I can barely contain myself with this news, I'm so thrilled.  TV Line has reported that two Buffy: The Vampire Slayer alumni will be making a guest appearance in an upcoming season 7 episode of Supernatural.  Which two alumni?  Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia Chase) and James Marsters (Spike).

Are you psyched yet? Carpenter tweeted yesterday about the possibility that she would be appearing on Supernatural, but apparently it's a done deal now.  The duo will be appearing together, playing a husband and wife in episode 7.05, entitled “Shut Up, Dr. Phil.”

Showrunner Sera Gamble shared: "“This episode is ‘Bewitched gone wrong.  [It was] all upside for this successful man (Marsters) while he was married to the witch (Carpenter), but now that he’s pissed her off, the whole town is paying the price.”

Of course, Carpenter and Marsters aren't the first Buffy cast members to make guest appearances on Supernatural.  Amber Benson, who played the witch Tara on Buffy, also appeared twice on Supernatural, most recently in a season 6 episode.  Julie Benz, who played the vampire Darla on Buffy, also appeared in a very early episode of the show, as did Amy Acker, who starred on the Buffy spin-off, Angel.

For more season 7 spoilers for Supernatural, check out our coverage from Comic-Con.

Supernatural returns with its seventh season on Friday, September 23 on The CW.

Supernatural Season 7 Spoilers: Two Buffy Alumni to Guest Star

Sarah Michelle Gellar was born for episodic television (sorry, Sarah Michelle Gellar's movie career).  Since her most famous role as Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended in 2003, Gellar has spent the ensuing years starring in a few roles that didn't really do much to showcase her talent.  And the pilot she starred in in 2008, called The Wonderful Maladys, failed to get a pick-up from HBO.

But that may soon change.  Because CBS has ordered a pilot for a new show called Ringer, which is about "a troubled young lass on the run from the mob. She assumes the life of her wealthy twin sister, only to find out that said sibling has a bounty on her head as well".  Gellar is set to play the troubled young lass and the sister as double-duty on the new show, according to Vulture.

The pilot was written by Eric Charmelo and Nicole Snyder, who have evidently worked as writers on Supernatural.

Of course, this isn't a guarantee that Ringer - and Gellar - will appear on television in the 2011-2012 season.  After all, Gellar's last pilot didn't get a season pick-up.  But I am hoping this will mean the return of the Buffy actress to television.  My only question is whether the premise (someone living a double-life) is too similar to FOX's recently canceled Lone Star and what that could mean for the show.

clarissa @ tvovermind.com
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Sarah Michelle Gellar to Star in CBS Pilot

It's been a long week waiting for Part 2 of 'The Long Way Home' in motion comic form, and I must say, the excitement has waned slightly upon seeing the second episode. I'd love to say that the episode lived up to my expectations, but unfortunately a few negative aspects I highlighted in my last review are weighing heavily upon the series. But hey, lets start with the positives, shall we?

The episode itself focuses upon the training of the Slayers activated in the events of the Season 7 finale, 'Chosen'. We see their struggle to co-operate with one another, and learn how much of an uphill struggle their activation actually presents with regards to making any progress in the battle with evil. Dawn's growth is also dealt with, with Xander suggesting that perhaps her struggles with herself and her new family of Slayers are manifesting in the form of her new gigantic stature. The meat of the story, however, comes in the form of a curse put upon Buffy in her sleep, trapping her within her own dreamworld until she receives the kiss of true love. Cliche, sure, but the reintroduction of Amy as an antagonist is an interesting start to the season.

Once again, the animation is hard to fault - sure, the characters shuffle rather than walk, but the primitive animation serves its purpose in bringing the characters to life. I felt it was put to less use in this episode than the pilot, which disappointed me slightly - however, this may just be me.  We also see an improvement in certain areas of the voice acting in this episode - Buffy's voice in particular seems much more emotive, and her speech with the Slayers genuinely reminded me of Sarah Michelle Gellar's speeches throughout the series. Amy too was acceptably similar to her TV counterpart, with the new voice actor fitting the character well enough not to distract me from the episode.

