SFTV News and Info (August 25th Edition) Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles debuts Friday on SFC The all CGI animated series "Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles" starts airing nationally on the Sci-fi channel this friday, Aug 27th at 7:30 am ET and will run at that time Monday - Friday. It starts airing in most markets on local stations next Monday. To check your local listings, use www.tvquest.com or www.tvguide.com. For more details on the series, check out reports on www.aint-it-cool-news.com . Lost World series debuts on Direct TV pay-per-view The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Lost World TV series has started airing on Direct TV via pay per view. After airing the pilot movie earlier this year via pay-per-view, Direct TV has decided to debut the weekly series in this manner, charging subscribers $1.49 for each episode uncut with no commercials. If this is successful, some of the other series being developed for debuting on Direct TV may be made available this way first as well. The series is scheduled to debut in broadcast syndication this fall. UPN Pushes Secret Agent Man back to Mid-season Citing the need to give the production more time to develop their high-tech gadgets and special effects, UPN has pushed back the debut of Secret Agent Man until mid-season. August 7th Edition Convention Notes Coming up next weekend is the annual San Diego Comic Con convention. There's usually a good number of TV actors and other related panels at the con (and usually lots of actors willing to sell you their autograph). Highlights include Richard Hatch talking about his efforts to revive Battlestar Galactica (including a screening of the trailer he's put together), J. Michael Straczynsk i, Neil Gaiman, and more. Check out their web page at www.comic-con.org. I'll be there and you can likely find me at the fan table promoting the Phoenix in 2002 WesterCon bid (near the freebie tables and the Agamemcon table). Two weekends after that is the 1999 Nasfic in Los Angeles. I'll be participati ng on some SF TV oriented panels and there's lots of other stuff going on there as well. Their web page is www.99.nasfic.org . Sci-Fi Channel Scheduling News Starting August 15th, the Sci-Fi Channel looks to be doing a weekly "Chain Reaction" where they run 6 or more episodes of a specific series. Here's the upcoming schedule. For current series, check the listings for while episodes will air. For older series, check the Sci-Fi Channel web page at www.scifi.com Aug 15 - First Wave - 6 episodes starting at 5 pm ET/ 2 pm PT Aug 16 - First Wave - 6 episodes starting at 1 pm ET/ 11 am PT Aug 22 - Alien Nation - 8 episodes starting at 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT Aug 29 - Slide rs - 8 episodes starting at 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT Sep 5 - Lost in Space - 8 episodes starting at 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT Sep 12 - Firs t Wave - 6 episodes starting at 5 pm ET/ 2 pm PT Sep 13 - First Wave - 6 episodes starting at 1 pm ET/ 11 am PT Sep 19 - Quantum Leap - 8 episodes starting at 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT Sep 26 - Farsc ape - 8 episodes starting at 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT Also, the week of Sept 13, they will be running episodes of Farscape at 7 pm ET & 11 pm ET / 4 pm PT & 8 pm PT Mon-Thu Sci-Fi Channel - Renewals, Drops and Pickups Farscape has been renewed for a second season. The SFC announced that Sliders will end with its current season. The SFC picked up " The Invisible Man" series, to join Sci-Fi Prime early next year. From Sci-Fi Wire: In this version of the invisible man concept, a small-time t hief named Darian avoids a prison sentence by undergoing an experiment that allows him to become temporarily--and often accidentally--invisible. While an evil scientist tries t o hunt down Darian to learn his secret, the misguided thief is forcibly enlisted into a ram shackle, underfunded intelligence agency. The SFC will have a SCI FI Short Film Series starting in first quarter 2000. From Sci-Fi Wire: The series will showcase visually and artistically provocativ e film work by unknown movie producers, with the goal of providing first-time f ilmmakers an entre into Hollywood. SCI FI noted that, "emerging sci-fi cinema auteurs whose short works dazzle SCI FI talent scouts can also look forward to possible production deals with th e network." Interested film producers can download a submission form on the SCI FI Web site . Submissions and inquiries should be sent to: Dave Brody, Supervising Producer SCI FI Channel/USA Networks 1230 Ave. of the Americas New York, NY 10020 dbrody@usanetworks.com.