Sci-Fi TV Sunday: BSG, Doctor Who, Dollhouse, Heroes, Lost + more

In Sci-Fi TV this week, we’ve got a look at the new Doctor Who logo, plus the latest filming updates (including new set images), news on a potential early premiere for Chuck season three, a time slot change for Heroes, new details on the BSG movie “The Plan” and more, including the latest casting bites, images and videos.

GENRE TV NEWS

Chuck May Return As Early Late October
It’s no secret that NBC has had a fairly weak Fall season thus far, but the bad news may actually turn out to be good news for fans of "Chuck".  Originally expected to premiere in March, 2010 after the Olympics are finished airing, Michael Ausiello of EW is reporting that NBC is considering premiering the show’s third season as early as late October. The early premiere would also increase its chances at receiving an order beyond its initial 13-episode commission from NBC:

As early as late October, my moles tell me. And while it remains unclear whether the little show that could (and has and shall again) would return to its Monday timeslot or find itself a new perch, NBC insiders who’ve seen the first four episodes are calling this season the best yet.

But wait, there’s more. If Chuck does come back sooner rather than later, the chances of NBC ordering additional episodes beyond the 13 it initially commissioned increases dramatically. And they increase further if it performs solidly…

In other news, here are two new casting bites:

• Former wrestling star "Stone Cold" Steve Austin will gust star in episode five playing Hugo Panzer, a master of close-quarters combat. The episode — called "Chuck vs. First Class" — also features guest star Kristin Kreuk as Hannah, a young woman Chuck meets on a plane to Paris and ends up working at the Buy More… [ChuckTV]
• …There’s also a new casting call for episode eight — "Chuck vs. The Nose" — for two guest stars. [SpoilerTV]

New Doctor Who Logo Revealed

In celebration of the 11th doctor, played by Matt Smith, the BBC has redesigned the logo for "Doctor Who".  The new title logo is the series’ 11th such change, and will debut in 2010 for the new show’s fifth season (along with new Doctor Smith and companion Karen Gillan).  Watch the video reveal of the new logo below.

Meanwhile, filming continues on the aforementioned fifth season and here’s a round-up of some of the latest set reports followed by some new set images (additional images/videos are available via the set report links).

• "Doctor Who" Filming: October 5th [Planet Gallifrey]
• "Doctor Who" Filming: October 6th [Planet Gallifrey]
• "Doctor Who" Filming: October 7th [Planet Gallifrey]
• "Doctor Who" Filming: October 8th [Planet Gallifrey]
• "Doctor Who" Filming: October 9th [Planet Gallifrey]

More images here, here, here, here and here.

There’s also a new trailer for "K9", the Australian-based spinoff series from Park Entertainment described as "a children’s sci-fi/adventure series combining comedy, action and suspense – ‘X File’s’ meets ‘Men in Black’ with a zany dash of ‘Ghostbusters’ ".  Watch the trailer below.

In other news, the show "Blue Peter" is hosting a contest open to children aged 6-12 to design a new control panel for the Tardis: "Doctor Who prides itself on surprising its viewers at every turn, and who better than a child to come up with the latest design of the Tardis console?"  The winning design will be chosen by Matt Smith and will be used in one episode of the show next year.  More details at BBC (via SCI FI Wire) and in the video embedded below:

Dollhouse Upcoming Episode Highlights
"Dollhouse" is on hiatus next week (returning with new episodes on October 23rd).  Here is the synopsis for that episode, titled "Belonging":

SIERRA’S SHOCKING INTRODUCTION TO ACTIVE LIFE IS REVEALED ON “DOLLHOUSE” FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, ON FOX

Sierra is forced to face her past as her connection to the Rossum Corporation leads to obsession and murder in the “Belonging” episode of DOLLHOUSE airing Friday, Oct. 23 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (DOL-204) (TV-14 L, V)

