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Salli Richardson teases Eureka season 3.5
Eureka star Salli Richardson told SCI FI Wire that the show picks up this summer with the second half of its third season, in which viewers can expect to learn more about her character Allison Blake's pregnancy and its effect on her relationship with Sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson).
Fans of the SCI FI Channel original series know that Blake was pregnant with a child by her ex-husband Nathan Stark (Ed Quinn), whom she was about to remarry when he vanished in a time/space anomaly. Stark disappeared in "I Do Over" early in season three, but Blake waited until "From Fear to Eternity," the third-season fall finale, to actually tell Carter that she's preggers.
SCI FI Wire spoke exclusively to Richardson last week during SCI FI Channel's upfront presentation for advertisers and the media in New York. In addition to discussing Eureka, the actress acknowledged that she hoped to reprise the role of Zoe, the wife of Robert Neville (Will Smith), in a proposed prequel to I Am Legend. Following are excerpts from our exclusive interview.
Three years into Eureka, what keeps you invested in Allison Blake?
Richardson: I keep getting more and more challenges. Just being on a series, you get more and more comfortable in that character, and you take more chances. It's been fun, and working with Colin and Joe [Morton] makes it a great time.
Tell us a little about what we can expect to see in the second half of the third season.
Richardson: You know how you forget what's been said? But at the end of [the most recent episode, Blake told Carter she was pregnant], and I have to go through that. What does that mean for me and Carter, for our relationship, because we keep going through these waves? So it definitely gives me a lot more to play off of this season.
Eureka is now deep into its third season, but go back a step. How confident were you that the show would catch on with an audience?
Richardson: Absolutely not. We shot the pilot, and I saw it and went, "Oh, it's good, ... " but I didn't even think it was going to get picked up. When you do a show you have absolutely no idea. But now that we're on, I kind of get why we're there. These people, Colin and Joe, keep it real enough that you're intrigued to come and see the characters. Aside from all the fun stuff, you care about the characters, and that's why we're still there.
A prequel to I Am Legend is apparently in the works. What's the latest on that, and will you be involved?
Richardson: Well, I'm hoping to be, but I was definitely talked to about it. I'm just sort of waiting, like everyone else, to see when it's happening. But a prequel is definitely better for me, because I'm alive.
Assuming it all works out, what would you like to see for Zoe?
Richardson: I really have no idea what they're going to do, so that's a question I can't even answer, because I don't know what direction they're taking the film in. I'm just happy to be there for those five minutes!
By Kyle Nin at 11:05 AM ON 03/23/09
Why is it taking TEN MONTHS just to continue Season 3? There better be more than five episodes when the series returns, or I'll be even more pissed than I am right now.
By sparrrownightmare at 11:10 AM ON 03/23/09
SciFi (I refuse to use that stupid new name), is notorious for messing around with the schedule. There is no consistency in it anymore. Ten Months Haitus in the MIDDLE of a season... I think the entire programming department has had too much time in the sun. It's fried their brains.....
By buzzard601 at 11:11 AM ON 03/23/09
Last I heard, There is supposed to be 13 episodes for this last half.
By Gaivs at 11:43 AM ON 03/23/09
Agreed...I read on another article that the second half had a 13 episode run due to the extended time off. They were able to get that many done in the time frame. BUT that doesn't mean they could use it to "get ahead" for season 4.
By Aeryn at 12:50 PM ON 03/23/09
I'm glad Eureka returns but I'm also annoyed at the then month break mid season..it just doesn't make sense.
Or they'll do the same thing as with Kyle XY, have riducilous long midseason breaks like that and then cancel the show due to low ratings.
It makes one very carefull before investing time in a new show.
And networks should seriously stop messing about with fans like that, they want us to watch that channel and buy the things we see in the adds right?
So network bigwigz thinky money here..believe me there is money in an actual sensable airing shedule instead of the ridiculous ones a lot of you seem to have now.
Or fire your scheduling department
By rkf at 2:13 PM ON 03/23/09
I have to agree with most of you that a 10-month hiatus is ludicrous. That's not two halves of one season; that's two very short distinct seasons. I understand when something uncontrollable like the writers' strike interferes with production, but this was not the case here.
I've noticed more and more of this sort of thing going on, not just on SciFi, but on regular networks as well. You'll have 8 or 9 episodes of a series, then a 4-week "hiatus." Then 4 more episodes, then a 10- or 12-week "hiatus." I miss the simple scheduling of my youth. lol Without programmable DVRs, it would be impossible to keep up with TV scheduling these days.
