A VISUALLY STRIKING ANIMATED SERIES FEATURING

A NEW HERO BATTLING FOR FREEDOM ON THE GRID

Special Prelude “TRON: Uprising, Beck’s Beginning”

Premieres Friday, May 18 on Disney Channel;

Series Premieres Thursday, June 7 on Disney XD

Disney XD delves inside the computer world of The Grid and the people who live there with “TRON: Uprising,” a visually striking new animated television series that follows the heroic journey of a new character, a young program named Beck, who becomes the unlikely leader of a revolution. The series, produced in CG animation with a 2D aesthetic, is set in the era of “TRON” between the stories in the 1982 feature film and Walt Disney Studios’ “TRON: Legacy.” Disney Channel will present “TRON: Uprising, Beck’s Beginning,” a 30-minute uninterrupted prelude to the series on FRIDAY, MAY 18 (9:30– 10:00 p.m., ET/PT). The special will encore uninterrupted on Disney XD on MONDAY, MAY 21(7:00 p.m. ET/PT), followed by the series launch on THURSDAY, JUNE 7 (9:00 p.m.) on Disney XD.

“TRON: Uprising” stars Elijah Wood as Beck, Bruce Boxleitner as Tron, Mandy Moore as Mara, Emmanuelle Chriqui as Paige, Nate Corddry as Zed, Lance Henriksen as General Tesler, Reginald VelJohnson as Able, Paul Reubens as Pavel and Tricia Helfer as The Grid.

Produced by Disney Television Animation, the series is executive-produced and directed by Charlie Bean (“Robotboy,” “Samurai Jack” and “Powerpuff Girls”) with Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz (both screenwriters of “TRON: Legacy” / executive producers of ABC’s “Lost” and “Once Upon a Time”) and Justin Springer (co-producer of “TRON: Legacy”) as consulting producers. The music is composed by Joseph Trapanese (“TRON: Legacy”).

“TRON: Uprising, Beck’s Beginning” introduces Beck, a young mechanic living in Argon City, a growing metropolis in a far off corner of The Grid that has just been occupied by General Tesler, a henchman of the notorious Clu. After his best friend Bodhi is ruthlessly derezzed by Clu’s army, Beck seeks justice for his lost friend and launches a crusade against the regime. His rebellion captures the attention of Tron, the greatest warrior The Grid has ever known, who sees the potential in Beck and trains him to be his successor. Labeled with the moniker of The Renegade, Beck sparks a revolution to fight for the freedom of The Grid.

The multiplatform premiere schedule is as follows:

Monday, April 30

(9:00 p.m., ET/PT) – Disney XD will debut the official trailer for “TRON: Uprising” during the series premiere of “Motorcity” and online at DisneyXD.com.

Friday, May 11

“TRON: Uprising, Beck’s Beginning” will be released on Disney Channel and Disney XD On Demand.

Sunday, May 13

“TRON: Uprising, Beck’s Beginning” will be available on YouTube via Disney XD’s Facebook Page.

Monday, May 14

“TRON: Uprising, Beck’s Beginning” will be available on iTunes as a free download.

Tuesday, May 15

DisneyXD.com launches a new side-scrolling adventure-puzzle game, “Escape from Argon City,” in which players help Beck master his light disc throwing skills to defeat General Tesler’s army.

Friday, May 18

(9:30 p.m., ET/PT) – “TRON: Uprising, Beck’s Beginning” airs uninterrupted on Disney Channel.

Directly following the linear premiere, DisneyXD.com will launch a new interactive video and gaming activity that invites users to immerse themselves in the world of TRON; the special will be split down into 10 micro-episodes in which users take on the role of Beck and help him fight to become the next hero of The Grid.

Monday, May 21

(7:00 p.m., ET/PT) “TRON: Uprising, Beck’s Beginning” airs uninterrupted on Disney XD.

Thursday, June 7

(9:00 p.m., ET/PT) – “TRON: Uprising” Series Premiere on Disney XD

In the premiere episode, “The Renegade Part 1,” Beck’s training with Tron is interrupted when he’s captured by a Recognizer patrol and sent to the Coliseum to fight in the games. There Beck meets a fellow prisoner Cutler, a fierce warrior program who has been inspired by The Renegade’s actions. Recharged by their shared passion for freedom, Beck and Cutler fight their way out of the deadly disc games. Meanwhile, Zed and Mara head out for night on the town, but run into trouble when an enchanted Zed is lured away by Perl (voiced by Kate Mara), a program from the wrong side of the tracks.