However. And this is a big however. I sat down this morning ready to watch the episode, thinking great, theme tune time. It struck up - and then it stopped. Where is my theme tune?! There are only two ways I can take this - either each arc is indeed going to be combined to make a fully fledged episode for the DVDs, or FOX are trying to break my heart. On another subject, while I complimented aspects of voice acting earlier on, I just cannot gloss over how terrible Giles, introduced at the beginning of this episode,  sounded. Thinking stereotypical, gruff-sounding British gentleman, and you've got it. Stereotypical is simply the only word I can think of to describe it, and it just sounds completely wrong, not fitting Giles at all. The voice is simply too harsh - instead of Gile's friendly voice, the acting re-characterizes, attributing an air of superiority. It's difficult to receive his lines in the same way, with the harsh twangs automatically reinterpreting Anthony Stewart Head's portrayal of Giles. Willow, only present for a few seconds, also sounds very different to Alyson Hannigan - reassuringly, the actress speaks softly, and though she doesn't sound particularly like Willow, her voice is mild enough not to distort the character.

I must stress, this isn't a negative review. I'm really enjoying the motion comics so far, and am really enjoying having Buffy on the closest thing to television she's been in years. However, the voice acting simply lets the episode down, which must be improved over the course of these 19 episodes if they wish to stay loyal to the characters they are animating. Because seriously, Giles cannot get any worse.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Motion Comic #2

Since the release of the comic continuation of Buffy The Vampire Slayer in 2007, speculation of a TV or film continuation has been rife, be it in the form of spin-offs such as Buffy: The Animated Series or the recently announced Buffy The Vampire Slayer film, without the involvement of original creator Joss Whedon or the original cast. However, until now, nothing outside of the comic medium has surfaced. This changes with the release of Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Motion Comic.

Since motion comics first became popular, opinion has been generally negative of their ability to tell a linear story without losing aspects of character or plot. Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic received a very mixed response, with some disappointed at the fact that the entire cast was voiced by one actor, and others praising the animation involved. However, the Buffy Motion Comic lacks many of the faults highlighted within others, and proves to be an entertaining watch without degrading the characters established within 7 televised seasons.

Spanning 19 episodes, with an expectation that the entire 40-comic long Buffy : Season 8 will be converted, FOX have a lot of ground to cover. Upon watching this first episode, it seems the plan is to stick as close to the plot of Season 8 as possible - very little dialogue is altered, with lines added only to flesh the comics out into an audible form. A long time fan, I must admit I was hooked from the second I heard the theme song begin to play - it was a joy to watch an episode of Buffy kick off with Nerf Herder's classic.  To see the comics given a whole new dimension brought life to much of the action within - indeed, for those not fond of comic books of graphic novels, the motion comics are a feasible alternative for an avid fan. The animation is hard to fault - without doubt, I have never seen as much animation in a motion comic as is present within the first episode of Buffy, and it exists without feeling forced or unnecessary. Lasting just over 10 minutes long, it seems the intention is for each arc to span an episode, quite possibly the format we will see on the DVD, supposedly released some time this Fall.

However, it would be a lie if I was to say it didn't have its faults. Perhaps the largest is the manner in which it has been released. The motion comic is currently available only within the US and Canada, not to be released Worldwide until after the US receive the DVD. This strikes me as a huge mistake on behalf of FOX, depriving a massive fanbase of one of the most interesting Buffy-related productions since the comics. If this will be remedied before the DVD release or not remains to be seen.

My other major gripe is the voice acting. Unfortunately, while the music is classic Buffy, the voice acting definitely isn't. Retaining none of the original cast, which was to be expected, it seems FOX made little effort to choose voice actors who sounded anything like their predecessors. While Xander is still recognizable, Buffy sounds dreadful in parts, her voice to high and defying the voice patterns set by Sarah Michelle Gellar for the character. This renders certain scenes slightly alien, with the emotions suggested by the voice acting not quite right for how SMG might have portrayed it. Though distracting, it was only to be expected that the voice acting wouldn't be perfect, and the animation and quality of the original comics it bearable. Who knows, perhaps the voices improve over the course of the series.

