Babylon 5 ISN News: The Zocalo Today
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The Zocalo Today
Welcome and thank you for dropping by. Take your shoes off, get comfortable and stay a while.
There is a LOT of information here and you won't want to miss any of it.
The Zocalo Today is an interactive newsletter, encouraging readers to join a discussion topic or to send
along letters that can be shared with other readers.
The Zocalo Today is a newsletter for Babylon 5 and science fiction fans everywhere. It is as much YOUR
newsletter as it is mine! I'm just pulling together things for you!
Join our discussion topic. It is just one way you can share with other Z readers. If you see Babylon 5 cast
and crew in other roles, let us know. We enjoy convention reports, photos, etc. Don't miss our back issues.
I hope this will become more than just a newsletter. It's a community of people that enjoy sharing their
experiences and interests. Babylon 5 brought many of us together -- and it remains with us, despite the
fact that is no longer in production. Don't be shy. Join us today!
If you have questions, drop me a line at sgbruckner@aol.com. If
you would like to join the mailing list for our newsletter, send me a note and I'll include you on the list. Or you
can use the subscription block at the left.
Again, WELCOME!
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 2009
BURN NOTICE
Fans of this show can rejoice to the marathon running today on the USA Network.
Beginning at 10:00am and running to 11:00pm, you can watch this quirky drama. If
you are unfamiliar with it, here's a description:
Michael Westen is steamed -- or, more precisely, burned. His career as a spy has
been nipped in the covert bud since he received a ``burn notice,'' the spy's
equivalent of a pink slip. Stuck in his hometown of Miami, Michael is determined
to find out who did this to him and why, although that's not easy to do: With that
burn notice attached to his name, he has been cut off from his usual contacts, and
he also needs to fly under the radar of the spy network lest he tip off his secret
enemy. It's a good thing, then, that he can rely on help from Fiona, his ex-girlfriend
and IRA spy, and Sam, Michael's only close friend and a former spy himself. And, of
course, there's Madeline, Michael's mom, a raging hypochondriac -- but probably not
a spy. Probably. Series stars Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Weston; Bruce Campbell as
Sam, Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona and Sharon Gless as Madeline Westen.
USA Network will air an extended sixty-second sneak peek for the new Quentin Tarantino
feature film INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS during the BURN NOTICE season three summer finale
on Thursday, August 6th between 9-10pm ET.
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, directed by Tarantino, opens in theatres Friday, August 21st
starring Brad Pitt, Samuel L. Jackson, Diane Kruger and Mike Myers.
For more info, go to
http://www.usanetwork.com/series/burnnotice.
DISTRICT 9
While Neill Blomkamp, the South African writer-director of the upcoming sci-fi drama
DISTRICT 9, waits to see whether his movie will catch on with wider audiences in the
same way it did with folks who saw footage from it at last week's San Diego Comic-Con,
he is already thinking about returning to the film's universe for a sequel. "If this
film is successful, if audiences want another, whatever, District 10, I would love
to do it," Blomkamp said during a recent interview in Los Angeles. "It's a very
personal film, and it's a universe and a place that I find incredibly creative.
I'd love to go back to that universe."
The movie deals with the arrival of a million insectoid aliens, derisively called
"Prawns," in a massive ship over Johannesburg, South Africa, and the uneasy coexistence
between humans and aliens 28 years later who live in the grinding poverty and violence
of a township-like camp. The action is set in motion by a low-level bureaucrat, played
by newcomer Sharlto Copley, who heads an armed force that enters the slum, District 9,
to make way for a forced relocation of the aliens. When things take an unexpected turn,
Copley's Wikus van der Merwe finds his life turned upside down, and he is forced to
question his assumptions and forge an uneasy alliance with an alien and his young son.
Blomkamp said that if audiences wanted something different from him, he was working on
something else that would no doubt appeal to the same audience, even if the project
went in a slightly different direction.
"I have another science fiction film now that I want to write for the rest of the
year," Blomkamp said. "That I think may be the next one, and I'm incredibly into
[it]. It's quite different, and it's a unique idea, but I'm very into it."
Describing the tone, he said it would feature a similar combination of grand ideas
and great action set pieces: "It's similar," he said coyly. "I mean, it's a very
different film, but it's a very similar genre, I suppose."
After more than 10 years of STARGATE adventures, creators of STARGATE UNIVERSE are
challenged to make this series different.
The new show centers on the adventures of a group of military personnel and civilians
who gate inadvertently to the Ancient starship Destiny during an attack. They find
themselves stranded and must explore the Destiny to find a way home as it soars
through the uncharted reaches of space.
At San Diego Comic-Con, co-creators Robert C. Cooper and Brad Wright promised a very
different series. They promise a more character-based approach to stories.
