SPOILER ALERT! IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE LAST EPISODE, YOU MAY NOT WANT ME TO RUIN THE MAGIC FOR YOU. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

I need to start by saying that while I skipped a write-up of “An Apple Red as Blood,” I thought it was a great episode, and I was excited to see Jefferson (Sebastian Stan) return and become part of the bigger picture. Indeed, I think it was important that we saw (almost) all of the characters start to come together for the final act of this wonderful season. I like the character of Jefferson and his story, and I’m glad they are using him more here at the close.

“A Land Without Magic” is a great way to end the season. That being said, some of it was a bit predictable, while other parts definitely came as a shock, to me at least.

Of course they were not going to kill Henry. I thought it was possible they would leave him unresponsive until next season, but I liked that they did not. The “true love’s kiss” is a fundamental concept in these tales, and using it here was brilliant. It would not have worked even just a few short episodes ago for Emma. She had to truly and fully love him, and that is something she has grown to do over the course of the season. The one part of the whole episode I didn’t particularly like was the “shock” she got when she picked up the book and became a true believer. Yes, it was time for her to believe, but for some reason that particular moment just did not sit well with me.

August’s “condition” has reached the point where he can no longer function. Again, no real surprise there, considering where they had been going with the story, but I would have liked for him to have had more active at this stage.

What can you say about Rumpelstiltskin? Whether you believe he is truly evil or not, one thing that cannot be denied is that he is a manipulator and schemer. Of course, Emma should not have trusted him, but naturally that is what she had to do. Predictable, but it works within the framework of the story. However, his story does bring one of the shocking moments for the episode for me, when Jefferson freed Belle (Emilie de Ravin) and sent her to him. No surprise that Regina would not keep her deal with Jefferson, but to be honest, I’m not sure where this is going for the future. I am glad that Belle has returned, and we knew that she would after seeing her previous episodes, but I am not sure what her being with Rumpel will have to do with the curse and what happens in the future. I hope this means we will see these characters next season, and I look forward to seeing where this part of the story goes.

Jefferson and Belle are not the only returning characters for the finale, and the one that shocked me most is Maleficent (Kristin Bauer von Straten). To be honest, I had not thought much of her since her original episode early in the season, and I certainly didn’t see her coming back as a dragon. I did enjoy the scenes in both worlds with Prince Charming and Emma both having to deal with her for opposite reasons. This was a wonderful way to emphasize the familial ties between father and daughter.

Speaking of Prince Charming, it was nice to see him and Snow find each other. Some people have said that they feel their reunion after regaining their memories of the other world and their other lives should have been a bigger moment, but I think it was just right. While they are important, it would have been wrong to put too much emphasis on them at that time. That also saves something more for next season.

The last shock of course is what happens with the curse. Is it broken? That’s debatable, and makes for a great season cliffhanger. The real surprise though is the purple mist that engulfs the town. Presumably, it is magic, finally coming to Storybrooke, and not necessarily in a way that anyone intended. Regina did say that magic is unpredictable in our world, so I’m guessing that this means that next season will be equally unpredictable. I think that is a good twist that was needed to end this first wonderful season.

Of course, we will have to wait until next season to see if the characters still live in “A Land Without Magic” as we see what happens to Storybrooke and her residents. I can say this … the cast and creative team behind “Once Upon A Time” has definitely brought magic to our world. Their magic is the kind we enjoy when talented people work hard to allow us to escape into a wonderful world of fiction, even just for a little while. It is also the kind of magic that comes from a group of people who have become a family, being presented to our family as viewers. May the next family reunion, season two, be as wonderful as this first season.

Just like his famous character, Jack Bauer, Kiefer Sutherland and his new show Touch survive for another season

We are in the time period that the TV Reaper takes out a lot of his victims as the networks clear their schedule of shows that have not performed to make room for new programs which they hope will bring better luck. Early Wednesday evening, word came of on the fate of three programs on Fox.

