The SciFi Diner Podcast
SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 142 - Our Interview with Tara Platt and Yuri Lowenthal (Creators of Shelf Life and Con Artists)
SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 142 Our Interview with Tara Platt and Yuri Lowenthal (Creators of Shelf Life and Con Artists) The SciFi Diner Podcast
Please call the listener line at 1.888.508.4343,
Email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com
or visit us on Twitter @scifidiner.
And check out our YouTube channel.
Tonight’s Diners: Scott & Miles
Welcome to the Diner.
If you have listened to the show for sometime, we would love to have you leave feedback on iTunes. We know not all of you use iTunes, but for those that do, it helps us become more visible. If you don’t use iTunes, your feedback is still valuable. Visit our webpage at http://scifidinerpodcast.com and leave a comment on the show notes or email us at scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com We want to know what you are thinking about what we are saying and what shows you are watching.
Menu: Interview: Our Interview with Tara Platt and Yuri Lowenthal (Creators of Shelf Life and Con Artists) Trivia: You can win Kate Vernon TV News: Tom Baker Returns, 10 Emmy-worthy sci-fi performances we're hoping earn a nomination Movie News: A Swinging Time at the box office....Robocop sneak peaks, Roland Emerich eyes a possible ID4 Sequel and Star Gate. PodioBook Review: Star Wars: In the Shadows Con Update: Chris and Charity TWIST: Karl Urban reveals possible villain. Robert Orci says who won’t be in the new movie. SciFi Five in Five: Chris and Charity share top recent con moments.Trivia:
Question: In the episode of Falling Skies "The Armory": Having captured Tom and the others during the raid on the armory, John Pope gives Tom this nickname. What is it?
Prize: A signed Kate Vernon Print
You will have until August 7 to send us your answers. Please include the code word mentioned in the first 15 minutes of the show. Send your answer with your mailing address to scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com, call us at 18885084343, or DM us on Twitter at @scifidiner. Make sure you include your e-mail with all entries! Only one entry per person. The SciFi Diner is not responsible for any injuries occurring if you secretly decide to go all shiny and dress in a browncoat and walk into your local bar.
Promos Our Interview:SHELF LIFE (web-series) is an irreverent single-camera live action comedy web-series about 4 action figures on a young boy's shelf.
Based on an idea by Tara Platt, Season One directed by Paul Jenkins, written by Yuri Lowenthal and Paul Jenkins and produced by Monkey Kingdom Productions and Ultimatum Entertainment; Season Two directed by Steven Calcote, written by Yuri Lowenthal.
Featuring Travis Willingham as Hero Man, Tara Platt as Hero Lass, Yuri Lowenthal as Bug Boy and Bryan Enk as Samurai Snake. Anyone who is a fan of comics, action figures, comedy and irreverent humor is in for a treat!
Tom Baker will return for Doctor Who's 50th anniversary after all
Dust off your long, winding scarves, dear fellow Whovians, and stock up on those jelly babies, because it looks like Tom Baker is definitely returning for Doctor Who's big whopping 50th-anniversary bash next year.
The Daily Express reports that the 78-year old actor is going to reprise his role in 2013, the year of the big timey-wimey shindig.
A show insider has revealed that Baker—who played the Fourth Doctor for seven seasons, from 1974 to 1981—will join forces with the current Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, to celebrate the show's half-century milestone:
"It will be fitting to have Tom back to mark the 50 years. He was a big part of the show's success and is much-loved by the fans."
Not too long ago we told you that Baker was willing to return to Who—perhaps because of his notorious absence during the 20th-anniversary special, "The Five Doctors," which he had refused to do—IF he was asked nicely.
"I think if they ask me nicely or I can see what they want me to do, I'd consider it. I think the fans have been so good to me, they'd expect me to at least make an appearance."
As for the details surrounding that special episode, the Doctor Who honchos are keeping mum on that little anniversary thingie, but there are speculations (when are there not?) that the special will serve as Matt Smith's last hurrah as the beloved Time Lord, even though the actor has stated that he wanted to stick with the role for, well, like forever.
So what do you guys think of this news? Are you excited that Tom Baker will get to step back into the TARDIS for the 50th once more? And do you believe it will also serve as Matt Smith's last appearance on Who?
10 Emmy-worthy sci-fi performances we're hoping earn a nomination
We're still a few weeks away from seeing who got nominated for an Emmy, and until the official announcement, we plan on living in hope that some of these stellar sci-fi performances of the past year manage to make the cut.
