Time Trax and More Sci Fi TV on DVD from Warner Archives

Time Trax: The Complete First Season

It began in the future. A scientist turning to evil, a time machine called TRAX, criminals who vanish and a lawman with a mission. He has one weapon and a computer named SELMA. With them he will travel to a time more innocent than his own. Now he is among us. A special breed of man, a hunter, traveling through our world searching for fugitives from his own, knowing he cannot go home until he has found them all. His name is Darien Lambert and this is his story. Producer extraordinaire Harve Bennett (The Mod Squad, The Six Million Dollar Man, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) returns to episodic TV for this tale of a haunted lawman dispatched across time to retrieve fugitive felons and the evil scientist who sent them there. Dale Midkiff stars as fugitive retrieval specialist Captain Darien Lambert, along with Peter Donat (Mordicai Sahmbi) and Elizabeth Alexander (SELMA) in this Six-Disc, 21-Episode Collection.

Viper's Creed: The Complete First Season

In the near future, World War III leads to environmental catastrophe, causing most of the world’s cities to be flooded. To rebuild the cities, governments hire PMCs – Private Military Corporations – to provide law enforcement. The Arqon Global Security Corporation is one such PMC, and they rely on their elite military unit, Viper, to deal with terrorism and violent crime in Fort Daiva City. But not only does Viper have to deal with criminal elements, they also have to handle a strained relationship with the regular military. From acclaimed director Shinji Aramaki (Starship Troopers: Invasion) comes a compelling animated series set in a dangerous future where armed battle and global warming lead to perilous circumstances. Newly remastered.

Shazam! The Complete Live-Action Series

By uttering a single magic word young Billy Batson transforms himself into the world’s mightiest mortal, Captain Marvel. The acronym of the first letters of the names of the six elders who train Billy with their respective special gifts: Solomon, wisdom; Hercules, strength; Atlas, stamina; Zeus, power; Achilles, courage; and Mercury, speed, in a word...SHAZAM! Now, the entire series is available in this 3-disc set featuring every exciting episode of this classic television show!

Frankenstein (1993 TV Movie)

In the early 19th century, Dr. Frankenstein (Patrick Bergin, Sleeping with the Enemy) discovers the secret of life – how to create a perfect man – powerful, intelligent and immune to disease. But something goes wrong in the laboratory and the doctor’s hideous creation (Randy Quaid, National Lampoon’s Vacation) disappears into the night. At first, Frankenstein hoped that the horrible monster would perish in the wilderness, but now he senses that it’s alive and sets out for him. Dr. Frankenstein tracks the creature to the Arctic, where the two must battle to decide who will become the master of the other’s life…or death. “Nobody’s ever done a Frankenstein like this one and nobody’s ever done a better one” (Houston Chronicle).

Wonder Woman (1974)

Statuesque Tennis Pro turned performer Cathy Lee Crosby swung the magic lasso in a very different TV incarnation. As developed by scribe John D.F. Black, and seemingly influenced by her recent turn as a mod, cat-suited crime-fighter in the pages of her DC Comics home, this Amazon Princess was more superspy than superhero. But fret not, four-color fans! Many of the expected wondrous elements from bracelets and lassos to Paradise Island and invisible jets, all make an appearance, albeit with a sleek, seventies espionage superaction refit. Ricardo Montalban plays the laconic lothario who lurks at the top of a conspiracy to make off with ultra-secret code books, leading Agent Prince to discover an Amazon sister-in-exile (Anitra Ford).

More Rare Sci Fi on DVD from Warner Archives at this Link

Cancellation Watch Tale of Two Shows: Freshman Series Agents of SHIELD Has a Huge Premiere While Returning Revolution Tanks. Plus, Person of Interest has Quiet Return.

The 8 PM EST hour on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week had two very different results for sci fi shows.  One of these exploded on the scene and could be establishing a major franchise, the other is sinking quick and could be taking its exit by mid-season.

Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD had its debut on Tuesday night on ABC, and it lived up to all the hype as far as its ratings performance go (and I thought it was a pretty episode as well).  The series nailed a 4.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic (based on the final overnight numbers) with 12.1 million total viewers.  That is the highest premiere for a scripted drama on the broadcast networks in several years, topping the previous high from last year when Revolution bowed to a 4.1 rating.  It’s still well off from the ratings heights that The Walking Dead arose to last season (that show pulled off a 6.4 score for its season finale), but for the broadcast networks these days this one counts as a major win (just as I previously predicted).  Now the fact is that Agents of SHIELD probably attracted quite a number of curious onlookers from fans of the comics and the blockbuster Avengers movie, and there’s a good chance this show could see a notable drop with its second episode or over the next few weeks.  But it has plenty of leeway at this point and even if it did drop down to the low 3’s or high 2’s in the coming months, the show is probably still safe.  And personally, I don’t think it will slide that much.  I’m guessing that SHIELD levels off somewhere around a 3.5 score and rides that through the end of the season.  And if that happens, don’t be surprised to hear ABC talking about a spin-off series landing as soon as next year or maybe a companion series that mines some of the other non-A-List characters from the Marvel universe (Daredevil, Power Man/Iron Fist, Nomad).  At this point, I believe that SHIELD could be game-changer for sci fi on television and could have a significant impact on the direction the genre follows over the next few years (in just the last couple of days we have heard announcements of pending Gotham City and Constantine shows).  That may seem like high praise for a series that has only aired one episode so far, but this show seems to get it (what do you expect with Joss Whedon guiding it?) and could very quickly become a torch-bearer for the genre (like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones have been the last few seasons).