By ALBEGAO at 1:16 AM ON 03/24/09
Hello!! This show is still being produce!!!
By jolinar at 8:12 AM ON 03/24/09
This is why I hate tv, movies, & music these days they are no longer good anymore. They were way better back in the mid to late 90's & early 2000's (00-01).
By sbjr53 at 10:29 AM ON 03/24/09
what month will season4 start thank you
By MaNature165 at 3:41 PM ON 03/24/09
I do agree with most of the comments. I never seem to find the right time on scifi channel for Eureka. I missed most of the 3rd season. Tried to buy it and it is not available yet.
I like the show too bad it is fiction. I would live there. Season 4???
By katy at 7:21 PM ON 03/24/09
I read on the scifi channel website that a new episode was going to be on 3/24/08 yet it hasn't been on nor is it listed in the tv guide. I'm so waiting for the new 'season' to begin..any further updates??
By jpjp at 1:35 AM ON 03/25/09
MaNature165: Try HULU for missed Eureka episodes.
And the 10 month break IS too long. At first they said there was gonna be a 2 month mid season break. I was annoyed. Then when it didn't start again, I was really annoyed. Then I was told that it would come on in April. I was really, really annoyed. Now SUMMER? How dare they continue to call this "Season 3"?
By Raven at 10:14 AM ON 03/25/09
Eureka is one of the only truly original shows and one of its highest rated shows so of course the morons in charge have to find a way of destroying it like it has every other actuallly good shows that they have been responsible for. The shows are taking up too much of Sci-Fi's horrible Z-rate movies budgets.
By nina11bleu at 5:43 PM ON 03/26/09
Love Eureka, like everyone have been waiting for it's return. Will it be May or June? Only complaint for me is I hope Sheriff's sis is packed off, never really liked her character.
By Farscaper at 3:48 PM ON 03/27/09
That's what they do. They have a hit show, take it off FOREVER, Have no mention of it at all, bring it back after everybody's forgotten about it and cry low rating, its canceled. Maybe if the idiots in charge paid attention to what they are really doing, we'd have better shows and not ones for a season or 6 episodes.
By Grandma5 at 9:03 PM ON 03/31/09
Just heard Eureka’s coming back this summer. Hallelujah, I’ve been waiting and hoping. It’s a great show and I didn’t want it to go off the air. It seems all the good ones they take off and leave some of the sleepers. Colin Ferguson as Jack Carter and Salli Richardson as Allison Blake are great together they definitely need to get back together, it was such a disappointment when they erased their memories they would have been so cute being married having their own baby. Keep up the good shows, and the fans will keep watching.
By m0on at 9:27 PM ON 04/03/09
According to imdb it comes back July 10
By HudsonFerris at 10:02 PM ON 04/06/09
Sci Fi completely disrespects the Eureka audience. The show is interesting, fun, and I look forward to each new episode. Only problem is that I've been waiting to find out what happens to Carter after being fired, and Sci Fi has left me hanging for months without even giving a clue as to when OR if they would continue the series. Come on. How hard would it be to put a slug on the Sci Fi Eureka page thats "Eureka returns this summer with all new episodes." A simple way to keep the core audience , if not satisfied, at least interested. Not keeping the core audience informed is a good way to make sure the show dies. And I'm not ready to give up Eureka yet.
By Pete at 7:14 PM ON 04/14/09
Come on! Get us some episodes! Great show but it takes too long to make a new season!
By StoicLion at 11:24 AM ON 05/01/09
I've loved Eureka since its premiere and tout its quirkiness to my friends. I must lend my voice to the chorus of fans expressing displeasure at how SciFi (I, too, think the name change is ridiculous) is treating one of its most original programs. I recall the show was supposed to return in January but now its July. If the new season delivers, I may consider forgiving the network for showing wrestling, shamelessly shilling for its corporate master and asinine original, direct-to-the-DVD-bargain-bin movies that makes Cartoon Networks lineup more appealing.
By lily at 2:21 PM ON 12/07/09
The hiatus for 10 months was for Salli's real life pregnancy. She was off 3 months before and 3 months after she gave birth to a baby boy.
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lily:
The hiatus for 10 months was for Salli's real life pregnancy. She was off 3 months before and 3 months after she ga...More »