TV Review: ALPHAS – Season 1 – “A Short Time in Paradise”

Malik Yoba and Laura Mennell in ALPHAS - Season 1 - "A Short Time in Paradise" | ©2011 Syfy/Russ Martin

Stars: David Strathairn, Ryan Cartwright, Warren Christie, Warren Christie, Azita Ghanizada, Laura Mennell, Malik Yoba, Daniel Kash, Garret Dillahunt Writer: Michael Chamoy, series created by Zak Penn & Michael Karnow Director: John Showalter Network: Syfy, Mondays @ 10 PM Airdate: August 29, 2011 Given the premise of ALPHAS, it’s a natural fit that the show would explore someone using an Alpha ability to start a cult. ALPHAS being ALPHAS, the cult leader is no false prophet but rather a man of sincere belief, and “A Short Time in Paradise” raises some intriguing issues, albeit it tends to come down strongly […]Read On »


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TV Review: ALPHAS – Season 1 – “Catch and Release”

Laura Mennell in ALPHAS - Season 1 - "Catch and Release" | ©2011 Syfy/Ken Woroner

Stars: David Strathairn, Ryan Cartwright, Warren Christie, Warren Christie, Azita Ghanizada, Laura Mennell, Malik Yoba, Valerie Cruz, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, Summer Glau, Jane Moffat Writer: Michael Karnow, series created by Zak Penn & Michael Karnow Director: Kevin Hooks Network: Syfy, Mondays @ 10 PM Airdate: August 22, 2011 Nothing is very straightforward for the ALPHAS gang for long. “Catch and Release” presents everybody with a set of moral dilemmas, with the various characters landing in different places along the spectrum. As a bonus, Summer Glau guest stars as an Alpha (though the writing/casting veers away from the obvious kick-ass possibilities). Skylar […]Read On »


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Exclusive Interview: David Strathairn leads the ALPHAS

David Straithairn in ALPHAS - Season 1 | ©2011 Syfy/Justin Stephens

The title of Syfy’s  Monday night series ALPHAS refers to individuals who have a variety of unusual mental abilities. Dr. Lee Rosen, played by David Strathairn, is in charge of a team of five disparate Alphas. The U.S. government expects the Alphas to track down and combat others who are using their talents for destruction. Rosen tries to comfort and advise his charges, but he’s aware that he’s also manipulating them. Rosen is a complicated character, but fortunately, Syfy has Strathairn in the role. San Francisco native Strathairn (pronounced, says the actor, Strath-hairn) has an enormous film and television resume […]Read On »


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TV Review: ALPHAS – Season 1 – “Bill and Gary’s Excellent Adventure”

Azita Ghanizada in ALPHAS - Season 1 - "Bill and Gary's Excellent Adventure" | ©2011 NBC/Russ Martin

Stars: David Strathairn, Ryan Cartwright, Warren Christie, Azita Ghanizada, Laura Mennell, Malik Yoba, Alaina Huffman, Peter Wingfield, Melissa Hood Writer: Adam Levy, series created by Zak Penn & Michael Karnow Director: Leslie Bibman Network: Syfy, Mondays @ 10 PM Airdate: August 15, 2011 It’s good for most shows to break from their internal formulas once in awhile, and on ALPHAS, an episode that involves solving an ordinary – that is, non-Alpha – crime is an agreeable change. On the upside, it’s fun and it lets us take a longer look at how the characters deal with issues besides what it […]Read On »


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TV Review: ALPHAS – Season 1 – “Rosetta”

Ryan Cartwright in ALPHAS - Season 1 - "Rosetta" | ©2011 Syfy/Ken Woroner

Stars: David Strathairn, Ryan Cartwright, Warren Christie, Warren Christie, Azita Ghanizada, Laura Mennell, Malik Yoba, Valerie Cruz, Lianne Balaban Writer: Zak Penn, series created by Zak Penn & Michael Karnow Director: Karen Gaviola Network: Syfy, Mondays @ 10 PM Airdate: August 1, 2011 Credit ALPHAS with using science fiction to good and controversial allegorical purpose, although this episode has a pivotal plot twist we can see coming. It’s hard to blame writer Zak Penn for this – there’s a moment where we realize that the story can go down one of two paths, and he naturally picks the more interesting […]Read On »