Directly following the premiere on air, “The Renegade Part 2” will be available on DisneyXD.com, along with a new game, “Renegade Strike,” where users take on the identity of The Renegade and defend The Grid from Clu and General Tesler.

Friday, June 8

Following the premiere, “TRON: Uprising” will be showcased via Disney XD on Demand, DisneyXD.com, Disney XD Mobile, Sony Playstation, Xbox Live and iTunes.

Disney XD is a basic cable channel and multi-platform brand showcasing a compelling mix of live-action and animated programming for Kids age 6-14, hyper-targeting boys and their quest for discovery, accomplishment, sports, adventure and humor. Disney XD branded content spans television, online, mobile and VOD platforms. The programming includes series, movies and short-form, as well as sports-themed programming developed with ESPN. In the U.S., Disney XD is seen on a 24-hour, advertiser supported network that reaches over 78 million households via its basic cable and satellite affiliates. Disney XD channels are in the UK, France, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Greece, Turkey, Latin America, Japan, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and The Netherlands among other countries.

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Dick Clark, whose almost seven decades on television made him known as “America’s Oldest Living Teenager,” died today after suffering a massive heart attack. He was 82.

Born in Mount Vernon, New York towards the end of 1929, Clark started out as a mail clerk at WRUN-Radio, which was run by his father and uncle, in Utica, New York. Within a year he graduated to doing the weather and finally his own newscast. He was 17.

He attended Syracuse University and after graduation returned to Utica where he hosted a television country music program. In 1952 he was hired by WFIL, a Philadelphia station that broadcast on both radio and television. Initially hired as a radio DJ, Clark begin filling in for host Bob Horn on the stations afternoon teenage dance show, “Bandstand.” When Horn was fired in 1956 after being arrested for drunk driving Clark took over the show permanently, soon establishing it as one of the most popular on air. In 1957 the ABC television network picked up the show to run nationally, re-naming it “American Bandstand.” The show became a hit nationwide, airing after school in most cities. Sensing a change in the music world, Clark was one of the first hosts to welcome black dancers and guests on his show.

In 1959, Congress began an investigation into what was known as “Payola,” which concerned record company executives paying disc jockeys to highlight certain records and ignore others. Clark was called to testify before the committee and admitted to taking a fur coat and some jewelry for his wife from one record company president. As this was the only incident, Clark was reprimanded. However, to avoid the perception of impropriety, ABC asked Clark to sell his interest in the television program. He did but managed to keep rights to several important individual programs. In 1963, ABC moved “American Bandstand” to Saturday afternoons, where it ran until 1989.

Clark was also a shrewd producer. In 1972 he hosted his very first “New Year’s Rocking Eve” program. He also produced and hosted several game shows, most notably “The $10,000 Pyramid.” This grew to $25,000 then finally $100,000. He also produced such other popular shows as “Bloopers and Practical Jokes” and the very popular “American Music Awards.” In 2004 Clark suffered a stroke, which kept him off the air on New Years Eve. But the next year he was back, with new co-host Ryan Seacrest. His speech was stilted but you could see the young man inside in his eyes. Dick Clark was a true television icon. I doubt there will ever be another like him.

NEW YORK, NY – March 6, 2012 – Actress Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka Tano on the popular Cartoon Network animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, had the ultimate cosplay experience recently when she dressed up in full make-up and costume as the Star Wars character she brings to life on the show. She documents her experience and the world of cosplay in a new blog she has written exclusively for CNN Geek Out! online and shares photos of the finished product.

Cosplay, short for “costumed play,” is the experience that thousands of fans participate in each year at conventions around the world where they dress up as their favorite character from a sci-fi or fantasy movie, TV show, anime, video game or book. It attracts both young and old alike.

Those outside the world of cosplay don’t always understand the attraction fans have for bringing their favorite characters to life, however, Ashley, in her CNN Geek Out! blog explains why she not only understands their passion and enjoyment but embraces it. She reveals that she has secretly wanted to dress up as Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan learner, Ahsoka Tano, for years.

