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Something not quite expected...

 

io9 - Kevin Bacon will star in a Tremors tv reboot...

 

 


Well, chalk this one up on the list of things we never expected to hear today. After trying to make a TV breakthrough over a decade ago on channel formerly known as Sci-Fi, cult classic Tremors is heading to TV once more: but this time, it’ll wield the unstoppable star power of Kevin Bacon himself.

 

Entertainment Weekly broke the news that a TV series was in development at Universal, and that Bacon would both star and produce (he appeared in the first Tremors, but has declined to return as sheriff Valentine McKee in either the 2003 TV series or any of the direct-to-video sequels) while The Secret Circle writer Andrew Miller would script.

 

Details are sparse—other than that the show will be set in Perfection, Nevada, the fictional town from the first film—but the series is currently being shopped around for a new home. Considering the past connection, Syfy would probably be an easy fit, but who knows? It’s great to see Tremors getting some modern love though.

 

We’ll bring you more on the Tremors reboot as and when we learn more about it.

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"Cuius testiculos habeas, habeas cardia et cerebellum."

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I think Bashir has a lot of development considering where he ends up compared to that innocent who started the show...  Of course, the last few seasons covering his relationship with a certain tailor made pure gold on screen.

garak were one o' our favorite star trek characters... period.  bashir?  not so much.  the guy graduates top 2 from one o' the best (best?) med schools... and not just best med school on earth neither.  bashir has brain big as liberty bell and while a bit naive, he is looking for adventure on the frontier o' federation space, yes?  is much development opportunity with such a character.  heck, coulda' gone ransom stoddard with him, but instead they makes him a sci-fi cliché.   we did like garak.

 

HA! Good Fun!

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"If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence."Justice Louis Brandeis, Concurring, Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927)

"Im indifferent to almost any murder as long as it doesn't affect me or mine."--Gfted1 (September 30, 2019)

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Did give us that Pale Moonlight episode and a Federation that isn't naive.

Why has elegance found so little following? Elegance has the disadvantage that hard work is needed to achieve it and a good education to appreciate it. - Edsger Wybe Dijkstra

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Did give us that Pale Moonlight episode and a Federation that isn't naive.

naive federation were part o' roddenberry's vision.  is reason why studio needed wait til gene were dead before star trek became more skewed towards pew-pew.  cant's criticism o' star trek earlier in the thread were not wrong, but we liked it anyways... and the naive federation that were forcing notions o' social equality and pinko commie ideals 'pon our young mind via endless early afternoon reruns were not a bad thing.  didn't necessarily agree with roddenberry's vision, but his perspective were definite deserving to be heard.  

 

we liked all star trek series.  sure, we liked some more than others, and voyager were difficult to remain a fan of at times. (why on earth would you name a star trek series "voyager" after the first motion picture v'ger debacle?) but every st series were, for Gromnir, worth the watch.  perhap more significant is that each series boasted at least a few genuine fantastic episodes.  

 

HA! Good Fun!

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"If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence."Justice Louis Brandeis, Concurring, Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927)

"Im indifferent to almost any murder as long as it doesn't affect me or mine."--Gfted1 (September 30, 2019)

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Out of curiosity I watched an episode of Into the Badlands. One more slightly cheesy post-apocalyptic setting, with what turns out to be some quite snerkworthy fight sequences. They're doing the wonders of wire-fu and really amusing bone breaks and twists.

 

io9 - Into the Badlands brings Martial Arts back to American tv

 

 


Kicks. Punches. Swords. A whole lotta blood. A who’s who crew of martial artists and choreographers, and, at last, an Asian lead for a modern TV drama. It’s Into the Badlands, and hopefully it kickstarts a new chapter in genre television.

 

Arguably, the last popular example of a martial arts TV show in the US was Kung Fu, which ended its run a whopping 40 years ago. AMC hopes to change that. The cable channel that brought us Mad Men, The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad held a cast and crew panel at New York Comic Con on Saturday for the upcoming Into the Badlands. They teased a scene from the pilot that showed The Village’s Emily Beecham as a blade-brandishing killer with acrobatic death moves. It was gory as ****. Like, Tarantino-grade.

