Doctor Who
Series 6, Episode 1: The Impossible Astronaut
Directed by Toby Haynes
Written by Steven Moffat
Starring Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, Alex Kingston, Mark Sheppard, William Morgan Sheppard, Stuart Milligan, Chukwudi Iwuji
BBC America
Air date: April 23, 2011

Like any good companion of the Doctor, we’ve waited too long for his return, but the wait is over. Tonight saw the Series 6 premiere of Doctor Who on BBC America. The beginning of this review is spoiler-free and at the end are clearly marked Spoiler section for those of you who have not yet seen the episode.

Episode 1, The Impossible Astronaut, has a lot of ground to cover in terms of establishing what the overall plot of this new series is. After a quick and humorous check in with Amy (Karen Gillan), Rory (Arthur Darvill), and River (Alex Kingston), our heroes meet up with The Doctor (Matt Smith) and we’re thrust right into the thick of what looks to be an exciting and mystery-filled season [...]

At the time of writing this post, it’s less than 12 hours before the launch of the new season of Doctor Who in the United States. And as we continue our countdown to the premiere for our Week of Geek, the BBC has released new images from the opening two episodes of Series 6 – including 3 pictures in particular that should be considered MAJOR SPOILERS… so if you do not wish to be spoiled before The Impossible Astronaut airs, don’t scroll to the bottom of this post!

Doctor Who Series 6 features the return of the Eleventh Doctor as portrayed by Matt Smith. Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) are also back – as is the enigmatic River Song (Alex Kingston) whose secrets are set to be revealed during this season. Series 6 continues many of the overarching story arcs and themes from the previous season, including “Silence Will Fall” – and introduces new villains The Silents [...]

We’re continuing our countdown to Doctor Who Series 6 for the Week of Geek, and the BBC is continuing to release more new images from the opening two episodes of the season: The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon. The premiere episode kicks off on Saturday, April 23 on BBC in the UK and BBC America here in the USA. You can see the images at the bottom of this post, and be aware of some possible spoilery experiences upon viewing!

This photo collection includes stills from the episodes, a bunch of Behind-The-Scenes photos, and a couple of promotional photographs as well. Series 6 sees the return of Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor, and is joined with Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill reprising their roles as the Doctor’s companions. River Song is back; portrayed by Alex Kingston who promises her mysterious character’s secrets will be revealed this year [...]

The BBC has released a lot of photos this week in the run up to the launch of The Impossible Astronaut, the first episode of Doctor Who Series 6. Opening the season on Saturday April 23 on BBC and BBC America, the new photos (found at the bottom of this post) are mostly promotional character stills, which includes some images of a couple of new characters.

This season begins with a two-part adventure that concludes with episode 2, entitled Day of the Moon. Matt Smith returns as the Eleventh Doctor, as does Karen Gillan as Amy Pond, Arthur Darvill as Rory Williams, and Alex Kingston as River Song. Both opening episodes were directed by Toby Haynes and written by showrunner Steven Moffat [...]

Only days before the launch of The Impossible Astronaut, the premiere episode of Doctor Who Series 6, the BBC has released a pair of curious, yet spooky, odd videos in promotion of the new show. The two new videos, which you can view at the bottom of this post, are only titled “…are real”, and have a very real viral marketing feel – posing as a riddle of some kind for fans to try and work out.

The two curious videos, both less than a minute in length, appear to be CCTV footage with digital interference of some kind. They have a creepy feel to them, reminiscent of the video from The Ring. At this point it is unclear whether there is something within the videos that fans are expected to find, like a clue to important elements of the new series [...]

BBC America is heavily promoting the upcoming launch of Doctor Who Series 6 on the web, and one of the features they’ve released is an ongoing YouTube set of videos focusing on “Top 11″ things for Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith. You can check out a few of the videos right here at the bottom of this post.

The clips predominantly focus on moments from the previous season in 2010, from the Doctor first meeting young Amelia Pond, right through to some memorable moments from last year’s series finale in The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang. It’s a little bit of fun for fans on the web as we count down to the broadcast of opening episode The Impossible Astronaut.

Check out the “Top 11″ videos [...]

It’s Week of Geek and we’re counting down to the premiere episode of Doctor Who Series 6, entitled The Impossible Astronaut, launching on Saturday April 23 on BBC in the UK, and BBC America in the U.S. The BBC has released a whole bunch of new images in the run up to the opening of the season, and you check all of them out at the bottom of this post… but be warned, some might find them a bit spoilery!

This photo collection is mainly made up of stills from the first two episodes of Series 6, The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon. The two episodes make up one adventure, as The Doctor (Matt Smith) is reunited with his companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill), and River Song (Alex Kingston) [...]

It’s Doctor Who Week of Geek here at Geeks of Doom, where we’re counting down to the launch of Doctor Who Series 6!

