It wasn't that long ago when we drummed our fingers on the remote, wondering why there wasn't anything good on television despite the fact that we had 500 channels to choose from. That can't be said today. If you can't find anything good to watch, you haven't set your TiVo or turned on the Internet, and you're not trying.

Forget reruns. Year round we're treated to great television, with more new shows coming every season. ... Miss a show? Download it off the Net. ... Want to find out more about show's world? Check out the online comic book. Explore the latest Web series ... save up a bunch of your favorite show's episodes and have a marathon, zooming through those pesky commercials ... It's winter and there's nothing to do? No problem. There's a new series premiering on cable. ... Want to hear some actors' commentary about your favorite episode of a series? Pop in the DVD.

We are not bound and spoonfed television shows anymore. We, the viewers, are the ones who are in control. And, fortunately networks, cable channels and the Internet are clamoring for our attention. Despite the devastating writers' strike and the thirst for ratings gold, those 500 channels and the Internet are hungry for content, which forces the major networks to take chances if they want to keep us watching.

We're in a new Golden Age, spurred on by creative minds and an enormous landscape of possibilities. And so shows that have no right to exist on network television (Heroes, Lost) have given opportunities to a new breed of series (Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone) that push boundaries in the most delightful ways. And with a whole new pack of fresh faces bursting through, offering their own take on what sci-fi and fantasy genre television is really about (Primeval, Sanctuary, Fringe), things are only going to get more interesting.

While the showy shows have pushed the envelope of what it means to be a sci-fi and fantasy series, quieter series have expanded the possibilities of what genre television is in their own way (Medium, Chuck). Meanwhile, the old friends we've embraced (Stargate, Doctor Who, Smallville) have continued to remind us what sci-fi is all about, and they haven't done that by playing it safe.

It's a force that no writers' strike could stop. And there's more waiting in the wings as the midseason replacements (Caprica, Dollhouse, Kings, Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire) ready themselves to explore their own strange new worlds.

Sci-fi and fantasy genre television now offer television writers and producers a way to push past the bounds of normal storytelling, and finally all viewers are ready to embrace it. This is a Golden Age that may never end.

Last week's 2008 Fall SF TV Preview, Part I had the scoop on all the new shows, canceled series and kid stuff.Returning and Continuing Shows

Battlestar Galatica
SCI FI, Fridays
On hiatus until January 2009

In the fourth and final season's midseason finale, the rebel Cylon baseship and the Galactica almost went to war over the four Cylons hidden among the human fleet. But the prophecy that Cylons would lead to the location of Earth was fulfilled, and the four Cylons (Tigh, Tyrol, Anders and Foster) were offered amnesty. The fleet headed toward Earth with its Cylon allies. When the fourth season returns with its final 10 episodes, the producers have promised that the Galactica will reach Earth before the series ends. No doubt the fifth Cylon will be revealed as well. But that's not it for Battlestar fans! SCI FI has just announced that after the conclusion of the series, a two-hour "special event" will air that explores what happened before the events of the miniseries. The movie digs into the Cylon point of view of the aftermath of the attack on the humans and the fact that there were human survivors that needed to be dealt with. Jane Espenson wrote the script and Edward James Olmos directs. The cast includes Michael Trucco (Anders), Aaron Douglas (Tyrol) and Dean Stockwell (Cylon Number One).

The Outlook: After creating what many consider to be one of the greatest sci-fi series of all time, this Peabody- and Emmy Award-winning series will end the way the producers want it to end. After struggling with how the story would conclude, creator Ronald D. Moore said he had an epiphany. "I went back into the writers' room and I wrote 'It's the characters, stupid' on the top of the board, and we all kind of took a step back and started talking about what mattered to us about the show." After the fourth season and the movie event, there will be more Battlestar ahead, although in a new form. Caprica is a prequel from executive producers Moore and David Eick. The two-hour backdoor pilot will take place 50 years before the events of Battlestar Galactica as it follows two rival families, the Greystones and the Adamas, in an epic story about the creation of the Cylons. Caprica will most likely air in the near future. An exclusive trailer is available on SCIFI.com.Chuck
NBC, Mondays, 8 p.m. ET/PT
Premieres Sept. 29

In its first season, Chuck's identity as the Intersect was nearly exposed. While he got a last-minute reprieve, allowing him to stay with his family and friends, Chuck realized that at some point he would have to leave them. This season the producers promise to deepen the mythology of the series. Bryce Larkin will return to cause some trouble, and "something huge" will happen at the end of the first episode, which will have an impact on the entire season, said co-creator and executive producer Josh Schwartz. John Larroquette will guest-star as a former spy who is recruited to teach Chuck how to seduce a black widow, and Nicole Richie will guest as Sarah's old high-school nemesis when Sarah goes back to her 10-year reunion.

The Outlook: This charming series ended up with a writers'-strike-shortened first season. Wisely, rather than try to bring it back after the strike, NBC decided to relaunch it in a second season. And then before the fall premiere, NBC liked what they saw so much they extended their 13-episode order to include the back nine episodes. Luckily Chuck has a brand-new chance to charm us with 22 episodes to play out the producers' vision. But that doesn't mean the series is safe. Regardless of the number of episodes ordered, NBC can always change its mind if the ratings falter. Chuck is facing some heavy-duty competition against ABC's Dancing With the Stars, Fox's Terminator and The CW's Gossip Girl. The best way to ensure Chuck stays on the air is to watch this show. Let's give it some decent ratings so NBC has a reason to keep our favorite hunky nerdy hero around.

Destination Truth
SCI FI, Wednesdays, 10 p.m. ET/PT
Continuing

Adventurer Josh Gates and his team of intrepid explorers have traveled around the world from Australia to Iceland to investigate legends and seek out the scariest creatures on earth. With new equipment and a transition into high definition, the viewers have been able to get "even closer to the adventure," said Gates. Season two still has several episodes to go, as the Destination Truth team travels to Indonesia to hunt for a batlike creature known as the Ahool, to the Philippines to find the a ghoulish creature called an Aswang that has an appetite for children, to Japan's Lake Ikeda to investigate the Nessie-like lake monster Issie, and to West Africa in search of a giant lizard called the Ninkinanka. As always, their biggest challenges have to do with borders, cranky jeeps and challenging weather.

