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It's Always Sunny ... in Space

By Steven Lloyd Wilson | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (31)

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Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day, creators (and stars of) “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” are developing a sci-fi comedy called “Boldly Going Nowhere.” It focuses on the mundane day to day life of normal people who happen to live on a spaceship. They’ve already shot a version of the pilot but are going back to rewrite the script and reshoot it to have a bit more of a science fiction flavor to it. It’s a neat idea, with echoes of “Red Dwarf” and the meta-idea that good science fiction is about people who don’t know they’re in science fiction, they’re just living their normal lives. One of the reasons Star Wars was so successful was that it made space dirty, grimy and infested with selfish people instead of the shiny hypoallergenic pseudo-utopia of 2001 and the like. Of course, I’d watch this even if they just froze the characters from “Always Sunny” and woke them up in a thousand years. Green Man … in space. The Nightman Cometh … in space. Everything is better if you add “… in space” to the end.

Of course, they’re talking to Fox, so the new pilot will probably end up shot over a weekend and have absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the series, which will air at times decided by a random number generator, but only out of order on a Turkish game show channel. Eventually we’ll get to see all thirteen episodes on DVD at which point some other studio will make a feature film for us.

Random tidbit of the day: Steven Spielberg is producing an untitled show for TNT dealing with an alien invasion, starring Noah Wylie. Noah Wylie, TNT’s answer to Kevin Sorbo.

The best news though, in order to wash those horrid Teen Choda Awards from your palate was that the Hugo awards were presented yesterday. Basically the Hugos are like the Teen Choice Awards except instead of “Teen” you have “Sci-Fi Notables.” Sort of like the difference between “feces” and “chocolate.”

Joss Whedon won, with Doctor Horrible beating out a couple of “Doctor Who” episodes. Neil Gaiman’s latest novel won that category. WALL-E? Eh. Seems a little mainstream, but the movie category really doesn’t matter much. The awards and nominations are a great way to find a handful of really good science fiction novels or short stories to read next, and the television nominees generally give a good idea of which sci-fi television shows are real quality as opposed to pulp (entertaining though that may be). Here’s the full list of winners, and you can check out the full list of nominees, and breakdowns of vote counts if that’s your thing on the Hugo website.

• Best Novel: The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins; Bloomsbury UK)
• Best Novella: “The Erdmann Nexus”, Nancy Kress (Asimov’s Oct/Nov 2008)
• Best Novelette: “Shoggoths in Bloom”, Elizabeth Bear (Asimov’s Mar 2008)
• Best Short Story: “Exhalation”, Ted Chiang (Eclipse Two)
• Best Related Book: Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded: A Decade of Whatever, 1998-2008, John Scalzi (Subterranean Press)
• Best Graphic Story: Girl Genius, Volume 8: Agatha Heterodyne and the Chapel of Bones, Written by Kaja & Phil Foglio, art by Phil Foglio, colors by Cheyenne Wright (Airship Entertainment)
• Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: WALL-E Andrew Stanton & Pete Docter, story; Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon, screenplay; Andrew Stanton, director (Pixar/Walt Disney)
• Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Joss Whedon, & Zack Whedon, & Jed Whedon, & Maurissa Tancharoen, writers; Joss Whedon, director (Mutant Enemy)
• Best Editor Short Form: Ellen Datlow
• Best Editor Long Form: David G. Hartwell
• Best Professional Artist: Donato Giancola
• Best Semiprozine: Weird Tales, edited by Ann VanderMeer & Stephen H. Segal
• Best Fan Writer: Cheryl Morgan
• Best Fanzine: Electric Velocipede edited by John Klima
• Best Fan Artist: Frank Wu









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Comments

Joss Whedon won, with Doctor Horrible beating out a couple of “Doctor Who” episodes.

YOU FUCKING PEOPLE!!

Posted by: Jay at August 10, 2009 8:07 PM

I don't understand how Doctor Horrible and Doctor Who would even be in the same category. Love them both, mind you, but they aren't the same kind of thing at all. Apples and zebras.

Posted by: Lindsey with an 'e' at August 10, 2009 8:30 PM

The Nightman Cometh … in space. Everything is better if you add “… in space” to the end.

That'll be mentioned when the Disney company pitches it's next production, The Jonas Brothers on Ice... In Space 3D.

(Of course that will be better, because in space, no one can hear you sing. -SLW)

Posted by: George at August 10, 2009 8:36 PM

Dr. Horrible was sci fi? On what planet?

Posted by: Cindy at August 10, 2009 8:45 PM

He had a FREEZE RAY (It's not a death ray or an icebeam that's all Johnny Snow)! That's totally sci-fi, Cindy.

Posted by: Lainey at August 10, 2009 8:55 PM

"Dr. Horrible was sci fi? On what planet?"

That freeze ray. Stopping the world and shit.

Posted by: Mick J at August 10, 2009 9:01 PM

And the pain too, I suppose.