Cast: Eliza Dushku as Echo; Tahmoh Penikett as Paul Ballard; Olivia Williams as Adelle DeWitt; Harry Lennix as Boyd Langton; Fran Kranz as Topher Brink; Enver Gjokaj as Victor; Dichen Lachman as Sierra

Guest Cast: Keith Carradine as Matthew Harding; Vincent Ventresca as Nolan Kinnard; Clyde Kusatsu as Dr. Makido; Carlease Burke as Pam

Fox has also released summaries for the subsequent four episodes, airing from October 30th through November 20th:

Oct. 30th – "The Public Eye": "When Senator Perrin (guest star Alexis Denisof) makes his stand against the Rossum Corporation, Echo (Eliza Dushku) attempts to stop his expose. Adelle (Olivia Williams) and Topher (Fran Kranz) travel to the Washington, DC, Dollhouse where they meet its genius programmer, Bennett Halverson (Summer Glau)."

Nov. 6th – "The Left Hand": "Echo and Bennett have a shocking meeting as Adelle goes head-to-head with the ruthless head of the DC Dollhouse (guest star Ray Wise). Topher sees double when he must involve Victor (Enver Gjokaj) in his espionage. Perrin finds a surprising witness to testify against the Rossum Corporation, but find he may be living in a house of cards."

Nov. 13th – "Meet Jane Doe": "After her entanglements with Senator Perrin and the DC Dollhouse, Echo finds herself out in the world-at-large as she struggles to control her multiple memory downloads. Topher discovers the dangers of science that will have devastating effects on the future, while Adelle engages in a power struggle with Harding (guest star Keith Carradine)."

Nov. 20 – "A Love Supreme": "When Echo’s past romantic engagements are found murdered, the Dollhouse fears that Alpha (Alan Tudyk) has returned to seek his revenge. Adelle grows suspicious of Ballard (Tahmoh Penikett) who hopes to find allies in Boyd (Harry Lennix) and Topher. The Actives turn against their handlers, leaving one member of the house permanently mind-wiped."

First look at Summer Glau [Dollverse]

More set images here

"Introducing Summer Glau" (plus promo for "Belonging")

ABC Won’t Air Lost Footage Until Premiere
Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse have reportedly convinced ABC to not show any footage from the upcoming new season until its series premiere, according to Kristin of E! Online:

I’m hearing from Lost sources that every single shot of the first few episodes are so revealing that the producers have convinced ABC to NOT SHOW A SINGLE FRAME before the new season airs. No promo scenes, no photos, no nada! So you will be completely in the dark, but it is for good reason: The twists they’re planning are so good, you will WANT to be surprised. Trust me. Your mind gonna go kaplewey.

Speaking of Lindelof and Cuse, the two have both joined Twitter.  Check out their accounts and what they have to say at Twitter.com/CarltonCuse and Twitter.com/DamonLindelof, respectively. Rounding out this week’s "Lost" coverage, here are some casting bites and filming updates from over the course of the last week:

• L. Scott Caldwell (Rose) is on her way to Hawaii to film for the sixth and final season of the show. [DocArzt]
• They’re looking for two guest starring spots for episode six. [SpoilersLost]
• Billy Ray Gallion, who played Randy Nations, Locke’s boss at the box company, is filming a scene with Terry O’Quinn. [TV Overmind]
• Suzanne Krull (who played the fortune teller in the episode "Tricia Tanaka is Dead") is also in Hawaii filming for the series. [Suzanne Krull Twitter via SpoilersLost]
• There are three new filming updates at HawaiiBlog (here, here and here) and another one at SpoilersLost.

More images here, here and here.

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan DVD/Blu-ray Details
"Battlestar Galactica: The Plan" hits DVD and Blu-ray on October 27th and Universal has released complete details for the release.  Here’s the official synopsis:

Battlestar Galatica: The Plan.. The Cylons began as humanity’s robot servants. They rebelled and evolved and now they look like us. Their plan is simple: destroy the race that enslaved them. But when their devastating attack leaves human survivors, the Cylons have to improvise. Battlestar Galatica: The Plan tells the story of two powerful Cylon leaders, working separately, and their determination to finish the task.

