Fox has given the green light to Virtuality, a two-hour backdoor SF pilot from the mastermind behind SCI FI Channel's Battlestar Galactica, Ronald D. Moore, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The project, from Universal Media Studios and producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun, is set aboard the starship Phaeton on a 10-year journey to explore a distant solar system. To help the 12 crew members endure the long trip and keep their minds occupied, NASA has equipped the ship with advanced virtual-reality modules, allowing them to assume adventurous identities and go to any place they want. The plan works until a mysterious bug is found in the system, the trade paper reported.

Virtuality is a brainchild of Braun, who shaped the idea with Berman, his producing partner at BermanBraun.

The two approached several writers, including Moore, who sparked to the premise and quickly developed it into what became the concept for Virtuality. He brought with him Battlestar writer-producer Michael Taylor. The two penned the script and are executive-producing the project with Berman and Braun.

Under BermanBraun's first-look deal with NBC Universal, Virtuality was pitched to UMS and NBC. UMS, which also produces Battlestar, quickly came on board. After NBC passed on the project, considered to be too science fiction for the network, it was taken to Fox.

The project, slated to begin production in July, reunites Berman with Fox, where she served as entertainment president from 2001-'05.

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index...ory=0&id=52132

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Sounds like what would happen if the holodeck was run by HAL from 2001.

So under Fox will we get 3 episodes or a mind-blazing 5?

While I'm interested in this, largely due to Moore's involvement, I'll wait until it generates momentum - like Sarah Connor.

5, but you won't get the first 2 until the end.

Sounds interesting. I'll watch just b/c of Moore being involved.

"Original, my dear Data."

But see, something's *wrong* with the holodecks on this one, a mysterious bug, making it completely new and different.

Practically every holodeck-centric episode involved something going wrong with it.

To be fair, the holodeck goes to hell eps of Trek were occasionally entertaining. It was just the idea that after the first two or three incidents, the captain should have instructed the chief engineer to yank all related computer systems and shove them into storage till they got to a starbase for repair.

And then announced a shipwide strip poker tournament.

If this show accepts the conceit of the problem from the get go, then it can't betray it's core theme.

One problem I can immediately see with this show is it's produced out of house at Universal. FOX is more patient with their in house productions than stuff from other studios.

Right, like Firefly, Futurama, Family Guy, The Inside, Wonderfalls, Drive...

...and here I thought I was being sarcastic.

It's funny 'cause it's sad... er I mean true... or well both.

I predict this will follow Drive which I also really liked.

As for being nothing new, it could still be entertaining as long as the "something wrong" can be maintained.

12 people going out to space.

12 cylons coming back to Earth.

It's BSG, but backwards!

Well, it has all happened before and it will happen again.