The Outlook: While Josh Gates is the perfect host for Destination Truth, it's great to see some of the other team members featured a bit more prominently in the latest round of episodes. Their treks to some of the most isolated places in the world offer a great travelogue and insight into other cultures, along with adventures that sometimes feature real-life dangers, including tigers, and the occasional Yeti footprint. Destination Truth continues to build its ratings and has proven to be a terrific companion show for Ghost Hunters. Look for SCI FI to order another season. The only questions are how many episodes we'll see next year and whether Gates and his team will manage to keep all their fingers and toes intact.Doctor Who
BBC
On hiatus until 2010

It was a very crowded fourth-season finale for Doctor Who, with two Doctors, returning companions and characters from Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures in on the action. In the end, everyone pitched in to stop the creator of the Daleks, Davros, from detonating a reality bomb. Even K-9 helped out. The season concluded with the Doctor's half-human clone staying with Rose in the alternate universe and Donna's memory being wiped to save her life after she absorbed Time Lord knowledge. So what's next for the series? One rumor that may hold some merit is that the Cybermen will return for the 2008 Christmas special. And apparently Doctor Who guru Russell T. Davies has floated the possibility that J.K. Rowling might appear in that special also, but he's stated that David Tennant (who plays the Doctor) didn't like the idea. Behind the scenes, Hugo Award-winning writer Steven Moffat is taking over the reins for Davies in the fifth season, which will air in 2010. When asked at ComicCon whether previous characters would return in the new season, Moffat said, "We're not in the business of being nostalgic. We're making nostalgia for the future, new monsters, new friends ... Doctor Who is at its best when it's brand new, and you've always got to remember that there's a new bunch of 8-year-olds watching every year, and it has to be original ... it has to belong to them."

The Outlook: Four specials are set for 2009 that will star Tennant. However, there has been plenty of speculation as to whether the actor will continue on the series when Doctor Who returns for a fifth season in 2010, or whether an 11th Doctor will be taking his place. The possibility has even been thrown out that there might be a Doctor Who feature film attached to the fifth season if Tennant agrees to stay with the series. Some of the actors who've been suggested who might replace Tennant include Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting), Jason Statham, Alan Davies, James Nesbitt (Cold Feet) and Russell Tovey ("Voyage of the Damned"). All in all, somebody will be playing the Doctor when season five rolls around in a couple of years. Eli Stone
ABC, Tuesdays, 10 p.m. ET/PT
Premieres Oct. 14

After Eli Stone's risky operation last year to remove his aneurysm, he woke up. Did the surgeon remove the aneurysm and stop his visions? That's something that we'll discover when the series returns for its second season. This season offers some high-profile guest stars, including Sigourney Weaver as Eli's therapist and Katie Holmes as a do-gooder attorney who becomes a love interest. "This year the whole show gets bigger, bigger, bigger; that's sort of our mantra for the season," said co-creator and executive producer Marc Guggenheim. Look for the mythology surrounding Eli's father to deepen as Eli's profile as a prophet begins to build. There will also be a shakeup at the law firm, and we'll get to meet Loretta's daughter. And, thanks to the show's new Tuesday-night lead-in, Dancing With the Stars, there will be plenty of musical numbers and some well-known musical guest stars, including Seal, who will appear in the seventh episode.

The Outlook: Considering that Eli Stone's ratings last year were decent, if not exceptional, it's great to see that ABC believes in the series enough to move it to a much better timeslot. The Dancing With the Stars results show is the perfect lead-in. And considering that Eli Stone is up against serious shows like NBC's Law & Order: SVU and CBS's Without a Trace, it's like a breath of fresh air. There's nothing else like it on television. Eli Stone may never be a breakout hit, but it should do well enough in the timeslot to give CBS a reason to keep it around through the season.Eureka
SCI FI, Tuesdays, 9 p.m. ET/PT
Continuing

So far during its third season, the citizens of Eureka have tackled escaped drones, earthquakes and dual suns. They even lost one of their own when Nathan Stark sacrificed himself to save them from a deadly time loop. With just one episode to go before the midseason finale, "From Fear to Eternity," we'll finally learn what's up with Eva Thorne. In the episode a scientific discovery from Eureka's past comes to light. According to creator Jaime Paglia, "There will definitely be a cliffhanger aspect to the end of episode eight. And then we'll dive into episode nine of the back 13 of this season with some big, big questions to resolve."

The Outlook: Eureka was hit hard by the writers' strike. When the strike was finally settled, the producers knew they'd be able to get only eight episodes done in time for a summer premiere. SCI FI's solution was to order 22 episodes, knowing that they could either air the remaining episodes early next year as part of season three or save them for the summer as a fourth season. Considering that Eureka continues to be ranked as SCI FI's top series in 2008 for adults 25 to 54, and for total viewers with an average of 3.1 million, the show's future looks very bright ... maybe even as bright as dual suns.Fear Itself
NBC
On hiatus

Fear Itself, an offshoot of Showtime's Masters of Horror, offered up a little horror anthology series this summer by inviting well-known directors to create one-hour movies. Directors have included John Landis, Stuart Gordon and Breck Eisner. So far the series has dealt with vampires, serial killers and body switching. Five episodes remain to be aired.

The Outlook: Anthology shows are tough, especially when they air on a major network. The series suffered low ratings right from the beginning and ran until being pre-empted by the Olympics. But don't look for Fear Itself to return. While it hasn't been officially canceled by NBC, it will be. It's unlikely the final episodes will air on NBC, but it's possible we'll see them online or on DVD in the future.Ghost Hunters
SCI FI, Wednesdays, 9 p.m. ET/PT
Continuing

It's been an eventful fourth season for the ghost-hunting plumbers, Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, and their team. Traveling from Pennsylvania to Nevada, they've experienced EVPs, had ghostly interaction with their K-II meter and captured other impressive evidence. As the season continues, the TAPS team will tackle their largest investigation ever when they go to Buffalo Central Terminal, which has 14 floors and is bigger than Grand Central Station, said ghost hunter and tech manager Steve Gonsalves. "They have reports of full-body apparitions all the way around the ticket booths. ... Apparitions on the walkways. Apparitions all over the place, as well as sounds." This fall the team will also investigate the Seven Sisters Inn in Florida, which has reports of a ghostly little girl dressed in white, and the Oak Alley Plantation in New Orleans, where people have heard a horse-drawn carriage and a flying candlestick. They'll also probe into the the world's oldest active ship, the Star of India, and the U.S.S. Hornet, which is considered to be the most haunted ship in the Navy. And then, on Halloween night, TAPS will take on their third annual Ghost Hunters Live event at Fort Delaware in Delaware. The seven-hour event will include a multi-camera online video feed.

