Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is in the cinemas this week, and its stars the actor formerly known as The Rock, who gets all fatherly while punching giant lizards on the nose. Dwayne’s probably the most famous wrestler-turned-actor to dip his toe into our gentle genre, but, as Jayne Nelson discovers, there are plenty more out there…

(Oh, and if you’re wondering why the legend that is Hulk Hogan isn’t in the list anywhere, well… that was the subject of much discussion. He has acted, of course, but not in much sci-fi, and when he is in sci-fi, he tends to be playing himself – as in Gremlins 2 – or a variation on himself – as in Muppets From Space. Then we get into the hairy topic of whether Thunder In Paradise was an SFX show or not, and that gets certain members of the team more heated than in discussions about whether James Bond is sci-fi. So let’s just call Mr Hogan an honorary 11th on the list, okay?)

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10 “Stone Cold” Steve Austin

If you share a name with the Six Million Dollar Man it’s a handy bonus if you’re able to kick ass as well as he can – and Mr Stone Cold never failed to do so in his extraordinary wrestling career. Winner of 19 championships and a showman who always entertained a crowd (usually by playing the bad boy), Austin’s larger-than-life persona has followed him into acting… although it’s probably fair to say it’s not exactly his natural environment, if his performances are anything to go by.

His biggest role to date has been in The Expendables, but we’re highlighting his guest appearance in two episodes of Chuck as Hugo Panzer, a muscle-bound baddie who nearly wipes our titular hero off the face of the planet. When it comes to looming, glaring and punching, Stone Cold Steve Austin is the master. Dialogue and nuance? Not so much. The end result is still jolly good fun, though…

You know the feeling. You’re watching something and you recognise an actor or actress and just, relax a little bit. It’s them, it’s him or her from that thing you like, and you know even if the rest of what you’re watching is so unbelievably horrible you’ll be picking a hole in your trouser leg to distract yourself (I’ve done this), they will, at least, be watchable. Freelance scientists have come to refer to this as The Sheppard Effect or MarkSheppardosis and this week, in the interests of science, we’re looking at exactly who causes The Sheppard Effect for us. So join us! As we answer this question:

Which actor or actress are you always happy to watch and why?

Steven Ellis: “When I was asked this question I pondered it. I really didn’t have an answer. There are actors I don’t like and I’m unhappy to see them some of the time; those actors I can name straight away. But as to who I’m always happy to see… I couldn’t pin anyone down. There are lots of actors I like to see and they play a lot of different characters. And there is a trend in sci-fi of having guest cast from one show appear in another show. Someone from Stargate shows up in Smallville, someone from Star Trek shows up in Supernatural and vise versa. Joss Whedon seems to use the same ten actors for everything he does. Sometimes that works and sometimes it feels like stunt casting (you’re not gonna like Cabin In The Wood then – ed).

It’s not usually about the actor for me. It’s about the character and the story and the plot and the drama. Unless the acting is particularly terrible I can watch a whole host of different actors in loads of different things… If I had to list the actors I enjoy to see then we could be here all day. So who do I say? I decided to let my DVD collection speak for me. I had a look on the shelves and by sheer number of things I own with him in it Samuel L Jackson wins. I own 16 films with him in, three more films than the nearest rival Bruce Willis. so, there you go. I tried to come up with someone for TV too but I own that many boxed sets of that many shows it just made my head hurt… So, by the logic of numbers the actor I most look forward to seeing is Samuel L Jackson. Will that do?”

Narin Bahar: Pretty much any of the Firefly cast, but particularly Adam Baldwin and Nathan Fillion. Partly it’s because I fell in love with Firefly early and thus experienced the full teeth-gnashing fury at the injustice of such a fab show being culled before its time, and as such whenever any of the cast pop up in anything else I get a twinge of pleasure that their talents have been recognised elsewhere. But partly it’s because they tend to choose fun or interesting roles – especially Fillion and Baldwin, the latter being the hook that got me into Chuck (although I stayed for the geeky references and likeable characters).

Up to a few months ago Michael Emerson (Ben from Lost) was someone else I’d say I’d watch in anything. Not so much now – six episodes of Person Of Interest were quite enough thank you. He is an amazing actor though.

Will Salmon: I could watch Matt Smith all day. And intend to later on from my custom-built observation platform. Also Bernard Cribbins, who is just childhood magic personified. I gave a pathetic little cheer the other day when I saw that episode of The Avengers where he plays a knitting obsessive. And also Scarlett Johansson for tediously obvious guy reasons.

Matt Risley: I figure this is going to be a common one, but….. Nathan Fillion. Not only is he insanely charismatic, but he can pull off comedy, drama and everything in between with equal amounts of talented gusto. Henry Cavill may have bagged the title of “unluckiest man in Hollywood” after years of nearly-roles on some of the world’s biggest movie franchises, but Fillion is almost certainly the “most overlooked”. But if Cavill can get his time to shine, then surely it’s only a matter of when, not if, for sci-fi’s most loveable rogue.

Kelly Harker: Nathan Fillion was born to play Captain Reynolds I’m sure you’ll agree, and even without Firefly he’s an amazing actor and always a hero. I have never been involved in so many Twitter campaigns as much as I have in support of Nathan: “Dear Hollywood gods, please cast Nathan Fillion as Nathan Drake”; “Make Nathan Fillion the Master Chief!’; “Ant Man is an awesome role for The Fillion!” But for now I’m just grateful to have him back on my screen every week as Richard Castle, and showing up as The Holy Avenger in James Gunn’s Super (Thank you so much, Mr. Gunn!). From experimental media such as Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and PG Porn, to spending his time doing charity work and sci-fi conventions, to big time Hollywood films, Nathan Fillion rocks them all and rocks my world. He will always have fan support because he’s not only a great actor, he’s a great guy. In other words: he’s shiny.

Laura McConnell: I could pick from quite a few candidates for this one, but really the choice is as plain as the four noses on your face. (What? You don’t have four noses? Well, too bad, because I have four answers.) First up is Stargate Atlantis’s Paul McGillion, because he’s gone above and beyond the norm for his fans on several occasions that I know of and three that I’ve experienced myself. Next come Firefly’s Nathan Fillion and Stargate SG-1’s Michael Shanks, for similar reasons. And finally, the internet legend that is Wil Wheaton rounds off the pack, as he seems to truly not be a dick, despite his penchant for playing them so well on some of my favourite shows.

John Cooper: Ron Perlman. Guillermo del Toro’s go-to guy first came to my attention in The City Of Lost Children and del Toro’s Chronos, with his size and unusually big jowls. His casting in Hellboy is perfect and it was about time he got a starring role in his own movie (even if he is heavily made-up throughout). He might be a bit cheesy sometimes, but he’s incredibly watchable, whatever he’s in. My personal favourite Perlman moment isn’t even a movie, but during the making of Alien 4; just the opening few moment where he narrates the documentary, walks into shot, looks out the screen with a steely gaze and says “Hi, I’m Ron Perlman.” This man knows exactly what he’s doing.

Lee Harris: That’s easy: Garrett Dillahunt. I first saw Dillahunt in The 4400, where he played Matthew Ross – a sneaky, no-good piece of work, with a penchant for stabbing people in the back (metaphorically). His performance was spot-on. Via the magic of time travel, I then saw him in season one of Deadwood – not a show that SFX would cover, but one that appeals to almost every geek I know. I didn’t know Dillahunt was in this, though, not at first. He played Jack McCall – a sneaky, no-good piece of work, with a penchant for stabbing people in the back (not metaphorically). Oh, and shooting them. He was virtually unrecognisable in this, though – he was dirty, unshaven, and had a lazy eye. Only a glance at the credits told me he was in it. Unfortunately, the character of McCall was written out (due to the demands of the plot). That didn’t prevent Dillahunt from being in season two, though – oh no, sirree! So impressed were the producers that they offered him a different role, in order to keep him in the show! In season two he played the upright, respectable-on-the-outside Francis Wolcott – a sneaky, no-good piece of work, with a penchant for stabbing people… No, not really: he was the sort to get others to do the stabbing for him.

He also played Doctor Michael Smith in the HBO series John From Cincinnati. This was a change of pace from the other roles listed, above, and though a regular character, his was very much on the sidelines. Still good to watch.

Most people know him from The Sarah Connor Chronicles where he played Cromartie/John Henry. Another change of pace, though he nailed the performance, as he always seems to do.

He was also in No Country For Old Men and the remake of The Last House On The Left. Most of the performances that would bring him to the attention of SFXers, have been in dramatic roles. I was interested to see him play one of the leads in a new US comedy, Raising Hope, which premiered last year. Now into its second season, it has quickly become one of my favourite shows, thanks to Dillahunt and the rest of the brilliant ensemble cast.

He’s done a lot more than the shows and films I’ve listed above, though. His name on a cast list means it’s a show or film I will definitely watch – it’s a guarantee that at least one performance will be top notch.

Alasdair Stuart: Henry Rollins. The man isn’t just a fearsome genius he’s also consistently massive amounts of fun and a pathological auditioner, which is why he turns up in so many things. Need a guy to get thrown through a window by Al Pacino in Heat? Rollins. Need a large, scary looking Cyberpunk doctor in Johnny Mnemonic? Rollins. Need someone to voice Kilowog in Emerald Knights? Rollins. Need someone to play Deadpool in the best alternate universe movie version of the character we’ll never get to see? Rollins. He’s smart, he’s funny, he’s hard as nails and I’m always glad to see him.

And, resembling nothing more than a slightly smaller version of Rollins, Tom Hardy is someone else I’m ridiculously happy to see turn up in pretty much anything. I was one of the four people on the planet who liked Nemesis and since then Hardy hasn’t turned in a bad performance. He’s great, along with the equally fun Gerard Butler and Idris Elba in Rock’n’Rolla, he all but steals the show in Inception and he’s stunningly good as an ex-marine turned Mixed Martial Artist in Warrior, the best movie very few people saw this year. In fact, put Hardy and Rollins in the same movie, it writes itself:

He’s erudite, angry and tattooed!

He’s laconic, angry and tattooed!

They fight crime!

I’d be first in line.

What’s your favourite geeky guilty pleasure?

Prepare for spirited defences of some of geekdom’s best misfit toys as we discuss why we love the things the rest of fandom loves to rag on. Bring your own guilty pleasures, burning torches and pitchforks and we’ll see you then.

Read our other Blogbuster features

@JoshuaEGomez Since its really ending I feel it's only appropriate... #goodbyechuck #goodbyebeard

After five cancellation-flaunting years on the air, Chuck came to an emotional end with the series finale last Friday. Don’t worry, no spoilers here as we’re still not sure when the final season is going to begin in the UK, let alone end, but for any of our American chums who have already seen it, or any UK friends who deal in the internet dark arts, you will know it’s quite a teary affair. #goodbyechuck was trending for a short while – a testament to the power of the show’s online fanbase which was instrumental in keeping Chuck on the air all these years. Let’s hope they all take Fringe to their hearts now instead, eh?

By way of a final tribute to one of SFX’s favourite shows here’s a brief roundup of tweets from the stars (and fans) of Chuck:

@ZacharyLevi To everyone who made these 5 years of Chuck possible, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I was honored to be a part of this journey.

@Y_Strahovski Taking a bow. Wiping the tears. Sending a hug. And saying thanku…For the last time…you.were.all.amazing. #goodbyechuck in my heart 4ever

@adamsbaldwin #GoodByeChuck ==> Ever Forward! ~ @ZacharyLevi @Y_Strahovski @JoshuaEGomez @JoshSchwartz76

@MarkChrLawrence Thanks for all the fun over the last 5 seasons. Chuck fans are the best! lockerz.com/s/178196280

@BrandonJRouth Thanks to Chris Fedak and Josh Schwartz for including me in the #Chuckverse. And thx to all the lovers AND haters of Daniel Shaw :) #CHUCK

@RealMichelleT @JoshSchwartz76 Congratulations on a great run. Like Buffy, all good things must come to an end, great to go out on top. #Chuck

@MekennaMelvin Tonight’s the night!!! are you guys ready?! #GoodbyeChuck

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@JoshSchwartz76 #goodbyechuck and thank you all. The end

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In other, weirder, news seems Angel star David Boreanaz is taking on Misha Collins at his own game and attempting to become the king of surreal on Twitter. That or this is some kind of reference to his show Bones. We prefer the former option.

@David_Boreanaz What’s worse peeing in the pool or Synchronized swimming?

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@TheRealNimoy I’ve been invited to visit the set of the new Star Trek film. Hope to do that next week. LLAP

@GroovyBruce “@DarthMode: @GroovyBruce will “The Oldsmobile” be in the Evil Dead remake?” Chances are very good. pic.twitter.com/0j9ZvHul

@BryanFuller DEAD EWOK pic.twitter.com/XOSpSMka

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@rainnwilson In what universe was Super not nominated for an Oscar! #Super #BestPicture #ShutUpCrime

@russelltovey I’ve seen ep 1 of Being Human series 4…. Hells bells x

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@EddieMcClintock What’s the first thing any self-respecting gentleman, buys himself upon arriving in Toronto for a nine month odyssey? pic.twitter.com/eqSzrTc9

@EmilyroseLA @EddieMcClintock gotta play my uncharted game:)

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@EddieMcClintock I hear good things! Can’t wait! xo RT @EmilyroseLA Gotta play my #Uncharted game:)

@wilw The guy who played Data in the TNG porn parody won Best Supporting Actor at AVN. HA! TAKE THAT EVERY PORN PARODY THAT ISN’T STAR TREK!

@pattonoswalt (1 of 2) Love reading all the idiots who somehow believe I’m involved in a PRINCESS BRIDE re-make.

(2 of 2) Calm down, Twitter. PRINCESS BRIDE is DEFINITELY being re-made, but I am NOT involved. It’s an all-black version.

@SethGreen By the way @BreckinMeyer did I mention it also travels thru time? twitpic.com/8czmi9

@edgarwright If @SimonPegg reads this, then he’s definitely checking his Twitter while we are writing.

@simonpegg @edgarwright You nob.

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Trailer Of The Week

A subtly different version of the Prometheus trailer…

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Rubbish Hell’s Angel Of The Week

Despite the fact Tom in this week’s Eternal Law appeared to nick a bike from a shop window (a shop that only appeared to be selling one motorbike and nothing else, so he pretty much put that place out of business) and then rode around with no helmet – none of which is very angelic behaviour – he still came across about as hellish as catholic kitten.
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Impressive Foreshadowing Of The Week

Way back in the season two finale of Chuck, Awesome’s dad demanded to know why he was letting his wedding be ruined by an Indian lesbian (Jeffster were performing “Mr Roboto” at the time). The mind can only boggle at what he would have made of Lester’s disguise in the latest episode. He looks like he’s auditioning for the Bollywood version of Ugly Betty.
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Geeks Of The Week

Debate has been raging on this site for a couple of months about the which is the geekiest non-sf show on TV. And while a lot of you were aghast that Community didn’t make the original list, a different Community has the title all wrapped up on radio – Clare And The Community. Radio 4’s sitcom about a right-on care worker and her lefty school teacher life partner isn’t usually a hotbed of sci-fi references but in one episode this week it proved it knows its genre onions. A teacher trying to expel a student for suggesting that David Tennant isn’t the best Doctor Who is just the start. Brian, Clare’s life partner, returns to a Men’s Group that he set up years before to discuss the problems facing the male in modern society, only to discover that standards have slipped slightly:

“So, gentlemen, what do we say? Half-Blood Prince? Order Of The Phoenix? Deathly Hallows?”

