Adama Edition Viper - quick before it disappears!

Adama Edition Viper
Originally uploaded by EdwardJamesOlmos

EDIT: sorry if you missed the picture! It's been removed from Flickr now. I have a copy but since QMX are doing an exclusive interview with Edward James Olmos next week I'm not posting it yet. If you have questions why not send them to QMX via Twitter - your question might be asked!

The amazing Edward James Olmos (Admiral Adama from Battlestar Galactica) shared an exciting tidbit on Twitter tonight - QMX are creating an exclusive new model! As Mr Olmos explained:

"Adama Edition Viper Mark II Artisan Replica features an analog gauge flight package and the call sign,“Husker. It has a tiny working Dradis!" (from twitter)

There are going to 1000 made - 500 signed by him and 500 signed by Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck).

Make sure you follow Mr Olmos on twitter  and QMX for all the details as they are released!

Obama Depressed, Distant Since 'Battlestar Galactica' Finale

According to sources in the White House, President Barack Obama has been uncharacteristically distant and withdrawn ever since last month's two-hour series finale of Battlestar Galactica.....Another great article from The Onion! :D

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Are you ready? DOLLHOUSE premiere (and BSG grinds on)

Dollhouse parties - are you going to one?

There is one tonight in Vancouver but I won't be able to make it due to various other child-related commitments (anyone with kids will tell you they have a much more active social life than their parents!). So, this evening I will be off the Internet (shock! Horror!) as I struggle to avoid any spoilers about Dollhouse and Battlestar Galactica.

No Spoilers!

For many months there was a steady trickle of information about the new Joss Whedon/Eliza Dushku series on Fox. Most of it not from Fox itself but from interviews with Joss and Eliza and the other stars. Information from Fox was hard to come by and trailers scare. Little advertising was done on Fox and this heightened fans' fears that the show was about to outdo Firefly by being cancelled before it had even aired. But in the last two weeks - holymoly! There has been reams of interviews, trailers posted, Joss and Eliza have been here, there and everywhere promoting the show. So much information, in fact, that there is far too much for me to process. And, in the midst of this it's hard to stay spoiler-free. Every interview has people asking about the show - of course! But then do you read it or not? I have started a couple and then stopped because I just want to be able to watch. I'll catch up with everything afterwards. For now I'm basking in the anticipation.

But if you want to know more...

Head over the Whedonesque.com. As always it's the go-to place to find out where all those interview, articles and videos are. Mostly they are flagged if they have spoilers so knock yourself out. Yesterday Joss himself posted a message saying he would answer 5 questions of those posted within a half-hour window. His rationale being that he had given time everywhere else so the loyal fans at Whedonesque.com should be rewarded, too:

February 13 2009

For You Guys. I'll check this in 30 minutes and pick five questions to answer.

I'll have to be brief, but since I'm talking to everyone that should include you.

joss | Purple prose | 06:24 CET | 237 comments total

As you can see, as of this morning there were 237 comments in reply to his post - many containing multiple questions. Yes, I think you could say that interest was high.

There's even an article about the science basis behind Dollhouse in 'Dollhouse's Memory Science Mixes Fact with Fiction' article in PopularMechanics.

(Picture from PopularMechanics article)

Could it get any better?

And to top it all Felicia Day confirmed via Twitter yesterday the rumours that had been circulating - she is going to be in Dollhouse later in the season:

For those inquiring minds, I got the ok today to confirm that I'm going to be on an episode Dollhouse later in the season! So exciting

BSG - I'm loving it?

Well you can never say that Battlestar Galactica shied away from violence, mayhem and sheer, bloody-minded refusal to face facts. No, no spoilers but if you haven't already caught up on the happens then do it! Unless you don't like being put through the emotional wringer. Wimp.

Competition Winner! Plus - stats!

Without further ado, I'm pleased to announce... 

That there is a winner to the Evil WorldofHiglet competition to identify the DVDs and book on Evil WorldofHiglet's printer. These are the items in order (left to right):

Battlestar Galactica Season 3

Infected by Scott Sigler

Angel Season 2

The Guild Season 1

Done The Impossible - The Fans' Tale of Firefly and Serenity

In the end there were several entries that were correct so I had to number them all and apply the 'random number generator' to them. 

What's that - you want a name?

