Sci-Fi Showdown - January 27

Welcome to Week 4 of Khyron's Sci-Fi Showdown. Far from the blow-out of last season, Stargate Sg-1 has managed to hold its own thus far. But Showdown favorite Battlestar Galactica is staying strong and getting better. And what of Stargate Atlantis? Can it overcome adversity and make a name for itself in the hallows of science fiction television history?

Lets find out.

Stargate Sg-1 - Ep. Stronghold

With a big win under its belt from last week, Stargate Sg-1 continues from the high-point of a very funny and enjoyable episode...by turning things down a notch.

In episode 9.14, Stronghold, Teal'c (Christopher Judge) discovers that many on the newly formed Jaffa High Council have begun to act strangely. His investigation brings him face to face with a disturbing truth and an old enemy. Meanwhile, Mitchell (Ben Browder) visits a former war buddy, who is suffering from an aneurysm.

Last week's episode was so fun and so light hearted that it really stood out from these later season's mediocrity. Therefore, I was a bit disappointed with Stronghold's more somber, serious tone. That's not to say that it wasn't a good episode, just not as memorable.

A big part of the episode was yet more Ben Browder backstory. We're sure getting to know a lot more about Cameron Mitchell, as basically every episode this season has dealt with his past in some way. Its good to get some characterization for Sg-1's new leading man, but just like the tone of this episode, its kind of a downer. Perhaps even more so than O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson), Mitchell has had a pretty tragic past. Its good though, as this personal side ultimately makes him a better character.

The high point of the episode was in the last 10 or so minutes. It's not common that we get to see a full-on, balls to the walls military firefight in Sg-1, so it was good to see some action in Stronghold. This particular firefight was pretty intense, featuring Sg-1 with backup storming a Goa'uld stronghold (hence the title, I suppose). It was filmed well enough, and I'm pretty sure Mitchell was using some kind of drum-fed auto-shotgun, so I was sufficiently pleased.

Stargate Atlantis - Ep. Grace Under Pressure

Atlantis has been sort of hit and miss so far. The episodes have been good, just not outstanding enough to be recognized as the best of the best. This one came pretty dang close, though.

In episode 2.14, Grace Under Pressure, Rodney (David Hewlett) finds himself trapped in a damaged Jumper, sinking rapidly into the ocean. It's a race against the clock as the Atlantis team struggles to devise a rescue plan before Rodney sinks too deep, and is destroyed by the crushing pressures of the sea. But Rodney finds help in the most unlikely of sources: a hallucination of none other than Sg-1's Sam Carter.

This episode has been discussed for a while now, ever since the Amanda Tapping crossover aspect was revealed in TV guide. I will admit that I was looking forward to it--as Tapping and Hewlett's interactions on Sg-1 were pretty good--and thankfully it managed to live up to my expectations.

It was an interesting development to see Tapping on Atlantis (even though she was a hallucination), but her performance was far from the Sam Carter we've grown to know--Carter by look only, as it were. I'm not sure if this was by design, but she just didn't seem like herself. Oh well, though. It worked as is, and made for one of the better Atlantis episodes to date.

Battlestar Galactica - Ep. Black Market

You can probably tell by now who the winner was this week. Battlestar Galactica is a fine show, and its episodes like this one that proves it.

In episode 2.14, Black Market, Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber) investigates the brutal killing of the Pegasus' new commander, Frisk. What he finds is a black market operating in the shadow of the Galactica. He also continues to battle his inner-daemons, being plagued by memories of lost love and suicide. Meanwhile, Gaius Baltar (James Callis) refuses President Roslin's request to step down from the office of vice president.

My first thought of this episode was, "Frisk! NOOOO!" A mere two weeks after proclaiming that Frisk (played by Graham Beckel) is an outstanding supporting character, they go and kill him off. I would have liked to have seen him in a few more episodes, but that's life and the fleet must move on.

It's hard to pin down exactly what was so great about Black Market, but Jamie Bamber definitely had something to do with it. I voted him the best actor in a leading role last season, and I stand by that. We're really starting to get into Lee's head, and I'm not sure we're going to like what we find. Really all characters on BSG are flawed or troubled in some way (part of BSG's success) but I never thought the moody son of Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos) would be one of the more disturbed.

Also, I must give props to Bill Duke (of "Gonna have me some fun" Predator fame) for his unexpected (but expertly performed) guest appearance.

Winner: Battlestar Galactica (Black Market)

Battlestar Galactica is the best show on television. 'Nuff said.

Memorable Scene: Lee Adama finds himself pointing a gun at a gangster low-life. Does he pull the trigger and give in to temptation, or is he better than that? Lets just say Bill Duke wont be coming back for another episode.

Standings:

Stargate SG-1: 2
Stargate Atlantis: 0
Battlestar Galactica: 2

Stay tuned for next week's Showdown.

~Khyron, 2006

Underworld: Evolution (2006) - Directed by Len Wiseman
Rated R for pervasive strong violence and gore, some sexuality/nudity.

