The Box: T.V. & Game News – 2/8/08
(2008-02-08)
1) Lost News: U.S. network ABC has struck a deal with Microsoft’s Xbox Live Marketplace to advertise and offer for rental ABC shows, in particular Lost. All previous three seasons of Lost will be available and fourth season episodes will be put up the day after they air on ABC. They will be available in standard and high definition. Also, as part of Lost’s viral marketing campaign, “Oceanic Air” is sponsoring a sweepstakes on Xbox Live where anyone who downloads the Oceanic Air Theme for their 360 by February 10th is entered in a drawing for Xbox 360 consoles and other prizes. See the website for details: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/promotions/2008/oceanicairlines/default.htm
2) Doctor Who News: The UK’s BBC has posted several re-issued Dr. Who tie-in novels as ebooks for fans to download and read for free. The ebooks feature new artwork and additional notes from the original authors. For more information, visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/ebooks/ The Dr. Who spin-off series, The Sarah Jane Adventures, is finally emigrating to the U.S. and will air on cable network the Sci Fi Channel, starting in April.
3) Best-selling SFF author Stephen Brust has written a fan fiction novel for Joss Whedon’s cancelled but still adored scifi western series Firefly, entitled My Own Kind of Freedom. The novel is available for free download under a creative commons license at: http://dreamcafe.com/firefly.html
4) In the 1990’s, SF icon actor William Shatner penned a series of bestselling SF novels with a collaborator called TekWar. The books were adapted for several television movies and a short-lived syndicated television series also called TekWar, starring Greg Evigan as a cop in 2045 dealing with conflict and conspiracy around the trafficking of an illegal computer-based drug called tek. Shatner produced the series and now all 18 episodes of the series are being brought out on DVD from Image Entertainment in June. The four initial televised movies are not available as part of the collection. The series also starred Eugene Clark and Torri Higginson. 5) Actor and comedian Will Arnett has had to drop out as the voice of K.I.T.T. the car on the revamped sequel series Knight Rider, set to debut in less than two weeks on U.S. network NBC. Actor Val Kilmer is replacing Arnet. Arnett had completed his dialogue as the A.I. car that helps fight crime, when he was forced to back out due to contractual commitments with General Motors, which has hired Arnett as a voiceover spokesman for their GMC Trucks for the better part of the decade. Rival car-maker Ford is supplying a Ford Mustang to serve as K.I.T.T. on Knight Rider and is actively involved in sponsoring and marketing the show. General Motors objected to Arnett’s participation in a show that would market and provide a brand for the competition. Knight Rider will first appear as a two-hour movie on February 17th.
| 