“As the voice of Ahsoka, I simply go into the recording studio and record my lines for the show,” Ashley relates in her CNN Geek Out! blog. “There is no need to ever dress up as the character because they only need our voices to bring the character to life. However, I am also a fan, and year after year I have been going to conventions seeing hundreds of girls dressed up as Ahsoka, secretly wishing I, too, could someday try on the costume. Well, with the help of my friends, my wish was granted, and I got to dress up as Ahsoka for the day!”

When not recording the voice of Ahsoka, Ashley oversees her company, Her Universe, which produces fashionable sci-fi apparel and accessories for fangirls. To see the latest releases in the line visit http://www.heruniverseshop.com/starwars.aspx . To read Ashley’s full cosplay blog and to see more photos of Ashley as Ahsoka Tano visit CNN Geek Out!

Sails to New Heights as Disney Channel’s #1 Preschooler Series of All Time with 100 Episodes and New Consumer Products Line

Disney Junior has ordered a third season of “Jake and the Never Land Pirates,” its #1 series and cable TV’s #1 series among Boys 2-5, bringing the episode tally to 100 thus far, it was announced today by Nancy Kanter, Senior Vice President, Original Programming and General Manager, Disney Junior Worldwide. The series revolves around a crew of kid pirates – leader Jake and pals Izzy and Cubby – and follows their Never Land adventures as they work to outwit two infamous characters, the one and only Captain Hook and Mister Smee, from Disney’s classic “Peter Pan.” The stories emphasize teamwork and features original pirate rock music performed by Sharky and Bones of The Never Land Pirate Band.

Kanter said, “The series is connecting with kids on every level and brings them closer to characters they’re already familiar with and introduces them to new, original characters they have made their friends.” She continued, “The storytelling is adventurous and heartfelt and embeds the kind of learning that we know is important to parents. We’re pleased to be extending viewers’ experience with the stories, allowing them to play the ‘Jake and the Never Land Pirates’ experience.”

The memorable Disney stories and characters, both classic and contemporary, have connected strongly with kids age 2-7 and their parents, and that connection has also led to the creation of brand extensions in other Disney businesses. “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” is a prominent part of the popular Disney Junior Live on Stage! attraction at Disney Parks & Resorts, and is featured in a Disney Junior magazine from Disney Publishing, in a soundtrack and DVD from Disney Studios and a Disney Consumer Products line set to debut in stores nationwide in spring 2012. Included are multiple product categories: party supplies, apparel (sleepwear, daywear), room décor and plush. An exciting toy line releasing in June and showcased this week at American International Toy Fair, will feature plush, role play and accessories from Just Play and action-oriented play sets and figures from Fisher-Price, including Jake’s Pirate Ship, designed after Bucky, Jake’s ship in the series.

A hit since its premiere in February 2011, “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” is cable TV’s #1 series among Boys 2-5 and Disney Channel’s #1 preschool series of all time among Total Viewers, Kids 2-5, Boys 2-5 and Women 18-49.

The series airs daily during Disney Channel’s Disney Junior programming block for kids age 2-7 and will have a major presence on the new 24-hour Disney Junior channel launching in the U.S. on Friday, March 23. The series stars Cameron Boyce as Jake; Madison Pettis as Izzy; Jonathan Morgan Heit as Cubby; David Arquette as Skully; Corey Burton as Captain Hook; Jeff Bennett as Mister Smee and Bones and Loren Hoskins as Sharky. Many of the key creative professionals behind Disney Junior’s Emmy-nominated series, “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” are behind “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” including executive producer Rob LaDuca, producer/story editor Mark Seidenberg and director Howy Parkins. The series is produced by Disney Television Animation.

Disney Junior reflects the emotional connection generations of consumers have to Disney storytelling and Disney characters, both classic and contemporary. It invites mom and dad to join their child in the Disney experience of magical, musical and heartfelt stories and characters, while incorporating specific learning and development themes designed for kids age 2-7. Disney Junior’s animated and live action series blend Disney’s unparalleled storytelling and characters kids love deeply with learning, including early math, language skills, healthy eating and lifestyles, and social skills. Disney Junior launched in February 2011 with a daily programming block on Disney Channel. In its first year, Disney Junior posted the network’s biggest yearly audience in the daypart in Total Viewers, Kids 2-5, Boys 2-5 and Women 18-49 and increased by double-digit margins among preschooler demographics over year-ago levels. On March 23, 2012 Disney Junior will add a basic cable and satellite channel in the U.S.

