After the original trilogy of films, ROGUE ONE is my next favorite Star Wars movie. So, I'm really interested in seeing how the new live action TV series "Star Wars: Andor" that is coming to the Disney+ subscription streaming service pans out. The wait to find out is almost over as Disney+ has released a trailer and announced the show will premiere on August 31, 2022. A nice parting gift for the end of summer from Disney!
The “Andor” series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.
For those of you who may have not seen ROGUE ONE which tells the story of how the Rebel Alliance gets their hands on the Death Star plans which are a critical plot point of the Star Wars film A New Hope (aka the first Star Wars movie), Cassian Andor is a lead character in that prequel movie. Cassian, played by Diego Luna, is an intelligence officer engaged in espionage against the Empire. Luna returns to the role for this Andor series. Like the Kenobi series, Andor will debut on Disney+ with its first two episodes being released at once.
I don't know a whole lot about this show, but from what I've seen of the trailer I'm excited. Who else is geeked about seeing this new Star Wars show on Disney+?!
Ron Howard who made a name for himself as an actor playing the wholesome All-American teen Richie Cunningham on Happy Days and has evolved his career to become recognized as one of the best directors in Hollywood (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, Solo: A Star Wars Story) is now venturing into the realm of producing children's entertainment. His new production company Imagine Kids + Family is releasing its first project, THE ASTRONAUTS which is debuting on Nickelodeon with the first two episodes of the family-friendly series airing back-to-back on Friday, November 13 2020 at 7pm ET/PT. This brand-new live-action series follows a group of kids who embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they are mistakenly launched into space.
From the looks of this trailer, while aimed for a kids audience this looks like a show that I'd really enjoy watching myself along with my son and daughter. THE ASTRONAUTS at first glance looks like the perfect show for a family to enjoy together. It has a youthful starring cast but the imagery for this show looks out of this world.
In the hour-long premiere of THE ASTRONAUTS, spacecraft Odyssey II is set to launch on a mission to retrieve a foreign object that could potentially save mankind. The plan quickly goes awry when five untrained kids use their parents’ security clearances to sneak onto the empty ship. Soon after they board, the onboard AI system triggers the launch sequence. Unable to stop the ship from blasting off, the kids must assume their new role as astronauts and brave harrowing tasks, as their parents rush to find a way to take control of the situation.
Yes the premise may seem unreal, but hey it is a TV show! Just sit back and enjoy the ride. And it looks like these astronauts are going to take us on an interesting trek through outer space.
Check out this behind-the-scenes look at the new Nickelodeon series with THE ASTRONAUTS director Dean Israelite:
Nickelodeon often sends some really intricate and detailed press kits to A Geek Daddy when it is promoting a new television series for the children's cable network and I received one of the best ones yet recently promoting Nella the Princess Knight which will be debuting in February. Inside a cardboard case that folds out showcasing vibrant illustrations of the show's key characters was a necklace with a usb fob hidden inside containing videos of the first few episodes of the series plus screenshot images and written materials providing behind-the-scenes information about Nella the Princess Knight.
With all the detail they put into this publicity piece it really was something I want to share with all our A Geek Daddy followers. The best part though of it all was this great hologram that shows both the Knight and Princess sides of Nella. First she's in a princess gown than with a flip Nella's in a suit of armor holding a sword and shield.
Nella thePrincess Knight follows
Nella, an unconventional 8-year-old, who happens to be the same age as my daughter, who possesses the royal qualities of a
princess, like compassion and grace, while also embodying the courage and
determination of a brave knight.Whenever
a problem arises, Nella embarks on daring quests to save her kingdom through
her unique ability to transform from a princess into Nella the Princess Knight.The first season of Nella the Princess Knight will consist of 40 half-hour episodes features a social-emotional curriculum
aimed for preschool audiences, but from our family's experience will probably also be entertaining for elementary school aged kids as well, that promotes self-confidence, inclusiveness and compassion for others. Following its U.S. cable television launch, Nella the Princess Knight will debut
internationally later in the spring of 2017.