And here’s a list of the DVD/Blu-ray special features (read the full press here):

EXCLUSIVE TO BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF:

• BD-LIVE™: Access the BD-Live™ Center through your Internet-connected player to download more exclusive content, the latest trailers and more!
• MY SCENES: Bookmark your favorite scenes from the movie.
• BATTLESTAR GALACTICA TRIVIA: All-new trivia game.

BONUS FEATURES (BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF and DVD):

• DELETED SCENES
• FROM ADMIRAL TO DIRECTOR: EDWARD JAMES OLMOS AND THE PLAN – A day-in-the-life with director and actor Edward James Olmos, as he tackles the most ambitious Battlestar Galactica production to date.
• THE CYLONS OF THE PLAN – Features interviews with the actors who play the film’s key Cylons, including Dean Stockwell, Tricia Helfer, Grace Park, Michael Trucco, Rick Worthy and Michael Bennett.
• THE CYLON ATTACK – This featurette takes viewers behind the scenes for the planning and execution of one of Battlestar Galactica: The Plan’s major action sequences.
• BEHIND THE PLAN – An in-depth look at some stunning visual effects and the role post-production plays in bringing the world of Battlestar Galactica to life.
• FILMMAKER COMMENTARY

New Caprica promo

Heroes May Be Moving Back to 9PM
The potential early return of "Chuck" may mean that "Heroes" could be getting back its old time slot (Monday’s at 9:00PM).  Meanwhile, NBC has released descriptions for episodes seven and eight:

Oct. 26th – "Strange Attractors" (Episode Seven):

THE HEROES ATTEMPT TO RESCUE THEMSELVES AND OTHERS WITHOUT THE USE OF THEIR POWERS— Matt (Greg Grunberg) goes to extreme measures to extinguish Sylar (Zachary Quinto), who continues to torment him. Elsewhere, HRG. (Jack Coleman) calls in a favor from Tracy (Ali Larter) to save a troubled young boy whose misfortunes resemble her own. While Claire (Hayden Panettiere) and Gretchen (guest star Madeline Zima) are being hazed by their new sorority sisters, they realize pledging might not be their biggest problem. Robert Knepper also stars. Lisa Lackey, Tessa Thompson and Rick Worthy guest stars.

Nov. 2nd – "Once Upon A Time in Texas" (Episode Eight):

HIRO GETS A SECOND CHANCE TO SAVE THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE – JAYMA MAYS RETURNS AS CHARLIE – When Hiro (Masi Oka) travels three years into the past, he has a second chance to save Charlie (guest star Jayma Mays) from the hands of Sylar (Zachary Quinto). However, Samuel’s (Robert Knepper) presence serves to complicate Hiro’s mission even further. Elsewhere, H.R.G.’s (Jack Coleman) past with his Primatech partner (guest star Elizabeth Rohm) is revealed. James Kyson Lee, Hayden Panettiere and Sendhil Ramamurthy also star. Posted on HeroSite.net. Danielle Savre, Sally Champlin and Dawn Olivieri also guest star.

In episode title news, the title for the 12th episode (11th week) is "The Fifth Stage".  Tomorrow night’s episode "Hysterical Blindness" features the kiss between Claire and roommate Gretchen, but there’s more to that angle:

See, Claire starts feeling a little threatened by Gretchen after a series of odd happenstances make it appear like Gretchen is stalking Claire. But is Gretchen really responsible? As it turns out, she might not be, because there’s a third person in the mix who also has her eye on Claire, and that person’s intentions are none-too-good. And maybe, just maybe, that third party is setting up Gretchen as the fall girl.

Who is this wicked woman? You’ll probably be able to sniff out the suspect as soon as you see her, but just in case there’s any doubt, here’s a hint: You hated her guts on another series we love, and you rejoiced mightily when she was written off at the end of the season. Any guesses?