Sadly, there was no joy this evening for the fans of the show, “Alcatraz,” as it has been canceled after only one short season. Sadly, the series produced by J. J. Abrams, while it got a very good start in its numbers when the show premiered, failed to gain enough traction or viewers, and thus was canceled today by the network. I must confess some surprise on the decision by Fox  about “Alcatraz,” as I thought the network might give it a short second season to see if it could get some better numbers, but, alas, that was not to be this time.

However, along with the bad news came a bit of good news for fans of another show that has sci-fi elements to it, “Touch,” and its star, Kiefer Sutherland. Despite its ratings not being as good as some would like, and some critics declarations that it was dead on arrival and would not be renewed, Fox proved them wrong and renewed the show for a second season. This is great news as this show has shown a lot of potential that a second season could help, and allow it to gain an audience where it can continue further than that.

While it is not a sci-fi show, there was one other show from Fox that also fell to the scythe of the TV Reaper. That show was “The Finder,” which was spun off from the Fox hit, “Bones.” While the main character was great at finding missing people and objects, the show itself was not very good at finding viewers and thus meets its end at the end of its freshman season.

So two more shows fall to the TV Reaper, one of them a science-fiction program. The questions remain about the other shows whose fates have not been announced. As next week is the week when the networks reveal their upcoming schedules, it will be a time of celebration, or of doomsday for some programs. As the word of their fates becomes known, we’ll have the news on the SoEntertain.Me sites.

First off, there is Tony Stark’s Iron Man, once again played brilliantly by Robert Downey, Jr. Almost every facet of Stark’s armor, and his entire setup is pure imagination, which means as soon as some scientist can figure it out, will be reality one day. Then there is Hawkeye and his amazing quiver of arrows. If you watch carefully, the bottom of the thing rotates to change the arrowhead of the arrow he is about to shoot.

SHIELD’s helicarrier was more mind blowing on the big screen than any conception drawing that has been done in the pages of a Marvel Comic. Seeing the CGI of the thing and how magnificent a job was done on it was simply breathtaking! The only thing that would be cooler would be to somehow build and fly a real one. Who knows … it could happen one day.

Combine all of that with Bruce Banner’s research and its aftermath, the big green guy, and a Norse god and you have a formula that would make a lot of science-fiction films pale in comparison, but the producers were not done. They took what was already an incredible film and ramped “The Avengers” it up to the next level.

The addition of the invading army from another realm was the crowning touch in the science-fiction side of this film. When you have super heroes, you need an absolute super threat to give them the challenge and Loki’s allies were all of that and more! I’m still trying to figure out what kind of creature the creators of those invading ships had in mind when they created that troop carrier that looked like an escapee from Jurassic Park.

These are just a few of the factors that took “The Avengers” to new heights in opening weekend sales, which Jill will be touching on in her review. All I’ll say is that the producers and smiling all the way to the bank on this one, and hopefully it will aid Disney recover from the meteor crater that “John Carter” left in their prospects.

“The Avengers” is the must see science-fiction movie of the year as of this date. It has everything one wants in a good film, even space invaders for those who think that scifi has to have space travel and aliens. Ask the fans who responded to their timeless battlecry, “Avengers Assemble,” and gave it an incredible opening weekend!

One final thought … maybe it is time for DC to reconsider making a Justice League live action movie. Marvel has truly blazed the trail by showing all of us that, with proper development of the characters in their own films first, the team concept film can work and do so brilliantly in “The Avengers.” If DC can quit constantly recasting, booting and rebooting their characters, maybe a JLA movie could occur.

Think about it, DC!

 FINALLY! Ok, now that I have that out of my system …

This past Sunday’s episode of “Once Upon A Time” was extremely revealing in many ways. In “The Stranger” we learn not only who August really is, but we learn more about some of the other key characters, as well as the circumstances surrounding the entire storyline for the series. As close as we are to the end of the season (with only two more episodes left), the timing is perfect to carry the momentum not only to the season finale but through to season two.