Ok, well the lucky winner is Lisa T! I've already sent the Application Form to Lisa and once I get that back I'll be working on a special episode - I've already got some ideas :) Lisa T is also the voice of Cordelia in Buffy: Between the Lines Season 2 and has a podcast/blog. SoCongratulations to Lisa T and a huge THANK YOU to everyone who took part in the Competition. 

Some quick stats - and more thanks

Between the 8 videos in the Evil WorldofHiglet Application Processing there has been over 12,500 views, so thank you everyone who has watched, commented and favourited them. There have even been some video responses which are well worth having a look at. We are working on a musical episode or two, too, which should be fun. I've not heard from Felicia yet, but she only got back from Blizzcon today. I mean, what's the worst that can happen?

Battlestar Galactica and The Guild Improv...make your choice!

Of course, you could always do both!
Tonight sees the last episode of BSG Season 4 to be shown this year. Think about that for a minute. We're not even half-way through 2008 and after tonight we'll be kept in suspense for at least another 6 months. Cruel? Some would say so! Why has this happened? Well according to Wikipedia only these first 11 episodes were completed before the WGA writer's strike so a decision was made to split the Season. The final 10 episodes are completed, though, so it's hard not to conclude that scheduling plus the desire to keep us all in suspense is the reason. Jane, I thought you were our friend! Can't you get them to reconsider?! And to show it on a Friday the 13th....someone has a very dark sense of humour.

To celebrate/commiserate tonight, there is a special gathering in Vancouver
The 13th Colony is meeting tonight at 5.30 (local time) for the 'Frakkin' Cliffhanger! Season Ender Party'. You'll have a chance to have dinner before the episode airs and can share the joy/pain of what will undoubtedly be a nail-biting cliff-hanger of rollercoaster.

The Guild - at ComiCon!
Now I promised myself I would go to a Convention this year, as I have shamefully never been to one (what sort of geek am I? Guess I should be joining Numfar in his dance...). I've read and drooled over the San Diego ComiCon - it's the stuff of geek dreams, I kid you not. The guests, the panels, the oceans of like-minded humanity. But it's so far away and not what you'd call a cheap weekend! And now, as if to rub salt into the wound, The Guild have announced that they are going to be there July 24-27th. And they are going to be sharing a booth with the California Browncoats. The California Browncoats are a magnificent group of shiny Browncoats (Firefly/Serenity supporters) that take fandom and fundraising to the next level. Imagine - Nathan Fillion supporters on a booth with Felicia Day. And Doctor Horrible (which stars them both) is to be released just before then. I have literally had to lock my credit card away so I can't book a place.

The only consolation I can muster is that the pain of not going to ComiCon will hopefully distract me from having to wait for BSG. It's not much of a consolation.....

The Guild - in Improv!
And don't forget that tonight (Friday 13th June) and next Friday (20th June) you can see Felicia Day, Jeff Lewis and Sandeep Parikh (Codex, Vork and Zaboo from 'The Guild') in the Improv Group called 'Being Humans'. Performances start at 10.30 pm. Go to 'WatchTheGuild.com' website for full details. It's not often you get the chance to see talented stars live and any Guilder who goes will get a very warm reception from the cast.

Friday Review: Softwires and Cylons!

Hard-wired for Geek? I'd rather be Softwired....
Sometime ago I read and reviewed 'Virus on Orbis 1', the first in the 'Softwire' books by P J Haarsma. Since then book 2, 'Betrayal on Orbis 2' has been waiting for me to pick it up. I knew that once I had started reading everything else would have to wait so I've been biding my time. Last Friday, though, there was no BSG and I decided that enough waiting was enough, so I dived straight in. The story starts not long after the end of the first book and we are picked up and propelled straight into the next challenge(s) for JT and his friends. As predicted, it proved to be an exciting and all-encompassing read! So much so, that the '100th Post...' almost didn't get posted...

