Sarah Connor now has a little more time to fight the future. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles got picked up for a full season over the weekend. Lower ratings recently have caused fans to worry that the show might be canceled. But Fox showed some faith in Lena Headey, Summer Glau and company.

The show started off down some 2 million viewers since its first year, but the show has shown signs of human (not artificial) life recently, gaining more than a quarter-million viewers and bringing its viewership close to 6 million a week. That basically ties it with time-slot competition Chuck. … continue reading

Absence may make the heart grow fonder, but when it comes to TV, it's more like out of sight, out of mind. Several sophomore-season shows are having a hard time finding the love after their writers’ strike-abbreviated freshman years. Shows like Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Pushing Daisies, Chuck, Private Practice and Life are all down between 1 to 3 million viewers from last year. Ouch.

So, what gives? Lena Headey and Sarah Shahi in tank tops couldn't lure you back? Was the hiatus, at least six months (and in some cases, up to nine months) just too long to keep you interested?

If the early numbers on the new season are to be believed, it appears so. Reports show that first year shows that came back for a few episodes after the strike are reconnecting with audiences better than those that stayed away. Gossip Girl came back in April for five episodes and its numbers are still strong. Of course, the show also has Leighton Meester and Blake Lively, so that may throw off the statistical sample. … continue reading

Remember "Banjo-Kazooie" on the N64? If you loved that title and own an Xbox 360, we've got some great news for you: In November "Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts" makes its exclusive debut and you'll be able to download the Xbox LIVE Arcade version of the original game for free.

"Banjo-Kazooie" will feature graphical improvements and full support of gamer scores and achievements, and will be available for 1200 Microsoft points when it launches this November.

If you want even more "BK" goodness, "Banjo-Tooie" is also heading to Xbox LIVE Arcade in early 2009, making the Xbox 360 the new home of the beloved franchise.

Bungie loves dangling the carrot. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's just annoying. With the most recent "Halo" teaser, it seems most gamers feel a bit let down as they expected something more. The "big announcement" Bungie teased us with is a trailer for a new "Halo 3" project. The teaser footage showed pods from the sky crashing into a city. It seems like players will be taking on the role of a soldier in the city (now ruined) to fight whatever was in the many pods. Sounds like some fresh new campaign for "Halo 3" fans, but still no one is clear on what it actually is — not that it matters; it's "Halo" so it will sell bucket-loads. … continue reading

This week, we review new shows like True Blood (HBO), Privileged (The CW) and Fringe (Fox), the season premiere of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox), and the last few episodes of The Closer (TNT), leading up to tonight's cliff-hanger season finale.

But first, we rave about how much we loved Tina Fey and Amy Poehler on SNL, and Lori reveals whether she, too, could see Russia from her house in Alaska!

Check back next week for a new episode of SMMWT!, and watch previous episodes here.

"If only," you said. "If only I could have a complete list of returning fall television shows so I will know when to set my DVR to record my favorite women."

Well, we've heard your pleas! Your wish is our command! (All times are EST.)

SEPTEMBER

Monday, Sept. 1
Gossip Girl (CW), 8 p.m.
One Tree Hill (CW), 9 p.m.
Prison Break (Fox), 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 2
The Shield (FX), 10 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 3
America's Next Top Model (CW), 8 p.m.
Bones (Fox), 8 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 7
Entourage (HBO), 10 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 8
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox), 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 10
'Til Death (Fox), 9 p.m. … continue reading

Sarah Connor is back. Well, almost. Fine, she's not really back until Sept. 8, but to tide us over until then we have the new promo photos for the second season of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, courtesy of the Sarah Connor Society. (Hat tip, Annie!) A quick warning though: proceed at your own risk if you are afraid of heights.

Lena Headey, Summer Glau and Thomas Dekker are a little close to the edge of that rooftop for my taste. Hello, vertigo trigger. I'm feeling a little woozy. And you know, shots like this really aren't helping me with the dizziness.

I'm glad to see they made it off the rooftop. T:SCC added two new cast members this year. But from the looks of that window, they haven't upgraded their accommodations. Apparently saving the world from killer robots doesn't pay well enough to buy nice curtains. Lena looks rather cross about it. One word, honey: IKEA — you can save the world and save money. … continue reading

Yesterday morning I arrived in Los Angeles for the Television Critics Association summer press tour, an annual rite of passage for TV critics nationwide. Basically, we gather together at the Beverly Hilton for two to three weeks of nonstop press conferences for pretty much every TV show currently on the air. I wasn't able to make it to the first week of press conferences, but I'm here for the next eight days to cover the networks and their affiliated cable channels, and as long as I don't pass out from too much off-the-cuff interviewing of random TV celebs, I'll be reporting my findings here every day. (To catch up on last week's gay-related TCA news, check out Michael Jensen's stellar blog posts at AfterElton.com.)