Over on NBC on Wednesday night, we saw a very different story and there was probably a lot less celebrating (make that none at all) at the network for the 8 PM timeslot that evening as Revolution scraped up only a 1.8 rating in the 18-49 demo with 6.8 million total viewers (matching its series low point).  Last year, that series was the network’s darling as it bowed to a 4.1 rating in the 18-49 demo, delivering the highest numbers for a scripted drama in years on the broadcast networks.  But the series had fallen long and far by season end where it wrapped up with a score the same as what it pulled with its Season 2 premiere.  NBC is partly to blame, for kicking Revolution out of its cushy, post-Voice timeslot on Mondays at 10 PM.  But then the show was already underperforming by the time it returned from its (extended) mid-season hiatus, and The Voice lead-in didn’t seem to be giving it too much of a boost anyway.  In addition, with the darker tone of Season 2, the earlier Wednesday night hour just doesn’t seem like a good fit (and I previously mentioned that this would likely be a bad move for the show).  NBC had announced at the end of last season that Revolution had been renewed for a full 22 episodes, but that’s not guaranteed and they could very likely rethink that in the next few weeks (all of which I previously predicted).  At this point, the show’s best chance is for its network to throw it a lifeline and re-schedule it to a better slot.  Fridays at 8 PM would actually not be a bad move as that gives a pretty solid three-hour genre block with Grimm and Dracula bowing in a few weeks.  But I’m not certain they will be willing to do that, with Revolution having held the status as such a high profile series (it was highly touted last season by them as a major hit).  Unfortunately for fans of the show, it seems more likely that this one will follow the same route as other recent two-season-and-out sci fi shows like V and Touch, both of which started very strong then went on a death spiral into cancellation.  Watch Revolution’s numbers closely over the next two weeks, but I can’t tell you there is any reason to be hopeful at this point.

Lost in all of this is the rather quiet third season debut of Person of Interest on CBS on Tuesday night.  That show bowed to a series low of a 2.3 rating in the 18-49 demo with 12.4 million total viewers.  Fans of that show should not panic, though.  The decision of CBS to move this one to a new timeslot impacted its numbers (just like with Revolution), but that should have been expected as it shifted to a typically low-performing hour.  And Person of Interest is one of the few shows over the last couple of years that has experienced an upward trend with its ratings as its season progresses, so the numbers could improve.  And interestingly, it actually outpaced Agents of SHIELD as far as its total viewers.  That metric is not as important to sponsors who prefer the viewership in the 18-49 age range, but it holds some weight with CBS executives as they are less of a youth-skewing network.  Plus, the series is in its third season, a threshold which generally assures a fourth season for broadcast network shows short of a ratings collapse (more on that at this link).  The guys over a TV by the Numbers already tagged the show as sure to be renewed, and I would tend to agree at this point.  Keep an eye on its numbers over the coming week, but don’t worry too much about it getting the axe as things currently stand.

One closing note:  that Tuesday 8 PM timeslot that Agents of SHIELD debuted into has become highly competitive now with ratings juggernauts The Voice on NBC and NCIS on CBS still holding onto a large chunk of the audience (and the FOX comedies scarfing up the scraps).  In two weeks, the CW Vampire Diaries spin-off series The Originals moves into that hour (after debuting in the post-Vampire Diaries hour on Oct 3rd) and will be scrambling for the few remaining viewers.  Looks like the odds are going to be heavily stacked against that one and The CW doesn’t have too many hours of programming they could re-shuffle that series to.

More debuts are on the way next week beginning with Once Upon A Time on Sunday night.  Keep an eye on the Cancellation Watch Twitter Site for the quickest ratings update and on this site for the latest analysis of how this season's shows are performing.  You can see the full schedule of Fall 2013 science fiction and fantasy shows with their premiere dates at this link as well as my preview/predictions at this link.  

Ratings Source: TV by the Numbers

Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2013 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.

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Cancellation Watch: Sleepy Hollow Drops, but Still Doing Well. The Neighbors Returns Weak.

Last week, FOX's new supernatural procedural series Sleepy Hollow bowed to impressive ratings when it pulled a 3.5 score in the all-important 18-49 demographic.  But the series had the benefit of an early start and no significant competition on its debut night.  This week, however, NBC's ratings powerhouse The Voice returned with an expectation that it would deliver a blow to Sleepy Hollow's Nielsens performance.  And the numbers did drop, but not too much and nothing to worry about at this point.  For its second episode, Sleepy Hollow pulled a 3.1 score (and 8.56 million total viewers, both based on the preliminaries) which is a drop of 11% from its debut ratings, but definitely not a cliff dive.  Most shows experience a dip after their premiere episodes (both new and returning series), so that was expected.  And the fact that it still posted what counts as impressive ratings against NBC's monolithic The Voice (which actually debuted up from where it was last year) and is definitely a feather in the cap for FOX.  This series just might be the surprise genre hit of the season if it can continue to hold onto numbers like these.  Even if it drops down to the mid-2's, it still will be considered a ratings win for the network and a sure bet that the show will make it into a second season. No guarantees at this point because over the last few years we have seen plenty of genre shows that bow with impressive numbers then take a death spiral into cancellation (V, The Event, Terra Nova, Alcatraz, and perhaps Revolution).  But Sleepy Hollow is sitting pretty for now.

