TVSquad

Every year I foolishly get excited that maybe this year the Emmys will reach out and nominate something different. But then it's the same old nominees from the previous year. Even if a show has an off year, Emmy just goes ahead and nominates it again.

Of last year's six nominees for Drama Series, only one didn't make the cut this year. Lead Actor kept five of their six nominees as well, and Lead Actress kept all five nominees from last year. That's fifteen of 17 repeat contenders from last year in three categories. If Emmy hadn't added a slot each to Series and Actress it might have been a virtual rerun.

With all those repeats, there's no room to honor the final season of Battlestar Galactica. Maybe Emmy voters look at the shows they picked last year and say "That's still on, right? Let's go with that." And they're done picking their nominees in less than ten minutes.

"Let's get this genocide started!"

That Cavil is one evil bucket of bolts.

Sci Fi's new trailer for Battlestar Galactica: The Plan is making the rounds and drumming up anticipation for the TV movie, which premieres this fall. The Plan will portray the events of the Cylon attack on the twelve colonies through the perspective of the Cylons. It's directed by Admiral Adama himself, Edward James Olmos, and written by BSG and Warehouse 13 scribe Jane Espenson, who also helped craft the BSG Web series the Face of the Enemy.

No, that's not Neil Young or an angry Jesus at the top of this post. It's James Callis as Merlin. Yes, the Merlin from Camelot.

Battlestar Galactica's Gaius Baltar returns to the Sci Fi Channel this week in Book of Beasts, one of the network's famously craptastic TV movies. Battlestar fans might want to program their DVRs for this one. Callis plays the gravelly-voiced heroic lead, the movie is indeed set in Camelot, and the director has been quoted comparing it to Braveheart! All that plus a heavy amount of booze should make for a great Saturday night for any BSG nerd/Callis fan.

After a log day of being in Hall H and Ballroom 20, things started to come to an end for the busiest day of the 'Con with the Battlestar Galactica panel. Basically, if didn't already have your arse planted in a seat in Ballroom 20 for that panel, you weren't getting to see BSG. I'm either completely dedicated to the coverage for TV Squad or a complete fanboy for the show. I submit that I'm likely both.

I'm not going to post the full, detailed report yet, as Sci Fi has told me we'll have embeddable video to show you soon (here it is on SciFI.com). Seriously, there's no way I can put to justice the funny job that Kevin Smith did as moderator -- you have to see and hear it for yourself. I will, however, submit to you the highlights for now.

During the panels for the Sci Fi shows present at Comic-Con this year, we're being given a unique opportunity to have you, our readers, ask questions to the panelists. What shows are we attending and who will be there? Here's the rundown:

• Stargate: Atlantis (Joe Flanigan, Robert Picardo, Brad Wright, Jewel Staite, Chris Sanagustin)
• Sanctuary (Amanda Tapping, Martin Wood, Robin Dunne)
• Battlestar Galactica (Tricia Helfer, James Callis, Katee Sackhoff, Michael Trucco, Ron Moore, David Eick)
• Eureka (Colin Ferguson, Sallie Richardson-Whitfield , Joe Morton, Jamie Paglia, Charlie Craig, Tony Optican)
• Ghost Hunters (Robb Demarest)

Use the comment form below to submit your questions and we'll give the best ones to the moderator to ask. We'll post the answers to those questions and others as soon as we can get to a WiFi hotspot and post away. You've got until this Thursday morning to send in your questions, so ask away!

'Tis the season to be thankful and, more particularly, to perform an inventory of what we are thankful for. The list can be a bit overwhelming, so I'm happy to parse it down to what I am thankful about television-- and not just what's on the air now (which is fortunate, considering the current WGA strike).

I can't remember when I have enjoyed a research project more. We have an opportunity to create our own lists of the hottest guys on TV today, and let me tell you: It was not easy. We originally had 30 men on our list (thirty-one if you count our top guy, but you'll have to click to Kristin's post to find out where to see who he is!), but we were asked to pare them down to ... three apiece?!

Here are my three. Well, I suppose you get a big clue as to one of them right here and now, but I couldn't resist putting up this photo. Yum! You will notice that my tastes don't run strictly to candy: I have someone who is not quite human; a self-admitted asshole; and an arrogant coward. Come to think about it, you could apply these descriptions to all three of my guys, but I love 'em anyway!

(S03E16) I have to be honest, I have no experience at all with unions, how they work or what it's like being involved in one. Even so, it wasn't difficult to feel something for workers who'd have to endure what the Tylium crew had to deal with for so long.

Usually an episode like this would leave me well disappointed, as there wasn't anything significantly advancing the story. I realize now, with the help of several commenters, that it's episodes like this that are working to help us get a deeper understanding of what's going on with the humans on these ships and especially with the main players.

I thoroughly enjoy Battlestar Galactica. I feel that the special effects (when shown) are fantastic, the scripts are well-written, and the characters are all multi-dimensional. I have especially been enjoying this season, and I have yet to miss an episode. That being said, I do have one tiny issue with the show . . .

I can't hear a frakking word they're saying!

I have never seen a show with so many low talkers. They speak quietly everywhere: crew quarters, active hanger bays, planet-side. They even speak softly in crowded, noisy bars (as seen in this week's episode). I am constantly raising and lowering the volume on my TV just to catch a fragment of what they're saying. It's almost like I'm watching a British sitcom! Now I know why this show hasn't been nominated for any type of award. It's because the judges get so frustrated adjusting the volume up and down that they just give up and turn off the TV.

Everybody's wondering whether BSG is going to suck this year since the season finale seriously altered the direction of the show. You can get a sneak peek of the season three premiere (which airs on Friday) over at SciFi's website and decide for yourself. The first 13 minutes of the episode, or the "First Act", is available for viewing. It basically answers the question, "What will happen next?" You'll see how the humans and Cylons are living/interacting on New Caprica. I'll just say that everybody seems to be working on their own method of survival... and Starbuck seriously kicks some ass.

Based on just those 13 minutes, I'd say BSG fans don't have anything to worry about. Then again, I liked the turn the show took at the end of last season and I like what I see so far.

*The video played for me in Internet Explorer, but had trouble with it in Firefox.

[Thanks, Akbar!]

As Battlestar Galactica wraps up its second season tomorrow night with a 90-minute finale, its cast is just about to start shooting season three. Just to keep all of us fans sane, Sci Fi has already announced that Galactica will return to its Friday night timeslot in October, although a specific date has not been revealed. The network has ordered 20 episodes. We already know that Lucy Lawless will return as cylon for a 10-episode arc next season. It looks like we'll get to see most of the major cast members again next season, too. Filming of season three of BSG starts in April in Vancouver, B.C.