SciFiAndTvTalk

Syfy (US) Fall Programming Highlights

This Fall, Syfy will take viewers to imaginative new programming heights led by the premiere of the provocative reality series Fangasm (September 24) and Naked Vegas (October 29), which journey into the worlds of super fans and body painting art; the season returns of Ghost Mine (September 4), Haven (September 13), Ghost Hunters (October 9) and Haunted Highway (November 27), as well as a special Scare Tactics marathon (October 21).

Syfy will also unleash nearly 600 hours of scary programming during its 6th annual 31 Days of Halloween month-long spook-a-thon dripping with bloodcurdling theatrical and original movies. In November, Sharknado’s Cassie Scerbo returns to Syfy in the Original Movie Bering Sea Beast. Syfy will kick off the Fall season with its traditional Labor Day weekend movie marathon.

Highlights below of Syfy’s 2013 Fall Programming Schedule (All Times ET/PT)

SEPTEMBER

GHOST MINE - (SEASON 2 PREMIERE)

Returns Wednesday, September 4 at 10PM – In Season 2, the hardened team of gold miners and paranormal investigators return to Eastern Oregon’s notoriously haunted Crescent Mine to continue their quest for gold and evidence of ghosts. The investigators and miners delve further into the mine’s mysterious history revealing new information about the recurring Masonic symbols, Native American presence and the spirit of “Joe,” all while battling the elements in hopes of striking it rich. This season, they’ve revamped the popular Remote Investigator of Paranormal Activity (RIPA) and brought in a surprise new addition to the team. The Season 2 premiere will be preceded by the 9PM one-hour special, Ghost Mine: Back on the Mountain, hosted by Adam Copeland (Haven), in which the miners and investigators gather ‘round the campfire to reminisce about the highs and lows of last season.

RAGIN CAJUN REDNECK GATORS - (ORIGINAL MOVIE PREMIERE)

Premieres Thursday, September 5 at 9PM – Contaminated moonshine dumped in a Louisiana swamp turns the bayou’s gators (and the people who eat them) into deadly mutants. The movie stars Victor Webster (Continuum) and Jordan Hinson (Eureka).

HAVEN -  (SEASON 4 PREMIERE)

Returns Friday, September 13 at 10PM – Season 4 of Haven picks up six months after the devastating events of the Season 3 cliffhanger in which the town was pummeled by a violent meteor storm.  Audrey (Emily Rose) and Duke (Eric Balfour) vanished into thin air, leaving an injured Nathan (Lucas Bryant) marooned in Haven. This season, Colin Ferguson (Eureka) returns to Syfy playing William, a handsome mysterious stranger, whose secret agenda leads him to Audrey. Haven, based on the novella The Colorado Kid from renowned author Stephen King, follows former FBI agent Audrey Parker, who becomes a cop in the small town of Haven, Maine, and soon discovers the town’s many secrets – which also hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of her lost past

ROBOCROC - (ORIGINAL MOVIE PREMIERE)

Premieres Saturday, September 14 at 9PM – A military nanotech experiment goes awry, infecting a huge crocodile in a zoo and transforming it into a metal killing machine. Robocroc stars Corin Nemec (Stargate SG-1) and Dee Wallace.

FANGASM - (SERIES PREMIERE)

Premieres Tuesday, September 24 at 10PM – Syfy celebrates superfan culture with Fangasm, a new docuseries that follows seven very different people whose uber-obsessions from comic books and collectibles, science fiction and fantasy to cosplay and live action role-playing have brought them together for the summer experience of a lifetime: living together and interning together at Stan Lee’s Comikaze. Known as Los Angeles’ largest pop-culture convention, the cast must contend with oversized personalities and conflicting passions as they vie to impress the organization for a once-in-a-lifetime dream job within Lee’s  staff.

OCTOBER

31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN - (6TH ANNUAL EVENT)

Returns Tuesday, October 1 – Thursday, October 31 – 31 Days of Halloween will unleash nearly 600 hours of bloodcurdling programming with original series, a trio of terrifying Saturday Original Movies and theatricals.