"The universe is a bigger place," Cooper said during a group interview. "In order
to not be restricted by the mythologies that have been established within each
individual galaxy, the Milky Way and Pegasus, we took this show out into the universe,
into the frontier of places we have never been to. Because we're constantly going
forward, we can tell a story that's new every week. It doesn't have to be 'What
are the Wraith doing this week? What are the Goa'uld doing this week? What is this
character up to?' When we drop out of FTL [faster-than-light mode], who knows where
we are? Who knows who we're going to meet? Just because we've encountered these
aliens this week doesn't mean we're going to see them three episodes later."
While comparisons are being made to VOYAGER, Cooper suggests that SGU might be more
in sync with the original concept of VOYAGER than to what the series ended up being.
"They kind of abandoned what they set out in Voyager," Wright said. "They had the
conflict between the Maquis and the Starfleet personnel, and that was going to be
like, 'Oh, they're going to go at each other.' Well, almost in episode one, Chakotay's
her right-hand man, everything's fine, and that went away. They also got even more,
I think, episodic than [Star Trek:] Deep Space Nine. It was kind of backwards. So
we're not resetting to zero at all. We're not going to destroy a shuttlecraft and
then have a new one next week. But, having said that, when you see the characters,
when you see the milieu, the ship is so different, it's itself. It's its own show."
STARGATE UNIVERSE premieres Oct. 2 at 10 p.m. on Syfy.
SCIENCE FICTION NEWS STORIES:
News from yesterday and the last couple of months can be found in the
News Archive. Check it out
to catch up on all that has been going on in the world of science fiction.
8:00pm on BBC America
Being Human(First Aired: July 25, 2009)
A vampire, a werewolf and a ghost are young roommates trying to live normal lives
despite their afflictions.
8:00pm on FX
The Punisher(2004)
An FBI agent becomes a gun-toting vigilante after a crooked businessman orders hit
men to murder his family. Based on the comic book. Thomas Jane, John Travolta,
Will Patton, Roy Scheider, Laura Harring
8:00pm on TNT
Men in Black(1997)
A veteran agent and a rookie protect mankind from dangerous extraterrestrials roaming
the Earth. Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio, Rip Torn
9:00pm on BBC America
Being Human - NEW
Another werewolf befriends George and begins to take him under his wing.
9:00pm on Syfy
Dragonquest(2009)
A young hero must awaken a dragon to battle a legendary creature summoned by a warlord.
Marc Singer, Brian Thompson, Jason Connery, Daniel Bonjour, Mark Atkins
ASKED & ANSWERED: PART 2
Part 2 (pages 387-778) includes more than 800 missives grouped into the following
topics:
FAN INTERACTION
FIVE YEAR ARC
How the arc was structured, what the cast and crew really knew about where the
characters and story were headed, specifically what JMS had mapped out and to what
level of detail, who had seen the entire series outline (and who hadn't), which
actor knew the most about the entire arc, why he wouldn't leak a fake 5 year arc,
what would happen if anything happened to him during the series run, why he wrote
the arc so that the fans could never know for sure what was going to happen next,
how he wrote the show so fans would not be lost if they missed an episode, what
one question he intended not to answer at the end of the 5 year arc, why he structured
the show as a novel, how he balanced the characters over the 5 year run, why Babylon 5
was a 5 year story and why he could never extend it (even if he wanted to), what he
meant by "accelerating the arc," how he compensated for cast changes, how the long
wait to sell the show to the networks benefited the arc, specifics about how he
adjusted the arc on the chance the show was canceled after the fourth season, how
he wrote the arc so that nuances would surface for fans watching the series for a
second, third or fourth time.
FUN WITH JMS
INFLUENCES - FILM, TV & MUSIC
INFLUENCES - HISTORY & LITERATURE
JMS ON JMS
JMS ON POLITICS
LAST DAYS & LEGACY OF BABYLON 5
JMS recalls how the industry reacted to Babylon 5's novel-for-television structure,
why he never considers himself an SF "superstar", the aspects of B5 that he is most
proud of, what it's like to be the guy who created B5, how he reacts to others'
interpretations of the show, the lessons he learned producing B5, his feelings on
the set the last day of shooting, the truth behind the "cast turmoil" over the
ending of the show, his reaction whenever SF shows are compared to Babylon 5 and
what has to happen for there to ever be more Babylon 5 on the screen.
MERCHANDISE OF BABYLON 5
MUSIC OF BABYLON 5
ONLINE EXPERIMENT
J. Michael Straczynski's interaction with fans in the online world is showcased
in this section which focuses on the highs...and the lows of that ongoing conversation.
