TVSquad

There are a lot of so-called "psychics" and "mediums" on television, but very few of them admit they're full of crap.

That's why I like Derren Brown. Using a mix of psychology and manipulation, he gets ordinary folks to do things they wouldn't normally do. Brown does not claim to be psychic, or to possess supernatural abilities, he simply has a knack for getting inside a person's head.

He's already made a name for himself in his native U.K., performing such stunts as playing Russian roulette on live television and convincing one person they had been transported into a zombie video game.

I recently saw an ad on the Sci-Fi Channel promoting the US debut of Derren Brown's Mind Control, which was his first show from 2000. A few years ago, a friend of mine sent me a clip of the zombie video game stunt Derren pulled, and I was immediately captivated.

Soon after, I had watched every single episode of Mind Control and Trick of the Mind online. Sure, I didn't completely believe everything I saw, but the show was a refreshing change from the likes of Criss Angel and David Blaine. Brown wasn't striving for the same "magician as rock star" pretentiousness, priding himself mainly on his use of psychology and showmanship. The show is slick and super-cool, so I recommend it to anyone who has a fascination with things like the art of mind manipulation and subliminal messaging.

I'm sure Whoheads are already aware, but just in case aliens sucked out some of your memory, let me remind you that a brand new season of Doctor Who kicks off this Friday on Sci Fi at 8:00 p.m.

Eureka, a show I highly recommend, comes back for a new season on July 10. It's a show that even people who hate sci fi might enjoy, offering lighter entertainment than say, Battlestar Galactica, but without being too silly or trite.

Also, the second season of Who Wants to Be a Superhero? starts July 26 at 8:00 p.m. You can watch some of the auditions here.

Via the Futon Critic, here's what's on tap on the Sci Fi Channel:

First of all, here's what's returning:

Eureka comes back for a second season July 10 (as mentioned before). I only caught a couple episodes of the first season, but I liked what I saw. If you tend to avoid Sci Fi because you think it's all deep, dark and profound stuff like Battlestar Galactica, you should give Eureka a try. It's quirky and fun without being trite.