Tuesday, December 29, 2009

2010: A Space Oddysey awaits sci-fi lovers on South African television!



Fans of science fiction and fantasy television can step through through 2 different stargates, meet up with Merlin, hang out with Harkness (that's Captain Harkness for you), take a bite out of a delicious new vampire drama and get a flash of the future! Fantastic brand new sci-fi viewing awaits in the first quarter of 2010 on South African television with shows like FlashForward, Stargate Universe, Merlin, The Vampire Diaries, Torchwood and more!




Click on READ MORE below to set your astro-logical calendar with complete details, starting dates and times for 2010. . . A Space Odyssey!



Merlin, M-Net (DStv 101), starts Saturday, 2 January, 19:00

If Smallville is about the dramatic irony of a young Clark Kent and Lex Luthor who used to be friends in their youth, then Merlin (a BBC production) is about a young Arthur (who will become king) and Merlin (who will become a wizard) who used to be enemies in their youth and will grow up to become best friends. In this modern retake on the Arthurian legend we meet Arthur, Merlin, Gwen and Morgana as teenagers. Magic is outlawed (Merlin discovers he's a magician), there's a dragon, castles and several intriguing plots in Camelot. There's 13 episodes in the first season.



Torchwood II, BBC Entertainment (DStv 120), starts Sunday 3 January, 18:25
The ''omnisexual'' Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) is back for 13 brand new episodes in which the Torchwood Institute in Cardiff, led by Captin Jack scavenge alien technology, and protect the Earth from evil aliens. The 2nd season's first episode introduces viewers to Jack's ex-partner, Captain John Hart and we'll see how each of the members came to goin Torchwood. Get ready for Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) from Doctor Who who will drop by in the middle of the season for a Doctor Who guest appearance. And then main characters die in the shocking 2nd season finale. Yes. I used the plural. . .



FlashForward, M-Net (DStv 101), starts Tuesday, 19 January, 20:30
Everyone on Earth blacks out for 2 minutes 17 seconds. (okay, not everyone. Watch the last seconds of the first episode and you will scream.) Everyone comes to and realize they've had visions of the destruction of the Earth and their own futures. This brilliant and compelling new drama show revolves around a big cast led by Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes) who spearheads a Los Angeles FBI department trying to puzzle out what happened and what it all means. There will be 24 episodes in the first season, although M-Net will initially only show the first 10 episodes and the other 14 later in the year.



Stargate Universe, M-Net Action (DStv 106), starts Wednesday, 20 January, 18:00
In the 3rd Stargate series following Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, we travel to the Destiny, a spaceship of the Ancient race cruising through a distant galaxy on auto pilot. Some members of the Stargate team (mostly civilians and unprepared military personnel, one young genius and one acerbic scientist) end up on the Destiny (that barely has power, air, water, food and life-support) and has to make do with what they can without being able to return to Earth. Dark and broody. There's 20 episodes in the first season, although M-Net Action will show the first 10 episodes only that has already been broadcast in America, and the second 10 later in the year.



Stargate SG-1 X, M-Net Action (DStv 106), starts Tuesday, 26 January, 18:00
The 10th and final season of Stargate SG-1 has 20 episodes and a fantastic final episode that will make you cry (promise). All the storylines and plots are, well, far out, but after a decade, you either know what you get with this show and love it, or have gated away long ago. Get read for a Merlin superweapon, a visit to Atlantis, a BRILLIANT 200th episode that is a wonderful parody on The Wizard of Oz and the end of the Asgard.



The Vampire Diaries, Vuzu (DStv 123), starts Monday, 1 February, 20:30
A broodily delicious vampire teen drama you will definitely love to sink your teeth into. Imagine Dawson's Creek crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Roswell. Elena (Nina Dobrev) falls for Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley), a centuries old vampire (although they're both in high school in the town of Mystic Falls.) Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) is Stefan's stronger (evil – but why?) vampire brother. The vampire brothers fight, Elena (who is clueless) and Stefan start a romance and Damon feeds on the townsfolk. Super awesome revelations, people who are actually vampires and lots of twists will keep you glued. There's 11 episodes so far.


Smallville V continues on Saturdays, SABC2, 18:30
Hercules continues on Sundays, SABC2, 10:00
True Blood II continues from episode 8 on Tuesdays from 19 January, M-Net, 22:00