*UPDATE 3-8-12* Bob Odenkirk’s “Let’s Do This” Debuts On AdultSwim.com!

Adult Swim, which is the more mature programming on Cartoon Network, will be airing “Let’s Do This” this month online, which is a new live-action comedy pilot created and produced by Bob Odenkirk, Brian Jarvis and Jim Freeman.. The show resolves about Cal McKenzie Goldberg (Odenkirk) who is running a movie studio, Cal-Gold Pictures, in a strip mall in North Hollywood. In the pilot, Cal is hired to make a wizard movie from an Uganda drug lord. You can only imagine how that turns out.

Bob Odenkirk is known best for his skit series “Mr. Show with Bob and David” with David Cross. He has worked on Adult Swim shows like “Tom Goes to the Mayor” and “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” He has also has recurring roles on TV shows like “How I Met Your Mother” and “Breaking Bad”.

We will be posting a link on Media Mikes to let you know when you can check out this show. If you like it please let Adult Swim know that you would like to see this pilot turn into a series. I have seen the pilot and it is very funny and definitely has a lot of potential.

Photos credit: Robb Rosenfeld – http://www.robbrosenfeld.com

SYFY RENEWS HIT SERIES BEING HUMAN FOR THIRD SEASON

Second Season-To-Date Delivers Double Digit Audience Growth Over
Season One in Key Demos and Total Viewers

New York, NY – February 8, 2012 – Syfy is ordering a third season (13 episodes) of its hit drama series Being Human, it was announced today by Mark Stern, President of Original Content, Syfy and Co-Head of Original Content, Universal Cable Productions. The announcement comes just four episodes into the 13-episode second season, which premiered on Monday, January 16.

To date, viewership for the second season has increased by an impressive +27% in Adults 18-49, +35% in Adults 25-54 and +15% in total viewers.

With newly-released Live +7 data factored in, the season two premiere of Being Human (January 16, 2012 at 9PM ET/PT) delivered a 1.7 HH rating representing 1.4 million Adults 25-54 (a series high for the demo and +18% over the first season premiere), 1.4 million Adults 18-49 (second highest ranking in the demo and +12% over the season one premiere) and 2.4 million total viewers (the second most-watched episode of any season and +3% over the season one premiere).

With women comprising 52% of the total audience for premiere episodes this season, Being Human remains Syfy’s most female-skewing scripted series ever.

“With the success of season two, ‘Being Human’ has become a premiere destination for Syfy viewers,” said Stern.  “Jeremy Carver and Anna Fricke have taken this series to new heights this year and we’re excited to see where the third season will go.”

Being Human stars Sam Witwer, Meaghan Rath and Sam Huntington as vampire Aidan, ghost Sally and werewolf Josh who share the creature comforts of home in a Boston brownstone.  Together the three roommates struggle to keep their supernatural secrets and resist individual temptations as they strive to live lives that are as near to normal as possible.

Executive Producers are Michael Prupas (The Kennedys, Pillars of the Earth), Jeremy Carver (Supernatural) and Anna Fricke (Men in Trees, Everwood) who are both writers/showrunners, Adam Kane (The Mentalist, Heroes), and Rob Pursey and Toby Whithouse. Irene Litinsky (Human Trafficking, The Phantom) is series Producer.

Being Human is a Muse Entertainment production in association with Zodiak USA. It is based on the acclaimed series, Being Human, created by Toby Whithouse and produced by Touchpaper Television, part of Zodiak Media.

Zodiak Rights hold worldwide rights to the new series.

About Zodiak USA
Zodiak USA is the North American operations for Zodiak Media, the leading independent in entertainment, factual, drama and kids programming. Zodiak USA’s credits include Secret Millionaire (ABC), Celebrity Wife Swap (ABC) and Hardcore Pawn (truTV).  Zodiak Media consists of 45 production companies operating in 20 countries including the US, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and Russia.  Zodiak Rights, the international rights business of Zodiak Media, boasts a growing catalogue of around 15,000 hours of content. For more information visit www.zodiakusa.com and www.zodiakmedia.com.

