Surfing SF: Weekly Roundup, or H.G. Wells Is Hot

This was a big week for SF TV, including the season premieres of three SyFy series, new episodes of Futurama, True Blood, and several other, lesser shows, and a U.S. Premiere for another Doctor Who episode. What was that about July doldrums? But out of all this, my patented Pick of the Week is the second Season Premiere for Warehouse 13, “Time Will Tell”.

If you were on vacation or your TV broke or something, this is the one episode from this week you should go back and watch. It’s my… Pick of the Week!

Warehouse 13 did not sound like a very promising show when you first heard the concept, but now it’s the biggest hit the SyFy Channel’s got, and with good reason. The season premiere may not have been perfect, but it did a great job of showing what the show does well. It was just so much fun! It also introduced the show’s new recurring villain, who is a very pretty female version of H.G. Wells. Yes, this is awesome. Steampunk for everybody! You can watch the episode now on Hulu.

This week could be just as packed as last week, so here’s your viewing schedule. Remember, all times Eastern:

Monday

New

-I sort of forgot this show even existed, but there’s a new Persons Unknown at 8 on NBC. It’s called “The Truth”, so it might be exciting, you never know.

Re-Runs

-If for some dark and terrible reason you’re still not hip to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, aka the Greatest Show Ever, today’s you’re lucky day. The first ten episodes of the first season are re-running on LOGO from 6pm to 3am. Set your TiVO now.

Tuesday

New

-This week’s Warehouse 13 may be about fighting superheroic H.G. Wells and her speed-vest. (it’s called “Mild Mannered”) However, the real highlight is that this episode features a guest star reunion: both Jewel Staite and Sean Maher are on the show this week. Will they have scenes together? Will they make out? Tune in to SyFy at 9 to find out.

Re-Runs

-In case you missed it, SyFy is re-running the Haven pilot at 7. Maybe you won’t be as perplexed as I was.

Thursday

New

-There’s a new Futurama on Comedy Central at 10. It’s called “The Duh Vinci Code”. I’m there.

Re-Runs

-”Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?”, a period-piece Angel episode tinged with McCarthyism and paranoia, is on TNT at 6am. Joss Whedon still says this may be his favorite episode of the show.

Friday

New

-Can Eureka follow up on the promise of its big cliffhanger last week and get me to watch every week? Find out at 9 on SyFy with “A New World”, in which those that traveled into the past discover the subtly changed present their trip created. James Callis returns as “40s Guy With Dodgy American Accent”!

-Also, Haven has a new episode at 10 on SyFy that looks a little more Stephen King-y, titled “Butterfly”. It appears to involve a crazy preacher guy, which is always fun.

Re-Runs

-Stargate may be out of season, but you can still get your classic SG-1 fix at 6 on SyFy with “The Road Not Taken”, where Carter ends up in alternate universe (because of Merlin, if I remember right… this show was weird) and aliens are attacking and Landry is President.

Saturday

New

-If you’re watching Doctor Who on the BBC America schedule, you’re in for a treat this week. The first half of the season finale, “The Pandorica Opens”, airs at 9. As cliffhangers go, it’s hard to beat the one you’ll see here.

Sunday

New

-Oh, True Blood, I have no idea what you’ll have waiting for me this week. The next episode is at 9 on HBO, and is just called “Trouble”. The promo tells me it appears to involve lots of fang-bearing and also James Frain asking Tara to be his “vampire bride”. This series was just nominated for an Emmy for Best Drama, I’d like to point out.

-If you’ve been keeping up with The Gates, which honestly I really haven’t, you may enjoy the new episode at 10 on ABC, entitled “The Monster Within”. This show is not a fan of subtle episode titles.

Re-Runs

-BBC America prepares for the return of Being Human to American TV with a marathon of previous episodes from 8am to 3:30pm. If you haven’t seen this series about a vampire, werewolf, and ghost sharing a flat in Bristol, England, it’s worth checking out. It sounds like a sitcom but is pretty much played as a drama, though it has a dollop of True Blood-style crazy to go with it.