Not as lucky is ABC's returning sci fi sitcom The Neighbors which had its second season bow last Friday with only a 1.2 rating in the 18-49 demo and 4.58 million total viewers.  Those aren't disastrous numbers considering that the show is now on a low viewership night where expectations are not as high.  But I'm thinking ABC would have preferred the series to at least remain level with the 1.4 score it had toward the end of its first season (when it was airing on Wednesday nights).  If The Neighbors can stay above a 1.0 rating, it may be okay seeing as sitcoms are generally not required to pull the same numbers as full hour dramas.  But it's up in the air at this point (like it was during its entire first season) so I'm keeping this one at a Moderate Cancellation Alert level for now.

Also on Friday, Nickelodeon's The Legend of Korra continued its second season though it dropped a bit from its premiere.  The most recent episode pulled 0.6 rating in the 18-49 demo with 2.2 million total viewers.  That's still a very good number for that network, though, and the show has no worries at this point.  Over on Syfy, Haven remained steadily low with a 0.4 rating and 1.4 million total viewers.  In response to questions from some of the fans of that show, I go into much more detail on its current status at this link.

Tonight brings the much anticipated premiere of Marvel's Agents of SHIELD at 8 PM EST, so keep an eye on the Cancellation Watch Twitter Site tomorrow for the premiere numbers from that one.  Also, Person of Interest returns for its third season tonight (in its new night and time at 10 PM EST) and tomorrow at 8 PM EST NBC's Revolution has its second season bow.  I will be covering their ratings performance in a late week column in a few days.  You can see the full schedule of Fall 2013 science fiction and fantasy shows with their premiere dates at this link as well as my preview/predictions at this link.  

Ratings Source: TV by the Numbers

Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2013 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.

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Why Were They Cancelled? 
The Plight of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television in the Face of the Unforgiving Nielsens and Networks

Ever wondered why your favorite science fiction and/or fantasy show disappeared from the television schedule, never to deliver anymore new episodes? The reason why, most likely, is that it was cancelled because its ratings were low. And this book looks at those many cancelled sci fi/fantasy shows as well as the Neilsen ratings and television networks that dictate their fates. Available now for only $2.99 on Kindle from Amazon.com.

Comics on the Kindle

Recent Single Issues from DC:


Graphic Novels:


More Comics on the Kindle at This Link

Cancellation Threat for a Returning Series Using Syfy’s Haven as an Example

Syfy’s supernatural drama series Haven just kicked off its fourth season and its ratings are already suggesting that the show may not survive into a fifth year.  I have had several fans of the show ask why I am predicting a possible cancellation for the show, so I will take this opportunity to take a quick look at the cancellation threat for returning shows in general using Haven as my starting example.

First and foremost, the survival of television series these days is heavily determined (as it has been for the past half century and more) by the monolithic Nielsen Company that reports the ratings which measure audience size.  The primary number focused on these days is the rating in the 18-49 demographic because that is the group that most advertisers target and these sponsors rely on the measurements to determine which shows to buy advertising time on.  You can read a bit more about how the ratings work at my FAQ and also over at TV by the Numbers.  Read the full article at CancelledScifi.com.

Also see: Is There Still Hope for Syfy’s Haven? Can the Fans Keep the Show Alive?

New on DVD: Iron Man 3, Hannibal Season 1 and More

DVD/Blu-ray Releases Due Out On or About September 24th:


More New and Recent Releases at This Link

Cancellation Watch: Hold the Phone There, Siberia May Not be Cancelled Just Yet

For the last couple of months in my Cancellation Watch column, I've been writing off NBC's sci fi/horror mock-reality series Siberia as certain to be cancelled based on the ratings it has been pulling on Monday nights.  The series started out with adequate numbers for a Summer series (it debuted with a 1.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic based on the overnights), but it sunk as low as a 0.6 score (iffy even for a basic cable show) and stayed close to that range throughout the second half of its run.  Based on those numbers, it seemed reasonable to assume that NBC would have no interest in picking up this show for a second season, even though it was likely an inexpensive production.

But all of my assumptions were based on the standard model used by the networks for producing and airing a series, and I discovered just yesterday that Siberia's producers didn't follow that route.  Typically, a show is pitched to a network and if they like the idea they agree to fund a pilot episode and from that they make the determination on whether they will greenlight it to series which usually involves shelling out the money for a thirteen episode initial run.  According to an article in Variety, Siberia didn't follow this path, though.  It's producers--whose background is in feature films--fully funded the series prior to it ever airing.  So it skipped the pilot process and arrived at NBC as a completed package.  That may explain why it didn't receive a lot of promotion, perhaps the network didn't quite know what it was getting or how to market it (sounds like this all came together in very short order).

