That’s kind of the idea behind Ghost Hunters Academy, the latest spin-off series from the popular Ghost Hunters franchise. Spirit-chasing wannabes are shoved head-long into a ghost hunt and only the strong will survive.

In this case, strong doesn’t mean brave or even paranormally talented — it means hard-working, honest, passionate people who are interested in getting the job done even when they’re not on camera. In this group, I’d say you’re talking about one out of the five.

Ghost Hunters second’s Dave Tango and Steve Gonsalves are in charge of training the newbies. They take them to a hunt in a spiffy new camper that gives you the “living in one house” feel of other reality shows. And though Steve and Dave don’t curse or throw tantrums like Gordon Ramsey, they do express their disappointment when someone screws up.

In the first episode, which premieres this Wednesday, November 11 at 10:00 on Syfy, the group investigates Fort Mifflin in Philadelphia. TAPS has been here before with good results so it’s time to see if the newbies can find anything.

Karl Pfeiffer and Ben Smith were pretty interchangable for me. Ben is a little geekier but neither made an impression in a good or bad way. Chris McCune strikes me as a 15 minutes of fame guy. He’s not going to last long.  Both girls are a problem (in a good way, because that’s what makes this show interesting). Heathyr Hoffman claims to be a medium, something the TAPS people are very skeptical about. Because she’s a medium she asks for special treatment, going so far as to sit out the site tour at the top of the investigation so she isn’t “influenced” by what she hears. That’s simply not going to work in the long run. Not with the way these guys conduct their investigations.

Then there’s the appropriately named Susan Slaughter.  She’s hiding something and that lands her in hot water with the bosses by the end of the episode.

The best thing about the episode is the bullshit meter – seriously, they should have a graphic on the screen because it is deep in there. When one trainee started going on about, “wow man, that’s why you guys are the pros,” in response to a common sense tip, I thought, oh please. Then we switch to Steve talking to camera about how this guy is kissing ass big time. Hooray!

The best bit comes when Steve purposely sets out a line of nonsense to see if any of the trainees will take the bait. One does and Steve calls him on it instantly, leaving the kid floundering for an explanation as to why he agreed with something that made no sense. Lesson learned? I doubt it and therein lies the fun.

I’ve been watching Ghost Hunters since the series began and lately I’ve been feeling like it needed a shot in the arm. Ghost Hunters Academy is that shot. These fresh personalities mixed with the patented Ghost Hunters formula is making everything old look new again. And though they aren’t kicking anyone off at the end of the episode, there is that sense of competition that you get from other reality shows such as Hell’s Kitchen or America’s Next Top Model.

If you’ve become an infrequent viewer of Ghost Hunters, try this new incarnation. They’re still not photographing full-body apparitions but you never know. Maybe Heathyr the medium will redeem herself and be the first one to get a ghost to smile for the camera.

Ghost Hunters Academy premieres this Wednesday, November 11 at 10:00 on Syfy.

Dave Tango, Steve Gonsalves — Syfy Photo: Tommy Garcia

(l-r) Karl Pfeiffer, Heathyr Hoffman, Chris McCune, Ben Smith, Susan Slaughter — Syfy Photo: Michael Perez

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First up it’s Tricia Helfer on the November 16th episode of Two and a Half Men.

In “The Moustache Attachment,”  Chelsea (Jennifer Taylor) invites her beautiful college roommate, Gail (Tricia Helfer) to stay at the house while she gets over a bad breakup and Charlie (Charlie Sheen) dreams of threesomes. (Photo: Greg Gayne/WB ©2009 Warner Bros. Television. All Rights Reserved.)

Next, on November 23, Katee Sackoff plays herself on The Big Bang Theory’s “The Vengeance Formulation.”

After he’s humiliated on National Public Radio, Sheldon vows to destroy Kripke (? LOL), while Wolowitz tries not to destroy his new relationship with Bernadette. Katee Sackhoff appears as herself, offering Wolowitz some relationship advice.
(Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS ©2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Two lovely ladies and two very funny comedies. You can’t beat that.

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Let’s not waste any time here, Craig. Tell us what we can look forward to in this new season.

Craig: It’s literally hell on earth because the underworld has been opened now and the Keeper, which is Satan, if you will, is sending forth his minions. One thing we gotta watch out for are these things called Banelings, which are kind of like zombies. They’re basically people who get sent to the underworld and come back serving the Keeper, but they look exactly the same so you don’t know who to trust, what to do — how do you kill something that’s already dead.

