Category: Television

Science fiction and fantasy television from a fan’s perspective.

Categories
Fantasy Television

Grimm

You can now get the entire series in one collection: Grimm: The Complete Collection DVD or Grimm: The Complete Series Blu-ray.

This page contains affiliate links. Click a link and buy something and I might earn a commission. You don’t pay extra. Thank you for supporting the site!

What is it about Grimm that makes it special for me? I love the way this show combines the crime and mystery genre with fantasy and creates a world that’s interesting to both mystery fans and fans of fairy tales and the supernatural. That would be me.

Subpages: Grimm Articles, News, & Content

Grimm

About the Grimm TV Show

What are Grimms?

Grimms are people who are able to see mythological creatures for who they really are and Grimms are tasked with the job of finding and stopping the bad ones. Detective Nick Burkhardt is descended from a long line of Grimms, and his aunt has returned because she knows she’s dying and that Nick is about to be introduced to his heritage. This is where Grimm opens in the first episode. In later episodes, he continues to make discoveries about his heritage and the creatures he keeps running into.

This is a show I expected to like, but after reading an advance review, I worried I wouldn’t enjoy it. I’m glad I watched anyway, because unlike the reviewer who wasn’t impressed by Grimm, I’m quite happy with the show and didn’t find the first episode to be anything but great to watch. In fact, Grimm was one of my favorite new shows of 2011.

Grimm has a place in my list of all-time favorite TV series.

Notable Characters

  • Nick Burkhardt
  • Juliette Silverton
  • Hank
  • Monroe
  • Rosalee
  • Captain Sean Renard
  • Wu
  • Adelind Schade
Categories
Science Fiction Television

Stargate SG-1

Quick links: All Stargate posts, Stargate SG-1 TV Series, Stargate SG-1 Book Series

This page contains affiliate links. Click a link and buy something and I might earn a commission. You don’t pay extra. Thanks for your support!

Latest merchandise for Stargate SG-1 fans

Stargate the Official Starships Collection

This limited edition new series will feature models from the Stargate franchise. Each of the ships will be between 8 and 11 inches long, and is made of die-cast metal and high-quality ABS materials. The accompanying 16-page magazines profiles each ship and features interviews with the show’s creators.

Stargate the Official Starships Collection #1 Daedalus

Stargate the Official Starships Collection #3 Death Glider

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Stargate

Quick links: All Stargate posts, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis

This page contains affiliate links. Click a link and buy something and I might earn a commission. You don’t pay extra. Thanks for your support!

Latest merchandise for Stargate fans

Stargate Atlantis TPB Vol 02

The official comic book continuation of Stargate Atlantis picks up after the events of the television series final episode and thrusts the fan-favorite characters back into a universe on the brink of destruction.

All of American Mythology’s Stargate Atlantis comics to date have been leading up to this! The Atlantis team must find a way to stop the out-of-control Ancient, Janus, and his alien army, with the fate of two galaxies on the line!

This trade collects Stargate Atlantis Hearts & Minds #1-3 and Stargate Atlantis Singularity #1-3. Come with us, Back to Pegasus!

Stargate the Official Starships Collection

This limited edition new series will feature models from the Stargate franchise. Each of the ships will be between 8 and 11 inches long, and is made of die-cast metal and high-quality ABS materials. The accompanying 16-page magazines profiles each ship and features interviews with the show’s creators.

Stargate the Official Starships Collection #1 Daedalus

Stargate the Official Starships Collection #3 Death Glider

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Stargate Atlantis

Quick links: All Stargate Atlantis posts, Stargate Atlantis TV Series, Stargate Atlantis Book Series

This page contains affiliate links. Click a link and buy something and I might earn a commission. You don’t pay extra. Thanks for your support!

Latest merchandise for Stargate Atlantis fans

Stargate Atlantis TPB Vol 02

The official comic book continuation of Stargate Atlantis picks up after the events of the television series final episode and thrusts the fan-favorite characters back into a universe on the brink of destruction.

All of American Mythology’s Stargate Atlantis comics to date have been leading up to this! The Atlantis team must find a way to stop the out-of-control Ancient, Janus, and his alien army, with the fate of two galaxies on the line!

This trade collects Stargate Atlantis Hearts & Minds #1-3 and Stargate Atlantis Singularity #1-3. Come with us, Back to Pegasus!

Stargate the Official Starships Collection #1 Daedalus

The Daedalus crosses over from Stargate SG-1 to Stargate Atlantis many times during the series run of Stargate Atlantis, so I’ve included it here independent of its place in Stargate the Official Starships Collection. :)

This limited edition new series will feature models from the Stargate franchise. Each of the ships will be between 8 and 11 inches long, and is made of die-cast metal and high-quality ABS materials. The accompanying 16-page magazines profiles each ship and features interviews with the show’s creators.