“I’d say Deathly Hallows, just to be on the safe side.”

“So, it’s agreed… It’s okay to fancy Hermione, but not until Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows…”

There were Bond and Battlestar Galactica references too. Keep an ear on this show…
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Poser Of The Week

Author Jim C Hines was rather concerned about whether some of the poses of the female figures on his book covers were actually anatomically possible… or comfortable at the very least: “I expected posing like Danielle to feel a little weird and unnatural. I did not expect immediate, physical pain from trying (rather unsuccessfully) to do the hip thing she’s got going on.. ” Then he became a little addicted to the idea of recreating fantasy book cover poses, as the photographic evidence proves. The blog is hilarious. Check it out.

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Update Of The Week

If you’ve been playing Skyrim as obsessively as we have in the office you’ll find a lot to enjoy in this hilarious spoof which imagines a world of stat-boosting necklaces, potions of haggling and baskets on heads, but in a modern setting. The observations about the highly unusual actions of Skyrim’s creepy inhabitants (staring at you obsessively, making jokes about selling their sister) are spot on but if we’re going to get geeky about it, the load times aren’t quite long enough, there’s no companion in all of Tamriel that chatty and if they were level 51 they’d have much better speechcraft by now.

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On sale Wednesday 11 January.

Got iOS5 for your shiny new iPhone/iPad/iPod touch? You do! Well, did you know you can download issue 215 of SFX direct from Newsstand (our US chums can use this link) on the day of release for a mere £2.99? Not bad, eh? iDevice users still in the dark ages of iOS4.whatever can also download the SFX app direct from the app store, which acts as a portal for you to download (or subscribe) to your favourite science fiction and fantasy magazine. Android users have no reason to feel left out either as you can still pick up the latest issue from Zinio.

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Hunting Season

Those Winchesters just can’t catch a break. If it isn’t the apocalypse it’s their own allies turning all evil and threatening to enslave the world, which is exactly the predicament the brothers find themselves in at the start of Supernatural season seven. We chat to showrunner Sera Gamble and stars Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins in search of new season secrets.

Hell On Earth

Let’s face it, the first Ghost Rider was (flaming) pants. But that’s alright because the sequel/reboot Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance all but ignores what came before. Nic Cage is back, of course, but bonkers Crank duo Neveldine and Taylor have been given the keys to the hell cycle, and it’s that delightful duo who tell us what to expect when it hits cinemas in February.

Fresh Meat

It’s all change in Honolulu Heights, with Aidan Turner and Russell Tovey making way for new blood Damien Molony (vampire Hal) and Michael Socha (werewolf Tom). We chat to the pair direct from the set of Being Human series four and Toby Whithouse gives us an exclusive episode-by-episode preview.

Under the Radar

We preview nine hidden gems that might pass you by in the year superheroes take over the big screen including The Raven, Jack The Giant Killer and Snow White And The Huntsman. Don’t miss ‘em.

Art Attack

The Clone Wars is one of the best looking animated TV shows ever. Don’t agree with us? Then you might after our reading our exclusive chat with ILM’s Joel Aron about the look of the show.

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Don’t Miss

Retro-tastic: Time Machine does Terminator 2, Lee Majors tells us what is was like to be the Six Million Dollar Man and we tell you 20 Reasons We Love The Prisoner.

One on One: We have a Close Encounter with True Blood’s saucy undead redhead Deborah Ann Woll, discover Charlaine Harris’ Heroes & Inspirations and speak to Alastair Reynolds about his latest Blue Remembered Earth.

Spoiler Zone: American Horror Story, Chuck, Fringe, Merlin, Once Upon A Time, Supernatural, Terra Nova, The Walking Dead, Lost Girl and Sanctuary are all reviewed.

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Red Alert

• Everything you need to know about terrifying new faux-doc show The River, from the makers of Paranormal Activity.
• Once Upon A Time there was this show about a fairytale world that took America by storm… catch up on the latest before it reaches UK shores.
• A lot can change in 18 years, just ask the makers of Syndicate, which returns next month as a slick, futuristic first person shooter penned by top author Richard Morgan.

Rated: The Woman In Black, Black Mirror, Troll Hunter, Misfits Series Three, Arrietty, Doctor Who: Unit Files, Blue Remembered Earth, Neonomicon, Resident Evil: Revelations.

SFX 218 is on sale Wednesday 11 January, in stores and through Newsstand and Zinio. You can also subscribe to the print version of SFX to save loads on the shop price – UK readers will also receive a sweet Marvel Mug if they do (offer ends 10 February).

With Chuck’s two-hour series finale due to air on Friday 27 January (oh, that seems far too near), TVLine has been talking to Yvonne Strahovski, aka Sarah Walker, about what we can expect. And while she doesn’t go into specifics, what she does say is certainly tantalising.

“I had very specific things that I thought it was going to be, and it turned out to be not what I thought,” she says.

NBC’s official synopsis reveals: “After a harrowing mission, Sarah returns to Chuck with a huge secret. Chuck enlists his family, friends and some unexpected allies as he races to stop villain Nicholas Quinn (guest star Angus Macfadyen, Braveheart) from destroying everything Chuck has built over the past five years.”

Which may sound action-packed but Strahovski emphasises, “We’re going to see a lot of the focus on the Chuck and Sarah love story, which is the heart of the show,” adding that the finale, “surprised me to the point where I kind of felt like an audience member myself, sitting on the edge of my seat wondering, ‘Oh my gosh, how is this going to get resolved?’

“There will be a satisfying ending,” Strahovski stresses “but it’s almost slightly, slightly tragic, the lead-up to what happens.”

@wilw As promised, here is #NoelTheChristmasWalrus atop my tree. He displaced Jack Skellington, who doesn't mind a bit.

Happy New Year one and all! Twitter traditionally slows down over the Christmas break, with most sci-fi celebs presumably stuffing their faces with copious amounts of Turkey and Quality Street, much like us normies, but this year the Twittersphere seemed just as active as ever.

Wil Wheaton had a Walrus on his tree, everyone in the UK cried at the end of Doctor Who and Felicia Day spent the entire Christmas break playing Skyrim it seems (just like us!) The most exciting news came just two days ago though, when Simon Pegg posted this wink wink, nudge nudge update:

@simonpegg #Sherlock was awesome tonight. Can’t believe I have to boldly go and miss the next two. My kingdom for a slingbox!

Coupled with Damon Lindelof’s equally “cryptic” tweet not long after, we wonder what they could be up to?

@DamonLindelof Something really, REALLY cool just happened. #BoldlyGo

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@Jon_Favreau Meryl Streep was fantastic in Iron Lady in spite of no red and gold armor.

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@NoelClarke Yo @BradleyJames for BOND. say.ly/Lca1acq

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@Josh_Friedman I know I’m very late to the WHO party…but saying good-bye to Rose Tyler last night in DOOMSDAY was tough on me and the wife.

@Sethrogen Accidentally shoved arkham asylum in ps3 while modern warfare was in there. My attempt to salvage: yfrog.com/keh4zbej

@ZacharyLevi There’s a lot of speculation out there, but my recent twabsence is due to hard work and charity.

The charity being my own sanity, and the hard work is running Link’s ass around Skyloft for 35+ hours. Oh, and I beat Uncharted 3. Noel!

@jamesmoran Russell was the most brutally honest with notes- but always left you laughing, feeling like the best writer in the world.

He also has this strange ability to name characters, instantly. I’m terrible with names. I think he may be a warlock.

@simonpegg They call the Nativity ‘the greatest story ever told’ but for me, the absent father motif is far more affecting in The Empire Strikes Back.

Watched Star Wars last night. Got original 3 on Blu for Christmas. The CG additions seem more dated and incongruous than Han’s sideburns.

Trek marathon. Did 3 & 4 tonight and enjoyed them both. 4 is a guilty pleasure but a pleasure nonetheless. *picks up mouse* Hello computer?

@feliciaday Can I marry more than one person in Skyrim? It’s gonna factor in whether I hook up with this innkeeper or not. He’s OKAY, but…ya know.

#Skyrim: I think I might marry an Argonian and move him to my Solitude house, just so the snotty neighbors can gossip about us.

#Skyrim: Heartbroken cause I got that Xbox bug where a Stone of Barenziah doesn’t appear in Fellglow Keep. 23/24 gems. #MAJORSOBBING

@therealcliffyb We considered “G3ARS” at one point. We then sobered up.

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Let’s kick off the year on an optimistic note, with 12 films and eight TV shows that I’m really looking forward to in 2012. I’m not guaranteeing the quality of any of these, and I expect by this time next year I’ll have to eat my word when it comes to a few of ’em, but for the moment these are the one I’m most hopeful about for various, esoteric and sometimes personal reasons…

FILMS

Chronicle

UK Release date: 1 Feb

Just when you’re getting to the point where you wish every found footage film could be lost in the crater of an active volcano, along comes another faux documentary film that makes you wonder if there is still some life left in the genre. Chronicle looks for all the world like the US Misfits has already been made in secret. Three newly-super-empowered high school students chronicle their attempts to learn to control their abilities… but then those powers start to corrupt. The posters have been great and the trailers promise a blackly comic experience. The script comes courtesy of John Landis’ son Max. Has the potential to become a future cult classic.

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John Carter

Release date: 9 March

John Carter could be a hard sell for Disney. Based on a series of books the mean about as much to the mass cinema-going public as À la recherche du temps perdu, and with no stars with any box office clout to shout about, John Carter’s most marketing-friendly element is that it’s directed by a guy behind two of Pixar’s biggest hits, Andrew Stanton. And even though Pixar isn’t involved with the FX in any capacity, Disney doesn’t seem to mind articles that mention the Pixar connection.

The release of the trailers last year didn’t generate much of a buzz either. Mostly the Twitterati seemed concerned about the comedy alien dog. And yeah, he does set Jar Jar Binks-style alarm bells ringing.

But I was lucky enough to go to the early screening of some of the key scenes from the movie, and, with a few reservations (that dog included, but he might be better in context), came back confident that Stanton has produced something with a bit more depth and wit than the trailers might suggest; it reminded me of the first Pirates Of The Caribbean but with a bit more heart. It certainly looks very stylish, with some eye-popping visuals, and Stanton’s direction has some virtuoso flourishes. Colour me cautiously optimistic.

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The Cabin In The Woods

Release date: 13 April

2012 should be Whedon’s year. And I’m betting the marketing team behind the much-delayed The Cabin In The Woods (it was made two years ago, but became a victim MGM’s bankruptcy) are going to make sure the Avengers connection is well to the fore in the film’s pre-publicity – Whedon wrote and produced Cabin, and it also stars Chris (Thor) Hemsworth. I doubt that the release date (so close to The Avengers’) is a mere coincidence, either.

The trailer suggests that the film will certainly deliver on its promise that it’s a horror cliché given a new twist… but what the hell is going on?

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The Avengers

Release date: 27 April

The mere concept of an Avengers movie exciting enough. The concept of an Avengers movie directed and written by Joss Whedon? That’s what the word geekgasm was invented for. So far, everything I’ve seen or heard about the film makes me confident that Whedon will deliver something quite remarkable. If there’s been any slight bum note it’s Cap A’s plastic-looking costume, but hey, I’m really straining to find anything negative to say.

The worrying likelihood is, though, that expectation is so high that anything less than utterly awesome will somehow feel like a disappointment.

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Snow White And The Huntsman

Release date: 1 June

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from this film. Then I saw the trailer. And suddenly I’m expecting a lot. Now that’s what you call a dark fairytale.

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Prometheus

Release date: 1 June

Ridley Scott returns to the franchise he launched over 30 years ago. How could you not be excited? Okay, in the intervening years Scott’s hit rate has been all over the shop, and there’s the nagging worry that the aliens might only play an incidental role in the whole thing. But from all the evidence so far, it looks like it’s going to be one of the most stylish-looking SF movies in a long, long while.

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More films on the next page…

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TAKING THE PISS OF THE YEAR

It’s the Sega Wee – although sadly that’s not what it’s actually called. Sega launched a game machine in Japanese men’s public urinals that’s controlled by streams of piss. It’s called the Toylet, and comes with a screen mounted above the urinal, which has a target on it. Hit the target to play such games as:

Mannekin Pis – wee as hard as you can
Graffiti Eraser – remove paint by weeing on every part of a picture
The North Wind And Her – the harder you wee, the more a girl’s skirt gets blown up by the wind
Milk From Nose – a multiplayer game where you try to wee harder than the guy next to you (and while you’re winning a guy on the screen blows milk out of his nose… answers on a postcard please)

Now we can’t smoke in pubs, all the fun of trying to get a fag end down the plughole has gone, so the sooner we get these in the UK the better.
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COVER VERSION OF THE YEAR

Proving that some people can create genius even with the most limited of tools, here’s an oddly appealing version of the Doctor Who theme tune that a certain Chris Harwick has generated using Mario Paint. We prefer it to the elastic-band twanging version the show used during the “Trial Of A Time Lord” series.

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DULLEST FIGHT OF THE YEAR

The not-missed The Cape came up with the exciting idea of the hero and villain having a fight on top of a moving train. Unfortunately, one was in a black costume, the other in a dark suit and the fight took place at night. Hello? Anybody there? Has the screen just done a fade to black? No wonder it was cancelled.
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SIGN OFF OF THE YEAR

In January, a show that lasted seven years, but never jumped the shark, disappeared from our screens with little fanfare and much dignity. SFX had always been fond of Medium, even if, after all that time, they still kept the bedroom phone on Joe’s side of the bed (those midnight calls were never for him) and Allison still always blindly accepted what she saw in her psychic dreams, even if nine times out of ten they were playing mindgames on her (ghosts must be great at cryptic crosswords). The show ended with a unique final sign-off with all the cast waving goodbye as the sets were being struck around them. Tears? We had a few. Bye bye Medium.
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WIKILEAK OF THE YEAR

The dark secret of Superman revealed, courtesy of Cracked.com.
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SUBLIMINAL ADVERTISING OF THE YEAR

Remind us again – which channel was Bedlam broadcast on?
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ALTERNATIVE DOCTOR WHOS OF THE YEAR

Early in the year we were treated to this Turkish take on the Time Lord that swept the internet, and we’re still not sure what it’s all about. Then later in the year, Community gave us another alternative universe slice of Who…

US sitcom Community has a slightly different of Doctor Who to the one we know.
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BEER GOGGLES OF THE YEAR

Been a bit tipsy and done something you’ve regretted over Christmas? You’ve probably got nothing on this chap in a wonderfully warped episode of Being Human. After all, did you stick your tongue down the throat of a rotting zombie? Despite a glue, Polyfilla and staple-gun makeover she still looked like the roughest “yours is the one on the right” ever seen in Welsh nightclub. He’s lucky her tongue didn’t come away in his teeth.

