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From SciFi Wire

Additional Lost Due This Year?
TV Guide Online columnist Michael Ausiello reported a rumor that ABC may order an additional hour of Lost this season, which would bring the total number of hours produced to 14.
Citing an anonymous source, Ausiello reported that the additional hour has not been sealed with the network.
As it stands, Lost is slated to return with the first of five new episodes on April 24 in its new timeslot, Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
The strike-truncated fourth season was slated to end with a season finale on May 22; it’s unclear where an additional hour of the SF series would air.

From SF Universe

Sarah Jane Premieres on SCI FI Tonight
Sarah_Jane Set your DVR’s right now if you don’t want to miss the premiere of The Sarah Jane Adventures on SCI FI Channel tonight. The premiere begins at 7:30, which is a perfect time for this family-oriented Doctor Who spin-off.
Elisabeth Sladen reprises her early 1970’s role as the Doctor’s companion Sarah Jane Smith. This time around, though, she’s the one with the companions in the form of several youthful space travelers!
Next week, its the first of the two-part story Revenge Of The Slitheen.
Sarah_Jane_Slitherin Maria, Luke and Clyde realize that all is not as it seems on their first day at their new school. The food keeps going off, there’s a funny smell and the new technology block is hiding some dark secrets. They soon find out that the Slitheen have disguised themselves as teachers as part of their deadly plan which threatens the future of Earth.
Will Sarah Jane and the gang be able to stop them all before it’s too late? Tune in to find out. Fridays at 7:30 on SCI FI Channel.

Moonlight fans give blood
More than 4,500 fans all across the world have signed up to donate blood and even Moonlight’s star Alex O’Loughlin is in on it. It’s also been reported that Alex was so moved by the blood drive that he’s signed on to be a spokesperson for the Red Cross.
Want to support your favorite show and give something back to the community in the process? Visit the Moonlight Fans Give Blood site and leave your pledge. Then visit your local Red Cross donation center and give the gift of life.
In a show of Vampire Solidarity, Blood Ties fans are also pledging blood donations, and that Moonlight fans will be donating to the Blood Ties efforts to join with the Lions Club International to recycle used eyeglasses.

I think I’m going back to College now
That revelation is due largely to a university offering a course I can get behind. Arizona Western College will offer English 220, a science fiction class, for the first time this fall.
Instructor Ed Schubert will emphasize “proto-science fiction” — works of early English literature that dealt with science fiction concepts before any such term got coined.
He selected classic texts as preferred by the college’s English department but also because “I think it will be more interesting for students to see how old some science fiction ideas really are.”
Pre-20th century works covered in the class include Sir Thomas Moore’s “Utopia,” published in 1516; Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels,” published in 1726; Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” 1831; and H.G. Wells’ “The Time Machine,” 1895.
He said the class will study contemporary science fiction too. It will be a transferrable, general education course with texts costing about $10. For more information about the class, contact EMAIL.
Ten dollar text is reason enough to take the class. Anybody else tired of paying $100s of bucks for Shakespeare text as if he’s written something new lately?

Tricia Helfer signs deal with Fox
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Battlestar Galactica” star Tricia Helfer has signed a development deal with Fox. The one-year contract will likely result in a drama series helmed by the SciFi siren but that doesn’t mean it will make it to TV. Last year Helfer starred in “Them,” which focused on a sleeper cell of extraterrestrial terrorists living on Earth. The series came with a great pedigree which included “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machine” director Jonathon Mostow and written by “Battlestar Galactica’s” David Eick and “Jericho’s ” John McNamara. Still, nothing ever came of the series. Here’s to better luck next time.

From TrekWeb.com

Ronald D. Moore New Starship TV Pilot Gets the Green Light
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Fox has given the green light to Virtuality, a two-hour back-door pilot from Battlestar Galactica executive producer Ronald D. Moore.
The sci-fi project, from Universal Media Studios and producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun, is set aboard the Phaeton, Earth’s first starship. It revolves around its crew of 12 astronauts on a 10-year journey to explore a distant solar system. To help them endure the long trip and keep their minds occupied, NASA has equipped the ship with advanced virtual-reality modules, allowing the crew members to assume adventurous identities and go to any place they want. The plan works flawlessly until a mysterious “bug” is found in the system.
Moore brought in with him Galactica writer-producer Michael Taylor. The two penned the script and are exec producing the project with Berman and Braun, which is slated to begin production in July.

From The Hollywood Reporter “Blogs”

Ray Romano in for TNT drama pilot
“Everybody Loves Raymond” star Ray Romano, has reteamed up with the show’s writer-producer Mike Royce, this time on a drama pilot for TNT. Romano wrote the pilot script for the hourlong project, titled “Men of a Certain Age,” and will star as well as exec produce.