With messages dating back to 1991, JMS addresses why he put himself in an Internet
forum, his concerns about fans having too much information, his motivation for his
exchanges with fandom, specifically how his online conversation with fans has been
helpful to the writing process (and how it has not), the biggest benefit to his
online presence, how he "waved" to the GEnie forums in the pilot, how he remained
unaffected by what he read online, why fans couldn't post story ideas, what he
really thinks of the online communities, his move to the moderated newsgroup, how
he handles criticism, details of one of his worst experiences online and his thoughts
at the 10 year mark of his online experiment.
PHYSICS & BABYLON 5
PLACES & PLANETS
PRODUCTION OF BABYLON 5
Harlan Ellison's involvement kicks off this package of posts along with how much
material was edited out of each episode, what JMS cut that he wishes he could put
back, how the editing process works and how it impacts what the fans see, the varied
shots used by directors to tell the story, how JMS learned not be upset by production
glitches, what he would go back and rework if he could, how the B5 production model
differs from most other shows, how he and the team handled revisions, step-by-step
what happened from script to screen, how JMS got the most value from the budget,
why there wasn't a bathroom scene in the pilot, what he would have done if he had
had $1 million more per show, how the crew expressed their "feedback" to JMS and
his policy for how opinions about the show were to be expressed and how directors
maintained his vision for the show.
Read the entire description of this book at
http://www.cafepress.com/b5books. Be sure to order now and get the $10 off --
good through July 22 only.
BABYLON PODCAST
Welcome to Show #165!
Jeffrey and Michael were low on scotch and tequila, and it shows. The conversation
heads into a downward spiral until folks start wondering where exactly potential
skinny dippers would skinny dip either on the station or various planets around
the Interstellar Alliance.
Deep Geeking: Tim, Summer and Jeffrey discuss “Strange Relations”, and how previously
unrevealed interpersonal relationships begin to lead to shifting allegiances and
alliances.
Feedback: Edmund adds his two cents on where the original Season 4/5 break would
have happened and what Season 5 would have looked like had we known sooner that
there would be a Season 5 and had JMS not lost his notes; Andrew also adds his
voice to the legions that want to see a continuation/conclusion to the Crusade
story line in any format; Rapid Eye sticks up for Jeffrey… sort of.
Jeffrey tells us about a rare B5 collectible: a miniature bus stop diarama with
a B5 promo ad on the side of the tiny bus, made by TNT to promote the show. And
fans express their desire to see more of our favorite ISN anchor, Jane Nolastname.
Hilary sends in an email expressing her disappointment with the shoe-horning in of
the background relationship between Sheridan and Lochley; Brian also muses on the
sudden appearance of life pods on the station (where were they before, and after
“View From the Gallery”?)
Second Life Info: FarPoint Media’s Second Life space is now part of the village
that encompasses Third Life Books. You can find the village at
http://slurl.com/secondlife/beraudes/203/151/49.
Babylon 5 Information Gathering: If you know of a dead or abandoned B5 related
website that may be in need of a new home, let Summer know! Maybe we can mirror
it here or house it on a sister site.
Visit Deep Geeking, and if you want to contribute a geeking essay, send an email
to Summer.
Warner Bros. has opened up a wonderful movie archive -- with a ton of classics that are
totally unknown treasures to most people. Got me to thinking about old movies in general.
What are your favorite old movies -- not just from science fiction genre, but any that
really are #1 and #2 for you -- movies that you can watch over and over again.
I grew up in an era of wonderful action flicks -- and I still love them. THEY DIED WITH
THEIR BOOTS ON will be on ENCORE channel, again this month. I love Erol Flynn and while
this one doesn't rank up there with ROBIN HOOD, it is one you can sit through regardless
of the length. How about you? Let's hear what your favorites are.
Send in your comments to sgbruckner@aol.com. I'll post your selections our
discussion page for all
readers to share. I'll post some of my comments in my blog -- see below.
KEEPING UP WITH CAST AND CREW
CLAUDIA CHRISTIAN
Ranger Judy pointed us over to Claudia's Fan Newsletter: http://www.claudiachristian.net.
Claudia just finished her new Showtime Series LOOK. Not sure when it will be seen
here, but Showtime has ordered 8 episodes.
ISN BLOG
I have just created ISN News Blog at
http://isnnews.blogspot.com. This is an experiment for me -- and I hope
you’ll join me by entering news you have to share. I’ll put in stuff that I think
is interesting for others to read about and we’ll see how it goes. Join me.
While Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar), Rick (Biggs) and Tim (Choate) are no longer with us,
we will not forget their wonderful personalities and talent -- as well as their
significant contributions to the BABYLON 5 universe. Be sure to visit
In Memory Of for more
information about memorial efforts. Until we met again, in a place where no
shadows fall.