Joining us for our preview of Series 6 episode of the TARDISblend is Andy Sorcini aka MrBabyMan, co-host of The Drill Down. We kick off the show speculating on what can be expected in the opening episode of the season, The Impossible Astronaut, directed by Toby Haynes and written by showrunner Steven Moffat.

The first episode is part one of a two-part adventure, which concludes in episode 2 entitled Day of the Moon. The adventure sees Matt Smith‘s Eleventh Doctor facing new villains The Silents, who are tied into the “Silence/Silents Will Fall” meme from last season. It also sees the return of Alex Kingston as River Song, and of course Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill reprising their companion roles as Amy Pond and Rory Williams respectively.

We also discuss how much attention the new season is getting, and the amazing promotion BBC and BBC America are pushing behind the show. The level of anticipation among fans is at an all-time high. Additionally, we talk of new fans coming to the show, and debate what Classic Doctor Who episodes they should consider checking out.

We run through the episode list for the season, and also briefly touch on Torchwood: Miracle Day. All this and more on the latest TARDISblend! [...]

The promotion by BBC for the upcoming series of Doctor Who is continuing in high gear, as they have released yet another video, this time an episode-specific trailer. The opening episode of Doctor Who Series 6 is called The Impossible Astronaut, and is the first part of an adventure that will conclude in the second episode of the season, Day of the Moon. You can see the trailer, and another clip with Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith, at the bottom of this post.

The Impossible Astronaut kicks off the season with a reunion between The Doctor and his companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill), and the mysterious River Song (Alex Kingston). The group is soon pulled into an adventure that begins with deadly consequences, and pits them against the new villains known only as The Silents [...]

G.I. Joe
A Real American Hero: Season 1.1
Starring Chris Latta, Michael Bell, Frank Welker, Arthur Burghardt
Shout! Factory
Released July 14, 2009

GI Joe is the codename for American’s daring highly trained special mission force.

Its purpose, to defend human freedom against Cobra — a ruthless, terrorist organization determined to rule the world.

If I had to list my favorite cartoons when I was a kid, one of the shows that would show up on that list would be GI Joe. I can fondly remember waking up before school, getting a bowl of healthy cereal (because my Mom would never let us have the sugary stuff), going downstairs, and watching GI Joe and Transformers. It was a great ritual for me, and thanks to the magic of DVD, I can relive those days. GI Joe has been released on DVD before, but the old sets have been long out of print. Fortunately, there’s a new movie to cash in on, so the show is coming back into DVD.

The plot for the show is right there in the theme song. The Joe team spends all their time trying to stop Cobra and their dastardly plans to take over the world [...]

G.I. Joe Volume 1
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by Robert Atkins

G.I. JOE: COBRA
Written by Christos Gage and Mike Costa
Art by Antonio Fuso

G.I. JOE: Origins Volume 1
Written by Larry Hama
Art by Mike Hawthorne

I had not really cared about any of the G.I. Joe comics being produced by Devil’s Due Comics for the last few years, which is not to say they were good or bad, just that I couldn’t be bothered to actually buy them. However, when I heard that IDW had picked up the license and was going to be making a new series, I was intrigued. I was further intrigued when I heard of their plan to release three series, all focusing on different aspects of the G.I. Joe mythos. Then they suckered me in with G.I. Joe #0, which came out last year, and gave a preview of all three series. Since they’ve started, I’ve been eagerly waiting for each new issue, mostly because each series has its own place in the story, but also because each has its own unique feel.

The main series, G.I. Joe, is the most traditional of the three series. It’s got all the characters you enjoy, running around in their familiar costumes, fighting crazy robots controlled by Destro, and looking for Cobra. It’s a fun series, particularly if you’re a fan of the original. It’s got everything I’m looking for in a G.I. Joe comic [...]

G.I. Joe has only been out a few days now, but it’s shockingly doing really well at the box office — making around $100 million worldwide this one weekend — and even more shockingly getting many positive reviews. So it comes as no surprise that producers are already itching to keep going with the franchise.

Paramount Pictures Vice Chairman Rob Moore confirmed to the LA Times that a sequel is already set to begin development in the near future. He also explained that all of the actors signed a multi-film deal and are definitely coming back, while director Stephen Sommers is not signed on yet.

This is a smart move, for sure. Many people still aren’t sold on G.I. Joe, but because it’s being enjoyed so much more than everyone assumed it would be, they need to capitalize on that immediately. After seeing a highly-anticipated movie like Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen be hated as much as it was, you just never know what’s going to happen — strike while the iron is hot and all that jazz [...]