The Outlook: With the show's fifth season set to premiere in March, the only question SCI FI is most likely asking when it comes to the future of Ghost Hunters is "How many more episodes can we get?" The series had its biggest premiere ever when it returned in September with 2.7 million total viewers. To top it off, Ghost Hunters has launched a successful spinoff with Ghost Hunters International, turning it into a thriving franchise. As long as Jason and Grant feel up to the task, we could have many, many more seasons of Ghost Hunters to come.Ghost Hunters International
SCI FI, Wednesdays
On hiatus until 2009

Filling the gap when Ghost Hunters is on hiatus, Ghost Hunters International takes over to offer investigations in some stunning locations. This summer there were some personnel changes, but no word on whether they'll be permanent. So far the GHI team have traveled to locales such as England, South Africa and New Zealand. They even checked out Dracula's castle in Romania. Ghost Hunters International is presently filming additional episodes for its first season, which will air in 2009.

The Outlook: While GHI hasn't quite reached the heights of Ghost Hunters, it's come close and helped created the "top paranormal franchise on cable." With an average of 2.4 million viewers for this summer's outing, GHI has done well for itself. Look for a second season to be ordered. While it'd be nice if additional international members were added to the team, look for more stunning locations as the globe-trotting ghost hunters come close only to the Destination Truth team in racking up frequent flyer miles.Ghost Whisperer
CBS, Fridays, 8 p.m. ET/PT
Premieres Oct. 3

Professor Payne (Jay Mohr) noticed a shadow was missing in the final moments of the show's third season, implying that perhaps he or someone else in the cast might be history. And since Mohr has a new CBS series called Gary Unmarried, it's looking a whole lot like Payne's bit the dust. Jamie Kennedy will join the cast as a psychology grad student named Eli who suddenly discovers he can hear ghosts. This season, spirits from the underground called Watchers will be introduced. "Melinda is going to face an enormous personal challenge, maybe the biggest possible personal challenge, and she's going to need help from the beyond, and those characters will offer that help," said executive producer P.K. Simonds. "All I can say is, expect big things. They are coming. Not immediately, but soon. It's just going to shake everything up in a very big way." While creator John Gray will still be doing some writing and directing, the show-running reins were taken over by Simonds.

The Outlook: Like most of the shows last season, Ghost Whisperer lost some of its audience, and the writers' strike didn't help. But the ratings were still good enough to give Ghost Whisperer a fourth season. Now if they can only find a series that bridges Ghost Whisperer and NUMB3RS and doesn't lose viewers. The new series, The Ex List, doesn't quite seem like a good fit. Ratings for the first few episodes of Ghost Whisperer will be key. This series can't afford to lose any more viewers this season. Jamie Kennedy will be a nice addition and may help with viewer interest, although Mohr will be missed. The bottom line is that Ghost Whisperer needs to have a very good year. If it doesn't, this could well be its last season.Heroes
NBC, Mondays, 9 p.m. ET/PT
Premieres Sept. 22

The villains are coming! The villains are coming! But first, in the second season's writers'-strike-enabled finale, Claire's blood healed people and saved HRG's life, Niki was caught in an exploding building, Hiro buried Adam alive, and Nathan was shot twice in an assassination attempt. Oh, yeah, and the human race was saved from the virus. In "Volume Three: Villains," Sylar injects himself with Claire's blood, and his powers are restored. In its third season, as "Volume Three" continues, the villains will go up against the heroes in an epic battle where every person with powers will be forced to pick a side. "All of our characters will be forced to make a decision as to which side they are on. Are they a hero or are they a villain?" said creator Tim Kring. Level 5 is a facility where the most villainous villains are kept, and they're about to escape. So beyond Sylar, several new villains will cause our favorite heroes some trouble.

The Outlook: It's been nine months since we've had any new Heroes, and there seems to be an excitement to "Volume Three: Villains" that was missing last season. Forget new heroes figuring out their powers. This is an all-out battle between good and evil, and it looks like it's going to be a fun ride. "Villains" will run for 13 episodes. And then the remainder of the season will be "Volume Four: Fugitives," which will likely premiere after the Super Bowl. Considering the buzz around "Villains," it looks likely that Heroes' ratings will rise. If so, all Kring and company will have to do is offer us some great storytelling and we'll be there. Kyle XY
ABC Family
On hiatus until early 2009

Kyle and Amanda finally got their perfect moment at the prom and admitted they were in love at the end of season two. And then their perfect prom turned into a nightmare when Amanda was kidnapped, with only a Latnok ring left behind to let Kyle know what had happened. When the series returns for its third season in early 2009, Kyle will have to save both himself and Amanda. However, that event will impact their relationship as the season continues. Jessi will find her way back to the Traggers, and she and Kyle will become closer. Andy and Josh consider the next step in their relationship, and Lori and Mark come to terms with each other. But the biggest development in season three has to do with the fact that Kyle will finally learn more about the Latnok Society, and he'll be surprised by what he finds. Hal Ozsan will play Michael Cassidy, the new front man of the Latnok Society.

The Outlook: With terrific ratings and an original storyline, Kyle XY has become the signature series of ABC Family. The third season will likely air in January 2009 with 10 episodes. Look for Kyle XY to continue its run into a fourth season, although hopefully without so much time between seasons. Lost
ABC, Thursdays
Premieres January 2009

During its fourth, strike-shortened season, Lost focused on flash-forwards as we learned what the future held for the Oceanic Six survivors. In the fateful moments of the season-four finale, Jack broke into a funeral home to find Locke in a coffin under the name of Jeremy Bentham. Bentham had told Jack earlier that the survivors had to return because very bad things had happened since they left. Ben appeared in the funeral home and told Jack that they all had to go back to the island together, and that they had to take Locke's body with them. Lost is scheduled to return with its fifth season in January. Little has been said about where the series is headed, although it seems the answer may involve a space-time continuum, since some of the characters have experienced time travel and there seems to be a way to move the island. Sounds like the island is a really big TARDIS. Executive producer Damon Lindelof did offer up this at ComicCon: "The flash-forwards were a bit limiting because we could only focus on the Oceanic Six, because we didn't want to reveal other things ... like Desmond getting off the island. ... When season five starts, you won't know when or where you are, and the way we tell stories will be different too."