The article did not go into detail about how the producers did this, so I'm not quite certain how the financing worked between them and NBC.  Perhaps they split the revenue from the advertising, which would have meant that NBC had no upfront costs and the money for commercial time was all gravy to them.  Even if they did that, though, if the network promised a certain ratings guaranty (which was almost assuredly higher than that 0.6 level), they would have to make that up to the sponsors with free add time in another slot.  But then those are just assumptions and the fact is that in any scenario Siberia was likely a low cost / low risk show for NBC.  And that improves the chances that they may see fit to renew it, even though I previously asserted it was all but cancelled.

And if NBC does not pick up the second season, that's not a death knell for the show either.  According to the Variety article, the producers have sold the show to other markets because NBC does not own it and they can sell it to who they choose.  So if the peacock network bows out of a second season, there are plenty of other outlets that might be interested.  And this in an inexpensive series from what I understand, so one of the cable networks could easily take a flyer on it.  And it won't necessarily take a fan "Save My Show" campaign to make that happen (though having the fans show there support definitely wouldn't hurt).  And the fact is, this one would fit perfectly with Syfy's current line-up.  They have a hefty dose of reality shows on their schedule already, so that audience would seem primed to carry over to this mock-reality series.

This is actually good news for those of us who found themselves addicted to this show (and who can't imagine being left with no resolution to that big cliffhanger).  It may take a while for a second season announcement to surface, but now I am saying this show is more likely than not to get renewed.  It's hard to say for sure since this is a completely new model, but at least the producers of the show are in control of its destiny at this point.

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Why Were They Cancelled? 
The Plight of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television in the Face of the Unforgiving Nielsens and Networks

Ever wondered why your favorite science fiction and/or fantasy show disappeared from the television schedule, never to deliver anymore new episodes? The reason why, most likely, is that it was cancelled because its ratings were low. And this book looks at those many cancelled sci fi/fantasy shows as well as the Neilsen ratings and television networks that dictate their fates. Available now for only $2.99 on Kindle from Amazon.com.

Would I Rather be Watching Babylon 5?

So a new season is upon us with 23 new and returning sci fi / fantasy shows that will be bowing between now and November (more on that at this link).  That's definitely a sign that the genre is alive and strong on television, but the fact is that the hefty quantity of shows certainly isn't giving us any guarantees on quality.  Sure, there are the few standouts among the active shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones (which returns in April 2014), and there are several that provide decent enough distractions like Person of Interest, Arrow, and Supernatural and some of the newbies should be worth a look like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Dracula.  But when it comes down to it, is it really worth investing the time to follow these shows or would I rather just go back and watch a classic series like Babylon 5 that I know will deliver a rewarding revisit?

B5 is one of my all-time favorite TV shows. Sure, I rank classic Trek and The Twilight Zone (and perhaps The Prisoner) above it, but B5 was the one that I recall watching from start to finish when it originally aired and it delivered one of the most engaging and fulfilling television experiences that I can recall (even if Season 5 was a bit of a let down).  I've seen every episode of the show at least once and most all of Seasons 1 through 4 two times.  But it's been years since I watched the show, and just like revisiting a great book series such as Dune or The Lord of the Rings, there's a comforting pleasure to going back and re-experiencing a show like Babylon 5, especially considering the fact that it succeeded at telling the full story it originally planned to tell.  Sure, B5 could be cheesy at time (the CGI sfx weren't quite at today's level of sophistication), and the acting could be stilted, and some episodes were just plain bad.  But when it ws hitting on all cylinders--which was more often than not--that series delivered some of the best science fiction television ever (I don't care what Sheldon says), especially from Season 2 through Season 4.  And it stands up to--even demands--multiple viewings that allow you to appreciate the intricate details of the story J. Michael Straczynski unfolded over its five year run (he actually had a plan that he followed for the most part, Lost and BSG writers).

Of course, watching a series over and over is something I have always enjoyed which makes sense seeing as I grew up during the golden age of UHF reruns, the 1970's.  During that decade I watched each episode of Star Trek umpteen times (I used to be able to tell you the episode title within 30 seconds of the opening teaser scene) as well as The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Lost in Space, Jonny Quest, Ultraman (and, well, Gilligan's Island).   Call these classic shows the comfort food of television and there are plenty more to add to the list from the past thirty or forty years.

And Babylon 5 is not the only sci fi show I currently have a hankering to revisit.  I'd love to go back and re-watch all four seasons of Farscape.  It would be great to watch Lost from start to finish and see if there really are signs that there was any sort over-arching plan driving that show (even if not, it delivered some first-rate drama).  The Battlestar Galactica reboot is another one I would like to re-watch (I'll just skip the finale, though, and come up with my own).  And it would be great fun to go back and do a marathon of the mythology episodes of The X-Files (through Season 6 at least).  Then there's shows that I never got around to finishing like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.  And I all but gave up on Star Trek: DS9 by its third season, so it would probably be worth checking out Seasons 4 through 7 which everybody tells me were the best years of those shows.  And the fact is, that I can pretty much watch all of those shows mentioned at no additional cost because they are part of the Netflix and Amazon Prime subscriptions I already have (and I actually have quite a number of them on DVD as well).