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Directed by Stephen Sommers
Starring Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid, Ray Park, Rachel Nichols
Rated PG-13
Release date: August 7, 2009

Like many children of the ’80s, I did watch the G.I. Joe cartoon. Don’t ask me what I remember of it though. I watched so many cartoons back then that other than the Joe’s “knowing is half the battle” segments, there is not much of it that I retained over the years. What I do know is that the cartoon was very popular way back when and it was only a matter of time before it got its big screen live-action debut. I mean, if Transformers and even Alvin and the Chipmunks can get that kind treatment, why can’t G.I. Joe?

Based on the popular toy line and cartoon, G. I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra follows soldiers Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans). On a mission to transfer a deadly technological weapon, their convoy is ambushed by a terrorist group. Their collective behind is saved by an elite military led by General Hawk (Dennis Quaid), known as G.I. JOE. In memory of their fallen comrades, Duke and Ripcord team up with the JOEs to safely transport the weapons to their destination and in the process they come across the terrorist group COBRA [...]

My Name Is Bruce
Directed by Bruce Campbell
Starring Bruce Campbell, Taylor Sharpe, Ted Raimi
Image Entertainment
Available now

When you’re having as bad a week as I am a good movie can be like comfort food. It warms you up and lifts your spirits. When the movie ends you’re full of joy from being entertained and are ready to pick yourself up and get on with your life. Back in February I went through a bad break-up with my girlfriend Suzette. Since then things have cooled and she and I remain on good terms, but at the time I was devastated. I had the unconditional love and support of all my friends but I still needed a little more cheering up. Who better to cheer me up than the greatest of all B-movie actors, an icon and a living legend who even when it came to starring in loathsome direct-to-video schlock always looked and acted like he was having the time of his life? He is the man, the myth, the chin….Bruce Motherfucking Campbell!

This god among men is one of the truest honest-to-L. Ron Hubbard movie stars we have working these days. From the original The Evil Dead to the wonderfully heartfelt comic fantasy Bubba Ho-Tep, Bruce Campbell has built up a unique filmography with more than a few solid gold cult classics, a few too many turgid D-grade sci-fi and horror flicks, a handful of short-lived television series (I miss Jack of All Trades), and the occasional small (and instantly forgotten) part in a major Hollywood movie to pay the bills [...]

Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn
Blu-ray Edition
Directed by Sam Raimi
Starring Bruce Campbell, Kassie DePaiva, Danny Hicks, Sarah Berry, Ted Raimi
Anchor Bay Entertainment
Available Now

Every once in a great while, a groundbreaking film comes along that redefines a genre and changes the way people think about film as a whole. Director Sam Raimi‘s Evil Dead II is the sequel to that film.

Generally considered to be the best out of the Evil Dead trilogy, Evil Dead II follows the chainsaw-wielding anti-hero Ash Williams Bruce Campbell as he fights his way through another nightmarish evening at that deadite-infested cabin in the woods. Filled with insane amounts of gore, self-mutilation, and laugh out loud humor, it has garnered a cult following that essentially overshadows most of Campbell’s other work. Campy and exaggerated, Evil Dead II originally proved that it is in fact possible to poke fun at a genre of film while still remaining in said genre. Sure it’s an acquired taste, but I have it, as evident by my signed and personalized picture of Campbell hanging next to my bed.

But the beauty of Evil Dead II on Blu-Ray is that none of the cheesy, low-budget effects lose their luster (or lack of). In fact, with the technology used to make this film look “better,” it succeeds in making it worse. But that’s the point. Raimi’s masterpiece isn’t meant to be perfect. It isn’t meant to be pristine. It’s meant to be a new type of horror/comedy that brings something new to the table. And in that area, it succeeds [...]

Make Love The Bruce Campbell Way
Written & Narrated by Bruce Campbell
St. Martin’s Griffin
Available Now

Bruce Campbell, exploitation movie stalwart and man-god to millions, has always secretly dreamed of transcending his B-flick actor trappings and hitting the Hollywood big time. One day after his literary agent Barry simultaneously rejects his proposal for a book about walking and proposes that he instead write a book about relationships, his acting agent — also named Barry — calls Bruce and informs him that he has been invited to audition for a major supporting role in an upcoming romantic comedy for Paramount Pictures starring Richard Gere and Renee Zellweger and directed by Mike Nichols called Let’s Make Love. Bruce is wary of the offer at first but a trip to New York City and a chance to meet a great director proves too irresistible to pass up.

At the audition he uncomfortably encounters just about every big name actor in the movie industry and when he reads for the role of Foyl Whipple, a salt-of-the-earth doorman at a high-end New York hotel always ready with sage advice and an open door, it does not go too well. Returning to his rural Oregon home in what he believes to be defeat, Bruce is surprised to get the news that he won the part. It turns out that Mike Nichols is a big fan of his and wants to be the one to give the struggling actor his big break in mainstream film. This gesture on the filmmaker’s part inspires the star of the Evil Dead trilogy and Assault on Dome 4 to prepare for this role the way a professional actor would [...]