More Spurious Awards on the next page

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A preview

On sale Wednesday 14 December

Got iOS5 for your shiny new iPhone/iPad/iPod touch? You do! Well, did you know you can download issue 217 of SFX direct from Newsstand (our US chums can join in as well) on the day of release for a mere £2.99? iDevice users still in the dark ages of iOS4.whatever can also download the SFX app direct from the app store, which acts as a portal for you to download (or subscribe) to your favourite science fiction and fantasy magazine. Android users have no reason to feel left out either as you can still pick up the latest issue from Zinio..

Superhero Smackdown

If you’re a spandex salesman, 2012 is going to be your year: Supes returns in The Man Of Steel, Andrew Garfield dons a brand new web-slinging outfit in The Amazing Spider-Man and the Marvel movie universe comes together in The Avengers. We’re taking a look at them all this issue, from dissecting the new Avengers trailer to looking at 50 thing you need to know about the new Superman movie and an interview with Andrew Garfield. Blimey!

Happy Whomas!

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without widespread overeating of turkey, group family drunkenness and the Doctor on the box. We went poking round the set of this year’s Christmas Special, and found ourselves in a whole other world…

We Are The Law

The creators of Life On Mars are stepping into the arena of supernatural law practices in Eternal Law, and we’ve been on set to find out what’s in store.

Parallel Lives

We speak to the showrunners of the ever-brilliant Fringe tease what to expect when the show returns in the new year.

We Believe In A Thing Called Shocks

The Darkness is back! No, not the guitar-toting nutjobs of yesteryear (although, to be fair, they’re back too), we’re talking about The Darkness II, a new videogame which will drop a fright bomb on your face.

Jason O’Mara

Terra Nova’s premier dino-fighting cop from the future settles down for a chinwag with SFX.

Don’t Miss:

Profiles: We talk to Philip K Dick Award-winning author Rudy Rucker about Alien, William Burroughs and the moral majority.

Spoiler Zone: Misfits, Once Upon A Time, Grimm, Chuck and much, much get the spoiler treatment this issue…

Red Alert

• We waltz with The Woman In Black.
• We get the lowdown on the return of Red Dwarf in 2012
• We corner Robert Sheehan about his return to our screens in The Borrowers.

Rated: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, Hugo, In Time, Cowboys And Aliens, Super 8, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, The Fades, Conan The Barbarian, The Smurfs, The Skin I Live In, Hell Train, Skyrim, Mazeworld, Assassin’s Creed and much, much more…

Here is a flick through of the entire mag!

SFX 217 is on sale NOW, in stores and through Newsstand and Zinio. You can also subscribe to the print version of SFX to save loads on the shop price, or buy a single issue online too.

@NathanFillion Can you help @alan_tudyk find three Firefly items?

According to a recent survey, despite the fact it’s not actually out till next year, the second most talked about film on Twitter (after Thor) was Christopher Nolan’s eagerly anticipated Bat-threequel The Dark Knight Rises. Seems the internet (including us) couldn’t be more excited.

Not to doubt the collected enthusiasm of the interwebs, but it’s interesting to consider how much of that excitement is spontaneous chatter, and how much of it is down to Warner’s clearly very savvy marketing machine. The Nolan Batman movies have had two of the most interesting viral campaigns in recent memory (particularly The Dark Knight), and if the recent “leaked” memos are anything to go by it looks like they’ll be drawing from the same well for the threequel. There’s a Twitter account, @thefirerises, which hasn’t done much as yet. Instead the focus on Twitter seems to be inviting anyone with any clout on Twitter to screening of the prologue to spread the word:

@edgarwright Am I allowed to say I saw 6 minutes of ‘Dark Knight Rises’ on IMAX?

Worth noting. The most anticpated film of 2012 is shot on celluloid. So when it says ‘A Film By Christopher Nolan’, it really is film.

@eliroth I just saw the most incredible #DarkNightRises footage in IMAX. Mind blown.

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@ManMadeMoon Not sure if Im allowed to say what I saw tonight… suffice it to say, it was considerably epic. You will be pleased.

Edgar already spilled the beans, so I guess it IS ok.. or at least I can blame him. Saw a nice little chunk of The Dark Knight Rises

@geoffjohns @wbpictures Bane is AWESOME.

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@DamonLindelof Every line of Trek script I write is another inspiration for a band name. Full Impulse. Evasive Maneuvers. Dammit Man. The Illogicals.

“Maybe Bane could have a CGI parrot on his shoulder that translates for him!” — Studio Exec Solving Problem That Doesn’t Need Solving

@wossy The great. Jerry Robinson has passed. He created The Joker and was a tireless campaigner for artists’ freedom and rights. A truly great man.

@ZacharyLevi Suiting up for the last time. #nerdherdforlife
pic.twitter.com/sYESAEq5

@Y_Strahovski And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a series wrap. Viva la Chuck

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@JoshuaEGomez Going in for the last scene. That’s it. No jokes. No funny pictures. Just Love. Thank you. I hope you know how much you’ve all meant.

@MarkChrLawrence That’s a wrap!
lockerz.com/s/163040454

@JoshSchwartz76 Fedak’s wet dream: imfdb.org/wiki/Chuck

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@jwrinzler Saw first reels of ROJ fine cut, including early animatics of Luke-lightsaber scene. Also got in advance copy of Book of Sith–incredible.

@mishacollins It’s true. I’m going to be back on the reality show about the two brothers who drive around testing out seedy motels. Any questions?

@JamesGunn In life, like in Skyrim, I sometimes feel like I spend too much time on side missions and not enough on the main story.

@feliciaday UG ok so I forgot the Imperials tried to murder me in the opening cut scene. Think I’ll just go Dark Brotherhood and be an assassin. #skyrim

@GroovyBruce “@luvsheppy: What was your favourite tv show as a child?” Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. It aired just after the invent of electricity.

@smhelloladies Seems I won Best Nervy English Robot Voice at VGAs for Portal 2. Thanks if you voted. I tried hard to do a good job so really appreciate it

@Paul_Dini Happy Joker won best character, even though the first thing he did was trash the script. He’s like that.

@terryandrob The Long Earth is finished. Well, we’ve just reached the end of Part One.

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@ianmckellen118 Today is tenth anniversary of the premiere of “The Fellowship of the Ring” (in London December 10, 2001). Time flies!

@TheRealNimoy Nichelle Nichols auditioned for Spock ? I think I was third in line. Martin Landau turned it down. LLAP

@GroovyBruce “@supercolin13: Will 2012 be a blessed year, will the AOD II script at last be upon us!!??!!!” Starring Ash the Aged?

There’s a reason you may have noticed Chuck featuring fairly frequently in this regular roundup of sci-fi celeb tweets over the past few weeks. That’s because around about now the crew will be filming the final ever scenes of the show, which airs in the States on 27 January 2012 after five years on the air. It’s been a tumultuous half-decade on this side of the screen, with the show constantly teetering on the brink of cancellation due to its so-so ratings, but on-screen it’s been nothing but a success. There isn’t a sweeter show in all of science fiction, and it remains one of the few guaranteed fun 45 minutes of the week, with a band of lovable misfits to pick up the slack even when the mission of the week disappoints.

The other reason Chuck features fairly frequently in Tweets Of The Week is that it happens to have one of the most active casts on Twitter. All of the key players tweet regularly (though if you follow @adamsbaldwin, you’ll know why he doesn’t appear as often as the others) which means we’ve been given an unusual amount of access to the final few days of a series for the price of a few “follows”. Needless to say, for the cast and fans of the show it’s been a teary week:

@Y_Strahovski We wrapped the Buy More last night around 1am. Said our final goodbyes as we walked out of stage 17 for the last time

Shot the very last scene of the series yesterday… Woke up with puffy eyes this morning from crying all day AHH!! Five more days ……..

@ZacharyLevi And that’s a wrap on the Buy More. She was a good ship, and served us well. pic.twitter.com/2LMefCoc

@Scott_Krinsky Putting in some final hours with @MarkChrLawrence & #VikSahay twitpic.com/7mfxsm

The “LAST” night in the Buy More:(. Jeff and Lester tired from a hard days work.#VikSahay http://twitpic.com/7myz4n

@MekennaMelvin “@wendilynnmakeup: Warm goodbyes to @MekennaMelvin last Night! twitpic.com/7mr8cf” great now I’m crying again!!

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It’s not all been puffy eyes though. Chuck wouldn’t been Chuck without a couple of laughs and some happy memories:

@JoshuaEGomez “@jualdeaux: @Y_Strahovski @ZacharyLevi @JoshuaEGomez @adamsbaldwin Are you going to keep any “Chuck” souvenirs?” My beard.

@Y_Strahovski #FavChuckFightScenes THAILAND EPISODE TRA LA LA!!!! Chuck vs phase three !!!! And the catwalk fight with model Karolena Kurkowa :):):):):)

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@steven_moffat To clarify: any Doctor Who movie would be made by the BBC team, star the current TV Doctor and certainly NOT be a Hollywood reboot.

Movie thing: David Yates, great director, was speaking off the cuff, on a red carpet. You’ve seen the rubbish I talk when I’m cornered.

Also a true fact: @murraygold will break your heart in The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe. Stuff the writing, it’s all about the music.

@WilliamShatner @TheRealNimoy I don’t know about her hair buns but @CarrieFFisher‘s buns are better than Spock’s ears. And they can hear better. MBB

@jwrinzler Saw last five reels of Director’s Cut of Jedi–some scenes different/longer. Saw Lucas’s re-cut of sarlacc scene. Writing, up to page 40…

@BryanFuller TODAY’S MOOD: LICK THE LIGHT SWITCH pic.twitter.com/RpJxJcOp

Where the deer and the antelope shoot you in the face. pic.twitter.com/rhR8gCuS

@DamonLindelof If you name a movie “War Horse” there is a reasonable expectation said horse will wear armor and/or shoot flames from its nostrils.

@jarpad “@OhKelleh: Do you ever make fun of Jensen for his bow-legs?” YES, but when you push his knees together, he’s taller than I am!!!!

@ERICBALFOUR #Haven family on our way to the @Syfy Holiday event in NYC! Bangerang!!! pic.twitter.com/ceuDLjjP

@jamesmoran Ooh, day 3 of Children of Earth on Watch tonight, at 00.40. On Watch, so probably cut to bits with ad breaks mid sentence.

@AntoniaLThomas Just bought a nice new pair of @Converse, definitely essential footwear!

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@MoTancharoen Reunion. #Dollhouse twitpic.com/7o2y8d

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Read back over the year in Tweets

New “The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe” pictures

@RobbieMcDunc Shooting #chuck 513...last scene with Morgan and Chuck alone for the series, sniff, sniff!! @ZacharyLevi @JoshuaEGomez

One of the best things about Twitter is being able to ask questions of your favourite SF and Fantasy stars and (in theory) get a direct response. Unfortunately it never quite works like that, as with most boasting thousands, if not millions, of followers the chances of them seeing your question in a constant stream of @ updates could literally be a million to one.

Some do manage to pull off an entertaining Q&A session, however. @ ZacharyLevi does his regular TwitCasts, @serafinowicz has his hilarious #PSQAs, and former Buffy writer/director @stevendeknight frequently takes to Twitter to answer fan questions. Mostly about his current show Spartacus, yes, but occasionally other shows too, DeKnight raising our eyebrows with his answer to this question:

@stevendeknight Sadly Torchwood has been torched. RT @DerfelMacklin @stevendeknight How about Torchwood? :)

Before clarifying:

@stevendeknight I spoke out of turn. Actually not sure. Would LOVE to work with Russel!RT @sadsuburbancos apparently Torchwood has been quietly canceled…

Fans of @JamesGunn’s Super would also do well to look over his stream from the weekend, where he live Tweeted a commentary for the film. Clearly a man after our own hearts with this particular tweet:

@JamesGunn This is a good time for a bathroom break if you really need to go (well wait until after the sex scene)

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@ZacharyLevi Great. Now I’m crying in my trailer. Thanks jerk. RT @JoshuaEGomez: We open at the close. pic.twitter.com/CxcGAuSB

@TheRealNimoy Carrie Fisher says her hair buns in Star Wars are better than Spock ears. I don’t agree. Her hair can’t hear. LLAP

@neilhimself Listening to my commentary on The Doctor’s Wife on the blu-ray. Amused to notice the censored bits where I suddenly stop talking. #budgetBBC

@simonpegg @JohnTheCho Bless you Choballs. We’ll be together soon. It’s so close now I can almost smell your space musk. It’s nuttier than Pine’s.

@ManMadeMoon Job done! Just finished watching Return of the King extended addition. 12 hours straight of movie goodness. :)

@DamonLindelof Yeah, I cried during THE MUPPETS. Does this somehow make me less a man? No. It does not.

@iansomerhalder @DamonLindelof Solid thinking Damon, solid. Xo

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@DamonLindelof @iansomerhalder Seriously. The last time I cried like this was when Boone died. P.S. I’m Team Damon.

@bearmccreary Hey #BSG fans, let’s welcome Kat herself to twitter! :) follow @lucianacarro

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@emmacaulfield I’m taping a tiny green paper tree to my tv. that way my faves like Aliens can be Xmas movies.

GENRE-CROSSING OF THE WEEK

Aliens on ice. We’d prefer this on a Sunday night to Dancing On Ice. Hell, we’d prefer Immortals On Ice to Dancing On Ice. But if the aliens could eat Phillip Schoffield, then we’d settle for Dancing On Ice. This has been created by The Old Murder House Theater troupe from Austin, Texas and perhaps the most disturbing thing about it is a grown man with a beard playing Newt.

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MAKEOVER THE WEEK

Futurama goes anime in the season six finale.

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MONSTER OF THE WEEK

We thought the CGI monsters on Grimm were a bit crap this week, until we realised it just a bit of animated promotion for another show.

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GIT WHO ACHIEVES REDEMPTION OF THE WEEK

Three clips of a subplot from “Chuck Versus The Business Trip” showing Casey at his worst and best (or best and worst, depending on what you want out of your Casey-age), as Morgan tries to remember what it’s like to be a geek. Spoilers, obviously… But – great episode.

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HEADBUTT OF THE WEEK

Hitler came off badly when he encountered the Doctor, but getting locked in a cupboard was nothing compared to what Kelly had in store for him.

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PUBLIC INFORMATION FILM OF THE WEEK

William Shatner’s guide to unfriending.

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@JoshuaEGomez 10 thumbs down for our 10 days left. #chuck #sadface

Does anyone think the Doctor Who is actually going to happen? Regardless of whether it happens or not, everyone has an opinion on whether it should (our Dave Golder’s is more level-headed/flame-baiting than most), and with plenty of big-name Who fans painting their thoughts on the wall every day on Twitter, there was no shortage of opinion this past week. Or should that be cryptic/outright objection, because if Twitter were anything to go by it seems the whole world is against it, including the main man on Who at the moment – Steven Moffat. At least we think he’s against it, we’re not very good with metaphors:

@steven_moffat Announcing my personal moonshot, starting from scratch. No money, no plan, no help from NASA. But I know where the moon is – I’ve seen it.