Ever since the days of the Universal monsters, crossovers have become a common occurrence in horror films. From Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man to King Kong vs. Godzilla, these monster combos are often dubious in nature, relying less on a story than just the novelty of having the two creatures fight. Then in 2003, with the original Underworld, another of these crossovers arrived: this time between werewolves and vampires. With its boxoffice success now comes Len Wiseman's follow-up, Underworld: Evolution.

In Underworld: Evolution, vampire Selene (Kate Beckinsale) and Lycan/vampire hybrid Michael (Scott Speedman) continue were they left off in their quest. Meanwhile, Marcus--the first and most powerful of the vampires--is awoken. Now Selene and Michael must fight to stop Marcus from releasing his brother, William--the first and most powerful Lycan.

A pretty big fan of the macabre and of creatures of the night, I saw the first Underworld with big expectations. I remember liking it, but that's about it. To me, the first was a solid action film, but also highly forgettable. Therefore, I took a risk going into Evolution without first re-watching the original. A risk that probably reduced my enjoyment of it.

Underworld: Evolution starts off with a brief explanation of the plot via some scrolling text, but then throws the audience smack-dab into the middle of a jumpy origins flashback. From then on, I found myself questioning nearly every character, trying to remember their importance to the story. So, as far as sequels go, Evolution doesn't work well as a stand-alone story. Because even though we get a little intro to the basic premise, when the leading duo of Beckinsale and Speedman are introduced, there's very little reference to the events of the original.

There's not much to say about performances in Evolution. Beckinsale was competent, as was the strong supporting cast that included Derek Jacobi and Bill Nighy. Scott Speedman, playing the vampire/werewolf hybrid and love interest to Beckinsale didn't really do anything for me, though. When he wasn't in an unrecognizable wolf form, his appearance just seemed out of place and his performance uninspired.

Also, just as I forgot much of the original film, Underworld: Evolution just doesn't have a lasting value to it. So much so, that just writing the above summary proved difficult from memory. This blandness was saved only by a gritty realism and a few memorable gore shots. I think that had Underworld: Evolution been toned down for a PG-13 rating, it would be almost completely unremarkable. But its comparatively low budget, minimalist approach to CGI, and unique cinematogrophy/blue tinting makes it at least stand out to a degree.

In all, Underworld: Evolution is forgetful mediocrity, saved only by its R rating. It has a solid plot that many fans will find interesting, but just make sure you brush up on your Underworld lore before checking out the sequel.

Rating:

The K-Files
01.25.06

Welcome to this very special nostalgia edition of The K-Files.

It has been brought to my attention that this edition marks the one year anniversary of this modest little paranormal news recap. My how the time has flown. I've looked back at the year that was and really started to see the evolution this weekly column has made. So, in recognition of this truly monumental event, I thought it appropriate to recap the history of The K-Files in a little trip down memory lane:

It all started humbly enough amidst the Coast to Coast AM (now known as 'Coast Rider') message board. The administrator there, Coast to Coast AM's webmaster Lex Lonehood, began a very controversial experiment with moderators. Being the avid Coast fan that I am, and spending as much of my time reading the forum there that I did, I felt it only natural to volunteer to be a moderator. But I needed to make a choice: which forum section would I choose to moderate?

With Current Events already claimed by my main-man Binnall, I narrowed down my choices to either UFOs, Alien Abduction, or Ghosts/Entities. It was a tough choice, no doubt, but in the end I chose Ghosts/Entities. Why? Good question. I'm not quite sure, really, as in the grand scheme of things, I enjoy reading about UFOs and aliens more than ghosts. But, the choice was made, and I was appointed King of the Ghosts/Entities section.

Read the rest of the story Here.

You may have noticed this is appearing a day later than originally planned. My schedule has gotten a bit hectic this year, so you can probably expect more delays in the future. However, better late then never, here's Week 3 of Khyron's Sci-Fi Showdown:

Sci-Fi Showdown - January 20

I talk a lot about tough calls and hard decisions here in the Showdown, but there's really no other way to describe the choice I had to make regarding last week's lineup.

Coming back strong this season has been Stargate Sg-1. The show felt like it was really starting to slip in quality, but now its starting to improve; in a big way. But on the other hand, Battlestar Galactica has been and remains to be a very solid show, with each episode keeping a consistency in quality.

So, do I give it to the underdog for trying its heart out to keep itself fresh and enjoyable after 9 seasons? Or should the prize go the the young champ with a record of consistency? Tough call.

Stargate Sg-1 - Ep. Ripple Effect

The lasting impression I had of this episode is that this is how I remember Sg-1. Just as last week's episode went for a one-off story mode, Ripple Effect was a nice break from the intergalactic do-or-die situation building up in show's main plot.

