ten41

March 15, 2010
Syfy orders heroes pilot, considers 'Battlestar' spinoff

Exclu: Syfy has greenlighted a pilot that puts a spin on the traditional superhero genre, and also seeks to continue growing its “Battlestar Galactica” empire.

The network has ordered a 90-minute pilot, “Three Inches,” from Fox Television Studios, writer Harley Peyton (“Twin Peaks”) and executive producer Bob Cooper. It centers on an underachiever who gains the power to move any object using his mind, but only for a distance of three inches. He recruits a team of fellow heroes, each with their own less-than-spectacular abilities.

“‘Three Inches’ is a fun, smart, offbeat spin on the superhero genre,” Syfy executive vp development Mark Stern said. “It’s a very postmodern approach, with a really wonderful, tongue-in-cheek script.”

Added David Madden, executive vp at Fox TV Studios, “We felt there was something special and particularly twisted about this script, both in tone and in its sense of imagination.”

The network hopes to at least pick up one of its two pilots. The other, “Alphas,” also is about a team with superpowers.

Syfy also is looking to continue its popular “Battlestar” franchise.

When asked about the chances of its modestly performing spinoff “Caprica” getting a renewal, Stern was bullish. He pointed to the show recently hitting a series high in the adult demographic using Live+7 ratings, drawing 1.6 million viewers and 913,000 adults 18-49.

“We have a lot of hope for that show,” Stern said. “The (DVR data) has been very promising and growing week after week. The ratings don't reflect the potential audience."

The network also is looking to order another “Battlestar”-related project. Details were slim, but Stern said the title would mark a return to the franchise’s space-opera roots.

“We’re looking for other ways to spin off ‘Battlestar’ beyond ‘Caprica,’” he said. “That world is so rich. We’re sitting down with (executive producer) Ron Moore and his team. It would not necessarily be a traditional series.”

With Syfy’s upfront scheduled for Tuesday, media buyers likely will receive added clarity on some of the network’s plans.

Until then, there’s one project that Stern adamantly refused to discuss, a title so infamous, the Syfy executive would not divulge any hints about its content.

“I absolutely cannot talk about ‘Sharktopus,’” Stern said.

http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/03/syfy-...tar-.html#more

Goldberg74

Fail.

I like Caprica and am one of the DVR crowd (Friday nights are busy for me).

... but another BSG spin-off?

Who am I kidding.... I'll watch it.

Now 'Sharktopus'... that sounds craptacular!

Jason

If it's the original Cylon-human war, I'm all for it!

Timber

Anything focusing on the skin jobs and I'd be in. Hell whatever the spin off is about I'd watch but I'd like to see some more of the humanoid Cylons but I guess actors would be a problem.

Ranger

A series about the Cylon war would be cool.

Yeah, the monster movies look silly but should be fun to watch. One film is called Red that stars Felicia Day as a werewolf hunter.
http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/03/08/fe...d-riding-hood/

riley_dude

I would rather seen another Farscape series. I think they are pushing their luck with another Battlestar series especially when this one isn't doing so well.

Josh-da-man

Remember when we were all shitting rocks hoping that SciFi would renew BSG for more seasons?

And now they're looking at a second spin-off. (The first Cylon war would be my guess. But they could also set something around the fall of "Earth" with the final five, or go way back to the Kobol days.)

Josh-da-man

Don't hold your breath for a new Farscape television series, it's not a Universal-owned property like BSG, so SyFy would have to split the profits with Hallmark and Henson.

On the positive side, Rockne S. O'Bannon has been continuing the Farscape franchise with BOOM! Comics, who have been releasing two comics a month that are set after PKW. These books are "canon" like Whedon's continuation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer at Dark Horse.

Barings

I haven't really followed the new BSG all that closely, but I could see them running it into the ground like Paramount did with Star Trek.

Jason

The fall of "earth" would make a good movie. Would like to see the characters again, especially Saul and Ellen, but I don't know if we need a whole series on it.

The Cylon war might be too obvious, or they might be worried about contradicting Caprica (unless they wait till Caprica finishes).

nemein

I know this isn't really the thread for it but since we are talking about SyFy channel, what's the word on SG Universe? Is that coming back or not?

Ranger

SGU (second half of first season) returns April 2.

rfduncan

Jeez, man. Talk about squeezing every drop of blood out of something. Can they really not come up with decent original programming?

Thrush

I gave Caprica 6 episodes. But I'm done. As a viewer if you cant hook me by then, odds are its never going to happen. The show is flat out bad.