Geeks, as the stereotype holds, are said to be socially awkward, freakishly knowledgeable about the obscure and frequently viewed as obsessive — or obsessed with sci fi, fantasy, horror and *gasp* anime. They play card games for hours with no poker chips or money involved. They construct shockingly accurate, intricately detailed costumes from scratch for any fan-related event. They view the same lackluster films multiple times for entertainment and take pride in the stacks of slender white long boxes and unopened action figures lining all four walls of their guest room.

While most might view this behavior as annoying, undeniably weird, and sometimes just #@%!$ strange [who’s pumped about Furry*Con 2009!?] geeks find it infinitely interesting. Apply that logic to a geek’s love life and it’s no wonder the conventions get bigger every year. Where else can you possibly find large concentrated groups of fanboys & girls in which to feel normal enough to pursue a romantic relationship?

The folks who run SoulGeek, a dating network specifically for (yes that’s right…) geeks, have taken notice of the increased attention given to the large conventions and started organizing dating meetups at all the big events (i.e. San Diego Comic Con and Dragon*Con). Yet, rather than wait for conventions, SoulGeek decided to do a monthly meetup for people near the Hollywood, Calif. area, which has it’s fair share of actors and creators willing make appearances. And, in the spirit of convention season, they’ll also be signing autographs, taking pictures, answering questions, critiquing costumes and giving away exclusive prizes.

The Sci Fi (SyFy? If we all refuse to acknowledge that, will they change it back?) channel has already far and away proven that they can take an old TV series, completely restructure it, and create one of the best shows of all time. Now that Battlestar Galactica has come and gone, Sci Fi is developing a new potential series based on Alien Nation with fanboy favorite Tim Minear writing.

Alien Nation first started as a movie starring James Caan and Mandy P in 1988 that turned into a 1989 TV series on Fox. The show was canceled after one season, but has seen five new TV movies made since then, as well. The show is basically a social observation using a fictional setting and aliens known as “Newcomers” who were at first made to live away from humans, but now have been allowed to reside among us; of course this doesn’t stop racism from continuing. The original movie for which this new project is being based followed an L.A. cop (Caan) whose partner is killed while investigating the Newcomers. When the first alien police officer comes to his department, he volunteers to join up with him in order to sneakily try and investigate the death of his former partner.

Battlestar Galactica mastermind and general science fiction genius Ronald D. Moore has had another project in the works for a while now called Virtuality. Moore sold the property to Fox as a movie-length pilot for a new series, but since then, it’s been unsure whether it would actually become a full TV series, or if it would just be a TV movie. At the moment, it appears Fox wants to see the movie and how it does first and then decide on the show’s fate. This is not good as the movie’s premise is built specifically for a TV series, meaning this movie will merely set the series up, and many, many…if not all answers will remain mysteries unless a show is ordered. It’s hard to believe that any station — including Fox — would think twice about whether to order a new Ronald D. Moore show or not, but this appears to be the case here.

Virtuality tells the story of twelve astronauts who embark on one of the most important space missions of all-time — a decade-long task to find a habitable planet after it is discovered that Earth will no longer be able to support human life in one hundred years. To help pass this absurd amount of time, the ship (called the Phaeton) is equipped with a powerful virtual reality system that helps the crew to go off into virtual worlds, stay entertained, and most important of all: avoid going completely insane. After they reach the point-of-no-return, the crew realizes that the virtual reality system has some sort of virus that is really messing with the ship and making it incredibly difficult for them to do their jobs. Essentially, the virtual system that was instituted to help ten years pass and ensure a completed mission with little to no psychological stress is now causing mass hysteria. To make matters even worse, the entire crew and mission are being recorded 24/7 as a reality TV show that is airing back on Earth to document the progress of this most-important mission.

If you’re someone who can handle watching a long preview, click on over to enjoy the twelve-minute clip from Cinema Blend.

Many fans still lay in bed at night, unable to sleep due to the end of Battlestar Galactica a few months back. We all know about and are excited that the new prequel series Caprica is on the way and has already started out with a fantastic opening movie (Read: DVD Review: ‘Caprica’); but when it comes to our beloved BSG, only one more story is yet to be told, and that story is called Battlestar Galactica: The Plan. Thankfully there’s now a new trailer and a video clip from the movie.

The Plan will combine old footage and new footage to revisit crucial points in the series and present them from the perspective of the Cylons. It’s presented by the usual suspects in Ronald D. Moore and David Eick; and it’s directed by Admiral Adama himself: Edward James Olmos.

Where the show ended is blanketed in finality and it would be nearly impossible to pick up from there and do something the fans would accept. However, there are so many layers and storylines to this world that they have created, that it would not at all be surprising if more prequel movies like this come along down the road. Sadly though, for now, The Plan is the last existing story that involves all of the cast we know and love, and this is depressing.

To watch the trailer and a clip from the prequel movie, head on over to the other side.

Caprica
Directed by Jeffrey Reiner
Starring Eric Stoltz, Esai Morales, Alessandra Toreson, Paula Malcomson, Polly Walker, Sina Najafi, Magda Apanowicz
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: April 21, 2009

“Find those things in life that make you cry.
That make you feel.
Because they’re what make you human.”

What is it to follow one of the greatest shows ever created? That is the task given to Caprica, and it is not an easy one. The show, which is set to air its first season in 2010, is a prequel/spin-off of the now-completed Ronald D. Moore and David Eick brilliance that was Battlestar Galactica. But to ease the waiting period just a little itty bit, the first episode — in the form of a two-hour-ish long movie — has been released on DVD, and I have the ultimate geek honor of reviewing it.

Caprica takes place 58 years before the BSG storyline picks up. It’s much simpler, much more similar to our own time, aside from some sweet technologies (computerized tennis courts with robo-refs? Let’s get on that one, scientists!). The story follows two men, Daniel Graystone (Eric Stoltz) and Joseph Adama (Esai Morales), who meet in the wake of severe tragedy involving their families. Daniel, being a super-genius who is working on artificial robot life forms for the military to use, discovers that his daughter Zoe (Alessandra Toreson) was actually a genius herself before the tragedy, and she developed an amazing replication program. Daniel, thinking that he’s found a way to bring back his and Joseph’s family, presents the idea to him. Joseph is appalled by the idea at first, but the offer is too tempting to refuse, so he finds himself in a battle with himself trying to decide what is right, and where the line is drawn. Ultimately, Daniel Graystone’s work lays the blueprint for Cybernetic Lifeform Nodes, or as we know them: Cylons.