About Muse Entertainment Enterprises
Muse Entertainment is a leading film and television production company known for its well-crafted and high-quality productions. Since its founding in 1998, Muse has produced, co-produced or provided production services on more than 150 TV movies and mini-series, television series and feature films and has won 95 awards and garnered 299 award nominations!

Another of Muse Entertainment’s recent television series, Bomb Girls, has  been reordered for a second season. In 2011, its topical, 8-hr. historical drama, The Kennedys,  earned 10 Emmy Award nominations. Its Pillars of the Earth also won awards. Muse’s other award-winning programs are Durham County (Seasons 1,2,3), Ben Hur, The Last Templar, Impact, Human Trafficking, Answered by Fire, This is Wonderland and Tales from the Neverending Story.

The company’s head office and its Quebec production centre are in Montreal. Muse also maintains development and production operations in Toronto and Los Angeles.

About Syfy
Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

Keong Sim has appeared in a variety of different television series such as “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “Southland”. Keong currently plays the role of Mike Chang Sr. on Fox’s hit television series “Glee”. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Keong about his role on the show as well as what it was like working with M. Night Shyamalan.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about your role on “Glee”?
Keong Sim: I play Mike Chang Sr. He is your typical tiger parent. He doesn’t want his son involved in glee club or anything else that may hurt his chances of getting into Harvard. In Mike Chang Sr.’s eyes the only role his child should have is to get into Harvard.

AL: How did the role come about?
KS: Like a lot of auditions we get them the day before we are needed to shoot. I got asked to audition for “Glee” while I was shooting an episode of “Ringer”. I went in a couple hours later and had a great audition. I thought I had read maybe a little too young to have a high school student as a son but that’s not my place to judge. I just went in and went with my gut.

AL: Had you watched any episodes of the show prior to your audition?
KS: I had definitely seen some of the episodes. I wasn’t someone who watched every episode but I knew of the show. I remember saying to my girlfriend that maybe one day I will play a father when I look older. It’s kind of weird. (Laughs)

AL: You have shot two episodes so far. Has there been any talk of you appearing in more episodes?
KS: I haven’t heard of anything. I am guessing there is going to have to be a third episode. In terms of what I know related to arc/story structure it would be a little different for there not to be some sort of resolution or understanding. I’m trying to convince them that in my younger days I did some play performance singing. I may not be a fully legit singer but I have done some singing and dancing.

AL: What has it been like working with the cast and crew?
KS: It has been very welcoming. I have been on a lot of different television crews and this one was just really nice to be a part of. Everyone involved with that production is wonderful. It was fun not to have to add an accent to the character. Not adding the accent is more reflective of today’s Asian/American culture.

AL: What was it like working with M. Knight Shyamalan on “The Last Airbender”?
KS: It was a great experience. That was the first big budget film I had been a part of. Knight was super cool and the whole experience was great. If there was anything that was stressful it was me wanting to do a really good on a specific scene. I put a lot of pressure on myself. When we did the first read through I hadn’t met Knight yet as I was cast out of Los Angeles. Knight came up to me and introduced himself and I told him who I was. He then says “Yeah I know. I cast you.”(Laughs)

AL: Can you tell us about any other upcoming projects?
KS: I am appearing in an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” this season. I also have been doing a lot of sketch writing as of late.

David Giuntoli is the star of NBC’s new series “Grimm”. The show is described as “a cop drama—with a twist…a dark and fantastical project about a world in which characters inspired by Grimm’s Fairy Tales exist”. The show co-stars Russell Hornsby, Bitsie Tulloch, Silas Weir Mitchell, Sasha Roiz and Reggie Lee. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with David about his role in the show and also what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you give us some background on your new show “Grimm”?
David Guintoli: The show is a cool mix of genre and procedural. It’s “CSI” meets “X-Files”. There is crazy stuff going on but it’s based here in the real world. It’s about a regular guy trying to sort out some new rules he has learned about. The show has some action mixed with some horror. It’s really neat in those ways.