 

The fight sequence was lightning-fast and unapologetically bloody, climaxing in a Street Fighter-like combo move that used double swords to make mincemeat of one foe, streams of blood squirting everywhere like water out of a leak-dotted balloon. There was also an axe-to-the-forehead that ended with a satisfying squish. Not gonna lie... it’s not for everybody. It was as over-the-top as a gory hack-and-slash game. (I loved it, but others won’t.)

 

And yet? Beecham’s actual movements were mesmerizingly beautiful and elaborate. Her assault was packed full of complex content whose choreography might enchant viewers who otherwise find fighting movies unpalatable.

 

Stephen Fung, the show’s fight director who is also a famous actor and filmmaker in Asia, said that was the goal. He wanted to bring Hong Kong-style martial arts action to Into the Badlands.

“It’s not just perceived as fist-fighting—it’s more like a dance. We choreographed it like a dance. Each move is very specific,” Fung said. The martial arts used in the show borrow from an array of styles, kind of like Bruce Lee’s did.

 

“We wanted to marry that authentic Hong Kong [martial arts] style with an American drama, and we couldn’t have done it without these two gentlemen here,” said co-creator Al Gough, referring to Fung, as well as star, executive producer, and veteran actor Daniel Wu. Both are well-known in Hong Kong and China.

 

The cast of Into the Badlands, many of whom were new to martial arts, worked their asses off in a training camp that Fung led. He employed the same martial arts training system used by Jackie Chan and Jet Li for the boot camp, which also utilized the expertise of Huan-Chiu Ku, renowned martial arts choreographer who’s worked on Kill Bill and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

 

You’ll notice that there are no guns in this universe. The setting for Into the Badlands takes Hong Kong-influenced martial arts and plops them in lush wetlands and plantation-filled fields in the distant future. (The show is filmed in New Orleans.) It’s set 500 years from now, and it definitely blends visual cues from both Asia and America in a novel way. Meanwhile, everything’s run by barons who outlawed firearms a century prior, in order to prevent an uprising.

 

I’m a little nervous, since this show is yet another series set in a dystopian future. But while the fighting is borrowed from Chinese and Hong Kong martial arts cinema, the creators say the world’s social structure mimics feudal Japan, which is interesting: There are barons (like the shogunate) who control land and vital resources, and also manage fighting forces called clippers (samurai) amid a society of nomads (ronin). The creators said Kurosawa movies and medieval Japanese history were key influences.

 

As for Wu, he has an extensive martial arts background (shaolin kung fu, wushu, muay thai) and plays main character Sunny, the top baron’s top clipper, who’s killed 400 people. One day, he rescues a young boy called M.K. (Aramis Knight, Ender’s Game) who apparently holds secrets to Sunny’s past, which prompts a journey that the Widow (badass killer Emily Beecham) regularly disrupts.

 

“It brings that big screen level of action that we’re used to in Hong Kong to the American small screen,” Wu said, and mentions there should be two big fight scenes per episode. He promised the fighting gets crazier as the season rolls on, and that each fight reveals something about the character.

 

All the characters are presented as morally ambiguous. The Widow, for example, is an apparent mentor to an army of young female warriors-in-training she calls “her butterflies.” Is it ethical to teach kids how to be lethal death machines? Maybe, maybe not. I mean, this universe seems pretty messed up. Only the strong survive.

“The only thing that really matters in this world is strength and weakness. Race, sex, none of it matters,” Gough says. “Martial arts is the great equalizer. It doesn’t matter if you’re male or female.”

 

I also want to include: Bout ‘effing time, a drama on TV that has an Asian star. We’ve finally been seeing more Asians in starring roles on the comedy side of things, with Fresh off the Boat, which premiered earlier this year, and the new Dr. Ken, which stars Ken Jeong. And of course there’s Steven Yeun, who plays a key role in The Walking Dead’s action ensemble.

 

When asked at the panel what he thought about being one of the few Asian leads (let alone Asian male leads) in American TV history, Wu said: “When have we seen an Asian-American lead in a show? Almost never. AMC was adamant that the lead is an Asian. For me, as an Asian-American kid growing up, I looked to people like Jet Li and Bruce Lee, because I couldn’t find people like me on the big screen. And now, 40 years later, to be able to be that person, that’s awesome.”

