Blogging the TCA Blogs #4 - “Virtuality”

This blog post’s headline really captures the spirit:Kevin Reilly promises a gayer, blacker FOX

“In fact, we’re in production on a pilot right now, Virtuality, that Ron Moore and Michael Taylor created. Pete Berg is directing it. And it’s got a gay relationship that is as dimensional and as honest as anything I’ve ever seen portrayed on television.”

Great Character Names

More actors have been cast in Ronald Moore’s Virtuality:
Joy Bryant is “Alice Thibadeau”
Nelson Lee is “Kenji Yamaguchi”
Sienna Guillory is “Rika Goddard”
Omar Metwally is “Dr. Eyal Meyer”
Richie Coster is “Jimmy Johnson”

Mr. D’Arcy’s Pride

James D’Arcy has been cast in Ronald Moore’s Virtuality, which is set aboard the Phaeton, Earth’s first starship, on a 10-year journey to explore a distant solar system. To help the crew endure the long trip, NASA equips the ship with advanced virtual reality modules, allowing them to assume adventurous identities and go anyplace they want. D’Arcy plays the ship’s psych officer, who produces the virtual reality shows.

Peter Berg will direct the pilot.

No stranger to the BSG writers’ verse, D’Arcy starred in David Eick’s pilot “Them.”

Inter-Show Nerd Fight

IGN TV: With Joss Whedon coming to FOX with Dollhouse, is there a little part of you that thinks he’s coming to take Summer Glau back?

Josh Friedman, EP of Terminator: (laughs) Yes! I will say that some of my more uncomfortable moments as executive producer of this show involve me, Joss Whedon, and Summer Glau at Comic-Con standing together. I felt like I’d gotten into the middle of a very intense relationship that I shouldn’t be a part of. So I just had to walk away.

And referring to the other guys with new potential shows at Fox (Whedon, JJ Abrams, Ron Moore, Shawn Ryan):

Josh Friedman: Those guys, certainly more than I do, have a brand that brings with it a group of fans. I only hope that a year from now we will all be grouped together on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. Though I’ll be the guy in the back bringing coffee. “Not Pictured: Josh Friedman.”

The BSG Guys (and Gal)

Ronald D. Moore has a two-hour pilot for us called “Virtuality” that he wrote with Michael Taylor.

It’s set aboard the Phaeton, Earth’s first starship, on a 10-year journey to explore a distant solar system. To help the 12 crew members endure the long trip and keep their minds occupied, NASA equipped the ship with advanced virtual reality modules, allowing them to assume adventurous identities and go to any place they want. The plan works until a mysterious “bug” is found in the system.

Also, BSG star Tricia Helfer has inked a one-year talent holding deal with us, which means she could star in a FOX series soon.