SyFy Acquires Canadian Supernatural Hit Lost Girl

On May 18th, SyFy announced that they were picking up both seasons (26 episodes) of the Canadian supernatural hit, Lost Girl for broadcast in the U.S.  We’re not familiar with this show however it seems rather interesting and at least it’s another new scripted drama added to SyFy’s very light new schedule for 2011 – 2012.  No word on a premiere date as of yet.

Via Press Release:

SYFY ACQUIRES SUPERNATURAL DRAMA SERIES LOST GIRL FROM PRODIGY PICTURES

NEW YORK – May 18, 2011 – Syfy has acquired both seasons (26 episodes) of the hit Canadian supernatural drama Lost Girl from Prodigy Pictures, it was announced today by Thomas Vitale, Executive Vice President, Programming and Original Movies, Syfy.

Lost Girl stars supernatural seductress Bo (played by Anna Silk/The Ghost Whisperer), a Succubus (a powerful female entity in folklore) who feeds off sexual energy. Raised by human parents, Bo had no reason to believe she was anything other than the girl next door — until she “drained” her first boyfriend to death.

Bo has since hit the road alone and afraid. She discovers she is one of the Fae, creatures of legend and folklore, who pass as humans while feeding off them in secret, as they have for millennia. She is faced with choosing an allegiance between the Dark or Light Fae clans. Bo decides to take the middle path between humans and the Fae while embarking on a personal mission to unlock the secrets of her origin, protecting humans along the way.

Lost Girl co-stars Kris Holden-Ried as Dyson, a shape-shifting Fae, homicide detective and Bo’s love interest; Ksenia Solo as Kenzi, Bo’s human confidante and street-smart survivor, Zoie Palmer as Lauren, a human doctor who competes for Bo’s heart; Rick Howland as Trick, the mysterious owner and bartender at The Dal Riata tavern, with a secretive past that is yet to be unlocked, and K.C. Collins as Hale, a handsome male “Siren” who is the eternal bachelor, ultimate wingman and Dyson’s partner on the force.

Notable guest stars include Emmanuelle Vaugier as “The Morrigan”, the leader of the Dark Fae.

Said Vitale: “In one year, Lost Girl has electrified viewers in Canada and around the world. We’re delighted to bring this fascinating, high-octane series, which depicts a unique world and memorable heroine, to the Syfyaudience.”

“We’re thrilled to have Syfy on board as our broadcast partner in the U.S. Lost Girl is a unique series that thrusts a strong, independent female lead into uncompromising circumstances. It’s a series that takes risks with unconventional storylines and provocative character development,” said Jay Firestone, Executive Producer.

This series is developed and produced by Prodigy Pictures, in association with Shaw Media and Showcase. This acquisition agreement was brokered by Tim Mudd of Mudd Media.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 99 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

About Prodigy Pictures
Founded in 2006 by Jay Firestone, Prodigy Pictures leads the way in the production of quality film, television and cross-platform media. Its credits include the critically acclaimed feature Stuck and the television series XIII, currently airing on Showcase in Canada and Canal Plus in France.  Prodigy’s hit series, Lost Girl, has recently started production on its second season. The company has several feature film and television projects in development, including William Gibson’s Neuromancer, and Weapon, in partnership with Studio 37.

SyFy 2011 – 2012 Complete Schedule

Again, like the Summer schedule, we are very late on the draw on this, however, here’s the full scoop on all of the programming for SyFy for 2011 – 2012.  There’s not a whole lot more that we can say about this that we didn’t say in the article about the Summer schedule, except that new scripted drama is represented by a grand total of two shows this season, Alphas, premiering in July, and the highly-anticipated Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome, which does not have an official announced date for release but we expect it in early 2012.

Although we don’t subscribe to the nonsense that there is no Science Fiction on the former SciFi network anymore, it is very curious that there are only two new scripted dramas (and SyFy has picked up the first two seasons of the Canadian hit, Lost Girl although they haven’t announced a premiere date for it as of yet) and three, what appear to be science fiction-themed comedies (seriously?).  The rest of the programming is made up primarily of goofy Saturday movies and reality series.  This disappoints us and seems a little odd as well, considering that every other network out there has drastically cut the amount of reality shows from their schedule and cut the amount of reality shows that they have ordered and put into development status.  This schedule is VERY reality-heavy and it’s not a matter of this not appealing to science fiction audience, it’s a matter of it not appealing to any audience.  Seriously, how many reality shows can an audience take?  For preview videos and trailers of the shows that will be airing this summer (including some full episodes) check out the our article on the SyFy summer schedule.

CORRECTION: Due to the obnoxious length of SyFy’s press release below, we completely missed the announcement regarding the new live-action, scripted action series/massive multiplayer online game (MMOG), Defiance. Due to this development, we are a whole lot less disappointed in the lack of new scripted drama.   Read all about it, here.

Via Press Release:

SYFY UNVEILS LARGEST ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING SLATE IN HISTORY FEATURING 14 NEW SERIES AND EVENTS

LED BY PREMIERE OF ALPHAS, FOUR SCRIPTED SERIES LAUNCH IN JULY – MOST EVER IN A SINGLE MONTH

UNSCRIPTED DEVELOPMENT SLATE INCLUDES PROJECTS WITH TOMMY LEE AND DEEPAK CHOPRA

NEW YORK – March 22, 2011 – Continuing the sizzling momentum of the Syfy global brand evolution, which has sparked imagination-driven hit series and double-digit growth in younger, upscale audiences as well as diverse new business ventures, Syfy President Dave Howe today will introduce the largest original programming slate in the channel’s 18-year history, highlighted by 14 new original series and events comprising more than 100 hours.

The 2011 Syfy Upfront will be presented at the Foxwoods Theatre, where the channel is hosting a live performance of SPIDER-MAN Turn Off the Dark for the advertising community. Syfy is the official media partner of the Broadway show.

Remarking on Syfy’s announced development slate, Mark Stern, President Original Content, Syfy, and Co-Head Original Content, Universal Cable Productions, said, “Our ambition in development is to push the boundaries of imagination, creativity, and story-telling.  We want to transport our audience with high-quality, thought-provoking experiences that allow them to explore the un-explorable, to believe the unbelievable, and to truly… ‘Imagine Greater.’”

Riding high on 15 consecutive years as a Top 10 channel among Adults 25-54, Syfy‘s viewership has continued to grow in 2011. In January prime, Syfy rose 12% in Adults 18-49/$75K, while experiencing a significant drop of two years (46) in the median age.

During First Quarter-to-date (vs.1Q’10) prime, Syfy has jumped 17% in Adults 18-34, 13% among total viewers and seven percent among Adults 18-49, led by the freshman hit series Being Human and Face Off, both of which have been renewed.

In July, Syfy launches four scripted series in the same month — for the first time ever — when Alphas premieres along with returning powerhouses Warehouse 13 (Syfy’s most watched series ever), Eureka and Haven.

The second season return of the heralded reality show Hollywood Treasure kicks off Summer 2011 unscripted programming in June, paired with the premiere of Haunted Collector (working title), followed by the debuts ofLegend Quest in July and Paranormal Witness in September.

The robust reality development slate includes projects from unique perspectives such as rock musician Tommy Lee, author Deepak Chopra and photographer Tyler Shields, along with a family that creates movie monsters and the world’s top stunt artists.

On the scripted side, Syfy is developing Battlestar: Blood and Chrome, set in the 10^th year of the First Cylon War. As well as three single-camera, half hour comedies including the Lee Majors vehicle Me and Lee from the creator of Weeds, In the Dark featuring a team of wannabe paranormal investigators, and a new adaptation of Three Inches.