The focus of this episode is August, and we finally learn his true identity as Pinocchio. I have to admit, even when I read some speculation by fans that this was the case, I was not convinced. However, seeing it I completely understand, and I think it’s brilliant. This explains how August knows what he does, and his connection with everyone, as well as how he remembers everything.

I do wonder exactly when Mr. Gold figured out August’s identity, as it did seem sudden. However, I can put that aside, as everything else fits well. I completely understand why August does not jump at the chance to talk to his father. After all, he feels he let him down. That being said, I can’t really blame him for leaving his home with the other children, the way they were being treated, and August is trying to make up for it now, even though it may be too late. I think that Marco/Geppetto will forgive him, as he has shown what a deep love he has for him.

Along with August and his arrival in our world, we also learn the full details surrounding Emma’s arrival. I think she will start to believe at least parts very soon, but the timing has to be just perfect. Perhaps that will start to happen in the final episode for the season, as part of a cliffhanger.

The events in the fairy tale world this week are very important to the story as a whole. The direction the writers decided to take the Pinocchio story is very interesting, and quite fitting with the other tales we have seen. To come full circle and see more about the days leading up to the curse is a nice touch, reminding us that everything does indeed fit together.

Tony Amendola (Marco/Geppetto) has been one of my favorite supporting actors for years (especially in “Stargate: SG-1”) and he has done a wonderful job here. He always brings a depth to the characters he portrays, and you can see how much he loves Pinocchio. In the real world, he’s got that air about him that he is not complete, but does not know why, and that is thanks not only to the writing of the character, but Amendola’s talent.

Family. Everything comes back to that word for me. Even those that do not yet remember the other world have a sense of it, and you feel it throughout the town. Those who do remember the fairy tale world, not only do they know how they got there, but why, and what has shaped their lives, and that always involves family. Regina and Gold, the family they desperately want but cannot have, Mary Margaret, David, Marco, even Emma, the family that they know deep inside them should be there but is just out of reach. The total sense of family definitely helps make this show so wonderful.

With only two episodes left this season, the big question is how much will be revealed, when, and to whom. Just the right cliffhanger will be perfect to keep viewers excited, while a misstep here could drive them away. Other high concept shows have failed at this stage, but I think that the creative team on “Once Upon A Time” has shown they are talented enough to avoid the problems.

“The Stranger” was one of the best episodes of the season. I hope that the remaining episodes are as good or better. Can’t wait until Sunday!

Joel Goldsmith

A popular songwriter once wrote that music is a universal language. Joel Goldsmith, son of legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith, was one of its best linguists. His style was at times similar to his famous father’s, but not totally as it truly reflected his own unique style, flourishes, and creativity.

While he worked on many different television shows, video games, and movies, there is one television franchise that he will be forever identified with, which is the Stargate franchise. While David Arnold wrote the original theme music for the Stargate movie that starred Kurt Russell, when the franchise first came to Showtime, the theme was arranged by Goldsmith, in a composition that kept the beauty of the original, but reflected his own style in the theme from “Stargate: SG1.”

When the franchise launched a new series, the producers called upon Goldsmith to create the music for the new program, “Stargate Atlantis.”

Goldsmith also scored other television shows and movies, including one currently on Syfy (if it is renewed) which stars Stargate alum Amanda Tapping, called “Sanctuary.

Goldsmith’s music always seem to perfectly mesh with whatever the scene, whatever the mood that the producers’ wanted to project His work was amazing, moving, and extremely memorable. His work also appeared in the series, “Witchblade,” and in the movie, “Star Trek First Contact,” in which he worked with his father.

Sadly, we lost Jerry Goldsmith in 2004, and on April 29^th, the life of Joel Goldsmith came to an end. However, his light in music will never die as long as there are fans who watch the projects on which he worked and remember both the music and the man who created it.