It's a cutthroat business getting an Emmy nomination, and it tends to be even tougher for performers from sci-fi series. But that doesn't mean there aren't tons of worthy competitors out there.
So here are 10 sci-fi actors and actresses that definitely deserve to be included come July 19.
Jason Isaacs, NBC's Awake
The show may have mostly been ignored by the viewing public, but this short-lived series about a man living two lives was one of the highest concepts we've seen in years—and star Jason Isaacs knocked it out of the park as a father and husband dealing with the loss of his son and wife in different realities.
Jon Bernthal, AMC's The Walking Dead
Bernthal's Shane was one of the most hated characters in the show's second season, but he was also one of the craziest, most tragic and most nuanced characters on television. His arc kept season two moving, and the epic conclusion was positively insane.
Peter Dinklage, HBO's Game of Thrones
Dinklage's portrayal of Tyrion Lannister is one of the highlights of this hit fantasy series, and we wouldn't be too surprise if he followed up his Emmy win last year with another nomination in 2012.
Benedict Cumberbatch, PBS (BBC)'s Sherlock
Cumberbatch is one of the greatest actors on television today, and with a few major films coming down the pike, the actor is poised to be a much bigger name very soon. But it's his fantastic turn in Steven Moffat's hit Sherlock series that really put him on the map.
John Noble, Fox's Fringe
Everybody's favorite mad scientist, Dr. Walter Bishop, is the glue that holds this series together, and Noble was able to take the character through several transformations this past season due to the shifting timelines.
Jessica Lange, FX's American Horror Story
Jessica Lange was, hands down, the best thing about the first season of FX's creepily awesome horror series—and she was just a supporting actress. Lange is definitely worthy of a nomination, and a win, for her unforgettable turn as the cold-blooded Constance.
Anna Torv, Fox's Fringe
Torv is asked to do a lot of things as agent Olivia Dunham, and her ability to ground even the most fantastical sci-fi plot point in reality makes her more than worthy of a nomination. After everything her character went through in the latest season, plus her turn playing alt-reality versions of herself, Torv has definitely earned some respect.
Lena Headey, HBO's Game of Thrones
Her role in this fantasy drama is definitely different than her awesome take on Sarah Connor in Fox's short-lived Terminator series, but her character grew into one of the most exciting in the series during the latest season.
Karen Gillan, BBC America's Doctor Who
Amy Pond has been a highlight of Steven Moffat's run on this classic British sci-fi series, and she has definitely shown her strength as an actress tackling some of last season's storylines dealing with the theft of her daughter.
Anna Paquin, HBO's True Blood
Despite its age, the hit vamp soap remains a big draw at HBO, and Anna Paquin is still the one that ties it all together.
So who would get YOUR vote?
Movie News:"Amazing Spider-Man" Swings To Top Spot
The Amazing Spider-Man got off to a sizzling start and then continued to do solid business, sending the reboot of the superhero franchise to the top spot at the box-office. In its opening weekend, the movie took in $65 million and since it’s opening last Tuesday has taken in $140 million.
That figure is off from where each of the Sam Raimi directed installments opened, but is probably still enough to get a second and third installment of the proposed trilogy about the web-slinger.
Meanwhile, last week’s top money earner Ted dropped a spot to second with $32.5 million. Third place went to Pixar’s Brave with $20.1 million.
Oliver Stone’s new movie Savages opened in fourth with $16.1 million and Magic Mike rounded out the top five with $15.6 million.
Omnicorp's products revealed in 1st viral peek at RoboCop reboot
We're still more than a year away from the release of director Jose Padilha's RoboCop, but with the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con right around the corner the filmmakers have rolled out our first official glimpses of the reboot. The mega-company Omnicorp has a website, and they're promising all kinds of robotic goodies.
The fictional company's official web presence went live this weekend to tease us with the various powers and creations of the corporation that gives birth to RoboCop himself. The site is still only one page, but there's a lot to look at.
First of all, there's the re-designed ED-209, which you can see above. Then there's the XT-908 aerial drone that could end up playing up a big part in the new technological landscape of the reboot. And if you look a little further down the page, you'll notice a project in development called the RC-2000, "When Human Resources Meet Robotic Engineering."
But most exciting is the video unveiling the Omnicorp product line, including ED-209 and the XT-908. Yes, it's the first real footage we've seen from the flick, but more important than that, you get to watch ED-209 blow stuff up
Roland Emmerich Eyes Another Independence Day and More Stargate
It's been some time since his Stargate and Independence Day hit theaters in the 1990s, but director Roland Emmerich today tells The Hollywood Reporter that both sci-fi properties could be headed back to the big screen.