Keying the latest roster of popular Saturday Original Movies will be Red Faction: Origins, based on the highly successful video game franchise; 1970s TV icons Barry Williams and Danny Bonaduce butt heads in Bigfoot; Shannen Doherty headlines a re-imagining of the classic fairy tale Gretl; Roswell, the story selected by fans through the Syfy and IGN.com B Movie Mogul contest; and in Jersey Shore Shark Attack, who knows who might be a victim?

This October, Syfy will become the first ever, official sponsor of the city’s Halloween celebrations, partnering with NYC & Company for 31 Days of HalloweeNYC. Then in December, Syfy celebrates the holiday season with its second annual Countdown to Christmas Week (highlighted by the movie event Neverland with Keira Knightley asThe Voice of Tinker Bell).

Syfy Ventures is launching a new publishing business of completely sponsorable genre games under the SyfyGames banner.  Available initially on Facebook in the United States, the suite of high quality games will embrace the sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, action/adventure, and superhero genres, ranging from original content to games based upon Syfy programming. These first round of games are scheduled for launch later this year. As well, Syfy is partnering with game developer Trion Worldwide for a new entertainment franchise, Defiance, that will seamlessly pair a primetime series with an online video game, scheduled for 2011.

Among the new opportunities for advertisers to partner with the Syfy brand is Imagination Spotlight, a groundbreaking, multi-platform brand initiative celebrating the world’s imaginative achievements and innovative ideas.  Advertisers will have the opportunity to join the celebration through an array of multi-media partnerships that showcase imagination.

Syfy is currently available in 75 countries, reaching nearly 150 million households globally.

NEW SCRIPTED SERIES

Alphas – Premiering in July – Alphas follows a team of ordinary citizens whose brain anomalies imbue them with extraordinary mental and physical abilities. Taking the law into their own hands, the unlikely team, led by Dr. Leigh Rosen (Emmy Award-winner and Oscar nominee David Strathairn) investigates cases that suggest other Alpha activity to uncover what the CIA, FBI and Pentagon have not been able, or willing, to solve. These gifted individuals must balance their quirky personalities and disparate backgrounds with their not always visible powers as they work to solve crimes, stop the ticking time bomb and catch the enemy.

Alphas also stars Malik Yoba, Warren Christie, Laura Mennell, Ryan Cartwright and Azita Ghanizada, and is a production of Universal Cable Productions and BermanBraun Television. Executive Producers are Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein for BermanBraun, Zak Penn and Ira Steven Behr.

NEW REALITY SERIES

Haunted Collector (working title) — Premiering in June — Ghosts and spirits inhabit more than just homes and buildings — they can also live in objects. John Zaffis and his family are renowned paranormal investigators, tracking down haunted items like paintings, guns, jewelry and dolls. Once identified, the items are collected and stored in their museum, helping John’s clients bring normalcy back to their lives. Produced by Gurney Productions. Executive producers: Scott Gurney and Dierdre Gurney.

Legend Quest — Premiering in July — This fast-paced action-adventure series follows Ashley Cowie, a real-life symbologist, as he travels the world in search of some of history’s greatest relics and artifacts, all of which are believed to hold hidden powers and mystical significance for ancient and modern cultures. Each episode will include Indiana Jones-type adventure and Da Vinci Code-style connections as the hidden truths and alternative theories of these mythical objects are explored. Legend Quest is executive produced by John Brenkus and Mickey Stern for BASE Productions, and is a co-production with Universal Networks International.
Paranormal Witness – Premiering in September — From Raw TV, the acclaimed creative team behind Locked Up Abroad and Gold Rush Alaska, this tense, filmic and high-octane drama-documentary series brings to life the stories of people who have lived through paranormal experiences that defy explanation. Using the mixture of intimate first-hand testimony and grittily realistic drama that Raw TV is known for, Paranormal Witness will transport the audience into a world turned upside down by extraordinary and terrifying events. Paranormal Witnessis produced by Raw TV. Executive producers: Dimitri Doganis and Bart Layton.

SCRIPTED DEVELOPMENT/DRAMA

Battlestar: Blood & Chrome – Luke Pasqualino (Skins-UK) and Ben Cotton (Hellcats) star in Battlestar: Blood & Chrome, which takes place in the 10^th year of the first Cylon war. As the battle between humans and their creation, a sentient robotic race, rages across the 12 colonial worlds, a brash rookie viper pilot enters the fray. Ensign William Adama (Pasqualino), barely in his 20’s and a recent Academy graduate, finds himself assigned to one of the most powerful ships in the Colonial fleet…the Galactica. The talented but hot-headed risk-taker soon finds himself leading a dangerous top secret mission that, if successful, will turn the tide of the decade-long war in favor of the desperate fleet. Executive producers: David Eick and Michael Taylor. Written by Michael Taylor from a story by David Eick, Taylor and Bradley Thompson and David Weddle. A production of Universal Cable Productions.

SCRIPTED DEVELOPMENT/SINGLE CAMERA HALF-HOURS

Three Inches – In Three Inches, professional daydreamer and underachiever Walter Spackman is struck by lightning and develops a unique “super” power — the ability to move any object using just his mind… but only a distance of three inches. He’s soon immersed in a world of extraordinarily ordinary people like himself and learns that “super” is just a state of mind.  The pilot is written by Harley Peyton (Twin Peaks), who also serves as executive producer.  Fox Television Studios is producing with executive producer Robert Cooper, through his company Landscape Entertainment.

In the Dark – In the Dark follows a misfit group of third tier Ghost Hunters whose misguided efforts tend to highlight their incompetence rather than any paranormal activity. From Universal Cable Productions, In the Darkis executive produced by Dan Taberski through Idiot Box Productions, Michael Davidoff and Bill Rosenthal.  Teleplay by Michael Davidoff & Bill Rosenthal.

Me and Lee — Me and Lee is about a down on his luck 20-something who goes in for back surgery, but the procedure doesn’t go well. Enter Lee Majors, who claims he has the perfect solution. He entices the young man into his ultra high-tech lab and makes him bionic. Majors becomes the unlikeliest of mentors helping the young man get his life back together. Jenji Kohan, the executive producer and creator of Weeds, serves as the executive producer of Me and Lee along with the writer Matthew Salzberg, Allan Loeb and Steven Pearl. Produced by Lionsgate.

REALITY DEVELOPMENT

Culture Shock with Tommy Lee – This one-hour investigative travel show follows Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee as he attempts to uncover the various rituals, symbols and other mysteries of secret societies around the world. Tommy Lee will dig into the history behind the secret society, search out its meeting locations and members, and meet with former members to reveal the society’s rituals and deepest secrets. A production of ITV Studios America. Executive producers: Tommy Lee and Carl Stubner. Supervising producer: Jenna Barnes.

Monster Man – When Hollywood studios want a bizarre creature, monster prop or out-of-this world alien, they turn to Cleve Hall and his very unique, family business. This series goes behind the scenes of Cleve’s workshop, where the craziness of this fun family is matched only by the insane monsters they build.  Produced by Gurney Productions. Executive producers: Scott Gurney and Dierdre Gurney.

Stunts Unlimited — Stunts Unlimited is an elite and exclusive fraternity of artists committed to a very imaginative, creative, unique and dangerous craft — movie stunts. This series takes audiences behind-the-scenes into a world rarely seen, unveiling the innovations and problem solving necessary to accomplish the most spectacular stunts in Hollywood. With their lives on the line with every stunt, the members of Stunts Unlimited form a close-knit work family, helping them balance the challenges of their jobs and their families. Executive producers: Ric Roman Waugh and Gary Binkow.

