Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 336
September 1, 2016
September 1, 2016: Dark Matter season 3 is a go!
In case you hadn’t heard:
Dark Matter and Killjoys renewed for season 3 on Syfy
It’s always the way. At first it’s “Oh, no. Oh, no. Are we going to get a season 3 pick up?” And then it’s “Oh, no. Oh, no. We got a pick up and now have to finish work on those scripts!”
It’s amazing how prescient my dogs were, seemingly preparing for a potential return journey to T.O. –
Not a day before the pick-up. Seemingly the stuff of urban legends, but anecdotal evidence supports the theory that dogs can predict earthquakes and series renewals.
I celebrated with Dark Matter friends. Last night, it was dinner at the excellent Hart & Hunter with actress Ellen Wong (Misaki Han).
We played that hand-knife game pre-dinner. She lost.
Grapefruit beer! What will they think of next?!
Then, tonight, it was dinner with Melanie Liburd’s husband Ben, Melanie Liburd, and director Jason Priestley. We went to Nobu where I left the menu in the hands of the chef but requested nigiri. Three times. What we got – mainly cooked dishes. And no nigiri. I mean, come on. It was all well and good – especially after three bottles of sake – but I can’t help but feel highly suspicious of a place when I order nigiri THREE TIMES and don’t receive any. Do they have something to hide? Fortunately, the company was spectacular. I love those three!
Well, that’s it. My L.A. trip concludes tomorrow with one last minute breakfast meeting, then a flight back to Vancouver. Look at how much the dogs are missing me…
And then it’s back to work on scripts for season 3. If you thought season 2 was nuts, just you wait…
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
August 31, 2016
August 31, 2016: L.A.! Meals! Dogs!
I was getting dressed, fifteen minutes out from heading downstairs to catch a cab, when I received the call from my agent’s assistant. “I’m afraid I have some bad news,” he said.
Oh shit, I thought. I was prepared for the worst.
“We’re going to have to reschedule your first meeting today.”
“That’s it?”I asked. I was expecting worse. Much worse. Something like “Hey, the guy you’re meeting today broke up with his girlfriend last night so he’s going to be in a really bad mood…” or “We caught your old Stargate episode, Irresponsible, last night and, unfortunately, we’re going to have to withdraw our offer of representation…”. But a canceled meeting? It was like being back in elementary school and waking up to a snow day. Well, half show day anyway.
I took advantage of the free time to brush up on my Japanese (our Tokyo/Osaka trip is less than two weeks away0, and take a stroll through Beverly Hills which is – and correct me if I’m wrong – the “small-dog-carrying” capital of the U.S. In the half hour I was out and about, I passed about a half dozen people clutching yorkies, chihuahuas, and, in one instant, either a giant ball of yarn or a very relaxed maltese.
Last night, I had dinner wth Bob Picardo who you may remember from such shows as Star Trek: Voyager or Stargate: Atlantis, but you’ll no doubt definitely recall from his last visit to Vancouver that I profiled on this very blog a couple of weeks ago.
Today, it was deli lunch with this guy –
David Blue (SGU‘s Eli Wallace). Akemi is going to be sooooo jealous!
Then tonight, it’s southern-style dining with Dark Matter’s Misaki Han – Ellen Wong
Well, three days down and one more to go. And how have the meetings gone? As Robert Cooper used to say: “You always leave L.A. feeling like a million bucks!”. Everyone is positive, complimentary, and interested. Everyone says they want to work with you. And then…you head back home to reality. I can honestly say I’ve met some very nice, really smart people on this trip and would love to have the opportunity to work with them sometime in the future. But who knows?
Meanwhile, Akemi has been keeping me apprised of developments on the home front:
Bubba got a new hat and, of course, like toys and the dog beds, Lulu has immediately claimed ownership
Bubba’s Lulu’s new hat.
Okay, now they’re both happy.
The dogs prepare for a return trip to Toronto.
August 30, 2016
August 30, 2016: Next up on Dark Matter = “Take The Shot”!
Shipboard mayhem sheds light on some of the crew members’ dark pasts.
On the next episode of Dark Matter, “Take The Shot”:
Android (?) making out with shirtless guy. Is it a dream? Is it our Android? Who’s the guy?
The Android looks around, perplexed. What’s got her so confused?
FIVE says: “If we delete her personality matrix and start over, it’s the same as killing her.” This is something the Android floated to THREE last season but he flatly refused because he’d just gotten used to her. What would prompt the crew to consider such a drastic course of action?
Randroid’s back! She informs the crew: “I do believe you’ve been targeted – as a result of the neural imprint you uploaded to the medical database.” Targeted how? By who? And if it was done via the neural imprints, does this mean the crew’s former personalities will be bubbling back to the surface?