I end this tribute with the last few moments of his last composition for the Stargate franchise, “Stargate Universe.” The crew is entering stasis, with the exception of one character who must remain awake to finish final commands to the ship, and who because of system trouble, did not have a stasis pod for himself. Goldsmith created a very beautiful and extremely haunting piece featuring a piano solo that just fits this sad moment.

]]> http://scifi.soentertain.me/2012/05/the-world-says-hail-and-farewell-to-joel-goldsmith/feed/ 0 http://scifi.soentertain.me/2012/05/star-trek-the-next-generation-season-one-available-on-blu-ray-this-summer/ http://scifi.soentertain.me/2012/05/star-trek-the-next-generation-season-one-available-on-blu-ray-this-summer/#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 05:18:56 +0000 Jill Rayburn http://scifi.soentertain.me/?p=3205 Ever since three episodes of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” were released on a special Blu-ray disc last year, fans have been patiently waiting for more. Entertainment Weekly broke the story this week that the season one TNG Blue-ray set will be released on July 24^th.

The project has taken over a year to complete, as each individual frame has to be rescanned, and then each episode must be reconstructed piece by piece. The show was originally shot in high-definition on 35mm film, but then converted to standard-definition video before the editing or special effects processes took place. While that may seem backwards to us today, that was actually cutting edge for the late 80s.

One of the biggest challenges is the numerous special effects in each episode. Some effects were shot on film, meaning there is a high-def version available for the conversion process. However, quite a few were done in analog, and only the standard-def video version actually exists. For those, artists have to go frame-by-frame and recreate each effect using today’s digital tools.

Overseeing the projects as consultants are Michael and Denise Okuda, both of whom have a long history with Star Trek, and were part of the remastering team for The Original Series. While Michael sites the pilot, “Encounter at Farpoint,” as the most difficult so far, he said that each episode is challenging.

You can see the full story from Entertainment Weekly, and watch an exclusive video clip from “Encounter at Farpoint” here. Here is a trailer released earlier this year for the set.

In addition to the remastered episodes, the set will also include new cast and crew interviews. Amazon.com has a listing for the set, but no pricing information as of yet, but I’m sure they along with other outlets such as Barnes & Noble and Best Buy will have that posted soon. Star Trek the Next Generation, which debuted September 28^th, 1987, is celebrating it’s 25^th anniversary this year, and releasing the first season remastered in this way is one of the best presents that fans could receive.

I learned last year that this was especially true when it came to predicting the fate of television shows. My attempts last year to predict the network’s decisions were met with pitiful results. I learned my lesson and stayed away from public prognostications this year.

We have not reached May yet, when the networks announce their upcoming schedules, and the fate of shows that are in danger of cancellation is discovered, but already we have news of one decision that has been announced that has left many Internet entertainment writers in shock, and having to face the morning after a lunch of crow sandwiches, compliments of the fans of this particular program.

Thursday evening, it was announced that despite its low ratings, some of them record lows for the series, Fox had renewed “Fringe” for a final 13 episode season, to allow for a proper ending to the show, and most importantly, to allow it to reach 100 episodes, which will make the show more marketable for syndication after its network run is done.

For those who are wondering how Fringe managed to escape the TV Reaper and his scythe, and survive despite low ratings which were bad enough to cause the producers to film two ending to this season’s run, just in case it was the end of the series, it comes down to one thing: money. According to reports, Fox’s commitment to Fringe was rewarded by Warner Brothers lowering their license fee that Fox pays to air the program, which opened the door for this final season.

In a statement, Fox president Kevin Reilly said, “Bringing it (Fringe) back for a final 13 allows us to provide the climactic conclusion that its passionate and loyal fans deserve. The amazing work the producers, writers and the incredibly talented cast and crew have delivered the last four seasons has literally been out of this world. Although the end is bittersweet, it’s going to be a very exciting final chapter.”

Check out the trailer for the final season, which was released the day of the announcement.

