Anyone with a GPS can tell you that the voice is one of the most important things about setting up your GPS. Customizing that perfect person to tell you where to go is about as important as choosing your ringtone for your cellphone. Now you can have a couple monsters tell you where that next right turn is before you get horribly lost.

Locutio has partnered with Sesame Workshop to bring Cookie Monster to Garmin GPS systems worldwide. You can see the voice in action in the video below:

Here’s just some of the phrases from Cookie Monster:

• “There’s traffic ahead, recalculating. Oh boy, me wish me hadn’t eaten calculator.”
• “Yeah, yeah, in one quarter of mile, turn left, dumb di dumb dumb dumb…”
• “You have reached destination. And now…COOOOOOKIES!, nom nom nom. ::BURP:: Excuse me, that me.”

Cookie Monster is now available for $12.99 at Garmin.com and SpotItOut.com.

Not bad for having a muppet take a drive with you. We’re pretty sure it’ll keep your kids entertained at least.

If Cookie Monster isn’t your thing (who are you?) then you can wait a bit until the release of Oscar the Grouch who’ll charmingly say things like:

• “Unless you WANT to get lost, in one mile, turn left. Not that I care what you do.”
• “Traffic ahead, recalculating. Even though I love traffic, it makes everyone so grouchy.”
• “You have reached your destination. No need to thank me, I can’t stand good manners.”

Or buy them both and switch them depending your mood!

It’s been two years since Spartacus: Blood and Sand left it’s indelible mark on cable television. The smartly written, blood and gore soaked series titillated audiences in a way probably not seen since the Roman times the series is set in. This adults-only drama is part comic-book gore and part-backstabbing-thriller/drama. But it’s been two long years for fans to see what happens to Spartacus next. Sure, we had the very amazing and tantelizing prequel, Gods of the Arena, but after the Blood and Sand blood-bath finale, it’s time to find out what happens next.

Lisa and I were invited to the red carpet screening of the first episode of Spartacus: Vengeance and mixed and mingled with fans and Hollywood alumns who all craved a little of the arena blood.

Of course, most fans know why the long wait. Lead, Andy Whitfield, whose performance as Spartacus was as legendary as the man himself, sadly was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and later succumb to the disease.  Robert Tapert, one of the Executive Producers, explained before the screening that Andy made sure that the cast and crew knew how much he wanted the series to go on once he realized he could not perform. The touching part of the screening was the final part of the episode contains a tribute to Andy, which, I’ll admit, made me a bit teary eyed.

Liam McIntyre at Premire of Spartacus: Vengeance 1/18/12 Photo credit: / WENN

The event, held at the Archlight Theater on Sunset, was a lot of fun. Costumes from the series and props were on display and free popcorn/soda provided for guests. The red carpet was full of fans and photographers waiting to catch a glimpse of the stars (who film in New Zeland, so it was fun to see them in LA). Including our new Spartacus, Liam McIntyre.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t quite ready to let go of Andy as Spartacus. After all, he was the actor portraying the character that I held my breath for, that I cheered for, that I wanted to see get his vengeance. But, as we watched the first episode, my fears were quickly dispersed. Liam brings the quiet rage that we had come to love from Spartacus.

I won’t spoil the episode, you can watch it for yourself on Jan 27th on Starz, but I will say that Spartacus is back with all of it’s bloody glory. There were quite a few surprises and some very “ewwwww” turn your head moments. I have to give props to the writers making the story fit seamlessly with the first series. It’s like we never left.

If you need to catch up before the new series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand is available on Netflix Instant currently. Just remember it is as violent as ancient Rome was, with strong language and nudity.

The People’s Choice Awards are up for voting, the one award show where you have a part to play in who gets the win. This is a great chance for shows that never get the recognition we viewers feel they deserve. Head on over to: http://bit.ly/arSy9z and vote for your favorite stars, music and TV shows!

For my money, here’s some of my picks and why:

Favorite Movie

• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Very rarely do I say this, but this movie was better than the originals. Very funny, lots of Johnny Depp, an interesting plot line and amazing visuals. “I had stirrings,” for this movie.

Favorite Network TV Drama

• Supernatural  - Despite a lot of fan wank over this season, I think it’s been fantastic. Did you see the Fall finale? Had me on the edge of my seat at the end and screaming at the TV. Supernatural pulls off with a small cast what most TV series can only dream of – it has warmth, heart, and monsters. What more could we want? Jared and Jensen deserve massive amounts of praise for delivering stellar performances every week. The amount of emotion and angst the two can portray in a couple simple looks is amazing. So my votes for SPN all the way.

