MOTM - February 2013

[stevieg]

As I won last months, for February's MOTM I've tried to go with something that maybe hasn't been done yet, and could lead to a possible new series for VPN (with Mods approval).

The idea for this month's MOTM is as follows:

Create a NEW Science Fiction TV Series.

VPN has lots of action/adventure, fantasy and even a couple of Dramedy/Comedy shows, but we only have 1 Science Fiction show on here. So let's see what our members can come up with as a basis for a new show idea.

Rules:

Your show must be original in it's idea
No copying shows already created like Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, Doctor Who, etc.
No using any of the characters already created and seen in any other show.

By this I mean don't come up with an idea that says:
"A time lord meets a human who tries to teach them about the good in humanity while defeating evil enemies" - Doctor Who
"Cyborgs take over Earth sending Humanity to find a new home" - BG
"A space crew explore new planets while working for a large organization to keep peace across the universe" - Star Trek

Shows already pitched (Past & Present) in the virtual series section CANNOT be entered into the contest. Your entry must be completely a new idea from scratch.

All entries must be in by no later than Thursday February 28th 2013 - Midnight (UK Time). Winner will be announced hopefully within 48 hours after closing.

Your show must consist of the following in your post:

• Title
  
• Synopsis for the overall series
  
• Characters & Small Biographies (casting not necessary if you don't wish)
  
• Episode Guide (minimum of your first 3-6 episodes synopsis)
  

You Will Be Judged On:

Your originality of the idea, so be as creative and wild as you wish.
The depth of your characters, synopsis and episodes.

===========================================================

Remember: Science Fiction does not necessarily mean it has to be set in space, look at shows like Fringe, Alphas, Alien Nation, Sanctuary, X-Files, Lost, Dollhouse, amongst other shows set on Earth with a sci-fi basis to the overall series.

To help you out, have a look at Wiki's page on Science Fiction, as it offeres various genres, ideas and settings that can be defined by the term:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction


Overall, have fun, be creative and just enjoy trying to create a new series that could even make it as a series on VPN somewhere down the line.

[Deleted]

Hm. Interesting. I actually have an idea that's been on the backburner for sometime. Maybe I'll pitch that bad boy.

[Ms. Kerry]

I love sci-fi so obviously I am going to attempt a pitch in here.

[Jamison]

Oh my god... I love you for this MotM idea!

[Brady Brown]

“It went wrong. It... it wasn’t supposed to go wrong.”

GEFA (Genetical Enhancements For Assistance) was a secret branch, operated by the government, to experiment on death-row inmates, attempting to create weapons that would help the United States in war and stop other criminal activities. The branch was kept secret. They had it all right. The funding, the scientists, everything. But they never thought that the experiments would go wrong. And escape.

On Theodore “Teddy” Muckings’(Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a detective sent to supervise the experiments, first day at the branch, he witnesses things her never thought he would- mutations that aren’t for the squeamish. The leader of the branch immediately assigns Muckings with Amanda Bray (Jessica Chastain), a detective also assigned to supervise the experiments. because she’s run off every other detective she’s been paired with.

Bray was giving Muckings his tour. It was normal. They saw the scientists do what they do best. But an alarm goes blaring. The powers shuts off. And people are heard screaming. The experiments have escaped, and a saboteur lurks among the walls of GEFA.

Now, being the only detectives that know of the experiments, Muckings and Bray are sent to go find these mutations, and put a stop to them before they kill anything and everything in their way.

Theodore “Teddy” Muckings (Portrayed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt): He’s been a detective for eight years, never thought he’d be anything more. But his trustworthy and dedicated attitude made him the perfect candidate for supervising such a confidential thing. In the beginning, he’s apprehensive as to what his time at GEFA might hold, but when the experiments escape, he has no choice but to toughen up.

Amanda Bray (Portrayed by Jessica Chastain): Rough, tough and ruthless, she’s everything opposite of Teddy, which may make them the perfect pair. Being around the experiments for two years, her morals have decreased as to where she has barely any. Also hating her new partner, she attempts to fly through the tour she is required to give him. But when their lives are on the line, will her morals suddenly resurface?

EPISODES:

1.01 - Breakout: After being given the job of supervising a highly confidential experimental branch, Theodore “Teddy” Muckings (Gordon-Levitt) becomes apprehensive of having such a huge secret on his shoulder, all the while trying to hold down his lunch. Shortly after arriving, Muckings is paired up with Amanda Bray (Chastain), the other, ruthless supervisor. And after the experiments mysteriously escape, Muckings and Bray are sent to go return them, before GEFA (Genetical Enhancements For Assistance) is uncovered, or, even worse, responsible for a brutal massacre.