GHOST HUNTERS - (FALL SEASON PREMIERE)

Returns Wednesday, October 9 at 10PM – Get into the Halloween spirit with the Ghost Hunters as Season 9 continues with a month of brand-new investigations at all-new locations. Jason, Steve, Tango, Amy, Adam and Britt continue their mission of helping ease the minds of homeowners and public institution employees alike when they investigate a mansion in Monticello, AR, with a dark history of secret love and suicide; the Rendall Building in Shreveport, LA; a former insane asylum and animal testing lab in Scott Township, PA; The Surf Hotel on Block Island, RI, and historic Hyde Hall in Cooperstown, NY.

SCARE TACTICS - (SEASON 5 MARATHON)

Premieres Monday, October 21 from 8-11PM – Tracy Morgan is back! He’s hosting a special marathon of all-new episodes of Scare Tactics, the hidden camera show with a sci-fi twist that pulls outrageous pranks on unsuspecting friends and family. In this batch of episodes, our subjects will be subjected to post-Voodoo ceremony zombie attacks at a cemetery, a meat-eating fly experiment gone horribly wrong and a homicidal comedian at a comedy award show that Tracy “hosts.”

NAKED VEGAS - (SERIES PREMIERE)

Premieres Tuesday, October 29 at 10PM – Set amidst the fast-paced glitter of life on the Las Vegas Strip, Syfy will transport viewers inside the provocative and imaginative world of body painting art in this new six-part docuseries. When casinos, clubs, events, conventions, celebrities, magicians, fashion designers – or anyone in between – wants to throw a memorable opening, they call the Skin Team.  These five accomplished artists – including Nicholas “Nix” Herrera from Syfy’s hit series Face Off – comprise Las Vegas' hottest and most innovative body painting company, creating amazing displays of artwork on naked female and male models. Each hour-long episode of Naked Vegas will highlight the chemistry and creative skills of the artists' different personalities as they collaborate on a major client job while navigating the economics of the business.

SCARECROW - (ORIGINAL MOVIE PREMIERE)

Premieres in October – A group of teens and their teacher are stranded in the countryside when they discover that the local legend of a murderous scarecrow creature is real – and the creature is after them. Scarecrow stars Robin Dunne (Sanctuary) and Lacey Chabert.

THE RITUAL (working title) - (ORIGINAL MOVIE PREMIERE)

Premieres in October – An American college student studying in Japan risks her own life to save the spirit of her dead mother who killed herself in the notorious Suicide Forest. The Ritual stars Cassie Thomson and Graham Wardle.

ZOMBIE NIGHT - (ORIGINAL MOVIE PREMIERE)

Premieres in October – Two families in a small American town face off against zombies in a long night of horror, torn between helping each other and saving themselves. Zombie Night stars Darryl Hannah, Anthony Michael Hall and Shirley Jones.

NOVEMBER

HAUNTED HIGHWAY - (SEASON 2 PREMIERE)

Returns Wednesday, November 27 at 10PM – In an unprecedented first, the premiere episode of Haunted Highway will feature our two teams – Jack Osbourne & Dana Workman and Jael de Pardo & Devin Marble – partnering up to take on their biggest investigation yet: a journey to the remote island of Dry Tortugas. Located 80 miles off the coast of Florida, the four will conduct their own first-person investigation into an abandoned military fort that’s rumored to harbor the ghost of a possible Lincoln assassination conspirator. Fueled by eyewitness interviews and evidence collected with state-of-the-art equipment, this new season will push our two teams further off the beaten path and self-document harrowing face-to-face encounters with the paranormal in some of America’s darkest and most remote regions.  Cases include investigations into the ghosts of the famous Donner party, werewolf-like creatures in the bayous of Louisiana, ghosts and Iowa’s own Black Angel of Death.

BERING SEA BEAST - (ORIGINAL MOVIE PREMIERE)

Premieres in November – While prospecting for gold, a brother and sister accidentally disturb a colony of sea vampires in an underwater cave.  Cassie Scerbo (Sharknado), Jonathan Lipnicki and Kevin Dobson star in Bering Sea Beast.

American Horror Story: Coven - Sneak Peek

American Horror Story: Coven, the newest miniseries in the American Horror Story franchise, will debut on Wednesday, October 9 at 10:00 PM ET/PT on FX.  Currently in production in New Orleans, the 13-part miniseries will air Wednesdays at 10:00 PM ET/PT though January of 2014.