As a confident 8-year-old princess, Nella likes dancing at extravagant balls but that doesn't mean she's afraid to confront
fire-breathing dragons.She transcends
traditional roles and expectations through her ability to transform into Nella the
Princess Knight, protecting her kingdom with the help of her friends: Trinket, Nella’s
glamorous unicorn and best friend; Sir Garrett, a loyal and adventurous knight;
and Clod, Garrett’s trusty steed.
Akira Golz, 12, is
the voice of Nella in Nella the Princess
Knight. The New York City-based
actress has been performing and modeling since the age of five. In addition to lending her voice to
Nickelodeon series Dora the Explorer
and Peter Rabbit, she has appeared in
print and television ads for Lilly Pulitzer, Cole Haan, Honda and Olive Garden.
Samantha Hahn, is
the voice of Trinket. As Nella’s unicorn
and best friend, Trinket is always by Nella’s side for all her adventures.Hahn is currently studying musical theatre at Manhattan
School of Music.She recently
made her professional debut originating the role of Marigold in Nancy Holson's Nutcracker! The Musical. Hahn is also a newly published author and
illustrator of the children's book, Goofsville.
Micah Gursoy, 9,
is the voice of Sir Garrett. This is Gursoy's first professional acting gig. Must be nice to start out as a kid actor as a lead character on a children's television series. Good luck Micah!
Matt Gumley is
the voice of Clod, Sir Garrett’s trusty steed. Gumley has been entertaining since he landed the role of Chip
in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway at
7 years old. In addition to voicing
Benny the Bull on Nickelodeon’s Dora the
Explorer, he spent most of the next decade performing on Broadway with
roles in Elf, The Addams Family and Mary
Poppins.
In the series
premiere, “Sir Clod/Up All Knight,” Clod loses his invitation to the Royal Cafe
Breakfast Buffet and must find it by lunchtime or everyone misses out. Under Nella’s leadership, they brave Gotcha
Falls, dodge through a field of poppleberries and traverse the bubbly Sudsycano
in order to find it. Also in the
episode, a luminous phoenix shines brightly across the kingdom causing Blaine
and the rest of Castlehaven to lose sleep.
After the phoenix is locked up in the knight brigade tower, Nella must use
her knightly skills to free the bird and convince everyone to come together as
a group to solve their problem.
Tune into Nickelodeon with the youngsters in your life to see the February debut of Nella the Princess Knight then share your thoughts with us about what you think about this new show by tweeting @Geekdad248 or visiting our A GEEK DADDY Facebook page.
Supergirl has received a burst of popularity since the launch last year of a new television series. Now the super heroine is leaping into the action of the LEGO Dimensions video game as a playable character. Beginning in late September of 2016 for a limited time, LEGO Dimensions Starter Packs for Sony PlayStation 4 computer entertainment systems will include an exclusive, bonus Supergirl LEGO minifigure. In addition to Supergirl, the LEGO Dimensions PS4 Starter Pack will include the videogame, bricks to build the LEGO Gateway, LEGO minifigures of Batman, Gandalf, and Wyldstyle, plus the LEGO Batmobile and the LEGO Toy Pad, which allows players to transport special LEGO minifigures and models into the game.
The Supergirl LEGO minifigure will have a number of extraordinary in-game abilities to help solve puzzles and battle enemies, including Super Strength, Flying, X-Ray Vision, and Beam Attacks which enable her to shoot heat beams out of her eyes. She can also transform into Supergirl Red Lantern with additional abilities such as firing powerful Red Lantern energy bolts and energy beams from her Red Lantern Ring.
If you aren't able to obtain the Supergirl minifigure through this limited edition PS4 Starter Pack, the character will also become available in the near future as a "Hire-a-Hero" option for all consoles. This is a feature in LEGO Dimensions that allows players to sample characters using studs collected in the game. Players can select the hologram minifigure near certain hint stones to unlock characters for a limited time to try out their special abilities to solve problems and complete puzzles.
LEGO Dimensions is developed by TT Games and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. For more information about the video game, visit lego.com/en-us/dimensions
Beginning October 5, 2015, preschoolers watching Nick Jr. will be transported to an enchanted land filled with fairies, elves, and magical mishaps when the animated series Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom joins the cable channel's program lineup airing at 6:30pm (ET/PT). The October 5th launch of the show on Nick Jr. marks the U.S. broadcast debut for Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom, an International Emmy Kids Award-winning series created by Astley Baker Davies, the acclaimed British animation studio behind the popular Peppa Pig.
Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom follows the adventures of Holly, a young
fairy princess whose magic often goes awry and her best friend Ben Elf,
who lacks magical powers but is extremely handy. They live in the "
Little Kingdom", a tiny land where flowers and grass rise above the
tallest towers. Together, Ben and Holly go on exciting adventures with
their friends and work together to fix magical mistakes.
Nick Jr. has acquired seasons one and two (52 episodes) of Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom and will roll out these episodes throughout the fall. The series currently airs in over 130 countries worldwide, including being really popular in the United Kingdom, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Russia, Mexico and Brazil. The show is a good fit for Nick Jr., a 24-hour television network dedicated to programming for preschoolers which reaches 75 million US households via cable, internet and satellite TV. The series' premiere episode will also be available to view online following the broadcast debut via NickJr.com and the Nick Jr. App beginning October 6, 2015.
In Nickelodeon's newest live-action comedy series, GAME SHAKERS, which premieres on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 8:30 pm (ET / PT) a pair of 12-year-old girls from Brooklyn become unlikely moguls when their school project becomes the most popular mobile game online. Game Shakers was created by multi-Emmy nominated writer and producer Dan Schneider (iCarly, Victorious, Henry Danger) and revolves around middle school students Babe (Cree Cicchino) and Kenzie (Madisyn Shipman) that create a mobile game named SKY WHALE which quickly becomes a world-wide sensation.
Tying the show to today's kids' love of gaming and apps, the games created by Babe and Kenzie in the series will be made available to play on Nick.com and through the Nick app. The first game to be released will be Babe and Kenzie's initial creation on the show, SKY WHALE, which is featured in the premiere episode. SKY WHALE will be available for FREE in September to download via the Apple, Google, and Amazon app stores. This game challenges players to bounce through the sky and to keep a narwhal up in the air using clouds and crazy objects to go higher and farther, even into outer space or on an underwater adventure.
Game Shakers' premiere episode will also feature cameo appearances from YouTube pop culture comedians and gaming entertainers including GloZell, Lasercorn and ProJared. The debut episode of Game Shakers will be simulcast on cable television on Nickelodeon, TeenNick, and Nicktoons plus will be available at the same time on Nick.com and on the Nick app. Following this linear debut, the premiere episode will also be available for FREE on iTunes for one week.
In the premiere episode, after an app they create for their school science fair project turns into the biggest mobile game of the year, Babe and Kenzie use their profits to start Game Shakers, a super-cool gaming company based in Brooklyn, New York. Not realizing the game illegally sampled a song from superstar rapper Double G ( '90s Nick icon Kel Mitchell ) turn the performer from an antagonist into their new business partner. As part of the deal, Double G's son, Triple G ( Benjamin 'Lil P-Nut' Flores ), becomes the company's "gaming consultant." Hijinks follow as this team works to make Game Shakers a huge success and create their own gaming empire.
The CW Network which already has several popular television shows based on DC comic books (Arrow, The Flash) is debuting another one on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 callediZOMBIE. This new television show is based on a comic book series of the same name published by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint about a zombie who helps solve murder mysteries.
iZOMBIE stars Rose Mclver as Olivia “Liv” Moore an over-achieving medical resident who had her life plans completely mapped out, until she attends a party that unexpectedly turns into a zombie feeding frenzy. Liv begins to transform into a zombie and finds herself needing to eat human brains to maintain her human side. She begins works at a coroner's
office to give her access to the brains she must eat to survive where she learns a side
effect of her new diet is the ability to absorb the memories of the
deceased, which helps her solve homicides. The televisions series also stars Malcom Goodwin, as police detective Clive Babinaux who learns Liv's secret and begins asking for her help to solve crimes, and Rahul Kohli, as Dr. Ravi Chakrabarti who is Liv's boss and knows her secret and acts as if he is helping her as he secretly studies her.
