Axiom's Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy

LeVar Burton returns to Science Fiction television in The Jensen Project.  Following is the official description of the the movie:

The Jensen Project has a thrilling and fun science fiction plot that focuses on the Thompson family, who are reintroduced to this secret community of geniuses conducting advanced underground research to solve the world’s most difficult problems.  The family finds themselves forced into a frantic pursuit to keep a potentially dangerous technology from falling into the wrong hands.  As the family races to stop the group’s rogue faction, they rediscover the importance of honesty, courage and being there for one another.

Win the Soundtrack to The Jensen Project!!!

Reply to this post with your thoughts about the film and we will select one winner from those submitting comments to receive the DVD/Soundtrack of The Jensen Project.  Be sure to include you Email address in the appropriate box (this will not be published) so that we can contact you if you win!

Watch the Trailer and Read Our Review of the Movie:

Axiom’s Edge Featured Columns:

The Must-Watch List: The best of the best in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror genres.

The Anti-Blockbusters: Movies that bucked the Hollywood Blockbuster trend and still managed to deliver a superior viewing experience.
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The Blu-ray release of Supernatural‘s first season is set to hit the streets on June 15 like Sam and Dean’s ’67 Impala. Enter the TV.com sweepstakes for a chance to relive all of Season One’s spooky, suspenseful, and hilarious moments. Click here to enter.

The fans of two of the Science Fiction and Fantasy series that received the axe this past season are working hard to win a continuation of their shows.  The fans of FlashForward, which ABC cancelled due to low ratings though it has a large international following, plan on staging their own “backouts” in front of the offices of several ABC affiliates around the country.  Here is the info on that from their Facebook page:

“Help SAVE FLASHFORWARD!

www.preventtheblackout.com

All over the world, people are getting together to “Blackout” for 2 minutes and 17 seconds in front of the various ABC Network stations, in hopes of catching the attention of the Producers, and Stephen McPherson.

Basically for the June 10th demonstrations, gather as many friends, family members as you can and Go to your local Abc station, or as close as you can, and hold up signs saying ‘Save Flashforward“, tshirts of Flashforward, any merchandise of Flashforward. The protest could even be a 2:17 second fan blackout. This will get the media’s attention!”

You can get more information at their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128601070491603&ref=nf

Legend of the Seeker received notice a few months ago that its syndicator would not pick it up for a third season.  Fans have already raised nearly $10 thousand for adds in several major entertainment publications pleading for a continuation of the show.  Now they have started a donation drive to raise money to buy the DVDs of the show to donate to libraries.  Following is the latest from the SaveOurSeeker site:

“Legend of the Seeker is a fantasy TV show, based on author Terry Goodkind’s “Sword of Truth” book series. Produced by Disney-ABC, the show currently airs in syndication. With little to no promotion, and an erratic airing schedule, the show has averaged 2.5 million viewers weekly, plus boasts a rapidly growing international fanbase. For more information on the show, please visit the official website.

Though no official statement has been made, as of April 26th, Ausiello reported that the show would be cancelled, since Tribune/WGN America had not purchased distribution for season 3.

The “Save Our Seeker” campaign aims to promote the show by demonstrating the unity and strength of its fanbase. In its first week, the campaign has raised nearly $10,000, proving how passionate and active all of us fans can be in an effort to keep this refreshing show on the air. And we won’t be stopping here – our next project is already in gear: a massive donation of “Legend of the Seeker” DVDs to public libraries.”

You can find out more at their main site: www.saveourseeker.com

And you can see Johnny Jay’s thoughts on all of this past season’s cancelled shows at this link.

The Sci Fi Scroll is our Reddit.com page where we post links to news, updates, commentaries, reviews, etc. from around the web covering the worlds of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror.  Click on over to see to see what you are missing and also submit some of your own links or join up in the conversation.  Following is a sampling of some of our latest posts:

What if… Jaws was made Today?

5 reasons why FlashForward deserved to fail

Top 8 Most Ridiculous Moments in Science Fiction and Fantasy Film in the 21st Century

William Gibson’s list of favorite Science Fiction novels

Canceled TV Shows That Could Have Been Saved by Zombies

Jonathan Frakes wants to do a ‘Star Trek: Titan’ miniseries

Guillermo del Toro exits The Hobbit due to MGM’s uncertain future

Don’t hold your breath for “the next Lost” on television

PRESS RELEASE:

May 25th, 2010 — Ardden Entertainment LLC is excited to announce the launch of FLASH GORDON: INVASION OF THE RED SWORD for an Autumn 2010 release.

