Screenshot from NBC's new horror anthology FEAR ITSELF(2008).
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TV Wasteland: Fear Itself, Doomed to Fail

Masters of Horror was one of those must see series for our crowd when it was first announced. The premise was just too exciting - Showtime would give a million bucks to some of the greatest director’s in the horror genre and let them create whatever they wanted to with no boundaries. Of course, it was soon discovered that there were limitations and a good bit of censorship happening in the background that culminated in one episode not even being aired. With that said, season one of the series still featured some solid entries, most notable of which was John Carpenter’s Cigarette Burns. Season two felt deflated, like the producers and directors had given up on being edgy, and worse had given up on telling good stories. As expected, Showtime canceled the series.

You have to admire producer Mick Garris’ tenacity. He wasn’t ready to give up. This series was his playground. He’s a horror fan and he relished the opportunity to work with some of his idols. So, some time later Fear Itself was announced for summer broadcast on NBC. The director of the first episode, Sacrifice, is a new director that has a number of projects attached to his name but he’s unproven. Obviously, he’s no “master of horror” so maybe Garris is going for something new by bringing in young maverick creators to push the genre in new directions. Inevitably, I believe this new series will be even more like Takes from the Darkside than the Showtime series was but that’s OK as long as the stories are good.

The real “fear” of this series is that it won’t last because it doesn’t appear to be getting the support it needs. A series like this one would probably do better on a cable network that will take the time to cultivate it and grow it and not shove it out the door if episode one doesn’t get blockbuster ratings. Last year’s Masters of Science Fiction actually featured some good episodes but it never found the support it needed to build a solid fan base. Fear Itself has been written up in a few newspapers but the network doesn’t seem to be reaching out to the fan community and utilizing the power of the internet in an innovative way in order to bring fans to the series. I don’t remember even seeing teasers for the series during Medium which would have made perfect sense to me. Keep your fingers crossed for this one but don’t hold your breath for it.

There aren’t many bright spots for TV this week other than the previously mentioned Fear Itself. Thankfully there is still SCIFI Friday with new episodes of Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who. Summer is officially here!

LEPRECHAUN: BACK TO THE HOOD (BET, 8PM EST)

What do you think happens when a group of inner city friends stumble upon a pot of gold and take it for themselves? Poor Warwick Davis. It’s been so long since Willow....

OK this isn’t really sci-fi or horror but it’s definitely horrific at times. Mike cleans out a sinkhole in Kentucky that has become a garbage dump.

STAR TREK ENTERPRISE (SCIFI, 8PM EST) TWO FOR TUESDAY

Got noting else to do? Then check out a double shot of the last Trek series from Berman/Braga but hope that they are from season four, the ones that Berman and Braga didn’t produce....

Two hours of one of the best animated series on television.

One of John Carpenter’s best films. In the future New York is utilized as a prison. A trouble making ex-speical forces soldier is recruited to go into New York and save the President when his plane crashes in the center of the new prison. Campy fun to be had for all!

GHOST HUNTERS (SCIFI, 9PM EST) WIDOW’S WATCH

Cape Cod, Mass., is visited for an investigation of the historic Colonial House Inn. Also: the team searches for spirits at California's Moss Beach Distillery.

 Deadly secrets are revealed when four criminals find themselves stranded in an abandoned fort with a trio of seductive sirens.

DOCTOR WHO (SCIFI, 8PM EST) THE DOCTOR’S DAUGHTER

The TARDIS takes the Doctor, Martha and Donna to the planet Messaline, where the Doctor's DNA is used to create a daughter while a war rages between humans and the Hath. Jenny: Georgia Moffett.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (SCIFI, 9PM EST) HUB

Viper pilots and Cylon rebels forge a strategy against the Resurrection Hub.

A slain reporter returns from the grave to take vengeance on the bloodthirsty vampres that killed her. What happened to Lucy Liu? She’s usually so good in things. Why is she in these movies now? This one may require a review.

ROBIN HOOD (BBCAM, 7PM EST) FOR ENGLAND...!

Disguised as entertainers, the outlaws infiltrate a feast for the sheriff's black knights in an effort to join forces with the one person who can stop the Shah Mat plan.

After a series of mysterious deaths a team of scientists heads to Lock Ness to discover if the titular monster truly exists.