For Richard’s character, he’s now been thrust into this new kind of world of leadership. You thought being the Seeker was hard enough but now he has to lead his enemies. Some of the Darkens are saying, you are our Lord Rahl, we’re going to follow you, what are you going to do? Now we’re not fighting each other, we’re fighting a bigger enemy; we’re fighting the devil.

I hear you have some great guest stars coming up this season.

Craig: Yes, Amy Teegarden from Friday Night Lights, Jolene Blalock from Star Trek. Oh, and Charisma Carpenter. I’m a massive Buffy and Angel fan so when she came on I was like, ohhh my god, I’ve now merged Buffy and my show together, this is a moment to remember. It’s great having these new flavors to spice things up.

So you a big fantasy fan before you joined the show?

Craig: Oh yeah, big time. I was that kid who everything single day was running around in the backyard pretending I was Ninja Turtle one day or Batman the next day or a Ghostbuster the next day or Kevin from Home Alone setting traps around my house or Luke Sykwalker on a speeder bike while I was on my bicycle. My imagination was absolutely wild. I would watch these films a million times and I would just love it. It’s really kind of crazy; Richard is kind of like that character I was pretending to be all those years ago.

Just when you thought you were too old to be running around with swords it comes right back at you and you get paid to do it.

IN THE MOOD

On the Season One DVD, you take us on a tour of the Legend of the Seeker sets. They’re so realistic, it must be easy to get into the mood of the piece.

Craig: Absolutely. We have a couple of massive studios. One is always a forest. You go in there and it’s literally a forest, you walk in and there’s a bit of work space but most of it is dirt and actual trees and we have to keep swapping them over every month because they die and get bugs. Then, you’re in a bar suddenly with all these extras dressed up in crazy outfits and all the crew is outside the bar and you look around and it’s actually kind of easy to imagine where we are. Then when we go outside and there are the real mountains and amazing lakes and sand dunes — we’re not shooting Jurassic Park 3 here. We can see what’s going on. We’re not talking to tennis balls all the time. Sure you gotta do it where you’ve got green screen you have to play off it, but it’s so much nicer when you’re sitting in the costume on the actual wagon that is made of real wood and brass with all the detail.

Your role is quite physically demanding. How did you take to it when you first began?

Craig: When Bridget and I got to New Zealand, we had about six weeks before we started shooting and in that time we could read the books for character research and we could also go horse riding to touch off on that and I wasn’t really good on a horse, I’d maybe been on a horse a couple of times. But these guys take it through like paint by numbers. Heels down, pull the reigns in and they’ll look at you and point out these tiny things and before you know it you’re riding a horse thanks to these amazing teachers.

The sword thing, as I mentioned, I was using a plastic sword for the first, give or take, ten years of my life and that kind of helped, believe it or not. If I was to step into a battle, I’d probably lose but to be able to make it look big and epic and have a little coordination came relatively easy to me, not to mention we have amazing stunt coordinators who choreograph these wonderful fights.

TAKING LIFE AS IT COMES

What’s been the best part of working on Legend of the Seeker?

Craig: That’s a tough question. I’ve never really been asked that. There’s so many pros. The schedule is incredibly grueling and when you’re tired, you’re tired. You can be a millionaire but when you’re tired that money ain’t gonna help you, you’re tired and you feel bad. But I look around and I go, this is fantastic. These are now my new family and friends. I had to go from Australia to here and we all get along really well. It’s such fast turn around, TV, you can’t spend so much time on things, we have to be moving fast and suddenly you’re doing a big life or death scene and then a fight scene and then go ride horses. It’s incredibly full on but enjoyable.

Are you as adventurous as your character?

Craig: I have a short attention span, if I’m in one place for a long time I have to move. I think, when I’m challenged with something I’ll try and rise to it but sometimes when you’re left on your own accord you could end up staying in one spot. You don’t know what’s out there so you just start assuming there’s nothing out there. Then suddenly someone will thrust you into something and it’s like, wow, I’m so glad I came here. Gosh, I think there’s nothing at all wrong with anyone saying, you know what, these three months I’m not going to work, I’m going to do it really cheap, I’m going to travel, rock up and see what happens. If you rock up with no expectations, you just go, this is life, life is about being here. . .I can’t really ask the world to give me anything, I’m just going to go and see what it is. . maybe things can happen.

