Caprica is the fictional BSG planet the Cylons first destroy and then claim during the cataclysmic Cylon War. The series Caprica will take place a half century before that pivotal event, which occurs at the beginning of Battlestar Galactica. Two families, the Adamas and the Greystones, are both enemies and the central focus of the new show, as the genesis of the Cylons from emerging technology unfolds at the same time.

Battlestar executive producers David Eick and Ronald D. Moore return to helm the project, with Friday Night Lights‘ Jeff Reiner directing the script co-written by Moore and co-creator Remi Aubuchon.

Caprica sounds decidedly more dramatic and less action-oriented than its predecessor thus far — after all, the Cylons viewers currently know and loathe don’t even exist yet. Still, considering that the faithful have been waiting for the oft-discussed series to get underway for years now, it’s safe to assume everyone is greatly looking forward to the finished product. I’m also betting considerable money that the two-hour movie will definitely lead to a series for soon-to-be BSG-starved fans.

Tags: Battlestar Galactica, Caprica, David Eick, Jeff Reiner, Remi Aubuchon, Ronald D. Moore, Sci Fi Channel, television, tv

Sci Fi Channel has a few things in store for fans even before the season premiere, however. For instance, exactly a week earlier on March 28, the network will also present two back-to-back, half-hour specials: Battlestar Galactica: Revisited and Battlestar Galactica: The Phenomenon.

In addition, ten cast members from BSG will announce the popular Top Ten list on this Wednesday’s Late Show with David Letterman. I’ll have a video of that event posted the next day.

In the meantime, check out the following What the Frak Is Going On?! featurette, an eight-minute recap of events on the series prior to the forthcoming season.

If that’s not enough to get you up to speed, though, have no fear. From March 31 until April 4, Sci Fi Channel will repeat the entire series. That’s right — the first, second, and third seasons. How frakkin’ kind!

Tags: Battlestar Galactica, BSG, Sci Fi Channel, television, tv, What the Frak, What the Frak Is Going On

Kyle XY: ABC Family’s most excellent sci-fi series is putting a lid on its extended second season. I can’t wait for number three. [8pm EST/ABC Family]

The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men: That’s right — all three of these sitcoms in CBS’ top-rated Monday-night comedy lineup are returning with fresh episodes. Woot! Note, too, that The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother are swapping time slots. So, Bang now airs a half-hour earlier and Mother a half-hour later. [8pm EST/CBS]

Tuesday | March 18

One Tree Hill: The cast and crew of this series that I’ve never watched and never intend to celebrate the show’s 100th episode. Good for them! [9pm EST/The CW]

The Riches: Those naughty travelers are back for a second season and probably still up to no good. [10pm EST/FX]

Miss/Guided: Ashton Kutcher‘s new series, a sitcom starring Judy Greer, hits the airwaves on a special night and at a special time. Tune in on Thursdays from 8pm to 9pm for regular airings, beginning this week (Yes — for a total of three episodes within as many days). [10:32pm EST/ABC]

Wednesday | March 19

The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Yikes! Has this show really been around for fifteen seasons? Yep, and Season 15 ends right here. [10pm EST/MTV]

Thursday | March 20

NCAA Basketball Championship: First-round play begins. [8pm EST/CBS]

Lost: The end of the fantabulous fourth season has come too soon. Thankfully, we only have to wait about a month for the show’s return with new installments. [9pm EST/ABC]

Lipstick Jungle: The ladies of the jungle pack up their makeup for the first season. But, they will be back, I guess, since NBC ordered a handful of additional episodes just last month. [10:01pm EST/NBC]

Friday | March 21

Jericho: There’s no Chuck and Stargates in their normal time slots. Instead, viewers will get a first-season mini-marathon of CBS’ endangered doomsday drama, with four midseason episodes scheduled back-to-back. [8pm EST/Sci Fi Channel]

Saturday | March 22

Rock Monster: How can anyone resist a title like that? [9pm EST/Sci Fi Channel]

Sunday | March 23

The Game: The 4400 may have been prematurely canceled, but at least we can catch series regular Megalyn Echikunwoke on this sitcom returning post-strike. [9pm EST/The CW]

Tags: television, tv

The proposed series revolves around a suburban family man (Slater) who discovers he has another, less good-natured side employed as a spy. Of course, Slater’s no stranger to small-screen espionage. Alias fans like me have very fond memories of the actor’s last brush with spy TV, a two-episode, 2003 guest appearance on J.J. Abram’s still-missed whirlwind, Jennifer Garner drama.

Oddly enough, a few weeks ago, I checked out a truly bizarre movie starring Slater, the 2007 flick He Was a Quiet Man. It features Slater in the title office drone/aspiring serial killer role, looking as unappealing as I imagine he can get. To his credit, however, Slater delivers a disturbing performance as paraplegic Elisha Cuthbert’s (24) supremely nerdy and twisted admirer, even if the overall movie leaves an unsatisfying aftertaste.

Then just this past Saturday afternoon, Spike TV aired an unscheduled film in my area that I only caught by chance while channel surfing. I had never seen or even heard of the 2004 thriller Mindhunters, despite a B-grade, star-studded cast that includes Slater, hip-hop actor LL Cool J, Eli Stone‘s Jonny Lee Miller, Cold Case‘s Kathryn Morris, The Mummy‘s Patricia Velasquez, Thief‘s Clifton Collins Jr., ER‘s Eion Bailey, and the last Hollywood Saint himself, Val Kilmer.