@neilhimself @steven_moffat Sounds brilliant. But does it have to be a Moon?

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@TobyHadoke @steven_moffat Be sure you casually undermine the work of anyone who has made a moonshot before you as well, with a glib, sweeping dismissal

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A couple of other famous fans chipped in two, both in typically outspoken fashion.

@simonpegg Why is everyone speculating about who should play the Doctor in the Doctor Who movie? Matt Smith is the Doctor, he should fucking play him!!

It’s nice to be thought of but I do not want the part and would not accept if it were offered to me. I did my Who time and I died. The end.

@mrmarkmillar I’m putting myself forward to play Dr Who in the upcoming movie. If Moffat’s not involved they might as well get a rubbish actor too.

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Also, seeing as today is the Doctor’s 48th birthday, here are some celebratory tweets!

@TobyHadoke Happy birthday to Who, happy birthday to Who, Happy birthday Doctor Who-oo, Happy birthday to Who!

@Paul_Cornell It was 48 years ago today that Doctor Who taught so many of us to play.

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@jamesmoran Happy birthday to Doctor Who! 48 years since the first broadcast. Blimey. Must watch some to celebrate.

@neilhimself 48 years ago, Doctor Who started. I couldn’t be who I am today without the things the tv series, annuals, etc did to my mind. Thank you BBC.

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@ManMadeMoon Oh twilight movies… How your opening box office weekend numbers make a mockery of hard work. I do hate you so.

@Markgatiss Did Douglas Adams create the character Sepp Blatter?

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@edgarwright I have it on good authority that Bill Murray loves ‘Scott Pilgrim Vs The World’. In related news, am retiring.

@neilhimself The 1944 movie of LORD OF THE RINGS, starring Humphrey Bogart as Frodo, remains my favourite; youtu.be/yUf8reRSImk

@eliroth Darth Vader thought it was a good idea to strike down Obi Wan. Look how well that worked out for him. Stay safe NYC, we are watching. #OWS

@Y_Strahovski We are still filming. Just finishing up ep 11 of Chuck…2 more to go ….. Omg!

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@allisonscag I’m going to start a blog called The Tears of Twin Peaks. It’s just screen shots of people crying in Twin Peaks.

@nolan_north “@MohdJ3: @nolan_north are you planing to make uncharted 4 please answer”. I am. Not sure yet if Sony and @Naughty_Dog are, though!

@JamesGunn Hello, Skyrim. Goodbye, world.

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@TimOfLegend Explaining to wife: When I take off my pants to play Zelda, it’s not a sexual thing. It’s about being 100% committed to the quest.

@neilhimself @wilw I wonder if Evil Wil Wheaton from Big Bang Theory hangs out with Evil Neil Gaiman from the Simpsons. #WeAreSoEvil

@Paul_Cornell ‘Writer’s block’ is just a sign that the last brick you put down is wrong, and that you shouldn’t build on it.

HUMAN CATERPILLAR REMAKE OF THE WEEK

Once Upon A Time prepares to go X-rated.

KNOCKOUT FART OF THE WEEK

Morgan discovers the upgraded Intersect has unfortunate side effects in Chuck.

TWILIGHT SEQUEL OF THE WEEK

And it’s not Breaking Dawn…

MYSTERIOUS BOOK BINDING OF THE WEEK

Peter’s return to the Fringe universe is not just causing all kind of timey-wimey anomalies, but spatial ones as well. Walter’s copy of Cosmology appears to be bound on both sides while Peter’s holding it… but returns to normal once snatched away from him. You may think it’s a mere blooper but we reckon it’s an important piece of the plot arc – you mark our words! (Wonder what kind of effect he has on a Kindle?)

CHEAP BATMAN KNOCK-OFF OF THE WEEK

No this isn’t Sanctuary exploring the dangers of the latest craze to sweep American youth – extreme flashing. It’s Sanctuary returning to what it does best – saving money. Only this show could feature two flying characters as major guest stars of the week… then never actually show them flying. Falling off this ledge is about as near as get.

FANTASY ANIMATION OF THE WEEK

Anyone for an animated reboot of Firefly? We’d certainly be up for it if looked as glorious as this image by Otis Frampton [via Geek Tyrant].

SLIGHTLY LOW-RENT PUBLICITY STUNT OF THE WEEK

Two members of Steps in a Sainsbury’s with a bloke in a Kung Fu Panda outfit. And yet we’re still posting it. A £3.75 marketing budget well spent.

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There’s going to be a scrap in the SFX office when it comes to who gets the tickets for the preview screenings of I, Frankenstein. And possibly a full-on war if we’re offered interview opportunities. Because Deadline reports that Chuck’s Yvonne Strahovski (pause for a sigh) has been cast in the lead role in the movie.

Based on a graphic novel by Kevin Grevioux, the film is about Dr Frankenstein’s most famous creation having survived until the present day. He now calls himself Adam and has moved to a gothic city that’s the centre of supernatural war. The Dark Knight’s Aaron Eckhart is playing Adam.

Strahovski will play the female lead, a scientist working on reanimating the dead and tricked into working for demons seeking to create an army of the undead.

She will be joined by Lord Of The Rings’ Miranda Otto, who, according to The Hollywood Reporter, will play the Queen of the gargoyles (hardly typecasting, surely?).

I, Frankenstein is being directed by Stuart Beattie in Australia and is scheduled for a 22 February 2012 release.

The Hobbit Trailer
According to Gollum-incarnate Andy Serkis talking to IGN, we should get our first decent taste of Peter Jackson’s first Hobbit movie next month. “There will be a trailer fairly soon, actually. Around Christmas time, I believe,” he tells the site.

Q
Nope, somebody isn’t making a Star Trek: The Next Generation spin-off. (Or a Bond one, for that matter.) Coming Soon reveals that Columbia Pictures is acquiring the rights to the Evan Mandery novel Q for writer/director David Gordon Green and producer Matt Tolmach (the team behind Pineapple Express). The book is about a man who, shortly before his wedding, is visited by his future self and advised not to get married (so far, so Buffy’s “Hell’s Bells”). And as his life progresses he gets more advice from future versions of himself, urging him to marry someone else, divorce, attend law school, leave law school, travel, join a running club, stop running, study the guitar, the cello, Proust, Buddhism, opera, and eliminate gluten from his diet.

Resident Evil: Retribution
The Daily Mail has some new pics of Milla Jovovich in costume on the set of the new Resident Evil film. Click on the image to see more.

Brave
Empire has posted some new pics from Brave, the Scottish-set new animated fantasy from Pixar, due for release in the UK on 17 August 2012. Click on through to see more.

Chuck
TVLine has revealed the title of Chuck’s final ever episode, the 13th of the current fifth season, and rather poignantly (although maybe unsurprisingly) it’s going to be called “Chuck Versus The Goodbye.” Looks like the producers aren’t expecting any last minute stay of execution, then, but at least it should be a satisfying way to finish the series. It’s due to air on Friday 27 January.

A Gifted Man
CBS has ordered three more episodes of the syrupy doctor-with-a-ghost-wife drama A Gifted Man, starring Patrick Wilson, reveals TV Guide. Oh dear Lord, what have we done to deserve that?

What is Star Wars: Identities?
Nobody outside of Lucasfilm has any idea what Star Wars: Identities might be, but Fusible reports that the company registered three new domain names – StarWarsIdentities.com, StarWarsIdentites.com (sic) and sw-id.com – on 7 November through Corporation Service Company, a brand protection service. What’s George got up his sleeve now?

@terryandrob Okay, on this occasion we can't deny that we DID meet @steven_moffat and what a thoroughly decent chap. Thank you.

Sometimes working with a group of like-minded colleagues, or hanging out with a group of friends who share similar tastes in all things sci-fi, can give a misleading impression of just how popular a film, TV show, computer game etc actually is. After all, if everyone around you is talking about it, then everyone in the world must be. Maths says so.

Maths isn’t always right though (especially when we’re the ones number-crunching). But when it comes to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, we’re willing to give it the benefit of the doubt as it seemed the whole world was dragon slaying along with us this weekend, including a significant number of sci-fi celebs. It’s a geeky time for human history.

@terryandrob Sorry Vilja; put your feet up for a while, #Skyrim lands tomorrow @elderscrolls – we might be quite some time…

@charltonbrooker Is he telling the truth? If so, Skyrim sounds good RT @NathanRB_61: I threw a bear over a castle today in Skyrim. Shit was preposterous.

I now urgently need to know whether you genuinely can throw a bear over a castle in Skyrim. If you can, I’m going to get it.

@feliciaday Skyrim = Goodbye world for a while.

Ok restarting my Skyrim character because I’m not into being an archer, and wood elves are made for that stuff. Gonna prolly do Breton.

Guys, I just had a realization. I think it’s because my character isn’t a redhead. IS THAT CRAZY VAIN AND WEIRD?! #rerolling

@radiomaru Remind me to do “fanart” of Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyim’s progression of ugly weird poorly lit monster people

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@M_E_Winstead Attack the Block on bluray! Plus the bts. I love those kids so much.

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@HamillHimself I sang the classic Platters tune, Only You for Arkham (a cappella) as a possible Easter Egg, not knowing if they’d use it or not #insidescoop

Joker manages to make the gorgeous Only You ultra-creepy, but the big question is: Who is he singing it to? HA!! I’ll never tell! #insidescoop

@TroyLonergan @kaybi @Molly23 @wilw The original pic isn’t loading for me now, so I borrow kaybi’s and…. pic.twitter.com/7hS9Snmk

@RobbieMcDunc My cake at the #chuck office. #startrek. pic.twitter.com/9KKsEIBO

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@simonpegg The PC World Star Wars ads are like watching the man that murdered a close relative, relieve himself on the grave of said murdered relative.

@DamonLindelof “I tried to get Chris Tucker in X3 as an original mutant named ‘RastaBlasta,’ but Fox wasnt’ready for that shit.” #DidRatnerSayIt

@Jon_Favreau Thank you all for the #elf twitter love!

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@pattonoswalt Just been told there’s a RATATOUILLE reference in tonight’s Simpsons. #nice

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@JaneEspenson The next episode of Once airs in two weeks and it’s MINE! I hope you like it! Hot cricket action! And in the meantime…

@rcjohnso Die 3D die.

The best Halloween costume of the year, farting dogs and Tatooine sex slang, all in this week’s tweets

@Markgatiss Dalek redesign complete. Happy now?

We’re not going to sugar coat it, celeb-following can make Twitter a tedious place; and one glance at a typical list of trending topics is usually enough to make even the most upbeat optimist lose all faith in the future of humanity. But every so often someone will post something that just makes the day better than it would have been without…

@wilw Dog: I heard you think farts are hilarious. Me: Yep! Dog: Well, here, have one. POOT. Me: AHAHAHAAA– *cough* Dude, you stink. Dog: I know!

@elizadushku @wilw as if on cue, my dog @MaxFactorD just master-gaster #Pooted a #killer.

@feliciaday @wilw @elizadushku my dog didn’t fart, but his breath is awful, does that qualify me for the conversation?

Need we say anymore?

In other news last week was Halloween and as expected the streams were flooded with costumes, most of which were, admittedly, not great. However, if there was one thing we learnt from this year’s Halloween tweets, it’s that Jonathan Ross throws the best Halloween parties:

@wossy Front of the house is finished. I love Halloween!! yfrog.com/h2ddkyvhj

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And Paul Dini has a good stab at it too:

@Paul_Dini Our house tonight, photo thanks to Bob Goodman. yfrog.com/hscdzcbrj

Typical Halloween at the Dini’s. Harley was in top form, though apparently Prof. Pyg lost his mask at some point. yfrog.com/khq10laj

Also, a word of advice, never enter a costume competition with Jimmy Carr, who pulled off the most ingenious costume we saw this Hallows Eve.

@jimmycarr Better photo of Halloween Costume Number 1. I only wore it for two hours cause the damn dirty ape got tired. lockerz.com/s/152223082

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@pattonoswalt Okay, so @eliroth just described his next movie to me. It involves anal beads, Kung fu and stars Russell Crowe. I am not kidding.

“Letting the Wookie win” — getting cock-blocked by a pretty girl’s ugly friend at the bar. #tatooinesexslang

@GroovyBruce News: my scene in Oz has been cut before shooting. It happens on epic flicks. Disappointed, but all good w/Sam. On to the next adventure!

@charltonbrooker Horror film plot: man syncs iPhone, loses all contacts. Now all the ppl whose numbers he lost will die unless he can install iOS666 in 24hrs

@rustyrockets Dear @DAVID_LYNCH can you direct my gig on 29th? I’d like a macabre, non-linear dreamscape concluding with a larvae baby. RSVP

@theaarondouglas All Along the Watchtower on in restaurant. I didn’t notice until I found myself eyeing a beautiful small Indian woman w/ great suspicion.

@DamonLindelof If they don’t give me the name of the man in black (leather) soon, I am so gonna stop watching AMERICAN HORROR STORY.

@RareLtd New Bond film shares name with Blast Corps vehicle! That’s right: J-Bomb. Not really, it’s Ramdozer. Not really – Cyclone Suit. Not really.

@jarpad “@Jacklovesyou1: @jarpad LOVE IT! Haha you should dress your wife as the princess haah :D!! :D” even BETTER!!!! ;) yfrog.com/nucqnutj

@IAMKELLYBROOK Turtle heads twitpic.com/79gvkz

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@sutterink katey off to a FUTURAMA readthru. really want to go to one. maybe the next episode.

@simonpegg Nice to hear Comedy Central showed Shaun and Fuzz this weekend and in true Halloween fashion were butchered beyond recognition.

@allisonscag Watching Ginger Snaps. First time menstruation is exactly like getting attacked by a werewolf! Am I right, ladies?! #amiright

@JoshuaEGomez #chuckfest3 Holler. pic.twitter.com/Lp0npbfy

What are the geekiest sci-fi films and TV shows ever? And by that we mean, which ones celebrate all things geeky and turn the geek into a loveable hero? Of course, if we weren’t specifying they have to be sci-fi, then The Big Bang Theory would be in with a shout (or a pouty whine, at least) but we are, so it doesn’t make the cut.

Close but no cigar shows and films include Farscape (Crichton made lots of hip cultural references, but he was never an übergeek – his targets were largely too mainstream); Stargate Universe (okay it had Eli, but his role wasn’t quite central enough); The Tick (lots of in-jokes, sure, but simply in-joking wasn’t deemed geeky enough); and Reaper (because in the Geek stakes it always ran a poor second to Chuck).

And definitely not included is No Ordinary Family, because the supposed “geek” in that – comic fan Katie – was played by an actress who managed to make lines like “Just like Professor X using Cerebro” sound like the class dunce being asked to explain String Theory. Did anyone believe she’d ever opened a comic in her life (maybe she has but it never came across)?