Halloween is supposed to be nothing but fun for kids.

Yet there are some scary statistics out there right now about our children.

For one, this is the first generation of American children whose life expectancy is now shorter than their parents.

And for another, if the current trend continues, one in every three children will develop diabetes in her lifetime.

“But Halloween is only one holiday. Why can’t we let kids eat all the candy they want?” some might ask.

If candy were only doled out by the handful once a year, it might be all right. (Even then, some parents would prefer moderation and still, we would face the issues of the unhealthy chemicals in the candy.)

But the fact is that many of our holidays have turned into sweetfests-Valentine’s Day and Easter, for example, to say nothing of kids’ birthday parties and other celebrations throughout the year. Add to this the candy children receive if they accompany you to the bank (even the doctor!), the dry cleaners or pet store. Some teachers even hand out candy as a reward for good behavior.

So it’s not about once a year. It’s about recognizing the impact of our national sweet tooth (and our reliance on artificially derived and modified ingredients), and how we can help our children to enjoy healthy and safe alternatives, even when celebrating.

What to give instead?

If you don’t want to hand out conventional candy this year, what can you substitute? Lots of things.

You can choose from an assortment of organic candies, and/or those made without dyes and preservatives, and that use juice or fruit for sweetening.

Or consider honey sticks, a favorite among kids of all ages. (But do not give honey to children under the age of two.)

If you’d prefer to skip the candy altogether but still want to offer food-how about real fruit strips and rolls, dried organic fruit, whole food bars, raw or toasted nuts (check with parents of young children due to allergy concerns), natural gum, organic crispy rice bars, or pumpkin and other seeds. (For a longer list with specific brands, check out www.GreenHalloween.org)

Treasures instead of treats?

Another alternative is to substitute “treasures” for treats.

Think about it this way. When you empty your kids’ pockets before doing the laundry, what do you find? These are things your children think of as precious even if you do not-bits of shiny paper, rock crystals, acorns, for example.

So when it comes to treasures, don’t dismiss them just because you think kids will turn up their noses. Ask them! You might be surprised that they would be happy to receive stickers, friendship bracelets, coins (who doesn’t love money?), polished rocks, sea shells, cookie cutters, or other small items. (Lots more treasure ideas at Green Halloween.)

Enter the bowl

To ensure you offer something children will like, fill a bowl with a variety of treats and treasures, then invite children to take their pick. You will no doubt be surprised at their choices.

At a Halloween event a couple of years ago, we placed a bowl filled with feathers on a table in our booth. Adults passed by without a second glance. But as kids approached, their eyes grew wide and they asked, “Can I have one?” So many wanted a feather that we ran out in an hour. They blew them into the air, they tried to tickle themselves (or their siblings), or lightly brushed the feathers against their cheeks. Boys, girls, teens and tweens all had the same reaction.

Who would think that today’s children who seem to be entertained only when they are plugged in, could enjoy something as simple as a feather?

So this Halloween, offer lots of choices, allow children to pick their favorite instead of taking a handful (which, no matter what is chosen, is not only better for kids’ health, but also should cut down on your purchase costs) and feel great about providing the children who come to your door with a healthier Halloween.

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net

It’s been fun to be able to rewatch The Big Bang Theory 5 nights a week. Rewatching “The Middle Earth Paradigm” from season 1 really reminded me of how well-developed the characters were from the first season. In the episode the boys get dressed for a costume party at Penny’s. Leonard goes as Frodo, Howard as Robin Hood (but he keeps getting mistaken for Peter Pan), Raj as Thor, and Sheldon as “the doppler effect.” Penny? She just goes as a cat.
It’s funny how revealing the costumes are. Leonard at this point of the show is on a never ending quest, only instead of a ring, he’s questing for Penny’s affection. Also, as a hobbit, he plays off his own height issues (especially later when confronting Penny’s ex-boyfriend who is way taller than him).

Sheldon’s famous quote about his costume is, “I don’t care if people get it, I’m going as the doppler effect.” True to his own character who most people don’t really get, but Sheldon doesn’t care.

Howard, who believes himself to be a suave, charming ladies man goes as Robin Hood, but much like real life he’s often mistaken for Peter Pan, the boy who won’t grow up. Especially since Howard still lives at home and has a disturbing relationship with his mother.

Raj, who is incapable of speaking around women, dresses as Thor, the loudest of the Norse gods. Which may be Raj’s aspirations, but comes far from the truth.