1.02 - Amish Massacre: When a young, Amish girl secretly contacts the police about her neighbors being brutally massacred, Muckings (Levitt) and Bray (Chastain) are sent to the Amish Country to investigate further. While there, they find out everything is not so peaceful and quiet.

1.03 - Slither: After investigating a possible Experiment in downtown Manhattan, Muckings (Levitt) and Bray (Chastain) suddenly begin hearing women screaming across the city. Immediately checking it out, they find that the victims have all had their internal organs removed from their bodies, with no exit wounds whatsoever. And when more killings surface, the duo may just have an Experiment serial killer on their hands.

NOTES:

So, yeah, I obviously had way too much fun with this, and went ahead and worked on the thing. Haha! The X-Files was sort of my inspiration, but I think I made it different enough. Hopefully. And I am totaaaally not thinking of turning this into a series... Not... at all! Pfft, that is so not me... Anyways, enjoy! ;D

[MJ]

Oh man, I used up my awesome sci-fi idea a few MOTMs back with 'Aurora'. However, I'm sure I'll be able to come up with something equally as awesome for this

[Deleted]

"We're all dead. 'They' showed us our future and our governments ignored their warning. One year, that's all we had to figure out how to stop our Sun from dying. Around the world a handful of people, 'Dreamers', received 'their' message. At first it was but a passing thought but as days past coincidence started to bring us together. Faces became recognizable and one by one our dream became reality. That's when we realized that this was the beginning of the end. If you're out there we got your message but I fear it was too late."

The world we know is in ruins. The sky black as night. The streets packed full of people but eerily calm. A blinding light and it ends.

Young Pilot, Stephen Stantler, wakes up from a vision of our future, disguised as a nightmare. A warning from someones unknown... our Sun is dying, we're all going to die. At first thought to be the byproduct of too much tequila and a bad burrito, Stephen shakes it off and returns to his slumber. However, as the next few days unfold the faces from his dream begin to appear and it's soon apparent that his dream was more of a vision of mankind's future.

ACROSS the country a teenage boy, Jamie Owens, walks. His eyes are open, but glazed over. Sleep walking. His bare feet sink into the grass and then pat against the asphalt road. Janice Owens awakes startled by a dream. Derelict structures, a darkened sky, no sun. She gingerly escapes the mountain of blankets, a consideration for a husband who's never there. Warm milk to aid a restless sleep. Out the window a shadow stands... then two... then three. She squints and realizes her son stands barefoot between two men. The glass tumbles and breaks as she legs it outside. Shocked at her son, alone. A simple touch and he's awake, no recollection of his travels. They return to the safety of their home. Two tall shadows watch from a distance.

A LITTLE ways north a siren roars to life. Inmates scream and shout as several guards book it down the cell-block hallway. As they approach the last cell they stop scared, shocked, and confused. A body lies faced down in a pool of blood. His roommate, Adam Donnelly, stands facing the far wall. His blood soaked finger lifts and presses on the concrete wall. Pull back and the room's walls are covered in 1's and 0's... a binary code. Adam stops. The cell door opens as the guards rush it. Grunts and thuds echo down the dark corridor as the inmates continue their rowdiness. Outside the prison gates stand two shadowed figures.

ACROSS the pond Kyle Kingsley awakens from a daydream, startled and confused. A young blonde woman, Dr. Holly Quinton, sits in the chauffeured vehicle beside him. The vehicle pulls up outside a large luxury hotel. A sign as they enter “Quantum Entanglement: Time Travel and Parallel Universes - Fact or Fiction. Please to welcome, Dr. Holly Quinton”. A suit wearing man opens the car door as the two travellers exit the vehicle and enter the building. A shadow creeps into the alley.

CAST & CHARACTERS

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Stephen Stantler (Wilson Bethel) is a pilot with a record. His past haunts him and his future seems bleak. He's stubborn, and bold. Cold and distant. A loner at the very definition. However, after the dream, life takes a turn and he finds himself doing something he never thought he'd do again... care.

Dr. Holly Quinton (Maggie Grace) is the laughing stalk of the scientific community, for her outlandish theories on quantum entanglement, but she doesn't let that bother her. She knows there is more out there. Life beyond our comprehension. A world in the past, the present and the future. Will she be the key to saving the human race, or is she it's undoing?

Adam 'Cyph' Donnelly (Evan Peters) was the youngest hacker to ever hit the F.B.I.'s Most Wanted list. After years of avoiding the firm grasp of the right-side of the law, 'Cyph' landed himself in Achland Correctional Facility to serve a minimum ten year sentence. Adam's cocky and arrogant, which masks his try self-consciousness. His mind sees everything as a code to be broken and a lock to be picked. Can he crack the mystery of the code, or will it be too late?