American Horror Story: Coven tells the secret history of witches and witchcraft in America. Over 300 years have passed since the turbulent days of the Salem witch trials and those who managed to escape are now facing extinction. Mysterious attacks have been escalating against their kind and young girls are being sent away to a special school in New Orleans to learn how to protect themselves. Wrapped up in the turmoil is new arrival, Zoe (Taissa Farmiga), who is harboring a terrifying secret of her own. Alarmed by the recent aggression, Fiona (Jessica Lange), the long-absent Supreme, sweeps back into town, determined to protect the Coven and hell-bent on decimating anyone who gets in her way.

Coven features an extraordinary cast including Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe award winners Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates; Golden Globe Award winner and Academy Award nominated Angela Bassett; Emmy Award nominated Sarah Paulson; Golden Globe Award winner and Emmy nominated Frances Conroy; Oscar and Golden Globe award nominated Gabourey Sidibe; Emmy Award nominated Denis O’Hare; Emmy Award nominated Patti LuPone; Evan Peters; Taissa Farmiga; Lily Rabe; and Emma Roberts.

Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Dante Di Loreto, Tim Minear, James Wong, and Jennifer Salt are Executive Producers of American Horror Story: Coven.  It is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television. The first two AHS miniseries, American Horror Story and American Horror Story: Asylum, combined for a total of 34 Emmy Award nominations.  American Horror Story scored 17 Emmy nominations, which tied for the highest total of any program in 2012, and Jessica Lange won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie.  Asylum earned 17 nominations in 2013, which was the most of any program this year. Check out the sneak peek below of Coven.

  

Foyle's War - New Episodes on PBS & Acorn TV This September

 

Hailed “Like a gift from the gods” (The New York Times) and “A triumph from start to finish” (The Wall Street Journal), Foyle's War returns this September with three new feature length mysteries available on television, streaming, and home video. One of PBS’s most popular and highly acclaimed programs, Foyle’s War premieres its new season on MASTERPIECE Mystery! on PBS on Sept. 15, 22, and 29. RLJ Entertainment’s proprietary digital channel Acorn TV, the first British TV focused streaming service in North America at www.Acorn.TV, will offer each new episode the day after it airs on PBS, as well as all previous episodes for catch-up viewing. Additionally, the new episodes debut on DVD and, for the first time, Blu-ray from Acorn on Sept. 24; featuring the complete U.K. broadcast edition and nearly two hours of bonus features, which includes a recap of Sets 1-6; four behind-the-scenes featurettes (86 min.); introductions by writer & creator Anthony Horowitz (15 min.), and more ($49.99 each, AcornOnline.com). The trailer for the new season is available at youtube.com/AcornMediaUS. Acorn, an RLJ Entertainment, Inc. brand, is already in development on another season as well. 

Sam Wainwright (Honeysuckle Weeks) and Christopher Foyle (Michael Kitchen).

As the series returns, World War II is over, but the Cold War simmers in 1946 London. DCS Christopher Foyle (Michael Kitchen) has retired from police work when Britain’s secret intelligence service compels him to join its ranks. Reunited with his former colleague, newlywed Sam Wainwright (Honeysuckle Weeks), Foyle faces new—but no less deadly—threats in the world of spies and counterintelligence.

Sam Wainwright (Honeysuckle Weeks) and Adam Wainwright (Daniel Weyman) in "The Eternity Ring."

RLJ Entertainment Chief Executive Officer Miguel Penella said, “Since acquiring Foyle’s Warin Nov. 2010, we have been working closely with its creators to develop these new episodes. In these three gripping mysteries, Christopher Foyle makes a natural transition from policing during World War II to intelligence gathering during the Cold War. We’re thrilled to offer these exciting new episodes across several platforms (broadcast, digital, and home video), so consumers can watch them whenever and however they like.”

Michael Kitchen as Christopher Foyle in "Sunflower."