Since it’s nearly Halloween it really got me thinking about Halloween and what costume people choose. What do you think, what does your costume say about you?

Keep watching The Big Bang Theory 5 Nights a Week! Check: http://www.bigbangweeknights.com/ for your local listings.

I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Big Bang Theory in Syndication.

WARNING SPOILERS FOR SEASON 4 of The Big Bang Theory.

In Season 4 of The Big Bang Theory Penny, the lone female lead in a cast of four males, finally got some girl friends. Now, I love The Bang Theory, but these two new girls (Bernadette and Amy) added some much needed balance to the cast (and some female nerds, which was awesome).

There’s something refreshing about the larger cast, mainly because it adds more maturity to the show (in a way) because Penny, Bernadette, and Amy can discuss relationships, work, friendship in a way that the male characters can’t. Of course, the relationship was necessary because of Leonard’s new relationship with Raj’s sister (Priya) caused Penny not to hang out in Sheldon and Leonard’s apartment. Poor lonely Penny needed friends of her own (and more excuses to film in Penny’s apartment) and she got them.

Deep friendships with the opposite gender are explored a lot on The Big Bang Theory and I’m happy that the girls and boys have their own time to discuss things together that may be awkward or impossible to discuss with a mix gender group. Plus, it’s led to some great situational humor as Amy tries to have the female friendships she should have had growing up.

Relive all of the fun girl friend moments with The Big Bang Theory Season 4 on DVD/Blu-Ray.

I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Big Bang Theory Season 4 on DVD.

[Press Release] ION Television premieres its newly acquired hit police drama “Flashpoint” on Tuesday, October 18 at 10pm ET/PT with new original episodes. ION Television, the new home for the award-winning series, will schedule “Flashpoint” in a two-hour block on Tuesdays from 10pm-12am ET/PT and again on Saturdays from 9-11pm ET/PT.

To support the series launch, ION Television will unveil an integrated marketing campaign, including television, print, out-of-home & digital advertising. As part of the campaign for the first-time ever, ION will feature a Quick Response code on all printed marketing elements, which will provide fans access to exclusive cast interviews, a never-before-seen sneak peek from the premiere episode and entry into the ‘Flashpoint Alert’ contest, starting September 26th. The online contest provides fans a chance to win weekly cash prizes by scheduling the premiere episode onto their digital calendars and their social media platforms.

ION Television, a top-10 network, acquired the rights to all existing episodes and future production of “Flashpoint” from CBS Television Distribution earlier this year. The production of the season’s upcoming episodes marked ION Television’s first venture into originals planned by the network in the coming year.

“Flashpoint” joins ION Television’s primetime line-up of hit off-network series such as “Psych,” Monk,” “Criminal Minds,” and “Without a Trace,” and its blockbuster theatricals, which have driven record ratings for the network. The new series joins the schedule on the heels of ION’s recent acquisition of the hit series “Leverage” and “House,” both set to launch on ION in 2012.

Starring Hugh Dillon (Durham County), Enrico Colantoni (Veronica Mars), Amy Jo Johnson (Felicity) and David Paetkau (Whistler), “Flashpoint” is the nail-biting cop drama and an emotional journey into the tough, risk-filled lives of a group of police in the Strategic Response Unit (inspired by Toronto’s Emergency Task Force). Members of a highly-skilled tactical team, they are trained in negotiating, profiling and getting inside the subject’s head to understand the emotional breaking point (the “flashpoint”) that triggered the crisis.

“Flashpoint” is produced by Pink Sky Entertainment and Avamar Entertainment in association with CTV and CBS. Executive producers are Anne Marie La Traverse and Bill Mustos. Creators are Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern. David Frazee is Series Consultant.

Anderson Cooper has a new talk show so he sat down with US Weekly to discuss 25 things you may not know about him. Read more about Anderson over at US Weekly. Find out about his new talk show at andersoncooper.com.