I personally really enjoyed the first episode, and can only hope it retains the quality present within #1. Though the voice acting isn't up to standard, other aspects of the episode make up for this slight downside, and you still feel Joss Whedon's influence as a result. In my opinion, the motion comic's place within the Whedonverse is well deserved.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Motion Comic #1, Hot or Not?

Dear Joss,

Big fan here (I could list all the various projects of yours, but you know what you've worked on and the only one I haven't cared for is the original Buffy movie -- but from what I understand, that's not your fault).  Suffice to say:  Big fan here.  I'm sure you're busy with Dollhouse andwrapping up Buffy: Season 8, but there's a void I would like to draw your attention to.

Here in America, we don't have any kind of "legacy" programming.  We have shows that play for a couple of seasons and then disappear.  We have the occasional show (Friends) that runs for ten years.  We have reality TV.  But we have nothing -- and I repeat, nothing -- like Britian's Doctor Who.

Doctor Who, according to Wikipedia, has had 753 episodes (and I'm assuming that's not counting Torchwood).  The first episode aired 46 years ago.  There was a bit of a lull (complete lack of episodes) in the 90's, but it's back now and arguably better than ever.  And my question is, why can't America have something like that?  It's like we're Marvel and Britian's DC.  Marvel has all these really great, flashy characters.  DC, on the other hand, has legacies.  They have the Flash legacy, the Green Lantern legacy, and now they have the Batman legacy.  They have characters who, at a certain point, pass down the cape and tights to a junior character.  Why am I telling you this?  Because I believe Buffy could be America's response to the good doctor.

We once thought Buffy was unique, that she was the only slayer this generation would see.  But then we met Faith.  And then, in the final arc of the show, we were introduced to more slayers than I could count.  Using any one of these characters (Buffy, Faith, or the scores of slayers who survived Sunnydale's implosion), a new show could be spun.  Since Eliza's busy with Dollhouse, I don't foresee a Faith the Vampire Slayer show, but that doesn't mean a Xander the Vampire Slayer or a Giles the Vampire Slayer Trainer or a I Was There When Sunnydale Went Kablooey the Vampire Slayer show can't be done.  We could introduce a brand new character in a brand new circumstance, fighting off the legions of hell.  The show could run for as long as said slayer was interested and/or interesting, and then a new slayer could be introduced for a new season.

The slayers could be from anywhere, fighting what mythology and folklore is familiar to their background or surroundings.  The slayers could range in age, temperment, species, and even (dare I say it?) sex.  It's a big world you've created, but one that doesn't feel completely explored.  Yet.

Vampires are here to stay.  Heroes (of the normal and super variety) are here to stay.  Myths are here to stay.  Buffy is all those things, and a bit more -- which is why the fanbase would eat it up.  And restarting a show every couple of seasons, giving new viewers a chance to hop aboard with no knowledge of past continuity?  Sounds like a studio's dream come true.

I'm not saying "make it happen," but, you know, it'd be super cool if you did.

-=Scott

PS:  And a Doctor Horrible TV show?  That'd be very cool too. We haven't had very many (any?) supervillain shows and/or movies.

An Open Letter to Joss Whedon

Occasionally a piece of TV and movie news pops up that simply must be addressed.  The internet is ablaze today with news that the original rights holders of the Buffy franchise are planning a rebooted movie.  Observe:

A new incarnation of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" could be coming to the big screen.

"Buffy" creator Joss Whedon isn't involved and it's not set up at a studio, but Roy Lee and Doug Davison of Vertigo Entertainment are working with original movie director Fran Rubel Kuzui and her husband, Kaz Kuzui, on what is being labeled a remake or relaunch, but not a sequel or prequel.