Combining uncompromising historical accuracy with compelling, character-driven murder mysteries, this enormously popular, award-winning British series has won critical acclaim and undying viewer loyalty since its premiere on ITV in 2002 and PBS in 2003. Set 7 guest stars include Ellie Haddington (Life Begins), Tim McMullan (The Woman in Black), Jeremy Swift (Oliver Twist), Rupert Vansittart (Holy Flying Circus), and Daniel Weyman (Great Expectations) as Sam’s husband. Foyle’s War was created by Anthony Horowitz, and the executive producer is Jill Green.

The Mysteries:

The Eternity Ring—Returning from America, Foyle gets drawn into an MI5 investigation of a Russian spy ring in which Sam, his former driver, has been implicated.

The Cage—Foyle’s inquiry into the deaths of several Russian defectors leads him to a mysterious military facility.

Sunflower—Foyle is charged with looking into assassination attempts against an ex-Nazi defector under MI5’s protection.

Platforms:

*Broadcast: MASTERPIECE Mystery! on PBS – Sept. 15, 22, and 29

*Streaming: Acorn TV at www.Acorn.TV – All 22 previous episodes available Sept. 1 with new episodes debuting the day after their PBS broadcast.

*Home Video: DVD and Blu-ray on Sept. 24, 2013 - Three mysteries, approx. 274 min., plus bonus - SDH subtitles

Blu-ray 2-Disc Set (SRP: $49.99) ISBN 978-1-59828-993-0/DVD 3-Disc Boxed Set: (SRP: $49.99) ISBN 978-1-59828-992-3

Check out a preview below of the upcoming new season of Foyle's War.

Watch Foyle's War Preview on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.

 All Foyle's War photos by/copyright of Patrick Redmond/Eleventh Hour/ITV for MASTER PIECE, so please no unauthorized copying or duplicating of any kind. Thanks!

Syfy Greenlights "12 Monkeys" Pilot

Syfy is greenlighting 12 Monkeys, a drama series based on the 1995 Universal Pictures film directed by Terry Gilliam, to pilot.  The 60-minute cast-contingent pilot is being produced by Universal Cable Productions and Atlas Entertainment, producer of the original Bruce Willis-Brad Pitt theatrical. 

Based on the classic hit film, 12 Monkeys follows the journey of a time traveler from the post-apocalyptic future who appears in present day on a mission to locate and eradicate the source of a deadly plague that will eventually decimate the human race. 

Production is set to begin in November with Terry Matalas & Travis Fickett (Terra Nova, Nikita), who wrote the pilot script, serving as Co-Executive Producers. Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven (American Hustle, Man of Steel, The Dark Knight trilogy) and Richard Suckle (American Hustle, The International), will executive produce. Roven produced the original film.

Syfy Announces Additional Casting For "High Moon" Pilot

Syfy announces additional casting for its upcoming drama pilot, High Moon, inking Peter Macon, Dana Davis and Jonathan Tucker for recurring roles in the 90-minute pilot.  Charity Wakefield also signs on for a pilot guest starring role.  Co-produced by Universal Cable Productions and Lark Productions, the pilot is set to commence shooting August 26 in Vancouver BC. The project is based on the novel “The Lotus Caves” by John Christopher.

High Moon is an imaginative, out-of-this-world adventure series exploring what happens when Earth establishes colonies to mine the Moon’s resources and discover a new form of life. Chaos erupts in a genuinely emotional, humorously thrilling and always unexpected fashion as the colonists of the Moon race to uncover this life form’s powerful secrets.

High Moon is executive produced by Bryan Fuller (Hannibal) and Adam Kane (Being Human), Cary Granat and Steve Granat for Reel FX, Don Murphy and Susan Montford for Angry Films, and Louise Clark and Andrew Williamson for Lark Productions.  Adam Kane will also direct the pilot written by Co-executive Producer Jim Danger Gray (Pushing Daisies) from the story adaptation written by Fuller and Gray.

Peter Macon will portray General Gale Lynn Winehart, a hard-as-nails American Army General able to kick the crap out of just about anybody.  Possessing years of battle experience, he is not only savvy but cautious as he knows things are not always what they seem. He is intent on getting to the bottom of the explosion on the moon. 

Macon narrated HBO’s Animated Tales of the World, earning a 2002 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance.  He has appeared in episodes of Nash Bridges, Law & Order, Without a Trace, Supernatural and Dexter. 