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Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel

2009

Geek credentials: Seriously, folks, this film was made for us. It’s as if writer Jamie Mathieson – who’s also scribbled episodes of Being Human – looked into our noggins, pulled out the stuff that makes us tingle in that special sci-fi way and brought it to the screen. FAQ About Time Travel takes the template set by Shaun Of The Dead – geeky pals sitting around in a pub waiting for something to happen to them – and goes absolutely wild with it. The results are brilliant.

The story’s pure sci-fi candy: Ray (Chris O’Dowd), Toby (Marc Wootton) and Pete (Dean Lennox Kelly) find themselves caught in a series of complicated and hilarious time loops and paradoxes while a hot babe from the future, Cassie (Anna Faris), attempts to help them. It’s about as British as British can be and refuses to take itself seriously: the centre of the time disturbance, for example, is their local pub’s grotty gents’ toilets. But the real pleasure comes from the fact our heroes understand precisely what’s going on around them because they’re geeks: nobody else could be better equipped to handle the dangerous daftness of time travel, after all…

Geekgasm: Outside a cinema there’s a poster for a film called A Boy’s Life. That was the original title for ET. But that’s not all – another poster is for Watch The Skies, the original name for Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. Geek-out!

Geeky references: Have you got all day? There are constant allusions to Ray Bradbury’s “Butterfly effect” (including the butterfly necklace worn by Anna Faris’s character). There are nods to Back To The Future (“Don’t sleep with anyone, it always ends up being your mum or your gran”) and the poster for the film parodies the poster for the third Back To The Future movie. The guys mention wanting more Firefly; Chris O’Dowd gets to say “Get away from him you bitch!” a la Ripley; and there’s even a shot of a giant ant on a rampage in the future, providing a hilarious little shout-out to Them! (1954). And there’s more. Lots more. Seriously, go watch it. You’ll bloody love it.

Geek speak: “Ray, I love you, but we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth!” (Cassie)

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@RobbieMcDunc The #CHUCK team Skyping with a young fan, Evans, who is in hospital in Tennessee. Lots of love!!!

It’s the scariest day of the year! No, not tax return day, Halloween. Unfortunately, seeing as most of the world’s Halloween parties won’t be taking place till tonight, Twitter streams won’t be flooded with mildly/extremely embarrassing costumes for a few hours yet. To get you in the Halloween spirit then, we recommend following @RealReeceShears, if you aren’t already, and checking back through his spooky #halloweencountdown tweets, if only for his 29 October 29 update that genuinely freaked us out:

@RealReeceShears This is the Shining twins all grown up: yfrog.com/o0fcgmj

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Some eager beavers have been enjoying early Halloween parties though, including The Vampire Diaries gang.

@ninadobrev Joseph morgan as beatlejuice yfrog.com/odl76aj xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Candice as “Toddlers in Tiara’s” and Zach as her creepy stage dad! Brilliant!!!!!!! yfrog.com/gz711iaaj

And the guys on Chuck, who have been indulging/suffering from a bit of Mischief Night fun:

@JoshuaEGomez #mischiefnight done came early for my trailer. Don’t know who the #charminbadit is yet. …but I have my suspicions. pic.twitter.com/5YWJpCVR

Check back next week for costumes galore, and remember stay safe on the spooky streets tonight Trick or Treaters.

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@feliciaday Love that the most common comment to me on Twitter about being on Talking Dead was my Left For Dead reference. #gamerhighfives :D

@edgarwright I wrote to ‘Jim’ll Fix It’ in 1980 wanting to be Doctor Who for a day. I guess I finally have to accept that this is not gonna happen…

@NoelClarke Good day on set today, but keep thinking about Arkham City. Need to crack some heads.

@MichaelJaiWhite I think my Black Dynamite & Spawn experiences ruined my “dressing up in a costume voluntarily” spirit! I bet the “Barney” guy feels the same.

@Paul_Cornell I love it that Warehouse 13 does Christmas episodes. Every show should. A Very Walking Dead Christmas! #fb

@bergopolis Um, yeah, that’s not unique. RT @TVGuide: What makes Grimm unique? It puts a supernatural spin on the crime procedural.

@TheRealNimoy Had lunch today with JJ Abrams. Dinner tomorrow with Zachary Quinto. Totally Star Trek’d. Great people. LLAP

@allisonscag I’m a grown ass woman, but the debut of the Claudia action figure just made me scream like a child. #livingthedream store.qmxonline.com/Claudia–Wareh…

@BRIANMBENDIS no details yet on the marvel mmo . I am sworn to secrecy. Start following @MMMSociety for updates

@GroovyBruce “@MD_2389: one thing missing from The Walking Dead. A Bruce Campbell cameo!” Cameo nuthin’ – I demand a recurring role! Tweet Nicotero.

@6Mman Picture on ‘Carter is finally, officially, gloriously LOCKED! Cheers! pic.twitter.com/4es3sOz2

@NathanFillion “Hey, guys! Let’s make a movie!” Joss Whedon

pic.twitter.com/tE4nCQZT

@THEBRYANHITCH Hoo-fucking-ray for the return on misfits.

It’s Halloween – the perfect excuse to curl up on your sofa in front of a scary movie. But TV shows can rattle us, too, whether it’s the shock of a terrifying Halloween special or simply an array of characters in costumes we’ll never, ever forget…

Jayne Nelson takes a look at ten programmes that have presented us with some memorable paranormal activities. Happy Halloween!

(Note: We’re leaving out The Simpsons’ many “Treehouses Of Horror” episodes because there have been a whopping 22 of them. And you all know they’re brilliant, anyway.)

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Chuck: “Chuck Vs The Sandworm”

It’s the best Halloween costume in the history of television, hands-down. No, we don’t mean Sarah wearing her now infamous Princess Leia outfit…

Nor do we mean the brilliant take on Adam and Eve, as modelled by Ellie and Awesome…

No, what we’re talking about is the episode’s titular sandworm, of course, the costume created and worn by Chuck Bartowski himself in a feat of daring fancy dress bravado most of us could only dream of.

Because come on – who would ever have thought of going to a Halloween party dressed as a worm from Dune? Nobody in their right mind, that’s who! But Chuck not only thinks of it, he makes it, and the result is so wonderfully outrageous he wins Best Halloween Costume Ever Until Infinity. FACT. If you can uncover anything better, although we doubt it, we’ll give you a prize.* But you won’t be able to…

*NB Prize may be a dead worm because (a) it’s apt and (b) it’s all we’ve got lying around the office right now.

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Here’s an early clip from the first episode of Chuck’s final season, “Chuck Versus The Zoom”, and if you read on there’s another sneak peek from season five to tantalise you.

On sale Wednesday 19 October. US chums, keep your eye out for the Immortals cover you see above.

Pick up a specially marked copy of SFX 215 in Sainsburys, and get two magazines for just £7!

Got iOS5 for your shiny new iPhone/iPad/iPod touch? You do! Well, did you know you can download issue 215 of SFX direct from Newsstand (our US chums can use this link) on the day of release for a mere £2.99? Not bad, eh? iDevice users still in the dark ages of iOS4.whatever can also download the SFX app direct from the app store, which acts as a portal for you to download (or subscribe) to your favourite science fiction and fantasy magazine. Android users have no reason to feel left out either as you can still pick up the latest issue from Zinio.

Want to test the waters? SFX 213 (with Doctor Who on the cover) is currently 100% free to download from Newsstand, for a limited time. All you need to do is download the free app and Bob’s your uncle!

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Misfits Series Three

Misfits returns to screens later this month for a third series of bonkers superpowers, wildly imaginative swearing and the impromptu expulsion of multiple simultaneous bodily functions, so we donned our biohazard suits and took a trip to the set for a day of zombie cheerleaders, and to meet the latest member of the gang – Rudy. Don’t be a monkeyslut, find out everything you need to know about the new series as we chat to writer/creator Howard Overman and see the new line-up in action in our exclusive behind the scenes pics.

The SFX Hot 50

Is it that time of the year already? After hours of shouting at each other across a large table and throwing the occasional Yoda Pez dispenser, the SFX hive mind has finally settled on a list of the top 50 movers and shakers in the world of science fiction. Did your favourite author/actor/film maker make the cut? Read on to find out!

Immortals

Superman’s Henry Cavill and director Tarsem Singh do for the Greek Gods what Zack Snyder and Frank Miller did for the Spartans in Immortals. Warning: contains copious levels of scowling, swords and six packs.

Sir Terry Pratchett

The legendary Discworld creator talks candidly to SFX about how science fiction can help in dealing with life’s ups and downs. Not half as pretentious as it sounds.

The Walking Dead Season Two

We go on set for the second season of FX’s phenomenally successful zombie show to chat with the cast and co-executive producer (and zombie make-up legend) Greg Nicotero.

Couch Potato

The couch crew enter Longpoke (aka Rich’s house) for an evening of prison-related SF.

Invaders From Mars

We take a look back at the exceptionally weird alien invasion classic in the latest Time Machine.

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Don’t Miss:

Profiles: Fringe’s Joshua Jackson talks season four and Chris Wooding tells us about his latest novel The Iron Jackal.

Spoiler Zone: Fringe, The Vampire Diaries and Lost Girl return; The Fades and The Secret Circle begin; while Eureka, Torchwood and True Blood wrap up for the year. Also the latest episodes of Doctor Who, Alphas, Haven and Warehouse 13.

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Red Alert

• Andrew Niccol (Gattaca) teams up with Justin Timberlake (wait, it gets good!) for high concept sci-fi flick, In Time, where everyone in the world stops aging at 25 and time is a commodity.
• We reveal the vampire filling the Mitchell-shaped-hole in the new series of Being Human.
• We get up close and personal with the rather lovely Yvonne Strahovski to talk the fifth and final season of Chuck.
• We’re massively excited about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in the office, and we think you should be too. Read all about dragon slaying and infinite possibilites as we speak to game director Todd Howard.

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Rated: The Three Musketeers, Contagion, X-Men: First Class, Jurassic Park: Ultimate Trilogy, Peter F Hamilton’s Manhattan In Reverse, 18 (!) of DC’s 52 superhero reboots and Batman: Arkham City.

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SFX 215 is on sale Wednesday 19 October, in stores, and through Newsstand and Zinio. You can also subscribe to the print version of SFX to save loads on the shop price – UK readers will also receive the second season of Fringe on DVD if they do (offer ends 30 November).

@James Gunn Mmmm! Cake is so much more delicious when it's formed into diseased zombie flesh.

What did we tell you last week? Follow Milla Jovovich. It’s been all drama on the set of Resident Evil Retribution, with 16 stunt men involved in an accident where a stage collapsed, with one woman still laying injured in hospital. How do we know? Because of Twitter of course!

@MillaJovovich Hey every1, it’s been a horrible day here at “camp evil”. As a lot of u hve heard, there was an (cont) tl.gd/dj0gfu

Later on in the day Jovovich gave updates on the injured stuntwoman (Akiko) before posting a full(ish) cast list, including Colin Salmon (@colinsalmon24), who somehow returns after being diced in the first film, though that hasn’t stopped Michelle Rodriguez’s character Rain returning either. She also confirms Ada Wong will be played by Li Bingbing and that Wesker will be back and that Lost’s Kevin Durand is playing series numpty Barry Burton, let’s hope he gets bumped off sharpish.

In other news comedian Patton Oswalt convinced us Breaking Bad is even better than we realised with his awesome geek theory about the show:

@pattonoswalt (1 of 4) Here comes my overall, geek-centrict, 100% bullshit BREAKING BAD theory. No episode spoilers, believe me…

(2 of 4) Walter White = Lex Luthor; Tuco (from Season One) = The Joker; Salamanca = Metallo; Gustavo Fring = Brainiac

(3 of 4) Who’s Hank? Check out the two-toned colored shirt he wears in this ep.

(4 of 4) Anyone who disputes my BREAKING BAD theory? I have very little evidence to back it up. That’s why I was able to Tweet it!

(4a of 4) Jesse Pinkman = the pragmatic, all-too-human Everyman, trapped in a world of villains & monsters.

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@neilhimself I think there should be an Occupy Gallifrey. “Because 0.000001% of the people have 99.99999% of the Time.”

@NoelClarke I want answers Müller. I know I’m giving your stupid ad PR, but it is nonsense. Why would Mutley hang out with Mr men? Were you guys drunk?

@radiomaru The Twilight Saga: Tan Muscular Guy Vs Pale Creepy Guy, Part 1 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

@Y_Strahovski Of course! It’s the bra & underwear scene released first ! And here I thought they would have shown that scene of us driving in that van…youtube.com/watch?v=a0ldnk…

@GroovyBruce “@jordanmcilveen_: @GroovyBruce what was the hardest movie for you to make ?” Army of Darkness – hands down. yfrog.com/kgkfysej

@JaneEspenson Eliza Dushku loves her Husbands! She knows it’s at Husbandstheseries.com twitpic.com/70biux

@mishacollins. @jarpad & Gen, congratulations on the growing family! I’m no scientist, but but this will be a new species, right? 1/2 human & 1/2 moose?

@elizadushku “No, I am your father” delivered by D.Prowse is #1 misquoted line in movie history! DV “Luke, I am your father..”=misquote #ImaNerdNowYaKnow

@BryanFuller I am obsessed with the PIE MAKER app for obvious reasons. xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xx

@RAYPARKACTION Just so u know in my mind Darth Maul never died! Always was waiting 4 the right moment! Excited that Ur all excited! It will be fun!

@serafinowicz @starwars I would love to voice Maul again! bit.ly/qisUU7 xxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xx

@DamonLindelof She awaits you with open nacelles. RT @simonpegg I absolutely cannot fucking wait to get back aboard that ship.

Bob is wondering how I have time to read his tweets while he is sitting across from me as we write Star Trek.

You saw the spoiler warning? Just checking. It’s not really very major but we know how sensitive some of the are.

Anyway, when the male lead on your show has the former Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) as his mum, you have to think carefully about someone with comparable cult status to play the mum of your female lead. But Chuck’s producers have been casting awesome guest appearances from the cult pool for five seasons now, so they know what they’re doing.

Result – Sarah Walker’s mum in the final (it still hurts to have to say that) season of Chuck will be played by former Charlie’s Angel Cheryl Ladd, according to TVLine.

Ladd will turn up as Emma, Sarah’s estranged mum, in next season’s eighth episode, scheduled to air in January. Apparently mother and daughter share a very complicated past and haven’t seen each other in five years.

Ladd played Kris Monroe in the original Charlie’s Angels. She first appeared in the second season, replacing Farrah Fawcett Major’s character Jill Monroe (Kris was Jill’s younger sister), though Fawcett did make a few guest appearances after her departure. Ladd stayed with the show until its fifth and final season in 1981.

Chuck Meets Stan
Chuck has managed to nab its coolest geek culture guest star yet, reports TV Guide – Stan “The Man” Lee will be appearing in the seventh episode of the fifth and last season. Chuck will apparently meet Lee “in the most unexpected places.” The DC boardroom, perhaps? Certainly not the set of any Marvel film…

Resident Evil 5
Milla Jovovich has Tweeted confirmation that Johann Urb will play Leon Kennedy in Resident Evil 5, reports ShockTillYouDrop. “Looks just like him BTW!” she wrote. In the games, Kennedy (left) was part of the Raccoon City Police before certain events propelled him to be part of an underground anti-Umbrella organisation.