In episode 9.13, Ripple Effect, Sg-1 returns through the Stargate to find that something is amiss. It's Earth as they remembered, but something is different. Soon another Sg-1 comes through the gate. Then another. And another. Soon a veritable army of Sam Carter's (Amanda Tapping) must find a way to solve were these alternate teams are coming from and put a stop to it.

What a fun episode this was. Unlike the very serious tone of Battlestar Galactica (and Atlantis, if you'd believe it), Ripple Effect was light hearted to the extreme. Frankly, I can't remember an Sg-1 episode in recent memory that I've actually laughed out loud so many times. The new cast is really starting to click with me, and Ben Browder couldn't have been funnier. Even Amanda Tapping, who has taken a bit of a backseat on the show lately, was back with a few jokes of her own.

Though that's not to say this was entirely a nonsensical episode. It was also very nostalgic for long-time Gate fans. Not only did they make reference to some of the more dubious or memorable shows in Sg-1's past, but a couple old cast members made an appearance. Most notably, of course, is Teryl Rothery as Dr. Fraiser.

All in all, just a damn fine episode.

Stargate Atlantis - Ep. Critical Mass

You may notice that in my tough decision, I made no mention of Stargate Atlantis. That's not to say that I don't like this show (far from it), but this week, it was kind of shadowed by the 2 heavy-hitters.

In episode 2.13, Critical Mass, the Atlantis team gets word that a member of the Trust (an enemy organization from sister show, Sg-1) has managed to plant a bomb in Atlantis. Now Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) and Weir (Torri Higginson) must find out who planted it and where it is. But with 2 Wraith cruisers approaching, how far will Weir go to get information from their lead suspect?

As I hinted at above, Critical Mass was probably one of the heaviest, more serious Atlantis' episodes, yet. Perhaps taking a bit of a cue from Battlestar Galactica (or Star Trek the Next Generation, a show Atlantis already has similarities too), it has started to incorporate many real-world situations into its fantasy environment.

In this episode, those situations were assisted suicide and prisoner torture. And I don't know, but I really wasn't looking for a bunch of serious thought or societal examining from Stargate Atlantis. I suppose searching for deeper truths and meanings made Star Trek TNG good, but I think that there's a difference in the way these two shows present their material. Whereas Star Trek tried to look at the bigger picture of life, death, right, wrong, and what have you, Atlantis more went for the Nightly News approach--ripping topics from the headlines, as it were.

There's a difference, and I think that's what kept this particular Atlantis episode from achieving a win this week.

Battlestar Galactica - Ep. Epiphanies

I had been waiting for this episode for a while now, as the inevitable spoilers during the off-season revealed to me what it would entail. It promised to be a big show for the series, putting an end to at least one of its bigger plot lines. Sure enough, it did--but it kind of left me with a few doubts as to where they'll go from here.

In episode 2.13, Epiphanies, President Roslin (Mary McDonnell) is near death on account of her cancer. While being cared for in the Galactica's medical bay, she begins to flash back to the days before the Cylon genocide. Meanwhile, the most unlikely of people for the job, Vice President Gaius Baltar (James Callis) prepares to take command. The President's last order is to abort the birth of the to-be first human/Cylon hybrid. But what secrets could this mysterious child hold?

First off, my biggest concern was how they were going to handle Roslin's cancer. It had already been revealed a while ago that Mary McDonnell had signed on for at least 2 more seasons, so it was pretty obvious she wasn't going to die. As I saw it, they could have gone 1 of 3 ways: made her a Cylon (a pretty crappy path, really), used the Cylon Resurrection ship from past episodes to clone her (something no longer possible due to that fact the ship was destroyed), or use the Cylon baby's blood/DNA/stem cells to cure her (something that just seemed a bit far fetched for this new BSG).

Sure enough, they went for the stem cell approach. Seeing as how BSG has taken topics from the headlines in the past, I guess this fit with the tone of the show. I guess. I was a little turned off by the 'super baby' cure, but I think the show's biggest obstacle is were they take this plot from here. Will Roslin be all fine and dandy now? Has she been tainted by Cylon nano-bots? And how will she react to being saved by the child she ordered to be aborted?

I think what not only saved this episode, but in fact made it great, was James Callis' performance. Wow. I voted him as the best actor in a supporting role last season, and he's well on his way to clinch it again. I noted above that Sg-1 was rather funny this week over BSG's serious tone, but Callis definitely brings humor to the show. Its a very different kind from Sg-1's, as Callis' character, Gaius Baltar, brings a very dark humor fitting for this darker show.

Results -

Winner: Stargate Sg-1 (Ripple Effect)

Tough call, but it's made. With Sg-1 nearing the end of its existence, true fans really need to appreciate these golden late-season episodes. Kudos to the writers and actors for keeping Sg-1 enjoyable and a force to be reckoned with in Sci-Fi television programming.

Memorable Scene: I love what the writers are doing with the Asgard (the Grey aliens). As opposed to being just high-tech benefactors in the past, now they're kind of a comic relief aspect to the show. In one such scene (very similar to one in Atlantis) leading man Ben Browder makes a comment about the alien's lack of pants.

