All Things Sci-Fi and Fantasy

[Kelda]

Angel star Hallett dies aged 33

 

Andy Hallett, a singer who gained fame portraying a green-skinned demon on the cult US TV series Angel, has died of congestive heart disease aged 33.

Hallett was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after having problems breathing and died there on Sunday, his agent said.

It follows a five-year battle with the heart condition.

The star appeared on more than 70 episodes of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff between 2000 and 2004.

Born and raised in Osterville, Massachusetts, Hallett moved to LA when he was 23 and worked as a messenger at a talent agency.

He went on to become an assistant to the wife of Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon - who had Hallett audition for the part of Lorne on Angel after seeing him perform karaoke.

Hallett proved himself a fan favourite on the show as the show tune loving, red-horned demon who could read a person's aura when they sang, revealing their problems and futures.

The series, which starred Bones actor David Boreanaz as the brooding vampire Angel, ran for five seasons before it was cancelled in 2004.

Hallett was diagnosed with his heart condition at the end of the show and had been in and out of hospitals for the past five years.

He decided to concentrate on his own music, stepping away from acting, agent Pat Brady said.

Hallett, an only child, is survived by his father Dave Hallett and mother Lori Hallett.

A private funeral service will be held for family and close friends in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, this weekend.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/entertainment/7976513.stm

[Aloysius J. Gleek]

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/set-faces-to-stunned-star-trek-writer-sues-over-episode/






March 16, 2009, 10:57 am
Set Faces to Stunned:
‘Star Trek’ Writer Sues Over Episode


By Dave Itzkoff

Updated | 11:32 a.m. A vintage “Star Trek” episode about the perils of time travel has created unpleasant present-day repercussions for the CBS Paramount studio, which produced the original television series. Harlan Ellison, the author and screenwriter of the “Star Trek” episode “The City on the Edge of Forever,” has filed suit against CBS Paramount, saying that the studio has not paid him merchandising and publishing revenue it earned from the episode, Variety reported. The episode, which was first broadcast in 1967, follows Captain Kirk as he travels back to the Great Depression and falls in love with a social worker played by Joan Collins. In his suit, Mr. Ellison said he had not been paid for merchandise based on the episode, including a series of books and a talking Christmas tree ornament. Under the terms of a master contract with the Writers Guild of America, Mr. Ellison is entitled to 25 percent of revenues from derived from the licensing of publication rights. Mr. Ellison is also suing the Writers Guild, for $1 plus court costs, for not acting on his behalf.

Watch an original preview for the “Star Trek” episode “City on the Edge of Forever”:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU3B_5hVsns&eurl=[/youtube]

[Meryl]

All week I've been seeing promos for this week's episode of C.S.I.   It's all about Star Trek!  It looks fabulous, and I've put in on my must-see list:

It's called "A Space Oddity"

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/csi/video/video.php?cid=544177912&pid=Os_thxys70RbzumL4gpNK2dW1q6A2oVN&category=recent&play=true

Thursday at 9:00 EDT on CBS. 

[oilgun]

Has anyone watched this TV series' pilot movie yet?  I really enjoyed it and look forward to the rest of the series.  Although it's very different than BsG, being more reality-based, it still has the same atmospheric tone and is an affecting human drama.  The main characters have depth and promise to be very compelling and the acting is top-notch.  I was pleasantly surprised to see Polly Walker of ROME fame, I didn't know she was involved. It also features the very first Cylon, built by the Eric Stoltz character.  The themes the show addresses are, like BSG, very relevant to today's world and they are handled intelligently and very creatively.  Highly recommended.

[Kd5000]

 “Star Trek” episode “The City on the Edge of Forever”

My favorite episode of the entire franchise. And I've read that the episode had many rewrites, though I can't remember for sure what the changes were, though they were for the better with an ending that became even more heart breaking.

The new STAR TREK movie deals with time travel, a repeating cycle, with the crew having vague recollections that they've been thru this before.  It sounds similar to a Star Trek episode (Captain Janeway) made 10 years ago or perhaps I'm reminded of Donnie Darko.

Speaking of time travel, I see The Time Traveler's Wife (it was a very popular book a few years back) is scheduled for release latter this summer.  They promise it won't be a "chic flick." 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452694/

[oilgun]

The Time Traveller's Wife reminded me that The Astronaut's Wife was on TV last night.  For some strange reason I hated it the first time I saw it back when it was released.  I think it was the fact that Johnny Depp plays such a creepy character and I projected my dislike of the character on to the film itself, which is something I'm usually careful not to do.  Anyway, I have to radically change my assessment. 

I really enjoyed it this time around.  Johnny is indeed very unlikeable as the astronaut who returns to earth "not quite himself" and Charlize Theron is excellent as his hapless wife, Rosemary Jillian, who may have been empregnated by an alien.  The stylish film is beautifully atmospheric and with its mainly interior scenes gives the viewer a real sense of claustrophobia.  I love the shot of the two security monitors showing the interior of the elevators.  Johnny Depp is in one and Charlize in the other, yet they can feel each other's presence.  It's horribly creepy in a subtle quiet way.

[oilgun]

CAPRICA will have a gay character apparently.  But we have to wait until 2010 to find out who it is?

http://www.afterelton.com/blog/michaeljensen/IMHO-caprica-pilot

[Meryl]

I'm sorry I missed the pilot of "Caprica," but hopefully I'll see it one of these days.  Thanks for the report, Gil. 

[oilgun]

The DOLLHOUSE finale last week really kicked ass, it made up for the  piss-poor episode from the week before.  Lots of stuff was revealed, including a main character that turned out to be a Doll, and the dialogue was especially sharp witty.  I think ithe show has a great premise but still hasn't uite found its groove yet.  I understand that the ratings dropped consistently during the season so I doubt that it will return next year, which would be too bad.

[CellarDweller]

Was never much into Sci-Fi, but I would assume my favorite TV show fell under "fantasy".

Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998 until May 21, 2006, when its network, The WB, ceased operation.  The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M. Burge and was produced by Aaron Spelling and his Spelling Television company, with the show runner being writer-director Brad Kern.

Charmed initially starred Shannen Dougherty, Alyssa Milano, and Holly Marie Combs as sisters.





When their grandmother dies, the Halliwell sisters Prudence (Shannen), Piper (Holly) and Phoebe (Alyssa) move into her home.  Phoebe goes into the attic, and discovers a trunk with a large book called "The Book Of Shadows" inside.  She opens it, and discovers that they are from a long line of witches.  It's their destiny to become "the Charmed ones", and protect humanity from demons and evil.

Each sister had a specific power.  Eldest Prudence could move objects with her mind.  Middle sister Piper could temporarily freeze time, and youngest sister Phoebe could see the future.

After two successful seasons, tensions rose between Dougherty and Milano.  Apparently, in the middle of the third season, Doughtery said to producers "either she goes, or I go!" thinking that they would write Milano out of the script.  Instead, writers killed off Dougherty's "Prudence" character.

The problem with this was the show was based on the "power of three", meaning the bond of the three sisters.

Enter Rose McGowan.





Season four started with Prudence's funeral.  However, Piper and Phoebe discover that they have a half sister that they didn't know existed.  When they meet youngest half sister Paige, her powers become active, and she takes over for Prudence, moving objects with her mind.

The show lasted for another 5 seasons, and remained a ratings grabber for the WB network.