Bond 23
James Bond site MI6-HQ.com reports that the opening scenes of Bond 23 will be filmed in Istanbul. The site says that locations that will be used include the city’s historical neighbourhood Sultanahmet Square. “There are, however, a number of locations, including the waterside and shores of the Bosporus, in consideration for the 10-15 minutes of the movie that is to be filmed in Turkey,” reveals Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Günay revealed. Both From Russia With Love and The World is Not Enough featured scenes filmed in Istanbul.

The Avengers
According to an interview with Tom Hiddleston over at Total Film, Loki’s powers have taken a step up the supervillain scale in The Avengers: “”The fun thing about Loki is that he goes 1-on-1 with every single Avenger… Loki has become so menacing that they all have to team up and overcome their differences to stop him…”

The Walking Dead
New publicity pics from season two, via ComicBookMovie.

Riddick: Dead Man Stalking
Seems Vin Diesel and director David Twohy won’t be trying to pretend Chronicles Of Riddick never existed, if Bloody Disgusting is to be believed. The site reports that Karl Urban, fast becoming one of the busiest men in sci-fi movies, is set to reprise his Riddick 2 role of Vaako in the new Riddick movie Dead Man Stalking. Urban played the commander of the Necromongers who attempted to kill Vin Diesel’s character in The Chronicles of Riddick and is set to return for the third movie in the series. The original screenplay reportedly featured Vaako quite heavily but a recent rewrite is said to include his character in a cameo role.

Jessica Chastain Cast in Joseph (Tron) Kosinski’s Next
We still don’t know if it’ll be called Oblivion or Horizons or something else entirely, but we do now know who’ll be starring in Joseph (Tron) Kosinski’s next sci-fi movie opposite Tom Cruise. Coming Soon reports that Jessica Chastain (The Tree Of Life, The Debt) has nabbed one of the lead roles in the big screen adaptation of Kosinski’s own Radical Publishing comic book series and takes place in a future where humanity has fallen to an irradiated Earth. Cruise plays Jak, a maintenance drone working on the planet’s surface alongside another worker, Vika. When a woman, Julia, is discovered in a crashed ship, Jak’s whole world is thrown into question and he finds himself strangely drawn towards Julia. It is not clear yet whether Chastain will be playing Vika or Julia.

Tintin: German Trailer

A trailer featuring new footage from Spielberg/Jackson’s The Adventures Of Tintin: Secret Of The Unicorn has emerged featuring some new footage… but it all in German. Anyone like to translate for us?

Chuck Season Five Spoiler
But we’re not going to spoil it for you. It’s pretty minor – it’s about a new character being introduced for the final year – so if you feel you really must know then pop along to TVLine, which has the scoop.

Fringe Up And Down In The US Ratings*
*Or in other words, you can prove anything with statistics. Fringe season four premiered on Fox in the US on Friday night with a viewing figure of 3..5 million. That’s up on it season three finale – hurrah – but 20% down from its first episode in the Friday night death slot earlier this year. Wouldn’t worry, though. Fringe seems to be so loved by Fox, it’s almost ratings-proof. The new season of Supernatural debuted on the same night with two million viewers for The CW (where ratings are always lower – it’s a pretty steady, if hardly spectacular, figure for that show). New medical-show-with-a-ghost A Gifted Man debuted on ABC (which expects chunky ratings) with decent but hardly earth shattering 9.3 million.

Chuck season five (its final seson – boooo!) premieres on Friday 21 Oct. 21. Enjoy it while you can.

TVGuide has published a pic from the Chuck season five premiere, “Chuck Versus The Zoom” showing Chuck about to lay into guest villain of the week, Mark Hamill. Click on the image or the link to read exec producer Chris Fedak’s comments on Hamill. Chuck returns to US screen for its final season on 21 October.

Boris Kodjoe Returns for Resident Evil 5
Actor Boris Kodjoe, who appeared as Luther West in Resident Evil: Afterlife, has Tweeted that he will be returning to the film franchise for Retribution. “Ok, Resident Evil fans @MillaJovovich and myself are up here in Toronto getting ready for RE5 More action than ever!!!”

A Glimpse Of The New Daily Planet Set
I09 has a shot of the new Daily Planet set for director Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel under construction in Chicago. Click on the image or the link to see the full shot. Good to see the famous metal globe. Let’s hope there’s one on top of the building as well. According to I09, “We’ve heard that Chicago’s Board of Trade building is being used for exteriors for the Daily Planet (which is kind of funny, because it’s also the exterior for Wayne Enterprises in The Dark Knight).”

Ice Age Continental Drift Poster
Courtesy of Focus On Animation.

Game Of Thrones Wins First Emmy

HBO’s Game Of Thrones won its first-ever Emmy for its title sequence, at the Creative Arts Emmy ceremony (which is like the BAFTA craft awards – the big Emmy Awards bash happens next weekend). The opening credits, created by the company Elastic, beat Boardwalk Empire, Too Big to Fail, Rubicon and Any Human Heart.

The Walking Dead Season Two Poster
Various sources (by which we mean, it’s everywhere, but you might not have seen it.)

Roland Emmerich No Longer Directing Asteroids
Roland (how shall I destroy the planet next?) Emmerich will not now be directing the film adaptation of arcade classic Asteroids. “I was very honoured that they wanted to have me as a director,” he tells Collider, “and I kind of liked the script very much, but at that time I was writing with my writing partner Harold Kloser a new script called Singularity and I opted for that.”

Various US TV Spoilers (minor)
For Chuck, The Walking Dead and The Vampires Diaries, all from TVLine. We’ve stuck this at the bottom of this page so you can stop reading now if you want to avoid spoilers:

Chuck: Eric Lange ( who played Dharma guy Radzinsky in Lost) will guest star in the final season as Colin Davis, a former technological terrorist responsible for designing the world’s most lethal supervirus. When Carmichael Industries is tasked with retrieving the virus, Chuck must return to his hacker roots, and convince the reformed Colin, who currently lives in a hippie commune, to join the team.

The Vampire Diaries: Katherine, Elena’s doppelganger, will be back in season three. “We’re not going to see Katherine right away,” says executive producer Julie Plec. “But when she does show up, she’s not going to show up empty-handed. She’s going to show up with some pretty valuable information.”

The Walking Dead: The zombie hit won’t be going all Lost on us when it comes to revealing what Jenner whispered to Rick in season one’s finale: “I wouldn’t want to give away exactly when we reveal it, but I will say that it’s something we don’t carry in into the next season — assuming there is a season three,” reveals creator Robert Kirkman. “We understand that there are different [questions] that TV shows will tease out for a very long time [and] how that sometimes becomes a little boring and wears out its welcome. We’re definitely not going to do that. That’s all I’ll say.”

@NathanFillion Twitter meltdown. @feliciaday, @edgarwright, Tony Head, and @simonpegg in Joss’ house.

Duncan Jones is one of the most exciting directors working today. All the more exciting because he’s one of us – a geek at heart with a love for videogames, comics and sci-fi that reaches right back to childhood.

Having suffered through many-a headache-inducing, gloomy 3D screening in the name of SFX’s reviews section, imagine the smiles on our faces then when we saw Jones firmly pitching his tent in the anti-3D camp last night on Twitter. It’s particularly refreshing in an industry which seems almost blind to the significant setbacks of 3D, purely because of how much money it makes for major studios. The tide is turning! (We hope).

@ManMadeMoon Honest opinion; Am I on the wrong side of history here, thinking that 3D films are just a fad? I still just don’t feel the added value.

@ManMadeMoon How does the idea of a mechanized cinema chair grab you? Tilts, rocks, jolts you with the action. That a good evolution for cinema?

@ManMadeMoon Would be good for horror. Jumping in your seat could be literal… FF6 would have a whole new gimmick…

@ManMadeMoon For all you people who hate the moving chairs bit, thats my point. And thats how I feel about 3D.

@ManMadeMoon Last rant. 3D is a bit like a French tickler. May add something if your lucky, but it aint going to help if the film doesnt turn you on.

It’s also worth checking out Jones’ profile to see him address a few more questions directly (in particular his concerns about eye strain and moving the camera quickly).

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@joe_hill 1 more thing: Dr Who acts like SF, but is really a longform horror story, where nothing is scarier than the Doctor falling in love with you.

@stevendeknight Are you crazy kids Batmanning? RT @MoTancharoen Upside down reunion instagr.am/p/Mv9U_/

@Paul_Dini Back from a week in London doing PR for Arkham City. Also ran thru game one last time before final lock. It’s awesome.

Saw Batman Live in London last week. I liked it fine until the Batmobile lost a wheel and the Joker…well, you know the song. Seriously.

@NASA Star Trek debuted 45 years ago today. Thanks fellow tweeps @WilliamShatner @TheRealNimoy @RealNichelle & @GeorgeTakei for the inspiration!

@JoshuaEGomez Time for another round of… “Guess the voice behind the Re-enactment” Go! twitvid.com/DLYDR

@MillaJovovich Hey every1! the fam is packed and we’re on our way 2 the airport n goin 2 toronto till xmas 2 start RE5! Exciting, but sad 2 leave our home.

@trutriciahelfer Voicing EDI while wearing a cylon spine shirt, lol. Tshirt by www.heruniverse.com #fb yfrog.com/18oimyj

@ManMadeMoon Been rummaging paperwork from SC & found doodle I did for buddy during production. warning: SC SPOILER pic.twitter.com/UPt4eSY

@whedonesque So according to yesterday’s Facebook poll, your most favourite Buffy season is 5 (followed by 3, 6, 2, 7, 4, 1 & finally 8). Comments?

@ZacharyLevi Twitter is fun. :)

Goodbyes are never easy, but they’ve become even more difficult in an age of instant mass communication. Imagine if Twitter had been around when Firefly was cancelled, the internet still wouldn’t have recovered from the sudden explosion of geek outrage.

Plenty of shows have been cancelled since the birth of Twitter, but few shows with as much of a presence in Twitsville as Eureka. Most of the stars are on there as well as several of the writers and creators, which explains why the streams were quite a sombre place this past week as those involved in the show tweeted their final farewells from the set.

@sallirichardson WOW I just came home from a 7 year journey. Thank you Eureka. You have taught me many things . Thx to the fans you are the best.

@jaimepagliaJust wrapped the #Eureka series finale. Seven years, 77 episodes. It’s been an amazing journey. Thanks to everyone for making it possible.

@wilw That’s a series wrap for #Eureka. I feel like I should say something profound, but I’m just overwhelmed with sadness and gratitude.

@neilgrayston Aaaand that’s a series wrap on #Eureka. Weird.                                                                                                                          .

@colinferg Goodnight everyone. Thank you. yfrog.com/kfnj2mvj

The life of a sci-fi celeb never stops though, with many of the cast hoping on planes mere hours after wrapping to attend ginormo-US convention Dragon*Con. For a flavour of the event you could do no better than checking through @feliciaday’s gallery of costumes from the show floor, including this familiar looking oversized hat:

@feliciaday Super-sized!!! #Dragoncon instagr.am/p/MCUOx/

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@GroovyBruce “@katupnorth: @groovybruce What drink do you find best accompanies an Evil Dead Marathon?” The “inhaled” kind!

@simonpegg It’s a shame Darth Vader didn’t say “NO” to slaughtering all them little kids. He’s alright though because he threw an old man down the bog.

“Stop it! I want to show Luke that I look like a boiled egg under this mask!” #whatvadersays

@DamonLindelof @simonpegg “Looks like you just ran outta PalpaTIME!!!” #whatvadersays

I wonder if the finale will be better appreciated if we have Vincent shout “NOOOOOOOOO!” over the final shot.

@wilw Make sure to search your Blue Ray of Stand By Me for the special, enhanced scene where Gordie cries,”Nnnnnoooooooooo!!!!”

@trutriciahelfer Omg, @edwardjolmos, Hogan and Tahmoh having dinner. My lovley men!! yfrog.com/kft1oijj

@hitRECordJoe No, this is the first I’ve heard about that one. :oD RT @RamfusBrock: Any truth to the rumors of a sequel to “Conception”

@alan_tudyk Considering wearing my IRobot green screen body panty for the Malibu triathlon. Can I be digitally turned into a panther or a cheetah?

@HamillHimself Off to Vegas for a Arkham City event on Wednesday- the more they show me of this game, the more mind-blowing it is-can’t wait until it’s out

@feliciaday Super Excited that they announced Mass Effect 3 FemShep is a redhead! Not that I wouldn’t have customized her as such anyway, but still :)

@ManMadeMoon Just finished Deus Ex… thank god! Got that out my system. Bloody game has kept me up for nights.

@Mike_Dougherty Together again. twitpic.com/6eqyrr

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@RhettReese They missed an opportunity with Human Centipede 2 not calling it Human Millipede.

Three bits of casting news for Chuck’s fifth and final season.

Danny Pudi, who plays secene stealer Abed Nadir in Community, will be appearing in the fifth episode, though no news on his role.

Meanwhile US The Office star David Koechner — aka “Packer” on that show – will guest star in the fourth episode as “Crazy Bob,” a jolly Buy More manager whom Chuck and Sarah encounter at the company’s Employee of the Year Convention. The Shield’s Catherine Dent appears in the same episode as Jane Robertson, another Buy More manager.

@BrianJacobSmith I found a Stargate in Bermuda!!! Possible location for a spin-off?

In theory one of the best things about Twitter is being able to ask your favourite actor/writer/sci-fi journalist (okay, maybe not that one) a question and be in with a good chance of getting an answer. Unfortunately, with the number of followers most celebs have it’s unlikely they’ll even see your question amongst the constant flood of responses filling up their stream, let alone have the time to reply.

It’s also true that with most Twitter Q&As the questions asked and the answers given are the most inane imaginable (typically along the lines of Q: “OMG, when does your new show start? I have to know I’m your biggest fan!” A: “Friday. And thx, I love everyone in the world!” Seriously, has no-one on Twitter heard of Google?) Occasionally, however someone will ask a question that encourages a genuinely fascinating and insightful response. Take Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich, who responded to a question about working titles for Pixar’s new Dinosaur movie with a mega-list of Toy Story titles that could have been. Our favourites “Bring Me The Arm Of Buzz Lightyear”, “Some Assembly Required” and (despite apparent cries of casual racism) “Made In Taiwan”.

@leeunkrich ‘Toy Story’ was always just a working title that we never intended to use. Maybe this one will stick, too. yfrog.com/gza26clj

I still have a list of 170 proposed titles. “@cathicks: Do you remember what other titles were considered for Toy Story?”

Wow. I just excavated some more lists of alternate Toy Story titles, taking the total to well over 200.

Spurs & Rockets #RejectedToyStoryTitles

The Cowboy & The Spaceman #RejectedToyStoryTitles

Wind-Up Heroes #RejectedToyStoryTitles

To Infinity and Beyond #RejectedToyStoryTitles

Moving Buddies #RejectedToyStoryTitles

Made in Taiwan #RejectedToyStoryTitles

The New Toy #RejectedToyStoryTitles

@leeunkrich These are randomly picked from a list of HUNDREDS of brainstormed titles. We had an open call to studio employees, out of desperation.

