Flash Gordon (2007 TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name = Flash Gordon


caption = Flash Gordon
genre = Drama
Science fiction
creator = Alex Raymond
starring = Eric Johnson
Gina Holden
Karen Cliche
Jody Racicot
John Ralston
Anna van Hooft
Jonathan Lloyd Walker
Steve Bacic
country = United States
Canada (Production)
num_seasons = 1
num_episodes = 22
list_episodes =
executive_producer = Robert Halmi Jr.
Robert Halmi Sr.
Peter Hume
runtime = 42 minutes (60 minutes with commercials)
network = Sci Fi
company = Flash Films
Reunion Pictures
picture_format =
first_aired = August 10 2007
last_aired = February 8, 2008
website =
imdb_id = 0959086
tv_com_id = 71778

"Flash Gordon" is a American science fiction television series that debuted on Sci Fi in the United States on August 10, 2007 and continued airing new episodes through February 8, 2008 It has also appeared on the United Kingdom Sci Fi channel. The series was developed by Peter Hume, who served as executive producer/show runner and wrote the first and last episodes, among others.

Overview

The series, based on the comic strip of the same name and its adaptations, follows the adventures of Steven "Flash" Gordon (the nickname referring to his running ability), who lives with his mother in Maryland and whose scientist father was apparently lost in a mysterious accident when Flash (Eric Johnson) was 13 years old. Flash's former girlfriend, Dale Arden (Gina Holden), is a television news reporter and is engaged to police detective Joe Wylee. They meet the elder Gordon's eccentric former assistant, Hans Zarkov (Jody Racicot), when rifts in space appear, allowing travel between Earth and the planet Mongo.

Mongo is ruled by the ruthless dictator Ming (John Ralston), who provides the only safe drinking water in Mongo (Source Water). Unlike the previous adaptations, he is not normally called "the Merciless" (in this version, it serves as more of a seldom-used nickname) and is instead called "Benevolent Father". He also exhibits the traits of modern, media-savvy dictators, rather than the more simplistic, stereotypically evil characterization of earlier incarnations. [Sci-Fi Channel. June 29, 2007. http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=2&id=42218] . Once again, Ming has a daughter, Princess Aura (Anna van Hooft), who is disturbed by her father's brutality. The series adds a new non-Terran character, Baylin (Karen Cliche), a bounty hunter from Mongo. She finds herself trapped on Earth and becomes a comrade of Flash, Dale and Zarkov.

The peoples of Mongo live in "cantons", tribal groups that echo the outlandish animal-human hybrids of the original comic strip. The cantons include the Verdan (based on Prince Barin's forest-dwelling people from the strip), the Turin (based on the strip Lion Men), the Dactyls (the series' version of the strip Hawkmen), the Omadrians (women who create powerful medicines), the Frigians (who live in the frozen wastelands), the Tritons (who live beneath the ocean), and the Zurn (painted blue "Magic Men" lead by Queen Azura). There is also another group known as the Deviates, mutants whose ancestors drank Grey Water (toxic water) to survive. The Deviates are led by Terek, their unofficial king (and Aura's brother) and are mistrusted by almost everyone and not recognized as a true canton.

On April 3 2008, it was announced that "Flash Gordon" was cancelled [ [http://tvseriesfinale.com/articles/flash-gordon-sci-fi-quietly-cancels-adventure-series Flash Gordon: SciFi Quietly Cancels Adventure Series] , "TV Series Finale", April 3 2008] . Re-runs of the show began airing weekly on ION Television on August 1 2008 [ [http://www.ionline.tv/movies.php] , "ION Television - Movies"] .

Cast

* Eric Johnson as Steven "Flash" Gordon
* Gina Holden as Dale Arden
* Karen Cliche as Baylin
* Jody Racicot as Dr. Hans Zarkov
* John Ralston as Ming
* Anna van Hooft as Princess Aura
* Panou as Nick Gilmore
* Giles Panton as Joe Wylee
* Jonathan Lloyd Walker as Rankol
* Jill Teed as Norah Gordon
* Carmen Moore as Joely Lavant
* Steve Bacic as Barin
* Ty Olsson as Vultan
* Jody Thompson as Azura

Episode list

References

External links

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* [http://thetvaddict.com/2007/06/29/meet-the-cast-of-flash-gordon/ SCI FI Digital Press Day, Cast Video]
* [http://scifipedia.scifi.com/index.php/Flash_Gordon_%28TV_series%2C_2007%29 SCIFIpedia]
* [http://guanaco17.blogspot.com/2007/11/great-sorrow.html Transcription of The Great Sorrow speech]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y3mP504ss24 Video with The Great Sorrow speech]
* [http://www.sci-fi-online.com/00_interviews/08-01-24_jonathon-walker.htm Jonathon Lloyd Walker (Rankol) Interview] at [http://sci-fi-online.com www.sci-fi-online.com]
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