Sam Raimi is probably most known for directing the Spiderman and Evil Dead movies, but some of you may not know that he produced two somewhat popular series many years ago, Hecules and Xenia:Warrior Princess.

Well, he’s returning to television with a new series and Zap2it has the scoop.

I usually don’t get into the syndicated series, like Andromeda and Xenia, but I know a lot of scifi fans might, and stuff like this generally makes for some good entertainment on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

The Doctor’s former companion Billie Piper has grown up and moved on to “The Secret Diaries of a Call Girl”. As reported previously, Call Girl has been picked up by Showtime in the U.S.. Now a premiere date of June 16th has been set, and the Showtime website updated. Showtime describes the show as:

Taken from best-selling, real-life diaries, SECRET DIARY OF A CALL GIRL is an eye-opening look into the world of a high-end call girl leading a double life. To her friends and family she is Hannah, a legal secretary clocking in regular hours and enjoying a “normal” life. To her clients, she is Belle, the answer to every man’s fantasies. Her challenge is to keep her two lives separate. Inevitably they begin to blur. Each half-hour episode is an illuminating glimpse behind the scenes of the high-class sex trade. The heroine struggles with personal and moral issues — with some rather naughty adventures along the way.

Through the magic of 21st century technology, I’ve already seen this series. I found it complex, and a very different kind of show. I think fans of HBO’s Tell Me You Love Me or FX’s Nip/Tuck will appreciate the style. Fans of Rose will be in for a surprise.

The ending of the Housewives season finale last night completely caught me by surprise. In a move usually reserved for ’series’ finales, “BSG” or “Lost”, the last 2 minutes of the “Desperate Housewives” finale takes us 5 years on the future (See the clip here.). A synopsis of the flash-forward is…

Among the most surprising of them all is Gabrielle Solis’ two children, Juanita and Celiam whom she is the mother of. Eva admitted that the children made her enjoy the shoot of the series instead og making her strictly come for for and work leave routine on the sets.

Bree (Marcia Cross) is is cook book author whose agent is her son. Susan (Teri Hatcher) has found a new man. But what hasn’t changed is Lynette still being after her still extremely naughty now teenage children.

I can’t seem to find confirmation. Is this a BSG-style jump? Or, a “Lost”-style flash-forward? I’m a fare-weather fan of DH as sometimes the storylines are chalkboard-scraping bad. Susan’s future husband/boyfriend has been cast as a regular next season, but that doesn’t give us a timeline. The part of the jump I enjoyed was Gabrielle’s. Her character has gotten stale and needed a reboot. Carlos’ blindness just wasn’t enough.

Was it a jump? Was it a flash-forward? Was it a good idea?

Over at The Hollywood Reporter there is an article with several casting announcements. “Nip/Tuck”, “Caprica” and 90210.

On the upcoming sixth season of “Nip/Tuck,” [Katee] Sackhoff (”Battlestar Galactica”) will play Dr. Theodora “Teddy” Lowe, a new doctor who challenges Sean (Dylan Walsh). She will appear in four episodes. Also set to appear in the FX drama is Morgan Fairchild, who will play a movie star in one episode.

She missed CSI and landed “Nip/Tuck”. This is interesting as I believe her acting style fits well with “Nip/Tuck”. She seems to thrive on playing edgy, and the FX drama will give her that chance.

“90210″ centers on the Mills, a three-generation Beverly Hills family. [Rob] Estes will play the father, Harry Mills, who takes a job as principal of West Beverly High, his alma mater, after he moves his family from Kansas.

Estes is no stranger to the 90210 universe, where he played Kyle on “Melrose Place”. It’s interesting casting, but I don’t see it as bringing in new viewers. I felt they needed to go big to bring in those who feel they’ve outgrown 90210.

On the “Galactica” prequel “Caprica,” [Polly] Walker (”Rome”) will play Sister Clarice Willow, the gracious, eloquent and duplicitous high priestess and headmistress of the Athena Academy, a private religious school.

“Caprica” casting has been moving strong. I hope that they go with a slightly different feel for the prequel and don’t simply translate BSG back in time. The quality casting is continuing with Polly; I like the trend.