Kyle Kingsley (Barry Sloan) owns the biggest publishing house in Ohio, with branches located throughout the world, including his motherland, England. Charming and witty, Kyle has no problems with the ladies, but his heart belongs to only one, Holly. During Holly's book-tour, Kyle has a daydream. At first it seems to be nothing, but as things start to border deja-vu territory, Kyle finds himself falling deeper and deeper into denial of the world's fate.

Janice Owens (Holly Marie Combs) is a loving mother and her husband's doormat. She is kind and compassionate. Tender, but strong. Unfortunately, she can't escape the feelings she still has for her adulterous husband. But after the 'dream' Janice wakes up with a sense of unease and a life purpose so long forgotten. As her son slips away from reality, can Janice hold it all together or has her fate, along with the rest of the world's, already been decided?

Anchor Owens (Chris Vance) is a well-known lawyer and a very stereotypical one at that. He's a liar, a cheater, a real pompous ass... and those are not his worst traits. Not only is this dick a drunk, but he treats his kid like garbage and his wife worse. Anchor is and will always be out for number one, and he doesn't care who gets stepped on in the process.

Jamie Owens (Colin Ford) is a 'dreamer', literally. Unlike most of the 'dreamers' around the world Jamie was, and is special. He plays a vital role in the coming year, even if he or anyone else knows it yet. A typical sixteen year old teenager, Jamie's into skateboarding, music and girls, but his world's going to change and there will come a time when this boy will need to put away childish things.

Detective Wesley Fink (Paul Adelstein) is aggressively ambitious, but takes no pride in his accomplishments. Protecting the innocent is just another days work. Known for taking the more 'bizarre' cases, Wesley may have found more than he bargained for, when his next case starts at Ackland Correctional Facility and takes him to the end of the world, literally.

Detective Rachel Kyoh (Kelly Hu) is not so much naive as she is willing to look the other way. Known to Janice Owens as the 'other woman', Detective Rachel Kyoh is not the cheater you'd think she'd be. She believes in fairytales and true love and that Anchor Owens is not lying to her when he swears he's not married. She, along with her partner Detective Wesley Fink, try and unravel the mystery that starts with a murder and ends with world panic.

April Lochy (AnnaSophia Robb) like Jamie is a special 'dreamer'. The night of the 'dream' April too was found wandering the halls of her Sorority house, Zeta Cappa Zeta. But her story's different in the fact that when she was awakened she saw the true face of a shadowed man. Now she finds herself obsessing over the identity of this unknown being and how they relate to the 'dream'.

Professor Les Wiltkins (Jason O'Mara) is the resident Professor of Astrology at Murshfield University, the same university that April attends. He's fatherly, but in a cool-dad sort of way, friend-like. He finds himself drawn to April when he discovers symbols scribbled on her notebook. Together the two attempt to unravel their meaning, and more importantly their origin. But are the symbols a warning, or something far more useful?

President Jeffrey Duncan (Eamonn Walker) is a level headed man, a Democrat, and an exceptional leader. But President Duncan is about to face his first world crisis... the end of it. Can this mild manner Commander and Chief keep it together, or will he too fall apart like the crumbling country around him?

Vice-President Richard Caune (Keith Carradine) is sly. Not in a cool-cat sort of way but in an untrustworthy way. He road on the coattails of an obvious winner to make sure he could push his agenda, and man did he ever. He's the darkside of politics you hear so much about, and this man has a lot of skeletons in his closet, even one in the shape of a 'dream'.

'They' - Little is known about the men in the shadows. Are they human? Are they extraterrestrial? Did they give us the dream, or were they the dream?

EPISODE GUIDE

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1.01 “Don't Dream, It's Over | Pilot” -- Stephen dreams of the world's end. After Jamie sleep walks into the street Janice takes him to see a doctor which leads to interesting findings and signs of abuse. Cyph, having no recollection of the murder at his hands, demands to see the photographic evidence and realizes the numbers on the wall hold a map. Dr. Holly Quinn's book tour is cut short when a freak accident leaves her asking all the right questions to the wrong people.

1.02 “Dreaming of You” -- April Lochy wakes from sleep walking and sees the face of person's unknown. Detective Fink and Detective Kyoh are called in when Cyph demands he speak to someone. Professor Wiltkins lecture ends surprisingly when he sees strange markings on April's notebook. Stephen runs into a complete stranger he recognizes from the dream. An earthquake leaves the government scrabbling.

