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Daniel Dae Kim
Last week we reported that Bionic Woman — with its perilous 27 per cent second episode drop across all demographics — was on life support. Well, it seems NBC has decided there are a few breaths left in the fledgling franchise. Last Wednesday night’s episode picked up a 6.4/10 share (U.S.), still finishing well behind Criminal Minds on CBS and Private Practice on ABC, but ironically performing slightly better than the network’s lauded Monday counterpart, Heroes, which had a similar household rating, but a slightly smaller audience share the same week. This stabilizing effect, coupled with the threat of a writer’s strike in Hollywood next month, has prompted NBC to order three more scripts for Bionic Woman; welcome news for Vancouver’s production community.
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Dina Meyer
Vancouver still Sci-Fi central
Vancouver remains the production destination of choice for the Sci Fi Channel, with two more telefilms lensing in and around town. Jeremy London (7th Heaven) and Dina Meyer (the Saw franchise) are each starring in an original movie for the channel. First up, London, Stefanie von Pfetten (Dragon Boys) and Toronto native Lexa Doig (Stargate SG-1) are starring in Ba’al, a tale about a rogue Smithsonian archaeologist who is dying of cancer and will stop at nothing to retrieve the ancient amulets of the storm god Ba’al, which could cure him or make him a god.
Meanwhile, Riddles Of The Sphinx stars Meyer and Lochlyn Munro (Deck The Halls) in a story about a father and daughter who find themselves in a series of battles of mind and body with the deadly Sphinx as they attempt to decode seven riddles in an effort to save humanity.
The two projects will wrap later this month and will air as part of Sci Fi’s Saturday night lineup late next year. Vancouver’s Insight Film Studios are being used for both productions.
A new ‘Strain’ for Lost star
You may recall that last July and August, Lost star Daniel Dae Kim was spotted around town, dining at various eateries, including Cin Cin Ristorante & Bar. At the time, we were never able to confirm what the Korean-born actor was working on here in town. We can now report that Kim will appear in Ridley and Tony Scott’s remake of Michael Crichton’s
The Andromeda Strain, which shot here last summer, and is due to air as a mini-series in 2008 on A&E. In the story, an entire town is killed by a mysterious pathogen brought to earth by a returning satellite.