On “House,” [Michael] Weston (”Scrubs”) will play P.I. Lucas, a private investigator who is as intelligent but not as abrasive as Dr. House (Hugh Laurie). After a trial in a multi-episode arc, the character could become a regular on the hit Fox medical drama or become the center of a spinoff series.

Can Weston lead an entire show? I’m familiar enough with him to know if he could helm the House-spinoff.

A lot of casting news this morning. Good news? Bad news?

Because nobody asked for it, the suck factor of the live action Scooby Doo film series is getting extended to it’s original home, television. With a prequal, noneother! According to MovieHole.

Whats up with prequels? Do we really need to see the backstories to everything? We didn’t even really need to see Darth Vader’s life story, much less Mystery, Inc. Honestly, I think audiences can accept a bunch of teens and their dog solving mysteries without seeing how they met. And besides, we already got A Pup Named Scooby Doo!

Being a cartoon fan that grew up on Hannah-Barbara reruns, I must say that Scooby Doo is completely wrong for live action. Well, at least, the direction the live action films took were completely wrong for it. It didn’t even seem like Scooby Doo, and being that this is a prequel to that film series, I doubt this television event will be anything different.

Oprah has decided to bring an end to her reality help series “Big Give” on ABC. It had mediochre ratings but the network loved her idea, but she just decided it wasn’t something she wanted to do.

TVGuide Says:

“We loved that show and absolutely would have loved to bring it back,” said ABC entertainment president Steve McPherson. “But it was something (Oprah) didn’t want to do.”The show was based on an episode on Oprah’s talk show that featured her giving each audience member $1,000 and each person had to give the money to someone or something deserving.

It turns out that a woman Sued Oprah over the episode that this series was spawned from. Apparently she approached the network with a pitch for a similar series and they declined it, then a year Later Oprah is using the idea on her show?

The case was dismissed without option so I would assume that Oprah’s people assumed that the woman had no claim, but after the series ran for one season that same woman came back with some muster and a real lawyer to sue over the show.

The sad part is that for once, this reality series focused on HELPING PEOPLE. It wasn’t a greedy effort to see who could get more money per episode. They didn’t get voted out by being MORE giving. So they had to spend the entire series being selfless until one person was rewarded. Everyone else who got voted out left with nothing but the pleasure of helping people.

Now that this woman has challenged the idea a second time and Oprah magically decides the show isn’t worth her time?

The only losers here are the people this show might have helped.

Looks like another BBC show is getting the Americanized treatment, according to ScifiWire.

ABC has given a series order to the time-travel drama Life on Mars, the network confirmed during its upfront presentation for advertisers on May 13. An American adaptation of the popular BBC SF series of the same name, Life on Mars will be executive-produced by David E. Kelley, who owns the rights to the show. It will star Irish actor Jason O’Mara (Resident Evil: Extinction) as a modern-day cop who is transported back to the 1970s.

I haven’t seen or heard of the original Life on Mars, so I did a little search and looked at the premise, and it seemed quite interesting, but at the same time, seems like something that I would tire of after a while, especially if they just drag out the premise and it’s nothing but “Oh, I’m from 30 years in the future, I’m used to iPods ot record players” and so on and so on. Something I can see ABC doing.

But it does have an interesting premise, one that I am at least curious enough to check out at least once.

But, this leads me to another question, one that troubles me. Why must they keep pulling shows from BBC? Can’t they come up with something original? Or has all this reality tv thing brainwashed them into laziness?

It looks like producers are having a difficult time filling the patriarch of the Mills family in the new 90210 Sequel. TVGuide has:

According to insiders, filling the role of Harry, pop to Brandon Dixon and Brenda Annie, and husband to Lori Loughlin’s Cindy Debbie has been harder to do than get into Donna Martin’s pants. But it didn’t become a real issue, per se, until this week, when the prospect of unveiling the cast (and the first publicity photo, see above) minus Dad became a real possibility.

“The producers don’t like anyone they read,” a source close to the project whispers. “They tested someone on Tuesday morning, hoping to pull the trigger in time for the upfront, but the actor couldn’t get approved.”