So there's plenty of enjoyable hours of great sci fi / fantasy viewing right at my fingertips, all of which are worth the investment of time.  These are great shows which stand up to multiple viewings, and it's currently on my to do list to get to all of these and more at some point in the (hopefully) near future.  So that said, is it worth spending the time to check out these 23 sci fi / fantasy shows airing this Fall (with more coming at mid-season)?  I'll definitely give most of the new ones a look, and I have several returning shows on my watch list.  But the first episode of Sleepy Hollow didn't excite me too much and The Originals (the pilot is available for early viewing on Hulu Plus) will at best be a guilty pleasure.  And there's plenty of hours of my life from the last few years I would like to get back from watching mediocre to just plan bad shows like Revolution, Falling Skies, Terra Nova, The Event, V, and more.  The time I invested (nay, wasted) watching those would have gotten me a couple of seasons in to Babylon 5 or further.  How many hours will I fritter away this season watching lame sci fi when I could be rediscovering classics that are worth spending my time on?

But the fact is that I will be tuning in for several of the new and returning Fall shows because you never know when the next classic might sneak on to the tube.  However, my threshold for sticking with a show drops each season.  It took me half a season before I kicked Revolution to the curb last year (and even then I went back and checked in on it later in the season).  This year, if a series isn't showing promise by its third or fourth episode, I'm likely out (I'll might keep an eye on the social networking sites to see if people claim it has improved, though).   Whether I stick with a show or not beyond that point will be based on this simple criteria: would I rather be watching Babylon 5?

Buy Babylon 5 on DVD from Amazon.com:

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New in Comics: Buzzkill the Alcoholic Superhero

A few choice selections from the comics due out September 18th (Note that the release dates are tentative on some of these titles):

Buzzkill #1 (of 4)
Dark Horse

Description: Ruben is not your average alcoholic; he's an unstoppable superhero who derives his powers from imbibing MASSIVE amounts of alcohol. After all the disasters it's caused in his personal life, he's ready to get clean . . . and the city's supervillains couldn't be happier!

* Cowritten by the Toadies drummer Mark Reznicek!

* A gorgeous new miniseries from Geoff Shaw (Batman 80-Page Giant 2011)!

By: Donny Cates, Mark Reznicek, Geoff Shaw, Lauren Affe

Zero #1
Image Comics

Description: SAVING THE WORLD. ONE MURDER AT A TIME. Edward Zero is the perfect execution machine - a spy who breaks the rules to get things done. When a stolen device appears in the center of a long-running conflict, Zero comes to retrieve it. The problem is, the device is inside a living, breathing, bio-modified terrorist and there's an entire army after it.

By: Alex Kot, Michael Walsh

Kiss Me, Satan #1
Dark Horse

Description: Cassian Steele is the boss of the werewolf mafia in the Big Easy, and he's got a problem. The old witch Verona knows his secret and has gone into hiding. Cassian wants her dead. So he sends out the word: An open contract. The first monster to dust Verona gets a big payday. What no one realizes is that Barnabus Black, a demon desperately trying to regain his halo, is her protection.

* Featuring covers by Dave Johnson and Juan Ferreyra!

* By Victor Gischler (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Spike-A Dark Place, Punisher MAX, X-Men) and Juan Ferreyra (Colder, Rex Mundi)!

"His art reminds me of Clive Barker at his best. Things which disturb you on a deep, psychological level. Beasts which have too many eyes or hands. It always warms my black heart to see new monsters, and Ferreyra draws the best I've seen in many moons." - Adventures in Poor Taste

By: Victor Gischler, Juan Ferreyra, Dave Johnson

X-Files Season 10 #4
IDW

Description: 'Believers,' Part 4 of 5: A new government conspiracy comes to light that involves weather control and alien invasion. But what role does the Deacon and the Acolytes play in these mechanations? And what happened to Scully's missing child? Mystery upon mystery sets the stage for the next phase of Mulder and Scully's lives! Ask your retailer about the variant cover by The Sharp Brothers that depicts Mulder and Scully in the style of 'Scooby Doo'!

By: Joe Harris, Michael Walsh, Carlos Valenzuela

More of This Week's Comics at This Link  

Cancellation Watch: Sleepy Hollow Wakes Up the Fall Season with a Big Debut, and Under the Dome Ends Strong

The Fall 2013 season is now under way (yes, already!), and it's off to a good start for genre shows as FOX's Sleepy Hollow had a huge debut last night.  The series pulled an amazing 3.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 10.1 million total viewers (based on the final numbers).  According to TV by the Numbers, that's the highest bow for a drama series since Revolution debuted on NBC last Fall and the best drama premiere for FOX in six years.  And I consider it somewhat unexpected because this show didn't seem to have a Prime Time friendly concept and I expected it to have a modest debut at best (you can see my comments on the pilot episode over at my Facebook page).  Of course it's hard to tell what will catch the fancy of television audiences from one season to next, so perhaps this one could become the next unexpected genre hit along the lines of Lost and The Walking Dead.  But we must also remember that one episode doesn't make a show a hit and next week Sleepy Hollow has to contend with the return of ratings juggernaut The Voice on NBC.  Still, even if this one drops into the mid-2's over the coming weeks, it would count as a strong performer for FOX on Mondays.  And if it can hold a decent audience on that night, maybe that will help Almost Human which has its bow in the lead-in 8 PM EST timeslot in November.  Keep a close eye on Sleepy Hollow's numbers over the next few weeks, but for now count it currently as a genre win.