While Whedon is the person most associated with "Buffy," Kuzui and her Kuzui Enterprises have held onto the rights since the beginning, when she discovered the "Buffy" script from then-unknown Whedon. She developed the script while her husband put together the financing to make the 1992 movie, which was released by Fox.

The new "Buffy" film, however, would have no connection to the TV series, nor would it use popular supporting characters like Angel, Willow, Xander or Spike. Vertigo and Kuzui are looking to restart the story line without trampling on the beloved existing universe created by Whedon, putting the parties in a similar situation faced by Paramount, J.J. Abrams and his crew when relaunching "Star Trek."

One of the underlying ideas of "Buffy" allows Vertigo and Kuzui to do just that: that each generation has its own vampire slayer to protect it. The goal would be to make a darker, event-sized movie that would, of course, have franchise potential.

The parties are meeting with writers and hearing takes, and later will look for a home for the project. The producers do not rule out Whedon's involvement but have not yet reached out to him. Speaking from Tokyo, Fran Kuzui said the company is constantly approached not only about sequels but theater, video games and foreign remakes for "Buffy." When Vertigo's Lee contacted them, they were intrigued.

No.  No No NO!  This is just wrong.  And it simply cannot, under any circumstances, be compared to the successful - and enjoyable - reboot of Star Trek.  Permit me to explain.

I may be opening myself up to fan boy attack, but from what I've read and from my own talks with original Star Trek fans, the franchise was essentially dead.  Recent movies were declining in quality and were becoming mere parodies of themselves.  Much in the same way that Batman movies, before Batman Begins, were killing the franchise.  Handing the reins of Star Trek to an established and creative man like J.J. Abrams was a brilliant move.  So was giving Batman to Chris Nolan.  What harm could they have done?  It's not like they could have possibly made the situation worse (sorry, George Clooney, but it's true).  In the end, both filmmakers revitalized the franchises by portraying origin stories that brought the original characters back into sharp focus and made us care for them again.

Buffy is different.  While the series may have floundered a bit in middle seasons (I can admit this, for I am a die-hard fan), the show ended on a fantastic note.  The original 1992 movie was a horrible parody of all things vampire.  The movie was original written by Joss Whedon, but he has publicly claimed that the powers that be twisted his script into the final horrible, and unrecognizable, product.  The television show was his do-over and he did it so well.  It ended on a perfect note and even spun off the Angel series (of which, again, I am a huge fan).  Buffy is not dying.  She's not dead (anymore).  There is no need to reboot the franchise.

Ms. Kuzui talks of introducing new characters and a new storyline.  What for?  We don't give a flying flip about new characters.  It's the old characters we love.  Sarah Michelle Gellar's portrayal of Buffy.  Spike, Giles, Willow!  These are the people we cared about.  If Joss Whedon were to announce tomorrow that he was bringing back the original cast to do a Buffy movie under his direction I would pre-buy my ticket before filming even began.  However, you cannot capitalize on the recent - and still somewhat inexplicable - popularity of Twilight and vampires and remake the Buffy movie.

Fran Kuzui has apparently not directed a single movie since the original Buffy movie.  This does not bode well.  At least J.J. Abrams and Chris Nolan proved themselves as directors and creators before their franchise reboots.  You're playing with fire, Ms. Kuzui.  I hope you know what you're getting yourself into.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Rebooted Buffy Movie? Mistake. Without Whedon? Apocalypse!

Last week one small twitter post by actress Felicia Day sent the net abuzz with swirling rumors that Dollhouse had been canceled and would only get 12 episodes.  The rumor quickly proved to be false, but it also illustrates the tug-o-war between fans of Whedon and Dollhouse vs. the rest of the planet that seems to be waiting, mouth watering, for this show to fail.  But Dollhouse fans can relax, at least a little bit.  TVOvermind has come up with 6 reasons why Dollhouse will NOT (or at least shouldn't) be canceled.  So haters beware, Dollhouse is here to stay, at least for another season...well...maybe.

6 Reasons "Dollhouse" WILL (or should) be Renewed