The Outlook: With two 17-episode seasons to go, Lost has proved that you should expect the unexpected when it comes to storytelling. Now that they have an end date set, Lindelof has stated that they know what the final scene will be when the series comes to an end. Dynamic storytelling with a definitive ending—now, that's something to look forward to.Medium
NBC, Sundays, 9 p.m. ET/PT
On hiatus until early 2009

After a year of turmoil for all the characters of Medium, when Allison was publicly outed as a psychic working for the district attorney, season five will offer some opportunities for them. Allison will be back in the district attorney's office working for Devalos again. "But for the first time everyone knows who she is and what she's done for him. And that's going to lead to a lot of people proactively seeking her out and making requests of her, which is something she wouldn't have dealt with before," said co-executive producer Craig Sweeny. However, there will be some fallout from the Van Dyke term in the DA's office that will impact them. As for Joe, after going into partnership with Terry Cavanaugh, he will have to deal with becoming the boss as his company develops his solar energy idea. And Arial will learn to drive.

The Outlook: With an Emmy win for Patricia Arquette as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and a host of other award nominations and wins, Medium has proven to do well anywhere NBC's put it. While I have to admit I'll be happy to have Allison and Joe employed again and not so glum, it did offer some great drama, especially with the story arc involving Anjelica Huston. As Medium enters its fifth season, it's set to air on Sundays. However, if one of NBC's other series falters, don't be surprised if Medium is brought in to take its place. The Middleman
ABC Family
On hiatus

In its first season on ABC Family, the Middleman and Wendy faced trout-eating zombies, vampire ventriloquist dummies and an alternate evil universe. No word yet from ABC Family regarding the future of The Middleman. However, creator Javier Grillo-Marxuach undoubtedly has diabolical plans for a second season. "We give ourselves a lot of license to be weird and to come up with stuff that meshes up with a lot of pop-culture ideas that exist out there," said Grillo-Marxuach. "But it's about creating stories that are science-fictional stories, but giving them the Middleman twist so that the show refers to popular culture, but also twists it and turns it into something that is its own."

The Outlook: The ratings for The Middleman were low, and ABC Family hasn't made any announcements about a second season. But at ComicCon a representative from ABC Family did state that despite the poor ratings, the show has drawn a record number of viewers to the network's Web site. He also stated that network executives would take into account downloads and DVD sales before deciding The Middleman's future. That said, it seems unlikely the series will get another 12 episodes. A movie is a possibility, or a shortened season. But it's much more likely that this is the end for the show.MonsterQuest
The History Channel, Wednesdays, 9 p.m. ET/PT
Continuing

North Carolina Vampire Beasts, the Black Beast of Exmoor and Chupacabra are just a few of the legendary creatures MonsterQuest has investigated. As the show's second season continues, the series will return to the Sea of Cortez to reinvestigate the giant squid with improved technology, a team will hunt for the huge Megalania lizard in the Blue Mountains of Australia, and DNA is examined that just might prove Sasquatch exists. According to executive producer Michael Stiller, "the job of the series is to look at the evidence and do it in a methodical, accurate way. Present the facts and let people come to their own conclusions."

The Outlook: No ratings have been released for MonsterQuest, but The History Channel did up the order from 13 episodes for the first season to 20 episodes for the second. Although there isn't a personality to hang the series on like Josh Gates in Destination Truth, MonsterQuest does offer some compelling evidence. Another season looks likely. Paranormal State
A&E, Mondays, 10 p.m. ET/PT
Continuing

With investigations from Oregon to Texas to Virginia, the Paranormal State team has run into a variety of spiritual activity. To help in their investigations, they've brought in several experts, including photo analysts and psychic artists. This season, "the fans wanted more of the analysis of the evidence, so we've put in more of that. And we've actually captured more things. We're pushing the envelope with interesting tech stuff I don't think has been used before," said executive producer Betsy Schechter. Coming up on the series, the Paranormal State team travels to Gilliland's Ranch in Washington State, where reports vary from UFO activity to winged creatures in the woods. The series will also have a special one-hour Halloween episode called "I Am Six," where medium Chip Coffey and the team travel to a small midwestern town to investigate a young woman who may be tangling with a demon.

The Outlook: With its 13-episode run nearly done, there's been no word yet from A&E whether they plan to pick up the back seven episodes. With no ratings available, it's impossible to tell how the series is doing. When Paranormal State first aired, it received 2.5 million viewers, one of the highest premieres in A&E's history. The first season aired 20 episodes. But the series has had some controversy, and if the ratings had remained high there wouldn't be any question how many episodes to order.Primeval
BBC America, Saturdays, 9 p.m. ET/PT
Continuing

One of the best new shows of the season, Primeval is Torchwood meets Jurassic Park meets Doctor Who. The first six episodes made up season one, with a finale that left one team member dead and Cutter reeling when he discovered that Claudia Brown had disappeared from his timeline. Luckily, we only had a week to wait for season two to premiere. That episode dealt with some of the repercussions of the finale, while the team battled raptors running wild in a shopping mall. As the season continues, the team will face a saber-toothed tiger, future creatures called the mer and a rampaging mammoth. "They do slowly progress against this thing," said executive producer Tim Haines. "It is so central to the story as to why this is happening and what they can do about it. ... They finally learn how to detect the anomalies."

The Outlook: With two seasons and 13 episodes completed, the good news is that a third season of 10 episodes is in production. The third season will have new cast members, including Jason Flemyng (Snatch) as Danny Quinn, a cop who stumbles across the team while investigating the death of his brother; Laila Rouass (Footballers' Wives), an egyptologist named Sarah Page; and Ben Mansfield as Captain Becker, Cutter's bodyguard. Along with new cast members, there will be new creatures to encounter, including a vicious Giganotosaurus; a demonic crocodile, Pristichampus, and a dragon, Dracorex. The first two seasons have done very well in Britain. I expect good things from this series, with a nice long run. Pushing Daisies
ABC, Wednesdays, 8 p.m. ET/PT
Premieres Oct. 1

No show suffered more from the writers' strike than Pushing Daisies, which only managed to produce nine episodes before it was taken off the air. Fortunately, ABC decided a second season relaunch was in order. This romantic comedy/fairy tale ended its first season after Chuck learned that Ned had accidentally killed her father, Oscar Vibenius returned to investigate why Chuck smells different, and the aunts' antidepressant-laced pies began to have an effect on them. But the big shocker came when Lily confessed to Olive that she is Chuck's real mother. The second season is "about where we came from and where we're going," said creator Bryan Fuller. "We are going to find out all of the history of how and why Lily is Chuck's mother, and why Chuck was raised as a niece, and what Lily's relationship was with Chuck's father. And we're going to get into the details of that and the betrayal between the sisters, and why one of them can't know that all this happened." The characters will visit a nunnery, a dim sum palace and a lighthouse. Stephen Root will join the cast as Dwight Dixon, a character who has a history with Chuck and Ned's fathers.