1.03 “Dream Lover” -- Cyph hears about the disaster and nearly goes into orbit. Detective Kyoh's indiscretion proves to be more than she bargained for when she meets her man's wife. April continues to dream of the dark figures and feel their presence. Kyle starts acting distant and unattached as Holly pushes to know more about the 'dream'. One mistake costs Stephan everything.


**WRITER'S NOTES**

Okay, so I've had this bad boy on the backburner for sometime now. It was always there, in different forms, but not as thoroughly drawn out as you see it now. My thoughts for this series is quite simple... A handful of people throughout the world, of all walks of life, have a momentary vision of the Earth's end from visitors of unknown origin. Now it's up to these people to decipher the code and find away to save the human race. Some of the characters in the first season have the dream, some do not. The first season will introduce this group of Americans, the second will bring in more foreign characters. This idea sprouts from my love of Fringe / Lost / FlashForward / Earth 2 / Revolution.... so on and so forth. Obviously, what I've given you so far isn't necessarily anything new, but I have this CRAZY idea for the progression of this series which, in my opinion, will leave people asking “WTF?”. Lol. I picture this being an ensemble show ALA the shows I listed above. No one character is more significant than the others. In each of the first couple of episodes I think I would reveal the characters and how their introduction to the “dream”. And slowly start building them towards their introduction to each other. I actually had a lot of fun doing this MotM, so much so, that maybe this will be the next series I write. But I would probably put more thought into the episode guide make it a faster pace. *shrugs and smiles*

[Jamison]

Wow. I'm totally thinking about backing out of this one. Brady, Darrin, those are some BRILLIANT ideas! I wouldn't mind either of them getting made into a full series.

[Brady Brown]

Aw, thanks KA-RISS! XD

[Deleted]

Thanks, Chris!! I'm actually really excited about this pitch. Damn you, Steve. Now I have yet another series to outline from a MotM. Lmfao!!

[Jamison]

Humans are fairly new to the galaxy. The race only just ventured outside of the Milky Way eighty years ago. This did not bode well for the Forerunners; a primal alien race whom held dominion over most planets in the Prime Systems. The Forerunners sought to destroy the seemingly weak-minded human race, which started a war that would rage over forty long years, between the Forerunners and every other species under their rule. The resistance grew each day, the Forerunners were defeated and the galaxy had finally found peace...

PLOT

Malachi System, Uphora. Human Colony. 2216.

After deciding to skip out on their final day at the Grisson Military Academy, a group of friends stumble upon a shipwreck on the outskirts of the city. They quickly deduce that the remains are not from an ordinary passenger vessel; but they had found a military-grade "Ironwing," a vessel used by many human officers in the Forerunner Wars, a battle that raged decades before their time. Her name; "Osiris."

Upon venturing inside the ghost ship, they find no human remains, no supplies and little-to-no engine. The majority of the group calls it a lost cause, but one among them sees their discovery as an opportunity to escape the life of rules, regulations, and routine that awaits them. After spending months repairing the ship in secret, he invites his friends back to join him in the adventure of a lifetime.

But not long after their departure, the young crew learns that some things are better left buried, when they receive a transmission log from the captain of Osiris' previous crew, detailing their journey, and their mission of finding an artifact that would end the Forerunner threat once and for all. But if that wasn't enough to scare them back to their old, boring lives, they also find themselves being stalked by the first Forerunner vessel to be spotted in decades; possibly the very ship that brought Osiris down the first time, which threatens to rehash a half a centuries old war; a war they cannot win on their own.

Against all odds, and unable to return home for fear of being followed, the new crew of Osiris, with the help of the previous crews logs, must explore a number of planets, gain a variety of allies, and slowly unlock new clues to solve the puzzle the past crew failed to complete, with the hope of ending the second Forerunner War, before it begins.

CAST & CHARACTERS

August "Duke" McKnight (Michael Socha) is the ringleader of a group of misfits begging for a way out of their sluggish lives. It was his idea to take Osiris off planet and even after all that's happened, he doesn't regret his decision. Some may call him an anti-hero, but Duke has the mindset of a real soldier, and will do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Megan Ora (Georgina Haig) had a bright future ahead of her, as she was at the top of her class at Grisson Military Academy. Megan's father was a general in the Forerunner Wars; a household name, causing everyone around her treat her differently. Everyone, except Duke, which is why she finds herself attached to him. A rebel at heart, venturing off on Osiris was a dream come true, but after the events that follow short after, she questions her decision.

Noah Saunders (Iwan Rehon) has been best friends with Duke for as long as he can remember. The brains behind his brawn, Noah is great at getting the crew out of bad situations, and is often who they turn to for insight on different planets and races. He has strong feelings for Megan, but does not act on them due to the fact that she has someone else in mind.