BABYLON 5 BIRTHDAYS
Daneil Dae Kim - August 4
Claudia Christian - August 10
Stephen Austin - August 11
Tim Earls - August 15
Nancy Tarczynski - August 16
Skip Beaudine - August 26
Have I missed anyone? If you know the birthday of someone connected with Babylon 5,
pass the information along. We want to include everyone in our Happy Birthday Wishes.
Old movie lovers rejoice! Here is some news that should light up your evenings.
TCM (Turner Classic Movies),starting Saturday August 1, is offering a one of a kind
film festival starring your most beloved film star and favorite films all from the
comfort of your home!!!
SUMMER UNDER THE STARS dedicates each of its 31 days to one of Hollywood’s most
enduring personalities. Assembled from the network’s library of more than 5,000
films, this one-of-a-kind festival is an opportunity for viewers to enjoy a varied
selection from each star’s body of work, uncut and commercial free.
Featured personalities will include:
* Audrey Hepburn
* Cary Grant
* Elvis Presley
* John Wayne
The 17 memorable performers include six Oscar® winners: James Coburn (Aug. 4),
Gloria Grahame (Aug. 13), Yul Brynner (Aug. 26), two-time winners Gene Hackman
(Aug. 21) and Fredric March (Aug. 24), and honorary recipient Harold Lloyd (Aug. 5).
Other stars getting their first showcases include James Mason (Aug. 2), Marion
Davies (Aug. 3), Dirk Bogarde (Aug. 10), Red Skelton (Aug. 19), Miriam Hopkins
(Aug. 20), Sterling Hayden (Aug. 22), Merle Oberon (Aug. 25), Ida Lupino (Aug. 27),
Jean Arthur (Aug. 30) and Claire Bloom (Aug. 31).
This year's SUMMER UNDER THE STARS also features 42 feature films making their
premiere on TCM, nearly twice as many as last year. Movies making their first
appearance on TCM during the festival include The Grapes of Wrath (1940), An
Affair to Remember (1957), Les Miserables (1935), Mississippi Burning (1988)
and Good Morning, Miss Dove (1955).
TCM's popular franchises THE ESSENTIALS, co-hosted by TCM's Robert Osborne and
Emmy®-winning actor Alec Baldwin, and THE ESSENTIALS JR., hosted by Emmy winner
John Lithgow, will continue throughout SUMMER UNDER THE STARS. Saturdays at 8 p.m.
(ET), THE ESSENTIALS offerings include The Grapes of Wrath (Aug. 1), The Man Who
Came to Dinner (Aug. 8), An Affair to Remember (Aug. 15), The Asphalt Jungle (Aug. 22)
and Lolita (Aug. 29). Sundays at 8 p.m. (ET), THE ESSENTIALS JR. will feature Heaven
Can Wait (Aug. 2), Notorious (Aug. 9), It Happened at the World's Fair (Aug. 16),
Gaslight (Aug. 23) and You Can't Take It with You (Aug. 30).
LEVERAGE: Art of the Con
Last season, fans of LEVERAGE proved themselves worthy of being part of the team
in the “Get Ready to Get Even” game at LeverageHQ.com.
This season, Nate (Hutton) needs their help in an all-new promotional game. Nate’s
laptop, which contains valuable, extremely secret information about each person on
the team, has been stolen. In the life of a con artist, information is the deadliest
weapon. The Leverage team needs game players to recover the files, documents and
photos on the laptop by completing a series of missions. Those who accomplish each
task will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a multi-city trip to become
an expert in the art of the con. One lucky winner will visit Paris, London and
New York, sites of some of history’s greatest capers. Last season’s edition of
the LeverageHQ promotional game was visited by more than half a million users,
with two out of three respondents to a survey reporting that they watched all of
LEVERAGE’s first season episodes. This game was developed in collaboration with
Lead Dog Marketing.
DARK BLUE: Undercover
Viewers will learn there is a fine line between going under and crossing over as
they engage in a new promotional online game for DARK BLUE. At
DarkBlueUndercover.com, game
players will become members of an elite undercover squad run by Carter Shaw
(McDermott). Each player will get a false identity and weekly missions to bring
down a gun-running ring. The challenges will force players to make some of the
difficult decisions that undercover cops face. Based on these decisions, players
will either get caught by the group they are trying to infiltrate; get “flipped”
and become seduced by a life of crime; or go deeper undercover. At the end of 10
weeks, those who have taken the challenge will be entered in a drawing for a chance
to win a trip undercover in Los Angeles with VIP access to the hottest clubs and
restaurants, a private helicopter tour of the Sunset strip and a ride with a former
undercover LAPD officer. This game was developed in collaboration with Omelet.
