Seattlestar Galactica!

Time was running out, so we hopped into the family Raptor and headed north to Seattle to see the highly anticipated Battlestar Galactica exhibit at the Experience Music Project. With only a couple of weekends left, it was time to roll the hard six...

I'd been wanting to see this amazing collection for months, as they had two full-size vipers, a cylon raider, costumes and more props and memorabilia than you can shake your fist at. It was one of those shows you've looked forward to for so long that you're convinced it will either underwhelm or that something's going to happen to keep you from getting there. I'm thrilled to say that neither situation transpired, as the Galactica exhibition frakking kicks ass!!! I was a little saddened to hear that Paul Allen's Science Fiction Museum installation is no longer a permanent fixture at EMP. However, I suspect his enthusiastic hand is still fairly well involved, as not only was there the BSG exhibit, but across the hall a massive Avatar exhibit as well! Best of all, photography was allowed (just don't use your flash or you'll be vaporized). So come along with me through the blood and chrome that is Battlestar Galactica, The Exhibition - photos are hugely embiggenable, so click and enjoy the details...

Let's start with a video to set the mood - this baby is life-size:

Mark II Viper

Get the message?

Mark VII Viper

The original 1970's Galactica - massive shooting model...

Look at that hanger pod!

You gotta love an interactive exhibit. I thought airport security was rough...

Gaius Baltar's labcoat!

Kara "Starbuck" Thrace's dogtags...

Can you believe it? Colonel Tigh's flask and eyepatch!

Helmet from the original seventies show...

Helmet from the the new series...

Sweet Lords of Kobol! The Arrow of Apollo!

Starbuck's painting - the Eye of Jupiter

A few more shots of ol' Red Eye...

Excellent roadmap!

"This is Galactica Actual - give me a Sitp-rep!"

Apollo's cockpit

What? Apollo's hung-over? I'll take her up, Sir...

As if that wasn't mind-blowing enough, like I said - there's Avatar goodies to explore!

Welcome to Pandora!

Some native plants that want to eat your eyes fore jujubes

Neytiri character bust

Drumroll... the full-size AMP SUIT!!!

The "Amplified Mobility Platform" is over 13 feet tall...

Amp Suit feet...

So nice that my wife is getting me one for next Christmas!

See what I mean? Nothing underwhelming there!

After that much sci-fi fun, I was like a happy little kid...

Snore Fair...I mean, Toy Fair...

That's the problem with big expectations, there's so much potential for a letdown. So far, the images out of Toy Fair 2012 have been a little yawn-inducing. There's some nice glimpses of the Movie Masters line for Dark Knight Rises...

A look at The Lizard from The Amazing Spider-Man...

A glimpse of the highly anticipated Lego Lord of the Rings assortment...

...even Marvel Universe seems a bit tepid...

Maybe there are more goodies due to reveal themselves in the next couple of days, but so far, it's been a bit of a yawn - Hasbro is putting everything into The Avengers, and that's great, but most of these figures we've seen already - how many iterations of Iron Man can one guy handle?

Getting the feeling that a lot of the year's best swag is being held out for San Diego Comic Con this summer. Somebody, please prove me wrong...! I'm ready for a little whiplash!

Welcome back, Daryl! We've missed you!

Talk about a Valentine's treat! Mark it well - The Walking Dead returns from its mid-winter hiatus this Sunday!  Absolutely cannot wait!!!                                                                                         

Toy Fair approaching! Keep heart medication at the ready!

Watch this space over the next few days for any big reveals from Toy Fair 2012 in New York. The annual explosion of new images runs from February 12th - 15th - things should start leaking as early as Saturday. Can't wait? Well, here's a peek at Dark Knight Rises' Bane and Katniss from The Hunger Games. Expect plenty of Avengers and Star Wars news.

My personal hopes are for anything related to Prometheus, Skyfall and The Hobbit, but it may be too early for those - we'll see, so stay tuned...

Trek-tacular! Next Generation on Blu!

After a lot of rumors and anticipation and naysayers exclaiming, "It'll never warp, Zephram!" those wizards at CBS Home Entertainment has given us a peek at the future - Star Trek The Next Generation in Hi-def. Originally shot on film and transferred to videotape for editing, these episodes have been completely reconstructed for HD from the original camera negative, all 25,000 reels of it.

This initial sampler disc, dubbed The Next Level, features the double-length series pilot, Encounter at Farpoint, season three's Sins of the Father, which got the whole Klingon Civil War story arc rolling, and season five's The Inner Light. While this kind of painstaking restoration presented its challenges, including upgrading the special effects for HD, we now have true 1080p HD masters with true HD special effects.

Famed husband and wife Star Trek experts Michael and Denise Okuda were consultants on the project, so fans can breathe easy. So the big question - how do they look? How about stunning? Check out the detail from just the opening credits - note the crew visible in the lounge windows...

Here's a dramatic look at old vs. new...