What makes you care?
I've read a lot of books, some brilliant, some good, some bad, some indifferent. The brilliant ones make an impression that stays with you after you finish. Such are the Softwire books. They are very well-written and complete stories but there are so many things that you want to know more about. What happened with the SpaceJumpers? Why are the Nagools the way they are and how is this going to be of importance in the future? Is the whole of Orbis society on the verge of collapse? Of course, there are the obvious questions about what the future holds for JT, Max, Katheria and the other children, whose side is Charlie on and what will Orbis 3 be like? But the thrill for me is the detail of the time and space the Orbis books are set in. The way the society is set up is completely alien yet so believable. The interaction between the characters and their setting. Yes, PJ, I am hooked, so I hope you are well on your way to publishing Book 3 (see what PJ had to say about what is going to happen to JT in Book 3...! )

See, Hear
If you are still wondering whether these award-winning books are for you then how about listening to Chapter 1 of 'Virus on Orbis 1' read by Nathan Fillion? Yes, really! If you go to the Kids Need To Read MySpace page you can hear Nathan read the first chapter and I have to say it is an excellent reading. And you can also see an impressive promo video on P J Haarsma's website. I could watch a whole lot more of that video!

Did you say Cylons?
Well, BSG is back tonight. I'm interested, but not building my hopes up. I know what if I get too excited someone I really like will get the chop. I'm acting cool in the hope that it will save someone's neck. It could work....But on a happier note - do you live near Vancouver? If so, then you are in for a treat this weekend. The 13th Colony (Vancouver's Battlestar Galactica Fan Club) are undertaking a location scouting in the parks on the North Shore to find shooting locations for Caprica, New Caprica and Kobol tomorrow! I meet Val at the Firefly Meetup and she is a great advocate for BSG - and you will probably find that she looks familiar, too. They are meeting at 1.00 so go to their MeetUp page for more information and to sign up.

Jewel Staite Q & A, Plus - No BSG!

A week to reflect
Battlestar Galactica is not on tonight but will return next week. So, has this final season lived up to the enormously high expectations I had for it so far? Well mostly, yes. Without going into any details there has been some stunning set-pieces and some absolute jaw-dropping moments, and we were left with a cliff-hanger last week that really took me by surprise. There has been less explosions and more inferences and dark looks, but I don't mind that, especially if it is all building up to some spectacular fireworks.

What would YOU ask Jewel Staite?
It's getting closer to the Serenity Screenings and in Vancouver we are lucky enough to have Jewel Staite attending a Q & A before the screening. This is a real honour and makes the event even more special. I'm not sure how the Q & A works and I've never been to a panel (or any other type of event like this) so I don't know what to expect. So if I got the chance, what would I ask? What would you ask Jewel?

Waiting for the Post
I've been spending time on the Universal HD Message Boards. I have mentioned them before because of the Saturday Shindigs over there. Quite simply, these message boards have been set up by UNIVERSAL - the studio that funded Serenity, the studio that has the rights to Serenity, the studio that could produce a sequel, or three. Being active on these boards is important because the more activity, the more unique people over there, the more Universal can see there is support for a sequel (see this thread for more information). So Cordrone, one of the Moderators, suggested that I ask if Jewel knew about the Universal HD message boards. Because if any of the Actors (or Joss himself, he'd be welcome too...) posted on the Board it would really help to persuade Browncoats to rally to that one point (as well as all the other places we hang out at the moment). And it would send a message to Universal, too. So, if I get the chance I will ask Jewel if she knows about all the message board like the Universal one, and whether she would ever post on one. Worth a try, don't you think?

Browncoat Cruise and Battlestar Friday

Did you know about the Browncoat Cruise?
I heard tales of it from people who were there - t'was the summer of '07 and a gallant ship set out from San Diego, California to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and back on a journey of discovery and delights. Packed with Browncoats and celebrity guests, everyone enjoyed days of entertainment and relaxation, all without any Alliance interference. And now Kids Need To Read are auctioning two fantastic souvenirs from this unique event:

"A Browncoat Cruise Souvenir Program signed by Brian Wiser, producer of Done the Impossible and one of the cruise directors. Brian also designed, printed and made all the programs himself! This 30+ page, full color booklet includes bios of the guests, ads from your favorite Firefly/Serenity sources, and cover art by artist Adam Levermore-Rich (Lexigeek). Second, a limited edition (only 500 were made for the attendees) Browncoat Cruise Travel Poster measuring 17 x 22 inches. The poster bears the signatures of Ron Glass (Shepherd Book), Michael Fairman (Niska), Jonathan Woodward (Tracy), Nectar Rose (Lovebot), “Firefly Theme” vocalist Sonny Rhodes, The Bedlam Bards (Cedric & Hawke) and poster artist Adam Levermore-Rich. "

The auction is on eBay so cruise over and place a bid before the end of line on May 18th.