Rounding out the week’s "Heroes" news, The ODI reports that Kavi Ladnier (Mohinder’s ex-girlfriend) will return for an episode this season, while Kristin of E! Online reports on a rumor that a character from the show may be killed off this season or next [SPOILERS–highlight to view]: "I love Mohinder on Heroes, too. However, I’ve heard that the powers that be feel that he may have run his course…and he is a POSSIBLE target for elimination, either this season or next."

Episode four – "Hysterical Blindness" [SCI FI Wire + more at HeroSite]

Episode five – "Tabula Rasa" [HeroSite — more at The ODI]

Promo for episode five – "Hysterical Blindness"

Video from the set: posted by Greg Grunberg (Matt Parkman)

More here

NEW IMAGES

Supernatural

I Believe The Children Are Our Future [more at SPNSite]

The Venture Bros.

Fourth season premiere, airing October 18th

CASTING BITES

• Rhona Mitra ("Underworld: Rise of the Lycans") has joined the cast of "Stargate Universe".  The actress will guest star in a three-episode arc (including the two-part season finale) in a "key role". [Gateworld]
• A casting call for "Fringe" is looking for actors to play three characters in the show’s upcoming 11th episode, filming October 20-29th. [SpoilerTV]
• Two casting calls have gone out for the ABC comedy "Better Off Ted".  The first is for episode nine ("Beating A Dead Workforce") and is looking for actors to fill five spots, and the second is looking for four characters for the the show’s upcoming 10th episode. [SpoilerTV and SpoilerTV]
• A casting call for episode six of "FlashForward" is looking for "a fairly big guy, professional killer. 5′ 10". No lines in this episodes but role will recur with lines in future." [SpoilerTV]
• …and another is looking for seven characters to appear in the show’s 11th episode.  One is a guest star and the other could possibly be recurring. [SpoilerTV]
• An actor is being sought out to appear in the 10th episode of "Supernatural" ("Abandon All Hope").  The character, described as a "40’s or 50’s male Demon", would be a recurring guest star. [SpoilerTV]

NEW VIDEOS

Eastwick

Promo for episode four – "Fleas and Casserole"

FlashForward

Promo for episode four – "Black Swan"

Sneak Peek #1 from "Black Swan"

Watch another sneak peek here.

Fringe

Promo for episode five – "Dream Logic"

Ghost Whisperer

Promo for episode four – "Do Over"

Smallville

Episode four – "Echo"

Stargate Universe

Promo for episode four – "Darkness"

Amanda Tapping interviews the Women (Alaina Huffman, Elyse Levesque and Ming-Na) of Stargate Universe

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Clip from episode four – "Senate Spy"

Supernatural

Promo for episodes six-eight: "I Believe the Children Are Our Future", "The Curious Case of Dean Winchester" and "Changing Channels"

Clip from "I Believe the Children Are Our Future"

The Vampire Diaries

Promo for episode six – "Lost Girls"

Watch another promo here

Clip from "Lost Girls"

TV BITES

• Previously on TrekMovie: Leonard Nimoy Talks About His Role as William Bell on "Fringe".
• Two "fan favorites" will die during "Supernatural" this season.  Both will die in the same episode that Sam and Dean fight Lucifer… [E! Online]
• …But another upcoming episode should prove to be more enjoyable, with both Sam and Dean heading to a Supernatural fan convention. [E! Online]
• The fifth episode of the upcoming Fox series "Human Target" (premiering January 17, 2010) is called "Rewind". [Target419]
• Episode 10 of "Smallville" will feature Oliver meeting a bad guy version of the Green Arrow (a.k.a. Dark Archer). [EW]
• "Battlestar Galactica" director Michael Nankin will direct two upcoming episodes of ABC’s "FlashForward". [EW]
• "Legend of the Seeker" premieres its second season the weekend of November 7th in syndication.  The season premiere features guest star Charisma Carpenter ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"). Check your local listings. [SCI FI Wire]
• There’s a rumor that actress Emile Ullerup has been cast in the role of Cat Grant" in the episode "Crossfire" this season on "Smallville". [via KryptonSite]
• Here’s the episode description for episode six of "FlashForward", "Scary Monsters and Super Creeps": "Mark, Demetri and Wedeck try to connect Janis’ attack with a separate attack made on them; Olivia confronts Mark about his flashforward; Demetri and Gough track down a clue from Mark’s flash; Dylan goes missing from the hospital." [SpoilerTV]

