Editorial Comment from SFX Magazine

Reprinted with permission from SFX magazine, June 2003

You must have toyed with the idea of creating your own SF TV show. All the SF fans I know admit to doing it. While I don’t want to bore you with any of the 200,000 half-arsed rip-offs I’ve ruminated over in the past, I have to tell you that while watching the Dead Zone recently I suddenly realised who I’d want to star in the thing: Peter Wingfield.

Never heard of him? Not a surprise. But I can almost guarantee that you’ve seen him at some point. I first became aware of this underrated Cardiff-born actor when he appeared in Stargate SG-1 a few years back and acted everyone else off the screen. He looked like he was set to become a semi-regular baddie, but the Stargate team clearly didn’t know a good thing when they were on to it. Before that he won a hefty fan following as Methos in Highlander, and has appeared in First Wave, The Sentinel and The Outer Limits, turning in powerful performances above and beyond the call of duty. He also has a spit and cough appearance in the brilliant X-Men 2.

We reckon it’s about time he hit the big league. He’d make a great Trek captain, or the head of some organisation that investigates the paranormal or trains mutant kids. In fact, who better to back him up in our new show than Lauren Lee Smith and Victoria Pratt, two actresses who would be the biggest attractions on the convention circuit if they were in Buffy or Angel rather than Mutant X.

Recurring villain? Well, it seems a shame than Wayne Pygram is out of a regular job now, but maybe he’s too obvious. Having met the imposing Anthony Simcoe, however, sans D’Argo make-up, I would cast him in a mad evil genius role. The guy’s eyes have a very disturbing glint in them when he wants ’em to. . .

But who do you think would make a great ensemble cast? You don’t just have to choose telefantasy actors. If you think Casualty’s Will Mellor would be the ideal beefcake (and you want to save him from the fate of all ex-BBC soap stars—he dodgy cop show) then dare to be daring in your choices. Write in and let us know.

Dave Golder, Editor SFX

(The magazine’s address is SFX, Future Publishing, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW, United Kingdom, e-mail sfx@futurenet.co.uk.)