The Outlook: What's not to love about this charming show, with its likable characters and its magical moments? Last season offered decent ratings, and ABC is keeping the series in the same timeslot from last season. Opposite Fox's Bones and NBC's Knight Rider, it presents a different option and should continue to do well in that timeslot. I'm hoping for ratings magic that will give ABC a reason to pick up the show's back nine episodes, so we get a full season of Pushing Daisies. Reaper
The CW
Midseason

Sam believed his father was killed in the show's season-one finale. He also learned he might be the son of Satan. It wasn't a good day for Sam. But what Sam didn't know is that his dad's alive and probably a demon. To drown Sam's sorrows, he and the guys take off. When the series returns in midseason, Sam will discover that Andi never knew why he vanished on her, and it will have an impact on their relationship. And while his life will get more complicated when souls try to kill him because they think he's the devil's son, an archangel may pay a visit. "Sam kind of figures that out early on—that, whoever his father is, it doesn't matter. He still in the deal with the devil. He'll find a new potential way to get out of it, and that will be his drive for the season," said co-creator Michele Fazekas. At the Work Bench, Ted will fall on some hard times, and one of the gang will get a promotion. As for Sock, we'll meet his stepsister, Kristen.

The Outlook: With 13 episodes set to premiere next year, the episodes will pretty much be completed by the time the series airs. That means we'll probably see most of them at some point, regardless of how the series does in the ratings. While the numbers put Reaper on the bubble last season, Ray Wise's devilish turn as Satan was reason enough to watch all by itself. The Sarah Jane Adventures
CBBC on BBC One
Premieres Sept. 29

Sarah Jane Smith discovered the Earth is every bit as adventurous as traveling in the TARDIS during the first season of The Sarah Jane Adventures. With her young friends, Maria and Clyde, and her genetically engineered, adopted son Luke, they battled the Bane, the Slitheen and a group of nuns. Sarah Jane and Luke also helped the Doctor save the universe in the fourth season finale of Doctor Who. As season two of The Sarah Jane Adventures begins, Sarah Jane and her young team of adventurers battle "The Last Sontaran" and save the world's orbiting satellites from crashing down on nuclear installations around the world. And even more importantly, Maria struggles with an important decision when her dad is offered a new job in America. In the season's second two-part story, "The Day of the Clown," Maria is gone and there's a new girl named Rani Chandra living on Bannerman Road. When Rani finds herself being haunted by a sinister clown, it may have something to do with missing local children and the legend of the Pied Piper. Anjli Mohindra joins the cast as Rani, along with Mina Anwar and Ace Bhatti as her mother and father.

The Outlook: It's nice to have Sarah Jane back in our Doctor Who universe. Star Elisabeth Sladen calls the series "a children's program with grownup issues," and that direction has taken The Sarah Jane Adventures to success as CBBC's top children's sci-fi drama. The first season also aired on SCI FI this year, although there's no word as to whether the series will have a second season here in America. But with its second season premiere coming up on CBBC shortly, the series looks like's carved out its own little piece of the Doctor Who pie. And if you missed the first season, not to worry. The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete First Season four-disc DVD set is coming out next month. Saving Grace
TNT, Mondays
On hiatus until March 2009

In the dramatic season-two midseason finale, a grief-stricken Ham struggled over the death of this brother. But in the end he decided that things needed to change and that he had to stop being Grace's partner, at least for a while. When the series returns with the final episodes of the second season in March, Grace will find herself picking up the pieces of her relationship with Ham and dealing with a new female partner. Leon Cooley's execution date is approaching, and Rhetta will try to help him. "These characters are so rich. It's not hard to think of stories for them and places to put Grace in," says creator Nancy Miller. "We've got Holly Hunter. My God, we can do anything. So it's really unlimited. It's a matter of curtailing that, getting these stories and scripts down to production-friendly. It's a joy. It's just a joyful challenge."

The Outlook: The series has been a hit for TNT, and although Grace isn't for everyone, Holly Hunter earned her Emmy nomination. With eight episodes to go, there's still plenty of drama left in season two. Beyond that, TNT just announced that Saving Grace has been renewed for a third season of 15 episodes.Scare Tactics
SCI FI, Wednesdays, 10 p.m. ET/PT
New episodes continue on Sept. 30

This summer Scare Tactics was revived from the dead with comedian and actor Tracy Morgan as its host. So far this season, a young woman has found herself in the middle of the delivery of Satan's baby, a woman cleaning out an abandoned garage has discovered alien pods that were about to hatch, and a night worker believed a creepy funeral director was harvesting organs. "One of our editors said the subtitle to Scare Tactics should be 'Jobs you should quit within 10 minutes,'" laughed executive producer Scott Hallock. "Because a lot of the setups are people coming to work and then things start going a little nutty, and then things get really crazy, and then before they know it they're trapped and delivering Satan's baby." New episodes are headed our way involving what happens when a young man who thinks he's doing market research finds himself in the middle of a Jonestown setup and a man working at a funeral home discovers he's supposed to be the replacement body for an escaped prisoner. Then episode 13 will be bits that worked twice.

The Outlook: The series originally aired from 2003-04 and then was canceled. Four years later, it's back with all-new setups and a new host. Since its return, Scare Tactics has gotten great ratings, increasing its previous performance drastically and drawing 2 million viewers. That sounds a whole lot like another season of scares are headed our way.Smallville
The CW, Thursdays, 8 p.m. ET/PT
Premiered Sept. 18

In Smallville's season-eight premiere, LuthorCorp's new CEO, Tess Mercer, went looking for Lex, the Green Arrow and his Justice League hunted for Clark, and Lois tracked down a missing Chloe. While Lex remained missing, Clark and Chloe were rescued. Clark pondered the possibility of creating a dual identity, and he took a job at the Daily Planet sitting directly across from Lois. Coming up this season, Justin Hartley becomes a regular as Oliver Queen, and two new villains join the cast. Cassidy Freeman takes center stage as Tess Mercer, and Sam Witwer plays Davis Bloome, who eventually becomes Doomsday. Laura Vandervoort will make a guest appearance as Kara, and Kristin Kreuk will guest in multiple episodes as Lana Lang. Storylines will see Clark leave Smallville behind for the most part as he starts seeking to make a difference with his powers. Chloe will delve into her new powers, and Chloe and Jimmy's engagement will be explored. Lex will not return anytime soon, since actor Michael Rosenbaum has left the series, but the door is open for him to do a guest spot. "I will say that Lex hasn't left us for good. We haven't heard the last of him. We all know that wasn't the end of Lex Luthor," says executive producer Kelly Souders.