Dana Davis will portray the cute, rugged, direct and charming Yama Winehart, daughter of General Winehart.  She is also the first -- and last -- kid ever born on the moon.  Pre-natal problems with artificial gravity mean she can never leave the moon, giving her a special connection with it and making her the moon’s first environmentalist.

Davis played Chasity Church on the ABC Family series 10 Thinks I Hate About You and Carmen Phillips on the TNT series Franklin & Bash.  She also co-starred in NBC’s Heroesas Monica Dawson.  Born in Davenport, Iowa, Davis is a skilled violinist and holds a degree in music from Loyola Marymount University. 

Jonathan Tucker will portray Stanslav “Stan” Stavin, a handsome and outgoing miner for the Russians. But there is more than meets the eye when it comes to this man. 

Originally from Boston, MA, Tucker is known for his roles in films The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hostage, In the Valley of Elah and The Ruins, as well as the NBC series The Black Donnellys. He also portrayed emerging artist Patrick Angus in the 2009 film An Englishman in New York opposite John Hurt. 

Charity Wakefield also signs on to the pilot for a guest starring role, portraying the smart and savvy Eve St. John-Smythe.  Eve is British and has a rakish confidence that comes from being unfathomably rich.  She is CEO of the world’s most profitable corporation and is responsible for opening up the moon by providing oxygen to the various countries there. This vision speaks to her fair-mindedness, but controlling who breathes and for what price is also a spigot the cunning businesswoman is happy to adjust to get what she wants.  Her political posturing comes from her idealism, and ultimately what she wants is to make good on her family mission to make the moon accessible to everyone on earth.

Born in Sussex, England, Wakefield starred in the BBC1 productions of Rapunzel and Casualty 1907.  She has extensive theater credits on the British stage including Constance in The Three Musketeers at the Bristol Old Vic, Elaine in The Graduate at the New Vic, and Susan in Baby with the Bathwater at the Old Red Lion Theatre.  In 2008 she toured in a revival of W. Somerset Maugham’s The Circleat the Chichester Festival Theatre.

Leading the cast will be Chris Diamantopoulos (The Office) and Jake Sandvig (Easy A).  Diamantopoulos plays Ian, a chief investigator for the American federal government who is dispatched to the moon to figure out the causes of an explosion. Sandvig plays his brother Marty, a felon being investigated for engaging in possible espionage and sabotage when the giant blast goes off near an area where he was working on the moon. 

Continuum Sneak Peek - "Second Last" (Syfy US)

In tonight's all-new Continuum, Kiera (Rachel Nichols) and Carlos (Victor Webster) must stop Travis (Roger Cross) after he gets his hands on Elena's CPS suit. Enjoy the sneak peek below and then tune in for Second Last, Friday, August 23rd @ 10:00 p.m. EST/PST on Syfy.

  

Omari Hardwick To Star In New STARZ Series "Power"

Starz announced today that Omari Hardwick has been cast as the lead in Power, an hour-long STARZ Original drama series executive produced by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and created by Courtney Kemp Agboh (The Good Wife), who will serve as executive producer and showrunner. Mark Canton (300, 300: Rise of an Empire, Escape Plan), Randall Emmett (End of Watch, 2 Guns, Lone Survivor) and David Knoller (Big Love, Carnivàle) are executive producing in association with CBS Television Studios.

Hardwick will play James "Ghost" St. Patrick, a wealthy New York City nightclub owner who caters to the city's elite.  He wants to build an empire, turn the club into a Fortune 500 business, but there's just one problem: he is living a double life.  When he is not in the club, he is the kingpin of the most lucrative drug network in New York for a very high-level clientele. His marriage, family and business all become unknowingly threatened as he is tempted to leave his criminal life behind and become the rags-to-riches businessman he wants to be most of all.

“Omari is an actor of incredible range and versatility,” said Starz Managing Director, Carmi Zlotnik. “When we met Omari, we knew he had all the tools needed to play such a complicated and complex character. We look forward to him bringing Ghost to life on the screen.”

Hardwick’s previous film credits include: Sparkle, For Colored Girls, Kick Ass and The A-Team. He has also appeared in several television series, including: Dark Blue, Breakout Kings and Saved.