Hi Tech Hoaxes — The series where the supernatural, the mythical and the astonishing leave the big screen and step into people’s everyday lives. Each week two teams will go head-to-head to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience for an unsuspecting pair of people, who are about to have their world turned upside down for a brief, thrilling moment.  Teams of engineers, tech geniuses and pranksters will draw their inspiration from requests sent by ordinary people who want to execute the hoax on friends, family, colleagues, customers, kids, parents or even pupils. They’ll rely on the technical know- how and the resourcefulness of the teams to make it happen.  But it needs to be hyper-convincing because these hoaxes are going to be happening in the real world In Plain Sight. Produced by North One Television.

Dinner with Deepak — If you could invite three people to dinner, who would they be? Best selling author and spiritual teacher Dr. Deepak Chopra dines and joins in conversation with some of the greatest minds and creators in the world today. In every episode, Chopra brings together a group of noteworthy guests to share a meal and a conversation ranging in topic from the spiritual, political and scientific to supernatural, designed to challenge our standard conventions and push the boundaries of viewers’ imaginations and intellects. Executive producers: Deepak Chopra, Gotham Chopra, Tim Piper and Sharad Devarajan.

Tyler Shields – A docu-series featuring unconventional photographer Tyler Shields and his team as they create worlds that are always surprising, shocking, and totally surreal. This Los Angeles-based artist is one of the most creative and original photographers working today. His subjects are celebrities, actors, models, and everyday people captured in magical, beautiful, and often dangerous situations. His eye-popping, jaw-dropping photos are designed to elicit the subject’s purest emotion right in the moment using no special effects. A production of RelativityREAL. Executive producers: Tom Forman, Tyler Shields and Zach Quinto.

Overthunk — A one-hour series that follows two teams of four talented creators as they compete to design, build and set off massive chain reaction machines. The best gizmo gladiators across America will face off in a weekly contest testing their mettle through gears and metal. Each week visits a new city, where natural rivals race against the clock and each other to brainstorm and build a fantastic apparatus that completes a specific task and keeps viewers holding their breath to see if these contraptions will actually work. Along the way, surprise “monkey wrenches” will challenge their minds and their patience. Produced by 25/7 Productions. Executive producer: Dave Broome.

Change the Day You Die — Change the Day You Die is an inspiring new reality series that uses state-of-the-art science to dramatically transport its participants into the future to face their own self-inflicted demise. Each of the seemingly healthy, unsuspecting candidates — nominated by friends, family and loved ones — will go on a 10-week transformational journey where they must master a series of mental and physical challenges designed to reverse their bad habits and add back valuable lost years to their lives.  Through medical-condition simulators, life-enhancing technology, unique graphics and special effects, each participant will experience firsthand the grim reality of their potential future so that they have the opportunity to change their ways before it’s too late. Produced by 3 Ball Productions/Eyeworks USA. Executive Producers: JD Roth and Todd A. Nelson (3 Ball Productions/Eyeworks USA) and Danny Fenton (Zig Zag Productions).
Imagination Nation — The innovators behind Hammacher Schlemmer, America’s oldest continuously published catalog that offers imaginatively unexpected and innovative products, go on the road to meet inventors from all walks of life to find fresh offerings for their inventory. Produced by North South Productions. Executive producers: Charlie DeBevoise and Mark Hickman.

America’s Smartest Kids — A thought provoking, reality competition show where the country’s most imaginative, innovative teenagers are challenged to invent a better future while competing for the title of America’s Smartest Kid. Executive producers: David Zelon and Michael Sardo.

SATURDAY ORIGINAL MOVIES

Red Faction: Origins — 2011 — Robert Patrick (Terminator 2), Brian J. Smith (Stargate Universe) and Kate Vernon (Battlestar Galactica) star in Red Faction: Origins, based on the hugely successful Red Faction video game franchise. Twenty-five years have passed since Alec Mason (Patrick) led the Martian Colonies to freedom …and 12 years since vengeful enemies killed his wife, kidnapped his daughter Lyra (Tamzin Merchant), and left a broken hero in their wake.

Jake Mason (Smith), Alec’s only son and an officer in the Red Faction Militia, has his world turned inside out when he discovers that now, 12 years after her kidnapping, his sister is still alive.  As a powerful new enemy swarms across the planet, Jake goes out to find her, only to learn that his lost sister is one of them…a cold-blooded soldier sworn to destroy the Red Faction. Red Faction: Origins is produced by Universal Cable Productions and UFO Films.

Zombie Apocalypse (working title) — October 2011 — Months after a zombie plague has wiped out 90 percent of the American population, a small group of survivors fight their way cross-country to a rumored refuge on the island of Catalina.  A production of The Asylum.

Gretl — November 2011 — As an adult, a witch hunter (Hansel) returns to the village where he lived as a child to find and kill the witch who killed his sister, Gretl (Shannen Doherty), only to find that Gretl is not dead and danger lurks around every corner.  Produced by Chesler/Permutter Productions & Vesuvius Productions.

Snowmageddon (working title) – December 2011 — A story about a mystical snow globe that makes very bad things happen in the real world when it is shaken.  A production of Cinetel.

Bigfoot – 2012 — 1970’s pop culture icons Danny Bonaduce (The Partridge Family) and Barry Williams (The Brady Bunch) face off in the hunt for the legendary mountain creature.  A production of The Asylum.

St. Patrick’s Day Leprechaun (working title) — St Patrick’s Day, Saturday, March 17th, 2012 — An evil leprechaun who has been imprisoned within the roots of a majestic old oak tree, is accidentally set loose on St. Patrick’s Day.  Once free, he takes out his bloody revenge on the descendants of the people who originally imprisoned him.  A production of After Dark Films.

Roswell — June 2012 – The story selected by fans for Syfy and IGN.com’s B Movie Mogul project, 65 years after the original UFO crash at Roswell, another ship from the same far-off civilization comes to rescue their downed comrades – and continue their preparation to invade the earth. Directed by Jason Connery (Area 51, The Devil’s Tomb). A production of After Dark Films.

Jersey Shore Shark Attack — 2012 – While everyone else runs scared, vacationing Jerseyites fend off shark attacks on the shore.  A production of ARO Entertainment.

Dungeons and Dragons 4 (working title) — September 2012 – A princess and a rogue knight become reluctant heroes  inside a magical kingdom.  A production of After Dark Films with Silver Pictures.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 99 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

SyFy & THQ Original Movie Red Faction: Origins To Premiere This Saturday, June 4th At 9:00 p.m.

Via Press Release:

SYFY AND THQ ORIGINAL MOVIE RED FACTION: ORIGINS TO PREMIERE ON SYFY SATURDAY, JUNE 4, AT 9PM (ET/PT)

ALL-STAR CAST LED BY BRIAN J. SMITH (Stargate Universe), ROBERT PATRICK (TERMINATOR 2) AND KATE VERNON (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA)

RED FACTION ARMAGEDDON VIDEO GAME SET TO BE RELEASED MAY 31

New York, NY, and Agoura Hills, CA – April 15, 2011 – Part of a first-of-its-kind transmedia deal, the THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and SyfyOriginal Movie Red Faction^®: Origins^TM, based on the highly successful Red Faction® video game franchise, will premiere on SyfySaturday, June 4, at 9PM (ET/PT), less than a week after the Red Faction^® Armageddon™ video game is released.