The Outlook: With Rosenbaum's departure as Lex, the producers had to scramble to rework the series. When a series lasts eight years, it's only natural for some of the actors to move on, but last year several regulars exited. The new season is supposed to be a bit more "edgy and dark" as the story continue to build the Superman mythology. The new regular characters show promise, and Justin Hartley is a good addition to the regular cast. The good news for Smallville viewers is that the series will remain in its Thursday night timeslot, where it's created a nice viewer base for itself. So will season eight be Smallville's last? Since The CW is struggling, if Smallville can keep its decent ratings, the best guess is that if the producers want a ninth season, they just may get it.Stargate Atlantis
SCI FI, Fridays, 10 p.m. ET/PT
Continuing

Happy birthday, Stargate Atlantis! You're hitting a hundred ... episodes, that is. "It's a milestone year for us. We're hitting a hundred episodes," said executive producer Martin Gero. "This year, more than ever, we were like, 'All right, what have the fans been dying to see?'" Presently in its fifth and final season, Teyla gave birth and became a working mom, Woolsey discovered that he can't always follow the rules, and McKay contracted an Alzheimer's-type illness called Second Childhood. As the final season continues, Daniel Jackson visits Atlantis in a midseason two-parter, a coalition of humans claim the Atlantis team has committed crimes against the people of the Pegasus galaxy, and Michael attacks Atlantis in an attempt to kidnap Teyla's child. After the series finishes its run in January, a two-hour Stargate Atlantis movie will air that will later be released on DVD by MGM. The film will be written by executive producers Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie.

The Outlook: It's sad to see Stargate Atlantis in its final season so soon after we lost Stargate SG-1. But the series will most likely continue on the way SG-1 has, as movies released direct to DVD. But fear not, Stargate fans. SCI FI has just announced a new series called Stargate Universe, with a different team and a brand-new mission. Check out the "Midseason and Beyond" section below for more details. Supernatural
The CW, Thursdays, 9 p.m. ET/PT
Premiered Sept. 18

Dean returned from hell and discovered that there was a lot more at stake than his soul as the fourth season premiered. While Sam and Bobby tried to wrap their minds around the fact that Dean really was back, Dean finally got a meeting with the creature that saved him from hell, and it wasn't a demon. Meanwhile, Sam didn't tell Dean he was using his powers or that they had advanced with the help of Ruby, who'd taken up residence in a new body. This season on Supernatural, several new characters will be introduced, including Sam and Dean's grandfather, played by X-Files' Mitch Pileggi. Some memorable deceased characters will return, including Nicki Aycox, Ronald the bank robber and Agent Henricksen. There will also be a black-and-white homage to 30's monster movies, in which the brothers go up against Dracula, the Wolf Man and the Mummy. However, "the boys' concerns quickly become apocalyptic in terms of what the season-four mythology is," says creator Eric Kripke.

The Outlook: Landing in a timeslot where most people are watching Grey's Anatomy or CSI, Supernatural's been able to eke out respectable ratings and a dedicated fan base. The fourth-season premiere was very good for longtime viewers when it comes to the story arc Kripke is trying to tell, and it added up to improved ratings for the show. Look for ratings to hold and for the series to make it through the year. However, last year Supernatural was on the bubble, and, depending on the programming issues the fragile CW faces this year, unless the ratings bump continues, this could well be the end for the Brothers Winchester.Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Fox, Mondays, 8 p.m. ET/PT
Premiered Sept. 9

Things don't seem to be getting any easier for the Connor clan. In the first season, Sarah, John and Terminator Cameron leapt into the future so Sarah could avoid getting cancer and dying before all the fun stuff happens. After the Connor's battled with Cromartie and Sarah sparred with FBI Agent Ellison, Cameron was blown up. Luckily, you can't keep a good Terminator girl down, although she is still a little twitchy. As season two continues, John and Sarah's relationship will become rockier and we'll see a lot of Cromartie. Shirley Manson, of the band Garbage, joins the cast as the CEO of a high-tech company. According to executive producer Josh Friedman, "we're going to have more action than we had last year." They also are making the stories "a little more closed-ended. Not as serialized. A little more mission-oriented."

The Outlook: Unfortunately, the first two episodes of the second season did not do well, and real competition this fall hasn't even started. While the series has plenty of action, good actors and compelling characters, it would do well to lighten up a bit. Yes, the world may be ending, but every character is so sad. It all is so bleak. As it is, Fox will certainly give Sarah Connor a few more episodes to see if it can build its audience, but this is the network of American Idol, House and 24. Sarah Connor's 5.49 million viewers last week won't be enough to keep this series on the air for long. Torchwood
BBC
On hiatus

Somehow you don't mind saying goodbye to characters you love when they are written out of a series well. Torchwood managed just that in its second-season finale, when Burn Gorman's Owen Harper and Naoko Mori's Toshiko Sato both died to save Cardiff, but not before saying goodbye to each other. It was touching and sad and well written. After that dramatic finale, the surviving Torchwood members found themselves in the middle of the fourth-season finale of Doctor Who. So what's ahead for Torchwood? Production has started on the third season of the series, which will be called Torchwood: Children of Earth. The five-episode season will be one continuous story that is run over five consecutive nights. According to a BBC press release, the team will "battle for the future of the human race against the fiercest force they have encountered." Regulars John Barrowman as Capt. Jack Harkness, Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper and Gareth David-Lloyd as Ianto Jones will return, along with Kai Owen as Rhys Williams, Gwen's husband, and Tom Price as PC Andy. Many rumors have Freema Agyeman joining the cast as well as the new doctor, but it seems unlikely since she has been pegged as the new star of Law & Order: London.

The Outlook: Five episodes?! While it sounds like a terrific mini-series, this one little burst of Torchwood will only leave us wanting more. The hit series has done very well in its first two seasons on BBC, and as long as Barrowman and Myles want to continue with Torchwood, there is no reason why we won't eventually see more in the future. Maybe even a full season. The five-part series is set to air in England in 2009. No word when it might end up on BBC America.Midseason and Beyond

13: Fear Is Real, The CW, In development
Originally scheduled for summer and then pushed to fall, there's still no word when this reality series will premiere. The series isolates 13 "guests" in the Louisiana bayou as they deal with a series of challenges, horror-movie style. Instead of being voted off, these guests are "killed off." Eight episodes have been ordered. Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert and Jay Bienstock executive-produce.