MOTION COMICS - SUPERMAN, BATGIRL AND BATMAN
Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution yesterday announced three new
additions to the best-selling Warner Premiere Motion Comics slate. Classic graphic
novels SUPERMAN: RED SON and BATGIRL: YEAR ONE, as well as graphic album BATMAN: BLACK
AND WHITE Collection 2 entered the digital age as Warner Premiere Motion Comics on
the iTunes Store www.itunes.com. Also announced,
for a limited time, you can download the first glorious episode of SUPERMAN: RED SON
for free and see how Stalin’s most powerful weapon swayed the balance of power during
the Cold War http://tinyurl.com/SmanRedSonPR.
Continuing to lead the motion comics experience, Warner Premiere’s Motion Comics
connect comic fans to authentic DC characters through short-form content. The
Motion Comics slate draws on a deep reservoir of source material to bring a visually
engaging experience to life through the use of subtle movements, voice-overs, sweeping
music scores and stunning comic book artwork.
“Last year we debuted our Motion Comics slate and saw the voracious appetite graphic
novel fans had for this digital content,” said Diane Nelson, president, Warner Premiere.
“One of the reasons for our success is Warner Premiere working closely with DC Comics
to determine if a story naturally lends itself to becoming a motion comic. Another
key is the process we use to select the studios that ultimately create these motion
comics. They are very passionate comic book fans so creating these motion comics
really are a labor of love. We’re very proud of our success and look forward to
bringing more titles to comic fans in the future.”
CLASSIC SCIENCE FICTION IN GRAPHIC NOVEL
Eureka Productions is pleased to announce the publication of SCIENCE FICTION CLASSICS:
Graphic Classics Volume Seventeen. This is the first full-color volume in the GRAPHIC
CLASSICS® series of comics adaptations of great literature.
SCIENCE FICTION CLASSICS presents comics adaptations of stories from the original
creators of science fiction including "The War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells and
"A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley G. Weinbaum. Also featured are "In the Year 2889"
a rare short story by Jules Verne, and "The Disintegration Machine", starring
Arthur Conan Doyle's Professor Challenger. Plus E.M. Forster's only SF tale,
the poignant "The Machine Stops", and shorts by Lord Dunsany and Hans Christian
Anderson.
GRAPHIC CLASSICS are available in bookstores, comics shops, or direct from the
publisher at http://www.graphicclassics.com.
SUGGESTED READING
TOTAL SCI-FI NEWSLETTER
If you are like me, it is hard to keep up on what's new in the world of science
fiction. Totalscifionline.com has
launched its inaugural weekly newsletter today. Pop over and sign up!
TITAN MAGAZINES
Titan has updated their website to include all of their wonderful magazines.
Go to http://mailing.titanmagazines.com/mailing
to sign up for their latest information.
This book is the ultimate for a science fiction fan. It provides a wealth of information
about series -- and many little known facts gathered through interviews and extensive
research.
WARNER ARCHIVES ADDS MORE TITLES
If old movies are your thing, the Warner Archives is just the thing for you. The
archive brings you new releases from Warner Bros. and MGM Classics from 1928-1954.
Movies come from every genre, from Action/Adventure to Westerns. Go to
http://www.wbshop.com/New-Releases/ARCHIVENEW,default,sc.html?adid=WACJulyNT2Eml to see
all the movies available and listen to the official podcast hosted by George Feltenstein,
Warner Bros' resident cinematic-obssessive and life-long film buff.
GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT - PREMIERE AT COMIC-CON
From June 30 - August 11, 2009, Green Lantern Fans Can Enter to Win a PlayStation 3,
40" LCD HDTV, a Copy of Green Lantern: First Flight on Blu-ray and Much More
To promote the Blu-ray and DVD release of "Green Lantern: First Flight" on July 28,
a sweepstakes has been created to get fans involved and give them a chance to win
cool prizes. Green Lantern fans can enter the sweepstakes and learn more about
the fifth entry in the popular DVD series of DC Universe Animated Originals through
a Facebook Power Ring widget.
Once the Facebook Power Ring Widget has been added to a fan's page, they can
"recharge their ring" continuously to keep it powered to 100% and automatically
submit additional entries in the sweepstakes. Additional features of the widget
include a Personality Quiz, Green Lantern IQ Test, Video, News and Updates,
Downloads and Links.
REVIEW:
I got to see an advance copy of this DVD and was totally blown away by it. It tells the
story of GREEN LANTERN in an honest and exciting way. It takes you to the beginning, shows
you how Hal Jordan was selected by a dying Green Lantern and how he had to prove himself
to the others as Guardians of the Universe. The story is good and the animation is
wonderful. The voice actors are marvelous: Christopher Meloni is the voice of GREEN
LANTERN; Victor Garber is deliciously sly and evil as SINESTRO. BATTLESTAR GALACTICA's
Tricia Helfer is BOODIKKA. I loved KILOWOG played by Michael Madsen.