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Posted by: william at August 10, 2009 9:56 PM

Hmm, I suppose the fucking ray makes it technically qualified by a hair, but still! To put it up against Dr. Who is a travesty.

Posted by: Cindy at August 10, 2009 10:46 PM

I am blaming each and every one of you, Cindy. And I'm in a bad mood anyway.

Posted by: Jay at August 10, 2009 11:10 PM

What the fuck did I do?

Posted by: Cindy at August 10, 2009 11:19 PM

Well, I don't know if you did or not, but I'm blaming the entirety of Pajiba for Moffat getting robbed.

Posted by: Jay at August 10, 2009 11:30 PM

Any idea if Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day will be in the new show at all? I doubt they'd be able to star in two different shows at once, but if they were minor characters that would be cool.

Posted by: Moose at August 10, 2009 11:42 PM

Including yourself?

Posted by: Cindy at August 10, 2009 11:43 PM

No, I never watched that junk.

Posted by: Jay at August 10, 2009 11:46 PM

Well you missed out on some fun there. But really, it had no business being up against the good Doctor in any sort of category. And if it was, I certainly wouldn't vote for Horrible over Who. So stop being bitter toward us and direct your anger instead at the idiots who posed such a contest.

Posted by: Cindy at August 10, 2009 11:52 PM

Hmph. I have to kill Whedon.

Posted by: Jay at August 10, 2009 11:56 PM

Neil Gaiman? The Graveyard Book? How does a non-SF novel win the Hugo for best novel?

Posted by: Keith at August 11, 2009 7:48 AM

What, pray tell, is the difference between a novel, a novella, and a novelette? Also, what is a related book? Because that Scalzi book sounds fantastic, but related? Furthermore, I thought they did a horror and a fantasy section for the Hugo Awards?

Please, Doctor Batman, help me to understand!

Posted by: Prisco at August 11, 2009 9:55 AM

Novels, novellas and novelettes are defined by number of words. I don't think there's any really accepted industry standard, but I believe the awards committees defines them at the time they're considered for nomination.

Posted by: Wednesday at August 11, 2009 9:59 AM

I'm going to see the cast of Sunny perform "The Nightman Cometh" when they come.... to Boston next month!

(Not entirely related to this post, except for the fact that it's totally and completely awesome.)

Posted by: Ariel at August 11, 2009 10:03 AM

Yeah, I love me some Gaiman and am always quite pleased to see him win awards, but The Graveyard Book isn't remotely sci-fi. It's straight up fantasy.

And, actually, this might be the first year where I'm almost okay with Moffat not winning the Annual Hugo Award For Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Being Steven Moffat. The Library two parter was the weakest of his DW episodes. (Which is like saying Cars is the weakest Pixar film, it's still years ahead of everything else in its field.)

Moffat will easily take this category next year. A little more love for superhero musicals doesn't represent the end of the world.

Posted by: Alice at August 11, 2009 10:18 AM

I have to kill Whedon.

No big deal for me. Dr. Horrible is the only thing of his I've really liked. I'm sure someone else could make great use of NPH and Nathan.

Posted by: Cindy at August 11, 2009 10:27 AM

You're comparing River Song to Larry The Cable Guy? The world doesn't need superhero musicals.

Posted by: Jay at August 11, 2009 12:17 PM

So, "...in space" is the new "...in my pants", is what you're saying?

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at August 11, 2009 12:32 PM

I think it'd be more accurate to say that I'm comparing River Song to Bonnie Hunt. Or, if it'll make you feel better, River Song to Paul Newman.

And the world needs many things. Superhero and Doctor Who musicals among them.

Posted by: Alice at August 11, 2009 12:51 PM

The world doesn't need superhero musicals.

It doesn't NEED low-budget sci-fi shows either. Doesn't make either any less wanted.

Jeez dude, at first I thought it was a joke, but really, get a grip. There can't be a sadder site in the world than a nerd getting upset over another nerd's success.

Posted by: Vermillion at August 11, 2009 12:56 PM

I'm just talking about justice, man. Plain and simple.

Posted by: Jay at August 11, 2009 1:33 PM

I have to kill Whedon.

FINALLY Jay and I agree on who needs to die around here. Sheesh. Even if it took Doctor Who to do it.

Posted by: figgy at August 11, 2009 2:13 PM

I'm just talking about justice, man. Plain and simple.

Oh boo the fuck hoo.

I agree it is weird that the two were even competing, because they were two different tones, but acting like it was a crime is just ridiculous. Really, any of the nominees winning would have been fantastic.

Justice? Whatever. At this point, as long as there is not one single inch of Twilight-related material on the list, you should be fucking thrilled on general principle.

Posted by: Vermillion at August 11, 2009 2:42 PM

you should be fucking thrilled on general principle.

Heh, you probably watch Buffy.

Posted by: Jay at August 11, 2009 3:09 PM