The current cast (pictured) includes Dustin Milligan, AnnaLynne McCord, Jessica Walter, Shenae Grimes, Tristan Wilds, Lori Loughlin, Ryan Eggold, Jessica Stroup and Michael Steger. Yes, it’s strange to have a cast photo without the father, but I wonder how important the father (or mother for that matter) is to this show. Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Walsh were a big part of the original, but only for a short time.

Who do you see filling James Eckhouse’s shoes? Do they need a big name? Or at least on par with Lori Loughlin? Can it be a nobody?

Eli has awoken from his coma and gets his second season. The L.A. Times reports…

Greg Berlanti’s production company will keep its ABC trifecta on the air. The network has renewed “Eli Stone” for next season.

Berlanti also produces “Dirty Sexy Money” and “Brothers & Sisters” for ABC.

Whether or not this show has the legs for multiple seasons, it definitely deserves a second. “Eli Stone” was my second surprise of the season (”Pushing Daisies” was the first), and the more I watched the more I loved it. It took a good 3-4 episodes to reach its potential, but when it did it was amazing.

If you haven’t watch “Eli Stone”, or gave up on it early, I highly suggest catching up on season 1 ASAP.

With the greenlight of the new 90210-spinoff and Jeenie Garth’s departure from the “My Best Friend’s Girl” pilot brings Kelly Taylor back to Beverly High. The Hollywood Reporter has:

“90210,” from CBS Par, centers on a three generational Beverly Hills family. Original cast member Jennie Garth has signed on to recur, reprising her role as Kelly Taylor from the original series who now will be a guiding counselor at her alma mater, West Beverly Hills High.

This is a good move by the producers as they need to bring the grown-up fans of the previous show to this new teen show. Not being recurring is good for her as it would most likely be a step back in her on-again, off-again career. I think they need to get at least one more former cast member for the premier to bring in the former 90210 fans. What do you think?

The X-Files gang recently dropped in for a Q&A at New York’s Comic Con this past weekend, and while they were being coy about the most recent film, the future of the X-Files was brought up. AICN has the transcript.

While it all depends on whether or not X-Files:I Want To Believe does well in theaters, the idea of X-Files continuing in some way is an exciting idea. Of course, with both actors busy with their own series, the chances of a new series are slim against the possibility of a furthering film series, which I would prefer anyway. As long as it continues. X-Files was and still is one of my favorite shows, and I’m quite glad that it has a chance at a second life.

To fans who may have cringed at the lighter look that the Star Wars Prequals portrayed, MTV may have delerived us “new hope.”

If you thought the cantina in Mos Eisley was a “wretched hive of scum and villainy,” well you’d better be cautious because an upcoming journey back to the “Star Wars” universe is going to reveal the “greasy, seamy underbelly of ‘Star Wars.’” That’s what Steve Sansweet, Lucasfilm’s Director of Fan Relations, revealed to MTV News at New York’s Comic Con yesterday about the much anticipated live-action “Star Wars” TV show in development. Confirming that the show will “involve some characters we know” along with new creations, Sansweet said the show would be “of epic scale.”

I found the newer films to be more high-tech than the original films, which I found odd because the newer films are supposed to be prequals. Maybe it was the inclusion of Coruscant, that made it seem more high-tech? I don’t know. But I do feel that they were more clean looking than the original films, where everything was worn, battle-scarred, and almost dirty.

So while this news isn’t exactly as big as, let say, if they were to come and say “Darth Vader is in the show,” it is indeed hopeful news.

They also dropped word on when the show might blast into our “galaxy.”

So when can we expect all of this? “We’ll see it in production probably sometime in 2009. Hopefully the series will be on by 2010,” said Sansweet.
 

A couple of years away? That was no brainer. Now, if they would only give us more details, or even more hints.

A quality show that isn’t getting much support is in danger of not being renewed. “Eli Stone” needs a second season. Kristin@EOnline talks to executive producer Greg Berlanti.

“We just hope anyone who wants the show to come back will let that be known to ABC. And thanks so much to you and to all the fans who have reached out. It’s a great show, and it’s been immensely rewarding to have put something so unique and, hopefully, inspiring on the air.”

You know what that means, right? You gotta have faith. (Cue George Michael!) It also wouldn’t hurt if you told your friends (especially those with Nielsen boxes) to tune in to Eli Stone tomorrow night and give the show some much deserved season-finale ratings love.