Tonight at 9, the USA Network show Burn Notice, starring Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, and our featured dude of the week Bruce Campbell, returns for its third season. In conjunction with this event, we here at Geeks of Doom have a Burn Notice prize pack to give away to one (1) lucky reader!

One (1) winner will receive:
One (1) Burn Notice Tote Bag
One (1) Burn Notice Season 1 DVD
One (1) Burn Notice Season 2 DVD
One (1) Burn Notice T-shirt
One (1) Burn Notice Frisbee
One (1) Burn Notice Novel
One (1) Burn Notice Suntan Lotion Pack

What do you have to do to get a chance to win? Glad you asked ’cause it’s really easy. Just make sure you’re a subscriber to our email digest, and then go ahead and fill out the handy dandy form below. Done.

Good luck!

TO ENTER: There’s just two simple steps: (1) Make sure you’re subscribed to the Geeks of Doom email digest. If you’re not then click here and sign up. (If you’re already a subscriber, then go right to the next step.) (2) Fill out the entry form here below and submit [...]

Bubba Ho-Tep
Limited Collector’s Edition
Directed by Don Coscarelli
Starring Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis, Ella Joyce, Heidi Marnhout, Bob Ivy
MGM Home Entertainment
Available Now

Before I get started, I have a confession to make… I did not grow up worshiping at the altar of Bruce Campbell. I’d heard the name, but I really had no idea who the guy was. And coming from a self-professed cinephile and pop-culture junkie, I know that this information is a big blow to my credibility… In my defense, I have since seen all of the man’s films, read both of his books, and worship at the altar of Bruce Campbell regularly.

But then I read an article in my local paper about a little movie called Bubba Ho-Tep that was going to be playing at our small, alternative cinema. I really couldn’t believe what I was reading as the article discussed the plot of the film. For those who don’t know, in a nutshell the film is about two residents of an old folks home — who may or may not be Elvis Presley and John F. Kennedy — who have to team up to battle an ancient Mummy that is stalking the old folks living in the home.

Brilliant, right? But wait, it gets better!

Elvis is played by Bruce Campbell and JFK is played by… wait for it… Ossie Davis! Yes, African American screen legend and civil rights activist Ossie Davis! For those keeping score at home — JFK was about as Caucasian as it gets… Do you see the brilliance at work here? [...]

My Name Is Bruce
Directed by Bruce Campbell
Starring Bruce Campbell, Taylor Sharpe, Ted Raimi
Image Entertainment
Available now

As if you didn’t know already, this is very much the Bruce Campbell show. At the beginning, after Clayton dares to say something bad about Bruce, Jeff says: ‘Get out of the car. You don’t like Bruce, you walk.’ I think this line sets the tone for the whole movie: you’re either in for the ride, or you’re out. I was in quicker than you can say ‘chainsaw for a hand.’

Jeff (Taylor Sharpe) and Clayton are driving, on their way to meet the Debbie’s ‘to get laid’ (where? in a cemetery. Duh.). Jeff and ‘big Debbie’ go for a walk to break stuff and as they do Jeff finds a mysterious amulet, which he pockets. Little did Jeff know he just opened a world of terror on his fellow townsfolk.

Guan-Di, the Chinese protector of the dead and bean curd (yes, bean curd), is awakened and starts his murderous rampage through the town. Terrified, the people of Gold Lick, Oregon, need help. They need back-up from someone who knows how to deal with evil monsters. They need Bruce Campbell [...]

Burn Notice, premiering its third season on Thursday, June 4th on USA Network at 9/8c, is a show that started out as something very small. The story of a CIA operative who suddenly finds himself burned (blacklisted from government work, stuck with no passport, no money, etc.) and dropped off in Miami, the show may appear on the surface to be a traditional formula: with the help of his “trigger-happy” ex-girlfriend Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) and his former colleague Sam (the week’s honoree, Bruce Campbell), Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan) helps out people in the community who need someone who knows how to handle a gun, is able to rig a bomb out of just about anything, and who’s street smart enough to get the job done without involving the authorities.

At that basic level, the show is a procedural like any other, but it was first boosted by two primary elements that raise its quality. First, the presence of Anwar (who despite being a polarizing figure is damn fun to watch due to her sadistic streak) and Campbell (who is both the heart and humor of the show, usually simultaneously) help to give the show a nice banter, along with Michael’s connection to his mother and brother who also happen to live in Miami. Second, the missions themselves take the form of Michael offering narration as to his MacGyver-like abilities with hardware store purchases — he takes us through the missions piece by piece, allowing us to see the inner workings of the process. It takes missions that are good to begin with thanks to their populist streak (everyone likes to see a good guy helping out the little guy) and gives them an added point of interest for the viewer, especially those who enjoy geeking out at some ingenious engineering. Combined with the beautiful Miami setting, and the bikini-clad women who somehow always seem to populate the streets, and you have a show with something for everyone [...]