FOUR asks: “Targeted by who?” Someone had to be responsible, right?
Randoird replies: “Your ship’s android.” In the words of Akemi: “How possible?!”
Then a shot of our Android, seemingly dormant, in some strange chamber. Could this be the recharge station she referred to last episode.
TWO says: “I’ve sent FOUR to the infirmary to delete our neural imprints.” But…will he?
Aimee Hicks offers up a preview at Spoiler TV:
Tom GardIner offers up his thoughts at Three If By Space – and a sneak peek scene:
DARK MATTER — “Take the Shot” Episode 210 — Pictured: Ellen Wong as Misaki Han-Shireikan — (Photo by: Russ Martin/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)
Hey, is that Misaki Han (Ellen Wong) last seen back in “Episode 15: Kill Them All”?
August 29, 2016
August 29, 2016: L.A. Day #1!
There was a point last night when I assumed the most annoying part of this trip would be the gentleman across the aisle from me who removed his shoes AND socks five minutes into our flight. The two and half hours in the air were otherwise uneventful and I was pleased to note that we were making good time. We landed a good twenty minutes prior to our scheduled arrival time. The only problem was we hadn’t landed at L.A.X. We were at Ontario airport, about an hour’s drive from Los Angeles.
Our pilot informed us that a security breech at L.A.X. had required us to make a little detour, but once we received the all clear, we would be on our way.
Security breech? I got online and learned that a mass panic had been set off by an active shooter.
And then, not an active shooter but some LOUD NOISES.
And then a guy in a Zorro outfit.
The pilot eventually came back with another update. We would need to refuel and then be on our way. Refuel? We were less than twenty minutes out? How close do these flights cut it? Anyway, he estimated we’d be back in the air in an hour.
Three hours later we were on our way. And it took us a mere twenty minutes to get to L.A.X.
Double that for the time we spent on the tarmac, waiting for an available gate.
And then add another 40 minutes if you’re stupid enough to attempt to catch a cab. I mean, seriously. For an international airport, L.A.X. is shockingly disorganized in its taxi service. You can line up and wait at the taxi stand. Or, like most people, you can not bother to line up and stand in front of the people waiting in front of the taxi stand. OR, you can just walk down and flag a cab before it gets anywhere near the taxi stand. It’s as if the taxi companies in L.A. want you to use Uber.
Which I eventually did and finally arrived at my hotel – four hours late. Thankfully, I was in bed by 3:30 a.m.
After a refreshing three and a half hours sleep, I was ready to start the day!
Lunch with the AfterBuzz crew: Tauri Jay Miller, Andrew Mena, and Yael Tygiel.
Followed by a mini Stargate reunion for dinner with Carl Binder and Martin Gero.
Tomorrow = I get down to business!
August 28, 2016
August 28, 2016: October! Akemi-isms! Dark Matter! L.A.!
Yesterday, we were introduced to a potential house-sitter via our friend Nicole. She was lovely – a pleasant, intelligent, young professional who is looking for a place in Vancouver come October. The timing should be perfect – provided we get that third season pick-up. Akemi and I will have someone to watch the house and send us weekly mail updates, while our guest will have a nice comfortable home for eight months. As an added bonus, she offers dog-sitting services as well.
After she left, I asked Akemi what she thought. Her response: “I like her. I think she will be great for the house. The dogs…we’ll see.”
In other words: Sure, she seems honest and sensible enough to entrust with all of or worldly possessions. But a little more due diligence before we trust her with the dogs.
My thoughts exactly.
Hey, here are two more entries to add to our every-growing glossary of Akemi-isms:
crank up: grow cranky, usually as a result of hunger. See: hangry
be regret: to regret something (ie. “If you eat that cookie, you will be regret.”).
These words join our expanding lexicon of such notable terms as: brinkle, mushy-mushy, inch, and “Tastes like Santa’s socks”.
Speaking of Akemi – she felt an allergic reaction coming on and took some Benadryl (because we were out of Claratin). As a result, she’s been a little dopey all morning…
Akemi: I feel so out of it.
Me: You’re high on Benadryl.
Akemi: Actually, I’m low.