Battlestar Galactica
Ok, so I've not posted about BSG for a couple of weeks. Two reasons: lack of time and the fact it's so hard to post without spoilers! This last season is winding up to the huge and outstanding finale, and with lots happening to the crews, it's difficult to know what to say. Except - it rocks! So instead, I direct you to Pink Raygun. They have spoilers galore but if you want reasoned debate, incisive comments and hilarious explanations about BSG then this is the place to go. Just don't go if you need to be going out soon, and say I didn't warn you about the spoilers!

Cylon Says - BSG: The Road Less Traveled

With mild spoilers for Season 4, 'Cylon Says' (aka Lisa Fary) brings us a unique interpretation of the current plotlines in Battlestar Galatica: The Muppets! With suggestions on how to enrich Starbuck's environment, a run-down of Muppet/BSG character-a-likes and neat use of song, this is a fun article for anyone who likes novel interpretation. Another excellent piece of BSG-goodness from Pink Raygun - and don't forget to check out Intergalactic Law while you're over there!

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Battlestar Galactica, The Looking Glass Wars and Clara

So then, one more step nearer the end.
Jane Espenson, one of my favourite writers and all-round great person, wrote the last episode of BSG, which we watched last night. Now, I've seen some people apparently complaining about this season (I say 'apparently' because I only read the first bits so as to keep myself spoiler-free). It has been a different experience for me because I'm not watching 5 new episodes back-to-back like I was before (you should really try this if you haven't already. Get a whole season of a program you've never seen but think you might like/someone else recommended to you, and just go for it). I hate having to wait for adverts to end, never mind a whole week between episodes.

Keep me hanging on, please!
But I'm really enjoying this season. I know things are slowly unravelling, and the anticipation of what is yet to come makes me slightly giddy. So last night I was moved, startled and excited, and then the beginning titles came on! No spoilers, but the first scenes were utterly captivating, and the remainder of the episode just built up the tension. I really, really can't wait to see what happens next. And yet...I'm trying to savour every scene because I'll never be this close to the end without knowing what's to come again. Bittersweet, indeed.

The Looking Glass Wars, a la Francais
I've not read 'The Looking Glass Wars' yet, but it's one of the books on my list to take with me on that cruise I'm going on. When it was released in the UK it caused quite a storm and I made a mental note to read it (anything that can get 'The Guardian' readers in such a pickle has to be good!). And now the latest auction from Kids Need To Read features a French edition (entitled 'Les Guerres du Miroir') signed by author Frank Beddor and comes packaged with a host of other LGW-related goodies. The auction is on eBay and closes on May 2nd, so brush up your Francais and get bidding!

I hate sprouts
The vegetable, that is. One of the few I can't stand. Felicia Day has found a use for Sprout Builder, though! It's a neat and easy way to create little widgets that can be put on most web pages. I've put one of 'The Guild' ones on my blog. It's really easy to add them. I went to WatchTheGuild.com, found the widget and clicked on 'share'. You then press 'copy' and all the code you need is copied to your clipboard, ready to paste into your web page/blog/whatever. Easy! It looks straightforward to make you own Sprouts, too, but I haven't tried it yet. I've got writing to do, you know! And speaking of The Guild, Clara (played by Robin Thorsen) is on Movie Mob and you can vote to keep her on for next week.

Saturday Review - Firefly HD, Battlestar Galactica plus sounds good!

'Shindig' in HD - tonight!
We have more reason than usual to thank Universal this Saturday. Not only are they shipping (at their cost) extra copies of 'Serenity' to the US in preparation for Can't Stop The Serenity, they are continuing the run of Firefly on HD. 'Shindig' is one of my favourite episodes, and has some great humorous touches, from Kaylee called Mal 'Cap'n Tightpants' to Mal stabbing the defeated Atherton at the end (see IMDb for a list of great 'Shindig' quotes). Now, for fear of being repetitive and boring, you can also celebrate by heading over to the Universal HD Firefly Message boards to join in the online fun. You can check out what time it starts using the 'Countdown Clock'.