Standings:

Stargate SG-1: 2
Stargate Atlantis: 0
Battlestar Galactica: 1

Stay tuned for next week's Showdown.

~Khyron, 2006

Welcome back, all, to another week of insanity at KHYRON.NET. Here's what you can expect...

.:Schedule:.

• Monday: Stargate and Battlestar Galactica go head to head. Find out who won last week in Khyron's Sci-Fi Showdown.

• Wednesday: The K-Files returns with three more paranormal news articles to entice your imagination.

• Thursday: I will give my review for the new vampire on werewolf sequal, Underworld Evolution.

Plan your internet surfing accordingly. Thank you.

~Khyron

Perfect Dark Zero (Xbox 360)
Published by Microsoft

Among the first batches of Xbox 360 games, few had the hype of the highly anticipated Perfect Dark Zero. The follow-up to the immensely popular N64 game, Perfect Dark, Zero has a ready-built fan base to impress. But does it have the substance to backup the hype? Not really.

In Perfect Dark Zero, you play as Joanna Dark in the high-tech world of the year 2020. Using a variety of firearms and special gadgets, you progress through the game with a mixture of combat and stealth.

This is a next generation title, so good graphics are pretty much required. Perfect Dark Zero does tote some gorgeous high-definition visuals, with vast outside landscapes being the most impressive among them. Likewise, the weapons and enemies are very clear, bold, and resolute, with some great effects that add to the game's enjoyment. However, I noticed that on more than a few occasions, these demanding visuals would get a bit glitchy. Certain objects would get terribly aliased and the cut scenes seemed to flow in a choppy and unnatural manner. Finally, Perfect Dark Zero only supports 720p HDTV output, a step below the 1080i offered by other 360 titles.

The first player mode is probably one of the more boring I've played for a first-person shooter. Thankfully its short, because playing it seems more like a necessary chore than an enjoyable experience. There were a few redeeming sequences--a rooftop sniping fest, among them--but on a whole, the focus on stealth over guns-a-blazing kind of turned me off to it.

Then there's the multiplayer, probably one of the game's biggest selling points. It's not bad, really, just nothing special. There's the standard game modes (deathmatch, teams, capture the flag), plus a few more for good measure. On the upside, the games support 32 players--a big advantage over Call of Duty 2's meager 8. Also, there's the option to fill player slots with AI controlled Bots, allowing for you and a few friends to blast away at the computer.

To me, next-generation should be more than just a pretty face. The potential of the Xbox 360 is much more than what this game offers. Granted, Perfect Dark Zero is a release title, and as such shouldn't be expected to tap the console's full power, but this game is mediocre even with last-gen standards. Thankfully, its $10 cheaper price tag at $50 makes its purchase a little less disappointing.

Rating:

Welcome back to another week's installment of the all-things-strange round-up known as The K-Files. Last week I took a bit of a break and presented a review of Jim Marrs' Alien Agenda. But now its time to get back and down to business in the gritty realm of internet paranormality.

This week, the Top Story covers a poor guy's attempt to prove that he's alive. Next, I present to you Khyron's strategy for defeating wild eagle attacks. Finally, I've got some conspiratorial ramblings in preparation for Alex Jones' C2C appearance.

You’d better get ready, ‘cause here come the K-Files…Full Article.

Check out the full K-Files archive at BinnallofAmerica.com.

Sci-Fi Showdown - January 13

Welcome to Week 2 of Khyron's Sci-Fi Showdown. I want to start things off with a bit of a rant about my cable provider, Comcast. You see, for the past year or so, I have been working late on Friday nights. Because of this, I have had to get my Sci-Fi fix by taping the three shows and watching them over the weekend. Recently, however, I've upgraded to the Comcast DVR service. Although not as full featured as say a TiVo box would be, for the price (a mere $10 extra per month), its pretty good.

So, flash forward to last Friday, I came home from work to find that my cable had frozen, and the DVR had recorded 3 hours of scrambled junk without sound. Suffice to say, I was a bit...dissapointed? in Comcast.

Thankfully, much of Sg-1 was watchable and I was able to catch Battlestar Galactica when it was repeated at midnight, but I missed the first 15 or so minutes of Atlantis.

But, I think I got the gist of each show, so the Showdown will continue as usual:

Stargate Sg-1 - Ep. Collateral Damage

Going strong from last week's big win, Stargate Sg-1 takes a bit of a break from its main Ori plotline and goes for a one-off story that doubles as a characterization episode for the new leading man, Ben Browder.

In episode 9.12, Collateral Damage, Mitchell (Ben Browder) and Sg-1 travel to an alien world that has developed a memory implantation device by reverse engineering Goa'uld technology. After a party, however, Mitchell wakes, dazed and confused, with the memories of a violent murder. Could the leader of Sg-1 really have committed such a brutal crime? Or is this memory device to blame?