Now for some bottom-of-the-barrel rejected Toy Story titles…

The Favorite #RejectedToyStoryTitles

Some Assembly Required #RejectedToyStoryTitles

Wings & Pullstrings #RejectedToyStoryTitles

Each Sold Separately #RejectedToyStoryTitles

Toyz in the Hood #RejectedToyStoryTitles

For the Love of Peep #RejectedToyStoryTitles

Rex’s First Movie #RejectedToyStoryTitles

Wind the Frog #RejectedToyStoryTitles

Bring Me the Arm of Buzz Lightyear #RejectedToyStoryTitles

@leeunkrich If you thought those were bad, there were hundreds of others. None were better than plain old Toy Story, so that’s the title the world got.

We considered “Bug Story” for “A Bug’s Life”, but knew we’d have to forever use that naming scheme.

The SFX Twitter Stream

@AllCharisma @jarpad and @AllCharisma. Hanging’ onset. First Day. New girl. Making’ friends. yfrog.com/kl5cjhaj

Lk what #Supernatural presented to James and I … Thank u Phil,Eric, Robert, Sera, McG, Cast/Cru yfrog.com/h0h6pgfj

@DAVID_A_SLADE All my Twi friends, know this, Eclipse now a distant haze. Think of it as a fugue state. No memories, and I know nothing of Breaking dawn.

@RealCliveBarker @Purgatori66 Hello,my friends. I want to put on record that the flic out there using the word Hellraiser IS NO F**KIN’ CHILD OF MINE!

I have NOTHING to do with the f**kin’ thing. If they claim its from the mind of Clive Barker,it’s a lie. It’s not even from my butt-hole.

@eliroth Suspiria!!! #Goblin #ItalianHorrorFest yfrog.us/fvcuqz ……………………………………………………………

@JaneEspenson Russell had me rewrite a lot, but he actually changed very little himself. The schoolmaster story was his addition. I like it. #Torchwood

My rewrites were almost all just Russell saying, get deeper, make me cry, make me love them, make me scared. GREAT NOTES #Torchwood

@Aiannucci Congrats A-Level + GGSE students. You work hard only to have politicians + journalists crap in your face. That’s how Super-villains start

@ZacharyLevi Just finished watching all 10 eps of Game of Thrones. Yep, superb as expected. #latetotheparty #teamstark #wannastranglejoffrey

@simonpegg I preferred him when he was called Zuckass! twitpic.com/6ak1z6

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On sale Wednesday 24 August.

Head here to read online or take advantage of our August subscription offer: the first new 150 UK subscribers who take up this offer will get a copy of Doctor Who Season Six Part One on DVD. It costs £43.99 a year by Direct Debit which is still a whopping 25% off full price.

The Doctor Returns

He’s back on the box at the weekend, but before he makes his grand re-entrance we sat down with the Doctor himself, Matt Smith, and Whovian overlord Steven Moffat, to find out what’s in store for the galloping Gallifreyan.

Not Fade Away

The Fades is coming, and we’ve been on set to find out exactly what BBC Three’s latest dabble in the supernatural is all about.

Terra Incognita

Speilberg, dinosaurs, the future – there is literally nothing not to like about Terra Nova. Don’t believe us? Well, you will after you’ve had a squizz at our behind the scenes look at the dino-tastic new show.

Night Of The Living Dead

Team SFX have a night with the walking dead in the latest flesh-eating instalment of Coach Potato.

The 20 Greatest Villains Of SF & Fantasy Literature

We search out the meanest and the moodiest bad guys out there. Warning: they’ll scare your pants clean off.

Colin Morgan

We get up close and personal with Merlin himself. Shazam!

Don’t Miss:

Spoiler Zone: Torchwood: Miracle Day, Alphas, Haven, Warehouse 13 and tons more televisual goodness is rated and debated.

Red Alert

We go Comic Con mad and bring you all the news from the show floor, including updates on Chuck, Alcatraz, Fright Night, The Vampire Diaries, Grimm and much more…

Rated: Cowboys & Aliens, Captain America: The First Avenger, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, Fright Night, The Smurfs, Attack The Block, Flashback, SVK and Deus Ex: Human Revolution plus loads more…

@mishacollins after trouncing dozens of u in Words With Friends, the unthinkable-i lost. As promised, I sent a cookie to the cheater

What’s the deal? Did someone forget to tell us the past seven days were international Twitpic week? Because it seemed words were in short supply as our streams lit up with smiley, and not-so-smiley (see left), celebrity faces at all hours of the day. They say a picture says a 1000 words, so here’s 7,000 of Twitter’s finest.

@BryanFuller WAMPA SHOE MADE FROM REAL WAMPA pic.twitter.com/Inz6agW

@AntoniaLThomas On set, loving them x yfrog.com/h0qdwkbj

@EddieMcClintock Working with @neilgrayston! One of the good guys! #WAREHOUSE13 pic.twitter.com/eIaQ1MQ

@JoshuaEGomez Well Look who came to play with me and @ZacharyLevi. Yay! yfrog.com/kjbwskzj

@theaarondouglas Sometimes cleaning the house pays off. What a great frakkin pic. @Scott_Ian yfrog.com/khnpkqij

@neilgrayston And here’s pretty much all @feliciaday did on set while waiting to film #eureka. Must. Find. Cellular. Signal. yfrog.com/kjgilyij

@iansomerhalder Unfortunately @ninadobrev has been replaced on #TVD :( Here is a photo of our new cast member… lockerz.com/s/130040122

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@pattonoswalt Just saw the GHOST RIDER trailer. He pees fire. It comes out in February. Getting in line now.

@RAYPARKACTION Ok I’m getting my fix of [Mortal Kombat] before going into do fight rehearsal as Snake Eyes. Played Tekken & Soul Edge while filming [Episode 1].

@Y_Strahovski Ive 3 starred pretty much EVERY level of EVERY type of angry birds. Rio. Seasons. The original. Just have a FEW to go…the stubborn ones…

@stevendeknight Aroused. RT @RingofFire1 @stevendeknight Are you flattered or frustrated that there will be a SpartacusXXX movie?

@wilw Dear Valve: It took me a long time to finally sit down and finish Portal 2. It was entirely worth the wait. Thank you for an awesome game.

@Paul_Dini To the fans concerned about Harley’s new look in Suicide Squad, take comfort, she’s looked worse: tinyurl.com/43h2tdp

@MonasticProds Finished writing for the day .. with the line “They blast off over the heads of the rampaging creature hordes.” $5m blown right there!

Hold tight Hollywood – I’m gonna blow open your budget and eat the remains.

@bengcotton Secret Circle. That’s all I’m allowed to say.

@jumblejim Okay now, who stole Bobby's ceiling? Bring it back now and you won't get in trouble..... I'm WAITING.

Twitter has been a scary place over the past week with the riots plaguing English cities dominating streams. At least now we know what the world will be like when the inevitable zombie apocalypse hits.

Things are feeling similarly apocalyptic over at the Syfy channel where Eureka received a very public execution this week with many of the stars seemingly as confused as fans were, as the network seemed unable to make its mind up about the show’s future. The bad news: one of Syfy’s longest running shows is toast (presumably to make room for another reality show or another hour of wrestling), the good news: there’s another one and a half seasons worth of episodes to go, huzzah!

With many of the stars, writers and show runners on Twitter there was a great deal of thanks poured through the internet pipe. And if you’re so inclined you can sign a twitition here to save the show. You never know…

@bergopolis Everyone is asking why. It’s simple, really.

We are the network’s golden child in every way, except profit margins. Fact is, #Eureka is an expensive show to make.

@sallirichardson I guess the word is out that Eureka is ending. I have loved being part of the Eureka family and the last day is going to be very sad.

@neilgrayston Seriously awed at all the kind words peeps! You guys make me fist pump/transition to air guitar so hard! #Eureka loves you!

@wilw Saying goodbye to #Eureka: is.gd/V1ootZ

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@colinferg Thanks for the outpouring of affection everyone. YOU made the show. YOU made it special. YOU made it worth being part of. Thank you so much

@jaimepaglia Thrilled that our network and studio are giving us another episode to make a #Eureka series finale. The fans and show deserve it. Thank you.

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@martinoxon Listing my favorite top ten horror comedies for an article: Shaun of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead…

@simonpegg Fab stories from Paul Freeman today. Apparently there maybe a community of snakes living at Elstree Studios descended from Raiders escapees.

@OliverPhelps Shame we had to give our wands back when we finished filming. That would sort these riots out.

@MonasticProds I never thought I would say this and I know it sounds trite – but I want Raymondo, Chris, Alex and The Guv out there tonight. I do.

@Eastbournepol To dispel another rumour, Godzilla hasn’t destroyed the #Eastbourne Pier We dispersed him before he had the chance

@edgarwright I wrote four pages today. At this rate, I will have a new film out by 2018. See you at the cinema!

@DamonLindelof Futuredharma! twitpic.com/612xcf

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@GroovyBruce I. Am. In. Oz. Sam Raimi refuses to tell me what character I will portray. Just know that the role is PIVOTAL. yfrog.com/gzsvmlbj

@David_Boreanaz Remember Andy Hallett.A great person who could light up a room,and turn a bad day into a day of Love and Laughter

@ZacharyLevi Dear @HamillHimself, It was an honor having you come play in our sandbox my friend. You’re welcome anytime. #maytheforcebewithusall :)

@alan_tudyk cowboys and aliens is okay for a space western but suffers from a painful lack of chinese

@TheRealNimoy Had dinner with Zachary Quinto. Great conversation, always. LLAP

Chuck is continues to a veritable hub for anyone playing a sci-fi specific game of Six Degrees Of Separation. As the show enters its final season it’s still finding new fanboy-pleasing guest stars to sign up.

TVLine reports that latest pair sci-ficons recruited for the show are Smallville’s Justin Hartley (Oliver Queen/Green Arrow) and Lost’s Jeff Fahey (pilot Frank Lapidus – though those with longer memories will also recall that he was the original Lawnmower Man).

Now the spoilery details, if you want to avert your eyes…

Fahey will play Karl Sneijder, president and CEO of Natal Jewellers, a man who’s been on the CIA radar for a while now. He comes to Chuck and Sarah’s spy agency Carmichael Industries for help when his innocent little brother, Wesley (played by Hartley) is kidnapped.

@ThatKevinSmith Good SMorning! The greatest image you will see all day is Heath Ledger Joker giving a Bale Batman a bit of the ol' ollie

Twitter is a fertile ground for breeding new ideas, so it was only a matter of time before THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME was conceived in the 140 character stream of consciousness. It all started when Edgar Wright (always good value for anyone not following the Scott Pilgrim director yet) tweeted former WWE superstar Dwayne Johnson aka @TheRock about joining his “club”…

@edgarwright Dear @TheRock, I would like to join Team Bring it. Is there an entry fee? A minimum height? Should I bring my gym kit? Sincerely, Edgar.

@TheRock Dear @edgarwright – No entry fee, height or age requirement. Just puttin our boots to asses daily. Welcome to Team Bring It brother.

If that wasn’t awesome enough, things took a turn for the, er, awesomer when one member of joe public had a flash of inspiration.

@lewiswaltoncent @edgarwright please make an awesomely geeky action hero movie starring @TheRock with @simonpegg as his evil nemesis – that’s a wet dream!

@edgarwright @lewiswaltoncent @TheRock @simonpegg I concur with this idea.

I say the movie also stars @NickJFrost. But even with all three onboard; top billing still goes to The People’s Elbow.

@simonpegg I’m in @edgarwright but only if I can smell what @therock is cooking. Otherwise it’s deeply unfair.

Actually if @TheRock can smell what @nickjfrost is cooking, the film will be more like My Dinner with Andre. Nick’s exceptional at cookery.

@TheRock @simonpegg @edgarwright – I do indeed smell what @nickfrost is cooking.”The Frost” as I call him when we’re drunk. I smell a big hit boys.

@edgarwright @TheRock @simonpegg @nickjfrost ‘The Rock & The Frost’ sounds like a stone age caveman buddy flick. Get a red Sharpie out and DATE IT.

@simonpegg Let it be known that the baddest movie of all time was birthed on Twitter and shall star @TheRock @nickfrost and me (dir. @edgarwright) :-D

The Avengers better watch their back.

The SFX Twitter Stream

@DamonLindelof To every entertainment journalist preparing to run some version of “Cowboys Get Smurfed!”… I beg of you, please — Don’t.

@NathanFillion When my brother and I watch #GameOfThrones together, we make up lyrics. And background vocals.

@ManMadeMoon At Attack the Block screening. Crowd of Americans brought me as a translator, just in case.

Attack the Block made me homesick. I used to have a job chasing down and beating up on extra terrestrials.

@JaneEspenson “end of the worldy” — more of a Buffy line than Torchwood. Couldn’t help myself.                                                                                                       x

@Scott_Krinsky All done with with my first day of season 5 #Chuck. The Buy More is in good shape. Though not necessarily the employees:)

@JoshuaEGomez First day of season 5. So far so good. @Y_Strahovski yfrog.com/kezx9qbj

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@EmilyroseLA Of corse!!RT @Slimz09: @EmilyroseLA Would u consid. audish. for Elena in Uncharted movie? U ARE Elena! Can’t really see anyone else in it!

@RhettReese Franchise I’d most like to get a crack at writing someday: The Matrix.                                                                                   x

@edgarwright Knock knock. Who’s there? Doctor… twitpic.com/5vzjrl

Chuck certainly isn’t resting on its laurels for its fifth and final season. The show is legendary for casting sci-fi and fantasy icons in guest roles (Linda Hamilton, Timothy Dalton, Christopher Lloyd and Scott Bakula being just the tip of the iceberg) and the trend continues.

According to TVLine, The Matrix star Carrie-Anne Moss will be joing the show as a recurring guest character for season five playing, Gertrude Verbanski, a love interest for Casey (Adam Baldwin).

She’s a former spy who now runs Verbanski Corp, the chief rival of Chuck and Sarah’s new company. She’s ruthless and deadly, yet she also has a weak spot for Casey, her old rival. She has been described as, “Miranda Priestly meets Lara Croft, with a rather wicked sense of humor.”