Categories
Reviews Science Fiction Television

The Silent Sea on Netflix: Entertaining

I watched The Silent Sea on Netflix this last weekend. It’s a South Korean drama about a trip to a research station on the moon. As you can imagine, not much goes right for the crew tasked with finding something and bringing it back.

There are English subtitles and an English dub (I read the subs, because I like to hear the actor’s original voices).

The show has eight episodes and they’re just long enough.

The Silent Sea was suspenseful and had enough action to keep me entertained. I’ll avoid spoilers and just say that they did a good job doling out the information when it was needed, and the actors were well suited to their roles.

Although it was good, there are a few things I think could have been done better, but overall, I enjoyed the time I spent watching.

If you have a chance to see this one, give it a shot. :)

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Watching: Another Life (Netflix series) (Spoiler: I like it)

I’m four episodes from the end of the series Another Life on Netflix and I just do not understand why so many people seem to hate this show. When I checked yesterday, it had a rating of 4.5 on IMDB. I went back last night and it was up to 4.7. And that’s where it remains this morning. (I have since watched the entire first season and my opinion hasn’t changed a bit. The show just got better.)

Finally a fast-paced action-packed science fiction show that doesn’t bog down in the personal dramas of every side character and villain. One with lighting that actually lets me see what’s happening. One that is diabolical in the use of cliffhangers, I admit. :D One that is fun to watch, but still manages to be touching enough to make me have to fight back tears near the end of one particular episode.

So yeah, I don’t get it.

Another Life is a decent little show, deserving of much better reviews than it’s getting.

As of 8/8:

Rotten Tomatoes – 6%

IMDB – 4.7

Google Users – 77% liked this TV show

Why the discrepancy?

I have one hypothesis, and it’s this: Netflix targeted the wrong audience with their trailer.

I watched the trailer when Netflix first sent it out to members, and it didn’t appeal to me at all. I wasn’t interested in watching this show based on that trailer. I just happened to be looking for something to watch yesterday after deciding I wasn’t up for another episode of Father Brown at the moment (I know, I know, but I have wide and varied television interests and mystery series is one of them :D). Anyway, I turned on Another Life and was hooked from the moment it skipped straight to the action.

The trailer misled me into thinking this would be an entirely different kind of show.

Another Life needs a new trailer. :)

I’d love to hear from other people who like this show. Any of you out there?

Categories
Books Science Fiction Television Tie-in Merchandise

New Stargate SG-1 book: Infiltration

Infiltration book cover

Infiltration book coverDespite the fact that Stargate SG-1 ended more than ten years ago, the series is still going in the media tie-in novels. This newest book is set during the time of “The Entity”, season four, and deals with the events leading up to that episode.

Infiltration aims to explain why the Entity chose Sam Carter as its host.

STARGATE SG-1 Infiltration by Susannah Parker Sinard

Why was Major Sam Carter chosen as a host by the alien invader in the STARGATE SG-1 episode “Entity”? In this exciting adventure we discover the mission that led the entity to its fateful decision…

Captured by the Goa’uld Lugh, Carter faces a hard choice: help repair a cloaking device that would give Lugh a dangerous advantage or allow SG-1 to be handed over to the System Lords. But all is not as it seems among the Goa’uld under Lugh’s command, and SG-1 soon find themselves recruited by underground operatives possessing a rare gift that allows them to infiltrate Lugh’s inner circle. However, it is a gift that comes at a terrible price—a price that may yet cost SG-1 their lives.

Meanwhile, the alien entity continues scanning SG-1’s mission reports in its quest to preserve its own life…

I haven’t read this one, but it sounds interesting so I might pick it up for myself. I like the idea of exploring more about the Entity. I’ve always thought that episode could use a follow up.

More at Barnes & Noble: Infiltration

More Stargate SG-1 novels at scififantasies.com

Categories
Books Fantasy Television Tie-in Merchandise

A Grimm find: The Mythology of Grimm

Mythology of Grimm book cover
Mythology of Grimm book cover

Although The Mythology of Grimm was released a number of years ago, somehow I missed it. As a longtime fan of Grimm, and someone who rewatches the episodes whenever the mood strikes, it’s a nice piece to add to my fan collection.

The Mythology of Grimm by Nathan Robert Brown

NBC’s hit television series Grimm pits modern detective Nick Burkhardt of the Portland Police against a cast of terrifying villains—lifted directly from the pages of classic fairytales. In the world of the show, the classic stories are actually a document of real events, and Nick himself is descended from a long line of guardians, or Grimms, charged with defending humanity from the mythological creatures of the world.

From The Big Bad Wolf to Sleeping Beauty, The Mythology of Grimm explores the history and folkloric traditions that come into play during Nick’s incredible battles and investigations—tapping into elements of mythology that have captured our imaginations for centuries.