I admit I’ve never understood why or how Slater became such a sought-after actor and sex symbol back in the day; he always seemed mediocre and forgettable, at best, to me. But, I do have to give him proper acknowledgment for continuing to branch out in his career.

Neither of the movies I saw him in recently are the type of high-profile projects he was known for in his younger days. Still, he performed better than decent in both, unlike some actors who sleepwalk through roles after the public stops doting on them. That’s one reason why I definitely look forward to seeing what Slater brings to the tube if Smilovic’s series gets a go.

Tags: Christian Slater, Jason Smilovic, NBC, television, tv

Tonight’s installment will thrust the actor in the spotlight again when he turns up in Smallville while performing his job as a roadie for the real-life rock band One Republic, whose members also make guest appearances and perform.

As meteor freaks are almost always the order of the day on the show, Pete will acquire powers when he ingests kryptonite. Enter Lex in typical evil mode, and the details just become a matter of creativity.

Whatever they are, we know they’ll involve Clark & Company desperately trying to prevent the junior Luthor from wreaking one form of havoc or another on unsuspecting victims, most likely using some other victim as bait.

Wouldn’t it be cool if Smallville showrunners managed to lure Jones back for the series’ recently confirmed eighth season? He could definitely take up a bit of the inevitable slack that will be created by the expected departures of Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) and Kristin Kreuk (Lana Lang) as regulars. Enjoy his appearance tonight and dream on…

Tags: One Republic, Pete Ross, Sam Jones, Sam Jones III, Smallville, television, The CW, tv

Tuesday | March 11

Beauty and the Geek: The fifth season begins. [8pm EST/The CW]

College Hill: The fifth season begins for this reality series, too. [10pm EST/BET]

Wednesday | March 12

South Park: Those naughty, naughty little boys and girls open their twelfth season of mischievousness. [10pm EST/Comedy Central]

Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil: On this new series, two comedians debate issues and people of the day, head-to-head and funny-style. Host Lewis Black is the ultimate decider. [10:30pm EST/Comedy Central]

Thursday | March 13

Reaper: Welcome back! [9pm EST/The CW]

Lil’ Bush: The second season premieres. [10:30pm EST/Comedy Central]

Friday | March 14

The Return of Jezebel James: TV’s latest sitcom gets a one-hour, two-episode debut. [8pm EST/Fox]

Saturday | March 15

Wisegal: Who’s the Boss, Charmed, and My Name Is Earl‘s Alyssa Milano gets down and dirty with the mafia in an original TV movie. [9pm EST/Lifetime]

Sunday | March 16

Cutting Edge 3: Chasing the Dream: Just as the title says, it’s the third flick in this teen-oriented, original TV-movie series all about ice skating. Catch the first two parts beginning at 4pm. [8pm EST/ABC Family]

Tags: television, tv

Don’t jump to conclusions, though. Both actors reportedly plan to give up their prominent TV roles in order to pursue fame, fortune, and bigger parts on the silver screen. This should come as no surprise to fans of each since they’ve already appeared in a number of feature films, including Partition and EuroTrip for Kreuk and Cursed and Urban Legend for Rosenbaum.

Show insiders additionally state that despite their pursuit of success in movies, Kreuk and Rosenbaum have expressed their availability for occasional guest appearances during the next season of Smallville. That means we probably haven’t seen the last of them once this season ends.

TV Guide also reports that when the series returns with fresh episodes on April 17, one longtime series regular will die … for real. Given the news that Kreuk and Rosenbaum are willing to return for limited engagements next season, and regardless of how much many fans wish Lana Lang would just disappear so Lois can do her thing with Clark Kent, we know the endangered character likely will not be either Lana or Lex.

Now we have six whole weeks to speculate just who the unlucky person is then, not to mention how they’re going to get taken out.

Tags: Kristin Kreuk, Michael Rosenbaum, Smallville, television, The CW, tv

The renewals are an excellent and moderately unexpected development for various reasons. In the case of Smallville, people who care have been speculating for quite some time that the current season could be the show’s last.

Talk really intensified in February 2007, after longtime star Michael Rosenbaum stated his plans to leave the series after this year. It looks like the show will now go on without him … or will he change his mind since another season is firmly in everyone’s pocket?

Followers of Supernatural have also done their fair share of worrying about the show’s future given its inexplicably low ratings — I cannot understand why more people don’t watch a program that essentially delivers the equivalent of a spine-tingling movie during each episode — and lack of prominent promotion.

Apparently, the Powers That Be are either wiser than they seem from afar or satisfied with the show’s hardcore fan base. Whichever is true, TV watchers stand to gain the most when such an entertaining series earns another go-round.

Smallville and Supernatural aren’t the only lucky series today. Other shows The CW has extended for an additional season include America’s Next Top Model (Duh!), Everybody Hates Chris (which was just picked up by Nick at Nite for a Fall 2009 cable debut), Gossip Girl, and One Tree Hill.

Tags: renewals, Smallville, Supernatural, television, The CW, tv