If you love comic books, this version of GREEN LANTERN is sure to please.
There were a few words I wish had been left out of the script and at times there seemed to
be a lot of fighting, so parents might want to watch this one before showing it to more
impressionalbe children.
PUSHING DAISIES - COMPLETE SECOND SEASON
Official Release Date: July 21, 2009
Official website: http://www.pushingdaisiesdvd.com
Synopsis:
This forensic fairytale follows Ned, a young man with a very special gift. As a
boy, Ned discovered that he could return the dead briefly back to life with just
one touch. Now a pie maker, Ned puts his ability to good use, not only touching
dead fruit and making it ripe with everlasting flavor, but working with a private
investigator to crack murder cases by raising the dead and getting them to name
their killers. But the tale gets complicated when Ned brings his childhood sweetheart,
Chuck, back from the dead -- and keeps her alive. Chuck becomes the third partner in
Ned and Emerson's private-investigation enterprise, encouraging them to use Ned's
skills for good, not just for profit. Life would be perfect for Ned and Chuck, except
for one cruel twist: If he ever touches her again, she'll go back to being dead,
this time for good.
Product Description
An aquarium worker with a live shark latched onto him…a blind woman and her guide
companion (a miniature horse!)…a college boy with an arrow in his gut (his fraternity
brothers were aiming for the apple on his head). Gunshot victims. Homeless children.
Cardiac cases. So many patients, so little time. Year 11 of the fast-paced series
brings challenges and changes to the ER. Corday and Chen weigh work and family.
Abby finds that being a good doctor is as tough as being a good nurse. Ray Barnett
– doctor by day, rock star by night – arrives. Carter decides to leave. He’s been
there from the start, a student turned leader who picked up where Greene left off.
He set the tone, provided the example. His impact will endure.
REVIEW:
This is one of those shows that has grown better over time. We've seen George Clooney
launch his career on this show. Season 11 includes Ray Liotta's emmy winning episode
"Time of Death", a real time episode following the final 43 minutes of his character's
life. Also during this season, Alex Kingston, Ming Na and Noah Wyle exit County General.
The show continues to have wonderful guest stars including Red Buttons, Danny Glover,
Cynthia Nixon, Francis Fisher and Sharif Atkins.
While the staff holds many of the plots together, ER includes some of the most
memorable patient storylines. New doc Ray Barnett (Shane West) juggles medicine
and music, Sam and Luka continue their turbulent relationship, and Corday is
punished for performing an illegal operation.
It is good to see that the series are now coming out more quickly. You have less
time to wait to see this favorite series -- on your schedule.
FRIENDS CELEBRATES 15 YEARS
Experience the best moments from this hugely popular Emmy-award winning series with
the all-new BEST OF Collections, now available only on iTunes.
Including the best hand-picked Friends episodes, these collections feature the most
memorable moments of the series, including the dramatic break-ups, the emotional
make-ups, and of course, some of most hilarious scenes that ever aired on TV,
capturing the unforgettable storylines that made Friends a smash hit.
The Complete Series is also now available for the first time on iTunes. Get the
full seasons for the full experience.
PEANUTS 1960s COLLECTION
Release Date: July 7, 2009
Peanuts lovers rejoice. You now have only one DVD to buy to get all the most popular
Peanuts TV specials. The PEANUTS 1960s COLLECTION willshowcase all six heartwarming
TV specials in a two-disc set, as well as all-new enhanced content. These specials
aired between 1965 and 1969, several earning Emmy Award nominations or wins. This
is the first time all six specials are available to consumers in one set. Two of
the specials, HE'S YOUR DOG, CHARLIE BROWN and IT WAS A SHORT SUMMER, CHARLIE BROWN
make their DVD debut. All six specials have been re-mastered for beautiful picture
and sound quality. Here is a list of all the specials included:
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Charlie Brown's All-Stars (1966)
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
You're in Love, Charlie Brown (1967)
He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown (1968)
It was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown (1969)
DVD Special Features include:
The Maestro of Menlo Park - Profiling Composer Vince Guaraldi - This short documentary
film provides a glimpse into jazz musician Vince Guaraldi's life, and how his music
was so much more than just the theme to Peanuts.