In a nice tribute to the show's origins the opening credits provide a comic-style overview of the characters and plot of iZOMBIE created by Michael Allred who is the original iZombie comic book artist. While the show does have a dark premise it is being produced by Rob
Thomas, the creator of Veronica Mars, and the show appears from its
previews to have a light-hearted vibe to it. It airs at 9pm and
probably isn't a good fit for kids to view but seems like it would be of
interest to adults who enjoy paranormal mysteries with a campy side to
them. Plus the show appeals to the CW's young adult audience which means it'll be filled with actors and actresses that will make this the opposite of The Walking Dead with zombies and the undead that look probably pretty attractive. You wouldn't see Rose Mclver as she's made up in iZombie taking on Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead for sure!
If you tune in to iZombie feel free to share your thoughts of the show with A GEEK DADDY blog, we'd enjoy knowing your thoughts and opinions.
A
mild-mannered bird and his two wild best friends embark on a series of
hilarious adventures in Nickelodeon’s brand-new animated series Harvey
Beaks, debuting Sunday, March 29, at 7:00p.m. (ET/PT). This 26-episode series, created and executive produced by C.H. Greenblatt ,tells the story of the unlikely friendship between Harvey, a kid who’s never broken the rules, and
Fee and Foo, his two friends who’ve never lived by any. Greenblatt returns to Nickelodeon after beginning his career in animation as a storyboard artist and writer on SpongeBob SquarePants. He later created and executive produced Chowder and was a storyboard artist and writer for The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy at Cartoon Network. Greenblatt also directed his own version of the character Deadman for Cartoon Network's DC Nation shorts.
Greenblatt's newest creation is set
in a magical forest and follows one sweet bird on his
mission to experience wild adventures with the help of his two best
friends. Harvey, Fee and Foo’s connection
only grows stronger throughout the series as they push each other into
endless fun. On
Sunday, March 29, at 7:00p.m. (ET/PT), the series will launch in its
regular timeslot with “The Spitting Tree.” Spitting from the highest
tree in Littlebark is fun until the kids
realize they can’t get back down. “Carl
Greenblatt’s very funny and heart-warming stories fit directly in with
Nickelodeon’s DNA and sensibilities,” noted Russell Hicks, President of
Content Development and Production,
Nickelodeon, in a press release provided to A Geek Daddy blog. “In Harvey Beaks,
viewers have the opportunity to discover the joys, triumphs and fears
of growing up through thoughtful characters who push their limits and
step out of their personal comfort zones.”
Beginning March
26, you visit the Harvey Beaks page on Nick.com and
the
Nick App to learn more about the show and its characters, get a
behind-the-scenes look at the series and play new games including “Harvey Beaks Pe-Choo!” and take the quiz "Which Character
Are You?”. Episodes of Harvey Beaks
will be available on Nick.com and the Nick App, along with platforms including iTunes, Amazon, Xbox, Google Play, Vudu, Playstation, Hulu and VOD.
Here's a little bit more information on the show's main characters:
HARVEY
Harvey is a
well-behaved kid who lives by the rules and gets a kick out of making
his world a nice, neat and orderly place, but behind his innocence burns
an adventurous, yet thoughtful spirit. He is not a kid who can easily
break rules, so in order to get the most out of life, he re-writes them
in his own earnest way. Where Harvey leads, his best friends, Fee and
Foo always follow. Fee and Foo’s wild nature inspire him to take bigger
risks. With friends like these, Harvey might get into more trouble, but
he will also have more fun.
FEE
Fee is a
kid who sinks her pointy teeth into childhood. She’s fiercely loyal,
confident and dirty. Since she’s never had anyone to tell her what to
do, she does exactly what she wants. As much as Harvey follows rules,
Fee follows her heart. She’s rough and tumble and driven by what seems
fun and interesting in the moment. Like her hair, she’s completely
untamed and wild, willing to risk everything for her friends or her
beliefs.
FOO
Foo is like
a puppy. He likes sticks, eating bugs, running and chewing on things.
Foo is the most impulsive of the three friends. He can be totally
energized one minute and fast asleep the next. Foo considers Harvey his
very best friend and Harvey feels the same, which is nice because Harvey
can teach Foo about taking baths and wearing pants. He has a pure heart
and, if he had sleeves, he would wear it on them.
Tune in to Nickelodeon on Sundays starting March 29th to follow the adventures of Harvey, Fee & Foo in the magical forest of Littlebark.