What I like about this kind of book is the ability gain insight into episodes and see them in a new light. It makes the old new again. :)

Click the image or the link for more information at Amazon.

More Grimm

Grimm Collection DVD and Blu-ray cover

If you’ve been missing Grimm and want to add the series to your fan collection, check out the Grimm complete collection on DVD or Blu-ray:

The Grimm Complete collection includes all six seasons and special features. A great addition to a Grimm fan’s collection. :)

There’s also the book tie-in series for Grimm that’s worth reading.

  1. The Icy Touch
  2. The Chopping Block
  3. The Killing Time

The links take you to Barnes and Noble for more information, or you can click the link above for the page on Scififantasies where you’ll find descriptions and cover images to goggle over.

For tie-in novels, Grimm has some of the best covers out there. (Most tie-in novels use a combination of promo shots of the actors and stock images and don’t always look that active, shall we say. The Grimm novels are better than most.) :)

Categories
Reviews Science Fiction Television

The Orville: A review at three episodes in

I’m not all that sure how I feel about The Orville, three episodes into its first season. It’s a fun—and funny—show, and I’ve enjoyed the first three episodes quite a lot. I’ve also spent a little too much time wondering at the derivative nature of the show. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t quite what I got.

Here’s the thing. I adored Galaxy Quest, probably because it managed to skewer Star Trek: The Original Series in a way that felt like love and yet still retain its individuality and bring plenty of original and unique content to the screen. In other words, it had something all its own, outside of the show it was parodying.

The Orville hasn’t done that. There’s nothing really original about The Orville and sometimes the show feels like it actually belongs in the universe it’s trying so hard to spoof. I can’t actually tell, because although it’s funny in places, it doesn’t really feel like parody.

On the other hand, I’m still watching, and I plan to keep watching, because there’s promise there. I like it. But my favorite episodes of Star Trek (any incarnation you want to imagine) have always tended to be the humorous ones, and the same goes for most of my other science fiction favorites like Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. Humor gets me almost every time.

That’s what The Orville feels like, instead of a straight up parody. It feels like a humorous episode of a Star Trek series that hasn’t yet been added to the universe but is coming soon. In other words, a little too close to the source material to really let me love it.

If you want to watch (and I recommend you do give it a try).

Other: FOX’s website for The Orville. (Might be free viewing available.)

Categories
Television

Some Grimm Speculation

**Spoilers ahead for those of you who are behind the times.**

Although it’s been months since I watched that jaw dropping season finale, I’m still not sure how I feel about the last season of Grimm. There were definitely some episodes and story lines that I thought were inspired. I actually loved the Adalind Shade story and the twist that ended with Adalind apparently carrying Nick’s baby. It was a great continuation and consequence of the spell she used to slip into Juliette’s place and take advantage of Nick. I had already lost a lot of sympathy for Juliette after that particular episode. I despised the way she appeared to blame Nick for what had happened. Then with all the changes that happened with Juliette in this past season, I just never regained any appreciation for her character.

Which is a shame, because I used to like Juliette.

Because of all that, Juliette’s apparent death didn’t hit me that hard. I was much more upset by the decapitation of Nick’s mother. Juliette’s betrayal killed any wish I have for her to return even if it’s as her former self. I would be quite happy to see her move on to the afterlife and stay there.

On the other hand, I’m not hoping Nick and Adalind will suddenly find themselves in romance-land. I don’t see that as a real option, and if it goes that way, it had better be a damned good story line.

Some sources say Juliette is gone for good. It might be best if that’s true.

Some sources say the show will be darker in season 5 than in previous seasons. I was already missing the lighter moments in season 4. I’m not sure it’s a good idea for Grimm to get too dark. The show’s appeal has never come from the strength of the plots; it’s always been the characters. Grim characters are dull when there aren’t enough of the lighter moments.

Some sources say there’s going to be tension between Monroe and Rosalee because Rosalee’s past is going to come back into play. I don’t know. I’d like to see that, but I’m already a little tired of Rosalee these days. Maybe this will help; maybe it will hurt. Too soon to tell. Monroe has been terribly neglected on the show and I would love to see him helping Nick and Hank more and having fewer of the separate story lines with Rosalee. They just divide up the episodes into two less compelling parts.

Some sources say Hank will finally get some romance! Please let this be true. Hank is the most neglected character on the series and he has so much potential. I do hope they use him more this season. And honestly, I want to see more of his past. The dude supposedly has four ex-wives. Shouldn’t we have at least seen one already?

Right now, those are the big points of speculation as far as I’m concerned.

I might add to this post later as I come across more information about the upcoming season. Feel free to share what you know, or think you know, in the comments. Speculation is fun.

Sci-fi fantasies