Lourdes Kane (Jessica Parker Kennedy) has always been "the bad girl." Her sexual allure and spicy attitude can help the crew just as much as it can hender them, as she isn't one for playing nice with anybody. Her relationship with her other crew mates are rocky at best, but her and Duke have an understanding, due to the fact that they're step siblings.

Sam Ballard (Lucas Till) is a bully who got passage onto Osiris after threatening to call the authorities if the others did not let him join. Coming from one of the wealthiest families on Uphora, Sam acts as entitled and stubborn as he possibly can, which puts him at odds with everyone on board. But, he is forced to change his attitude when he realizes that who he was in his past does not matter to those who seek to destroy him.

EPISODE GUIDE

1x01 | "Breaking Atmosphere" (Pilot) -- When a day of playing hooky leads a group of misfits to discover the remains of a military vessel, they see an opportunity to escape the dullness of their lives and voyage into space. After breaking atmosphere aboard their newly acquired vessel, Orisis, the group finds themselves on the brink of restarting a war that ended decades ago, as they get tagged by a ship belonging to the Forerunners, an ancient alien race thought to be long extinct. With their backs against the wall, the crew receives a mysterious transmission from the original Osiris captain in the ship's log, telling them of an important quest the former crew failed to complete. Realizing the only way to stop the Forerunner threat is to start where they left off, a quest of mystery, intrigue and adventure begins...

1x02 | "Sins of the Father" -- The Osiris crew receives another transmission; this one, telling them of a planet called Penora, and a black market trader in a human colony called the City of Strings who has been rumored to possessing the artifact they're looking for. The crew plots a course for Penora and goes on a search for the trader, only to discover he was murdered years ago. But all may not be lost when they find his son, who has followed in his father's footsteps as a market dealer.

1x03 | "The Face of the Enemy" -- As they await another transmission, the Osiris crew is yet again visited by the Forerunner vessel they thought they had lost. When their attempt at thwarting them fails, they are forced to abandon ship and hide out on a hostile jungle planet called Gemenon. Now, the crew must find a way to evade the Forerunners, who are scouting the planet in search for them, as well as fight back the countless other hostile non-human species that reside on the planet's surface.

CREATORS NOTES

I really don't know how good or bad this idea is, but I think I'm falling in love with it. Drawing inspiration from shows like Stargate: Atlantis, Firefly and Star Trek, possibly even Misfits, I believe this story would be best told as an episodic serial (combination of a procedural and serialized drama). This show would have 10-13 episodes in a season; each episode focusing on another mysterious transmission and the crew's journey towards finding "the artifact." I chose to focus on a bunch of 20-somethings, rather than a more adult (or at least a variety of ages) cast because I don't know of any science fiction shows, especially set in space, that follow a young cast. Even though the cast is young, it wouldn't be much of a "teen drama." Just thought I'd get put that thought to rest. lmfao! And now, I want to write this series. I knew that if I came up with an idea for this MOTM in particular, since Sci-Fi is my favorite thing to work on, that I wouldn't be able to just leave it alone. Damn you, Steve! lmfao

[Alex Matthews]

CREATED BY ALEX MATTHEWS

“There is one rule to remember in life, that no matter our field of study, or choice of career, or even what we decide to wear tomorrow morning, they all have one thing in common: nothing will EVER go as planned, because life is all a matter of random factors.”
Dr. Helen Quinn, M.D.

In 2013, the Earth discovered the existence of extraterrestrial life the hard way - it was invaded by a ruthless alien race called the Nagaliin, a long-lived serpentine-race, bent on conquest and securing a foothold in our small sector of the Milky Way.

By 2025, humanity united together like never before to overthrow their alien oppressors, forming resistance movements that fought back, stole from the enemy, and turned the Nagaliin technology against them.

By 2031, the Nagaliin, with unprecedented looses, and their empire facing threats from within, pulled out from Earth, but not before seeding the entire planet with an experimental biogenetic compound. This weapon, designed as a way of enslaving a planet by turning it’s inhabitants into life forms similar to the Nagaliin, fundamentally changed what it was to be human. The Nagaliin also left behind a force of guerilla troopers whose mission it was to undermine any attempts humanity made at rebuilding, and keep the inhabitants preoccupied until the Nagaliin Hegemony was ready to return. Most of the larger countries lay in ruin, their governments having fallen in disarray and chaos, only certain countries, like the United Kingdom, Australia, and smaller African and European nations survived relatively intact, and so many of these places began taking in refugees.

