With it already bad enough that the future of "Battlestar Galactica" is in question nearly eight months before the next season is set to start, the SciFi Channel show suffered what many would say a significant loss.
Writer Anne Cofell Saunders, who joined BSG at the beginning of the second season, has joined the writing staff of the NBC series pilot "Chuck," which was officially picked up as a series by NBC today, Saunders told Airlock Alpha.
"Chuck" will air Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET between "The Biggest Loser" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." It is based on a pilot written by Chris Fedak and Josh Schwartz and stars Zachary Levi and Adam Baldwin. Baldwin, of course, is best known as Jayne in the short-lived Fox series "Firefly" and its motion picture followup, "Serenity."
The show, created by Schwartz (who also created "The O.C."), is described as a "comedy-tinged spy drama" by Zap2it.
Saunders left a lasting legacy on the "Battlestar Galactica" franchise as both a writer and later a story editor for the series. She first broke into the BSG scene with the very popular episode "Pegasus," the second season mid-season finale that introduced Adm. Cain and the Battlestar Pegasus in a remake of the episode from the original series. That episode, and the small mini-series it created, is being followed up this fall with "Battlestar's" first telemovie since its back-door pilot in 2003, highlighting some of the Pegasus history first mentioned in Saunders' episode.
Saunders also wrote "Resurrection Ship, Part 1," "Sacrifice," "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 2" and "Torn." She worked with Jane Espenson, best known for her work on the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel" and "Firefly" franchises, in the pro-union episode "Dirty Hands" that featured Aaron Douglas' character of Chief Tyrol.
Espenson previously announced she has joined the writing staff of BSG for the fourth season.
Before joining "Battlestar Galactica," Saunders was an assistant to the producer on the Fox series "24" before writing an episode of the show in 2005.
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About the Author:
Michael Hinman is the founder and site coordinator for Airlock Alpha and the entire BlipNetwork. He owns Quantum Global Media Inc., the parent corporation of the BlipNetwork. He's a print journalist by day, and lives in Tampa, Fla.