Naval Gazing
Robert Zemeckis – who was once the toast of Hollywood with the Back To The Future trilogy and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, but is now trying to live down the box office disaster Mar Needs Moms – is in talks with Legendary Pictures to direct a movie about American Revolution naval hero John Paul Jones, according to The Wrap. Eyes glazing over? Well, there’s a twist that may get you a little more intrigued. It has sea monsters. Bet you won’t find them in the history books. The film is called Here Be Monsters, and the script is by Brian Helgeland (LA Confidential, Mystic River, Green Zone, 2010’s Robin Hood) based on an concept by Legendary Pictures CEO Thomas Tull (a film company boss who has ideas? Now that’d make a good film in itself…)

Latest Recruit For GI Joe
Joseph Mazzello, who is still best known as the child actor who played Tim in Jurassic Park) is the latest name to sign up for duty on the GI Joe sequel, reports Deadline. He will play a Joe called Mouse. The film, to be directed by John Chu (Step Up 3D, Never Say Never) has a significantly different cast to its predecessor, including newcomers Dwayne Johnson as Roadblock, Elodie Yung as Jinx, DJ Cotrona as Flint, Adrianne Palicki as Lady Jaye, RZA as The Blind Master and Ray Stevenson as Firefly. The few returnees include Channing Tatum as Duke and Ray Park as Snake Eyes (Byung Hun-lee is rumoured to be back as Stormshadow as well).

Shooting Begins On Oz Prequel
Walt Disney Pictures announced yesterday that Oz The Great and Powerful, directed by Sam Raimi, has started filming in Michigan. The loose prequel to The Wizard Of Oz stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff and Joey King. And while 90% of the official press release is the usual dull list of everybody from the cinematographer to Mr Raimi’s shoe shine boy, it does contain the most detailed synopsis yet: “Oz The Great and Powerful imagines the origins of L Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard Of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.”

A Love Interest For Chuck’s Casey
According to TVLine, Casey is getting a new love interest in the final season of Chuck: “Gertrude Verbanski runs what executive producer Chris Fedak calls ‘the best spy company in the world.’ The just-released casting breakdown describes her as ‘tall, gorgeous and striking. She’s Miranda Priestly meets Lara Croft, with a rather wicked sense of humour.’”

Rumour Of The Day: Mark Sheppard In The Avengers
ComicBookMovies are putting two and two together and guesstimating that Mark Sheppard (Supernatural, Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, Medium, Firefly, Uncle Tom Cobley and all) could put in a cameo in Joss Whedon’s The Avengers. And they have video to prove it. Well, when we say prove… well, we’ll let you be the jury.

@NathanFillion Together at last. @wilw and @NathanFillion. Thank you, @feliciaday

In an exhausting week for Twitter-dominating news stories (phone hacking/piegate, the tragic events in Norway, Amy Winehouse’s death…) you’d been forgiven for not even noticing that the biggest show on the geek calendar has just wrapped up Stateside – San Diego Comic Con.

Arguably this was the year that Twitter came of age at SDCC, with every news nugget from the show floor tweeted to death (and the next story broken) before most websites could even load up their CMS. For a handy summary of the biggest happenings be sure to check back through our own Twitter feed (@SFXmagazine) and of course for more thoughtful, 140+-character-reporting our own website has you covered.

In no particular order then, here are some of favourite tweets from in and around the show floor.

@EddieMcClintock #Warehouse13 crew shares a ride with @JewelStaite, on our way to #SDCC! instagr.am/p/IX6U3/ (Thanx @djcrewe1 4 the pic)

@iansomerhalder Damon, Stefan and Klaus all on the same plane right now- not a good plane to be on… IF we were vampires. Or hungry.

@SethGreen Super @DaveFiloni let me crash the #CloneWars panel where @TeamUnicorn cos-played the Night Sisters. #SDCC2011 http://twitpic.com/5tskgg

@edgarwright Braving the SDCC floor. Sadly I don’t fit into my old Doctor Who costume anymore. Partly because I was eight years old when I had it.

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The SFX Twitter Stream

@HamillHimself I’m on Chuck? My good luck! #NBCChuck

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@iamchrisjudge: I can finally confirm: I have been cast in “The Dark Knight Rises”                                                                                    x

@simonpegg Really enjoyed HP7 and credit where it’s due the 3D did an extraordinary job of making everything really dark, blurry and difficult to see.

I’d love to make a sequel to Paul. Nick & I had a funny idea but even if we started writing it 2day. With shoot and post it’d be 3 yrs min.

@TheRealNimoy Remembering Jimmie Doohan. Unforgettable. May his memory LLAP                                                                x

@BRIANMBENDIS Yeah, were officially filming powers on the set of the untouchables #powerstv x

@CarltonCuse Dreamt about Nikki and Paulo last night. They were saying to me, “No matter what, don’t do it.” What is that all about?

@JaneEspenson I’m told only diffs in Torchwood content are a 10 second trim in the UK version of ep.3 and a three-second cut in the UK ep.6

@alan_tudyk Rupert Murdoch looks like a Star Wars character. The Emporer and Adm. Ackbar’s love child genetically spliced with a Ton Ton’s nut sack

@serafinowicz “Emperor Rupert, is it true that you are actually Darth Murdoch?”                                                                                 x

@Markgatiss BREAKING. Brooks and the Murdochs sentenced to the Phantom Zone.                                                                            x

@DonCoscarelli JOHN DIES AT THE END- the first movie I’ve made chosen by a ‘bot. 3 yrs ago an amazon email came “if you liked —, you’ll like John Dies!”

@trutriciahelfer Off to play EDI in #MassEffect3 today. Might get to finally work with @SethGreen for a little bit too, instead of always solo in the booth.

@Mruff221 I have a first edition of Frank Miller’s Wolverine that he signed for me about 20 years ago.                                              x

@edwardjolmos I have a fit whenever anyone, be it, republicans, democrats or cylons, support the ability of corporations to freely pollute our waterways

@TheRealMissUSA Aww whoever started this is very sweet :-) http://on.fb.me/qr0zz6 #missusa #starwars

The Red Star
Warner Bros has acquired the rights to make a film version of the Archangel Studios comic book series The Red Star, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Producer Neal Mortiz (I Am Legend, The Green Hornet) is attached to develop the property. Set in an alternate reality Soviet Russia where magic and technology co-exist, The Red Star features the ghosts of old soldiers continue to fight alongside the living. First launched in 1999 by Image, The Red Star was created by Christian Gossett who, along with his creative team, launched Archangel Studios in 2002 and self-published subsequent issues.

Gargoyles
According to Variety, Disney has hired GI Joe: Rise Of The Cobra scripters David Elliot and Paul Lovett to rewrite the script for Gargoyles, a project first announced just over a year ago when Zoe Green was hired to bang out the script. Sadly this is not an adaptation of the Gargoyles TV cartoon series of the ’90s but a new live action franchise that Disney hopes to exploit across various platforms – film, television, video games, theme parks, Happy Meal freebies, etc.

Game Of Thrones Season Two Casting
HBO’s Game of Thrones has cast three more roles for season two: according to EW.com, Dutch actress Carice van Houten (Repo Men) will play Melisandre, a mysterious and seductive sorceress, while Stephen Dillane (John Adams) is set to portray Stannis, the stern, no-nonsense brother of the former hard-partying King Robert Baratheon and a strong contender for the Iron Throne. Outcast‘s Liam Cunningham fills the last major role – former smuggler Davos Seaworth.

Chuck Season Five News
In a great interview with TVGuide, Chuck exec producer Chris Fedak reveals some of the plans for the show’s final season (which starts in the US in October). He says that, unlike Chuck, Morgan will embrace being the intersect: “Chuck having the Intersect, it was like, ‘Please get it out of my head. I want my life back.’ Morgan thinks it’s the beginning of only awesome things. Morgan is incredibly stoked to have the Intersect inside of him.” And he confirms that going into season five knowing that it will be the last has its advantages: “We have an ending in mind. I won’t give away if it’s a happy ending or not. It’s something that we’re building to. For the writers on the show, we have a unique opportunity to close out story and tell our final chapter. You don’t always get that opportunity on television so we’re excited to build out the most exciting, the most dramatic version of an ending for the show that we can possibly imagine. We started to think about it at the end of last year. As we were starting to build the final for season four and we knew there was a possibility for a season five, we started thinking about where we would take season five and what the ending would be. We certainly went in and pitched them Season five.”

SHAMELESS BUT INGENIOUS PRODUCT PLACEMENT OF THE WEEK
One of the characters on Syfy’s new show Alphas has an interesting power. As his boss explains: “Gary is our transducer, which means that he can read a wide range of frequencies, including television, wifi and cell phone transmissions.” Autistic Gary quickly adds, “Except for Nokia. It’s a different protocol.” Just a handy factoid? Or a clever way of subconsciously telling conspiracy nuts, “If you want your texts to stay secure from eavesdropping mutants, this is the network for you.”

HOUSE PROUD WEREWOLF OF WEEK*
* Minor spoilers for those not up to US speed with Teen Wolf
A werewolf is on the loose in the high school at night, chasing newly-bitten Scott and his mates around the corridors. Much blood, destruction and random violence against doors ensues. And yet when the police arrive and Scott tries to tell them the janitor has been killed, the police say they can find no evidence. So, we missed the scene with the werewolf, mop and bucket in hand, who does a bit of tidying up, then? Not to mention witnessing his DIY skills with all those broken doors…

WAREHOUSE 13 SPURIOUS-O-RAMA OF THE WEEK
We’re sorry. We’re really, really sorry we have to do this. Because here at SFX we’re actually very fond of Warehouse 13, and the first episode of the new season was a little cracker. But if you’ve been following Spurious Awards since the start you’ll understand that another reason we were excited about the return the show is because it’s always a Spurious goldmine. And blimey, it delivered this week.

First up: SCOTT PILGRIM REMAKE OF THE WEEK

Next: FAILED ATTEMPT TO CREATE A TARDIS OF THE WEEK

And then: BAD SAMARITANS OF THE WEEK
Awarded for the moment when new boy Jinks collapses in a hotel and needs mouth-to-mouth from Myka (which is a good initiation ceremony by any standards). Meanwhile, none of the multitude of people in the foyer show a blind bit of interest. The callous (not paid to react, just mill about) bastards.

Finally: SUSPICIOUSLY ORGASMIC MOANING OF THE WEEK
We’re still slightly disturbed by the fact that the holographic consciousness of HG Wells gave a little moan of pleasure every time Myka passed her hand through it…That’s some weird subtext going on there.

Welcome back, Warehouse 13. The Awards panel has missed you.

PIMPING OF THE WEEK
Got a spare $350,000 down the back of the sofa? (Bet that makes the sofa uncomfortable to sit on.) Then why not splash out on this Star Wars-pimped 2008 Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640? Brian Zuk is the Star Wars fan who came up with the idea and got the car ready for the Goldrush Rally 3 from Denver to Los Angeles. “The wrap features Clone Wars-era Jedi Order crests on the passenger side, Galactic Republic/Galactic Empire crests on the driver’s side, and an overhead view of an R2 unit on the car’s roof (very handy for repairing the V12’s hyperdrive).” But how fast can it do the Kessel Run?

PIMPING OF THE WEEK RUNNER UP
And while we’re in an automotive mood, how about this? Ford accepted the challenge from the Australian version of Top Gear to create two futuristic Mad Max concept cars to celebrate the revival of the movie franchise.

STEAMPUNK MAKEOVER OF THE WEEK
Forget My Little Pony mash-ups, Sad Keanu and planking – giving K9 a steampunk makeover should be the latest internet meme. Not sure if Sydeian was influenced by the one at the British Library at the moment, but we rather like the “Victorian Biscuit Tin” look.

BIGOT OF THE WEEK
It’s unclear whether the housemates in the US version of Big Brother were even aware it was the Harry Potter premiere this week, but the boy wizard inspired a conversation which shows that some of the American contestant are every bit as loathsome as their UK counterparts. Some bloke called Jeff and a girl called Kalia were discussing the revelation that in the books, Dumbledore was revealed as gay. “He’s in a school with little kids – you can’t make that guy gay,” (un)reasoned Jeff. “It isn’t right to have it in a little kids’ book, and have the headmaster locked away in this magical land, be gay. That isn’t the right kind of writing to do.” When Kalia tried to argue for open mindedness and understanding he just dismissed her, claiming she was just trying to be PC and giving, “the right answer for f**king TV.” Or maybe, Jeff, the right answer for a reasonable human being. Idiot.

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More Spurious Awards on the next page…

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Believe it or not, even though the next SFX Weekender is seven months away, we’ve already started making preliminary plans for the 2012 SFX Awards – how the voting will work, whether we keep the same categories or have some new ones, who might receive the SFX honorary awards, that kind of thing. In the process, we can’t help speculating on who or what might win the reader voted categories. And since we’ve now just passed the half year mark for 2011, it seems as good a time as any to see how the year’s been going so far. Though as most of the big movies are still yet to be released, let’s concentrate on TV.

The good news is that 2011 already seems to be shaping up as a fantastic year for TV sci-fi and fantasy. Game Of Thrones burst onto our screens and redefined how small screen fantasy should be made, leaving poor Camelot looking slightly old fashioned and predictable. Thrones also gave us a whole bunch of candidates for best actor – Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage, Charles Dance – and best actress – Lena Headey, Michelle Fairley, Emelia Clarke and the amazingly mature Maisie Williams as the young Arya Stark – and if we had a category for best production design it would win that hands down. To be fair on Camelot, while its two leads were hideously miscast (how wet?) it did boast a brilliantly twisted Merlin in Joseph Fiennes, and Gawain always looked great in fight scenes, flinging his two swords about simultaneously.

The general channel-hopping public may be falling slightly out of love with Doctor Who, but Steven Moffat’s brave, uncompromising, pay-attention approach to the show was actually winning new fans among the sci-fi hard core. Consequently Who forums netwide went into meltdown arguing about whether this was a GOOD THING or a BAD THING. Few denied, though, the first half of the series delivered two absolute classics (Gaiman’s charmingly whimsical “The Doctor’s Wife” and Moffat’s ballsy “A Good Man Goes To War”) so who cares if your Auntie Mable doesn’t understand it any more? On the other hand, Who also gave us the nonsensical “The Curse Of The Bored Looking Pirates” – the worst episode of Moffat Who so far, and a contender for worst episode of the year if Sanctuary didn’t have that award in the bag. Which episode specifically? Take your pick, frankly. The show had an truly extraordinary run of naff, cheap fillers, culminating in (shudder) a clips episode featuring a leftover Zarbi from ’60s Who.

Many long-running shows were benefiting from an upswing in quality. Primeval and Smallville ended on fan-pleasing highs while The Vampire Diaries was successfully consolidating a winning formula. Being Human was back for jawdroppingly audacious third series, which boasted an almost complete set of four and five star episodes, climaxing with a two-parter of exquisite intensity. Shame the US series was so bland, and eemed to miss the point that it’s the chemistry between the main characters that’s the heart of the show, not the vampire mythology. Becoming Human, on the other hand, was immense fun. More, please (though with the lack of any news on the subject that’s looking increasingly unlikely, sadly).

The BBC gave us Outcasts, then immediately took it away from us again after audiences fell to three blokes in Glasgow who’d lost their remote controls and couldn’t switch over. Rather irritatingly, after kicking off the series with a set of trailers that seemed to scream, “This will be DULL”, and then launching with a dreary pilot episode that appeared to confirm those fears, the show slowly improved episode-by-episode and ended with a cracking cliffhanger. Typical.

Over the next few pages the SFX team has nominated its favourite moments of small screen sci-fi so far in 2011 (in no particular order, and sometimes for unashamedly tenuous reasons). What would you add to the list?

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