By 2035, it was discovered that the entirety of humanity was infected, and that the compound is based on down into the next generation, creating ‘random factors’ in a subject’s DNA that give them a reptilian characteristic. Not only that, but the mutation rate was increasing, and with each child born, that which makes them human, is being replaced more and more with Nagaliin DNA. With this looming threat, and the continuing small-scale attacks by the surviving Nagaliin forces, the newly formed Coaliton of Surviving Nations formed a multinational task force group, colloquially called ‘the Snake-Hunters’, designated to locate, capture or kill rogue Nagaliin, and work towards a cure for the growing mutations by any means necessary.

By 2052, almost any hope of a cure was considered foolish, until a miracle happened - a child was born, without any signs of mutation or latent infection present in her DNA. Although her birth was difficult, and the mother died during childbirth because of the mutation of her reproductive system, the child, named Cassidy, gave scientists renewed hope in developing a cure.
The year is now 2081... and humanity (or what is left of it) is still waiting.

Cassidy Quinn (portrayed by Michelle Ryan)

Born Cassidy O’Hara, to Doctor Daniel and Maureen O’Hara, she was very nearly considered a saviour to humanity, born completely free of any mutations that are now prevalent throughout the rest of humanity. However, years of intensive study of her DNA proved to not be the missing link to a cure as had been hoped, and at the age of 12, she sought legal emancipation from her father, who had risen to become head of the all scientific research into finding a cure, and had come to treat her more as a lab rat then as a daughter. She was adopted by Dr. Helen Quinn, another member of the research team who came to abhor the way that she was treated as she grew up, and had been the only real mother figure Cassidy knew. After the ‘Snake Hunters’ thwarted an attempted assassination attempt on her during her graduation from Oxford University, fate intervened when it became clear that she would continue to be a target for the rogue Nagaliin, so she was recruited as an intern in order to be looked after. However, she proved to everyone’s surprise to be more then capable of holding her own in one-on-one combat, as well as being a natural investigator and detective, her adoptive mother Helen theorising that she works extra hard because she is ‘normal’ compared to everyone else around her, whose reptilian characteristics give them all some kind of extra edge which she lacks. While some of her superiors regard it as unwise for her to be out in the field at risk, her emancipation ruling prevents her from being singled out and insures she is treated equally.

Trevor Summers (portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor)

Cassidy’s experienced, overprotective and rough around the edges partner in the ‘Snake Hunters’, he sees her as the younger sister he never had, just as she sees him as the older sibling she always wanted. Trevor’s mutation gives him retractable fangs that are linked to venom sacks located in his mouth, and his body produces the venom naturally, although this makes his saliva somewhat toxic. His venom wont kill in one bite, but it will cause pain and discomfort to anyone he sinks his fangs into, and unfortunately this has also caused him problems with maintaining relationships, since he is unable to kiss anyone without them being ‘stung’. As a result, he is often guarded and hostile, and can appear unapproachable at the best of time, the only people he softens up to being Cassidy and Helen, who is using her medical expertise to find a way to neutralise his venom’s effects. Although he was born after the invasion and the ’Seeding’, as the dispersal of the compound is commonly known, he has a violent hatred for any Nagaliin he encounters, since he naturally blames them for his condition.

Emily Hunter (portrayed by Erin Way)

The technical analyst for Cassidy and Trevor’s department, born to an American ex-pat who, as a child, was one of the first refugees taken in by the United Kingdom, and although born in the UK, Emily picked up on her mother’s accent, and maintained it as she grew up. Something of a recluse, Emily’s mutation has caused her to grow a hardened epidermal layer, akin to snake skin, that once a month, she has to shed, only for it to grow back again, and the longer she goes without shedding, the tougher it becomes and harder it is to shed. This, along with her stubborn maintenance of her American heritage, means she is something of a socially dysfunctional character, but she is a genius with technical systems, computer hardware, as well as incorporating newly reverse engineered Nagaliin tech as and when it becomes available - she is the only member of their department who is allowed access to the scavenged Nagaliin matter-transporter they use to get to assignments quickly and easily.

Madeline Leong (portrayed by Michelle Yeoh)

The Officer in Charge of Cassidy and Trevor’s investigate unit, their immediate superior, and one tough cookie, having worked her way up the department ladder, only having taken a desk job out of the field to better protect her family, after her husband was killed during a random Nagaliin guerilla raid. She is strict, by the book, boss, not taking any excuses for her investigators failing in her duties, and does not have time for anyone who wastes their valuable time. Her opinion of Cassidy could not be lower, despite the fact that Cassidy has gone out of her way to prove how valuable a member of the team she is, but unfortunately, it doesn’t make any inch of difference. However, Madeline is feeling pressure from her own superiors to make sure that despite the emancipation hearing, Cassidy is NOT put into the firing line needlessly, so Madeline must balance her orders versus the good of the team and whatever case at hand is being dealt with. She is haunted by personal demons dating back from when she briefly travelled the world and became involved with one of the new quasi-religious cults that have sprung up since the Nagaliin occupation, that believe they were a divine intervention to allow humanity to outgrow it’s limitations. Her mutation is a secondary snake-like tongue that actually enhances her sense of smell, allowing her to ‘taste’ the air, as well as enhanced vision, allowing her to 'see' infra-red.

