A Vampire, a Werewolf, and a Ghost Live Together in ‘Being Human’

by Josh Roth @ 10:45 am February 6th, 2009

Why are BBC shows consistently better than most US shows? Doctor Who, Torchwood, Life on Mars (the original, UK version), and now Being Human. I think the answer is because they take risks. I could never imagine a US network (even a cable one) green lighting Doctor Who or Being Human, they’re just too out there, too original. Get this, in Being Human a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost share a house in Bristol, each trying to figure out how to survive as supernaturals in a human world. Being Human feels like a modern descendant of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel, at its heart its a clever character drama in the guise of horror. You can catch Being Human on BBC Three in the UK and on BBC America when it hits the States later this year.

Fringe Comes Back from Break with Killer Monster Scientists

by Josh Roth @ 6:10 pm February 5th, 2009

J.J. Abrams’ procedural science fiction drama has come back from its mid-season break with a vengeance. “The Transformation” was co-penned by Zack Whedon (yep, that Zack Whedon, brother of the all mighty Joss Whedon, of Dr. Horrible fame) and J.R. Orci. Fringe seems to have taken a bit of a break from their season long story arcs in favor of more serialized episodes. But this week sees the return of the John Scott / Nina Sharp / Massive Dynamic storyline, and with some interesting developments. Fringe may not be the most intelligent or complex show on TV, but it sure is loads of sci-fi fun.

A Sad Day for VFX, The Orphanage Shuts Down

by Josh Roth @ 11:12 am February 5th, 2009

The Orphanage may not be the best known visual effects company, people usually think of Lucas’ ILM when they think of the men behind the magic, but The Orphanage is, or was, in my humble opinion the best visual effects company out there right now. They’re best known for their work on the monster in The Host, but they most recently worked on Iron Man (they did that fantastic HUD within the suit). Their work is simply unrivaled in its expertise. They are able to create environments and creatures that look absolutely real, and yet have a hand crafted sensibility that is very reminiscent of the old Ray Harryhausen days. Hopefully some former Orphans will find their way to a new home and continue their phenomenal work. Good luck fellows, you’ve done good.

Credit goes to /Film for breaking the story.

Burn Notice Returns, Still the Best Spy Show Ever

by Josh Roth @ 8:18 pm January 27th, 2009

Now that the holidays are over and we’ve entered the New Year, our favorite TV shows are finally starting up again. This week alone we saw Lost, Fringe, and How I Met Your Mother again, and now, Burn Notice is back baby! I’ve already spoken on the total brilliance of Burn Notice, and now that its back I highly recommend giving it a looksie,. Even if haven’t been watching the whole series you can still jump in at random and have a kick ass time.

Have a Bloody Good Time at My Bloody Valentine 3D

by Josh Roth @ 10:05 pm January 18th, 2009

One of the more irritating trends in recent films is the menagerie of horror remakes the studios have been trotting out in an attempt to wipe out the world’s creativity. At first My Bloody Valentine 3D seems to be another one of these, but it isn’t really. Bloody Valentine is more of a classic 80′s slasher flick than it is a modern horror remake. It’s not torture porn, or a psychological thriller, what it is is straight up blood and guts horror…and in 3D no less. Within 20 minutes you have at least two very gory massacres, in 3D. If you’re looking for old school straight up fun horror, look no further. My Bloody Valentine 3D has it in spades, plus, it’s in 3D!

Even Neil Patrick Harris Can’t Save SNL

by Josh Roth @ 5:00 pm January 12th, 2009

Neil Patrick Harris is an absolute show stealer, he radiates pure talent, and yet Saturday Night Live was able to make even him seem unfunny. Out of the entire episode three of the sketches (including the digital short), and the monologue were the only good parts. The problem with the episode wasn’t NPH, it was the show, they just didn’t give him good enough material to work with. In fact most of the sketches he was in didn’t focus on him at all.

Another Stargate Comes to a Close

by Josh Roth @ 5:08 pm January 10th, 2009

Last night saw the end of one of my all time favorite sci-fi franchises, Stargate, at least until this summer. Stargate SG-1 was the first show I ever became a fan of, and it sparked my interest in science fiction. SG-1 lasted a great 10 years, and never really lost its creative spark. A few weeks ago I went a bit nuts when Sci-Fi Channel canned Stargate: Atlantis, and now the adventure’s finally over. The finale wasn’t particularly thrilling or spectacular, there have been far more exciting episodes, and in the end it feels a bit rushed. But there were some great space battles, and some especially impressive special effects. What “Enemy at the Gate” did do well was wrap up the series, making way for the upcoming TV movie, and the next chapter in the Stargate saga.

Doctor Who Goes to the Prom, Featuring a New Scene with The Doctor

by Josh Roth @ 6:16 pm January 6th, 2009

Not the Prom you’re thinking of, with limos, drunk teenagers, and party buses. The Proms are a series of summer concerts at Royal Albert Hall in in London, held and recorded by the BBC. Last July the BBC held a Doctor Who Prom, featuring music from the series composed by Murray Gold. And there’s an exclusive Doctor Who scene featuring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor! The Doctor Who Prom is a fantastic celebration of the wonderful music and creature design of Doctor Who.

Matt Smith Announced as the Eleventh Doctor, And Why It’s NOT the End of Doctor Who

by Josh Roth @ 6:44 pm January 4th, 2009

I won’t lie and say I wasn’t a little disappointed by the BBC’s announcement that actor Matt Smith would be the Eleventh Doctor. A 26 year old white man isn’t exactly all that surprising or exciting, I suppose I was expecting something a bit different, or an actor I was familiar with, or both. I was hoping for Paterson Joseph or James Nesbitt, instead I got what I thought was a Twilight reject…but after watching interviews with Steven Moffat, and Matt Smith himself I’ve become more optimistic about this Eleventh Doctor, if only a little.

The Most Underrated TV Shows of 2008

by Josh Roth @ 11:59 am December 30th, 2008

Since we’re nearing the end of 2008, I wanted to take this opportunity to present four shows that you may or may not already be a fan of, but which have, by and large, been overlooked by the public. Some are network shows, some are on cable, and some of them aren’t meant for everyone. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something wonderful to fill that extra space on your DVR with.