Edited by Raithe

"Cuius testiculos habeas, habeas cardia et cerebellum."

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But for the Doctor Who fans out there..

 

Peter Jackson filmed a mini-episode to announce he'll be directing a Doctor Who episode

 

 

 

Peter Jackson just dropped a video “announcement” on his Facebook page to confirm something we first heard rumblings about three years ago: The director of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies will be bringing his skills to an upcoming episode of Doctor Who.

 

In all honesty, this should be great match of director to subject. And, if nothing else, the video itself a fun Doctor Who bit:

 

A little self-deprecation goes a long way. Also, full points to Jackson for saying that he’d do it in six months in New Zealand rather than 12 days in Cardiff.

 

 

"Cuius testiculos habeas, habeas cardia et cerebellum."

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Out of curiosity I watched an episode of Into the Badlands. One more slightly cheesy post-apocalyptic setting, with what turns out to be some quite snerkworthy fight sequences. They're doing the wonders of wire-fu and really amusing bone breaks and twists.

 

io9 - Into the Badlands brings Martial Arts back to American tv

 

 

Kicks. Punches. Swords. A whole lotta blood. A who’s who crew of martial artists and choreographers, and, at last, an Asian lead for a modern TV drama. It’s Into the Badlands, and hopefully it kickstarts a new chapter in genre television.

 

Arguably, the last popular example of a martial arts TV show in the US was Kung Fu, which ended its run a whopping 40 years ago. AMC hopes to change that. The cable channel that brought us Mad Men, The Walking Dead and Breaking Bad held a cast and crew panel at New York Comic Con on Saturday for the upcoming Into the Badlands. They teased a scene from the pilot that showed The Village’s Emily Beecham as a blade-brandishing killer with acrobatic death moves. It was gory as ****. Like, Tarantino-grade.

 

The fight sequence was lightning-fast and unapologetically bloody, climaxing in a Street Fighter-like combo move that used double swords to make mincemeat of one foe, streams of blood squirting everywhere like water out of a leak-dotted balloon. There was also an axe-to-the-forehead that ended with a satisfying squish. Not gonna lie... it’s not for everybody. It was as over-the-top as a gory hack-and-slash game. (I loved it, but others won’t.)

 

And yet? Beecham’s actual movements were mesmerizingly beautiful and elaborate. Her assault was packed full of complex content whose choreography might enchant viewers who otherwise find fighting movies unpalatable.

 

 

 

Stephen Fung, the show’s fight director who is also a famous actor and filmmaker in Asia, said that was the goal. He wanted to bring Hong Kong-style martial arts action to Into the Badlands.

“It’s not just perceived as fist-fighting—it’s more like a dance. We choreographed it like a dance. Each move is very specific,” Fung said. The martial arts used in the show borrow from an array of styles, kind of like Bruce Lee’s did.

 

“We wanted to marry that authentic Hong Kong [martial arts] style with an American drama, and we couldn’t have done it without these two gentlemen here,” said co-creator Al Gough, referring to Fung, as well as star, executive producer, and veteran actor Daniel Wu. Both are well-known in Hong Kong and China.

 

The cast of Into the Badlands, many of whom were new to martial arts, worked their asses off in a training camp that Fung led. He employed the same martial arts training system used by Jackie Chan and Jet Li for the boot camp, which also utilized the expertise of Huan-Chiu Ku, renowned martial arts choreographer who’s worked on Kill Bill and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

 

You’ll notice that there are no guns in this universe. The setting for Into the Badlands takes Hong Kong-influenced martial arts and plops them in lush wetlands and plantation-filled fields in the distant future. (The show is filmed in New Orleans.) It’s set 500 years from now, and it definitely blends visual cues from both Asia and America in a novel way. Meanwhile, everything’s run by barons who outlawed firearms a century prior, in order to prevent an uprising.