SCI FI TV RATINGS

Monday

The Nielsens have not been kind to "Heroes" this season.  Although the show was off just slightly from the week prior (-5% among viewers to 5.46M and -4% among adults 18-49 to a 2.4 rating) both marks represent new series lows.  NBC has been mum in regards to the show’s future, but it’s clear the core audience has abandoned the show and at the very least it’s in danger of cancellation.

Wednesday

After a soft series premiere and a weakened second week, the third episode of ABC’s "Eastwick" fell once again.  The show was off 22% among both viewers (to a series low 5.14M) and adults 18-49 (to a series low 1.8 rating).

Thursday

It was a mixed bag of news on Thursday night, television’s second-most populated night of sci-fi programming.  The CW saw flat performances from its two programs "The Vampire Diaries" (even among viewers with 3.52M and +6% among A18-49 with a 1.7 rating) and "Supernatural" (-5% among viewers with 2.47M and even among A18-49 with a 1.2 rating). 

Over on ABC, the promising drama series "FlashForward" failed to stabilize in its third week, falling a disappointing 16% among viewers (to 9.00M) and 19% among adults 18-49 (to a 3.0 rating).  Numbers are still solid, but it really can’t afford to dip any further, especially in the key A18-49 demographic.  Hopefully it stabilizes next week.

Fox’s "Fringe" also turned in yet another disappointing performance, hitting new series lows among both viewers (-3% to 5.83M) and A18-49 (-9% to a 2.1 rating).  And of course this was the episode that featured the highly anticipated return of Leonard Nimoy.  On the plus side, DVR + 7 day numbers from the premiere week show that the series saw an incredible boost when time-shifted viewers were added in.  The premiere episode (September 17th) went from 7.82M to 9.96M viewers (+27%) and from a 3.0 to a 3.9 A18-49 rating (+30%), the second-largest DVR audience (click for complete list) among Broadcast TV Shows for the week ending September 20th.  Given the highly competitive Thursday night landscape, it’s likely the strong DVR performance has held week-to-week and is one area where Fox can find comfort in the show’s ratings.

Friday (Note: All ratings data, with the exception of Friday, are based on the final national numbers.  Friday data is based on preliminary fast affiliate numbers)

CBS dominated Friday with its 8:00-10:00 p.m. pairing of "Ghost Whisperer" (+13% among viewers with 8.60M and +24% among A18-49 with a 2.1 rating) and "Medium" (+6% among viewers with 8.30M and even among A18-49 with a 1.9 rating). 

Rounding out the evening, both "Smallville" (The CW) and "Dollhouse" (FOX) were up from their respective week-ago series low performances. "Smallville" grew 3% among viewers to 2.30M and 11% among A18-49 to a 1.0 rating, while "Dollhouse" was up 10% among viewers to 2.25M and 11% among A18-49 to a 1.0 rating.  Despite coming off their series lows, these are still very poor numbers.  It’s not enough of an excuse to say these shows are performing badly solely because they are on Friday night.  It’s not likely that a 1.0 A18-49 rating and less than 3 million viewers will cut it for The CW and FOX when it comes time to make back-nine/renewal decisions.   But you never know, stranger things have happened.

CHART (9/28/2009 to 10/4/2009)

Follow Russ on his blog: Your Entertainment Now and on Twitter: Twitter.com/YourEntNow.