1. I started going gray in college.

2. I wish I still had brown hair.

3. I love my Real Housewives of Atlanta and Beverly Hills. Miami, not so much.

4. I met Charlie Chaplin when I was 6. I have a photo, but no actual memory of it.

5. I am very disorganized.

6. Shopping for clothes makes my head hurt.

7. I work out nearly every day. Yes, I know how annoying that sounds.

8. I love fast food.

9. I need to eat better.

10. I collected toy soldiers when I was young.

11. I became a reporter by going to wars by myself with a camera and a fake press pass.

12. I’ve been addicted to TV since I was little.

13. I was a Dungeons & Dragons geek when I was young. I spent a lot of time indoors.

14. I can fall asleep anywhere at any time.

15. I was a child model. Embarrassing!

16. I don’t drink any hot liquids. No tea, no coffee.

17. Oddly, my favorite ice cream flavor is coffee.

18. I don’t like to wear sunglasses, no matter how bright out it is.

19. I struggled with dyslexia as a child.

20. Chocolate chip cookies make me happy.

21. I can’t sing, and won’t try.

22. I like to dance, but never on TV.

23. I’ve bitten my nails for as long as I can remember.

24. I am a dog person and have a dog named Molly, but I’ve recently discovered cats are OK too.

25. I like to assume the best about people, until I am proven wrong.

This past season of the Big Bang Theory we saw a lot more of the boys at work at CalTech. Their office life is something that I envy! Imagine being surrounded by cool lasers and a cafeteria that lets you take as many napkins as you want. My last office job was full of geeks much like CalTech, but it seemed to have a higher ratio of females than CalTech.

One of the things I love about the Big Bang Theory is a lot of the relationships between the characters are centered around hanging out and eating. It’s no different at their work where a lot of pivotal discussions and introduction of new character/plots happen in the cafeteria. A lot of my co-worker bonding time has been around food as well (shared lunches, free lunch Friday, etc). There’s something universal about sharing a meal together.

Of course, I’ve never spent overnight sleeping at my office like Sheldon did when he refused to learn how to drive. But in a lot of other ways my office experiences were similar to the ones you see on The Big Bang Theory… except for the laser part.

How about you? Do you and your co-workers bond over lunch? Do you get to work with lasers (okay, I’m super jealous of the laser bit, I admit)?

Buy The Big Bang Theory Season 4 on DVD/BluRay! http://bit.ly/nAnZ5T

I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote The Big Bang Theory Season 4 on DVD.

I am a geek, but I am also a girl. I enjoy my geeky shows like Smallville, Buffy, and Star Wars, but I also enjoy a good teen drama, like The OC, Dawson’s Creek, and Gossip Girl. The characters on Gossip Girl are loved and hated, sometimes all in one episode.

Here are my top 5 favorite characters on Gossip Girl.

5. Eric van der Woodsen: Eric is the voice of reason many times on the show. He doesn’t agree with the fight for social power that Jenny and Blair undertake, though he gets caught up in it more times than he’d like. Eric isn’t one of the major players on the show, but he is one of the more true to life characters.

4. Gossip Girl: This never seen on the show character makes the list because we wouldn’t have the show without her. She has eyes everywhere and a must read blog. Voiced by Kristen Bell, Gossip Girl makes and breaks relationships, loves a good scandal, and outs anyone she can. Maybe one day we’ll find out her true identity.

3. Serena van der Woodsen: Serena is the good girl of the Upper East Side, well most of the time. Serena used to be a wild child, but she has reformed. When Serena does go a little crazy, it’s usually because of something to do with her best friend, Blair. Serena has been in an on-again-off-again relationship with Dan Humphrey for years, and sometimes with Nate Archibald in between. I like Serena best when she’s not with a guy, but trying some self discovery. Of course this usually leads to her hooking up with a guy!

2. Blair Waldorf: While Serena is usually thinking of things in the minute, Blair is always thinking about her future. While in high school, she made sure she was Queen Bee, top of the social ladder. She is always aware of what will help her reach her social potential, which is very important on the Upper East Side. This also applies to who Blair dates. She has been in love with Chuck for years, but might now be marrying a prince. Blair usually gets what she wants through questionable (or downright nefarious) means, which makes rooting for her a very strange experience as a viewer.

1. Chuck Bass: I hated Chuck in early season 1 of Gossip Girl. He was so slimy and basically evil. He is still both of those things, but he’s one of the bad boys you just love. I think it happened when he fell in love with Blair, that’s when Chuck became a person. Chuck has had some very bad things happen to him, so he’s a sympathetic character when he’s not being a jerk. Chuck can make anything happen. He has money, power, and influence. If it weren’t for his love of Blair Waldorf, he’d probably be the most powerful business man in New York. Blair is his weakness, and quite the distraction. Also, just to show my girly side, Chuck gets the number one spot because when he utters the line, “I’m Chuck Bass,” it’s just so hot!