A few more recaps, reactions, and reviews to the last episode of Dark Matter, “Going Out Fighting”:
“After the excellent, parallel-universe hopping episode last week, this week’s turn was a more grounded affair, with a heavy focus on answering the question of what is wrong with Two and her nanites, and more importantly: how to solve this…” by Christopher Hart at The Nerd Recites
“Pivoting to the Raza for a moment, Five and Android have a heart-to-heart over a cup of hot chocolate, which Android adroitly steals from Five, basically inviting herself to have a sip, with her “20 million taste receptors” and then never returning the mug…” by Veronica Scott at Happy Ever After
“Dark Matter continues to flow smoothly into new territory, with the odd jolt of characters dying or changing dramatically. While Six seems more like his “old self,” The Android is entering a new phase. This evolution of the quirky character should be more than a little interesting…” by Michael Knox-Smith at Mike’s Film Talk
Alright. Scripts downloaded? Check. iBooks library updated? Check. Pocket handkerchiefs and quirky socks packed? Check! I’m off to L.A.! While Akemi (and Bubba and Lulu) hold the fort, I’ll be in Los Angeles doing meetings, making new connections, and dining out with some old (and somewhat recent) friends. Full reports to follow in the coming days!
August 27, 2016
August 27, 2016: Dark Matter “Episode 22: Going Out Fighting” Recaps, Reviews, Reactions!
I’m much more likely to pull over to greet an elderly pug than to help a stranded motorist.
I mention this because I came across this study the other day:
(source: Vox)
To be fair, my dogs are much lighter and easier to carry than the average tourist or grandparent.
Hey, in belated celebration of National Dog Day, check out Bubba sporting the pyjamas Akemi got him. “He loves it!”she insists.
Hey, what did you all think of last night’s episode of Dark Matter “Going Out Fighting”?
Check out some reactions, recaps, and reviews:
“The show is on track to finish out the season with a skillful progression of episodes, capping off a mostly stellar season…” by Michael Ahr at Den of Geek
“An episode rife with “Wait, what?!?!” moments. Possibly my favorite of the season so far…” by Cort Robinson at Pure Fandom
“One of the reasons I love the sci-fi genre is because I’m fascinated by the technologies it’s creators manage to think up. Nanites, space elevators that put the Space Needle to shame, transfer transits, and blink drives are all really cool bits of technology in the world of Dark Matter…” by Jen Stayrook at The Workprint
“The Android has been pretty much the breakout character from the very beginning of the series, and it is scenes like this that showcase the character’s natural charm and humor…” by Kathleen Wiedel at TV Fanatic
“In a way, I liked “Going Out Fighting” better than last week’s near-perfect “Stuff to Steal, People to Kill”. I say this kind of stuff a lot. It’s mainly because every episode expands upon the overall grand story, making each a little more exciting…” by Tom Gardiner at Three If By Space
“This episode’s pacing was excellent. You didn’t know what was going to happen next and it gave you the chills…” by Jideobi Odunze at Geeked Out Nation
“Dark Matter delivered what may very well be its highest-stakes episode yet…” by Aimee Hicks at Spoiler TV
Anna and Josh at Geeksiders:
Hey, comic book fans. Join my Comic Book Reading Club. Our first discussion kicks off September 5th with Daredevil (vol. 1): “Born Again” (Daredevil #227-233).
Our Comic Book Reading Club pick for September 5th is Daredevil "Born Again" from comicbooks
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
August 26, 2016
August 26, 2016: Dark Matter “Going Out Fighting” Sneak Peeks and BTS Pics!
Oopsy. Many of you got a sneak peek at today’s blog entry last night when I accidentally posted its unfinished contents. It was the second time it’s ever happened to me – in almost ten years of daily blogging. Not bad. Anyway…
Tune in tonight for an all-new episode of Dark Matter: “Going Out Fighting” at 7 pm PDT/10 pm EDT on Syfy and Space Channel!
Here’s a little appetizer in the way of some BTS production pics!
And some sneak peek clips from tonight’s episode!
TWO finds out about her origins (video) at TV Insider
TWO and the Android (video) at Blastr
And, finally, a preview of tonight’s episode from Aimee Hicks at SpoilerTV.com:
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
August 25, 2016
August 25, 2016: Dark Matter “Going Out Fighting” Promo and Sneak Peeks!
Tomorrow night on Syfy and Space Channel – 7 pm PDT, 10 pm EDT:
Yes, we’re already on to the ninth episode Dark Matter’s second season – “Going Out Fighting”. Written by Supervising Producer Ivon Bartok. Directed by Peter DeLuise. Two names that should be familiar to fans of Stargate. Guest starring Wil Wheaton as Alexander Rook – who may be familiar to fans of that other star franchise!
What’s going on with TWO? What answers – and surprises – lie within the confines of Dwarf Star Technologies headquarters? Well, maybe these photos will you give you a hint…
Or, maybe not.
A few things about this episode:
We’ll be introducing an element in this episode that will be a game-changer down the line. Fans will be abuzz!
Cue up the Blink Drive for a very special jaunt.