This was kind of a difficult episode to watch, as it pretty much revealed what the conclusion would be at the start. It was pretty obvious Mitchell didn't commit the murder, and that someone had abused the power of the memory machine to frame him. I will give the writers some credit, however, as they were able to take my early assumptions and give a little twist at the end (don't worry, I wont spoil it for you), but it was nothing Earth-shattering.

As I mentioned above, the real purpose of Collateral Damage was to give some more backstory for Cameron Mitchell. Until now, we haven't been given much insight into Browder's character, but now we know about his history of difficult decisions and how his father gives him inspiration.

This tragic past business is nothing new, and I'm a bit surprised they took that path for Mitchell, as it makes him even that more similar to Jack (Richard Dean Anderson). As we all remember from the movie that started it all, O'Niell's son had committed suicide with his military firearm.

So, in short, it was solid Sg-1 episode with a bit of a mystery spin to it. It's definitely starting to remind me of the more low-key, non-save the world every week Sg-1's of the earlier seasons.

Stargate Atlantis - Ep. Epiphany

Atlantis, again following suite with Sg-1, goes with another one-off episode that has little impact on the story's main plot.

In episode 2.11, Epiphany, Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) finds himself trapped in a time-displacement field. Within it resides a small village of hippies, some with special powers. As is revealed, the field was designed to allow people the time to reach ascention before the Wraith arrive. The only drawback: once you're in, you can't get out. Now the rest of the Atlantis team must race to get Sheppard out, for each hour in real time is weeks for him.

Epiphany was co-written by lead Joe Flanigan--and it shows. It was pretty much a Flanigan spotlight episode, with the rest of the cast taking a backseat to the events. Though that's not really a bad thing. I think Flanigan makes a great lead, and his character, Sheppard, is a good one.

As with Sg-1, Epiphany was a solid Atlantis episode, but there's was really nothing special about it. I'm pretty sure Jack O'Neill encountered a very similar experience in Sg-1, so it wasn't a very original idea, either. This lack of originality is really something Atlantis will need to overcome if it is to carry on the Stargate franchise.

Battlestar Galactica - Ep. Resurrection Ship pt. 2

Galactica lost out by a small margin to Sg-1 last week, but the conclusion to Resurrection Ship was by far the victor of Week 2.

In episode 2.11, Resurrection Ship pt. 2, the Battlestars Galactica and Pegasus launch their join raid on the Cylon 'Resurrection ship.' Through the brave and near fatal actions of Apollo (Jamie Bamber) the mission is a success. However, the real drama comes in its aftermath, as both Cain (Michelle Forbes) and Adama (Edward Olmos) prepare to give the order to assassinate each other. Will Adama give the order? Will Starbuck follow it? Things are about to get frakking intense.

I'd say, as far as performances are concerned, I was most blown away by the so-far unremarkable Pegasus' Colonel Fisk (Graham Beckel). In a scene similar to Full Metal Jacket, Tyrol and Helo are assaulted by a couple of hot-head soldiers. It is Fisk that breaks it up. As a character, he has shown himself to be an opinionated, but a civilized and rational man. Beckel's performance in this scene and while waiting to get the order to take out Adama was great. Definitely another example of the fine casting for supporting roles in Battlestar Galactica.

Cain (Michelle Forbes) is gone now, but we all saw that coming. In fact, it was kind of a mute point in the episode because I knew how it would be going down (I thank the revealing promo for that spoiler). I'm most interested now, though, in how the writers will handle the Battlestar Pegasus. In the original show, it basically disappeared with a chance to return. That's certainly a choice this time around, but I'd like to see it stay for a while. I just feel that they haven't even scratched the surface of the plot possibilities with the Pegasus crew.

Results -

Winner: Battlestar Galactica (Resurrection Ship pt. 2)

It was a much easier decision this time around. Both Stargate's had a solid week, but in terms of shear drama, Galactica was the clear winner.

Memorable Scene: Not taking any lip from a couple of smart-ass officers, Colonel Frisk shouts "Shut your Frakkin' mouth!" Wow. He's not just a drinking buddy for Tigh, anymore. This guy means business.

Standings:

Stargate SG-1: 1
Stargate Atlantis: 0
Battlestar Galactica: 1

Stay tuned for next week's Showdown.

~Khyron, 2006

Welcome back, all, to another week of insanity at KHYRON.NET. Here's what you can expect...

.:Schedule:.

• Monday: Despite some technical difficulties with my cable and DVR, Khyron's Sci-Fi showdown returns for Week 2 results.
  

• Wednesday: The K-Files returns to its normal format with three more paranormal news articles to entice your imagination.
  

• Thursday: Review: Perfect Dark Zero for the Xbox 360
  

Plan your internet surfing accordingly. Thank you.

~Khyron

Sci-Fi Showdown - January 6th

Welcome back to Khyron's Sci-Fi Showdown. A staple feature here at Khyron.Net, the purpose of this 'showdown' is to rank the Sci-fi Channel's Sci-Fi Friday lineup. It is my opinion that this collection of shows--Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Battlestar Galactica--comprise the 3 greatest, consecutive hours on television.