If you're still on the fence, well, feast your eyes:

Because this is such a meticulous undertaking, the initial first season box set will arrive in "Q4" (sorry, couldn't resist) of this year, with subsequent seasons being released at the rate of two per-year, with the final set arriving in 2015. Star Trek The Next Generation - The Next Level is available for an extremely wallet-sensitive $14.99 at Amazon and if you're a fan and feel like a glimpse of something wonderful, you won't regret this amazing little sneak-peak to hold you over until October. It makes me a little giddy to think of seeing The Best of Both Worlds in HD in a couple of years. Next Gen told some pretty great stories over the years, and in my household, this is cause to open up the Saurian brandy! "Engage!"

Get thee to the UK! The best crime shows you haven't seen yet...

If you've blown through Dexter, Breaking Bad, Justified, Sons of Anarchy or similar crime sagas and are searching for something fresh and exciting, look no further than the Beeb!

Check out Wallander, starring Kenneth Branagh! This is another case of the Swedish noir novel being hugely superior to what we typically get over here. The Wallander books are by Swedish writer Henning Mankell and each 90 minute episode adapts a different Mankell novel. The best one I've seen so far is an episode called “Firewall,” and it sure made me reexamine some of my thoughts about Dragon Tattoo. Because here’s a show set in Sweden, all Swedish characters, yet the cast is 100% British (Irish in Branagh’s case) and make no attempt at accents at all. So it’s totally English, yet also totally Swedish, too. This thing was so, SO well directed, with just an amazing rhythm and atmosphere. At times it felt like Christopher Nolan’s version of Dragon Tattoo – it was that well done. The Wallander character is somewhat gone-to-seed and burned out and gets way too involved in his cases. I can’t possibly recommend this enough – highest marks. If Gabriel Byrne’s Paul Weston was a detective, he might look a bit like Wallander!!! Do not miss this awesome frakking show! Director Niall MacCormick looks ready for the big leagues.


And if that isn't enough to fill your plate,  seek out Luther, with the always fantastic Idris Elba (The Wire's Stringer Bell) as damaged and obsessive London detective John Luther. Elba completely disappears into Luther, giving us a character of fierce intelligence and barely contained physicality with a keen understanding of the criminal mind. I'd rather not spoil any of the goodies the pilot has in store, but again, here's a director - Brian Kirk of Game of Thrones - in complete control and at the top of his game. Luther is a show you'd be advised to watch in chronological order, as opposed to Wallander, where I really do recommend starting with #2, Firewall. Luther is fierce and fascinating.

These shows along with Sherlock and Downton Abbey are not only some of the best TV around, but stand as evidence that there is a truly exciting crop of new directors making names for themselves in productions at the BBC. It's easy to see why someone like Kirk was recruited for Thrones and Boardwalk Empire. If you're not exploring this amazing new Brit renaissance, you're missing out! Crime fans, if you've been pining away for some good yarns, look no further - Wallander and Luther deliver like mad.

Look! Up in the Sky!!!

You've probably already seen this, but do check out these human-shaped remote-controlled drones flying around New York, part of the viral marketing campaign for 20th Century Fox's new superhero film, Chronicle. The daring and - let's admit it - rather beautiful YouTube stunt has generated over 5 million hits. Chronicle opens today, featuring the talented Dane DeHaan.It's getting great reviews, including an A-minus over at Entertainment Weekly. Sounds like this one is a breath of fresh air...

WWRD? What Would Rorschach Do? DC to publish more sans Moore.

"Never compromise...hurm" That's probably what masked vigilante Rorschach would say in response to news sending shockwaves through the comicbook world that DC will publish a multi-series Watchmen prequel - without the involvement of creator Alan Moore.


Originally published in 1986, Watchmen changed the comics industry by deconstructing superhero archetypes in a surreal and gritty saga that has consistently been a best-selling trade paperback ever since, even before the Zack Snyder film of 2009.


Branded Before Watchmen, the sure-to-be controversial release will consist of seven miniseries created by an all-star creative lineup.


Brian Azzarello and Lee Burmejo will handle Rorschach in four issues. Azzarello will also tackle six issues of The Comedian with J.G. Jones.


Superwriter J. Michael Strczynski will cover Dr. Manhattan (four issues) with Adam Hughes, as well as Nite Owl (four issues), with art by the father and son team-up of Andy and Joe Kubert.


Original Watchmen editor Len Wein will work on Ozymandias (six  issues) with artist Jae Lee.


Darwyn Cooke will give us The Minutemen, a six issue cycle about the early days of the Watchmen's formation.


Cooke will also work on four issues of Silk Spectre, with art by Amanda Conner.


That Before Watchmen is happening despite Alan Moore's wishes is bound to stir up controversy, and that's bound to sell. DC publishers have announced, "It's our responsibility as publishers to find new ways to keep all of our characters relevant." Our characters.


While Alan Moore may be planning an assault against DC from the back of some giant leviathan, a statement from Watchmen co-creator and artist Dave Gibbons sounds like an endorsement: “The original series of Watchmen is the complete story that Alan Moore and I wanted tell. However, I appreciate DC’s reasons for this initiative and the wish of the artists and writers involved to pay tribute to our work. May these new additions have the success they desire.”


I want to support Moore - but I'm torn. And I suspect that with this roster of creators, many of us will find it impossible to stay away. The mayhem gets started this summer.