Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.

Barry Al-Fayeed has been living in the United States for twenty years, during which time he got married to Molly Olson, and had two children (Sammy and Emma), with both Molly and he working as physicians, Barry as a pediatrician, in Pasadena. This life belies the fact that at age sixteen, he, under his given name Bassam, escaped his family life in the middle eastern country of Abuddin, where the Al-Fayeeds have been the dictatorial rulers for generations, normally of violent and repressive regimes which he could not morally tolerate. He has not been back to Abuddin since. On the urging of his mother, Barry decides to go back to Abuddin with Molly and family in tow. He may find that leaving Abuddin this second time around is more difficult as he gets ensconced in the troubles the Al-Fayeeds are facing in general in continuing to rule the country as a repressive dictatorship. The longer Barry stays, the more it in turn affects the only life of democratic freedom Molly, Sammy and Emma have known up to this point.

The abduction of beautiful Helen, wife of Spartan King Menelaus, by Paris of Troy triggers a long war.

2003 television miniseries directed by John Kent Harrison

Van Helsing centers on Vanessa Helsing, the daughter of famous vampire hunter and Dracula nemesis Abraham Van Helsing. She is resurrected five years in the future to find out that vampires have taken over the world and that she possesses unique power over them. She is humanity's last hope to lead an offensive to take back what has been lost.

2016 American-Canadian dark fantasy television series

Galavant (Joshua Sasse) is a dashing knight who is on the quest to reclaim his reputation and the love of his life, Queen Madalena (Mallory Jansen), who was stolen away from him by the evil King Richard (Timothy Omundson). In this musical comedy television adventure, Galavant is assisted by Princess Isabella (Karen David), and Sid (Luke Youngblood), his squire. Meanwhile, King Richard tries to win over the affections of his captured love, Madalena. The show follows Galavant's journeys through medieval times creating countless hilarious twist and turns plus a wealth of original new musical numbers.

American fairy tale-themed musical comedy television series

Two centuries after Snow White (Camryn Manheim) and Cinderella (Ann-Margret) had their adventures, the Nine Kingdoms ready themselves for the coronation of Prince Wendell (Daniel Lapaine), Snow White's grandson, to the throne of the Fourth Kingdom. But an evil once-Queen (Dianne Wiest) has freed herself from prison, and turns the Prince into a golden retriever. Wendell, by means of a magic mirror, escapes into a hitherto-unknown Tenth Kingdom (modern day New York City) and meets Virginia Lewis (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) and her father Tony Lewis (John Larroquette). Pursued by trolls, cops, and a wolf in man's form (Scott Cohen), the three blunder back into the Nine Kingdoms and begin their adventures to restore Wendell to his human form and throne, and find the magic mirror that will take Tony and Virginia back home, all the while unknowing that Virginia already has a connection to the Nine Kingdoms that may prove to be deadly before we reach Happily Ever After.

The whole European angle was very important for us, not only story wise but also the way we were going to produce it. It really had to be a European collaboration, not just cast but also crew. We felt that with the past years of Europe being on the decline, we wanted to give a counterpoint to Brexit, and to nationalism rising in different countries, to go back to that idea of Europe and Europeans working and creating together.

In equal parts high-concept thriller and coming-of-age drama, HANNA follows the journey of an extraordinary young girl raised in the forest, as she evades the relentless pursuit of an off-book CIA agent and tries to unearth the truth behind who she is.

Twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed, Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.

American TV series based on the video game The Last of Us

Dwight, a 21st century teen, falls into an ancient, underground chamber and lands lip-to-lip with Gretta, a gothic princess who has been magically sleeping for a thousand years.

In London, where the most gifted teenage ghost-hunters venture nightly into perilous combat with deadly spirits, amidst the many corporate, adult-run agencies, one stands alone: independent of any commercial imperative or adult supervision a tiny startup, run by two teenage boys and a newly arrived, supremely psychically gifted girl, a renegade trio destined to unravel a mystery that will change the course of history.

British detective thriller television series

A couple's relationship is put to the test when time travel is involved. A TV adaptation of Audrey Niffenegger's novel 'The Time Traveler's Wife.'

Clary Fray is a normal teenager living in Brooklyn with her mother. One day, she discovers that she is descended from a line of Shadowhunters; humans born with angelic blood that fight to protect our world from demons. After her mother is kidnapped, Clary must team up with three Shadowhunters: Jace, Alec and Isabelle and her best friend Simon on a quest to find her mother and recover her past.

2016 American supernatural drama television series

Seven unique character-driven stories. Each character will set off on a thrilling adventure in an uncertain future and they'll come to reckon that even during our most isolated moments, we are all connected through the human experience.

2021 anthology streaming television series created by David Weil

Earth is visited by an alien species that threatens humanity's existence. Events unfold in real time through the eyes of five ordinary people across the globe as they struggle to make sense of the chaos unraveling around them.

science fiction television series by Simon Kinberg and David Weil

Based loosely on Homers ancient Greek epic poem 'Iliad', Troy: Fall of a City tells the story of the 10 year siege of the ancient city of Troy by the Greeks, after Paris, the young prince of Troy falls in love with the wife of a Greek king and elopes with her.

shows I want to watch


tv show

podcast

Matthew Olsen

Rando artists that don't assimilate to what would be considered "the norm". Spans from hip-hop to punk rock and lots between.

Great Music-multifarious and eclectic yet far out there


Podcasts

Italian composer and violinist (1678-1741)

Bedtime/Relax


best punk rock bands


Everything from punk rock to hip hop to pop. I'd like to think that the list is full of bands/people that do it better than most of their contemporaries. Most of the music has resonated with me at some level or in some time of my life. What would  the soundtrack of your life sound like?

just some great bands I love

British-American author and journalist (1949-2011)

shows I want to watch

More lists by Matthew Olsen

Great Music-multifarious and eclectic yet far out there

Podcasts

Bedtime/Relax

best punk rock bands

just some great bands I love

People to read

Singers To Checkout

Comedy Podcasts

movies to watch