Black Panther, BET, First quarter of 2009
BET Networks and Marvel Animation join forces to take the legendary superhero the Black Panther to animated heights in a new series. Casting has begun for the series, which is set to premiere early next year. Black Panther is being adapted from the first six issues of the Marvel comic, which was written by Reginald Hudlin. The character is considered the first black superhero. He is a wise and just African warrior king who uses technology to fight supervillains.

Boldly Going Nowhere, Fox, In development
What's the rogue captain of an intergalactic spaceship to do when he's not on a mission? That's the premise of this comedy from the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia production team of Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton and Adam Stein. While Boldly Going Nowhere hasn't been ordered to series yet, Fox has ordered five scripts beyond the pilot, with the possibility of airing midseason.

Caprica, SCI FI, TBD
Ever wonder how those blasted Cylons ended up so unhappy with the human race that they wanted to wipe them out? This long-awaited two-hour backdoor pilot "event" is a prequel to Battlestar Galactica that explores the evolution of the Cylon race and the battle between two families, the Graystones and the Adamas, 50 years in the future. Caprica stars Eric Stoltz, Alessandra Torresani, Esai Morales and Paula Malcomson. The pilot comes from Ronald D. Moore and David Eick of Battlestar and Remi Aubuchon of 24. Jeffrey Reiner directed. For a preview of Caprica, visit www.scifi.com/battlestar.

Dollhouse, Fox, Midseason
Joss Whedon's back! Forget vampires and spaceships, his latest series revolves around a woman called Echo, played by Eliza Dushku. Echo lives in a secret facility known as the Dollhouse, where she and other "Actives" have their personalities imprinted and then wiped after each "engagement." The missions involve different scenarios, from romantic to criminal to dangerous. However, Echo starts remembering her missions and begins to search for her true identity. The series stars Dichen Lachman, Olivia Williams, Herry Lennix, Fran Kranz and Tahmoh Penikett. Thirteen episodes have been ordered.

Estate of Panic, SCI FI, In development
The producers of Fear Factor put together this competition, which sets seven strangers on a quest to find millions of dollars in a massive estate. The catch is that they will find terrors around every corner. People will be eliminated, and the last person standing gets all the money that's been found.

Kings, NBC, Midseason
This contemporary retailing of the King David story from the Bible is set in a fictional modern monarchy in a war-torn metropolis. When a young man saves the life of the king, his station in life begins to rise, and he learns what it's like to be part of the monarchy. Christopher Egan, Ian McShane, Sebastian Stan, Susanna Thompson and Allison Miller star. Thirteen episodes have been ordered, and Kings kicks off with a two-hour pilot, which was written by Michael Green and directed by Francis Lawrence.

Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire, Comedy Central, Midseason
In Comedy Central's first over-the-top live-action comedy, a reluctant hero named Krod Mandoon, played by Sean Maguire, lives in a medieval world. As if he didn't have enough problems being named Krod or dealing with his receding hairline, he also ends up being the last great hope against the evil Dongalor. Krod Mandoon was written by Peter Knight and is set to premiere early in 2009. Six episodes have been ordered.

The Listener, NBC, Summer 2009
Craig Olejnik stars as Toby Logan in this one-hour Canadian drama about a young paramedic who can read people's minds. Tormented with people's thoughts, he discovers he's able to solve crimes and save lives with his unique gift. This telepathic procedural also stars Ennis Esmer. Thirteen episodes have been ordered, and The Listener is expected to premiere in summer of 2009.

Merlin, NBC, 2009
Set in the mythological city of Camelot, this one-hour action-packed adventure series uses 21st-century storytelling to explore Merlin and Arthur's early life. Before Merlin became a great wizard and Arthur became a king, they were ambitious young men who had yet to find their destiny. Merlin stars Colin Morgan as Merlin and Bradley James as Arthur, with Anthony Head, Richard Wilson, Angel Coulby and Katie McGrath also starring. Thirteen episodes have been ordered.

Mirabilis, SCI FI, In development
A magical land known as Mirabilis was once a paradise fueled by sorcery-grade metal called bloodsteel. As supplies of the bloodsteel dwindle, Mirabilis begins to decay. When evil warlord Dragon Eye tries to take over, four ordinary citizens band together to find the Crucible, which has been prophesied to be the source of all bloodsteel. This four-hour fantasy/adventure miniseries stars David James Elliott, Natassia Malthe and Back to the Future's Christopher Lloyd. Mirabilis was written by Emmy-nominated Sam Egan.

Revolution, SCI FI, In development
Fifty light-years away from Earth in the 22nd century, a colony has settled on an Earth-like planet called New America. Struggling through many of the issues we have today, the colonists find themselves in a passionate fight for freedom. The story revolves around the Hart family, which ends up in the center of the fight. Revolution is a two-hour backdoor pilot that was created by Ed Redlich and John Bellucci, and stars Billy Campbell, Steve Sandvoss, David Smith, Rowena King and Brooklyn Sudano.

Section 8, ABC, In development
The term Section 8 is based on the U.S. Army discharge order when a soldier is considered mentally unstable. The series explores what happens when a team of everyday people with advanced neurological abnormalities work for a secret government agency. With a six-episode blind commitment, this one-hour drama comes from Zak Penn (X-Men: The Last Stand) and Michael Karnow.

Stargate Universe, SCI FI, Summer 2009
It's a brand-new team and a brand-new series. After unlocking the mystery of the Stargate's ninth chevron, a team of explorers discover an unmanned starship called the Destiny, which was launched by the Ancients at the height of their civilization. However, it was a grand experiment that was set in motion, but never completed, and once the team boards the ship they aren't able to return to Earth. As the new crew of the Destiny travels to the far reaches of the universe, they won't be able to control where the ship goes as it attempts to complete it mission to connect with previously launched Stargates. Brad Wright and Robert Cooper (co-creators of Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis) will executive-produce and write episodes for the new series. Production on the new series is planned to begin early next year, with the series premiering in the summer of 2009.