On Friday, another Fall series had a strong debut, even if its numbers seem more down to Earth.  The second season of Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender spin-off series The Legend of Korra had its bow and pulled a 0.8 rating with 2.6 million total viewers.  I didn't follow this one very closely during its first season, so I don't know how well these numbers compare to its previous performance.  But a 0.8 score is pretty darn good for an animated series on the cable channels, especially Nickelodeon.  Consider this one a strong performer and in no danger of cancellation any time soon.

Also on Friday, Syfy's Haven returned for its fourth season, though its numbers don't show much sign of improvement from last year.  It bowed with a 0.4 rating in the 18-49 demo and 1.55 million total viewers.  That's about the level that it averaged last season, but I'm thinking this one needs to improve that score by a tick or two if it wants to get a fifth season.  It is possible that Syfy could give it a shortened Season 5 run to wrap up its storylines, sort of like what it is doing with Warehouse 13.  But with these sort of numbers, don't expect this one to stick around too much longer.

Last night the two broadcast network Summer sci fi shows wrapped up their seasons to make way for the coming Fall entries.  The CBS series Under the Dome went out strong with a 2.8 rating in the 18-49 demo and 12.1 million total viewers.  Its network has to be loving the numbers that it delivered during its Summer run and will hope that its second season next year will continue to track high.  On NBC, Siberia was even with its numbers from the last few weeks with a 0.6 rating and 1.75 million total viewers (based on the finals).  As I expected, there has been no formal cancellation announcement for the show, so apparently they will just let this one fade off into the television graveyard.

There's plenty more Fall premieres on the way (twenty as a matter of fact), and you can see the full schedule of science fiction and fantasy shows at this link and my preview/predictions at this link.  And keep an eye on this site and the Cancellation Watch Twitter Site for ratings news and updates to the cancellation/renewal status for your favorite shows.

Ratings Source: TV by the Numbers

Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2013 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.

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Why Were They Cancelled? 
The Plight of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television in the Face of the Unforgiving Nielsens and Networks

Ever wondered why your favorite science fiction and/or fantasy show disappeared from the television schedule, never to deliver anymore new episodes? The reason why, most likely, is that it was cancelled because its ratings were low. And this book looks at those many cancelled sci fi/fantasy shows as well as the Neilsen ratings and television networks that dictate their fates. Available now for only $2.99 on Kindle from Amazon.com.

New on DVD: World War Z, Grimm Season 2, Arrow Season 1, Plus the Universal Monsters on Blu-ray

DVD/Blu-ray Releases Due Out On or About September 17th:



Universal Monsters on Blu-ray:


More New and Recent Releases at This Link

Fall 2013 Season's Best Bets for Science Fiction and Fantasy Television

23 shows!  23!  That's how many new and returning science fiction and fantasy shows will debut in Prime Time between tonight (with The Legend of Korra at 7 PM EST on Nickelodeon plus Haven at 9 PM EST on Syfy) and November 23rd (when the BBC/BBC America newbie Atlantis has its bow).  23!  And that's not counting the dozen plus shows scheduled to hit the airwaves at mid-season.  And sci fi fans claim that there's nothing to watch on television?!?!

Of course you can make an argument that there's nothing good in the genre to watch, but even there you are stretching it a bit because this Fall has some pretty decent options if you're looking for sci fi.  But then watching 23 shows over the next few months presents a pretty arduous task for even the most dedicated couch potato.  I gave up on trying to follow all of the sci fi/fantasy shows on television several seasons ago, though I do try to check out at least a few episodes of each of the new shows.  Following is my list of the Fall shows that I'm excited about or at least plan on tuning in for to see if I will add them to my (ever-expanding) must-watch list.  Feel free to chime in with your recommendations in the comments section below.  And you can check out my renewal/cancellation predictions for all of these shows at this link, and be sure to follow my regular Cancellation Watch column and my Cancellation Watch Twitter site to see how these shows are doing in the ratings as the season progresses. 

New Shows:

Definitely excited about:

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC, Tuesdays 8 PM, Premieres Sept 24th):  Come on, what's not to like about this one?  It's a spin-off of last years stellar Avengers movie.  It brings back Agent Coulson.  And it brings Josh Whedon back to television (my understanding is that his involvement will be somewhat limited beyond the pilot, but his troupe of regulars which will include Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen will be at the helm).  I've pegged this one as a sure hit for the season and its already close to the top of my must-watch list for the season.