MG: What drew you to the character of “Nick”?
DG: Most roles in Hollywood you are playing are an attorney, cop or doctor. This role right of the bat is one of those gems where the lead character starts his quest immediately. In the pilot episode the main character has something happen to him and the following episodes will be how he is dealing with his new identity. This is one of those special parts that if you are lucky comes around maybe once or twice in a lifetime.

MG: How was it for you taking the lead in the show?
DG: I was completely nervous. On one end I was ready but at the same time it was the first time taking the lead. It was a big responsibility.

MG: What can you tell us about the episodes that have aired so far?
DG: My character Nick has come to terms with this new world where characters from the Grimm fairy tales are trying to kill him. Nick has very few resources to find out about what is going on. Nick does have his aunt (played by Kate Burton) and a small library where he goes to try and figure out his responsibilities. The character Eddie Monroe played by Silas Weir Mitchell also helps my character navigate this new world. You will see me learn how to decide who is good and who is bad. Each episode has a crazy crime going on.

MG: How do you feel this show differs from shows like “Supernatural” and “Fringe”?
DG: They are all quality shows. I think “Grimm” will push the gore factor a little more. The more of these types of shows the merrier since I believe Friday night is a perfect night for these shows.

MG: What can you tell us about your upcoming film “Caroline and Jackie” which also stars Bitsie Tulloch?
DG: We filmed that prior to us working together on “Grimm”. We played boyfriend and girlfriend and we had good chemistry. The film is kind of like a Woody Allen comedy, where an intervention goes completely awry.

Location: Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando®
Dates: October 9-10, 2011

The event kicked off on Sunday night at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort’s Wantilan Luau. This wasn’t just your normal luau since Syfy put their spin on it and called it “Destination Luau”. It was hosted by “Destination Truth” star Josh Gates and was attended by most, if not all attending Syfy talent. Following the luau, the event was moved over to Universal Studios for a guided VIP tour of Halloween Horror Nights.  What was really great about this press tour was that it was very intimate and personal, that does not happen often (if ever).  Don’t let the size deceive you though, since it was packed with great content and scheduled events.  I would say that it was a great start to a very informative and unforgettable event. The following day contained the panels and that is where the real magic happened.

On Monday, the event started with a great speech from David Howe, President of Syfy and was handed off to the day’s moderator, Mark Stern, President of Syfy Original Programming.  The first panel was “Being Human” and it was attended by Sam Witwer, Sam Huntington and Meaghan Rath.  As usual with this cast, the panel was fun, energetic and unpredictable.  We were told that season two premieres on January 16th, 2012.  We were given a small sneak peak about the new season that showed each character going off on their own path. The new season promises to be a lot darker and will feature a lot of new characters.  This is easily one of my favorite shows on Syfy and on television in general right now.

The next panel, one of my most anticipated, was for Syfy’s upcoming two day mini-series event “Neverland”.  It is a prequel to the classic story of Peter Pan and stars Rhys Ifans, Anna Friel and Charlie Rowe.  I had the chance to watch this mini-series before this event and it is fantastic and right in line with Syfy’s “Tin Men”.  The panel was very interesting and fun.  The series is set to premiere on Syfy on December 4th & 5th, 2011.  We found out that the film was shot in 54 days with shooting taking place in Genoa, Italy and Dublin, Ireland.  Also a fun fact we learned was that the location for the Neverland scenes were shot in an unused toilet paper plant.  The cast is so charismatic and fun.  Make sure you tune-in to this mini-series this December for sure.

Heading into the world of reality TV, “Face-Off” was the next panel with its host McKenzie Westmore and judge Ve Neil.  Ve Neil began the panel by explaining about what has happened with last season’s winner, Connor. She hired Connor to work with her on “The Hunger Games”.  She also reported that she worked on “The Amazing Spider-Man” with two past contestants Tate and Anthony.  McKenzie has such an amazing personality and is a joy to listen to.  Both of them gave a sneak preview of what to expect from season two and how the ante has been kicked up.  Also revealed was that season two will kick off with challenges relating to “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and season two will consist of 7 men and 7 women.

