Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 347

June 27, 2016: 4 Days to the Dark Matter season 2 premiere!

Oh yeah.  Today’s Dark Matter season 2 sneak peek screen shot shows certain members of the crew all dressed up and heading out.  What’s the special occasion? Well, I can’t be certain, but I suspect it’s the Dark Matter season 2 premiere, airing this Friday night at 10 pm (after Killjoys!) on Syfy and Space Channel!

And with the premiere only four days away, here’s a quick season 2 character primer from the gang at TV Fanatic:

Dark Matter season 2 character primer

…including a couple of new faces!

Meanwhile, Syfy.com offers us a story refresher:

Everything You Need to Know About Dark Matter

As well as a rundown of our crew BEFORE they went into stasis and had their memories wiped:

Dark Matter Pre-Season 1 Timeline

And then there’s this advance review from Jamie Ruby at Scifi Vision:

Dark Matter Season 2 Preview Review

Today, the writers’ room convened for more pitching, spinning, and breaking.  I can’t tell you how amazing and exciting it is to pay-off so much of what has come before, while setting up so much of what’s to come.  I’m inspired by these wonderful characters, my fellow writers, and these surprise treats (c/o EP Paul Mullie) chock full o’ creamy goodness.  Also high fructose corn syrup, calcium sulfate, and polysorbate 60!

And yellow 5 and red 40!

Later that day – Me reconsidering my dietary choices.  And Ivon Bartok’s pitch for the episode 8 tease.

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

June 26, 2016: 5 Days to the Dark Matter Season 2 Premiere!

“You’re show is coming back this week!”said my friend Tomomi.

“Yes,”I confirmed.

“What channel?”she asked.

“Syfy in the U.S., but Space Channel here in Canada.”

I noticed one of the saleswomen standing off to the side, clearly privy to the conversation, beyond excited and poised as though ready to pounce.

“This Friday at 10 p.m.,”I said.

Unable to hold back any longer, the saleswoman stepped up: “What show are you talking about?”

“Dark Matter,”I told her.

She smiled, hugely.  “I LOVE that show!  Are you in it?”

“No, I’m the show’s creator.”

She was beyond thrilled.  “I’m so happy it’s back.  Friday night?”

“Right.”

“It is SOOOO good.”

“What was your favorite episode?”

A pause to consider and then: “The one told from Julie’s point of view.”

Julie?

“Wrong show.”

“No, I’m sure it was Dark Matter.”

I was pretty sure it wasn’t but who was I to argue?  Besides the show’s creator.  She stepped behind the cash and did a quick online search.  “Yeah, this is it Dark Matter…No, wait.  This isn’t it.”  And then, helpfully: “This looks good too.”

Thanks.

She assured me she would be binge-watching season 1 in preparation for the Friday premiere.

Just in case though, I’m thinking of dropping by, say, Wednesday-ish to see how that binge-watch is coming along.

Today’s Dark Matter season 2 sneak peek screen shot of the day.  Seriously, WTF?

An early blog entry today as I am off to watch the season finale of Game of Thrones.  I predict a little subterfuge on the part of Queen Margaery that should see the High Sparrow and his disciples dealt a mortal blow…with an innocent and unwary Tommen as collateral damage.

Tomorrow – back in the writers’ room spinning season 3!

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

June 25, 2016: 6 Days to the Dark Matter Season 2 Premiere! Tell your friends!

Thanks to everyone who joined my reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything).  Topics ranged from Dark Matter to Stargate to pugs.  In case, you missed it, here’s catch-up link:

Hi, I’m Joseph Mallozzi – creator of the Dark Matter series, writer-producer on the Stargate series, scifi fan and pug fan. AMA! from television

And special thanks to moderator Kishara for all the heavy lifting!

Hey, check out this awesome article by ThreeIfBySpace’s Tom Gardiner in which he makes the case for Dark Matter being a worthy successor to Stargate:

Why Dark Matter Fills That Stargate-sized Hole In Our Hearts

Looks like FOUR’s got something on his mind in today’s Dark Matter season 2 sneak peek screen shot.

DARK MATTER — “Welcome To Your New Home” Episode 201 — Pictured: Anthony Lemke as Three — (Photo by: Jan Thijs/Prodigy Pictures/Syfy)

In addition to the three hours I spent doing that AMA today, I also found time to go to Best Buy to buy a new washing machine (The old one makes the alarming ka-klung ka-klung noise and has tried to make a break for it.  On several occasions, I’ve found it a good two feet closer to the door.) only to be told my local Best Buy doesn’t have any in store and that I would have to purchase one online.  So I did.  Exciting, hunh?