Dr. Helen Quinn (portrayed by Frances Fisher)

The adoptive mother of Cassidy, Helen was ten years old when the Nagaliin were defeated and grew up during the fighting, and saw many wounded and dead, helping her mother in a refugee camp infirmary, and it was this that pushed her towards becoming a doctor when her family moved to the United Kingdom, as part of the first wave of refugees from the collapsed USA. As one of those exposed to the ‘Seeding’, she carries no mutations herself, but the compound is intricately woven into her DNA, and would be passed on to any children she would have bore, had she not been injured during a civil protest, which resulted in her being unable to carry a child to term. After completing her medical training, and specialising in genetic mutations and aberrations, she was recruited by Dr. Daniel O’Hara to be part of his research team into curing the compound and the mutations, only to be horrified that the doctor was willing to subject his own child to procedure after procedure in the name of progress. It was her testimony to a board of ethics that allowed Cassidy to be legally emancipated from her father and having fallen in love with the young girl, was quick to adopt her and take her in, setting herself up as a research at Oxford University. During the attack on Cassidy at her graduation, Helen was badly injured and confined to a wheelchair as a result of shielding her adoptive daughter from attack, and although she continues to be fearful for her safety, she understands the best place for Cassidy is to be living her life, doing what she wants and what she loves, surrounded by those who want to keep her safe.

Dr. Daniel O’Hara (portrayed by Trevor Eve)

Cassidy’s biological father, and now the senior scientist in charge of finding a way to reverse or cease the effects of ‘the Seeding’, totally dedicated to his work, uses it as an emotional crutch for coping with the death of his beloved wife during childbirth. He recognises that Cassidy is his daughter, biologically, but he resents her, blaming her for the death of her mother, but has several dark secrets of his own that will emerge in the mid-season finale.

Dr. Vanessa Duchamp (portrayed by Laura Mennell)

The scientific specialist investigator assigned to Cassidy and Trevor’s unit, a trained pathologist with some of the most up-to-date knowledge on Nagaliin physiology and biology. Born in France, but raised in England, one of the more ‘people person’ members of the team, especially because her mutation is control over the amount of pheromones she can produce, which tend to put people at ease.

1x01 - “Sweet Beginnings”
“When you live in a world where no-one is ‘normal’ anymore, sometimes the only one who can make a difference is the one person who actually is.”
Cassidy Quinn only wanted on thing on her first day of work in the London bureau of the ‘Snake Hunters’, and was to NOT SCREW UP. But it seemed fate had other plans, especially when she forgot her adoptive mother’s first rule, “life is all a matter of random factors”. When the suspect she and her partner Trevor Summers are escorting is snatched from their custody, they not only have the wrath of their superior, Madeline Leong, to deal with, but the fact that they might have been betrayed by one of their own.

1x02 - “Matter of Luck”
Trevor has a crisis of confidence over his involvement in the death of an innocent bystander during a surprise attack by rogue Nagaliin, while Madeline deals with the fact that he is being placed on administrative leave, meaning Cassidy is without a partner for field work. However, when he is accused of misconduct and his entire career comes under heavy scrutiny, Cassidy decides to fight for her partner no matter the cost.

1x03 - “Once Around The Block”
A bombing of a farmer’s market in London causes uproar that an attack would hit so close to the ‘Snake Hunters’ headquarters, sending Cassidy and Trevor on a hunt for the masterminds. But when a member of the Church of Serpentine Purity is brought in, Madeline is forced to confront some shadows from her past, from back when she was a member of the Church, one of the cults that formed after the arrival of the Nagaliin.

1x04 - “Jurisdiction”
When a Nagaliin is caught and apprehended by the inhabitants of a small town in the East Coast of the USA that survived the occupation relatively unscathed, Cassidy and Trevor, accompanied by Madeline, are sent over to interrogate the soldier and prep him for extradition. But when the fledging US provisional government demands to try them on their soil instead, the team might have a fight on their hands.