Red Faction: Origins follows the children of rebel hero Alec Mason, set during a period between the Red Faction^®Guerrilla™ and Red Faction Armageddon video games.

Directed by Peabody-Award winner Michael Nankin (Caprica, Battlestar Galactica, CSI: Crime SceneInvestigation), Red Faction: Originsstars Brian J. Smith (Stargate Universe), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day), Kate Vernon (Battlestar Galactica), Danielle Nicolet (The Starter Wife), Gareth David-Lloyd (Torchwood), Tamzin Merchant (The Tudors) and Devon Graye (Dexter).

RED FACTION: ORIGINS

Twenty-five years have passed since Alec Mason (Robert Patrick) led the Martian Colonies to freedom …and 12 years since vengeful enemies killed his wife, kidnapped his daughter Lyra (Tamzin Merchant), and left a broken hero in their wake.

Jake Mason (Brian J. Smith), Alec’s last surviving son and an officer in the Red Faction Militia, has his world turned inside out when he discovers that now, 12 years after her kidnapping, his sister is still alive.  As a powerful new enemy swarms across the planet, Jake goes out to find her, only to learn that his lost sister is one of them…a cold-blooded soldier sworn to destroy the Red Faction.

Jake must now battle the relentless regime and somehow reunite a family torn apart by war.

Kate Vernon portrays The Matriarch, leader of the tribal Marauders sect.

Red Faction: Origins is produced by Universal Cable Productions (UCP) and UFO Films (Lake Placid 2 & 3).

The Red Faction: Origins screenplay was written by notable writer and producer Andrew Kreisberg (Warehouse 13, Fringe, Eli Stone), based on a story developed by THQ Director, Fiction Development Paul DeMeo (The Rocketeer, The Flash, Viper) and THQ Executive Vice President, Core Games, Danny Bilson (The Sentinel, Human Target, The Flash). Kreisberg also serves as executive producer.

RED FACTION: ARMAGEDDON

Half a century after the Red Faction resistance freed Mars, the red planet again becomes a battleground. Colonists struggle for survival in the underground mines after the surface is rendered uninhabitable. When Darius Mason, grandson of revolution heroes Alec Mason and Samanya, unknowingly releases a long-dormant evil, Armageddon is unleashed on Mars. As settlements are torn asunder, only Darius and the Red Faction can save mankind. The battle will take them to the core of the storm-blasted planet through ice caves and lava flows until they are face to face against the unspeakable threat. Red Faction: Armageddon expands on the critically acclaimed, best-selling franchise with new, groundbreaking challenges.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (SyfyVentures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 99 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

Universal Cable Productions creates quality content across multiple media platforms for USA, Syfy and other networks.  A leader in innovative and critically acclaimed programming, UCP is the studio behind USA’sRoyal Pains, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Psych, In Plain Sight, Covert Affairs and Fairly Legal, as well as Syfy‘sEureka, Warehouse 13 and Alphas. The studio also produced the long-running series Monk andBattlestar Galactica, as well as the series Caprica.  UCP is a division of NBC Universal.

THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company develops its products for all popular game systems, personal computers and wireless devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells product through its global network of offices located throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. More information about THQ and its products may be found atwww.thq.com.

THQ, Red Faction, Red Faction Guerrilla, Red Faction Armageddon, Red Faction Origins and their respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SyFy Summer Schedule With VIDEOS!

(Scroll Down and Pause The Hulu Video For Ghost Hunters International That Just Autoplayed!)

Yeah, yeah, yeah… we know that we are very late with this but before the Summer Cable season heats up, we had a moral obligation to get out SyFy’s Summer schedule.

A few notes:

• First, we simply do not tolerate this garbage notion that’s promoted  on other blogs and by the fanboys that there’s no Science Fiction on SyFy anymore because they have one hour of wrestling per week and the final nail in the coffin was when the net work changed it’s name from SciFi to SyFy. We’re preparing an entire piece dispelling these particular myths but if you feel a need to peddle this crap, bring it on and we’ll be glad to embarrass you.
• Great to see returning scripted dramas Warehouse 13 and Eureka coming back (even though we knew a long time ago they were).  We didn’t care for Haven, but we are willing to give it another shot and we’ll update our review accordingly if appropriate.
• New scripted drama series Alphas will premiere on Monday July 11th along with WH13 and Eureka.  It doesn’t look like a particularly original concept, but it does look like a lot of fun.
• The reality shows are the reality shows.  SciFi does a pretty good job with them and they are hugely successful for the network but it’s nothing for us to get excited over.  We’ll pick up an episode here or there, but that’s about it.
• Of course, the one thing that SyFy excels in is guilty-pleasure, over-the-top, ridiculous original SyFy/Horror films.  This summer is no different and although a lot of our friends love these dopey things, we generally pass, however…
• We have to say that Red Faction: Origins based on the popular video game franchise looks pretty damned good, all things considering.  We’re not suggesting Emmy nominations but the production values look like they are up there with BSG production values so we’ll definitely be watching.  Having Robert Patrick as your lead doesn’t hurt you either.
• Alright, we admit it, Age of Dragons starring Danny Glover looks pretty good as well although it’s got that Reign of Fire feel to it.  The thing is that ROF is actually a pretty good flick and grossly underrated (check it it out.  FUll film of ROF on YouTube, here!) We’ll give this retelling of Melville’s Moby Dick (no kidding… not only is it billed as such but all of the characters names are straight of the classic novel) a shot.
• Although we missed the the Star Trek film marathon (pfffbbbt… who cares?  we have them all on Blu-Ray to begin with), the perennial Twilight Zone marathon will return on July 4th as it should.  If you can’t wait until then, Netflix has all 138 episodes in glorious HD availabel for streaming.  We’ve really re-discovered this epic series as of late thanks to Netflix and we’ll be doing a piece on the twenty greatest episodes of TTZ in the near future and our choices and omissions may surprise you.

SYFY’S SIZZLING SUMMER 2011 WILL FEATURE PREMIERE OF ALPHAS, RETURN OF Warehouse 13, Eureka AND HAVEN

DEBUT OF REALITY SERIES HAUNTED COLLECTOR AND LEGEND QUEST

NEW SEASONS OF Hollywood Treasure AND Ghost Hunters INTERNATIONAL

SATURDAY ORIGINAL MOVIES INCLUDE RED FACTION: ORIGINS AND ICE ROAD TERROR

NEW YORK – April 15, 2011 – Syfy will heat up Summer 2011 by launching four scripted series in July — the most ever in a single month — with newcomer Alphas joining powerhouses Warehouse 13, Eureka and Haven.

Along with expanding its popular scripted franchise, Syfy is building on successful reality programming such asGhost Hunters, Face Offand Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files by introducing two new series. Haunted Collectorwill be paired with the second season return ofHollywood Treasure on June 1, while Legend Quest debuts in July following the third season premiere of Ghost Hunters International.

Hot weather Saturday Original Movies will include Red Faction: Origins — based on the popular Red Faction video game franchise –Swamp Shark and Ice Road Terror.

Syfy Summer 2011 kicks off with a Star Trek movie marathon on Memorial Day weekend and will also include a July 4^th Twilight Zonemarathon.