On Friday, January 6th, the Winter season of Sci-Fi Friday kicked off. Each week, starting with this very issue, I will give a brief summary (mostly spoiler free) of each show, with a bit of personal commentary thrown in for good measure. Then, as a conclusion, I will choose which of the three shows had what I feel to be the most dramatic, comical, action-packed, or otherwise best episode of the lineup.

So, without further adieu, Khyron's Sci-Fi Showdown...Winter Edition!

Stargate SG-1 - Ep: The Fourth Horseman pt. 2

The venerable SG-1 returns for the second half of its 9th season. In its long run (the longest of any sci-fi show), we've seen the SG-1 team headed by the irreplaceable Richard Dean Anderson take on plenty of alien races in the defense of the Earth. The Goa'uld, Replicators, Goa'uld 'super' soldiers--they all made for an exciting and interesting plot that allowed SG-1 to remain successful over all these years. Now, with season 9, the show's creators have had to make a new antagonist.

Their solution? Religious extremist aliens. Known as the Ori, this race of demi-gods uses messengers called Priors to do their bidding. Despite the unoriginality of this new enemy, it has proven to be at least acceptable in terms of plot development.

The other big change to SG-1 is in the cast. MacGuyver is gone, replaced in a bold move by Farscape's Ben Browder. I mentioned above that Richard Dean was irreplaceable on the show, and that comment stands. Browder, although taking Anderson's 'place' in the show, has created a similar character, but is sufficiently different--not intended to be a replacement. Nor should he be.

Alright, so down to business. In episode 9.11, the Earth is on the verge of a full-blown pandemic at the hands of an Ori plague. Meanwhile, Teal'c (Christopher Judge) faces off against Gerak (Louis Gossett Jr.) in a power struggle over the newly formed Jaffa High Council. In an attempt the stop the plague, Cameron Mitchell (Browder) and crew go off-world to capture an Ori Prior and synthesize some kind of antidote from him. But will they be able to find a cure in time? And what of Garek's loyalties between his Jaffa brothers and the seemingly unstoppable force of the Ori?

As a part 2 conclusion and season introduction, Fourth Horseman worked well in that it was explosive enough to get viewers sufficiently interested in the story again. It was frenzied (though that's not uncommon for SG-1), moving between several sub-plots and locations. But as a fan of the show, this new conflict is really starting to click with me. Perhaps its the loss of Claudia Black (also of Farscape fame) and here crazy shenanigans, or maybe just Browder becoming more confident in his leading role, but I can definitely see an improvement in what I felt was shaping up to be a low-point for the series.

I can tell that with the show nearing its 10th season, the writers are being a bit more daring in their plots. Part of SG-1 over the years has been the characters keeping the Stargate's existence secret from the general public. Now, however, things are starting to slip and full disclosure is being talked of more and more in the show. Hopefully this boils down to a world-shattering conclusion to the series that if done right would be the perfect way to close the show.

Stargate Atlantis - Ep: The Hive

Like all long-running shows, a spin-off is almost inevitable. However, airing the spin-off back-to-back with its founder while it's still going strong is a bit more rare.

As with its SG-1 brother, Atlantis too has been under a new season audible. Original cast member Rainbow Sun Francks is gone, now taking a guest role as an antagonist. In his stead is the strong and silent Ronon, played by Jason Momoa. Though such changes are common (nigh expected) for a start-up series.

In episode 2.11, Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) and team are being held captive with the now semi-bad guy Ford (Rainbow Sun) in a Wraith Hive Ship. Meanwhile, Rodney (David Hewlitt) injects himself with a dangerously high amount of Wraith enzyme to escape his captors. Can the Atlantis team find a way off the ship before their turned into food? At what of these humans seemingly in cohorts with the Wraith?

The Hive was strange in that for nearly the last 20 or so minutes, nearly every scene focused on characters overcoming a cold-turkey detoxification process. It was kind of painful to watch for a while, as nearly every character was writhing in pain with little else being shown.

I'm definitely starting to grow more attached to this show, as the characters are starting to find their place. Joe Flanigan and David Hewlitt stand out as my favorites of the cast, but I'm having some problems with the warrior woman Teyla played by Rachel Luttrell. Her character just doesn't feel right to me, especially when coupled with the warrior man, Ronon. Unfortunately, unlike Rainbow Sun's character, Teyla has been written into a pivotal enough position to not be easily 'removed' from the show.

Part of the problem with Atlantis is that so far, its been pretty much 'borrowing' show ideas from SG-1. Not that that's necessarily a terrible thing (early to mid SG-1 was damn good), I just think that if Atlantis is to succeed, it will need to find a niche that remains true to its Stargate roots, but also gives us something new to the aging franchise.

Hopefully starting with the next episode, written by star Joe Flanigan, Atlantis will begin to change pace.