I watched the “Eli Stone” pilot out of curiosity (easy with a DVR). The pilot was good enough to keep me coming back. Over this short season, “Eli Stone” has developed into a wonderful, well written, talently acted drama that competes with “Pushing Daisies” for my affection.

The journey that all the characters have taken this season begs to be continued. Not many series can both entertain you while still challenging your intellect. I can’t imagine next season without “Eli Stone”, and I hope I don’t have to.

Not all of the networks have made their decisions on which shows were returning next season. Ausiello of TVGuide gives a rundown of what the chances of return these shows have:

Aliens in America: Odds of Survival: 3
Back to You: Odds of Survival: 7
Big Shots: Odds of Survival: 0
Boston Legal: Odds of Survival: 6
Cane: Odds of Survival: 2
Cashmere Mafia: Odds of Survival: 0
Cavemen: Odds of Survival: 0
Eli Stone: Odds of Survival: 7
How I Met Your Mother: Odds of Survival: 8
Las Vegas: Odds of Survival: 0
Law & Order: Criminal Intent: Odds of Survival: 5
Life Is Wild: Odds of Survival: 0
Men in Trees: Odds of Survival: 5
Moonlight: Odds of Survival: 8
New Amsterdam: Odds of survival: 4
The New Adventures of Old Christine: Odds of Survival: 6, Odds of moving to ABC if CBS should cancel it: 10
Reaper: Odds of Survival: 4
Shark: Odds of Survival: 5
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Odds of Survival: 9
The Unit: Odds of Survival: 5
Women’s Murder Club: Odds of Survival: 4

Shows that I really want to return: “Eli Stone”, “How I Met Your Mother”, “Old Christine” & “Terminator”. Show that I’d like to see, but wouldn’t be upset if they were gone: “Back to You” & “Reaper”.

I believe Terminator is just getting started, and will only get better. “Old Christine” is one of the best ensemble casts in sitcoms ever. HIMYM is always consistently funny, and “Eli Stone” is one of the best dramas on television.

What do you think of this list?

Rob Thomas just got a little less busy. He has stepped down from helming the new 90210 spin-off pilot. EOnline has:

I checked in with Rob earlier today and he confirmed to me that the network is looking for another writer to take a stab at the 90210 pilot script: “I’d do the additional pass, but I’m swamped with the two other projects and ABC has me in first position.”

A source close to the spin-off says that Rob is still committed to the show, and was in casting sessions as late as Friday. However, another insider tells me that production of the series has now been pushed back to summer, and won’t begin until a new head honcho has been named.

For me, this eliminates my interest in the show. I enjoy Thomas’ style, and felt that it was perfect for a revitalized 90210. But I am glad he’s so busy he has to turn work down. I’m looking forward to a new Rob Thomas production in the fall.

What do you think about Thomas’ exit? Good or bad?

Ron Moore is a busy man. Not only with the final season of BSG wrapping up, and the coming spin-off “Caprica”, but now a new backdoor pilot for Fox. Hollywood Reporter has:

Fox has given the green light to “Virtuality,” a two-hour back-door pilot from “Battlestar Galactica” mastermind Ronald D. Moore.

The sci-fi project, from Universal Media Studios and producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun, is set aboard the Phaeton, Earth’s first starship, on a 10-year journey to explore a distant solar system. To help the 12 crew members endure the long trip and keep their minds occupied, NASA equipped the ship with advanced virtual reality modules, allowing them to assume adventurous identities and go to any place they want. The plan works until a mysterious “bug” is found in the system.

The show sounds like ST:TNG crossed with HAL 9000. It could be interesting, especially if is garners a mainstream audience and stays on-air. Although they seem to greenlight a large amount of Sci-Fi programming, Fox doesn’t usually give them a chance to gain audience.

I think this kind of show is perfect for Moore? What do you think?

The upcoming Rob Thomas 90210 spin-off is starting to get a cast. EW.com has some news.

AnnaLynne McCord (Nip/Tuck) has joined the cast of CW’s planned spinoff of Beverly Hills 90210, from executive producer Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars). McCord will play Naomi, a hot, rich, and popular Beverly Hills high schooler (is there any other kind?). There are still many roles to be cast for the drama, which is in contention for fall, but Thomas has already cast Dustin Milligan (The Messengers) as Ethan, a likable star athlete.