Battlestar Galactica - Sitrep
We went out yesterday evening, and had a wonderful time. I know you wanted to know that. But, horror of horrors! I only realised when we got back that we had missed BSG.... It took some checking of the cable schedule to find that yes, it's being repeated today. Thank goodness. At least we can postpone the argument about who's fault it was! Hubby says it's mine because obviously he has no idea how to program the DVD recorder, so it's not his responsibility. I contend that since I always have to set it up, the least he can do is remind me. Jury is out on that one.

Sounds of Life
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop was a ground-breaking national institution in England. I remember my brother had one of their 'sound effect' records (yes, I mean actual vinyl) that we used to listen to, imagining all the weird and scary things that could make those noises. There is a fascinating article in the BBC Magazine yesterday which highlights how the men and women of the Workshop managed to produce such diverse and unique effects. The definite sounds of my Sci-fi youth, including the TARDIS, the Daleks and Quatermass and the Pit, were all created by the Workshop using equipment such as a key, a lampshade and Swarfega gel. It has video clips, too, which are well worth a look (and listen).

Freelance Switch
In a wonderful example of Twitter serendipity, I stumbled across John Brougher, and from there I found Freelance Switch. I'm a freelance writer and this is a wonderful resource. The website has forums, classifieds and also Freelance Radio - weekly podcasts. Now I'm still getting my head around all this new stuff, but these podcasts are really great. They are hosted by John with a panel and they are a great way to find out how other people make their living freelancing. I listened to the latest podcast, episode 13, which looks at the type of feedback you can expect as a freelancer. The speakers were all very knowledgeable and gave some interesting insights into how to deal with unwanted and unhelpful comments about your work. They also looked at whether you should share unrelated ideas with a client and ways to get around freelancers block. And it's just great to know you are not alone, sitting at your laptop in your kitchen all day, wondering if your manuscript is going to work this time.....

Orbis and Battlestar Galactica: in space...

No-one can hear you shout at the screen! (still no spoilers)
Well, the next installment of BSG: the final season went out last night. Being able to watch it as it airs has compensated for the lack of Doctor Who over here, but last night was definitely one of those episodes where I was raging against the machine! The DVD player, that is. And the TV. Yes, while I loved the episode, it didn't make me happy. Not one bit. Remember when Joss used to tear out your heart and make you watch while he danced all over it? In army boots? (I was going to put 'stilettos' but that was a way too disturbing image!) Well it was like the good old days, but worse because now we have to wait another week. Maybe I won't watch, in protest. Even as I typed that I knew it was futile. Of course I'm going to watch. If only they didn't make you care so much! But I suppose that's the whole point. Yep, life's a beach....

And now the good news - I've been Softwired!
When I started the first of the Softwire books by PJ Haarsma, The Softwire Book 1: Virus On Orbis 1, I had to make myself stop because I had lots of real work to do, and that was definitely under the title 'Pleasure'. But as an incentive to myself I had planned to read it yesterday if I got everything done. Now, as anyone with kids on a Pro-D day (where the school is out for teacher training etc) will know, it's not easy to sit, undisturbed. So I read in blocks yesterday, and what a great story! It had me totally transported to Orbis.

It gets into your brain...
After watching Battlestar Galactica it was late but I had to finish the last part of the book - I just couldn't leave it. Now, I don't want to give anything away about the plot. But I can tell you that Mr Haarsma has created fantastically detailed and totally believable technology, time and space for his characters. This isn't gimmicky Sci-fi. Sci-fi is part of the book, but it is driven by the characters and the story, and will have you guessing until the end. And I loved the ending to this. It was moving, unexpected and made me want to read more. The action is very well paced, you care about what is happening to the characters and to their world, and it actually makes you think. For me, that adds up to a Good Read. I couldn't help but imagine it as a film, possibly animated, with the voices of...well, I won't go on because you should really read it for yourself first. And then we can argue about who should play what in the film! Now I have to negotiate with myself for when I can read the next one...

Tweaked and Tweeted
After my perhaps ill-advised blog yesterday, Tabz, the producer and writer (among other things) of Buffy: Between the Lines left a comment about why I should give Twitter a reasonable chance before deciding it's not for me. Well, I have a growing respect for Tabitha the more I find out about her multitudinous work, and so I'm going to take her advice. I'm not sure where this will take me, but that's really the whole point. I'll keep you posted. Or is that Tweeted?!