Highlights of Syfy Summer 2011 Programming

June 2011

HAUNTED COLLECTOR **NEW ORIGINAL REALITY SERIES**

Wednesday, June 1, at 9PM (ET/PT) — Ghosts and spirits inhabit more than just homes and buildings — they can also live in objects.  In the new Syfy reality series Haunted Collector, a family of paranormal investigators hunt down haunted items bedeviling their owners. For 30 years John Zaffis, eminent paranormal researcher and demonologist, has been consulted on countless hauntings for clients all over the country, desperate to return their lives to normalcy. Author of the critically acclaimed book “Shadows of the Dark,” Zaffis has amassed thousands of possessed objects that reside in the bizarre museum which he built next to his house in Connecticut. Along with his son Chris, daughter Amy, and paranormal investigators Beth Ezzo and Brian Cano, Zaffis tracks down haunted items such as paintings, guns, jewelry and antiques. Once identified, the items are collected and stored in the museum. Haunted Collector is produced by Gurney Productions. Executive producers are Scott Gurney and Dierdre Gurney.

Watch the Complete First Episode!

Hollywood Treasure MID-SEASON RETURN

Wednesday, June 1, at 10PM (ET/PT) — All new episodes of Hollywood Treasure, which premiered its first season in October, introduced Joe Maddalena, owner of Profiles in History and the world’s largest auctioneer of original movie, television and pop culture collectibles. In these new episodes, Joe tracks down one-of-a-kind pieces from Forbidden Planet and Lost in Space.  He also works with Debbie Reynolds, who entrusts Joe with the task of selling her multi-million dollar collection. Hollywood Treasure is produced by Zupon Entertainment, LLC.  Mark Zupon is executive producer. Joseph Boyle is co-executive producer.

July 2011

ALPHAS **NEW ORIGINAL DRAMA SERIES**

Monday, July 11 @ 10pm (ET/PT)  – Alphas follows a team of ordinary citizens with extraordinary mental and physical abilities. Taking the law into their own hands, the unlikely team, led by Dr. Leigh Rosen (Emmy Award-winner and Oscar nominee David Strathairn) investigates cases that suggest other Alpha activity to uncover what the CIA, FBI and Pentagon have not been able, or willing, to solve. These gifted individuals must balance their quirky personalities and disparate backgrounds with their not always visible powers as they work to solve crimes, stop the ticking time bomb and catch the enemy. Alphas also stars Malik Yoba, Warren Christie, Laura Mennell, Ryan Cartwright and Azita Ghanizada, and is a production of Universal Cable Productions and BermanBraun Television. Executive producers are Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein for BermanBraun, Zak Penn and Ira Steven Behr.

LEGEND QUEST **NEW ORIGINAL REALITY SERIES**

Wednesday, July 13 @ 10pm (ET/PT) — This fast-paced action-adventure series follows Ashley Cowie, an archaeological explorer and expert in ancient symbols, as he travels the world in search of some of history’s greatest and most mysterious artifacts. From King Arthur’s famous sword to the Lost Ark of the Covenant, all of the elusive items are believed to hold hidden powers and mystical significance for ancient and modern cultures. Each of the six episodes will include Indiana Jones-type adventure and Da Vinci Code-style puzzle solving as the secreted truths and alternative theories of these mythical relics are explored.  Cowie and his team leave no stone unturned as they hack through dense jungles, squeeze through tiny caves and trek through forbidding deserts to find their next clue. Their expeditions will reveal secrets that have been guarded for centuries and are still being protected today. Legend Quest is executive produced by John Brenkus and Mickey Stern for BASE Productions.

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Eureka SEASON 4.5

Monday, July 11 @ 8pm (ET/PT) — In the season 4.5 return of Eureka, as the timeline changes from their trip to 1947 continue to surprise Carter, Allison, Henry, Jo and Fargo, an accident of astronomical proportions launchesEureka’s most ambitious project yet.  The entire town rallies to go where no man has gone before, pitting scientist against scientist to be one of the chosen few.  But our heroes’ new relationships are tested as secrets begin to surface. And the competition grows fierce when darker forces threaten to bring everyone down if they fail.During its fourth season, Eureka averaged 3.16 million total viewers, 1.40 million Adults 18-49, 1.58 million Adults 25-54 and a 2.25 household rating, based on Live+7 DVR data. Eureka stars Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Joe Morton, Erica Cerra, Neil Grayston and Niall Matter. Co-creator Jaime Paglia and Bruce Miller are executive producers.  The series is produced by Universal Cable Productions.

Warehouse 13 SEASON 3

Monday, July 11 @ 9pm (ET/PT) – Warehouse 13, Syfy’s most successful series ever, returns for a third season with a key question looming from the gripping season two finale: has Myka (Joanne Kelly) left the Warehouse for good? Joining the Warehouse team is Steve Jinks (Aaron Ashmore, Smallville), an ATF agent with an innate ability to detect when someone’s lying.

Warehouse 13 follows a team of government agents who work at a massive, top-secret storage facility in South Dakota which houses every strange artifact, mysterious relic, fantastical object and preternatural souvenir ever collected by the U.S. government. The Warehouse’s caretaker Artie Nielsen (Saul Rubinek) charges Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock), Myka Bering (Kelly) and young apprentice Claudia Donovan (Allison Scagliotti) with chasing down reports of supernatural and paranormal activity in search of new objects to cache. During its second season, Warehouse 13 averaged 3.43 million total viewers, 1.51 million Adults 18-49, 1.80 million Adults 25-54 and a 2.4 household rating, based on DVR Live +7 data. Warehouse 13 is produced for Syfy by Universal Cable Productions. Jack Kenny (The Book of Daniel) is executive producer and showrunner.

HAVEN SEASON 2

Friday, July 15 @ 10pm (ET/PT) — Last season, when FBI agent Audrey Parker (Emily Rose) arrived in the town of Haven, Maine on a routine case, her knack for unraveling mysteries proved an asset when she discovered that the seemingly sleepy town was, in fact, a longtime refuge for people with supernatural afflictions.  Now, in Season Two, Audrey must not only stay on top of Haven’s many afflictions –which continue to be revealed in every episode – but also solve her most challenging case yet: the secret of her own lost past and its ties to Haven.

With the help of Nathan Wuornos (Lucas Bryant), a handsome local cop with his own trouble, and Duke Crocker (Eric Balfour) a local smuggler and reluctant aide in solving Haven’s troubles, Audrey digs deeper into uncovering her identity.  Guest stars Jason Priestley (who will also direct an episode) and Vinessa Antoine join the cast for season two, which is currently in production on 13 episodes in Nova Scotia. Haven, from leading independent producer Entertainment One (eOne) is co-commissioned by Shaw Media in Canada and globally via Universal Networks International (UNI).

The creative team behind the second season of Haven includes Executive Producers John Morayniss (Hung,Goodnight for Justice) and Noreen Halpern ( Call me Fitz, Rookie Blue) from eOne and David MacLeod (Legends of the Fall, The Ray Bradbury Theater) of Big Motion Pictures, who are joined by Lloyd Segan, Shawn Piller, Scott Shepherd (Stephen King’s The Dead Zone) and Matt McGuiness (Journeyman) as well as and Sam Ernst & Jim Dunn (Stephen King’s The Dead Zone) who also developed the series.

Haven is produced by Entertainment One (eOne) and Big Motion Pictures in association with Piller/Segan/Shepherd and airs on Syfy in the U.S., Showcase in Canada and internationally on UNI’s multipleSyfy Universal channels. Entertainment One controls the worldwide distribution rights to the one-hour series and concluded a deal with Germany’s Tele München Group (TMG) for the television rights in continental Europe.

Sorry, this is the best we could do!