Dracula (NBC, Fridays 10 PM, Premieres Oct 25th):  Sure, it's another vampire show, but it goes back to the most famous of the blood suckers and it has Daniel Knauf at the helm who created one of my all-time favorite shows, the under-appreciated Carnivale (more on that one at this link). I'm hopping he brings a similar moody atmosphere to this show, and I think he has a good chance of making it stand out from the other vampire TV entries.


The Tomorrow People (The CW, Wednesdays 9 PM, Premieres Oct 9th):  Finally!  A remake that makes some sense.  The original 70's British series had some interesting ideas that were unfortunately lost amidst  exceptionally poor production values (this one made classic Doctor Who look like a big budget affair!).  Let's hope The CW version taps into the story potential of people who represent the next stage of evolution without retreading on territory already explored (The X-Men, Alphas, etc.) and without too much mugging and humping from attractive young faces (the network's trademark).

Will give a look to:

Once Upon A Time in Wonderland (ABC, Thursdays 8 PM, Premieres Oct 10th):  I gave up on this show's parent series a while back, but the spin-off looks like it might deliver a roller-coaster ride side trip into the surreal (mind-altering substances recommended to enhance the viewing experience).  It's at least worth a look, and it's only planned for a single season run, so it won't leave us hanging (and they have additional stories reserved for future seasons in case it does well in the ratings).

Almost Human (FOX, Mondays 8 PM, Premieres Nov 4th):  The trailers make this one look like a pastiche of genre cliches (sci fi and cop show), but the premise of humans cops working with androids in the near future has some potential.  I'll give it a look at least. 

The Originals (Tuesdays 8 pm, Premieres Oct 3rd):  I was never a Vampire Diaries fan (sorry, wrong demographic), but this one is billed as a more adult spin-off.  The trailers piqued my interest, so I will probably try out a couple of episodes.

Atlantis (BBC America, Saturdays 10 PM, Premieres Nov 23rd):  The BBC tries to fill the fantasy gap left by Merlin (which wrapped up after five seasons) with this show which will offer a healthy dose of Greek mythology characters.  There's so few fantasy shows on television (and fewer good ones) that I have to at least check it out.

May tune in for:

Sleepy Hollow (FOX, Mondays 9 PM, Premieres Sept 16th):  Ichabob Crane travels from the past to the present day to team up with a cop and try and stop the apocalypse?  Shouldn't he have sought out Sam and Dean Winchester instead?  The trailer actually makes this look good, but then that's what trailers are supposed to do.

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Returning Shows:

Can't wait for the return of:

The Walking Dead (AMC , Sundays 10 PM, Season 4 Premiere Oct 13th):  Not only did this show break all sort of ratings records last year, it continues to push the bounds of series television with its no-holds barred approach.  I have to admit that the Governor started to get on my nerves last year and I didn't like a few of the plot turns of Season 3, but those are just nitpicks.  This is hands down the best sci fi show on television in past few years.

Looking forward to catching up with:

Supernatural (The CW, Tuesdays 9 PM, Season 9 Premiere Oct 9th):  Sure, this show has leaps of logic so large that a five year old could call them out (Sam and Dean have left a trail of bodies from one side of the country to the next, yet the authorities are not on their tail?).  But the characters and mythology are great and show delivers some damn good stories.  My top guilty pleasure for now.

Arrow (Wednesdays 8 PM, Season 2 Premiere Oct 9th): All of the soap opera shenanigans with uber-pretty people started to wear on me during the first season, but apart from that, this show does superheroes for television right.  And the Lost-like flashbacks to the island (no, a different island) are the best part of this show.

Person of Interest (CBS, Tuesdays 10 PM, Season 3 Premiere Sept 24th):  Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson are the ones that make this series worth watching, but I really wish the writers would delve deeper into the premise of the show with stories that address the implications of a surveillance-dominated society as well as the moral quandaries of a machine that can predict crimes before they happen.  If it starts to do that, then it could go from a good show to a great one.

May give a look to:

The Neighbors (Fridays 8:30 PM, Season 2 Premiere Sept 20th):  Yeah, I know I railed on this show pretty bad for much of last season, and it deserved it based on its early episodes.  But the season finale acted as kind of a reboot and was actually not too bad (and it had George Takei and Mark Hamill).  So maybe I will check out a couple of episodes to see if they keep that momentum going.

If I'm completely board, I might watch:

Revolution (NBC, Wednesdays 8 PM, Season 2 Premiere Sept 25th):  Supposedly, the second season of this show will act as a kind of a reboot.  But the first season was such an awful mess (even the later, allegedly "improved" episodes) that I can't see how they could course-correct at this point.  I'll probably watch the season premiere, but unless that shows a drastic improvement from last year, I'm out.

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Why Were They Cancelled? 
The Plight of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television in the Face of the Unforgiving Nielsens and Networks

Ever wondered why your favorite science fiction and/or fantasy show disappeared from the television schedule, never to deliver anymore new episodes? The reason why, most likely, is that it was cancelled because its ratings were low. And this book looks at those many cancelled sci fi/fantasy shows as well as the Neilsen ratings and television networks that dictate their fates. Available now for only $2.99 on Kindle from Amazon.com.