ALSO – I’m halfway through my rewrite of the new scifi pilot.  The plan is to finish it up before month’s end, then send it to my agent and have him set it up.   OR, if that fails, turn it into a comic book series.  OR, if that fails, publish it on this blog, then wait for one of you to win the powerball and finance the show’s first season!

Hey, Stargate fans!  I’ve got you covered too!  Check out these little art department goodies…

Super soldier helmet.

Super soldier design by James Robbins.

And profile.

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter, Stargate, Stargate: SG-1

June 24, 2016: One week to the Dark Matter season 2 premiere!

Hey, what are you doing today at 4 p.m. PDT, 7 p.m. EST?  Well, if you’re free, I’ll be chatting with Geeksiders Josh and Anna over on google hangout…

And here’s the link to tune in:

Want to build your own 3D Raza?  Well, Syfy can help you with that:

Build your own Raza!

Today’s Dark Matter season 2 sneak peak screen shot!  What do you think is going on here?

A reminder that I’ll be doing a reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) tomorrow at noon PDT, 3 pm EST.  At the appointed time, head on over to https://www.reddit.com/r/television/ (and make sure to register so you can quiz me).  I’ll be fielding questions on anything and everything – Dark Matter, Stargate, pugs, the secret to my delicious corn bread.

A few more little somethings from the Stargate archives (specifically, Stargate: SG-1’s “Frozen”) c/o James Robbins:

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

June 23, 2016: 8 days to the Dark Matter season 2 premiere!

Got some burning Dark Matter or Stargate-related questions you were just too shy to ask me on the blog?  Well, you’re in luck because…

Yes, it’s true.  This Saturday at noon PDT, I’ll be doing an AMA (Ask Me Anything) over on Reddit.  Head on over to https://www.reddit.com/r/television/ at the appointed time for all the action.

Today’s Dark Matter season 2 sneak peek screen shot of the day.  That planet looks…familiar.

Hey, my guest stint on Geek Soul Brother’s podcast is up:

http://geeksoulbrother.com/joseph-mallozzi/

Give it a listen.  It was a ton of fun.  So much so that I ended up sticking around even after the interview ended and they had to pretend they were all going home to get me to hang up.  Great stuff!

Finished off a first draft of my new military SF pilot.  Before I do a pass on the script, I decided to pick up some research materials (pictured above) that will, hopefully, allow me to seem marginally competent in naval space jargon.  Or not.

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

June 22, 2016: Vancouver, wha- happened?

Seriously.  I feel as though I’ve returned to a shoddy facsimile of the Vancouver I knew and loved.  Okay, I suppose I can forgive the bad weather (despite being told how wonderfully warm it was while we were suffering the deep chill in Toronto), the road closures and construction (VERY reminiscent of Toronto), the expanded bike lanes (often as large as the actual car lanes), even the increasingly complicated green initiatives (green, blue, AND grey bins plus yellow bag – we’re one step away from purple boxes for human remains), but I have to draw the line at the restaurants.  When my old favorites start letting me down, that’s when I seriously have to reconsider my longterm plans.  In the two weeks in which I’ve been back, my return trips to fondly remembered eateries have yielded results ranging from unmemorable to just plain bad.

Yesterday, Akemi and I discussed the bewildering downgrade in quality and wondered whether it was a matter of the Toronto food scene being better.  We broke it down…

High End Dining =  Toronto has the clear edge here.  Vancouverites, for some reason, do not support high end.

Sushi = Vancouver sushi is far better in general, but Toronto boasts the best sushi restaurant by far in Yasu.

Pizza = Hands down Toronto.  Between Buca and Piano Piano, they’ve got it covered.

Italian = Again, Toronto.

Chinese = Call this one a tie.

Korean = Vancouver gets the nod here.  No Korean restaurant we visited in Toronto came close to Vancouver’s Sura.

Vietnamese = Tie.

Jewish deli = Toronto’s Schmaltz in a big, BIG way.

Tacos = I can’t believe I’d ever say this, but Toronto beats out Vancouver in this category.

Chocolate = It’s close, but Soma’s cocoa nib chocolate bar and award-winning orange blossom chocolates give it the edge.