Honorable Mention: Georgina Sparks must be included in this list somewhere, but not being a main character, I couldn’t put her in the top 5. When Georgina shows up, portrayed by Michelle Trachtenburg, you know that trouble is coming and mayhem will ensue.

Catch up on Gossip Girl S1 and click here to buy the entire series of Gossip Girl Books at DeepDiscount.com.

An extensive look at why Buffy the Vampire Slayer has a difficult path to Blu-ray ahead, and what needs to change for the transfer to become a successful reality.

Why Buffy may never be Blu.
by John Pavlich

In episode 47 of the always entertaining and informative internet series HD Nation, co-host Patrick Norton listed some of his personal choices for DVDs in desperate need of a High Definition upgrade. His final selection on that list? Joss Whedon’s epic, Horror-Drama series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This reminded me of the numerous times I’ve made that very same request into my Magic 8 Ball, and the consistent reply that would always return, “Don’t count on it.” With that, I decided to take a deeper look at just why we may never see Buffy get the Blu-ray treatment.

Hardcore fans may be quick to point out that the first two seasons were shot using 16 millimeter film, later upgrading to standard 35 for the remainder of Buffy’s seven-season run on TV. While this is true, it has no real effect on the Blu-ray dream becoming a reality. Such a format could conceivably be transferred to 1080p HD resolution. The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre from 1974 being one example.

Aspect ratio could be a deciding factor, but is more of a simple judgment call at this point. Currently, Buffy can be viewed in Widescreen via both iTunes and the Netflix streaming video service, Watch Instantly. Not to mention, the Region 2 and Region 4 DVDs (Europe and Australia, respectively) are presented this way. One could argue for any of those options to be used as source material, but it would be a big mistake. With the exception of the famous musical episode “Once More with Feeling”, Buffy was shot for broadcast television during the late nineties and early two-thousands, the traditional framing format at the time being a more squared, 4 by 3. This is not simply a matter of purity.

When the complete series was re-released and re-packaged on DVD as The Chosen Collection, show creator Joss Whedon included a special note to consumers, explaining that Buffy was framed for the “full frame” TV format, and was always meant to be viewed accordingly, meaning you were never intended to see beyond the borders of this industry standard.

Before you go crying “foul” and feeling ripped-off, I’d like you to take a look at something. Though Buffy was produced using normal, wide picture film cameras, these devices have preset borders within the viewfinders and display monitors. They’re used to keep the director of photography from “coloring outside the lines”, making for a more centered and TV-friendly picture. Below, I’ve included two different examples of the same image. They’re from the Season Four finale, “Restless” (my personal favorite episode of the entire series).

The first screen capture is from the standard definition DVD, which itself was taken from the original, broadcast version, the way it was meant to be seen.

The second screen capture is the “widescreen” version, pulled from video streaming via Netflix.

In the first shot, the image stops at the trash bin to the left, and Xander’s shirt collar to the right. In the second shot, we now see a random row of chairs set off to the side in the background. That’s not the big problem. The big problem is the now present, huge stage light sticking out from a hole in the ceiling. Equally as distracting, is what appears to be a C-Stand just sitting off to the left side of frame, next to the bin.

Need something more? How about these pics of a frame from later in the same episode? In this scene, Buffy is making a case for her friends being a crucial element to her success as a Slayer. The camera then cuts to the image you see before you, of The First Slayer declaring “No friends! We are alone!” After those words are spoken, The Cheese Man steps into frame, breaking the tension.

Now, because of the widescreen enhancement, we can see him waiting off to the side, while The First Slayer is talking. Not only is this distracting, but it basically ruins the moment.

If that’s not enough to convince you that Buffy in widescreen is an ill-advised atrocity, I finally offer up the shots of this frame from episode eleven of season six, “Gone” (not a big fan of that episode, but I digress). In a few wacky steps, Buffy has become invisible. She uses this ability to manipulate Dawn’s file in a Social Worker’s computer, undetected. We’re given Buffy’s point of view, as her phantom fingers magically peck at the keyboard.

Once again, thanks to the misguided expansion of the frame, the effect is totally blown, revealing a mass of wires running out from under one side of the keyboard.

These complaints are fairly irrelevant though, since there is no written rule stating a Blu-ray release must implement the widescreen format. The real roadblocks crop up when considering how much time, money and man power a video distribution company is willing to spend. Buffy the Vampire Slayer may have been shot on film, but the post-production process was done using footage transferred to video tape. Editing, animation and optical effects were all applied after the image had been downgraded, so as to assist in a faster, more cost effective post-production period. This was ultimately the footage used for broadcast television. Coupled with massive compression techniques (squeezing four episodes of the show, special features and overly-flashy menus onto a single disc), this is why the eventual DVDs mostly look so, let’s face it, terrible. Too often, the episodes look like VHS tape quality, because they are VHS tape quality. Somehow, season four looks comparatively nicer, but that’s a mystery for another time.

