to its killer combination of snappy dialogue, sexual hijinks, progressing powers and Sara Rue!

Thankfully I’m not alone and a Save Eastwick petition has already been started!

Read More here

via David Bauder at Associated Press: ‘V’ caps a strong development season for ABC

The strong premiere of ABC’s science fiction series “V” caps an unusually strong development season for the network.

Opening week of the Earth-invaders series was seen by 14.3 million viewers, the Nielsen Co. said. That was the second-best new series debut for the season behind the CBS spinoff “NCIS: Los Angeles,” and it was the most-watched scripted show of the week among the youthful demographic ABC covets.

Read More here

from John Pavlus at Sci Fi Wire: 4 reasons why V’s motherships don’t make sense

So ABC’s V is here (episode two airs tonight), reminding us for the zillionth time that gigantic, mile(s)-wide flying saucers are THE conveyance of choice for any kind of alien visitors. (See: District 9, Independence Day, the original V, Alien Nation, Close Encounters…)

The trouble is, aside from providing an excuse for awesome “reveal” shots where the giant ship blots out the sun, it’s actually a completely nonsensical way for extraterrestrials to make an entrance. Here are four reasons why huge-ass space discs would be a dumb idea in the real world…

See the list here

via Sci Fi Wire: Star Trek’s Roddenberry finally honored by TV Hall of Fame

It seems that in television, honor—like revenge—is a dish best served cold. Thus it is that the TV Academy Hall of Fame has decided to induct Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry into its pantheon, 18 years after his death and long after he had much to do with the franchise he created.

Roddenberry is only one of several TV legends to receive the belated honor, including the comedy duo Tom and Dick Smothers, Murphy Brown star Candice Bergen, Saturday Night Live and game show announcer Don Pardo, The Price Is Right creator Bob Stewart and Emmy-award winning art director Charles Lisanby.

Read More here

from Wired: Scott Brown on Why America Is Finally Ready for Doctor Who

There are nerds. And there are science fiction nerds. And then there are American fans of Doctor Who — those who dare to combine the exquisite dweebery of Anglophilia with the delicious dorkdom of old-skool SF. I’m of that last tribe, a real Who-head. I can tell you what Tardis stands for (Time and Relative Dimensions in Space), and, more important, I can say “Tardis” over and over again — not just with a straight face but with reverence. Bargain-basement BBC production values? Alien monsters made from trash cans and toilet plungers? Anachronous kibitzing with Shakespeare and Dickens? That’s my flavor, mate. It’s the sort of thing that’s hard to find on this side of the pond (especially now that Syfy has foolishly ceded new Who episodes and specials to BBC America).

Before you brand me a Benedork Arnold, let me explain: There’s a fix I just don’t get from mainstream American science fiction, perhaps because of its grinding obsession with the imperialistic (and its depressive sibling, the dystopic), not to mention its wearisome push for ever-shinier effects. Like its not-so-distant cousin American religion, American sci-fi is fixated on final battles, ultimate judgment (particularly on questions of control and leadership), and an up-or-down vote on the whole good/evil issue.

Read More here

I never really thought about the differences between American and British Sci Fi, but there’s a difference between American and British comedy, so I’m not sure how I missed that. I love British comedy, so maybe I should give Doctor Who a chance. I’m glad to see Gene Roddenberry finally honored, because he revolutionized television, not just sci fi television. And I’m not sure how the campaign to save Eastwick will go; it didn’t work for Futurama, or Firefly, and it doesn’t seem to be working for The Sarah Conner Chronicles. But maybe that has more to do with the ignorance of the networks and how they handle and advertise the shows than the quality of the shows and the dedication of the fans (I’m talking to you Fox!)

Will you sign the petition to save Eastwick? What do you think of V? Do you think Doctor Who should start airing in the US?

OBS Staff member Tori has brought us last week’s R&R of ‘Eastwick’

Season 1 Episode 5: ’Bonefires & Betrayal’

The show opens with Roxie giving tours at the Eastwick Witches Field celebration. Daryl appears and Bun is terrified. Roxie doesn’t pick up on it. Roxie has a vision of being at the funeral again and after Bun finishes a sentence for her she realizes Bun had the same vision. Later Bun tells a friend will die because of a statue.

Flash to Penny waxing her armpits… (ewww) and Jamie knocks on the door. She is angry with him and tells him to get out! He tries to apologize and she just won’t hear it.

