Fans of US TV will be able to download episodes of Lost, Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty as Apple launches its video downloads service in the UK.

Initially 28 series will be available with Apple promising more content soon.

There is currently little UK-produced content, although ITV, Channel 4 and the BBC all offer their own download catch-up TV services.

Unlike the BBC and Channel 4, Apple will charge iTunes customers £1.89 per episode for their favourite shows.... Read the full story here. (6:49 AM)

Only two hours into what was going to be at least a 12-hour work day, Chris Robichaud took a break and looked around the third floor of the dirty, dilapidated building in a decidedly unglamorous area of downtown Mansfield. Even if he had tried, he wouldn't have been able to hide his glee at how far he had come.

Robichaud, a Chardon native, was at work in the second week of production on "The Dead Matter," an independent horror film that is the creation of another Chardon native, Edward Douglas. It is slated for release around Halloween 2008.
Robichaud is reprising the role of Frank, the same character he played in Douglas' 1996 version of the film, which was done on a budget of $2,000 and shot on a hand-held video recorder. That film was basically a six-month college project by a group of John Carroll University students.

Things are much different this time around. Douglas and the Midnight Syndicate Films division of his company, Entity Productions Inc., have teamed with Hollywood special effects heavyweight Robert Kurtzman's production company, Precinct 13 Entertainment, and are working with a real budget, a veteran cast and a rewritten script.
So despite the hot, cramped and creepy conditions of the Bissman Building last weekend, Robichaud, a self-described horror-movie fanatic, was enjoying every minute on the set of a real horror movie....

...Andrew Divoff, who played the eye patch-wearing Mikhail Bakunin on ABC's "Lost" and appeared in "Air Force One" and "Wishmaster," worked with Kurtzman on "The Rage" and plays a character named "Vellich" in "The Dead Matter." He's joined by fellow lead actors Jason Carter ("Babylon 5," "Beverly Hills, 90210," "Charmed"); Tom Savini ("From Dusk Till Dawn," "Dawn of the Dead," "Grindhouse"); C.B. Spencer; Brian Van Camp; Sean Serino; Nagel; and Robichaud.... Read the full story here. (6:46 AM)

It took a long time to get here, but after about a year of tinkering with layouts, designing potential new logos, weeding out pages that no longer get attention, getting emails about dead and bad links, and generally just trying to revitalize this little ol' corner of the net... It's finally done.

What you're seeing is a revitalized, reloaded, and refreshed version of the site you love. Some sections unfortunately had to be taken down, but I'd rather have fewer sections that work than a bunch of sections with false or horribly outdated content. I've also added a few new things, most notable of which are Billie Doux's Reviews. Billie is now a member of the site staff, and she will be adding reviews on the site for the last three seasons of Lost.

If you experience any problems with the new site, or just want to congratulate us on a job well done, do fill up the feedback form and we'll take your comments into consideration. Hope you enjoy the site! (1:41 PM)

It's time to vote for Watch with Kristin's annual Tater Top Awards, where you, the fans, get to decide the best from the past TV season. Cast your ballot below to tell the world who really deserves a television trophy!

Lost garnered a total of 15 nominations this year, including Breakout Star (Elizabeth Mitchell), Best Baddie (Michael Emerson), Best Drama Ensemble, Best Drama, and Best Line for Rose: "If you say 'live together, die alone' to me, Jack, I'm going to punch you in your face." Vote now! (11:56 AM)

Of all the supporting actor in a drama series nominees, Michael Emerson stands alone in a unique way: His character on "Lost," Ben Linus, is the man everyone loves to hate. "When they tell me they hate me, they do it so gleefully. They love to hate me," said Mr. Emerson. "They're delighted by their fear and hatred of me. It's kind of cute, really."

On Sept. 16, we'll learn whether the hatred of Mr. Emerson's character fueled an Emmy victory over his competitors, William Shatner of "Boston Legal," T.R. Knight of "Grey's Anatomy," Masi Oka of "Heroes," Terry O'Quinn of "Lost" and Michael Imperioli of "The Sopranos."

It wouldn't be the first time Mr. Emerson has been honored for playing a hated character. In 2001, he won an Emmy as guest actor in a drama series for his performance as the murderous William Hinks on "The Practice." "The award for my category came at the very end of the evening" at the Creative Arts Emmys, he said, "and I was sitting there getting glassy-eyed and beside myself with nerves.

"Then they made an announcement during the commercial break that they were going to be cutting off acceptance speeches twice as quickly as they had done earlier in the show because they were running behind," he said. "I had a little something prepared to say running in my head, and it was now twice as long as the time limit was going to be. So I was sitting there barely paying attention, trying to edit my remarks, God forbid I should actually have to climb the stairs and make them. Of course, I was busy processing that when my name was actually read, and I wasn't sure I'd properly heard it. I looked around and my wife was staring at me and said, 'You better go up there.'

