I would say programming lineup announced, but they neglected actual dates, or even go more into the returning series in July (which I’m assuming, Eureka will be the last half of season four, you know, a year after the first half premiered, like what happened with season three (shame on you Syfy), so basically we’ll be watching the rest of season four when we should actually be watching season 5, which starts filming soon). The press release (you can find here on Blastr), basically mentions a ton of shows set to premiere this summer, as well as a few into fall, plus the Saturday movies, dated into 2012.

Now, the title of this post should hint to how I feel about the new stuff Syfy is going for.

Returning series in the summer include (as mentioned above) Eureka, plus Warehouse 13, and Haven. New scripted series added will be Alphas (ordinary people with abilities again, though it has Ryan Cartwright, who played my favorite intern (Nigel-Murray) on Bones, so I’ll probably still check it out). Where there is one scripted premiere, there are THREE reality premieres coming: Haunted Collector (haunted objects, *yay* -that’s sarcasm BTW) in June, Legend Quest (which I guess is like Destination Truth, but it’s finding relics around the world, which might be interesting, but more appropriate for History Channel, IMO) in July, and Paranormal Witness (team behind Locked Up and Gold Rush Alaska bring a dramatic-documentary series of people who survived paranormal encounters…or something like that) in September.

As you can tell, I myself am a bit furious with 3-1, Reality over Scripted on Syfy. I miss Sci-Fi Channel, even that also had the likes of Wrestling, it’s first dive into unscripted were relevant to the network. I’m not gonna be the person to dismiss series of supernatural and paranormal stuff, saying that’s not sci-fi, since I see it as sci-fi/fantasy, but Syfy now has gone WAY too far. Looking at what’s in development, there are 4 total scripted series versus 10 (yes TEN) unscripted/reality/whatever. One scripted series in development that I hope goes further is Three Inches, since I know that has James Marsters (SPIKE, need I say more). Do we need a docu-series on photography? No. Do we want something with Tommy Lee? Hell no. Do we want a series where people eat with Deepak Chopra? (excuse my French) A big fuckin’ NO. Now, I do watch Ghost Hunters, Destination Truth and Fact or Faked, so I’m not overly closed to them existing, just not in this magnitude, and absolute stupidity. Come on Syfy, you may have taken the “ci” and “i” out and replaced this with “y”s, but this is just ridiculous. They needed to keep Stargate Universe, the one series everyone agreed being sci-fi, thought Eureka I think also fits the bill (a fictional show with scientific stuff), so in a strict sense, Syfy has ONE series once SGU officially ends (note, I do watch all the current scripted shows on the network, but I see why most wouldn’t appeal to the hard-core sci-fi geeks). Now, they have another Battlestar prequel in development, but they’ve seemed to extremely limit themselves with space-action-adventure series.

Anyway, for the shows actually premiering, either I skipped over and missed it, but I didn’t see anything even say what day they would be on. I can assume based on past experiences, that Haven will stay on Friday and premiere shortly after Sanctuary ends its run (it comes back April 15th, which I predicted after the midseason finale as a likely scenario), so with ten episodes of Sanctuary, if we take in account one possible rerun and may at least a week in between, Haven could premiere July 8. So, logically, Alphas could be following footsteps of Being Human and premiere the Monday before that (so July 4, but I’m skeptical now on that, but you never know) and having Eureka and Warehouse 13 pair up, since there Christmas outing did fine, say July 5. I’m doing this for an estimate since Syfy didn’t actually really announce a schedule. The reality crap would fill Wednesday and Thursday, essentially.

Also in the press release, the Saturday B-Movie goodies, but the main part seems to be the fact that the next re-imagining event Neverland where Keira Knightley will be the voice of Tinker Bell. Also cast is Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies as Captain Elizabeth Bonny, Charlie Rowe as Peter Pan, and interestingly have Smee played by Bob Hoskins (who played the character in the 90s movie Hook). It calls it a movie event, I hope it’s a mini-series, so it’s in line with the like of Tin Man and Alice from previous years (which are the only events where Syfy even sees Emmy nominations, and for good reason, they are very good, especially Tin Man).

And Syfy Ventures will have games on Facebook under Syfy Games.

Again, whole article of actually three press releases can be read at Blastr.

[update 3/23/2011: I want to link to this TV.Com article, which highlights each of the series coming out or in development, and rates the sci-fi-ness of the reality slate. Seems a little lenient on some, but for the most part, I agree and had to share the link.]