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Exclusive Interview: Eric Balfour finds safety in Syfy’s HAVEN

Eric Balfour in HAVEN - Season 2 - "The Trial of Audrey Parker" | ©2011 Syfy/Chris Reardon

Based very loosely on Stephen King’s novella THE COLORADO KID, Syfy’s series HAVEN is now airing its second season Friday nights at 10 PM. The title enclave is a small town in coastal Maine where most of the residents are a bit more than human. FBI Special Agent Audrey Parker (Emily Rose) came to Haven in the first episode to investigate a murder, but has stayed on to look into various strange events, including the town’s ties to her own past. One of the few people Audrey meets who doesn’t seem to have some sort of supernatural ability is Eric […]Read On »


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TCA 2011: NBC reveals the status of THE EVENT wrap-up movie

Jason Ritter in THE EVENT - Season 1 - "Inostranka" | ©2011 NBC/Chris Haston

While speaking with NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt at this summer’s 2011 TCA, ASSIGNMENT X asked about the status of THE EVENT wrap-up movie. Although things aren’t set in stone, Greenblatt does hint that a final decision about its ultimate fate could be decided quite soon. “It’s been discussed with Syfy and a few weeks ago it seemed more possible than it does today, but I honestly don’t know,” says Greenblatt. However, Greenblatt is quick to point out that THE EVENT, if it does get this last-minute reprise, will not air on NBC. “If it happens, it would definitely be […]Read On »


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TV Review: ALPHAS – Season 1 – “Anger Management”

Azita Gahnizada in ALPHAS - Season 1 - "Anger Management" | ©2011 Syfy/Ken Woroner

Stars: David Strathairn, Ryan Cartwright, Warren Christie, Warren Christie, Azita Ghanizada, Laura Mennell, Malik Yoba, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, Devon Graye, Callum Keith Rennie Writers: Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe, series created by Zak Penn & Michael Karnow Director: Nick Copus Network: Syfy, Mondays @ 10 PM Airdate: July 25, 2011 While not as morally gray as last week’s episode – maybe because this week’s antagonist has caused much more harm with much less cause – “Anger Management” has a lot of strong scenes. Director Nick Copus seems to have picked up on some thematic similarities with 28 DAYS LATER/28 […]Read On »


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TV Review: ALPHAS – Season 1 – “Cause and Effect”

David Strathairn in ALPHAS - Season 1 - "Cause and Effect" | ©2011 Syfy/Steve Wilkie

Stars: David Strathairn, Malik Yoba, Warren Christie, Azita Ghanizada, Ryan Cartwright, Laura Mennell, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, Valerie Cruz, Will McCormack Writer: Julie Siege, series created by Zak Penn & Michael Karnow Director: Constantine Makris Network: Syfy, Mondays @ 10 PM (note: pilot episode is 90 minutes) Airdate: July 18, 2011 ALPHAS is only on its second episode, “Cause and Effect,” but it shows nerves of steel in presenting us – and its characters – with the kind of moral gray zone that was last seen with regularity in these parts on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. A heavily chained Alpha, Marcus Ayers (Will McCormack), […]Read On »


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TV Review: EUREKA – Season 4 – “Reprise”

Colin Ferguson and Felicia Day in EUREKA - Season 4 - "Reprse" | ©2011 Syfy/Eike Schroter

Stars: Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Joe Morton, Erica Cerra, Neil Grayston, Niall Matter, Tembi Locke, Kavan Smith, Felicia Day, Trevor Jackson, Debrah Farantino Writer: Amy Berg Director: Matt Hastings Network: Syfy, Mondays @ 8 PM Airdate: July 18, 2011 Episodes of EUREKA can approach THE USUAL SUSPECTS in structural complexity, with a lot of individual actions affecting one another until calamity erupts. This is the case in “Reprise,” which is both entertaining and suspenseful – and also intentionally very funny. When visiting Department of Defense scientist Holly (Felicia Day) hits town, she is clearly hyper-bright but also so nervously chatty […]Read On »


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