"Climbing those six steps or whatever they were was one of the hardest things I ever did, because I was just so conscious of the chances of embarrassment if I stumbled or fell down or passing out. But I got up there ... and I said something, but I was relieved there was a statuesque blond lady there to steer me off the stage or I might have wandered around up there for hours," he said.

Ironically, winning that Emmy isn't all happy thoughts for him. "My memories are forever tied up with 9/11, because we flew home to New York and I had the Emmy in my lap -- which will never happen again in the history of aviation. It was the night of Sept. 10, 2001," said Mr. Emerson. "We just left the bags in the living room and fell asleep, only to be woken by the phone the next morning with friends calling to say, 'Turn on the television.' That colored everything. That whole fall season of 2001, it's like I sort of forgot that I had won this thing. You just stop thinking about the concerns of your career. Your little victory just didn't seem worth discussing. It was a unique season, one that I'll never forget."

On July 19, when this year's Primetime Emmy nominations were revealed, he wasn't paying attention. "I had forgotten the date. My wife and I had just returned from Barcelona the night before, and ... it just sort of slipped my mind," said Mr. Emerson. When his agent called with the news, "There was much jubilation around the apartment.... Read the full story here. (1:51 AM)

Midnight Syndicate Films, in partnership with Hollywood FX producer Robert Kurtzman and his company, Precinct 13 Entertainment, began production on "The Dead Matter" feature-length, horror-suspense film, this week, in Crestline, Ohio. Chardon, Ohio-based director and producer Edward Douglas – founder of the nationally-recognized Halloween horror music act Midnight Syndicate – is remaking his original version of the film into Northeast Ohio's largest locally-produced and independently-funded film, scheduled for release in 2008. Filming is scheduled for the entire month of August.

Headlining the rest of the cast is Andrew Divoff of ABC's "Lost," television star Jason Carter and horror film veteran, Tom Savini. Divoff (Vellich), most recently known as the eye-patch-wearing rogue Mikhail Bakunin on ABC's "Lost," has acted in "Wishmaster," "Air Force One" and Precinct 13's "The Rage" (2007). In addition to films, Carter (Ian) has appeared in television shows including "Babylon 5," "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Charmed." Savini (Sebed) is a 30-year veteran in the horror film genre with roles in "Dusk Till Dawn," "Dawn of the Dead," and most recently, Quentin Tarantino's and Robert Rodriguez's "Grindhouse."

Additional lead actors include Sean Serino (Gretchen), Westlake, Ohio-native Tom Nagel (Mike), CB Spencer (Jill) and Brian Van Camp (Mark). Midnight Syndicate voiceover artist Christopher Robichaud, originally from Chardon, Ohio, will reprise his role of Frank from a 1996 version of "The Dead Matter."

In addition to the main cast, two horror host legends will contribute to lineup: Dick Dyszel, better known to fans as Count Gore De Vol and Cleveland's Big Chuck Schodowski, a 47-year television veteran and personality.

"Having Big Chuck on board adds to the showcase of local talent contributing to the film," said Edward Douglas. "It's great because I grew up watching his shows, and many of the movies he featured inspired my early interest and education in the horror film genre. I'm really excited to have him and the Count on board."

Douglas added, "I love Ohio and truly believe the tremendous talent pool here. It has been my dream to have the opportunity through Midnight Syndicate Films to do my part in making films of quality in this region."

Except for six LA-based actors, virtually all of the cast and crew are originally from, or currently reside in Ohio, including Nagel and Robichaud. The filming will take place in and around Crestline, Ohio - the hometown of Robert Kurtzman (writer/producer of "Dusk till Dawn" and co-founder of the KNB EFX Group) and Precinct 13 Entertainment Studios.

"The Dead Matter" tells the story of a vampire relic with occult powers that falls into the hands of a grief-stricken young woman who will do anything to contact her dead brother. The film is an updated remake of the 1996 film that Edward Douglas produced and directed for $2,000. Midnight Syndicate will score the film and plans to release multiple soundtrack CDs in conjunction with the tentative film release date in 2008.

"This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us, having worked 10 years toward the goal of positioning ourselves to remake "The Dead Matter" in a large-budget, full-scale production," said Douglas. "We've taken our time to fully develop the story, and attract top talent, to deliver the best film possible for both our current fans and all fans of the horror genre."

Gavin Goszka, "The Dead Matter" music supervisor, added, "The soundtrack CD will be in the style of Midnight Syndicate releases, and integrate new material and atmospherics to allow listeners to explore the dark and supernatural world created in the film."

Complete information is at www.TheDeadMatter.com and on IMDB at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1055363/. (6:42 AM)

After months of speculation, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has confirmed a December 11 release date for 'Lost: The Complete Third Season - The Unexplored Experience' on Blu-ray.

Rumblings of a high-def debut for 'Lost' first began back in May, when a December arrival date surfaced on various retailer websites. However, only days later Disney would officially deny the rumors, saying it had no plans to release any seasons of the series on high-def.