So, thanks to this news, fans of Fringe will get to see the story brought to a proper ending as it deserves, and the producers will get the 100^th episode that they need for syndication. Now the next question from science-fiction fans for Fox deals with the show, “Alcatraz.” What will be its fate? Stay tuned here for more news as we get it.

Jaleel White

“Total Blackout” is the latest original program from Syfy, and this time it is an “extreme game show” where contestants have to face their fears. To make things harder, they are immersed in total darkness. Four participants have to face a number of challenges, and the winner receives $5,000.

The show is hosted by Jaleel White, who is best known for playing Steve Urkel on “Family Matters.” White is a likable host, and he seems to have a real gift for helping to make the contestants UN-comfortable before each task, by reminding them that they could be facing anything, and that their own imagination will be working against them.

So far, one episode of “Total Blackout” has aired, so I cannot say for sure if we will see the same challenges each week. This first show was actually two episodes shown back to back, with the second one being a special 2-man team competition.

For each challenge, the contestants enter a completely dark room. Through the special camera equipment the show uses, viewers are able to see the competition, even though what we see seems to be in black and white. For safety, there are “guards” in the room, who can guide contestants to the tables, and help if there are any physical issues, such as if someone falls.

In the first episode, the first challenge was for the contestants to guess what four different objects are, using only their hands. Remember, the room they are in is pitch black, so reaching into a tank not having any idea what you will be touching can be a pretty scary proposition. Some of the objects are designed to amp up the anxiety even more, such as cockroaches and an octopus. Others, such as a pineapple and a bra are not generally threatening or icky, but in this situation, facing the unknown is the real challenge. The contestant who missed the most out of the four objects was eliminated, and for their last action, they have to face one more challenge, as all of the contestants have to jump on a special trap door. The door springs open under the eliminated contestant and they drop into darkness.

Can she put her hand in the tank?

Next, the contestants got to enjoy a nice dinner. The catch? Again in total darkness, they had to eat or drink each of the four items directly off of the plate in front of them, which was actually the body of a person lying on a table. Part of the game is that the contestants had no idea about the “plates” and this added to their uncertainty as they sampled each item and tried to guess what it was. There is something definitely unsettling about “drinking” champagne out of a person’s belly button in total darkness when you have no clue what is happening.

After another elimination, it is time for the final task. The two remaining contestants had to try to identify four items by scent only. Since they don’t touch the items, some of the creepiness and fear is gone, but the darkness still gives an air of uneasiness to the finalists. These items seem to be mostly common items, such as peanut butter and a smelly shoe, but with only their sense of smell, it is still a challenge for the finalists to guess each one. In the end, one person wins the prize money, and the other takes their exit plunge.

The second episode was somewhat different, with two participants on each team. The first challenge was roughly the same, but with six items to identify, and each person had to guess three and could not help their partner. The next two challenges, however, were tailor made for pairs competition.

When it was their turn for the second task, each team was taken into the room and then placed on a thin beam, with the team members on opposite ends. They were lead to believe that this beam was high in the air. Their task was to walk to the center of the beam, meet their partner, pass each other, and walk to the other end. Remember, they believed they were in total darkness, and high off the ground. The viewers are in on the joke though, as the contestants are only one step off of the floor. One member of one team fell, and discovered the reality of the situation, and her reaction is fun to watch. Not completing the task, she and her boyfriend are eliminated.

Watch that last step, Brandon!

For the last challenge, the two remaining teams had to navigate an obstacle course in the dark. Once again, there is a trick, as they were told that they will had to have a spider or a scorpion riding on their head while they did this. In reality, their passenger was actually a rubber duck, and again, it was fun to watch as the contestants tried to make sure they didn’t cause the animal to fall off of their heads. Both teams finished with little incident, but one team was quicker, and was declared the winners.