If you children enjoy the animated Nickelodeon television series PAW PATROL as much as mine do you'll absolutely want to make sure to watch or DVR a brand new episode being broadcast on Friday, November 14th at Noon. A new member of the team is introduced in this special half hour show called "The New Pup." In this snow adventure, Ryder, the human leader of the team of puppy rescuers surprises the pups with a new vehicle -- the PAW Patroller -- a supercharged snowmobile. The team needs it to rescue their friend Jake who is lost at the South Pole. While the PAW Patrol puppies race to rescue him, an arctic storm picks up and Jake is instead found and assisted by a brave mountain ranger Husky named Everest. After Everest saves the day, she is invited to become the newest member of the PAW Patrol pack.
PAW Patrol starts a pack of heroic rescue pups-Chase, Marshall, Rocky, Rubble, Zuma, Skye, and now Everest, who are led by a tech savvy boy named Ryder. Together they work hard to show the people of Adventure Bay that "no job is too big, no pup too small!" In partnership with Spin Master Entertainment, the series features a curriculum that focuses on citizenship, social skills, and problem-solving. PAW Patrol is the number-one preschool series on Nickelodeon and airs weekdays at 12pm (ET/PT)
A brand new Star Wars animated television show titled Rebels will be debuting in October. Star Wars: Rebels is scheduled to premiere on October 3rd with a one hour special Star Wars: Rebels- Sparks of Rebellion on the Disney Channel. Half hour episodes will than routinely air on Monday nights each week on the cable channel Disney XD beginning on October 13th. The premise behind the tv series that is set 5 years before the original Star Wars move "A New Hope" is that a motley crew of a spaceship called the Ghost begins harassing the Empire in an effort to spark a rebellion.
In an attempt to recapture the vibe of the original trilogy of movies the artwork in this animated series will use the Star Wars concept art that was created by artist Ralph McQuarrie in the 1970s & 80s for inspiration. One specific example of McQuarrie's impact on the show is the character of Zeb Orrelios. The appearance of this alien who serves as the muscle for the Ghost's crew utilizes McQuarrie's original concept for Chewbacca to create the character. I remember as a kid spending hours scouring through Ralph McQuarrie art books my aunt had given me and imagining all sorts of adventures inspired by those wonderful sketches; so I'm really looking forward to seeing his influence in Star Wars: Rebels.
Other characters in the show include:
Kanan Jarrus a survivor of the Empire's purge of the Jedi. After barely surviving Order 66 he went underground hiding in obscurity until discovered by the owner of the Ghost, Hera Syndulla. He is now the leader of the Ghost's crew doing his best to inflict harm against the power of the Empire.
Hera Syndulla is the Twi'lek owner and pilot of the Ghost.
Sabine Wren is a Mandalorian warrior who is an expert in combat, weapons and explosives. She fancies herself as an artist who loves to tag Imperial facilities with graffiti after an attack.
Ezra Bridger is a 14 year old pickpocket and con artist who the crew of the Ghost find living on an Outer Rim world. Unknown to him one of the reasons he is able to get out of so many jams is that he is gifted with the ability to use the Force.
To help up the excitement for Rebels, Disney has released four short youtube videos to promote the excitement for this new series:
In “The Machine in the Ghost,” the
rebels’ Ghost starship is under attack by a wave of TIE fighters. Hera
pilots the craft, while Kanan tries to blast the Imperials from the
Ghost’s gunner. While they do evade and shoot down several TIEs, it’s up
to astromech droid Chopper to finish the job – even if he’s reluctant
to do so.
In “Art Attack,” Sabine sneaks into an
Imperial compound, looking to create a diversion for her friends aboard
the Ghost. Spotted by stormtroopers, she proves too quick to be
captured – and leaves behind an explosive surprise.
In “Not What You Think,” Ezra finds a
downed TIE fighter on the plains of Lothal. The young rebel opens the
ship’s hatch -- pretending to help the ungrateful Imperial pilot -- and
leaves with a few souvenirs.
In “Entanglement,” Zeb fails to meet
with Kanan at a specified rendezvous point…and instead finds himself
joyfully battling many, many stormtroopers.
For more information about Star Wars: Rebels CLICK HERE