By now, you’re probably reminding me of Paramount’s extensive restoration of Star Trek: The Original Series for Blu-ray. Unfortunately, a lot of special circumstances made such an undertaking possible. Star Trek is a cherished classic franchise, spanning more than forty years of entertainment, from over ten films and at least five television incarnations. Buffy, not so much. Though very beloved and popular within certain eclectic circles, Buffy still maintains a more cult status, not that there’s anything wrong with that at all. The 2009 re-imagining of Star Trek had a lot of influence on the series restoration as well, which resulted in a renewed interest in the property.

Recently, there have been rumblings of a possible revamp with a new film about the Slayer mythology. The difference here being, a potential blu-ray restoration of the series depends greatly on the monetary profit of the new film, if it ever does happen. Basically, it would be a proof of concept. Discussing this notion, it’s nearly impossible not to think of Serenity, the motion picture rendition of Joss Whedon’s other highly valued TV show, Firefly. Imagine what could have been, had Serenity proved to be financially viable.

Regardless, Firefly did eventually receive a Blu-ray transfer. Reason being, Firefly is a consistently popular title for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. If you’ll recall, the studio had no desire at the time to tell this story on at the multiplex. Thus, Universal Studios put up the dough and bought the rights to make Serenity a reality. Though the film broke almost even at the box office, the DVD continues to make up for such big screen shortcomings.

Firefly on Blu-ray actually shares a lot in common with Buffy. Whedon’s sci-fi western was shot in HD*. However, just like Buffy, the visual effects were done in post on standard video. Depending on who you talk to, the jump in picture quality is too minor to be a deterrence. Your mileage may vary. At issue here is the fact that all of Buffy has been reduced to the video format, not just the effects. For this to be a worthwhile endeavor, Fox would have to seek out the original film negatives, provided all of that source material is readily available and has been well-preserved. Consider as well, using the original print, a hundred and eight hours or more of footage has to go through the editing process again, including a potential remastering of both music and sound editing. Presumably, special features would also require a boost. I’m talking about more, new audio commentaries of course, possibly even picture-in-picture video versions. Roughly 32 commentaries within 144 episodes leaves plenty room for improvement.

I know all of this sounds extremely pessimistic, but I’m being more realistic than anything else. Fox has to ensure a high enough return on this kind of investment, and you can only hope to get back what you put into it. Rather than porting over the pre-existing DVDs to a rushed and basic HD up-conversion for a quick cash grab, long hours and elusive resources would be necessary to do this right. However, it’s not a hopeless pipe dream.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is still a valuable and profitable franchise today. Conventions, colleges, essay books, comics and more all keep this material in the public consciousness. Cult or otherwise, there’s still plenty of lucrative product to be sold with the Buffy brand. What with the vampire craze at an all time high and Joss Whedon’s recent status breaking into the multifaceted, multimillion dollar mainstream, the iron is blazing hot and the time to strike is certainly now, if not very soon. Make no mistake, if 20th Century Fox put forth the right amount of effort, a proper Blu-ray edition could easily mean big bucks for their home video market.

So, with a little patience and luck, I think Buffy on Blu-ray could be very feasible in the near future. After all, March of 2012 is the 15th anniversary of the television series’ initial release. This would give Fox plenty of time to produce an amazing, definitive box set on Blu-ray, they would just have to get started, pretty much now. After that? Two and a half years provide room for an inevitable Blu-ray release of Angel, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Just like Patrick Norton of HD Nation, and the vast array of Buffy fans around the world, I hope to one day soon ask the Blu-ray question again, and the Magic 8 Ball to respond, “All signs point to Yes”. At this point, I’d even settle for a, “Reply hazy. Ask again later”.

*Correction: Thanks to Whedonesque member, Tin Ear Tom, I’m reminded that Firefly was actually shot on 35mm film.

Join Tabz as she interviews Neil Hopkins (Liam from Lost about Lost, his other projects and painting!

Links
Neil Hopkins IMDB page
Neil Hopkins on Facebook
Neil’s Artwork on Facebook
WalkenTalk
Clip of Neil Hopkins doing Christopher Walken in “My Big Fat Indie Movie”