Ghost Hunters INTERNATIONAL SEASON 3

Wednesday, July 13 @ 9pm (ET/PT) – Ghost Hunters International – The GHI team kicks off the third season traveling deep into the rainforest of Trinidad, where it’s reported that the spirit of Count Lopinot, a cruel slave master, rises from the grave of his cocoa plantation.Ghost Hunters International features a squad of paranormal investigators who use their principles of scientific techniques to explore some of the most legendary haunted spots around the world. Each week the team travels to the far corners of the globe, searching for answers to bizarre supernatural mysteries.  The team of investigators is led by Barry FitzGerald and Kris Williams and also stars Joe Chin, Susan Slaughter, Paul Bradford and Scott Tepperman. Ghost Hunters International is produced in association with Craig Piligian’s Pilgrim Films and Television (Dirty Jobs, The Ultimate Fighter, My Fair Wedding). Piligian and Thomas Thayer, along with Rob Katz and Alan David, serve as executive producers.

Saturday Original Movies

Red Faction: Origins – Saturday, June 4, at 9PM (ET/PT) — Robert Patrick (Terminator 2), Brian J. Smith (Stargate Universe) and Kate Vernon (Battlestar Galactica) star in Red Faction: Origins, based on the hugely successfulRed Faction video game franchise. Twenty-five years have passed since Alec Mason (Patrick) led the Martian Colonies to freedom and 12 years since vengeful enemies killed his wife, kidnapped his daughter Lyra (Tamzin Merchant), and left a broken hero in their wake. Jake Mason (Smith), Alec’s only son and an officer in the Red Faction Militia, has his world turned inside out when he discovers that now, 12 years after her kidnapping, his sister is still alive.  As a powerful new enemy swarms across the planet, Jake goes out to find her, only to learn that his lost sister is one of them — a cold-blooded soldier sworn to destroy the Red Faction. Vernon portrays The Matriarch, leader of the tribal Marauders sect. Red Faction: Origins is produced by Universal Cable Productions and UFO Films.

Ice Road Terror – Saturday, June 11, at 9PM (ET/PT) — Truckers (Brea Grant, Michael Hogan) face a deadly ice creature on the frozen roads.  A production of ARO Entertainment.

Swamp Shark – Saturday, June 25, at 9PM (ET/PT) — Kristy Swanson, D.B. Sweeney and Robert Davi star in the story of mutant sharks terrorizing the Louisiana bayous. A production of Active Entertainment.

Age of Dragons – July – Danny Glover stars in a re-imagining of Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick, set in a mythical realm where Captain Ahab and crew hunt dragons for the vitriol that powers their world. A production of Dragon Quest Productions LLC.

Super Eruption — July — A scientist and a park ranger (Juliet Aubrey, Richard Burgi) try to stop the eruption of a massive volcano under Yellowstone Park.  A production of MarVista Entertainment.

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Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (SyfyVentures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 99 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

RETRACTION: The X Factor: Cheryl Cole OUT! Simon Cowell Says ‘Too British Sounding.’ Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger IN!

Yesterday we reported that Cheryl Cole had been replaced by the Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger as a judge on FOX’s upcoming singing competition show, The X Factor. Everything in the piece itself was accurate however our headline, “The X Factor: Cheryl Cole OUT! Simon Cowell Says ‘Too British Sounding.’ Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger IN!,” was not.  Simon Cowell had nothing to do with Cole’s departure and did not suggest that her accent was too thick for American audiences and in fact it’s been reported that he fought desperately to save her.

The Hollywood Reporter is citing sources who claim that the decision was a decision by the network itself and the accent issue was theirs alone.  Prior reports implied that it was show producers that had the issue with her accent and were responsible for the decision to replace her.  Since Simon Cowell is the main producer of this show, we assumed that these were his sentiments and that this was his decision.  This obviously was a mistake.

We have also issued the retraction made the correction on the original piece.

ALERT! The X Factor: Cheryl Cole OUT! Simon Cowell Says FOX Execs: ‘Too British Sounding.’ Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger IN!

We reported two weeks ago that Paula Abdul had signed on as a judge alongside her former American Idol co-judge, Simon Cowell on his highly anticipated singing competition show, The X Factor, along with Cheryl Cole and L.A. Reid.  TMZ is reporting that Cheryl Cole, who was a judge on the U.K. version of the show, has been replaced by the Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger citing concerns over American audiences having difficulty understanding her because of her thick British accent and a lack of chemistry with Abdul.  Producers now want Cole to return to the U.K. version of the show but sources say that she is so angry about how the situation was handled that she may sever ties with the franchise entirely. We doubt it.  We wouldn’t even know who she was if not for this so she needs all of the exposure she can get.

We look at this two ways: first how bad could her accent possibly be?  If American audiences can sit through Ewan MacGregor’s Scottish brogue in Trainspotting:

… then we can certainly handle this:

Now of course, the best part of the clip above is that if you listen closely, she pauses in the middle of that to squeak out a little fart.  G’head… go back and play it again, we’ll wait.

See, we told you.

Now aside from the obvious issues of farting on the air and how that probably isn’t something that will be embraced by American audiences (except us), the ultimate irony here is that Simon Cowell is concerned that American audiences aren’t going to be able to understand My-Fair-Lady/the-rain-in-Spain-falls-mainly-on-the-plain up there but he doesn’t have any concerns about two or three nights per week of this in primetime:

Steve Jones: Limey Stud

Obviously, though, if the other issue was chemistry with Abdul, it was simply a no-brainer that Cole would be the expendable judge.  Scherzinger was originally cast to co-host the show with Steve Jones but now with the move, he’ll be doing it alone.  Don’t feel bad folks, we don’t know who he is either however, apparently he’s quite popular in the U.K. and in order to get this gig he had to initially promise not to nail his fellow co-stars and no, we aren’t kidding. Just for that alone he gets our endorsement.  But seriously, how hard can it be? Seacrest has been doing it for a decade and he hosts a daily radio show and that dopey show on E!

EDITOR’S NOTE – RETRACTION:  Our headline, “The X Factor: Cheryl Cole OUT! Simon Cowell Says ‘Too British Sounding.’ Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger IN!,” was not correct.  Cowell had nothing to do with Cole’s departure and did not suggest that her accent was too thick for American audiences and in fact it’s been reported that he fought desperately to save her.

The Hollywood Reporter is citing sources who claim that the decision was a decision by the network itself and the accent issue was theirs alone.  Prior reports implied that it was show producers that had the issue with her accent and were responsible for the decision to replace her.  Cowell is the main producer of this show, we assumed that these were his sentiments and that this was his decision.  This obviously was a mistake.

See the full retraction, here. 

TV NEWS! DONE DEAL: Paula Abdul To Join Simon Cowell This Fall On The X-Factor, FOX’s Highly Anticipated New Talent Show

If you’re anything like us, you freely admit that the only reason you turned into American Idol for as long as you did was because of Simon Cowell and it wasn’t just for how brutal he was to the first round contestants.  Despite Cowell’s dry and sometimes cruel wit, he was generally the only one on that panel who could relay any particular insight to the audience regarding the music industry itself and at the end of the day you had more faith in his opinion than anyone else on the judge’s panel.  This is not take anything away from the other judges and guest judges that have graced AI over the years, but Cowell truly brought a sense of balance to the Force and if you’ve watched recently, even if you are still a fan, you can’t help but to admit that it’s become kind of a disjointed mess since his departure.  Honestly, does anyone take Steven Tyler seriously at all?

