Preview: Sci Fi's 'Flash Gordon' hits August 10

Smallscreen Features

By April MacIntyre Aug 7, 2007, 2:27 GMT

The Sci Fi Channel is giving a 21st century spin to one of science fiction's best-known names, Flash Gordon.

Monsters has three clips streaming to preview the action as the new Flash Gordon follows Flash (Eric Johnson) and his companions, Dale Arden (Gina Holden) and Dr. Hans Zarkov (Jody Racicot) through wild and momentous adventures: CLICK TO PLAY:FLASH-ONE FLASH-TWO FLASH-THREEJust small town ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances. They are Earth's last defense against the forces of a merciless dictator named Ming played by John Ralston.The series is a 21st century retelling of the 1934 classic intergalactic hero Flash Gordon, and stars Smallville’s Eric Johnson as Flash. Gina Holden plays the role of returning local girl from college, Flash's love interest, ace reporter Dale. She joins Eric Johnson as Flash, Karen Cliche as alien Baylin, and Jody Racicot who plays Dr. Hans Zarkov.As the series opens, we learn that Flash's father, the eminent scientist Dr. Lawrence Gordon, died in a lab fire when Flash was just 13.Flash has no way of knowing that something is approaching that will undo all he thought he knew about his father's death, and set him on a path of great responsibility and personal peril.Flash's adventure begins when the fallout of his father's "Portage Project" reach him. He turns to his old flame, Dale. Now a reporter for their hometown TV station, she is engaged to police detective Joe Wylee (Giles Panton). But Dale starts to rethink everything when she meets up with Flash once again.Dr. Zarkov, a quirky assistant to Flash's father, also reconnects with Flash in a quest for answers and Earths salvation. Zarkov warns of a trans-dimensional rift—a tear in the universe's fabric—like the one Flash's father was trying to create the night of the fire.Peter Hume is one of the key writers and also serves as a producer for the series. Also producing are Tom Rowe, Matthew O'Connor along with RHI’s Robert Halmi, Sr. and Robert Halmi, Jr. (Sci Fi's upcoming "Tin Man", "Earthsea") as executive producers.Johnson is an Edmonton Canada native, and the series was shot in the outskirts of Langley, British Columbia. The network ordered 22 episodes and is set for a prime-time launch on August 10 at 9 pm ET/PT.