1x05 - “Proof of Life”
When Helen is kidnapped from their home, Cassidy goes into overdrive to figure out just who is responsible, but Trevor helps her realise that the culprit may not be targeting her for the reasons she thinks. Meanwhile, Madeline puts Emily to work on a special project alongside Dr. Duchamp, and the two grow closer then Madeline intended.

1x06 - “Family Matters”
When a prominent scientist researching for a cure to ’the Seeding’ is killed, Cassidy and Trevor are assigned to find out who killed him, when it appears all evidence suggests it WASN’T a rogue Nagaliin. Unfortunately, this means coming into contact with her father, the man who kept her locked up in a laboratory for the first 12 years of her life, in order to figure out just who or what killed the scientists. But Cassidy is not prepared for the secrets about her past that are about to come to light, and will change her world forever.

::CREATORS NOTE::

This idea started off a WHOLE lot differently - I wanted to do something along the lines of the world seen in “Heroes” when EVERYONE had powers, and there was a task force set out to police those who abused their powers. I realise though that could turn into a matter of each episode simply being a ‘freak of the week’ without any real expansion.
But one of the central tenants of the basic idea was of a young woman who had to grow up without ANY powers, and how that by being ‘normal’, she was in fact, not, in this new world of super powered people. So, I took ahold of that, and went with the idea - “what if being ‘normal’ meant she was something special?”
This new idea, I will admit, does borrow quite a bit from several ideas in other sci-fi shows, like “Crusade”, “V” and “Fringe” but I hope I’ve brought them together in quite a unique way.

[David]

Created By David Nicholas

"This is Captain Aaron Ward of the Hourglass Station. The date is February 29, 2199, but something has happened, the Hourglass Room has just sent two Travelers into a place that we didn't specify on. We have received contact from the two, they have said that something has gone wrong, that there is a crack in time..."

There's a place called the Hourglass Station. It has the power to transport anyone into any place and time through the Hourglass Room. The people who work there use this room to help people.

There has been a new group of trainees sent to the ship. A group of four: Greenly Powers, Kandi Ward, Adam Kendall, and Wyatt Loomington. They're being trained by Quentin Waters, a former Hourglass Worker.

Cast

Matthew Davis as Quentin Waters

Quentin is a former Traveler, or Hourglass worker, has taken up the career of teaching cadets what they need to do when they become Travelers. He is kind, but with a rough side, and doesn't take much crap.

Shelley Hennig as Kandi Ward

Kandi is the daughter of Captain Aaron Ward, but doesn't use it to her advantage. She has a positive attitude to her studies and work, and is always ready for a challenge

Austin Butler as Adam Kendall

Austin Kendall is your stereotypical nice guy, cool, laid back, but when it's time for a mission, he's always ready for it.

Troian Bellasario as Greenley Powers

Greenley Powers is the newest of the three cadets. She sometimes has difficulty making the tough decisions, but usually she has a level head.

Episode Guide

1x01: Basic Training- The news of the crack in time breaks just as the cadets arrive at the station. The Captain greets them.
1x02: New York- The cadets are sent on a mission to 1920 Brooklyn to fix a crack in time.
1x03: The Six- The Six, the heads of the Hourglass Council, come for an inspection to see how the council is doing.
1x04: A Planet Far Away- A planet about 10 lightyears away has a crack in time sending signals that are destroying the planet

Notes: I played around with some ideas, but this was what I chose. It isn't my best work ever, and I'm not the best at graphics, but I hope you all like it

[Jason T. Davis]

I kinda of wish I made the attempt to think up an idea for this MOTM, but I really cant wait for the results! Depending on next month's topic, I'll try harder to get an entry in!

[stevieg]

Damn this is so tough, as some great ideas thrown out here in the mix. I've gone through several final choices, back and forth over the past hour or more.

But, I need to pick someone and I'm gonna go with....

Alex Matthews for 'Random Factors'. I know others might have chosen differently, but just something about this idea kept stabbing at me (I think it's the idea that 'normal' is still special amongst a world of super-human people) - plus, Michelle Ryan... yumm.

I do hope we may see the others still being explored in some form, as several of them are great ideas that would make a fantastic series and the pitches themselves were amazing

Congrats Alex (hope you're still around), and it's over to you to make an idea for Member of the Month for March when you're ready

[R.A. Picking]

Anybody can do these right? I might try this next month but I SUCK at pitches

[Brady Brown]

Yeah, Andrew! Anyone is able to do these competitions if they want to.

And congrats, Alex!

[Alex Matthews]

wow.... just WOW!! Thanks, Steve!!
Seriously, was NOT expecting that at all!! I didn't think I had a chance against some of the ideas put together, I am TOTALLY blown away!
Rest assured, I will take my new duties seriously, and have a March MOTM ready soon!