Counting Down, Counting Up

Operation Full Burn needs you!
I've just checked on the Countdown Clock and it's less than 8 hours until the Shindig on the Universal HD Message Boards. Plenty of time to get organised, get yourself registered and head over to the Message Boards. The Shindig was a great success last week and at just before 8 PM Eastern Standard Time it's happening again as Universal air 'The Train Job' in glorious HD. Don't be shy, come on down!

Battlestar Galactica - actually so good (no spoilers)
So, another episode nearer the end, and the surprises, tension and emotion are ramping up and up. All the actors in this fine ensemble are so talented, the scenes set so well, the writing so precise, that it is hard to remember it is 'just' a TV show. There is no point trying to second guess what is happening, what might happen, there's just no point. Whatever you think will be turned on its head so I've given it up. I just watch it go. That's not to say it's a passive experience, far from it. There might have been tears in my eyes last night...So many feelings! But not in the Calculon (from Futurama), declamatory "Now I am experiencing the emotion of 'SADNESS/ANGER/JOY'" way. The body language and expressions are so good, dialogue is often not necessary and so is not used. Which is a welcome relief! It's hard to pick out one actor out of so many great actors, but I must say that James Callis continues to fascinate as Doctor Baltar. In turns deeply moving and comic, his struggles with himself (!) are priceless.

When did you last write a 'Thank you' letter?
I'm trying to recall the last one I did, and struggling. I think I sent an email a while back...Which makes me appreciate how special the letters from the children featured on the Kids Need To Read website really are. I reported that another set of books had been delivered to two more schools. Well, the children from one of the schools have put pen to paper to write to KNTR to show them how much the donation has meant to them. It is not from the teachers (though they might have encouraged them), it is from the children themselves. The gift of books has meant so much to them personally that they have written thank you letters. Try and make the time to read the letters. Books. That's all they are. But they represent so much potential and the children really get that. It makes you think. Really, it does.

Later, in this Blog
A reminder and update about the Universal HD Message Boards Train Job Shindig (what a mouthful!).

Counting down to the weekend

Getting ready for geek overload!
So, have you got your plans made for the weekend? Yep, me too. Gonna get myself all prepared for fun in a bun. It requires some planning (DVD recorder? - check! Remember how to program it? - it'll come back to me! TV guide? - that's what the internet is for!). Friday sees the next installment of Battlestar Galactica and I have no idea what is going to happen, not a clue as to who will do what next and I'm all the happier for that. I'll record it then watch, undisturbed, when the kids are asleep. And then I'll watch it again when hubby has finished work, being very careful not to look, move or make any sound that might betray what's going to happen next. Yes, Friday night doesn't get much better than that!

Saturday afternoon delight
Then, there's Saturday afternoon to look forward to. Last week saw a fantastic turnout on the Universal HD Message Boards (at least double the number of a usual Saturday) for the airing of the Firefly Pilot in glorious HD. This week 'The Train Job' is being shown and there's another Shindig arranged. Now I'm not great with time zones but luckily that's all been taken care of courtesy of Cordrone, one of the Mods (moderators) on the Universal boards. If you follow this link it will count you down to the Shindig wherever you are. Even I can get my head around that! So see you there.

Sunday down-time
And hopefully, tomorrow I will take delivery of my shiny new Softwire books, which means that I can spend Sunday in a world of my own. Or, more precisely, P J Haarsma's world. Another good reason to be looking forward to this weekend. Just got to get through Friday day, first!

Joss Whedon's Journal

Joss deals with plots and plots (the edits are necessarily so as not to spoil the show)

--------------------

Joss' Journal February 2nd

There can only be one. Boss, that is. I like it to be me. I like to know where I'm going (broad strokes, you understand, I don't need to know all the parts). Most people get that and assimilate quite easily. Others, not so much. Of course, when you're related to people it makes it more difficult.

So, Minions then. After carefully crafting a raft of characters (ooh, that was good! You'd never know I'd not slept) I'm now faced with the prospect of fitting in a new, unwanted character. I thought the whole idea was that we were free from restraints, The Man was not going to interfere here, no siree. Well Minion/homeless #X needs a role and it's up to me to sort it. Apparently it's my Minion so I've got to do it. Where's the writers room when you need it?

Still.... we can move the story on if we have someone [....] with [...] in the [...] and then [...]. Yes! That might just work! And it solves the problem of [...]! The Aria is saved!

