SF Signal: Here We Go Again Or, SciFi's New Programs

Here We Go Again Or, SciFi's New Programs

SciFi today unveiled their new slate of programs in development. Lets take a look and determine whether SciFi is getting the 'suck' out:

Diamond Age - Based on the Neal Stephenson book (a good thing), this mini-series will be brought to you by George Clooney and friends (potentially scary). Still, Stephenson will be adapting the novel for TV (good!). I have no idea how they will film this. It's sort of like Hitchiker's Guide, in that there are vignettes that take place inside the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer. I'll definitely be watching this as I liked the book, and the potential is there for some really cool SF. Cautiously optimistic.

Avery House - Deals with "a bed and breakfast in which the innermost thoughts of both guests and owners miraculously come to life". Hmm, I've seen this show before, when it was called Fantasy Island. I'll watch only if they can get Herve Villechaize to reprise his roll and shout, "De SUV! De SUV!". Thumbs way down.

And Unnamed Action Movie - And no, I don't mean He Who Must Not Be Named. Rather, this one deals with "four convicts who are given new identities and technologically enhanced bodies to join a covert wing of the government on a mission to battle threats from science run amok". Sort of like The Dirty Dozen with an anti-science bent and without a dozen cast members. If this is a typical SciFi made for TV movie, thumbs way down. Otherwise, I"m ambivalent.

Revolution - colonists on a remote planet find themselves under siege from Earth. The premise sounds interesting and this is definitely SF. No word on whether Steven Segal will reprise his role....

Middletown - "two-hour pilot about a small town in Middle America that becomes the final battlefield for Earth when nefarious aliens make the town their Ellis Island". Shades of Men In Black! Is there enough here for an entire series? We'll have to wait and see, but I'm not holding my breath on this one.

Johnny Midnight - is the heartwarming tale of "a slacker who discovers that he has powers that can save the world from malevolen [sic] forces". Why a slacker? Is it because everyone else has a job and is too busy to save the world? A big fat 'Meh!' for this one.

Starcrossed - "is a half-hour comedy starring David Hewlett...who will draw from his own experiences for stories that go behind the scenes of a long-running space opera". What? Is this a comedy about the backstage shennanigans on a TV show? If so, I hope its like the 200th episode of Stargate which was pretty good, but I don't see this one lasting long term.

Witch School - is a "docusoap" about a school for witches. Ugh, just ugh. The less said the better.

These are the upcoming fare for SciFi. Some interesting stuff there, if only one that gets me interested to watch right off (Diamond Age). It could be worse, it could be more wrestling...