Battlestar Galactica - Ep: Resurrection Ship

The winner by far in last season's Sci-Fi Showdown, Battlestar Galactica returns with what appears to be a continuation to its monstrously entertaining 2nd season. Its definitely the favorite going into this season, so its BSG's showdown to lose.

After seeing the season 2.5 premier, such an outcome already seems unlikely.

In episode 2.11, Ressurection Ship, we're thrown straight back into the nail-biting cliffhanger of the Summer. The Battlestar Galactica and new-arrival the Battlestar Pegasus are up in arms against each other, bringing the surviving human race to the brink of civil war. Only Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) and her sudden reappearance in the stealth Viper averts the conflict. In the tense peace following the incident, Captain Adama (Edward James Olmos) and Admiral Cain (Michelle Forbes of Star Trek TNG fame) conspire to take the other out of power. But after Dr. Baltar (my show favorite, James Callis) relays intelligence regarding a Cylon 'Ressurection ship,' assassination will have to wait until a joint operation can be completed.

I was kind of surprised at the course this season is beginning to take. With so many months between this and the Summer finale, I've had more than enough time to contemplate the various outcomes available to the cliffhanger. I thought I had it all figured it, but then the writers went and made this whole assassination plot whammy.

In the plot between the Galactica and the Pegasus, Adama (Olmos) had thus far had the advantage of the moral high-ground. Now, turning Starbuck into a would-be assassin, the Galactica is really no better than the strictly military and uncompromising Pegasus. Though it is making for a more dramatic (if not more depressing, if that's even possible for this new Battlestar series) experience.

Of its highly talented cast, Callis and Olmos continue to shine. As does Mary McDonnell in the role of the fatally ill president. I also have to give props to Tricia Helfer, who's now playing double duty as both the sexy, manipulative Six and the tortured soul Gina. Likewise, Grace Park is continuing to be exemplary in her tortured performance as the now pregnant Cylon agent.

Results-

Winner: Stargate SG-1 (The Fourth Horseman pt. 2)

This was a tough choice (as many of these tend to be), as Battlestar Galactica truly did have a great episode. However, the level of improvement shown in SG-1 is deserving of attention.

Despite having a child actor that clearly didn't fit, The Fourth Horseman pt. 2 was a fine piece of Stargate goodness. The mixture of comedy and action was dead-on, and it was good to see Browder find his place beside Michael Shanks and action hero/funny man.

Memorable Scene: In what was surely a nod to Battlestar Galactica and its success, Browder and Shanks make a tongue in cheek reference to the BSG opening lines, "And they have a plan." It was an easy thing to overlook, but such hidden sci-fi comedy is really what helped make SG-1 the great show that it is.

Standings:

Stargate SG-1: 1
Stargate Atlantis: 0
Battlestar Galactica: 0

Next week: As is always the case, all three previews look enticing. SG-1 seems to be taking a break form the Ori plotline and doing more of a one-off thing. So I'm interested to see how that goes. Plus, as I said above, the next Atlantis was written by star Joe Flanigan. And, as always, Battlestar Galactica looks geared up to blow my socks off.

Stay Tuned.

~Khyron, 2006

For this week’s K-Files, I thought it’d be a nice change of pace to switch gears from news commentary to a paranormal book review. Yes, I read them from time to time, and most recently I’ve had the pleasure to finally read investigative journalist Jim Marrs’ Alien Agenda.

I think highly of Jim Marrs, being quite interested in and entertained by his Coast to Coast AM and Binnall of America interviews. And with the promise of “the most entertaining and complete overview of flying saucers” printed on its cover, I had some pretty high expectations for Alien Agenda.

Sure enough, this book truly can be judged by its cover. Alien Agenda ranks probably not just in the top 10 of paranormal-related books I have read, but also across my entire reading history...Full Article.

Check out the full K-Files archive at BinnallofAmerica.com.

Welcome back, all, to another week of insanity at KHYRON.NET. Here's what you can expect...

.:Schedule:.

• Wednesday: You want it, you got it. The K-Files returns for a weekly romp with all things of high strangeness.
  

• Thursday: Due to a hectic and late work schedule and the bombshell announcement of Ramona Bell's passing, I haven't had the time or drive to yet complete the first Sci-Fi Showdown of the winter season. But rest assured, I have finally watched all three shows on my DVR and am ready to dish out the goods in a back-to-back showdown bonanza.
  

• Friday - Saturday: With Week 1 caught up, it's time to present the Week 2 showdown.
  

.:Webcam:.

Nothing new to report, but I would like to say congratulations to last week's Webcam contest winner, Ballashoes. He was the first to correctly identify the 1337 in the current webcam image (a coincidence of numbers that makes reference to the immature leet-speak internet language).

As per his reward, Ballashoes would like to make a shoutout to a one "BallinWallin."

Congrats.