 

I’m a little nervous, since this show is yet another series set in a dystopian future. But while the fighting is borrowed from Chinese and Hong Kong martial arts cinema, the creators say the world’s social structure mimics feudal Japan, which is interesting: There are barons (like the shogunate) who control land and vital resources, and also manage fighting forces called clippers (samurai) amid a society of nomads (ronin). The creators said Kurosawa movies and medieval Japanese history were key influences.

 

As for Wu, he has an extensive martial arts background (shaolin kung fu, wushu, muay thai) and plays main character Sunny, the top baron’s top clipper, who’s killed 400 people. One day, he rescues a young boy called M.K. (Aramis Knight, Ender’s Game) who apparently holds secrets to Sunny’s past, which prompts a journey that the Widow (badass killer Emily Beecham) regularly disrupts.

 

“It brings that big screen level of action that we’re used to in Hong Kong to the American small screen,” Wu said, and mentions there should be two big fight scenes per episode. He promised the fighting gets crazier as the season rolls on, and that each fight reveals something about the character.

 

All the characters are presented as morally ambiguous. The Widow, for example, is an apparent mentor to an army of young female warriors-in-training she calls “her butterflies.” Is it ethical to teach kids how to be lethal death machines? Maybe, maybe not. I mean, this universe seems pretty messed up. Only the strong survive.

“The only thing that really matters in this world is strength and weakness. Race, sex, none of it matters,” Gough says. “Martial arts is the great equalizer. It doesn’t matter if you’re male or female.”

 

I also want to include: Bout ‘effing time, a drama on TV that has an Asian star. We’ve finally been seeing more Asians in starring roles on the comedy side of things, with Fresh off the Boat, which premiered earlier this year, and the new Dr. Ken, which stars Ken Jeong. And of course there’s Steven Yeun, who plays a key role in The Walking Dead’s action ensemble.

 

When asked at the panel what he thought about being one of the few Asian leads (let alone Asian male leads) in American TV history, Wu said: “When have we seen an Asian-American lead in a show? Almost never. AMC was adamant that the lead is an Asian. For me, as an Asian-American kid growing up, I looked to people like Jet Li and Bruce Lee, because I couldn’t find people like me on the big screen. And now, 40 years later, to be able to be that person, that’s awesome.”

I'm really digging the show. Its totally style over substance, but its gorgeous and the fight scenes are wonderful. Post apocalyptic samurai western.

The area between the balls and the butt is a hotbed of terrorist activity.

Devastatorsig.jpg

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The Netflix Marvels -- Daredevil and Jessica Jones -- completely blow away anything else coming book related on tv.

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"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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Got all invested in SHIELD's new characters this season, now she's dead--right after kindly opening Phil's ketchup packet, without being asked to, since he has only one hand. ;(  

 

Yeah, the showrunners really hate romance. For that reason alone I'm expecting Hunter or Bobby to die in any episode they show up in. :?

No mind to think. No will to break. No voice to cry suffering.

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Got all invested in SHIELD's new characters this season, now she's dead--right after kindly opening Phil's ketchup packet, without being asked to, since he has only one hand. ;(

Yeah, the showrunners really hate romance. For that reason alone I'm expecting Hunter or Bobby to die in any episode they show up in. :?
They're getting a spinoff, so I think they're safe. Edited by Oerwinde
The area between the balls and the butt is a hotbed of terrorist activity.

Devastatorsig.jpg

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I don't watch Arrow usually, but the crossover was really good. Legends of Tomorrow could be a lot of fun. 

 

Apparently there was a BvS trailer I missed during commercials, featuring Wonder Woman. I'll see if I can find it, brb. 

 

 

*okay, yeah, Diana kills, but Lex Eisenberg scares me in an uncomfortable way. Great to see Supes, though. 

Edited by ManifestedISO

All Stop. On Screen.

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Caught the season premier of Top Chef after watching the Warriors-Hornets and Survivor. Had no idea it was even on until I checked my DVR recordings --thank you auto series record.

 

Tom and Padma threw out some pretty snappy shade. Emeril's back and Gail is showing some leg.

"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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Caught up on the episodes of The Librarians that's been stuck on my backlist to watch. It's still definitely cheesy fun.

"Cuius testiculos habeas, habeas cardia et cerebellum."

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