That's why I'm the boss.

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Battlestar Galactica: the final season rip-roars onto TV...

Spoiler-free, as always!
Yes, we watched the first episode last night. The drama! The excitement! And that was just setting the DVD to record....We watched it slightly after the event, because we couldn't afford the kids interrupting and also the advert-issue. So later last night we switched on and soaked in the magic. Well kids, if you've managed to remain immune to Battlestar so far I feel sorry for you. My best advice is to get down to the video store/go online and rent seasons 1-3, book some time off your life and settle down to some of the best TV currently available. The only downside is the waiting! It's another week until my next fix and in the meantime I daren't look at anything related to BSG because I don't want to see any spoilers...

Another Jane Espenson interview - and still spoiler-free
So I was thrilled to see the TVGuide interview with Jane Espenson. I'm a big fan of Ms Espenson and read her blog regularly because it has such great advice for writers and is written in a way that everyone would find interesting. In the interview she talks about Buffy and Battlestar and we find out her take on some of the main characters in BSG. She also tells about how happy she was to be made part of the staff team and what working for Joss Whedon and Ron Moore is like.

Got that Friday feeling - Galactica Actual!

Only hours to go before the start of BSG Season 4
And how excited are we? On a scale of 1 to 10, frakking orbital! We eventually got to see the DVD I so expertly recorded last Friday of the Battlestar Galactica hour from Space (yes, I did record the right thing!). It was great but....we want more! Enough teasing already. Watching Joss (and I think there were other people, also) on 'The Phenomenon' talking about how much they love Galactica was brilliant.

Give us a break!
The only little thing was...the commercial breaks! Now, I've said before that I miss the BBC and this is for 3 main reasons: the news, the programs and the fact that there are no adverts. I don't watch much TV (I've got my boxsets to keep me warm) and I can't get used to the commercials every 2 minutes. Show title of show - Adverts! Show first 2 mins - Adverts! Get you back into story - Adverts! There are even adverts between the end of the show and the credits for the show! How does that make sense? Yes, I know that it's all to do with revenue for the infinity-plus-one channels but I hate it. I'm just glad I am Geek and I rule technology. I'm sure there's a fast forward on this gorram remote...

Later, on this blog...
Joss Whedon's Journal and a Felicia Day update (possibly).

Buffy, Battlestar and Firefly...how are they linked?

The writer Jane Espenson, of course!
In an io9 interview with the great writer herself she explains how different the writing process was between Battlestar Galactica and Firefly, talks about the 'cylon bible' (not what you think!) and how cylon models differ. All in a spoiler-free way.

Talking of Battlestar...
Season 3 is now in the bag - watched and exclaimed over! Seriously, you have to see it before this Friday when Season 4 starts. So many good bits, none of which I can talk about without getting into spoiler-city. There is one part, though, that I think I can discuss without giving anything away. We find out that one of the characters was born and raised on a planet where they talk like they come from Northern England! Seriously! Battlestar does not have many laughs, and certainly not many unintentional laughs, but me and hubby burst out laughing when this person slipped into their 'native' dialect. It was like they were channelling the spirit of Sean Bean though, thankfully, Sean is very much alive and kicking. It were great! Speaking as a Northerner myself it was an unexpected pleasure to hear those (less-than-) dulcet tones. It only enhanced my viewing pleasure, and was right well done. Still makes me smile just to think on it. Aye, it does that.

Later today...Buffy Paley and Firefly/Serenity updates, Joss Whedon's Journal and why this blog is in three pieces.

Doctor Horrible reveals his face...!

First official poster is unveiled
A late-night visit over to Doctorhorrible.net revealed a link to the new poster for Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog - and a link to the 'Official' website. There is only the new poster up on the 'official' site so far, but this is an indication that things are moving forward quickly! Check it out and see Neil Patrick Harris in full-on blue glory...is this the face of the crack team that foils my every plan...?

Later, on this blog...
We continue the follow-ups on the Buffy Renuion at the Paley, my battle with Battlestar Galactica and Firefly/Serenity updates/news. Plus more Joss Whedon's Journal.

How do you make a hole in the wall?