…even with the crappy B-Movies aired over the weekend (from sci-fi b-movie “classics” to their original TV-Movies), but at the same time, they have compelling TV Dramas, built up from Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica, and Eureka, plus the highly popular “reality” series Ghost Hunters (I put that in quotes because some of it borders ridiculous-ness because we know a camera crew doesn’t follow them at their regular jobs when they happen to get a phone call on a case). Nonetheless, Sci-Fi Channel is our destination for great enjoyable and entertaining science fiction/supernatural/paranormal programming, rather original programming, or even imported cult hits such as Doctor Who?, and classic shows such as the benevolent X-Files . And through these years, there have been some odd decisions on their part (airing Passions, anyone? And what the frak is with the wrestling. Sure it’s fiction, but that’s the most of it).

Through that, I don’t think even having wrestling can even compare to the latest oddity among the NBC Universal network. They have recently announced that the name ‘Sci-Fi Channel’ is too geeky (despite the increase in typical non-geeky people liking what general geeky people like, if that makes any sense). Therefore, they are going to re-brand their name into….drumroll please……… ….. …. …..SyFy.

Yep, starting this summer, SCI-FI become SyFy, and will come with a new (and very lame) tagline ‘Imagine Greater.’ The whole point? I got nothing. It really doesn’t make any sense to change a channel that has been enjoying what other networks can only dream of: a ratings increase. This includes an increase in female viewership, you know the particular gender of people many people joke that geeks never see. I am reminded that even sci-fi conventions don’t look all too much the same as before, that broader range of people go to them, so if Sci-Fi really a geeky thing? I think not.

Sci-Fi Channel had great shows, from the highly imaginative Eureka, to the cult hits of both Stargate series and Battlestar Galactica. Then there was the very good re-imagination of ‘Wizard of Oz’ called Tin Man. These are series with lame plots like sci-fi of the times before, these are compelling story lines, excellent character development, that you barely see on broadcast networks that enjoy higher ratings (such as the highly predictable programming of CBS, (seriously, how many crime dramas do they have?)). Just because I, who is a female, watched Stargate SG-1, I’m not gonna go around a speak Ancient or something. What is geeky is die-hard fans, you know Trekkies that speak fluent in Klingon (forgive me if I spell it wrong, but you get what I’m saying).

I guess what I’m trying to say is, Sci-Fi is not geeky, geeky is simply those who take way too far. Therefore, changing the name, tagline, and logo is quite possibly a ludicrous decision, especially since, like I mentioned, the network has seen some growth in viewership in the last two years. So why damage that?

SCI-FI Channel to become SyFy – SCI-FI WIRE

BTW, I’ll probably still watch “siffy” (that’s what it looks like…), as long as we still have the new Stargate series, possible future adventures, more Eureka, and watchable mini-series, and if this isn’t just a ruse to add non-sci-fi entertainment, which I will really hate, as do about 504 people who commented on the post on this subject right on the SCI-FI WIRE, linked above (yep, timestamped at 8AM just today, 504 frakkin’ comments, and through the ones I skimmed (first couple) not one positive remark.)

Okay, I’m not really a big Halloween person, but, in the last few years I have developed a routine. Last year, I spent the week watching horror and vampire films and TV shows. This year, though, I didn’t get that time, BUT, did squeeze in some Buffy, not to mention Halloween themed episodes new this week. Luckily I have tomorrow (well, today) off, therefore, I may get a chance to watch two movies that I’ve had for a while, but didn’t get to watch (Feast and Dead Silence).

But, no matter what, as long as they do it, the heart of Halloween programming for me is the now annual Ghost Hunters Live on the SCI-FI CHANNEL. Starting at 7pm ET, the TAPS team will take on Ft. Delaware. And like the previous two years, viewers can go online and watch continuous streaming video (if I remember correctly, it’s one camera at a time, not like choosing one, though that would be cool), and also, chat. They’ll still have the Panic Button (use it wisely folks, sometimes those “orbs” are just dust).

Article with an excerpt from an interview with Jay and Grant (founders of TAPS). Go ahead and register for a profile and Join the Hunt.

Oh, and the event will be hosted by Josh Gates, of fellow SCI-FI program Destination Truth, and will have special guest Amanda Tapping (of Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and the new series Sanctuary).