Indian = Vancouver has Vij’s so Toronto is at a big disadvantage.

What’s a foodie to do?  Besides spend half the year in each city?

Today’s Dark Matter season 2 sneak peek screen shot.  Discuss.

Yep, it’s true.  This Saturday at noon pacific time (3 pm eastern time, 6 pm in the UK, 2 am in Yangon!), I’ll be doing an AMA (Ask Me Anything) over on Reddit. Topics will range from Stargate to Dark Matter, Student Bodies to Caillou.  If you’re free, and have a questions – or are just interested in checking out the answers – meet me here: https://www.reddit.com/r/television/

A little something for the Stargate fans…

June 21, 2016: 10 days to the Dark Matter season 2 premiere!

Check out our resident James Bond, actor Anthony Lemke, as he enjoys a rustic getaway from the formalities of the big city…

On the flip side of that laid-back coin – check out this interview I did with Tom Gardiner of ThreeIfBySpace in which I discuss road trip companions, casino partners and, oh yeah, Dark Matter’s second season.

Dark Matter Exclusive Interview

Today’s Dark Matter season 2 sneak peek screen shot.  You asked for ship to ship battles, did you not?

 Speaking of ships, here’s a little something from the Stargate archives:

The Loki ship (designed by James Robbins).

Don’t forget to enter for a chance to win a cast-signed script of the Dark Matter season 2 premiere episode which will include notes and insights on the episode from yours truly.  It’s easy and fun!  No, I lie.  It’s actually not easy at all.  It’s really, really hard.  But fun!

Enter to win – here’s how!

A mere ten days to our premiere: Friday July 1st at 10 pm on Syfy!

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

June 20, 2016: Dark Matter sneak peek! Trailers! Fan art!

Today’s Dark Matter season 2 sneak peek screen shot.

New promo alert – this time from the gang at Canada’s Space Channel.  Includes several interesting new as-yet-unseen tidbits:

Dark Matter premieres July 1st on Space Channel and Syfy U.S.  Elsewhere…

P.S. – We’re on Canadian Netflix now!  You’ve got less than two weeks to catch up!

Or own it on Blu-ray or DVD via Funimation.  Need convincing?  Checkout their awesome season 1 trailer (that contains one tiny mistake.  Although Paul and I spent over a decade on Stargate, we were not the creators):

Meanwhile, as our premiere draws ever-closer, the Dark Matter fan art I’m seeing online grows increasingly more awesome…

Via Maryanne!

Via Cheri:p!

Via DarkMatterOfOpinion!

Via PinkMoonNYC!

Via Storywisher!

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

June 19, 2016: Top 10 Worst Spiderman Villains!

This list is a matter of opinion.  Were I to put together a rundown of the Top 10 Best Spiderman Villains, Mysterio would make it.  Mysterio.  This guy –

with the fishbowl helmet.

I mean, my childhood memories of Electro and the Green Goblin subconsciously direct me to forgive a lot.  But then, there are those villains that even the fondest of childhood memories cannot make right.  These are My Top 10 Worst Spiderman Villains…

10. Tarantula

Despite the fact that he was given an update, he’ll always be the guy with the pointy poisoned boots to me.

9. Grizzly

Don’t get me wrong.  I have all sorts of respect for the power of the grizzly bear. Less so for a guy who runs around New York dressed like one.

8. Hammerhead

This flat top gangster could either shoot you or hit you with his really hard head.  A true dual threat!

7. The White Rabbit

Armed with Alice in Wonderland-inspired weaponry and a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature, former socialite Lewis Dodson IS The White Rabbit.

6. Kraven the Hunter

Back when I worked on Stargate, my office was decorated with Marvel and DC villains.  One day, Executive Producer Martin Gero walked into my office, pointed to the Kraven the Hunter and asked: “Why do you have a statue of Freddie Mercury on your shelf?”.  ’nuff said.

5. The Vulture

Poor decrepit Adrian Tomes with his skintight green spandex outfit and impossibly big wings.  The very definition of awkward.

4. Hypno Hustler

He can hypnotize people with his guitar.  And, for an encore, his boots emit a knockout gas.

3. Rhino

Combine the very best worst aspects of Hammerhead and Grizzly and you get this guy.

2. Kangaroo

He can jump really high.  And box.  Of course he can.

