Here are some brief notes on the status of current sci-fi /fantasy shows on the schedule for the 2008-2009 season. More in-depth coverage of individual shows, and overviews and details on the new shows planned for the Fall, will follow and continue throughout the summer. Several genre shows were renewed but won't reappear until early next year, so for fans of shows like Battlestar Galactica and Reaper it'll be a long wait.
- Battlestar Galactica (Sci Fi): The second half of season 4 (11 episodes) will air in 2009. All will be revealed, or so they say. The production was halted by the writers' strike, so the second half of the season should follow the same story arc but with a hint of a fresh perspective from what's already aired, leading up to the revelation of the twelfth Cylon and the discovery of "Earth."
- Bionic Woman (NBC): Canceled in February.
- Chuck (NBC): Season 2 will air on Mondays at 9 p.m. in the fall before Heroes, with the premiere scheduled for Sept. 29. Expect more action and adrenaline, new villains, continuing "bromance" between Chuck (Zachari Levi) and Morgan (Joshua Gomez), a focus on Chuck's relationship with Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski), and more of fan favorite Adam Baldwin.
- Doctor Who (Sci Fi): Season 5 will air in 2010 in the UK, with a new executive producer and lead writer but probably not a new Doctor; there will be several specials meanwhile. The good news is that BBC shows seem to be airing in America as quickly as possible, so the lag time will be less than in the past.
- Eli Stone (ABC): Season 2 will air in the fall, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. With Lost delayed until 2009, Eli's lead-in will be Dancing With the Stars.
- Eureka (Sci Fi): Season 3 premieres July 29, 2008. Producers advise us to expect a lighter tone after the darker depths plumbed last year; this translates in part into new gadgets and personalities being added to the already strange mix.
- Flash Gordon (Sci Fi): Canceled in April.
- Ghost Whisperer (CBS): Season 4 will air in the fall.
- Heroes (NBC): Season 3 (25 episodes) will air Monday nights at 9 p.m. in the fall, with new villains alongside Sylar (Zachary Quinto). NBC is planning an all-night celebration on Monday, Sept. 22 with an hourlong clip show followed by a two-hour premiere.
- Jericho (CBS): Canceled in March.
- Journeyman (NBC): Canceled in December.
- Knight Rider (NBC): Season 1 will air on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in the fall, following on the success of the pilot/TV movie. The premiere is Sept. 24. Is The Hoff going to be a major presence? Not likely.
- Kyle XY (ABC Family): Season 3 (10 episodes) will air starting in January 2009.
- Medium (NBC): Renewed for midseason 2009, eventually to air Sundays at 9 p.m.
- Moonlight (CBS): Canceled in May.
- New Amsterdam (Fox): Canceled in May.
- Pushing Daisies (ABC): Season 2 will air in the fall. Producer/writer Lawrence Trilling (Felicity, Alias) has joined the team. Early storylines will deal with the revelation that Lily (Swoosie Kurtz) is Chuck (Anna Friel)'s mother, bring back Alfredo (Raúl Esparza), and resolve the Oscar (Paul Reubens) storyline.
- Reaper (The CW): Season 2 (13 episodes) will air in spring 2009.
- Smallville (The CW): Season 8, likely the last season, will air in the fall. Michael Rosenbaum and Kristin Kreuk will be in a reduced number of episodes, and Alison Mack's involvement is still up in the air; the producers seem interested in finally concentrating on creating a new Clark/Lois dynamic, which could leave Chloe sidelined anyway. A major new threat from the DC canon, plus a villainess, are slated for the new season.
- Stargate Atlantis (Sci Fi): Season 5 premieres July 11, 2008, with a new commander (longtime recurring fussbudget Woolsey, played by Robert Picardo) and a new away-missions team.
- Supernatural (The CW): Season 4 will air in the fall. Not that there was any doubt, but Eric Kripke has confirmed that Jensen Ackles, whose character Dean died and went to hell in the season finale, will still be just as much the co-star of the show as ever. Any other show you'd be written out with prejudice, but for Supernatural getting sent to hell is just a character arc.
- Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox): Season 2 will air in the fall, on Mondays at 8 p.m. (opposite Chuck).
- Torchwood (BBC America): Season 3 has been confirmed but not yet scheduled.