Coming off the heels of Ardden’s critically-acclaimed FLASH GORDON: THE MERCY WARS mini-series (called “good, old-fashioned fun, freshly polished” by Publishers Weekly), Ardden plans on continuing an expansion of the characters and situations created in the first story arc, which was directly inspired by Alex Raymond’s groundbreaking comic strips.

FLASH GORDON: INVASION OF THE RED SWORD chronicles the invasion of Mongo by a splinter group of the CIA, as first introduced in FLASH GORDON: THE MERCY WARS #1. The group’s name, “The Red Sword,” was first created by Alex Raymond.

“When preparing to write the first four six-issue arcs we have planned for FLASH GORDON,” says FLASH GORDON writer and Ardden Co-Publisher Brendan Deneen, “I re-read every single one of Alex Raymond’s original comic strips. There was a treasure trove of material in there, including an arc where Flash, Dale and Zarkov end up back on Earth. While there, they battle a mysterious group called ‘the Red Sword.’ I thought that was the perfect name for the invading force in our second arc.”

“Like everyone else,” Deneen added, “I’ve heard about Dynamite’s plans to launch their own FLASH GORDON series. I look forward to some healthy competition. I hope they’re ready, too.”

In addition to their ongoing FLASH GORDON comic book series, Ardden Entertainment LLC is the publisher of CASPER AND THE SPECTRALS, a re-imagining of “Casper the Friendly Ghost,” which Aint It Cool News recently described as their favorite comic of the week (“Buy CASPER AND THE SPECTRALS and I guarantee you will enjoy it,” they also wrote).

CASPER AND THE SPECTRALS #2 hits comic stores in June after an unfortunate delay, with issue #3 coming out in July. Ardden will also be launching a new license at this October’s New York Comic-Con, based on a storied comic franchise with over three decades of history to its name.
Ardden Entertainment was formed in mid-2007 by ex-Miramax Films executive, Brendan Deneen, and ex-Markosia Editor-in-Chief, Richard Emms, and their business model is to produce contemporized versions of classic licenses and exciting new creator-owned titles. Joining Deneen and Emms is veteran comic book creator and writer, JM DeMatteis, who works as Ardden’s Editor-in-Chief.

FOX announced their schedule for the upcoming season today at the upfronts which had no surprises as we already new that Fringe and Human Target were coming back and that they had Steven Spielberg’s time travel/dinosaur series Terra Nova on the radar.  Fringe will remain in the Thursday night timeslot that has pummeled it all season long, though it did manage to at least post some gains for FOX on that night and should continue to hold on to its audience next season.  Human Target got the bad news that it will get relegated to Friday nights at 8 PM EST, the low-viewership evening that killed off Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles last season and Dollhouse this season.  This suggests that FOX does not have a whole lot of confidence in that series (though Robert Seidman at TV by the Numbers sees it differently) and that it will likely not live past the thirteen episode order for its second season, though they do still show it in that slot through mid-season.  The Spielberg series has been in the works for a while and it will get a place on the schedule (timeslot currently undetermined) at mid-season.  Following is the official description of the show:

From executive producers Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga (24, “Star Trek: Enterprise”) and David Fury (“Lost,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) comes an epic family adventure 85 million years in the making. TERRA NOVA follows an ordinary family embarking on an incredible journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a small part of a massive experiment to save the human race. In the year 2149 the world is dying. The planet is overdeveloped, overcrowded and overpolluted. With the majority of plant and animal life extinct, devotion to science has brought mankind to the brink of destruction, but has also provided its only hope for salvation. Knowing there is no way to reverse the damage to the planet, a coalition of scientists has managed to open up a fracture in the space-time continuum, creating a portal to prehistoric Earth. This doorway leads to an amazing world, one that allows for a last-ditch effort to save the human race…possibly changing the future by correcting the mistakes of the past. The series centers on the Shannon family as they join the tenth pilgrimage of settlers to TERRA NOVA, the first colony of humans in this second chance for civilization. JIM SHANNON, a devoted father with a checkered past, guides his family through this new land of limitless beauty, mystery and terror. Jim’s wife, ELISABETH SHANNON, is a trauma surgeon chosen through a global lottery as a new addition to Terra Nova’s medical team. JOSH SHANNON is their son, mourning the girl he left behind, as he’s torn between two role models – his father and the charismatic COMMANDER FRANK TAYLOR, the leader of the settlement, and the heroic first pioneer through the time portal. MADDY SHANNON, Jim and Elizabeth’s teen daughter, is as independent and adventurous as her parents, but her distrust of authority soon leads her on a dangerous path. In addition to blue skies, rolling rivers and lush vegetation, TERRA NOVA offers new opportunities and fresh beginnings to its recent arrivals, but the Shannons have brought with them a familial secret that may threaten their citizenship in this utopia. Additionally these adventurers soon discover that this healthy, vibrant world is not as idyllic as it initially appears. The areas surrounding Terra Nova are filled with dangerous dinosaurs, and other prehistoric threats, as well as external forces that may be intent on destroying this new world before it begins. But perhaps even more threatening than what lies outside the protective walls is the Shannons’ realization that something sinister may be happening inside TERRA NOVA as not everyone on this mission has the same intentions of how best to save mankind.