Cancellation Watch: Futurama Goes Out Strong, Under the Dome Takes a Hit (From a Tennis Ball)

After seven seasons and already having been cancelled once (by FOX), Matt Groening's Futurama came to a close last week with its final episode on Comedy Central.  The series went out on a high note pulling a 1.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 2.2 million total viewers.  I believe that's the best numbers the show has pulled on its current network and it had decent ratings for most of its run this last Summer (averaging a 0.7 score).  The final episode acted as a swansong for the beloved animated show, though Groening had indicated earlier in the year that he was going to try to get Futurama picked up by another network.  There's plenty of venues out there (especially Amazon and Netflix) that might be interested in a venerable franchise like this, so it's possible that the series could return with new episodes at some point.  But there's nothing that I know of in the works, so consider this a stopping point for the show at least for the time being.

On Monday, Under the Dome took a hit in the ratings dropping to a 2.1 score in the 18-49 demo with 9.7 million total viewers.  That slide can be attributed to the overrun of the U.S. Open which pushed back the entire CBS Monday night line up by thirty minutes.  I'm betting this episode will have pretty high DVR numbers (though mine only recorded half the episode because it thought it started at its regular time) as well as some hefty online viewing.  Next week is the season finale and I expect that episode to have the highest numbers the show has seen since its debut in June.

NBC's Siberia sunk on Monday night (it can't blame the U.S. Open, though), pulling only a 0.6 rating in the 18-49 demo with 1.8 million total viewers.  That series airs its finale next Monday and then expect it to fade away into the TV series graveyard.

The first Fall season debuts hit this coming Friday with The Legend of Korra on Nickelodeon and Haven on Syfy.  You can see the full schedule of Fall 2013 science fiction and fantasy shows at this link and my preview/predictions for those shows at this link.  And keep an eye on this site and the Cancellation Watch Twitter Site for the ratings results for the Fall shows as well as the last two episodes from the Summer season.

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Why Were They Cancelled? 
The Plight of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television in the Face of the Unforgiving Nielsens and Networks

Ever wondered why your favorite science fiction and/or fantasy show disappeared from the television schedule, never to deliver anymore new episodes? The reason why, most likely, is that it was cancelled because its ratings were low. And this book looks at those many cancelled sci fi/fantasy shows as well as the Neilsen ratings and television networks that dictate their fates. Available now for only $2.99 on Kindle from Amazon.com.

New in Comics: Mars Attacks Judge Dredd and More

A few choice selections from the comics due out September 11th (Note that the release dates are tentative on some of these titles):

Mars Attacks Judge Dredd #1 (of 4)
IDW Publishing

Description: The Martian mayhem overtakes Mega-City One! During the annual meeting of the Mega-City Mafia, a new boss makes a play for power thanks to a mysterious benefactor. Meanwhile, Judge Dredd conducts a routine bust that turns out all but routine when he makes a shocking (and disgusting) discovery!

By: Al Ewing, John McCrea, Greg Staples

Eternal Warrior #1
Valiant Comics

Description: New York Times best-selling writer Greg Pak (Planet Hulk, Batman/Superman) and superstar artist Trevor Hairsine (X-O Manowar, X-Men: Deadly Genesis) launch a brand new campaign for Valiant's undying immortal champion, the Eternal Warrior, in an all-new monthly series!

Across five millennia and a thousand battlefields, Gilad Anni-Padda has traversed the darkest, most mysterious corners of the Valiant Universe. But the horror and bloodshed of constant warfare has finally taken its toll on the man myth calls the Eternal WarriorÖand he has abdicated his duties as the Fist and the Steel of Earth for a quite life of seclusion.

But when a blood vendetta from the distant past suddenly reappears in the modern day, he must decide if he will return to the ways of warÖfor the child who betrayed him thousands of years ago...

By: Greg Pak, Trevor Hairsine

Kings Watch #1 (of 5)
Dynamite Entertainment

Description: Panic spreads across the world. Strange phenomena fills the skies. Millions have nightmares of wild lands filled with horrible creatures... then wake to find the monsters are real. What are three men willing to sacrifice to save us all? Superstar writer Jeff Parker (Dark Avengers, Red She-Hulk) and artist Marc Laming (Planet of the Apes) deliver the earth-crushing event of 2013, featuring Flash Gordon, The Phantom, and Mandrake the Magician like you've never seen them!

By: Jeff Parker, Marc Laming

Sons Of Anarchy #1 (of 6)
Boom! Studios

Description: WHY WE LOVE IT: Sons of Anarchy has captivated the attention of the entire BOOM! team with its smart plotting, compelling characters, and modern vision of the outlaw genre. We love the show so much we couldn't wait to help expand the world of SAMCRO. WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: Gunsmuggling outlaw bikers with complex pasts and gripping personalities. If you love 'guys with guns' like we do, this is that genre at its most elevated. WHAT IT'S ABOUT: With no one else to turn to, the daughter of an old SAMCRO member comes to Charming looking for help. The only people standing between Kendra and certain death are the Sons of Anarchy, and, for better or for worse, Sergeant-at-Arms Tig.

By:  Christopher Golden, Damian Coueciro

More of This Week's Comics at This Link