Now if you’re still being honest, even if you hate to admit it, Paula Abdul certainly had her place on that panel and even when she left it was like we lost a part of the family. Between her obnoxious over-the-top praising, soft-peddling, sometimes inebriated commentary and the banter between her and Cowell, it made for good television.  So when we heard a couple of months ago from the T-Shirt himself that he would love to get Paula back on his new talent show, The X-Factor, and that he was actively courting her, we were excited about the prospect of two-thirds of the old team getting back together albeit skeptical at the possibility because, let’s be honest, how often do these situations pan out?  But then again… this is Simon “King Midas” Cowell we’re talking about, as well.

So without further adieu it gives us great pleasure to announce that Paula Abdul has indeed signed on as a judge on TXF along with Cowell, Cheryl Cole, and Antonio “L.A.” Reid.  This is not only going to be great fun for fans but this is very good for FOX broadcasting as it will increase the advertising value of this show even more than we already had expected.

Why should we care about that?  It’s simple: the more money TXF makes, the more money FOX has to justify keeping lower rated, critically acclaimed scripted programming and it also acts as great lead-ins for the scripted shows as well, putting more eyes on them. You like your shows like Lie To Me, Human Target, Breaking In and The Chicago Code? Then, even if you don’t have any interest in reality show talent competitions you need to be rooting for TXF to make as much money as possible.

Why We Love Paula:

FOX for some reason has decided to one-up ABC in the ridiculously long press release department so feel free to quit after the first paragraph below.

Via Press Release:

GRAMMY AND EMMY AWARD WINNER PAULA ABDUL

JOINS CHERYL COLE, ANTONIO “L.A.” REID AND SIMON COWELL

ON “The X Factor” JUDGES PANEL

Auditions Continue in Dallas on Thursday, May 26

Singers and Vocal Groups Age 12 and Over Eligible to Audition

For Chance to Win a $5 Million Syco/Sony Music Recording Contract

America’s sweetheart, world-renowned choreographer and pop icon Paula Abdul will join Cheryl Cole, Antonio “L.A.” Reid and Simon Cowell as a judge on The X Factor, the highly anticipated singing competition series debuting this fall on FOX. Abdul, who sat alongside Cowell for eight seasons as a judge on American Idol, has worldwide album sales exceeding 50 million records, two No. 1 albums, six No. 1 singles, a Grammy Award, seven MTV Awards, two Emmy Awards, two People’s Choice Awards and two Kids’ Choice Awards. Abdul will join Cole, Cowell, and Reid as they travel to The X Factor audition cities searching for the next global superstar or breakout music group.

“This show would never have been the same without Paula and I can’t believe I am saying this – I have missed her a lot, and I am thrilled she’s on the show,” said Simon Cowell.

“I am excited beyond words to be a part of The X Factor.  I couldn’t be happier to bring my love for cultivating talent and performance to such a wildly anticipated show,” said Paula Abdul.   “I’m looking forward to being back with the FOX/FremantleMedia family and know that it will be an extraordinary journey — we’re going to have a blast.  I’m also delighted and grateful to be sitting next to Simon again…but you might want to check back with me in a week or two!”

“Paula is not only the lovely, nurturing person that America fell in love with, but she’s also one of the  fiercest competitors I’ve ever seen — which makes her a perfect fit to judge The X Factor,” said Mike Darnell, President of Alternative Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “Paula and Simon have undeniable chemistry, and together with L.A. Reid and Cheryl Cole, I think we’ve put together an incredibly entertaining judges’ panel.”

“I’m thrilled to be working with Paula again,” says executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz. “A consummate entertainer in her own right, she has an extraordinary talent and generosity for nurturing performers — and her chemistry with Simon Cowell is like no other. I especially look forward to seeing her signature sensibilities in action during our mentoring rounds!”

Auditions continue in Dallas, TX, on Thursday, May 26.

The X Factor is searching for undiscovered talent 12 years old or over – both solo artists and vocal groups – who are willing to brave the panel for a chance to win a $5 million recording contract with Syco/Sony Music.  Interested solo artists and vocal groups should sign up now for audition information at www.fox.com/theXfactor or call toll-free 855-345-5678.

In a departure from other singing competition series, the first time contestants audition for The X Factor judges, they will do so in front of an audience of thousands – raising the stakes and increasing the pressure to impress not only the judges, but also a potential legion of fans. This will be the ultimate test to prove they have the vocal ability, charisma and stage presence that it takes to win an unprecedented $5 million recording contract with Syco/Sony Music.

As previously announced, Pepsi will serve as an official sponsor of The X Factor. The comprehensive sponsorship includes an extensive, multi-platform off-air marketing partnership; weekly in-show integrations and placements; and an immersive content experience online.

The X Factor is produced by Syco Television and FremantleMedia North America. Simon Cowell, Rob Wade and Siobhan Greene are executive producers for Syco Television. Cecile Frot-Coutaz, Richard Holloway and Andrew Llinares serve as executive producers for FremantleMedia North America.

About Paula Abdul

Paula Abdul is one of the most-recognized pop singers and choreographers in film, television, video, stage and live tours. Her celebrated work in choreography includes Emmy-winning contributions to “The Tracey Ullman Show” and Emmy-nominated choreography for the Academy Awards, as well as Abdul’s own performance on “The American Music Awards.” Other triumphs include her award-winning work with Janet Jackson, which garnered two MTV Video Awards; and working with such music legends as Aretha Franklin, George Michael, Luther Vandross, INXS, Heart and Prince. Abdul’s favorite memory is dancing alongside her idol, Gene Kelly, in a celebrated and acclaimed commercial campaign. Abdul’s choreography contributions in feature films include the Academy Award-winning “American Beauty,” working with Cuba Gooding Jr. on his Academy Award-winning performance in “Jerry Maguire” and transforming Val Kilmer into Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s “The Doors.” Abdul’s music career encompasses worldwide album sales exceeding 50 million records, two No. 1 albums, six No. 1 singles, a Grammy Award, seven MTV Awards, two Emmy Awards, two People’s Choice Awards and two Kids’ Choice Awards. She has also been honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and inducted into Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Hall of Fame. Abdul served as a judge alongside Simon Cowell for eight seasons on the hit series American Idol. An acclaimed jewelry designer, Abdul introduced her Paula Abdul Jewelry Collection on QVC to record-breaking sales. The collection consists of charms, pendants, earrings and bracelets in a mix of textures and metals, adorned with meaningful phrases. Abdul, who got her first break as a Los Angeles Laker Girl, continues to honor her roots by running dance and cheerleading camps, competitions and scholarship programs throughout the country.

About “The X Factor”

Since its debut in 2004, “The X Factor” has remained the U.K.’s #1 program for the last seven years, peaking with an audience of 21 million with 65% audience share for its 2010 finale. The format swiftly broke similar records around the world, where local versions have consistently rated #1 in 15 territories, with a worldwide audience now well over 100 million. In Denmark, it has ranked #1 for the last four years, peaking with an 80% share of the audience. In Colombia, it has consistently ranked #1 with a 75% share of the audience. Additionally, “The X Factor” consistently delivers a 50% to 65% share of the viewing audiences in Greece, Hungary, Netherlands, France and Italy – with the highest percentage of these shares in A15-34. In some markets, “The X Factor” has increased the channel average demographic by up to 250%. The series has received numerous honors worldwide, including three BAFTA awards, numerous NTA awards and the coveted Rose d’Or. In the U.K., an unprecedented 1.5 million iTunes downloads were made from “The X Factor” contestant performances in 2010. Globally, more than 100 million records have been sold by artists launched through the series, including over 90 #1 singles and albums and 150 Top Ten records.