Any final words?

Craig: If you can watch Legend of the Seeker, please watch it. We’ve had a fantasy void on our television for too long and I like to think of it as the fantasy void filler. Fantasy is a word that can throw people off. You say fantasy to my mom and she’s like, ‘no, not my thing.’ You say it to other people and they’re like, ‘it’s for dweebs and geeks, I’m not into wizards and dragons and all that stuff.’

But Legend of the Seeker is basically real situations that are set in an ancient time before you had cell phones and electricity.  It’s a world of steel and leather and so we don’t really make it too crazy. Magic only happens every once in awhile; it’s really about these relationships. So don’t be put off by the word fantasy, but at the same token if you do love fantasy, then come on and step inside, you’ll get your fantasy fill.

Legend of the Seeker is a syndicated series from ABC Television. You can find out when and where it airs in your local area by visiting the website: LegendoftheSeeker.com.

Photos:

1) “Legend of the Seeker” stars Bridget Regan and Craig Horner greeted fans in Times Square in New York City as they unveiled the Sword of Truth, a 9 foot custom faux sword protruding from a vehicle emanating smoke. The stars, who shoot the nationally syndicated action-adventure series in New Zealand, were in town promoting the second season.

2) “Legend of the Seeker” hottie Craig Horner who plays “Richard,” the Seeker, on the series, marked his presence during his visit to Times Square today, “slashing” a vehicle in the middle of Military Island with the Sword of Truth, a 9-foot custom faux sword. The actor, who shoots the nationally syndicated action-adventure series in New Zealand, was in town promoting the second season which premieres the weekend of November 7 (check local listings).

Photo credit: Anders Krusberg/ABC Studios

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Jim Caviezel stars in the AMC remake of The Prisoner — the perfect show for those of you who enjoy a twisted puzzle. The series premieres next Sunday, November 15 from 8 to 1o and I’ve got some goodies to get you ready to take the plunge.

It all begins on The Prisoner Portal Page. There you can what the 90-second trailer and view the six spotlight videos that discuss the themes behind this scifi thriller.

Once you have the basics, you’ll want to explore your new surroundings. Here is a map of The Village and a wiki page that will answer some (but never all ) of your questions. Don’t stray too far though or Rover will come and get you.

If you have iTunes, you can download a free sneak peak and then find out how the original Prisoner influenced the creators of Battlestar Galactica (here’s a hint, it’s in the numbers), Lost and more with The Prisioner Pop Culture Time Line.

Earlier this week, I had some one-on-one time with Jaime Campbell Bower who stars as the Number 11-12 son of Ian McKellen’s Number 2 in this new series. Jaime, who also stars in Twlight: New Moon and the upcoming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, had plenty to say about the concept of “big brother is watching” and the famous Prisoner quote, “I am not a number.” We also talk about filming in South Africa and his favorite Danish band. I’ll have the full interview for you early next week, so keep checking in here at SFUniverse.

The Prisoner premieres on Sun., Nov. 15 from 8PM to 10PM ET | PT. The Prisoner will air over three consecutive nights, with two episodes each evening, from 8PM to 10PM ET | PT on AMC.

Photo courtesy of AMC.

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Air Date: November 6 on Syfy

With the situation on board the Destiny dire, General O’Neill (RICHARD DEAN ANDERSON) and Home World Command orders Col. Young (LOUIS FERREIRA) to execute a high risk plan concocted by the IOA scientists which, in theory, could return the crew to earth. Col. Young tries to buy more time so that he can consult those on the ship whose lives are at stake. While using the communication stones, Camile Wray (MING-NA) is approached by IOA representative Dale Strom (CARLO ROTA) who suggests that she steer opinion on the ship in favor of the plan. 

Eli (DAVID BLUE) and Chloe (ELYSE LEVESQUE) are allowed to use the communication stones to visit earth and their loved ones for what may be the last time. Their homecoming is not what they expected and the two try to drink away their worries at a club (featuring Janelle Monáe), but are unable to ignore the looming fate of the Destiny that they have left behind.

(Pictured: (l-r) Elyse Levesque as Chloe Armstrong, Louis Ferreira as Col. Everett Young, Haig Sutherland as Sgt. Hunter Riley, David Blue as Eli Wallace — Syfy Photo: Carole Segal)

SANCTUARY: Pavor Nocturnus

Dr. Helen Magnus (AMANDA TAPPING) wakes up on the floor of the Sanctuary with no recollection of why or how she got there. Disoriented and bewildered, she discovers her office scarred with bullet holes, equipment broken in pieces and layered with dust and the lab left only with devastating remnants of a horrific battle scene.