If you think this seems like “Fear Factor,” I would agree, at least to some extent. In Total Blackout, the darkness adds something to the challenges, but similar things were done for the other show, and I think that there will end up being limitations on how fresh and different each episode will be. Personally, I think that any appeal that this show does have will be brief, and viewers will tire of it quickly.

The commercials I saw before watching the episode actually seem misleading to me. They played up the “ick” factor, and that was a turn off to me, almost so much that I didn’t watch at all. What I did enjoy of the show was actually the humor of watching the contestants, and that had little to do with the few creatures that they actually used on the program.

Now, I said that one episode has aired, that was actually two episodes shown back to back. However, the website is a bit confusing. They have what they call the first full episode, but it is only the first of these two 30 minute segments. The description of the first episode includes both, but the video does not. I think this is a mistake, and makes it hard for people who missed the first night to try out the show on the website.

I enjoyed the second episode more than the first, I think because of the partner aspect, and the fake situations in which the contestants were placed. At the end of the obstacle course, I was expecting them to reveal the trick to the teams, and was disappointed when they did not. The reactions of each would have been fun to see.

Some people will love this show, and perhaps it will become a hit. My personal opinion is that while it was fun to watch once, it is not a program I will go out of my way to watch in the future. White is a good host, but the show as a whole is lackluster at best.

I do have a question for Syfy and NBC Universal though … why is this show on Syfy? It does have some appeal, but really, it has nothing to do with science fiction, or the other areas to which the network extends, mainly fantasy, horror, and paranormal. I suppose you could stretch and say that the fear in Total Blackout on the part of the contestants makes it horror, but for me, that is going too far. I’m sure this show is less expensive to produce than scripted series, but that does not mean it is a good idea. Please, get back to the original focus of the network, and stop filling up hours with shows that simply don’t belong here. I’m sure this show would be a better fit for another channel.

Thanks to YouTube user twilight1138, you can now watch 56 different episodes of “Star Trek: The Original Series” all at the same time! The episodes are from seasons one and two (except that the first episode of season one was replaced with the first episode from season three because of time), and you see all of each episode, and the sound is all there too.

This is definitely humorous to see, and must have taken quite a bit of time and effort. It can be a bit of a strain on the viewers eyes, with the colors and motion, and the sound may be annoying to some, as all of the audio is happening at once. Personally, I agree with the people who have commented that it might be better with a musical soundtrack rather than the audio from each show, as you can watch your favorite visual moments without getting nearly as much of a headache. Still, this was fun to watch, and has started me thinking of pulling out my Star Trek DVD sets and having a marathon soon.

Many folks have already suggested either other shows that should get this treatment. Readers, what do you think? What TV shows would you like to see done like this?

There is a new tale regarding a celebrity that now has captured the fancy of science-fiction fans, specifically the fans of the BBC hit, “Doctor Who.” This latest eerie photo came to the world’s attention, just as the case cited above did, via the Internet and is quite interesting.

The old photo is of a jam session with four lads from Liverpool who rose to great fame, with a gentleman in the foreground, with his back to the camera looking on. The amazing thing is that the back of that head bears an incredibly strong resemblance to the actor who plays the current incarnation of the Doctor, Matt Smith.

Check out these two photos.

That was then....

....and this is now.

One has to admit that the resemblance is uncanny, which has already started folks asking if Matt Smith is a real time traveler or not. While as of this being written, no reaction has been forthcoming from Matt Smith, we have heard from current executive producer of “Doctor Who,” Steven Moffat. When the original poster of this photo, a Twitter user named Jess tweeted the photo to Moffat, it brought a very interesting reaction. Below is Jess’ tweet and Moffat’s response.

Now, that really opens up an interesting topic for discussion. Do you think it is time for everyone’s favorite Time Lord, the Doctor, to encounter the Fab Four? Apparently Moffat thinks so, as does this writer. My dream presentation of it would feature a cameo by Sir Paul McCartney in the episode.

What do you think, reader? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and let’s see what we can come up with between all of us!