THIRD WATCH: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON
Release Date: July 7, 2009
The real heroes that keep New York City and its residents safe are back for their
sophomore season. Working the 3-11 p.m. shift (known as the "third watch"), these
ordinary people perform extraordinary feats of bravery on a daily basis. Featuring
an all-star cast including Bobby Cannavale, Eddie Cibrian, Michael Beach, and Kim
Raver, Third Watch portrays the best - and sometimes the worst - of "the city's
finest." Nine years after the second season's TV debut, Warner Home Video is releasing
the highly anticipated Third Watch: The Complete Second Season DVD on July 7, 2009.
Created by John Wells (ER, The West Wing) and Edward Allen Bernero (Criminal Minds),
THIRD WATCH: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON is an Emmy® and Peabody® Award winning series
that follows professional rescuers and first responders as they take on crime, medical
emergencies, and blazing buildings in the largest city in America. Police, firefighters
and paramedics all work together as the show explores the intricacies of their relationships
on the streets, in the station, and back at home. Episodes include situations ranging
from dangerous (tracking a sniper who targets cops) to playful (a football match between
fire departments), to the mundane (a frequent 911 dialer). These heroes risk their
lives every day so we can sleep soundly, knowing that we're protected by the "third
watch."
"THIRD WATCH: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON contains 22 action-packed episodes that
focus on the unsung heroes of New York City," said Rosemary Markson, WHV Vice President,
TV & Special Interest Marketing. "After the recent event on the Hudson, the world is
increasingly fascinated by these first responders, and Warner Home Video is proud to
present the second season on DVD."
FRIDAY THE 13TH - KILLER CUT
Get ready to re-live the horror when Friday the 13th the extended Killer Cut with
even more suspense, wild times, and more of the infamous killer Jason Voorhees
arrives on iTunes, Playstation Store and Amazon Video On Demand.
$43 Million Opening Weekend Shatters Box Office Records. From the producers of
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, comes a chilling reimagining of the classic horror film.
Searching for his missing sister, Clay Miller heads to the eerie woods of legendary
Crystal Lake, where he stumbles on the creaky remains of rotting old cabins behind
moss-covered trees. And that's not all. Against the advice from locals, Clay pursues
what few leads he has with the help of Jenna and a group of college kids who are up
for a getaway weekend. But little do they know, they've entered the domain of one
of the most terrifying specters in American film history--the infamous killer who
haunts Crystal Lake, armed with a razor-sharp machete...Jason Voorhees.
"FRINGE: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON features 20 episodes of the most exciting new show
on television, including over six hours of never-before-seen bonus features and
collectible lenticular packaging,” said Rosemary Markson, WHV Vice President, TV
and Special Interest Marketing. “Warner Home Video is ecstatic to release this much-
anticipated science-fiction hit on DVD and Blu-Ray.”
DVD Special Features Include:
Evolution: The Genesis of Fringe featurette - The creators of the show discuss how
the series unfolded and the qualities that make it so unique
Behind the Real Science of Fringe featurette - From teleportation to re-animation,
Fringe incorporates recent discoveries in science. Consulting experts and scientists
who are the authorities in their field address the areas of science which are the
inspiration for the show.
A Massive Undertaking: The Making of Fringe (on select episodes) - An in-depth
exploration of how select episodes came to be made: from the frozen far reaches of
shooting the pilot in Toronto, to the weekly challenges of bringing episodes to air
The Casting of Fringe- The story, as told by producers and cast, of how Anna Torv,
Joshua Jackson, John Noble and others came to be cast in the series.
Fringe Visual Effects featurette - Goes deep into the creation of the shared dream
state with some of the biggest VFX shots of the show.
Dissected Files: Unaired Scenes
Unusual Side Effects: Gag Reel
Deciphering the Scene
Roberto Orci Production Diary
Gene the Cow montage
Three Full-Length Commentaries from writers/producers, including J.J. Abrams, Roberto
Orci, Alex Kurtman, J.R. Orci, David Goodman, Bryan Burk, Akiva Goldsman and Jeff Pinkner
I love this show and have enjoyed all the episodes in this first season. I am
anxiously awaiting season two and SO happy that the DVD will be out with all those
wonderful extras listed above -- and more.
STARGATE ATLANTIS - SEASON 5
Release date: June 30, 2009
Stargate Atlantis: Season Five will be released on DVD on June 30. This five disc
set will contain all 20 episodes of this final season and the set will be priced
at $49.98 SRP. The series stars Robert Picardo, Joe Flanigan and Jason Momoa along
with appearances from Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks and Paul McGillion.
In this action-packed fifth season, sparks fly when Woolsey becomes the new leader
of the Atlantis team. Meanwhile, McKay faces difficult personal challenges; Teyla
must balance her roles as mother and warrior; Ronan's past returns with a vengeance,
and Keller finds peril, then help, from an unlikely source. A provisional relationship
with the Wraith takes a shocking turn and new adversaries test the team's courage
and resolve like never before.