What happened on Monday? Here's the short version: Mia Michaels, Anna Torv, Lena Headey, Summer Glau, Olivia Wilde, Eliza Dushku and Joss Whedon, oh my! For the long(er) version, read on.

Left to right: Cat Deeley, Mia Michaels, Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe

Today was the first of two days devoted to the Fox television network, and the morning kicked off with a press conference for the unscripted dance competition So You Think You Can Dance. Mia "hot damn she looks like a lesbian (too bad she ain't)" Michaels got grilled on why she's "being so mean" on the show these days. Here's what she said:

I don't think I'm being mean. I'm just being very honest, and we're in the fourth season, and I think as we go, we become more — our true selves come out, and we're comfortable. ... I'm not any different if I'm in a rehearsal studio with my dancers, and if they're not pulling up, they're going to know, and it's very much about tough love. ... I'm Mamma Mia, and they look to me for that tough love actually. So when I say it, America might go, "Oh, my God, that's so harsh.” They're cool with it. They know. They know I only want them to be brilliant.

I have always been an on-again, off-again viewer of SYTYCD, because it seems to repeatedly hammer home traditional gender norms through the judges' commentary that typically derides male dancers who are not macho (not to mention only having opposite-sex dance partners). This is particularly the case with judge Nigel Lythgoe, who always puts down men when he senses the least bit of "effeminacy" in them, while (excessively) praising women who are feminine and submissive. AfterElton.com talked with him after the panel, and Lythgoe essentially confirmed that he's stuck in the dark ages in terms of gender norms. Wake up, Nigel! It's 2008! Seriously, the guy kinda gives me the creeps.

Anyway, after SYTYCD was a panel devoted to the new series from creator J. J. Abrams (Alias), which is called Fringe. It stars Australian actor Anna Torv, whom British readers may remember from her stint playing a lesbian on the BBC's Mistresses. Torv unfortunately was in New York and therefore had to join the conference by satellite, so the stage was populated entirely with men — a theme that quickly came to define the day.

Anna Torv as Agent Olivia Dunham in Fringe

Photo credit: Michael Lavine/FOX

I caught a screening of most of the 90-minute pilot during lunch, and though it started off very promisingly with a mysterious plane full of dead people (think Lost meets The X-Files), around the 40-minute mark it started going off onto a seriously sci-fi tangent. Now, I'm a big sci-fi fan, but this just seemed odd. Like, things didn't connect up. I'm hoping that the pilot will be retooled before it hits prime time this fall to smooth out the rough spots.

On the plus side, Torv delivered what might be the best line of the day when asked to elaborate on her ass-kicking role as Agent Dunham: "I came to the kicking ass naturally." … continue reading

Hello, my name is Ms. Anthrope, and I’m a DVD-aholic. But I’m not addicted to just any ol’ DVD — sci-fi shows with kick-ass female leads are my crack. (You know you have a problem when you already own each individual season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and still couldn’t resist buying the pricey complete-series box set.) I’ve been clean since Christmas when I did some major Battlestar Galactica damage, but I’m about to fall off the wagon — big time. The reason for the relapse? Too many DVDs featuring supernaturally hot TV chicks are hitting shelves this summer! Take a peek at these upcoming cult favorites.

Birds of Prey: The Complete Series
Release Date: Tomorrow

A Plot Refresher: Based on the DC comic, the show centers on three crime-fighting superheroes who are — get this — all women. Even the main villain (Mia Sara) is female! (Uh, why didn’t this show last longer than a season? I blame the totally dull Dinah character; she’s way more culpable than, say, the lowly network.)

Anyway, the biggest bad-ass of the trio is Huntress, the lovechild of Batman and Catwoman. But more importantly, she’s played by a brooding, raven-haired Ashley Scott (think Angelina Jolie’s character from Foxfire, only with superpowers). Her mentor in lesbian subtext is the former Batgirl, who’s now known as the wheelchair-bound Oracle (Dina Meyer).

The DVD Lowdown:

BOP fans have been pushing for the release of the complete series ever since it was canceled way back in 2002. While the wait is finally over, don’t get your hopes up for a big production: The penny-pinching studio didn’t even bother to buy the rights to the original theme song. They did manage, however, to include all 13 episodes and two bonus features. The first one is the complete web series of Gotham Girls, which is probably great if you’re into animation (I’m not). But I did like watching the un-aired pilot extra, mainly because it’s interesting to see how Sherilyn Fenn played the recast role of Dr. Harleen Quinzel. … continue reading

Sarah Connor is taking in the Garbage. Well, actually, the sci-fi series is taking in Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson as its newest cast member. The masterminds behind Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles have announced the Shirley will join the show for its second season. I’m going to give you all a minute to process the sheer awesomeness of this news. Perhaps a photo will help:

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Scottish singer will play series regular Catherine Weaver, the CEO of a cutting-edge high-tech firm. No word on whether she will be on Sarah and company’s side or on the side of the machines. But the mere thought of her sharing the screen with Lena Headey and Summer Glau is enough to make me actually squeal with delight. Needless to say, be glad you weren’t sitting near me when I first read the news.

