Just Another Periodical Update …

Know what, I’m going to stop apologising – we’re all busy, right?  We all understand the score, right?

During the past couple of days, the US main TV networks have been announcing their renewals, pick ups and cancellations, so what does that mean for our BDH’s?

As followers of Nathan Fillion’s work and “Castle” fans (“Castillions”) are aware, ABC made the decision to renewal “Castle” for a fifth series in January.  Midweek, last week, Michael Ausiello from Entertainment Weekly, tweeted that it looked like NBC had decided to renew “Chuck” and this was confirmed within forty-eight hours by the network.  They also announced that they were picking up “Playboy”, a drama set around the Chicago Playboy Club in the 60′s in which Sean Maher starred in the pilot and according to Nikki Finke’s “Deadline Hollywood” website, he signed for a recurring role.  Followers of Sean’s Twitter feed (@Sean_M_Maher) will have read that he shot his scenes in Chicago, but no word on whether the show will remain there or relocate back to Los Angeles as “Castle” did.  By Friday, ABC had announced that it was cancelling “V”.

From a Browncoat perspective, the big recent news has come from the California Browncoats regarding their CSTS 2011 screening on 25 June.  In case you have missed this (WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!), not only are Amanda Sullivan and Jessica Neuwirth flying in from Equality Now’s main New York office to thank Browncoats for all our efforts fundraising on their behalf, but Joss Whedon is taking a quick break from shooting “THE AVENGERS” to also make an appearance at the event.  Tickets are selling quickly, but if you can be there and move quickly enough, you can find all details on the California Browncoats website.

Lastly, UK Nathan Fillions fans?  Still not seen the funny (and-still-stands-up-better-than-”Friends”) show “Two Guys And A Girl” co-starring Ryan Reynolds?  Check for listings for the 5* channel, ‘cos they’re repeating it now.  Why this show is still not available on DVD is a complete mystery to me!

Wendy

So, yeah, sorta off the radar

Yes, it’s been a while; so where have we all been?  The summer is always a busy time for Odile as she is a teacher and the end of the UK school year is when we in the UK sit state education examinations and Odile is amongst the small army of teachers who mark the papers, etc. Andrew and I started new roles within our respective workplaces and for both of us that is meaning new responsibilities and – for the time being – longer working hours.  And of course, if you have been keeping up to date with the show and also follow us on Twitter, you will also know that I had surgery a couple of months ago.

During my recovery and slightly before it, I spoke with Andrew Slack of The Harry Potter Alliance about the wonderful fundraising work that the Harry Potter fandom does and how fandoms can work together for charity fundraising.  It’s a great conversation and I’m sorry that we have sat on it for so long, but it happened during the start of CSTS and we felt it best to focus on CSTS.  Then I was able to speak with Mark James for all the latest on his fan film, “Bellflower” and finally, I spoke with Troy and Laura about their ongoing, “Into The Black” film.  All of those will be coming up this month and into September.

We held our CSTS Affiliate screening on 10 July where we were one of the lucky ones to also see the rough cut “Redemption”.  It was a glorious day and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Odile for throwing open her house of this and thanks to everyone who attended.  It was great to see you all.  One of the highlights of the day, was being able to hook up with Mike Dougherty and Heather Fagin from their table at the convention they were attending in the States!  Huge thanks to Mike and Heather for doing that – Skype, we salute you!

What’s next?  Wendy is attending DragonCon next month, so is looking forward to seeing all The Signal team (yes Kari, Crunchies!), attending the “Redemption” premiere on Saturday night, seeing our friends at QMx, the Saturday parade and all fellow Browncoats – so, if you are wearing something “Firefly”/”SERENITY” related, I may stop you for a chat.  If you are attending D*C, be sure to listen to our next show as we will have a fabulous announcement regarding the Saturday night Whedonverse track Shindig.

Other news:

Massive Events’s “HalloWhedon” convention in the UK announced the addition of Jewel Staite to their guest list.  If you wish to learn more about this event, please visit their website here.  Always pleased to have her in the UK.

Alan Tudyk has a role in the next “TRANSFORMERS” film currently in production.  In a recent chat with the “From Hollywood With Luv” blog, Alan spoke about his character in the film and also another production he is in called “Beautiful Boy” with Maria Bello and Michael Sheen and you can read that here.  And if you have yet to view the “DALE AND TUCKER VS EVIL” trailer – what the heck are you waiting for?!

If you were amongst the 120k (give or take a couple …) attending 2010′s San Diego Comic Con, then you were positively falling over our BDH’s!  Nathan Fillion was part of the panel for James Gunn’s “SUPER” and “Castle” panels, inadvertently signed up for a sequel during an interview, signed at the SoCal Browncoats table along with P J Haarsma and also found time to gatecrash the Joss Whedon Experience Q & A.  Ron Glass, along with “Firefly” scribes Jose Molina and Jane Espenson signed at the QMx table.  Adam Baldwin formed part of the “Chuck” panel along with his fellow cast members, Morena Baccarin was there for “V” and Summer Glau was tubthumping her new series, “The Cape”.  And of course, our Great Bird of the Verse, Joss Whedon was in attendance hosting his very own “Experience”, forming a double-act with J J Abrams for the EW’s “Visionaries” panel and finally confirming what must have become one of the worst kept “secrets” in Hollywood, that he was directing the upcoming “AVENGERS”. PHEW!

I spent the day at London’s very own comic con at Earl’s Court on 18 July and amongst the tables and dealers, found Cooler Walls really taking my attention, bumped into old friends Steve and Naomi at the Firefly Store who are still going strong!

As many of you are also aware, Nathan Fillion has also been part of the ongoing “Read” campaign for the American Libraries Association which you can read about here and also buy the poster here for $16.

Lastly, if the sound of a Pete Carpenter/Mike Post tv theme brings a smile of fond memories, then this is for you!  About six or so weeks ago, the lads over at i09.com had some time on their hands and, as everyone knows idle minds are the Devil’s playground, but on this occasion produced something totally fabulous – a rejigged 80′s style “Firefly” credit title sequence complete with Carpenter/Post-style theme.

Right, we’re recording today, so time to sign off.

Wendy

“V”

Variety have posted their review here.  As we have said in previous shows, both Andrew and myself, the original series holds fond memories and it’s encouraging to see this “re-imagining” receiving such a good review, especially for Morena Baccarin’s performance.

 

Good News Sunday and The Bellflower

Dearly beloved, we gather here today to witness the renewal of US TV shows; to bask in the glory that is the correct decisions by the US networks:

Fox has renewed “Dollhouse”.  UK’s Sci-Fi Channel begins to air this week (if memory serves Tuesday 19 May) so program your hard drive recorders and Sky+ boxes.

The Hollywood Reporter is saying that ABC has renewed “Castle”.  However, before we open that second bottle of champagne, the network has not officially confirmed this and will not be doing so until Tuesday, when it formally announces it’s Autumn schedule.

ABC has c0nfirmed that the “V” remake/re-imagining/re-whatever has had it’s initial episode order increased to the basic 13.  

Lastly, our friends at The Bellflower have both revamped their website and also have space on QMx’s “Shipworks” area.  If you haven’t found either of these, they are very much worth checking out.