Then, early last week, listings for a Blu-ray version resurfaced on top retailer sites, including Amazon.com -- a strong indicator that the series would be hitting high-def after all.

Now, after all the twists and turns in the 'Lost' Blu-ray saga, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has finally confirmed that the third season of the hit series will indeed debut day-and-date on DVD and Blu-ray December 11....Read the full story here. Pre-order Blu-Ray edition on Amazon.com today. (10:39 AM)

"The Sopranos" dominates the drama series' writing category, an imposing achievement considering the competition.

Sure, three nominations might seem like overkill when there are other shows that could have made the cut -- "Friday Night Lights," "Deadwood," "The Wire" and "The Shield" are just some examples -- but "Sopranos" showrunner David Chase and his team are worthy of being the writing category's bellwether.

Still, "Lost," which many thought should've received a drama series nomination, gets a small dose of vindication here. Exec producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse penned the season's staggeringly well-executed two-hour finale, where the castaways turn the tables on the manipulating Others....

Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse
Show: "Lost"
Episode: "Through the Looking Glass"
Kudos pedigree as writers: Lindelof and Cuse won the Writers' Guild Award for best drama series for "Lost" and also received an Emmy nom in 2006.
On the resume: The two met on "Nash Bridges," which was Lindelof's first primetime series before moving over to "Crossing Jordan." Cuse also wrote for "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr."
Memorable scene from nominated episode: Just as the Others are holding several castaways captive, Hurley comes roaring through on his beaten-down VW van and runs over the bad guys.
Why they may win: Also acting as exec producers, Lindelof and Cuse took some critical shots during the season, but then all seemed forgiven in May.
Maybe not: The textured layers of "Lost" may be difficult for voters not familiar with the show to comprehend.

Read the full story here. (9:43 PM)

Chicago Magazine ran an article on a piece of Lost's past you may not be familiar with. Then again, you should be familiar with it since this particular piece is featured in the opening credits of each and every episode of Lost. The piece of Lost's past is a show called Nowhere, and the man who wrote it is Jeffrey Lieber. The story of how Nowhere ceased to exist, and Lost took its place is something most in the entertainment press talk about with professional sterility. How Jeffrey Lieber's rejected pilot for Nowhere allowed him to strong arm a piece of the Lost pie, along with top billing in the 'Created By' credit is something a lot of people would rather not discuss at all.

As the legend goes, Lloyd Braun, former president of ABC, while on an executive retreat, challenged his cohorts to come up with an idea for a show. The group was looking for 'the next big thing.' Braun's contribution was a series modeled after Castaway, starring Tom Hanks. The concept was then shown to JJ Abrams, who brought in Damon Lindelof, and the production was fast tracked.

In reality, this is not what happened at all.... Read the full story here. (7:37 AM)

Nature abhors a vacuum. So do Lost fans. With no new episodes until February, Losties are filling the dead space with curious claims about the forthcoming fourth season. Because public service is just the way Doc Jensen rolls, I decided to investigate.

RUMOR: ABC is moving Lost to the notorious "death slot" of broadcast television — Friday night, 9 p.m.... Read the full story here. (7:33 AM)

Ubisoft today revealed first details on its upcoming Lost video game, based of course on the ultra-popular ABC TV show of the same name. They also released a teaser trailer at this week's Comic-Con show.

In addition to revealing that the game will ship in Q1 2008 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, Ubisoft confirmed that the player will naturally be a survivor of the crash of Oceanic Flight 815. The player will not play as one of the main characters from the show however, but as an original character, which should give the developers more freedom to focus on crafting an original storyline revolving around key events in the TV show. Players will have to solve puzzles, fight the smoke monster, and interact with key characters from the show while trying to find a way off the island.... Read the full story here. (3:33 AM)

The Lost season four panel was undoubtedly one of the certifiable big deals at this year's Comic Con, as is evidenced by the thousands-strong mob of souls that lined up to bum-rush Ballroom 20 of the San Diego Convention Center well in advance of its 5:00PM kick off. Co-executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carton Cuse were on hand to field questions from the answers-hungry public, but before they gallantly subjected themselves to this barrage, they played a fleetingly-brief game play video of the Lost video game, currently in development at Ubisoft's Montreal studio.

Similarly brief impressions after the jump. Beware of minor season three spoilers.

Just like the show the game is based on, the game play video was pretty inscrutable. The demo's "driver" was in control of a character that appeared to be Jack Shepard, controlling him from a third-person perspective. During one sequence, he encountered another character that was definitely James "Sawyer" Ford. There were a few "action" shots, which implied that the game would be slower-paced, with a focus on environmental puzzles; in one, the focus was on mysterious cable in the jungle, highly reminiscent of the mysterious chord that, as revealed in the season three finale, fatefully led Charlie Pace to the Looking Glass station. In another, "Jack" was shown to be fiddling with a decidedly analog-looking device.... Read the full story here. (3:24 AM)