Next up was a mash-up of “Eureka” / “Haven” / “Warehouse 13” as they approach their upcoming  Christmas specials.  Colin Ferguson, Emily Rose and Eddie McClintock were in attendance and were all very animated and enthusiastic about their shows.  The “Eureka” special is going to be an animated episode with various styles of animation throughout the special and will feature many guest stars such as Jim Parsons and Chris Parnel.  The “Warehouse 13” special is a little darker than “Eureka” and will be themed like “It’s A Wonderful Life” and what if Pete Lattimer was not around.  The “Haven” special takes place in the month of July where the people of Haven all believe that it is Christmas which may be caused by a “troubled” town member.  Having viewed all three episodes already, I can say that they are really great additions to the already great season for each show respectively.  They are also said to fit within each current season but are to be considered stand-alone. Tune in December 6th to catch them when they air. BTW “Haven” was not greenlit for season three as of the press tour…but today 10/12/11, two days later, it was announced.  So expect more “Haven” in summer 2012. Hooray!!

The next two panels are for two shows that are airing in 2012 on Syfy.  The first is called “Lost Girl”, which has already aired two seasons in Canada and was recently picked up by Syfy.  The panel featured Anna Silk and Zoie Palmer from the show.  The show will premiere January 16th right after “Being Human” as part of Syfy’s Powerful Monday lineup.  The second series is a reality show called “Monster Man”, which will take you inside the FX shop of Cleve Hall and his family.  Attending the panel was Cleve Hall, his daughter/co-worker Constance Hall and his partner/friend Roy Knyrim.  The show airs in March 2012 and carries the tagline “Sometimes making monsters, can be a beast”.

The last announced panel before the “surprise panel” was a WWE Smackdown panel.  At this panel, we were told that Smackdown has been on Syfy for 1 year now and on October 14th it will out replace “Gunsmoke” as the longest running episodic TV show with over 650 episodes.  Attending the panel was WWE Diva Alicia Fox and WWE Superstar Wade Barrett, who also did most of, if not all of the talking.

The last panel was the surprise panel and it was QUITE a surprise.  Syfy announced that Jaleel White (aka Steve Urkel from “Family Mathers” and Syfy Original Movie “Mega Shark vs. Crocosaurus”) will host a new reality TV show called “Total Blackout”.  The show is created by Henrik Nielsen, who has already adapted this show in 13 other countries.  The show features contestants who will compete in complete and total darkness.  It focuses on fear vs. danger and will take you as far as your imagination will go.  The show starts production 10/18/11 in California and will be airing in early 2012.  We were lucky enough to get a test run of what the show will be like with 4 lucky press members and Eureka’s Colin Ferguson.  The test run had them walk in a room with three tanks with an object in each one and the goal was to figure out what it was by feeling it in the complete dark.  The first item were two giant live snakes, the next was a teddy bear and the last was a human foot (live…body was under the table).  It was a laugh riot and we were able to record Colin Ferguson’s try and you can view it below.

Overall the Syfy Digital Press Tour 2011 was very fun, quick moving and entertaining.  If the panels weren’t good enough, afterwards Syfy shipped all the press, talent and staff over to Islands of Adventure to get a VIP tour of the closed off “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter”.  This was a memorable and exciting experience and is something that I will never forget in my entire life.  Thank you Syfy for allowing us to cover this event and I will look forward to many more years of covering this event.

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Click here to watch clips from the various panels:

The Syfy Digital Press Tour event takes place 10/9-10/10 in Orlando FL and Media Mikes will be attending.  It is going to be filled with great panels and special appearances from your favorite Syfy stars.

We will be tweeting live from the event.  Be sure to interact and ask questions if you want during the event Monday.  Be sure to use the follow hash tags below for Twitter (including #syfytour) and be sure to follow all things related Syfy on Facebook.