And in typical Dark Matter fashion, we end with one helluva WTF?! moment. Android fans, you’ve been warned!
Finally, via Syfy, here’s another sneak peek clip from tomorrow night’s episode:
http://www.syfy.com/darkmatter/blog/dark-matter-season-2-episode-9-sneak-peek
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter
August 24, 2016
August 24, 2016: Entertaining the out-of-towners!
My cousin Paul and niece Erica were in town for a week, visiting Vancouver.
Their stay involved a lot of eating, mainly dessert, but also included plenty of sightseeing, shopping, and spending quality time with my dogs.
Did I mention we ate a lot of desserts? yes? One of the highlights was the carrot cake at Cadeaux Bakery, pictured above with extra end-piece frosting!
We did a fair amount of walking Vancouver’s various neighborhoods – after which we stopped for a snack. Yes, dessert in the form of ice cream.
Erica and Paul trekked across Van, tracking down about a dozen “pianos” interspersed throughout the city. Akemi and I (and the dogs) joined them for their Olympic Village hunt, finally locating one of the pianos. Pictured above: Bubba shows off with a little Chopin.
We did Vancouver-style dim sum at Sun Sui Wah where our meal was accompanied by Jerry Springer on the big screen. Jer-ry! Jer-ry! Jer-ry! Ha-gow! Ha-gow! Ha-gow!
Our restaurant itinerary included Taqueria, Meat & Bread, Fable Diner, Bob Likes Thai Food, Rangoli, and, of course, Minami for their salmon oshi sushi.
Among my cousin Paul’s Vancouver commemorative purchases was the beginnings of his Halloween ensemble.
Before leaving, Paul and Erica presented us with going away gifts: wacky themed socks for me, and a Pokeman cap for Pokeman-obsessed Akemi. Bubba immediately took ownership of the cap.
Paul and Erica couldn’t get enough of the dogs, especially Lulu who, despite her snoring, outrageous belching, and terrible gas, seemed to make a great impression.
Erica bids the dogs a fond farewell.
Brought Bubba in to get his stitches out today. The results came in on the two masses removed from his head and, while one was benign, the other one was inconclusive. We have an appointment in late September with an oncologist for further tests (x-rays and ultrasound) as well an anti-cancer vaccine.
Lulu, meanwhile, continues to slow down. At 9, she is officially a senior!
Well, our guests have left and Akemi (and I, but especially Akemi) are already missing them. Akemi LOVES to entertain, so much so that she suggested we could home-stay visiting international students. I, on the other hand, prefer responsible adult guests, so I’m looking to adopt. Any of you interested in a move to Vancouver?
August 23, 2016
August 23, 2016: More Dark Matter “Stuff To Steal, People To Kill” links and BTS pics!
I can’t believe we’re only days away from Dark Matter “Episode 22: Going Out Fighting”. It honestly seems like just yesterday we were touring the Hyperion-8 prison sets in preparation for season 2. Time IS speeding up! And I’m having a hard time keeping pace!
Dark Matter overviews and interviews!
A series overview to date. Dark Matter: A Shipload of Antiheroes by the Capricious Narrator
Anthony Lemke, Dark Matter’s THREE, talks with Adam A. Donaldson at Nerd Bastards.
I chat with The TV Junkie’s Kelly Townsend about “Stuff To Steal, People To Kill”.
“Stuff To Steal, People To Kill”! More recaps, reviews, and reactions!
“This was a very enjoyable take on one of science fiction’s most popular, and favorite tropes in a straight forward, action packed episode that did a good job in also moving the series narrative forward….” by Craig Suide at SciFi Movie Page
“All in all this was ‘Dark Matters’ take on the classic ‘Star Trek’ mirror universe trope, but with much darker hues…” by Ian Cullen at SciFi Pulse
Dark Matter, Stuff To Steal, People To Kill, Alternate People To Deal With by Patricia at Wormhole Riders
“It wouldn’t be a sci-fi series without at least one parallel universe episode!” by Jessica Anson at MyM Buzz
How’s your German? Die Doppelte Raza! by Tim Kruger at Serien Junkies
“There are many doors that could be opened by what’s come out this episode. It gives great promise for what’s to come…” by Aaron Billingham at Kneel Before Blog
“I’m not all that fond of alternate universe episodes on the whole, but “Stuff to Steal, People to Kill” was both interesting and lots of fun (though it did make me realize that I probably never want romantic Two/Three)…” by Siobhan Dempsey at Word of the Nerd
Hey, comic book fans! Join our Comic Book reading club on reddit!
Vote for our very first Greatest Stories Reading Club pick! Batman or Daredevil? from comicbooks
Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter 
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