Joanna, after a week of pigging out, goes to apologize to Will. He forgives her but tells her he has moved on. She “glamours” him with her power to tell the truth. He tells her about the episode with Kat.

Meanwhile Roxie rushes to Daryl thinking he is the one that will die. She pushes him out of the way when the statue Chad was installing falls. She thinks she has changed a vision . Daryl is furious and fires Chad.

Joanna confronts Kat, who tells her it was nothing, just a crazy moon kiss and she didn’t mean to hurt Joanna. Joanna says they shouldn’t talk for a while. (Now we all know that won’t last!)

Mia goes to apologize to Josh, (a lot of that going on in this show), who says he will accept her apology if she dresses up as Raggedy Ann for the Eastwick Witches Field celebration.

Cat tells Will she doesn’t want there to be anything between them but she can’t stop looking at him… definite chemistry going on there.

Joanna, at home pigging out some more, realizes her physical powers are increasing. There is a knock on the door…it is Pastor Dunn. For those that don’t remember, Joanna had humiliated him by writing an article about finding him in a house of ill repute. He drugs her and kidnaps her, saying, “I shall not suffer a sorceress to live.”

Kat goes to see Penny expressing concern over the missing Joanna. She just feels something is wrong. The police say it is too soon to do anything. Kat and Penny go to Joanna’s apartment and find that her purse and keys are there.

Read the rest HERE

How sad Chad, the best eye candy on the show is gone. Well I guess that leaves the way free for Daryl and Roxie. 

So what is Joanna going to do now, will she get a new boyfriend? Who will be her boyfriend and will she get a new job?  What will happen with Will and Kat? 

Not the best episode but still entertaining.

OBS Staff member Tori has brought us this week’s R&R of ‘Eastwick’

Season 1 Episode 5: ’MOONIN AND CROONIN’

This episode opens as the girls are having dinner with Daryl. Joanna is complaining about everything in particular how Will has completely ignored her for the last two weeks. Their table is getting dirty looks as they are being rather loud and obnoxious. Daryl begins to tell the girls the story of how every decade there is a return of the Luna Solvo, a moon that releases ones inner animal and inner hedonist. He tells them that the moon is imminent. Sounds like a party Maryann from True Blood might want to throw!!

Switch to Roxie’s daughter Mia talking on Skype to Josh, Chad’s younger brother. (Surprise)

Joanna’s boss threatens her with relegation to the obit page if she doesn’t write another front page story. Kelly dares her to write about Daryl.

Daryl and Cat have lunch together where Cat reads him her “bucket list”. Things she wants to do now that she is almost single. He begins to play the piano hoping she will sing while he plays since being a lounge singer is one of the things on her list.

Chad and Roxie go back to her house to hmmm…..Later in the evening Roxie and Chad are testing her precognitive talents with a deck of playing cards and she sees the huge moon. Her talent becomes “unleashed” and she has a vision of Mia.

Joanna writes the story about Daryl not being who he says he is and gives it to her editor. Meanwhile he is pantless and everyone in the office is going nuts. She and Kelly share a passionate kiss!! (Hysterical)

The moon is making everyone powerful and crazy and there is dancing in the streets.

Meanwhile back at Daryl’s cafe, a gorgeous Cat in a slinky red dress arrives and starts to sing a lovely rendition of “Spooky”. The flames on the tables burn higher and higher while she sings. Outside Roxie and Chad start making love in an alley up against a brick wall. They get arrested for indecent exposure. Later Mia and Josh are also arrested and thrown in the same cell.

The Eastwick Inn catches fire after Roxie’s song. (Puts a whole different meaning to torch singer, doesn’t it?) After the fire is out Will sees Roxie and they get hot together. The next morning she lies to Joanna about being with anyone.

Hightailing it to the office, Joanna finds Daryl and Clyde furious at her about the story. Daryl tells her it is all lies and that he was in Viesbaden, Germany in 1984 and that it was his cousin who died. Clyde fires her. Daryl reams her a new one.

This episode ends with Roxie and Mia home from the jailhouse having breakfast. They reach a compromise. Roxie flashes to a cemetery where she and Mia are at a funeral but she doesn’t know who is in the casket.

Loved Cat’s singing in this episode and it is great that Roxie’s abilities seem to be becoming stronger. I wish we could see them use their powers more. So there is something about a witch burning next week…..

Stay tuned every week to OBS for your weekly Recap & Review of ‘Eastwick’!!

So what is Joanna going to do for a living now? Who is in the casket?  Are Cat and Will going to have a relationship?