Independence Day, which is slated for a 3D re-release on July 3rd of next year, would go the sequel route and Emmerich has been working with his former creative partner Dean Devlin to get the story together.
"[C]reatively, for the very first time since we did the original, I feel we have a worthy concept, a worthy path to go," he says. "...Whether or not we can make this happen, if we can get all the pieces to come together, that’s gonna be challenging."
Plans for Stargate, meanwhile, are bit less distinct. "Stargate has always had this empty hole," he adds. "When we made the first one, we always intended on doing part two and three, and we were prevented for years. And our hope is that we can get another chance at Stargate and tell the entire story we wanted to tell."
Emmerich's next, White House Down, is set to star Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx and Maggie Gyllenhaal and deals with a paramilitary takeover of the White House. Today, Variety revealed that James Woods is in talks to join the cast, playing the head of the President's secret service detail.
Based on the Star Wars universe created by George Lucas
Written by Dany Pépin
Produced & Directed by Dany Pépin
Music by John William
Sound design by Ben Burtt
Born and raised in a military family, Emma Wermis will slowly discover that the Empire is not what she always been taught it was. Her allegiance to the Empire will be tested and she will, during her adventures, uncover something about her family and a secret weapon kept hidden even within the Empire.
This week in Star Trek:Star Trek' Star Karl Urban Reveals Possible Sequel Villain
In a recent interview to promote his current project Dredd, Karl Urban may have inadvertently revealed the actual name of the character who’s squaring off against the crew of the Enterprise: Gary Mitchell.
In an interview with SFX, Urban relayed his feelings about working alongside Sherlock Holmes actor Benedict Cumberbatch, revealing his long-concealed identity. “He’s awesome,” Urban said. “He’s a great addition, and I think his Gary Mitchell is going to be exemplary.”
What’s particularly noteworthy about the revelation – other than the fact that his name isn’t Khan – is that Mitchell was effectively the first villain in Star Trek history. Although the episode in which he appears, “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” was broadcast third on television, it was created as a second pilot for the series after NBC rejected its predecessor, “The Cage.”
In the episode, Mitchell, played by 2001 star Gary Lockwood, is a longtime friend of Captain Kirk’s who develops superhuman abilities including telepathy and telekinesis after the ship encounters a mysterious barrier. Kirk is eventually forced to kill Mitchell after attempting to banish him on the planet of Delta Vega.
If screenwriters Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof and Roberto Orci adhere at all to the narrative of the episode, Mitchell will be a formidable enemy for Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise. In a recent interview with THR, Kurtzman revealed that in the sequel, “Kirk doesn’t understand what it means to be captain,” suggesting that the fledgling commander has yet to experience the unenviable responsibility of sending crew members to their deaths.
Mitchell’s storyline could make for some particularly interesting dramatic possibilities if Kirk is not only forced to see his crew killed, but be responsible for the death one of his oldest friends from Starfleet Academy.
Screenwriter Roberto Orci lists five characters who will not be in Star Trek 2
In a recent radio chat, STAR TREK 2 screenwriter Roberto Orci was asked about characters who will or will not be in the upcoming sequel. With all of the discussion back and forth regarding whether Benedict Cumberbatch would be playing Khan, Orci decided to name five characters, some villains and some not, who will 100% not be in the sequel.
Those characters are Gary Mitchell, Charlie X, Ruk, Janice Rand, and The Borg.
It seemed pretty apparent The Borg would not be in the movie, but assuming that Orci is being honest, this begins to lend merit back to the Khan theories. I started to get my hopes up that it would be Gary Mitchell after all, but I am one of the few that would like to see a rebooted Khan enter the fray. My problem with a lot of franchises these days is that they kill off villains after one appearance instead of prolonging them through multiple films to build that animosity between good and bad guys.
Orci also mentioned the movie title has a "75% chance" of using the words STAR TREK but no confirmation on the final name of the film. I would be willing to bet the movie has a subtitle but no number. That seems to be popular these days.
CBS and Orci have discussed a possible STAR TREK animated series, but no word on what generation would be the focus of the story. With both THE CLONE WARS and TRON: UPRISING successfully translating storied franchises into the world of cartoons, a new STAR TREK cartoon may not be so farfetched.
The Sci Fi 5 in 5:Chris & Charity’s top 5 things they liked at recent Cons.