I’m renaming “Friends Friday” to “Geek Bits” and expanding the coverage to include more blogs with a focus on sci-fi. Also, I’m adding trivia, pictures and more! Let me know if you like the new format.
Trivia: What was Roddenbery’s original name for Star Trek: The Original Series’ starship? (Answer at the end)
Links
Anglophenia: Doctor Who’s First Sarah Jane Smith Revealed
When the BBC auditioned actresses for the role of Sarah Jane Smith in 1973, they didn’t offer the part to Elisabeth Sladen
straight away. Instead they went for another actress, even getting as far as rehearsing scenes between her and the Third Doctor, played by Jon Pertwee. It didn’t work out, however, and the production team eventually plumped for Elisabeth, who got everyone’s approval, and the rest we know. However, in recounting the story, Elisabeth was always careful not to say the other actress’s name because she felt it would be unfair. So
it’s been a bit of a mystery ever since.
Superheroes R Us: Ultimate Spider-Man Moves to Disney XD
In a move that should come as no surprise, Disney XD has announced Marvel Universe, a programming block consisting of “Ultimate Spider-Man,” “Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” and other Marvel related shorts and content.
Hyperdrive originally aired in 2006 and 2007 on the BBC. I’ve enjoyed it on Netflix. It’s silly, it’s not something I have to think about and it makes me laugh.
/Flim: 3-D Star Wars Phantom Menace Posters
“Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is being re-released in
3D on February 10 and five new posters have surface that are so
incredibly cool, it made my consciousness revert back, just for a
second, to how I felt on May 18, 1999.”
Blastr: NBC Orders Dramatic Munsters And Four Other Sci-Fi Shows
NBC is going seriously sci-fi these days, and it’s working on several new pilots to prove it. The ratings-challenged network released the official descriptions for five pilots and promised that more would be coming our way. The Munsters is an imaginative reinvention of The Munsters as a visually spectacular one-hour drama from Universal Television.
Alvin and the Chipmunks – Chipwrecked – *Errum* I still want a hula hoop.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows – Sherlock’s pretty good. Almost Matlock quality.
Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol (IMAX, wide Dec. 21) – I almost fell asleep writing the title.
Tardis News Room: Awesome 11th Doctor Sonic Screwdriver
For devoted Doctor Who collectors who demand absolute authenticity, QMx is proud to offer an extremely limited edition of the 11th Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver.
Spacer Guy: Crocheted Cell Phone Cases
Doctor Whos Tardis is well known for its galactic time-travelling throughout the universe so here is something special for you to enjoy.. The material is soft, furry and to quote Chief Engineer Scotty, ‘it nearly brought a tear to my eye.
Galaxy Junkyard: How Tetris Pieces Are Made
Hero Press: Mockbuster Grimm’s Snow White Coming Soon
Coming March 13, The Asylum rides the current wave of fairy tale movies with its own take: Grimm’s Snow White.
Marooned: Free 1950s Martian Sci-Fi Short Story
Thanks to another generous fan of old pulp magazines at the Internet Archive, you can read or download a free copy of “Artifact” (1955), a short story penned by American science fiction and western writer Chad Oliver and illustrated by Irish artist Gerard A. Quinn, as it was reprinted in the British SF magazine New Worlds #46 (April 1956)
Weimar World: The Starlog Project, Starlog #198, January 1994
If there is one consistent complaint that is lodged against Starlog
in the 1990s, it is that the magazine focused too much on chasing every
detail of every science fiction TV show and movie (and occasionally
books), while ignoring the fan experience and other aspects of the
science fiction universe.
All Things X: Xcite! X-Men First Class Awards (& Nominations) News!
Okay so I’ve posted updates about the various award nominations X-Men
First Class has been raking in lately but it just struck me that I
should have a dedicated post to this that will fill you guys on all the
awards the movie has been nominated for or won! Cos let’s face it-
haters will hate, but the movie was AWESOME & it’s run of garnering
award nominations has only just begun!
Alex J. Cavanaugh: Best of the Best Movies
Instead of just a “Best of 2011” list, which everyone else has already
put together, thought I’d do my favorites, some honorable mentions, and a
look ahead to this year.Favorite movies – where else did you think I’d begin?
- Super 8
Fast Five- Captain America
- Thor
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol- Rise of the Planet of the Apes
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II
- Source Code
- Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows
- Rango
Honorable mention goes to Drive and Hanna – not favorites, but two excellent films.
Sci-fi Gene: Dune Limerick “Limarrakis”
That callous young man Paul Atreides
Always had a (blue) eye for the ladies.
Through the dunes he would ride
With a girl on each side
On his bang pimped up sandworm Mercedes.
Trivia Answer: The Starship Yorktown.The USS Yorktown was the name of the starship in Gene Roddenberry’s first Star Trek proposal in 1964. The ship was named after a WWII American aircraft carrier the USS Yorktown.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="40850 ">4 Comments
Brilliant trivia quiz Maurice, thanks for featuring me in your Geek Bits. I hope I'm not being a geek pest, lol but… The original Star Trek concept included Captain Robert April with the designation S.S. Yorktown, meaning spaceship right?
I find it curious that fans swerve off course by using the prefix U.S.S. Yorktown. Captain Pike once identified the USS Enterprise NCC 1701 as the United Space Ship. So which prefix applies? The cruiser SS Yorktown or is it USS Yorktown because I'm stumped.
Alex, Yorktown had historical significance, but Enterprise just sounds more adventurous.
Sent From My Android
I want a tardis for a cell phone case.
Hey thanks for mentioning my top movies! The phone case is unique. And Enterprise was a much better name than Yorktown.