True Believer, SCI FI, In development
When a washed-up, real-life superhero finds a job as a crime-fighting sidekick to a comic-book nerd, things get complicated and the un-dynamic duo run into some bumps when it comes to saving the world. The two-hour backdoor pilot dramedy was created by Rosario Dawson, David Atchinson, Matthew Spradlin and Tom Feister.

Virtuality, Fox, In development
On board Phaeton, the Earth's first starship, travelers journey to explore a distant solar system, using advanced virtual-reality modules to avoid boredom. New Amsterdam's Nikolaj Coster-Waldau stars as Frank Pike, the starship's mission commander. This two-hour backdoor pilot from Fox comes from Ronald D. Moore and Michael Taylor. The pilot will be directed by Peter Berg.

Warehouse 13, SCI FI, July 2009
Forget Area 51. Warehouse 13 is where all the real action is. Warehouse 13 is about two FBI agents who are promoted after saving the life of the president. However, the "promotion" lands them in South Dakota at the mysterious Warehouse 13, an enormous secret storage facility for every fantastic, supernatural and mysterious artifact the government has collected over the centuries. Their job is to track down items stolen from the Warehouse and to investigate new reports of supernatural activity that might net them another artifact. SCI FI has green-lighted production, ordering 11 hours of this dramedy, including the two-hour pilot. Warehouse 13 was created by D. Brent Mote, Jane Espenson and Rockne O'Bannon and stars Eddie McClintock, Saul Rubinek and Joanne Kelly. Jace Alexander directs. Movies and Miniseries

Alice, SCI FI, In development
The team that created SCI FI's most watched program in history, the miniseries Tin Man, will return to spin another modern retelling of the classic Alice in Wonderland as a six-hour miniseries. Nick Willing writes and directs, with Robert Halmi Sr. and Robert Halmi Jr. executive-producing. No word on when this might premiere.

A Number, HBO, TBD
Starring Rhys Ifans and Tom Wilkinson, A Number explores cloning. In the story, when a man clones his son in an attempt to make up for past mistakes, issues of nature versus nurture and identity emerge. The script is adapted by Caryl Churchill from her own play, with James Macdonald directing. Frank Doelger, Tracey Scoffield and Lee Morris produce.

Cyclops, SCI FI, TBD
Oscar nominee Eric Roberts stars in this Roger Corman film. In ancient Rome the Royal Guard is losing some of its members to a giant cyclops. The emperor sends out the Guard to capture the creature so they can use it in the gladiator arena.

Fire & Ice, SCI FI, Oct. 18
When a tiny kingdom is ravaged by a fire-breathing dragon, the king's daughter and the son of a dragon killer work to figure out a way to save their people. Unfortunately, it involves a bigger ice dragon with a nastier disposition.

Hellhounds, SCI FI, 2009
Actor Ricky Schroeder steps behind the camera to direct Hellhounds, about a hero in ancient Greece who must travel to Hades battle hellhounds to bring a princess back to life.

The Immortal Voyage of Captain Drake, SCI FI, 2009
Yo ho ho! It's SCI FI's first pirate movie, and it's got Highlander's Adrian Paul. When a sultan's son is dying, the sultan blackmails and bribes a group of pirates into searching for a mythical cure.

Lake Placid 3, SCI FI, 2009
More hungry people-eating crocs invade the most non-placid lake in the world in this sequel to SCI FI's highest-rated original movie of 2007, Lake Placid 2.

The Last Templar, NBC, TBD
Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino digs into the lost secrets of the Knights Templar in this four-hour miniseries based on the best-selling novel by Raymond Khoury. Archaeologist Tess Chaykin (Sorvino) gets drawn into the mystery when four horsemen dressed as 12th-century knights steal a medieval decoder during the gala opening of an exhibition of Vatican treasures. She teams up with FBI agent Sean Daly (played by Scott Foley), and they find themselves racing across three continents to solve one of the greatest mysteries of our time. Victor Garber (Eli Stone) and Omar Sharif also star. The miniseries was directed by Paolo Barzman and written by Khoury, with a revise written by Suzette Couture.

The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice, TNT, Winter 2008
Noah Wyle is back as brilliant adventurer Flynn Carsen, who is on the hunt once again for one of the world's most powerful artifacts in the third installment of the Librarian series. In the two-hour movie, strange dreams draw Flynn to New Orleans, where he uncovers a conspiracy involving the notorious vampire Prince Vlad Dracul and an artifact known as the Judas Chalice. Flynn must battle to keep the Judas Chalice out of evil hands. Luckily, he gets a little help from a mysterious jazz club singer named Simone Renoir. Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin reprise their roles, with Bruce Davison and Stana Katic joining the cast. Jonathan Frakes returns to direct, and Dean Devlin, Kearie Peak and Marc Roskin executive-produce.

Lost City Raiders, SCI FI, Nov. 22
When The Da Vinci Code meets Waterworld, it adds up to Lost City Raiders. In a world devastated by rising sea levels, a group of treasure hunters uses high-tech submarines to hunt for treasures in the flooded cities. However, when the Vatican orders them to find an artifact that just might be able to reverse the rising sea levels, the Raiders discover they aren't the only ones looking for it. James Brolin and Ian Somerhalder star.

Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon, SCI FI, 2009
Shannen Doherty and Michael Shanks end up on a quest for lost treasure, only to discover an Aztec culture.

Malibu Shark Attack, SCI FI, Spring 2009
When prehistoric sharks discover Malibu, it looks a lot like dinner time to the hungry critters. Peta Wilson stars.

Phantom Racer, SCI FI, 2009
BJ & the Bear's Greg Evigan hits the road again, but this time as a racecar driver from beyond the grave.

The Prisoner, AMC, 2009
Originally The Prisoner was going to be a new series, but plans have changed and now it will be a six-part miniseries. Jim Caviezel will play Number Six, a man who is trapped on a mysterious island called The Village with no memory of his previous life. The Prisoner is based on the 1960s series starring Patrick McGoohan. Academy Award nominee Ian McKellen will play Number Two. The miniseries is being written by Bill Gallagher, with Jon Jones directing.

Riddles of the Sphinx, SCI FI, Sept. 27
When the deadly sphinx is accidentally unleashed, a father and his daughter must figure out a way to trap the sphinx back in its tomb by way of decoding seven possibly deadly riddles in an attempt to save mankind from impending destruction. No pressure there! Riddles of the Sphinx stars Dina Meyer and Lochlyn Munro.

Yeti, SCI FI, Nov. 8
Peter DeLuise stars in this film about college football team players who crash-land in the Himalayas and what happens when the local snow creature decides they look tasty.