This will be Shirley’s first big foray into acting. I really have no idea what kind of actress she is, but we can only hope that she brings along that sexy Scottish accent. I’ve also always loved Shirley’s tendency to gender-bend. Normally, the news of another singer crossing over into acting elicits disgruntled groan from me. But, in this case, the there might be a groan, but it definitely won’t be disgruntled. … continue reading

So, I guess we'll find out if Cameron makes it out of that Jeep after all. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has been renewed for a second season. A whole new season of Lena Headey and Summer Glau running around in tank tops with shotguns while saving the world? Hell and yeah.

The show's strike-abridged nine-episode first season ended on a big bang of a cliffhanger (which, if you haven't seen yet you should stop reading now, but — gosh, that was like a month and a half ago so what's the hold up?). Cameron went kerplewie after starting the family Jeep while on a cake run for John's birthday. The car bomb was planted by internet café owner/sneaky owner of The Turk Sarkissian. So, looks like she is going to need that recipe for fake Terminator skin that Cromartie cooked up earlier this season.

The series has earned a 13-episode pickup. The extended season is good news and means they can flesh out (puns!) the show's deeper themes about identity, duty, technology and the very nature of the human soul. And, given its prevalence, Lena's scowl might as well have its own subplot. … continue reading

By the end of today, the writers' strike should be officially over. I think we can all breathe a deep sigh of relief that the nightmare scenario of MILF Island, America’s Next Top Pirate and Are You Smarter Than a Dog? never came to fruition. Can I get a halle-freaking-lujah? Sure, the strike’s end means we’ll no longer get to see adorable shots of Tina Fey and others on the picket line. But I’ll gladly sacrifice a little photogenic solidarity for fresh episodes of my favorite shows. Pending a final vote today from Writers Guild of America members, scripted shows could begin production Wednesday. Of course, now you’re all thinking, but when? When will my show be back?

Well, don’t get mad when I tell you this, but you’re going to have to be a bit more patient. According to The New York Times, it takes at least of four weeks to get a 30-minute comedy completed from scratch and six to eight weeks for hour-long dramas. So that means, realistically, it will be mid-March or early April when new episodes start to flood the airwaves again. But they are coming. While some shows have already abandoned the rest of their seasons, others will be back for anywhere from four to ten new episodes.

The New York Times and TV Guide have made comprehensive lists of returning shows. Let’s run through some of the AfterEllen.com-friendly offerings together, shall we?

30 Rock: Five to ten more shows to air April/May. Thank God; life without Liz Lemon was one big blerg.

Battlestar Galactica: The first half of the final season begins April 4. Production on the second half could start in March, with an airdate not yet set.

Bionic Woman: According to TV Guide, “No new episodes expected. Ever.” Oh, Sarah Corvus, I think I’ll miss you most of all. … continue reading

Dee and Jenn are back with their vlog now named Come With Me If You Want to Live, thanks to your suggestions, in which they review and discuss the latest episode of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (learn more about Dee and Jenn and watch the first episode of their vlog here).

Dee's many animal friends also join in the conversation, with some hilarious results.

Since next week's episode of The Sarah Connor Chronicles is a repeat, Jenn and Dee's next new vlog will be posted on Saturday, February 9th.

You know, I thought that Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (for which Dorothy Snarker helpfully coined the acronym T:SCC) would make fans of kick-ass females happy. I mean, here's a show that is entertaining, well acted and has not one, but two hot women stars, Lena Headey and Summer Glau.

As Ms. Snarker so delightfully put it, whoever cast those two together "deserves a raise or, at the very least, a large muffin basket."

The series is not perfect, but it's definitely worth watching. And compared to Bionic Woman, T:SCC is beyond brilliant. So, what's the problem? According to some Terminator fans, Headey is too thin. Painfully thin. Emaciated, even.

Huh? That is not an emaciated woman. Thin, yes. Fit, yes. But too thin? I don't think so. Granted, Headey is not ripped like the original Sarah Connor, Linda Hamilton. But who is? … continue reading

Today we're bringing you a new vlog about the Fox series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, one of my favorite new shows of the TV season.

Submitted by two AfterEllen.com readers, Dee and Jenn, the first episode of their vlog discusses what's happened on the show so far — just in time to rev you up for tonight's new episode of The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

The lighting and production quality of the vlog is still a little rough, since this is their first time trying something like this, but I think Dee and Jenn make up for that with their sense of humor, interesting commentary, and enthusiasm for the show. (And they'll get better at that technical stuff as they go along, just like the rest of us have.)

Jenn (left) and Dee

Here's a short bio of the vloggers: … continue reading