McCord was a very week part of this season’s “Nip/Tuck”. I wasn’t impressed at all with her acting, and her character came off more annoying than seductive. Although, her perceived personality fits well into the 90210-verse.

If this show is going to succeed, I believe it needs to cast established actors as adults on the show. Just as “Veronica Mars” had Enrico Colantoni, this show needs a similar (if not better) base.

What do you think of McCord? Good casting decision?

I love the X-Files. I was a late bloomer, but halfway through the series I started to like the series. I caught most of the episodes on TNT at 4am, when I was staying up all night writing one of my screenplays. It was then, that I became a huge fan of the show. In fact, it’s in my top favorites. So the thought of me desperately sweating as I try to wait patiently for the new X-Files sequal to come out isn’t too hard to imagine.

Well, there is a new dvd set coming out called The X-Files Revelations, and will be somewhat like the Mythology dvd.TV Shows on DVD has the press release.

CENTURY CITY, Calif. – The truth will be out there… Fox Home Entertainment presents an exclusive insider’s pass to the science-fiction television phenomenon just in time for its second trip to the big screen when “THE X-FILES” REVELATIONS descends onto a two-disc DVD collection July 8th. Selected by eight-time Emmy® Award nominated series creator Chris Carter himself, all eight full hour episodes in the compilation include special on-camera introductions by Carter and producer Frank Spotnitz, revealing why each were chosen and how they relate to the highly anticipated feature film, invading theaters on July 25th.

Interesting! Though, I personally, will not purchase this dvd. I still haven’t bought all the seasons yet, and I would like to finish that, so these select episode dvds haven’t really interested me too much. It’s only the curiosity of how these episodes apply to the new movie, that interests me. Although, the WomderCon panel, included as a special feature, does tempt me.

I know, I know, I know. It’s been 50 years since the movie. But I’m still not interested. As Variety has the news.

Wyler, whose father William helmed the 1959 classic Oscar-winning feature starring Charlton Heston, is producing the new version as a miniseries with Alchemy TV.

Christian Duguay (“Coco Chanel,” “Human Trafficking”) will helm the $30 million project, which is due to start lensing later this year.

The new version will be based more specifically on the 1907 Lew Wallace source novel than either the 1959 version or earlier 1925 adaptation.

Wyler is looking to skew the lead role younger into his mid-20s. New version will also likely downplay the religious aspects of the source material.

I’ve never read the novel, but it’s now on my list. Although I have seen the 1925 version a dozen times or so. It is an interesting silent film.

For me, “Ben Hur” is the greatest movie I’ve ever seen. I’ve watched it over a hundred times since I was a child. I consider it perfection, and I don’t think you should try to improve upon perfection. A ‘younger’ lead and downplaying ‘the religious aspects’ will go far in making it a different movie. It seems that they are trying to make it politically correct.

Curious timing that this is announced so soon after Heston’s passing. That leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I don’t object to any form of entertainment being remade. But it doesn’t mean I have to be interested in it.

The show that wouldn’t die, “Jericho”, may yet have some life. IMDB is reporting:

Jericho, the CBS television series that was canceled because of low ratings, then revived following protests from fans, then canceled again because of low ratings, may be revived a second time, the New York Times reported today (Monday). The newspaper said that CBS may follow NBC’s recent example with Friday Night Lights in which it sold the DirecTV satellite service the right to air the series before it goes on network TV. The Times said that CBS is considering a similar option in negotiations with cable provider Comcast. Meanwhile, although DirecTV executives have expressed confidence that the Friday Night Lights deal could drive new subscribers to their service, some analysts are expressing skepticism about its ability to do so and forecasting that the DirecTV episodes will wind up being pirated on the Internet.

Wow, I didn’t see this coming. I understand that this is a good show with a lot of potential, but I don’t think it’ll get the ratings that they are looking for.

Jericho’s numbers highly skew towards online viewing, and I imagine DVRs. I don’t believe putting it exclusive on Comcast is going to help.

It would be a shame to get hope (picked up by Comcast) and then by under performing, the show gets cut early. Maybe it’s time to say goodbye to a “Jericho” television show.