With no signs of life to be found, Magnus is completely baffled and shaken. To gather her thoughts, she steps up onto the Sanctuary’s rooftop parapet, but is shocked by the scene before her. Instead of the lights of New City, she looks out to a dark, cratered landscape…the city is decimated.

Magnus fashions a makeshift weapon as her only defense and moves out into the city, determined to find some clue as to what has happened to the world. While surveying the destruction, she is attacked by a ferocious, inhuman creature with an ear piercing shriek as its battle cry. Cornered and near defenseless, Magnus catches a glimpse of her attacker’s face. It is scarcely human with pale skin, soulless eyes and shrieking with fury as it prepares to finish her. Suddenly, without warning, a sonic blast hits the beast from behind, killing it and saving Magnus.

Relieved, she looks up to see two men, heavily armed. Before she can ask any questions, one of the men draws a stun gun and fires it at Magnus, taking her down.

When she awakens, she finds herself in an abandoned warehouse with the same two men. They aggressively hose her down, scrubbing her skin raw and leave her soaking wet, shivering and distraught. Exhausted, she curls up on the floor confused and temporarily defeated. When a third man enters the room, she braces herself for another assault.

But she is both surprised and relieved when she realizes the man standing before her, although hardened and battle-scarred, is none other than her colleague and friend Will Zimmerman (ROBIN DUNNE).

She starts to ask him questions, but he forcefully shuts her down and accuses her of being an imposter. He explains coldly that she could not possibly be who she claims because Helen Magnus… died three years before.

Stunned and with far more questions than answers, Magnus knows only that she must escape from Will and find a way to understand the nightmare her world has become. (Pictured: (center) Robin Dunne as Dr. Will Zimmerman — Syfy Photo: Jeff Weddell)

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**Best Buy – Collectible Gift Set with four pack of badge pins. (As seen in photo)

**Hollywood Video – Rent/Buy any Star Trek DVD and be entered to win an autographed poster of Uhura (Zoe Saldana).

**Transworld (FYE/Coconuts/Suncoast) – Collectible Steelbook packaging.

**CVS – Consumer Offer. Buy $15 (or more) in iTunes gift cards and get the DVD (single disc) for only $9.99 (First week only).

**Target – Limited Edition Collectible Starship Enterprise Packaging on both 2-Disc DVD and 3-Disc Blu-ray. (Video available at above download link).

**Amazon.com – Star Trek Limited Edition Replica Gift Set (Three-Disc + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]

CANADA
**Best Buy Canada – 3-Disc Special Edition Blu-Ray Collectible packaging – Easily assembles to become a Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise DVD Package! (same as Target in the US).

**Future Shop – Exclusive 2 Disc Steelbook Edition and 3-Disc Blu-Ray Steelbook Edition.

**HMV – Limited Edition Blu-Ray Gift Set – includes Star Trek 3-Disc Blu-Ray set with Digital copy and Four Replica Starfleet Division Badges.

**Wal-Mart Canada – Exclusive Lenticular o-sleeve package on the Star Trek 2 disc DVD.

Photo courtesy of Paramount Home Entertainment

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Air Date: November 5 at 9:00 on Fox.

Directed by Emmy Award winner Jon Cassar (24), this episode follows the Fringe Division as they take on a puzzling investigation where victims are inexplicably disintegrating into ash. The shadowy case casts light on Special Agent Phillip Broyles’ past and leads the team to the possibility of foreign Fringe Science. Emotions run high as the alarming events stack up and revealing personal details emerge about the leader of the Fringe Division in the all-new “Earthling” episode of FRINGE airing Thursday, Nov. 5 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (FR-206) (TV-14 V)

CR: Marcel Williams/FOX

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The Vampire Diaries: 162 Candles

Air Date: November 5 at 8:00 on The CW

STEFAN GETS A SURPRISE BIRTHDAY VISIT FROM AN OLD FRIEND

On his birthday, Stefan (Paul Wesley) is surprised by a visit from Lexi, (guest star Arielle Kebble, “Gilmore Girls”), one of his oldest friends. Still upset by the events at the Halloween haunted house, Elena (Nina Dobrev) does her best to stay away from Stefan, but Lexi gives her some unsolicited relationship advice. Elena and Jenna (Sara Canning) are surprised by a change in Jeremy’s (Steven R. McQueen) behavior.