CBS taps showrunners for ‘Hour’
In an indication that CBS’ pilot “Eleventh Hour” is headed to series, “Sleeper Cell” creators Cyrus Voris, and Ethan Reiff have been tapped as executive producers/showrunners of the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced drama.

Ioan Gruffudd, Robin Tunney to lead pilots
Ioan Gruffudd has been tapped as the male lead opposite Amy Smart in “The Meant to Be’s,” while Robin Tunney is set to star opposite Simon Baker in another CBS drama pilot, “The Mentalist.” Meanwhile, Elizabeth Reaser has landed the lead in CBS’ drama pilot “Mythological Ex,” and Dustin Milligan has become the first actor cast in the CW’s spinoff of “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Additionally, Elaine Cassidy, Ryan Merriman and Samantha Noble are set to star in CBS’ drama presentation “Harper’s Island.”

NBC greenlights ‘Office’ spinoff
There will be more “Office” time on NBC’s schedule next year. The network has greenlighted the long-rumored spinoff from the Emmy-winning comedy. NBC is expected to make the announcement at its upfront news conference Wednesday.

NBC to set family, blockbuster, adult hours
NBC’s weekday primetime blocks will follow a theme of an 8 p.m. “family hour,” a 9 p.m. “blockbuster hour” and a 10 p.m. “adult themes” hour, according to sources. NBC is set to announce its year-around schedule at what it is dubbing its “in-front” presentation to advertisers in New York City.

Molly Ringwald among latest pilot castings
In the latest casting news for pilot season, Billy Campbell will lead the cast of Sci Fi Channel’s two-hour pilot “Revolution,” Molly Ringwald is set to star in ABC Family’s untitled Brenda Hampton series, while Jay Hernandez has joined CBS’ drama presentation “Can Openers.”

Will Kemp, Matthew Lillard in pilots
In the latest round of pilot castings, Will Kemp has been tapped as the male lead in CBS’ drama pilot “Ny-Lon,” Olivia Williams is set to co-star on Fox’s “Dollhouse” and Matthew Lillard has signed on to co-star opposite Geena Davis in CBS’ drama presentation “Exit 19.” Additionally, Yara Martinez has joined Fox’s comedy pilot “Spaced” and Eion Bailey has come onboard CBS’ drama presentation “Can Openers.”

Cannavale, Odenkirk cast in pilots
Bobby Cannavale will play the title role in ABC’s comedy pilot “Cupid.” Meanwhile, Bob Odenkirk, Rachel Blanchard and Phil Hendrie have joined CBS’ comedy pilot “Mike Birbiglia’s Secret Public Journal,” while Ken Marino and Brook Bloom have booked the leads in Fox’s comedy pilot “Outnumbered.” In other pilot casting news, Alexandra Breckenridge and Adam Rothenberg have been added to the CBS drama “Mythological Ex,” and Rick Peters and Brooke D’Orsay have come aboard the CBS comedy “Single White Millionaire.”

CCH Pounder, Cole Hauser cast in pilots
CCH Pounder and Cole Hauser, have been tapped to star in CBS’ drama presentation “The Tower” and Michael Trevino and newcomer Cassidy Freeman have been cast in the CW drama “Austin Golden Hour.” Additionally, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Molly Stanton, Jolene Purdy and Brando Eaton have joined Niecy Nash in Fox’s comedy “The Inn,” from 20th TV, Reveille and Principato-Young.

From Digital Spy

Stamos turns down ‘ER’ spinoff
John Stamos has reportedly rejected an offer to star in an ER spinoff.
The actor, who has played paramedic-turned-intern Tony Gates since 2006, said he did not want the commitment of his own show.
NBC and Warner Brothers are believed to have approached him to ascertain his feelings about a new project.
An insider told the New York Daily News: “Stamos wasn’t having it. He’s not interested in being locked into a contract right now. He’s got other options open.”
It was recently confirmed that the medical drama is to return for a 15th season before bowing out next February.

US to Europe TV delay ‘to keep shrinking’
The delay between television shows airing in the US and airing in Europe will continue to get shorter, under plans from US production firms.
The companies want to stop fans illegally downloading episodes while they wait for them to come to domestic TV.
NBC Universal recently delivered subtitled episodes of Heroes pay-to-view, through TF-1 in France, the day after they aired in the US. The network is now hoping to extend the arrangement, where traditionally it has waited months to dub shows into French.
Disney-ABC has a similar deal in place with TF-1 and some other European broadcasters.
According to the Financial Times, production companies are particularly looking to cut the gap for English-speaking markets.
Tom Toumazis, Disney-ABC’s head of international distribution, pointed to season four of Lost, which began in the UK just days after its US debut earlier this year.
“Fans have an insatiable appetite for seeing these shows as quickly as they can,” he said. “You’re going to see a further collapse of those windows.”

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