It's been one of those days today...
Sorry if you caught the rather random part-blog I posted in error a bit ago. Technology, eh? Still, I fared rather better than the wife of an unnamed man described in beyondhollywood.com (spied on Technorati). He attempted to drill the hole needed for his satellite installation by shooting his gun through the wall. He wife was on the other side of the wall and the shot killed her. Not much you can say about that except 'Wha..?'

So, DVD recorders then. How straightforward are they?
As predicted yesterday, I did not resort to using the instruction book when I set up the DVD recorder. Nope. I am Geek! I rule technology! Ok, there were a couple of teething problems, but I put that down to the bad layout of the remote control. Why don't they do them with an ergonomic design? There's a business opportunity for someone.

Who won?
Anyway, it's 45 mins to go before the Battlestar Galactica hour yesterday on Space and I need to set up the machine so it will record. Get the channels scanned ok and now to practice. And to make sure that the channels are really set properly let's record from Space channel, which is showing Battlestar in 30 mins. I get the channel set up (oh look - gross tapeworms! Naturegeek motherload!) Ok, when the next break comes on I'll check the recording. Yes! We have fantastic shots of parasites! Best try again, just to double-check. Switch off recording and what's on the TV? James Callis (Dr. Gaius Baltar) talking about the show. Help! Must switch channels! No! Wrong remote! Oh no! Drop remote and batteries ping out! Much swearing, fumbling of remotes and panic ensue. Hubby is next to me averting his eyes and laughing so hard he can't hear the TV.

Yes, but who won?
Eventually I manage to turn off the TV ("Shut down all the DVD recorders and TVs on the detention level 2! No, shut them all down! Hurry!) and after berating hubby (who's only cogent comment is "At least you can put it in your blog...") I go back to check the DVD has recorded. And guess who appears on the screen? Yes, it's James Callis again, still telling me about the show! Argh! In my fumbling I must have managed to record the preview I was trying so hard not to watch. A trembling hand turns off the TV. 5 mins to go....

The jury is out...
So, did it record ok? I guess so. It should have done...I don't know! I can't check it without the chance of seeing something I don't want to, so I'm going to have to trust to luck and wait until I've finished Season 3. Or record it again tomorrow when it's repeated!

Joss' Journal update

Now I know you've been waiting for the next installment from Joss' journal and frankly, so have I. The latest batch is now in my possession (best not to ask) but I need to do some edits because I don't want to give anything away regarding Doctor Horrible. And to be honest, some of the entries are a little short and weird. Perhaps the stress is getting to Joss. I can tell you that Minion #1 becomes an important player!

Countdown to Battlestar Galactica: The Phenomenon

I lost the time battle...
There are still episodes of Season 3 unwatched that will still be unwatched tonight at 7.00 when Space broadcast Battlestar Galactica: The Phenomenon (do you know how slowly I have to type out 'phenomenon'?! It always looks and feels as if you've gone crazy in the middle...). This is special for many reasons. Joss Whedon and Seth Green both appear in it, along with many other esteemed contributors. I had a sneaky-peeky on that there Sci-Fi.com but had to stop because it started showing bits of Season 3 I hadn't seen already. Now it's dilemma time. This will be the first time I'll be able to see a show I really love the first time it airs - no more being behind in everything. But then, if I do that, I'll see spoilers galore and it'll ruin the rest of Season 3.

...but I didn't shoot the deputy
The answer, as always, lies in technology. I should just record the program and then, when Season 3 is all watched and everything is revealed, I could watch it. You know, after everyone else has. I guess I'll just do that then. Tsk. At least I get to be geeky by refusing to read the instructions for my new DVD recorder because I know I will be able to set it up without any dumb instructions.

Season 4 - starts April 4th
But the good news is, Season 4 starts on April 4th! Good news, everyone! And if I really try hard then I could be all up to date and ready to go for next week. And see the new season as it's supposed to be seen - a week apart and interspersed with intrusive adverts for products and ideas I'll never subscribe to. See, that's real progress! I wonder when the Season 4 DVDs will be released...

Mr Rotman replies
Well, I know my loyal reader sees fit to check out the site everyday, and I thank you for that. A comment here or there would be nice, but it's early in our relationship and I don't want to pressure you. But I did get some feedback from Michael Rotman, the Producer and Director of Star Wait. I had sent him a copy of the review I did for Star Wait and he sent a really great email back, thanking me for 'a cool review'. See, an important person like that and he still took the time to send me some feedback. Just saying.