NBC announced its schedule yesterday and tomorrow ABC will announce their schedule, followed by CBS on Wednesday and the CW on Thursday.

NBC announced their upcoming Fall schedule early as planned and seeing as most of the major announcements preceded this, their were no surprises.  Chuck will return to its usual Monday 8 PM EST timeslot to lead off an action-adventure night.  It will be followed by the conspiracy-laden series The Event which may hold some interest for Science Fiction and Fantasy fans.  Then on Wednesday nights, J.J. Abrams’ new spy drama Undercovers will air which may have some genre elements as well.  At Mid-Season, the peacock network will roll out the quasi-superhero series The Cape which will co-star genre favorite Summer Glau.  With Heroes getting the axe, as announced on Friday, their are no other sci fi/fantasy shows on NBC’s Fall or Mid-Season schedule.   There was also no confirmation on the rumors that Heroes will get some sort of wrap-up movie, though Hollywood Reporter indicated that NBC would talk with series creator Tim Kring after the upfronts about some sort of finale for the show.  Stay tuned as we bring more updates from the upfronts over the coming days.

By John J. Joex

The Hollywood Reporter posted an interview today with NBC’s Entertainment President Angela Bromstad (not a job I would want considering that network’s fourth place standing), and in the discussion she made some comments that seem to suggest that Chuck’s prospects look hopeful. When referring to programming for Monday nights for the 2010-11 season, she said “We have Chuck”, suggesting that show will stick around. THR inquired further and asked if they could “just say it’s picked up” for next season. Her reply:

It’s our highest performing Monday night show. We look at it as a very strong player and it’s a show that matches up with our new shows. It’s too early for me to say for certain as it’s a conversation we’re going to have next week.

If nothing else, that sounds like a promising stance on the show going into next week’s upfronts. Interestingly enough, she had little to say about Heroes Heroes along with a suggestion that another show (perhaps The Cape) could act as Chuck’s companion on Monday nights in place of that flagging franchise (or at least share the timeslot during the season).

She also talked about the conspiracy show The Event which NBC has already greenlighted to series. She thinks this one will attract the audience that has been watching Lost and 24, so it may have some genre appeal. Also, NBC has given a series order to J.J. Abrams’ spy drama Undercovers which may have genre elements as well.

Stay tuned for further updates and be prepared for next weeks upfronts where the final schedule for the 2010-11 season will be hammered out.

Buy Chuck Seasons 1 and 2 on DVD from Amazon.com:

We have kicked off a new service this week called Axiom’s Edge To Go which offers material from the Axiom’s Edge site in PDF format so that you can download it and read at your leisure.  We are offering several of our features in this format such as our Summer 2010 Movie Preview as well as some of our previous, most popular posts.  In addition, each week we will compile a digest of the previous week’s posts into PDF and make that available as well.  Click on over to our Axiom’s Edge To Go page and download what interests you.  Pass it along to friends and family as well to spread the word!

Tomorrow (May 1st) is the national Free Comics Day, so be sure to visit your local comic book store to see what free comics they have to offer.  Also, you can download several free comics from Graphic.ly.  They are an online comic book provider that currently works with publishers like Boom Studios, Devil’s Due, Top Cow, and Arcana to offer digital versions of their comics which usually range in price from $.99 to $1.99.  You have to download their application and set up a free account, but that’s a pretty painless process.  Among the titles that they have available for free are Spartacus: Blood and Sand #1 and 2 from Devil’s Due, Beserker #0, Wanted #1, Impaler #1, Hunter-Killer #0 from Top Cow, and Hyper-Actives #1 from Arcana.  Click on over to their website (graphic.ly) and check out their selection and enjoy their free offerings on Free Comics Day!