I would also like to give props to PhoenixWings19, who although didn't pick up on the 1337 reference, did notice something else. The game from which the screenshot was taken is Dragon Quest VIII, and features character design by Akira Toriyama (of Dragon Ball fame). In homage to this, I named the main character 'Gotanks,' a very Dragon Ball-esque name.

PhoenixWings19 had this to say, "Khyron40k3 is my game whore." To which I have no comment.

Plan your internet surfing accordingly. Thank you.

~Khyron

Sin City Special Edition DVD (2005)

Among the more dubious practices in Hollywood is the release of multiple DVD's for a single film under the guise of being 'special' or 'extended' in some way. Not so much dubious in that they don't include interesting or entertaining new features, but that I find myself owning several DVD's for the same movie. A quick glance through my DVD collection shows 2 Dawn of the Dead's (3 if you include the remake), 2 Saw's, and now one more duplicate: Sin City.

Voted as Khyron's favorite movie of 2005, I wont say much more on the merits of this excellent and highly faithful comic book adaptation, but directors Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller, and Quentin Tarantino made one helluva cool movie.

So how does this new special edition DVD hold up? Pretty well despite a very annoying sound flaw.

First I'm going to talk about said flaw, because it really turned me off to the whole presentation of the film. This may not get on the nerves of others as it got on mine, but in the first of the Sin City stories (That Yellow Bastard, starring Bruce Willis and Nick Stahl), an ever-present ringing noise could be heard behind several pieces of dialogue. It went away before long, so didn't ruin the whole movie, but it drove me nuts trying to get to the bottom of it.

I went so far as to rewire my surround sound system to try to fix it--to no avail. I haven't ruled out the possibility that I got a bad disk, but I don't think that's the case. As the 2 disk set comes with a theatrical disk and an extended one--and the ringing is present on both.

Alright, so annoyances aside, the extra features here are dynamite. Most notable among them is the option to watch each story on it's own. In the theatrical version, the 3 main stories were intertwined with a short opening and ending sequence. Now you can choose to watch them individually and with deleted scenes added.

There's nothing pivotal that was added, but for the fan of the graphic novels, you'll notice a few items of interest. My favorite is a more light-hearted scene in which urban monster Marv visits his kindly mother's house.

Otherwise, the special features are all very Robert Rodriguez. There's a cooking lesson of all things, plus plenty of commentary (including one recorded at the film's first screening, so you can feel like your in a theatre), and even the option to watch the movie with green screens and no special effects. The later of these really helps you appreciate the work that went into creating the Sin City's unique visual appearance.

If you don't own Sin City yet, this is a must get DVD. If, however, you were a sucker like myself and eagerly bought the barebone's DVD already, you could probably do without it. But if you choose to get both, I'm pretty confident you wont feel cheated over owning two.

Rating: 4/5

Happy New Year's greetings all you paranormal junkies out there. Welcome to the very first installment of the K-Files of 2006. Last year saw quite the evolution of everyone's favorite three-stories-a-week paranormal review, and I can only hope you continue to tag along with me and whatever '06 brings.

This week, the Top Story covers a dire portent of impending UFO doom. Next, I present to you my take on a recently observed explosion on the Moon and my $0.02 on our closest neighbor. Finally, I've got yet more statistics on ghosts, faith, and what it all means.

You’d better get ready, ‘cause here come the K-Files…Full Story

Check out the full K-Files archive at BinnallofAmerica.com.

Alright, here we go, the big 2006. I hope everyone enjoyed their Holiday season, but now it's time to get back to whatever the hell it is I do here. Here's what you can expect this week at KHYRON.NET...

.:Schedule:.

• Wednesday: Emerging from the wastes comes the first 2006 edition of the K-Files.
  

• Thursday: A review. Not quite sure of what yet, but I've used my vacation to play/watch a ridiculous amount of media. On the horizon, look for DVD reviews for Sin City, Serenity, Battlestar Galactica Season 2.0, and The Island, as well as game reviews for Perfect Dark Zero (360) and Dead or Alive 4 (360), as well as a book review (yes, I read them from time to time) on Jim Marrs' Alien Agenda.
  

• Friday - Saturday: It's back! The Sci-Fi Channel's Sci-Fi Friday returns with three brand-spankin' new episodes of the three greatest consecutive hours on television: Stargate Sg-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Battlestar Galactica. With them returns Khyron's Sci-Fi Showdown in which I will begin to pit the shows against eachother in a Sci-Fi battle to the death.

.:Webcam:.

The current image has been put up for a while now, but I thought I'd point it out anyway. The first person to email me with why this image is special will get a shout-out on next week's This Week. Happy hunting. Email: contact@khyron.net

*EDIT*
We have a winner, so please, no more emails.

*Edit2*
There is a new Cat-Boots film for your viewing pleasure. Master Shake (requires Quicktime)

Plan your internet surfing accordingly. Thank you.

~Khyron

There's a new movie by CatBoots for all interested. Make of it what you will... Movie (Requires QuickTime in order to play)

Certainly more to come.