Looking for movies you can watch with your children? I have moved many of the
family-oriented DVDs to a
Family DVDs page. Here you will find wonderful DVDs you can enjoy with your entire
family -- no matter the age. You will find background information about the DVD, but there
are clips as well from Warner Bros. Enjoy!
For more information on other DVDs that have just been released and reviewed, go to
New DVDs
DOCTOR WHO
In shops: July 2009
At long last Doctor Who is an ongoing monthly series! Tony Lee (Doctor Who: The
Forgotten), kicks off the time/space-faring series with the two-part “Silver
Scream.” In chapter one, the Doctor travels to 1920s Hollywood where he befriends
Charlie Chaplin and, of course, discovers an alien plot! Lee is joined by Al
Davison (The Dreaming) on this first story arc. Covers by Paul Grist and Davison.
BABYLON 5 MUSIC VIDEOS AND TRIBUTES
I found this message on the Babylon 5 moderated newsgroup this morning and just
had to post it so that others might enjoy the marvelous music videos created by
John Hudgens.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
As some of you may know, I was hired by Joe Straczynski back in the
day to create Babylon 5 music videos for him to use at science fiction
conventions, and later to promote the show to networks. Eight were
produced over the run of the series, not including the memorial videos
I did later for Rick Biggs and Andreas Katsulas.
For the longest time, the only way to see these was if Joe or I showed
them at a convention, but now, after numerous requests from fans over
the years, Joe has given me permission me to post these online.
- This is the extended version that I did for Andreas' widow ater the
original cut was released on the net. It's never been seen online
until now.
For those of you who've never seen these, I hope you enjoy them - and
for those that have (and emailed me many times over the years about
releasing them), I hope they're as good as you remember. Working with
Joe on these videos was one of the highlights of my career, and I'll
be forever grateful to him for the doors these have opened for me. I'm
proud to have them on my resume.
John Hudgens
www.zteamproductions.com
August 6-9, 2009 OFFICIAL STAR TREK CONVENTION
Place: Las Vegas Hilton Hotel, 3000 Paradise Rd.
Guests: Just about anyone you can think of that has been associated with the show
August 27 - 29, 2009
Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention
Place: The Clarion Hotel
City: Aberdeen, Maryland
Guests: Lee Meriwether (Star Trek guest, Time Tunnel, and Batman), Bob Hastings
(McHale's Navy and The Munsters), James Best (Forbidden Planet and Dukes of Hazzard)
and Celeste Holm (Academy Award winning actress) and more.
For more information, go to
http://www.midatlanticnostalgiaconvention.com.
September 4-7, 2009 Dragon-Con
City: Atlanta, Georgia
B5 Guests: Stephen Furst, Tracey Scoggins, Bruce Boxleitner, Dwight Schultz
For more information, go to www.dragoncon.org
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS! Creation Entertainment has a large number of
conventions planned for the next several months. They include stars from STARGATE,
ENTERPRISE, FARSCAPE, XENA, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, etc. Check out their calendar to
see if one will be in your neighborhood soon. Don't miss their
Videos page as well. It is
full of some priceless video from a number of conventions.
Be sure to visit the referenced sites to see if there have been changes in
dates/guests attending. Visit our Convention Calendar
for a full listing of upcoming conventions.
BACK ISSUES OF THE ZOCALO TODAY
The front page of the The Zocalo Today changes daily, so be sure to check the
back issues to make sure that you haven't missed anything IMPORTANT! I don't want the front page getting too
long so I shift information periodically into the archives. So if you aren't a regular visitor to The Zocalo Today, be sure
to check out the back issues. Just use the button above!
Take care and I look forward to hearing from you. Sandra Bruckner (sgbruckner@aol.com)
Editor/Publisher
ISN News: The Zocalo Today
http://www.isnnews.net
Copyright - SBruckner, 1999-2009
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BURN NOTICE
DISTRICT 9
After more than 10 years of STARGATE adventures, creators of STARGATE UNIVERSE are
challenged to make this series different.
LEVERAGE: Art of the Con
Viewers will learn there is a fine line between going under and crossing over as
they engage in a new promotional online game for DARK BLUE. At
Once the Facebook Power Ring Widget has been added to a fan's page, they can
"recharge their ring" continuously to keep it powered to 100% and automatically
submit additional entries in the sweepstakes. Additional features of the widget
include a Personality Quiz, Green Lantern IQ Test, Video, News and Updates,
Downloads and Links.
PUSHING DAISIES - COMPLETE SECOND SEASON
FRIENDS CELEBRATES 15 YEARS
PEANUTS 1960s COLLECTION
THIRD WATCH: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON
DOCTOR WHO
September 4-7, 2009