The first season of Power will be eight, hour-long episodes and begins filming later this fall. It is expected to premiere on STARZ in 2014.  Starz retains all global distribution and home entertainment rights to the series.

The White Queen Sneak Peek - "The Storm" (STARZ)

In the next all-new episode of The White Queen, a grieving Queen Elizabeth (Rebecca Ferguson) conjures up the perfect storm to get King Edward (Max Irons) home. But more danger awaits as her jealous detractors plot to end his reign. Check out the preview clip below for The Storm and then tune in to STARZ for the entire episode on Saturday, August 24th @ 9:00 p.m. EST/PST.

  

STARZ to Premiere "Dancing on the Edge" in October

 

Starz is excited to announce that the U.S. television debut of the STARZ Original Miniseries Event, Dancing on the Edge, will premiere on Saturday, October 19th at 10pm ET/PT on STARZ, following the finale episode of The White Queen. The tuneful five-part drama will continue airing on Saturday nights at 9pm and stars Golden Globe Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years of a Slave–scheduled for release in October 2013, Salt, American Gangster), Matthew Goode (Stoker, A Single Man, Brideshead Revisited), Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominee Jacqueline Bisset (Joan of Arc, Two Jacks) and Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner John Goodman (The Monuments Men, Inside Llewyn Davis–both scheduled for release in December 2013, Monster’s University).

Written by the multi-award winning writer/director Stephen Poliakoff (Glorious 39, Gideon’s Daughter, The Lost Prince), Dancing on the Edge features original lyrics and music from the Emmy Award-winning musician and composer Adrian Johnston (Gideon's Daughter, Shackleton, Kinky Boots, Brideshead Revisited). Actresses Angel Coulby (The Tunnel, Merlin) and Wunmi Mosaku (I Am Slave, The Body Farm), both lend their extraordinary, authentic vocals to perform the original soundtrack.

Inspired by true accounts of the phenomenal Duke Ellington Band mingling with the future Duke of Windsor Edward VIII in Europe, Dancing on the Edge takes place in London during the early 1930s. The story illustrates the journey of a group of Black jazz musicians – the Louis Lester Band – as they steadily rise to stardom, a result of performing at various elite social gatherings hosted by London’s aristocrats. Although Britain’s climate was flourishing with extraordinary social change, much of the upper-class loathed the idea of Black musicians performing in polite society. Still, the city’s more progressive socialites (including members of the Royal Household) befriend the ensemble and introduce them to posh life. The blissful eminence surrounding the band abruptly changes when the band members are entangled in a murder conspiracy.

The striking cast also includes Janet Montgomery (Black Swan, Entourage) as Sarah, the insightful photographer; Anthony Head (The Iron Lady, Merlin, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) the compassionate gentleman named Donaldson and Tom Hughes (The Lady Vanishes, Cemetery Junction) plays Julian, the employee of Masterson and socialite brother of Pamela played by Joanna Vanderham (The Runaway, Young Herriot).

The miniseries event will conclude with a special hour-long epilogue entitled Interviewing Louis on Saturday, November 23rd. Check out the sneak peek below.

  

Bounty Killer Sneak Peek

It has been 20 years since the corporations took over the world’s governments. Their thirst for power and profits led to the corporate wars, a fierce global battle that laid waste to society as we know it. Born from the ash, the Council of Nine rose as a new law and order for this dark age. To avenge the corporations’ reckless destruction, the Council issues death warrants for all white collar criminals. Their hunters – the Bounty Killer. From amateur savage to graceful assassin, the Bounty Killers now compete for body count, fame and a fat stack of cash. They’re ending the plague of corporate greed by exterminating the self serving CEO and providing the survivors of the apocalypse with retribution. These are the new heroes. This is the age of the Bounty Killer.

Written by Jason Dodson, Colin Ebeling and Henry Saine (who also directed), Bounty Killer stars Matthew Marsden, Christian Pitre, Barak Hardley, Eve, Gary Busey, Beverly D'Angelo and Alexa Vega. Opening in theatres (as well as available on VOD) on September 6th, 2013, the film is distributed by ARC Entertainment and will also be released on DVD, October 29th, 2013. Check out the trailer below.