At Damon’s (Ian Somerhalder) insistence, Caroline (Candice Accola) tries to get his medallion back from Bonnie (Katerina Graham). Finally, Damon’s offer to help Sheriff Forbes (guest star Marguerite MacIntyre) has sudden and tragic results.

Zach Roerig also stars. Rick Bota directed the episode written by Barbie Kligman & Gabrielle Stanton (#107).

“162 Candles” – Arielle Kebbel as Lexi, Paul Wesley as Stefan in THE VAMPIRE DIARIES on The CW. Photo: Guy D’Alema/The CW ©2009 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Supernatural: Changing Channels

Air Date: November 5 at 9:00 on The CW

SAM AND DEAN GET STUCK IN TV HELL

(more photos here)

The Trickster (guest star Richard Speight Jr.) throws Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) into an alternate universe where they are characters in different television series, including a sexy medical show, a Japanese game show, a forensics show and a sitcom. The brothers realize the only way to get out of this world is to play along and become the characters in the shows. However, Castiel (Misha Collins) appears and warns them this universe is dangerous and they must get out before they become trapped. Charles Beeson directed the episode with teleplay by Jeremy Carver (#508).

“Changing Channels” – Jared Padalecki as Sam, Jensen Ackles as Dean, Richard Speight Jr. as Trickster in SUPERNATURAL on The CW. Photo: Jack Rowand/The CW ©2009 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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When it came to playing John Robinson,  the fatherly part was new for actor Guy Williams, but the strong and brave part was a no brainer as he had spent two years portraying that swashbuckling, western hero, Zorro!

This past Tuesday (November 3, 2009) Walt Disney Home Entertainment released all 78 episodes of  Zorro on two Walt Disney Treasures DVDs.

The Walt Disney Treasures releases are truly something special. They come in unusual numbered tin cases and in this case, they each come with a collectible Zorro pin and a photo postcard. These black tins with gold lettering are a fitting homage to one of the most popular TV shows of the 1950’s.

In Zorro, Guy Williams played Don Diego de la Vega, a playboy by day he fought corruption by night, garbed in black, with a mask, a cape and a rapier as his choice of weapon. Zorro was full of action from chase scenes on horseback to exciting sword fights. It also had original Disney music and some terrific guest stars such as Mousekteer Annette Funicello and future Batman villain Cesar Romero. It was a terrific series that launched a cultural icon which would be copied and remade dozens of times in the movies and on TV.

Like all great Disney DVD’s, this one has some very rare goodies. In addition to the complete first and second season, you get several Zorro specials that aired on the Disneyland TV show in 1960.

On the Second Season DVD,  Leonard Maltin and Guy Williams Jr. take you on a tour through the Disney archives and give you a detailed look at the original Zorro costumes and licensed merchandise. Zorro playsets, wallets, rings, even roller skates! And for only .59 cents you could own your own Zorro mask and whip.  I am a huge collector of licensed TV Toys (I even wrote a book about them), so this is my favorite feature on the DVD.  There’s also a collection of rare behind the scenes photos including one of Guy Jr. himself dressed as Zorro. Very sweet. Guy shares his memories of his dad and tells a great story about a special surprise he received from Walt Disney himself.

Guy Williams fans will really enjoy the “Behind the Mask” featurette. Here, co-stars and friends talk about Guy and how he came to the role of Zorro. There are fun stories about how he developed that truly awful accent and how he handled the large number of stunts on the show. The best quote comes from one of his female co-stars who had this to say about Guy, “he was a Latin gentleman with a wicked sense of humor who made women feel extremely feminine.” Funny, one could use that same phrase to describe Zorro himself.

One of the rarest treats on this DVD is a home movie clip of Guy Williams playing Zorro in front of the fans at Disneyland. He rides in on horseback, waving to the crowd, then has a sword fight on the top deck of the showboat. It’s a short piece with no sound, but I’m so glad they included it.

All of that is only one DVD set. There are even more surprises on the other!

The Walt Disney Treasures Zorro collection is more than a DVD. It really is a collectible, from the packaging to the extras, to the care that was put in to remastering these old TV shows and presentation of the special features. It’s a must have for Disney fans, Guy Williams fans and anyone who loves a good superhero — it’s Zorro!

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Home Entertainment

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