1. Big Wheel

I mean, just look at the picture.

June 18, 2016: Melissa O’Neil, Dark Matter’s TWO, Answers YOUR Questions!

THIS is the blog entry you’ve all been waiting for.  Melissa O’Neil, Dark Matter’s TWO, answers YOUR questions.  And there are A LOT of them so let’s not waste anytime and get to it.

But first, let me just say this about the lovely Melissa.  I remember watching her very first audition for the role of the kick-ass commander of The Raza and knowing, immediately, that SHE was the one.  And having Executive Producer Vanessa Piazza walk into my office to inform me that she thought SHE was the one.  And then receiving a call from my longtime writing/producing partner Paul Mullie telling me that he thought SHE was the one.  And Melissa proved us right from day one in consistently spectacular fashion.

QUESTIONS ABOUT DARK MATTER AND THE CAST

Carlytto: “Would you eliminate One to take his number spot?”

Two might. I wouldn’t dream of it.

Kabra: “Do you have to keep Joe in line you do with the rest of the Raza Crew?”

It’s really the other way around. I can barely colour within the lines!

Craig M: “If there was one character/actor in S2 you’d like to see TWO hang out with/have more scenes with, who would it be?”

It’s hard to choose because I love the two hander scenes that TWO has on the ship.

After S1, I would have said FOUR, because we don’t get to see the two of them working together all that much; after S2, it’s still hard to choose, but I’ll go with Nyx. It’s really fun having another woman on the ship.

Thogar: “What’s your favourite part of working on Dark Matter?”

I enjoy being exposed to so many creative people in all of their varied disciplines in one environment. It’s the only job I’ve had where everyone populates the same space for extended periods of time. If I’m being mindful, Hurry Up and Wait can easily turn into Hurry Up, Pause, and Learn.

“Who’s the biggest goofball on set? ”

I know you want to think it’s Anthony but IMHO it’s actually ROGER CROSS

“Who flubs their lines the most?”

Are you trying to get me in trouble, Thogar?

“Practical joker on set?”

One of the camera assistants, occasional focus puller, Michael Purdon

For April Fools this past season he busted into our trailers and put tape marks on the ground for us where he thought we might stand the most. I don’t know if that’s a practical joke. But he does silly things around set to keep things light.[image error]

“Will you and the cast be live tweeting again this year?”

I’ll certainly be making an effort to do so, and I imagine so will the others, schedules permitting! It’s so fun hanging out while watching it for the first time with you guys! Maybe some periscoping this year, too!

Hadley: “I was wondering how it’s been working with Melanie (Liburd)?”

An absolute joy. She is a dedicated professional with grace, style, and wit to spare.

Skywatcher: “Are you learning martial arts with Alex Mallari (Jr.)?”

No! But I should! Homeboy is in the dungeon training all the time and his dedication is inspirational. We’ve only jammed on set a few times about stances and footwork.

Silver: “What is it like to work with Zoie Palmer?”

Zoie, arguably, has the most difficult gig on this ship. The technical jargon she has to get her mouth around is a feat in and of itself but layer in all of the subtleties of a unique personality matrix and her carefully crafted take on how an android might communicate facially, physically, and tonally – AND THEN, watch her turn it all off in-between scenes and just hang out?

What is it like to work with Zoie Palmer? F*%^ing Impressive.[image error]

Jeffrey: “Who is the most hilarious person in the Dark Matter Cast?”

See above. Just wait until the outtakes for Two and Android come out. It’s insanity.

Janie: “What do you think the significance is to the order the crew wakes up?”

You know, I’ve never asked Joe that question. I imagine it had a lot to with the initial characters introductions and setting up that vortex of mistrust based off of ‘who woke up first’, and, because Joe seems to takes an impish delight in misdirecting, SIX woke up last.

bambamfans: “I’m a fan of the ONE/TWO relationship or OTR. I imagine incarceration will put a halt to it. Where do you see their relationship headed in Season 2?”

I saw their relationship go in a direction that took me by surprise. It’ll be interesting to see how the audience receives it!

“Now that they are off the Raza, will any of the characters use their real names rather than the numbers?”

Identity is a big thing that we deal with on this show. Being confronted with their actions in the past as a person who no longer remembers that time has been met differently by each character. TWO, for example wants to be as far away from whoever Portia is/was. With Season Two just around the corner, we’ll have to see if that’s the case for everyone.