About Sony Music Entertainment

Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a current roster that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre, including American Recordings, Arista Nashville, Arista Records, Battery Records, Beach Street Records, BNA Records, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Day 1, Epic Records, Essential Records, Flicker Records, J Records, Jive Records, LaFace Records, Legacy Recordings, MASTERWORKS, Polo Grounds, RCA Records, RCA Nashville, RCA Red Seal, RCA Victor, Reunion Records, Roc Nation, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International, Verity Gospel Music Group, and Volcano Entertainment. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.

About Syco/Simon Cowell

Syco, with offices in London and Los Angeles, is a global music, television and film production joint venture between Simon Cowell and Sony Music Entertainment. Syco Television owns and produces the BAFTA Award-winning “The X Factor,” which has topped the charts around the world. Syco Television is also the owner of the “Got Talent” television format. Versions of both “The X Factor” and “Got Talent” are co-produced by Syco, and are shown in more than 70 countries and have won multiple awards including national television awards and BAFTAs. The X Factor launches in America on FOX in Fall 2011 with Cowell as a judge. Syco is also the record label home for such diverse international recording stars as Leona Lewis and Il Divo. Cowell has worked with artists selling more than 200 million albums and delivering more than 180 No. 1 records. Britain’s Got Talent in 2009 launched the global singing career of Susan Boyle. Her debut Syco album sold over 8 million units in six weeks, making it the world’s biggest-selling album of 2009 and the fastest-selling album in history and a total of 20 million records to date. In 2009, Cowell was named No. 1 in Hollywood Reporter’s Top 50 Most Powerful in Reality TV and Entertainment Weekly’s Top Entertainer of the Year. In 2010 Simon Cowell was awarded Variety International’s Humanitarian Award for his extensive charitable work, The Rose d’Or Golden Jubilee Award and BAFTA’s Special Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the entertainment industry and development of new talent. He also appeared on Time Magazine’s list of Most Influential People in the World and was awarded the International Emmy Founders Award.

About FremantleMedia North America

FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is the U.S. production division of global media giant FremantleMedia. Based in Burbank, California, FMNA produces entertaining and innovative programs for network, cable, syndicated and online platforms, including the Emmy-nominated musical/reality phenomenon American Idol (FOX), “America’s Got Talent” (NBC), “What Chilli Wants” (VH1), “Hole In The Wall” (Cartoon Network), “Jump City: Seattle” (G4), “Let’s Make A Deal” (CBS), “Family Feud” (syn), “The Price Is Right” (CBS) and the much-anticipated The X Factor in Fall 2011.

EXCLUSIVE ADVANCE REVIEW! ‘No Ordinary Family’ (ABC – Tuesdays, 8:00 p.m., Series Premiere September 28, 2010)

ABC Studios brings to life “The Incredibles”, the story of the Powells, an every day American family, who are too busy to spend time together. So they decide to take a trip as family as a way to reconnect, but on the way, their plane crashes. Now there’re back to their normal lives, but something seems to be happening to each one of them… they have superpowers. – ABC

The Preview (Posted on 9/15/2010):

First, let’s give credit to ABC for not only acknowledging right off-the-bat the most obvious criticism of this show – that being that it looks like Disney-Pixar’s The Incredibles – but outright OWNING it.  That’s the way to beat them at their own game!  And why wouldn’t Disney try to capitalize on their property in a prime time, live-action drama (for those of you that are unaware, Disney owns ABC)? Screw the nay-sayers, this show looks like a lot of fun and is my choice for sleeper hit of the season.  The concept is great and it’s not just a show for the family but it’s a show focused on the family as much as it is on their super powers.  Casting always tells me a lot about a show and No Ordinary Family is no different.  You’ve got Michael Chiklis as the dad (The Shield), Julie Benz as the mom (Dexter), Romany Malco (The 40 Year-Old Virgin) as the best friend and sidekick and lo and behold, Stephen Collins (7th Heaven) who appears to be our Lex Luthor-type.  I don’t care if I sound like a 10 year-old fanboy, I can’t wait to watch No Ordinary Family and apparently based on the amount of merchandising I saw over at the official site, ABC is pretty confident that they have a hit on their hands as well.

The Review:

8 out of 10

Last night, I was just about to do a review for the new HBO hit, Boardwalk Empire when Mrs. Tastic casually asked me when No Ordinary Family was premiering and I told her September 28th. Needless to say, I was very curious about her interest because she doesn’t like any of the shows that I do so I asked her why she was asking. She then informs me that she received an email offering her the chance to see an exclusive advanced screening of NOF. At this point I began pulling my hair out and I said, “… and you’re just telling me now???” She then said, “Well, what does it matter if it’s going to be on next week, anyway?”

This is when I discovered that apparently my wife is under the impression that I blog about miniature dachshunds.

To make matters worse, it turned out that she received the opportunity for the advance screening on September 14th and it was due to expire 90 minutes from when I learned about it.

AAAAARGH!!! (That was in celebration of International Talk Like a Pirate Day that was also on September 19th.)

Let’s begin, shall we?

Well, here’s the skinny: NOF is EXACTLY as advertised. Now, I know I said that about The CW’s Nikita, but it’s even more so in this case, and in fact a little to its detriment. I’m not saying that it’s not a good show (because, it really is) but that five-minute extended trailer literally gives away the majority of the pilot!

Bad move, ABC, because you took a lot of the fun out of the pilot episode. On the upside, though NOF is EXACTLY as advertised! Seriously, my preview is almost completely spot-on with its peremptory analysis.

As I noted last week, ABC does not hide from the premise of the live-action ‘Incredibles,’ it in fact they embrace it. Oh, and by the way, as an aside, the reason that the fancy wife got the invite for the advance screening to begin with: she’s registered at Disney.com (am I a TV prophet or what?).  So, basically, yeah, you’ve got a live-action ‘Incredibles’ but with a bit more of an adult theme.

I have to admit, I think it’s a little borderline for the 8:00 p.m. time slot.  9:00 p.m. is probably a little more appropriate considering the violence and more adult themes than I would have expected.  For example, The Powells aren’t just losing touch with each other… they’re REALLY dysfunctional and they are a lot of heavy emotional issues. One of the things I found particularly odd was that Jim Powell (Chiklis) seems OK with the concept of his 16 year-old daughter having sex with her boyfriend… but only if she’s ready. Yeah, that whole sub-plot was particularly awkward for me as a father and thank God the boyfriend was gone halfway through the pilot (yeah, I know that’s a spoiler… don’t worry, he won’t be missed).

So, yes there’s some pretty heavy themes that were kind of unexpected and as you would expect there is some moderate to heavy violence for prime-time television. But don’t get me wrong, it’s not violent like Heroes and in reality I am very thankful that it is nothing like Heroes whatsoever. Nothing against Heroes, which I followed faithfully for three and a half seasons, but in retrospect Heroes was a VERY dark show and I’m very happy that this approach to super heroes is a lot more light-hearted, however, I would definitely not recommend this show for children under twelve or so. Like with anything else, your mileage may vary depending on your kid.

Besides everything that I already knew about this show going into it, there were two things that I picked up on that I really liked. The most obvious was the big twist at the end of the episode that made up for the fact that most of the pilot was given away in the aforementioned five-minute teaser (***grumble, grumble***) and the second thing that was just brilliant was the music. If you pay attention, you’ll notice it’s classic super hero music.  Just think of the scores from the Richard Donner Superman films by John Williams and the Ghostbusters score by Elmer Bernstein.  It’s a very nice and subtle nod to the genre.

NOF is a very good show and I think it’s going to develop a very strong following. The premise is solid and the cast is fantastic and the characters are very well-conceived (although the kids are a little melodramatic my taste) and it has all the comic-booky goodness you can ask for.