Here is a breakdown of the expect press panels:

Being Human: Stars Sam Witwer, Sam Huntington and Meaghan Rath
Neverland: Stars Rhys Ifans, Anna Friel and Charlie Rowe
Face Off: Judges McKenzie Westmore and Ve Neill
Warehouse 13/Eureka/Have (Holiday specials): Stars Eddie McClintock, Colin Ferguson and Emily Rose
Lost Girl: Star Anna Silk
Monster Man: Makeup artists Cleve Hall, Constance Hall and Roy Knyrim
WWE Friday Night Smackdown: Wrestlers Wade Barrett and Alicia Fox
Mystery panel: Syfy will announce a new unscripted series

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Rusty Cuyler Finds Love in an All-New Episode of Squidbillies

Country Music Singer-Songwriter Elizabeth Cook Guest Stars on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 11:45 p.m. (et/pt)

Bless Rusty’s sweet heart. He’s finally got himself a nice little girlfriend, Tammi, who loves him for who he is, despite his being, well, a squid with severe acne. Watch their teenage love blossom in the next episode of Squidbillies, “Keeping It in the Family Way,” airing Sunday, Oct. 9 at 11:45 p.m. (et/pt) on Adult Swim.

Of course, love is not without its hitches, and the biggest thorn in Rusty’s side is his Dad, Early. Early thinks he has Rusty’s best interests in mind, which usually means he’ll beat him up, shoot him, juice him and exploit him. This time, he butts right into Rusty’s relationship, looking to marry him off AND steal his woman at the same time. How is that possible? Well, these are hillbilly squids we’re talking about.

Now when this episode starts, you’ll notice the theme song has a special twang this week. That’s because country music singer-songwriter and Sirius XM host of Apron Strings Elizabeth Cook is covering the tune. Her signature dulcet voice and perfect country harmonies come through as Early enjoys his chaw in a broke down truck.  Cook also guest stars as the sweet, understanding Tammi. She adores Rusty and resists Early’s advances, but she can’t escape her breeding, and her mama ends up being the reason the romance must end.

Did you catch the premiere of “China, IL”, a new animated series on Adult Swim? An all new epsiode “Dean vs Mayor” premieres Sunday, Oct. 9 at midnight (ET, PT) on Adult Swim. Check it out it rules!

Show description:
Frank and Steve Smith are brothers who teach in the history department of a state university in China, IL. They also happen to be legends in their own minds who will often sacrifice facts, lessons and syllabi for the sake of being awesome. China, IL, created by Brad Neely, is a reverse Animal House where the teachers are crazy and the students just want to learn.

Clone Commander Wolffe and his battalion of troopers assist the disaster-stricken world of Aleen in an all-new episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars!

After groundquakes have devastated the planet Aleen, a Republic relief effort arrives, including the 104th battalion of clone troopers along with droids R2-D2 and C-3PO. When the native Aleena’s pleas go unheard, it becomes the duty of the droids to embark on a surreal journey through Aleena’s subterranean world to save the planet, in “Mercy Mission” a new episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, airing at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, October 7^th on Cartoon Network.

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A Conspiracy from the Shadows of Naboo Threatens the Peaceful Planet

In “Shadow Warrior,” this week’s episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the peace and unity that followed the defeat of the Trade Federation blockade seen in Episode I are shattered as the Gungans inexplicably march towards war against the Naboo city of Theed. Padmé Amidala rushes to investigate, discovering that General Grievous and his droid army stand poised to invade the planet. An unlikely imposter standing in for an injured Gungan leader may help stop the growing conflict, while Anakin Skywalker’s search for answers takes him into the shadowy lair of the enemy. There, the Jedi hero enters into an epic battle against his sworn enemy, Count Dooku, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, September 23^rd on Cartoon Network.

Related Content

• “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” – ‘Mercy Mission’ Episode Preview
• New Trailer For The All-New Season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”
• “Auction Hunters” Allen Haff and Ton Jones Dig Through The “Star Wars” Archive
• “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Season 4 New Interview with Dee Bradley Baker
• “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Preview for ‘Prisoners’ Episode

The battle for Mon Calamari escalates in the conclusion to an epic Star Wars: The Clone Wars three-part story arc

In “Prisoners,” the must-see conclusion to the epic two-part season opener of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, all appears lost as the Republic army and its allies the Gungans have been captured by Riff Tamson and his seemingly invincible Karkarodon forces. The future looks as murky as the turbulent undersea battlefields of Mon Calamari, but there still are holdouts. Now all depends on Ahsoka Tano helping young Prince Lee-Char find the internal strength to unite the fractured races of his planet to drive out the Separatist invaders in a pulse-pounding battle airing at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, September 23^rd on Cartoon Network.