Good Morning America's Robin Roberts had surgery yesterday and is already home. - Now Trump says he never offered Rosie money to be on Celebrity Apprentice. Whatever.
- A clip from an old IFC show called Split Screen, where Christopher Walken teaches you how to cook.
- Jerry Seinfeld's secret to productivity.
- Henry Rollins on freedom and the web.
- Brian Williams and Katie Couric blog about the Minneapolis bridge collapse.
- Matt Roush on the cancellation of The Dresden Files.
DresdenFiles-related stories
Out of the Blogosphere
Dresden fans campaign to save their show
With so many different campaigns going to save shows recently it could almost be a weekly feature here, and here is yet another for you to consider. I bring this one up partly out of a selfish desire to see it succeed, because The Dresden Files has become my second favorite Sci Fi Original, but also because I think it actually has a shot at working. There is a bunch of helpful info over at the group's main site. They have a letter writing campaign where if you email your letter to Dresden fan Belynda she will print it out and mail it for you, email and phone contact info for Sci Fi, links to a petition, and a host of other options for you to help out.
Continue reading Dresden fans campaign to save their show
What's On Tonight: 60 Minutes, Planet Earth, Reno 911, Iron Chef America
At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, followed by two new episodes of The Amazing Race and a new Cold Case. - ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos at 7.
- NBC has a new two hour Dateline at 7.
- At 7:30, FOX has a new War At Home.
- At 8, PBS has a new Nature.
- Discovery has two new episodes of Planet Earth at 8.
- Also at 8: Food Network has a new Emeril Live, then a new Iron Chef America.
- At 8:30, FOX has a new King of the Hill.
- At 9, ABC has one of those Desperate Housewives "let's take a look back at some memorable moments" episodes. It's followed by a new Brothers & Sisters.
- Sci-Fi has a new Dresden Files at 9.
- At 9:30, FOX has a new American Dad.
- At 10, Lifetime has a new Blood Ties.
- At 10:30, Comedy Central has a new Reno 911.
Check your local TV listings for more.
What to Watch This Weekend, Jan. 20 - 21
Ocean's Deadliest (Sun., 8PM, Animal Planet)Steve Irwin died filming this documentary about the sea's most dangerous creatures. It's a weird thing to watch a celebrity's last work. It feels both morbidly voyeuristic and fittingly laudatory at the same time. Footage from the day Irwin was pierced by stingray barb will not be shown. 'Deadliest' will be followed by 'Crikey, What an Adventure,' a special about Irwin's life. Meanwhile, his daughter, Bindi, carries on her father's animal-loving torch with her own show on Disney later this year.
Continue reading What to Watch This Weekend, Jan. 20 - 21
The Dresden Files -- An early look
When Battlestar returns with new episodes on the 21st it will be bringing along a new partner on the Sci Fi schedule, The Dresden Files. The show is based on the popular series of novels by Jim Butcher. Both follow the adventures of Chicagoan Harry Dresden (Paul Blackthorne, 24). His life is not like yours or mine, because Harry is a wizard. But unlike that other wizard named Harry, in Mr. Dresden's world there are no boundaries separating the world of magic from the world of the everyday. Earning his living as a wizard-for-hire, he's the only one in the phone book, you can imagine that things don't always go so smoothly for Harry. A good many of the people that know of or find out about him dismiss him as a kook straight away, without investigating further. Interestingly, I think the show may have some of those same issues.
Continue reading The Dresden Files -- An early look
Dresden Files: Jim Butcher interviewed
Sci Fi has had a good run of it lately. With the continued success of Battlestar Galactica and the Stargate franchise, and the surprisingly high rated debut of Eureka earlier this year they are becoming known for their original programming. Next up is The Dresden Files, which holds the potential to join those two in their successes. The series is based on the popular series of books by Jim Butcher (pictured), and while we are still almost a month out from the debut, there is already a lot of discussion about the show on the internet. There is an active forum over at jim-butcher.com and the Dresden Files LJ Community to get you started.
Continue reading Dresden Files: Jim Butcher interviewed
Stargate, Atlantis, Painkiller Jane coming in April
We've already mentioned that Battlestar is moving to Sundays on January 21st. It will be joined by the highly anticipated new series The Dresden Files. Now comes word that Sci Fi Friday's will return in April with the final ten episodes of Stargate, the continuation of the current season of Atlantis, and the new show Painkiller Jane. The press release also mentions new episodes of Ghost Hunters, the new season of Who Wants To Be A Superhero?, and 24 'pulse-pounding' original movies. It's good to have a date for the Stargate return, but i am among those that just doesn't get what Sci Fi is doing with their scheduling. TV Squad reader Mack pointed out that the new Atlantis episodes are already airing in other markets, and a quick check of some torrent sites reveals that they are out there to be had. I didn't like the long break in the season when they did it with Farscape, and I don't like it now. With the serial nature of these shows, big breaks just don't work. 24 got it right.
The Dresden Files open up in January
The Dresden Files, which debuts on the Sci Fi Channel in January, sounds somewhat like The X-Files in the way it combines detective work with the supernatural. In this case, however, the detective has supernatural powers himself. The new series, based on the novels by Jim Butcher, focuses on Harry Dresden (Paul Blackthorne), a professional wizard who helps solve cases involving vampires, werewolves and other mystical creatures. Terrence Mann also stars as Dresden's sidekick, a centuries-old spirit who lives inside a human skull.
An interesting concept, at least, though I wonder what this series will have that will set it apart from other supernatural shows, many of which have not been able to find an audience. That being said, I'd rather see a wizard helping police solve crimes than another series about some psychic doing the same. The further we get from vindicating so-called "real" psychics with fictional dramas the happier I'll be. Besides, I have several leprechaun friends who have been trying to sell a script to HBO for years. I think it's about their time to shine.
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