Starz' "Black Sails" - It Just Keeps Getting Better (and How to Get your Piratesexual Game On)

So you love pirate stories? However, if you are the not watching "Black Sails", you're missing out something entertaining on your TV screen. Especially so, if one is tired of cartoonish over-the-top characters and more of "the-same-the-same" from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Cable network Starz' "Black Sails" provides the viewer with smarter mindmaps of each pirate's motivations. The series, created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, is mostly about Captain Flint's past, before his famous adventures and the gold he found was regaled in Robert Louise Stevenson's book "Treasure Island". Together with other famous badasses of the sea, like Charles Vane, Calico Jack, Benjamin Hornigold and Anne Bonny, most of the series unravels in the island hangout of Nassau.

Red Dot Diva was invited for the series premiere at SDCC two years back, where before it was screened, musician Bear McCreary performed the rousing "Black Sails" theme song with his band. It was awesome. McCreary's theme song as well as the accompanying gorgeously artistic title credits is something to behold on their own.

Despite the series being hailed as Michael Bay's high-budget pirate show, Season 1 of "Black Sails" started out slow, like the lull of a low tide, where creatures started to emerge from their little hidey holes to show their true colours. A lot of time was spent on character building but Red Dot Diva assures that it's all worth it, when the series shows that it was not afraid to have one or two of your favourite characters killed off ala GRRM, the action also kicks up several notches toward the end when Flint makes a valiant bid for the Spanish gold.

Starz Picks Up Adaptation for Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" with Bryan Fuller and Michael Green!

This is such exciting news that Red Dot Diva had to wake up at 4:30 AM to post this!

Just fresh in - Starz TV cable channel will be developing Neil Gaiman's novel "American Gods" together with FremantleMedia North America. This was just after HBO explained that why they lost the option for picking up the series. (io9 had the news about that here.)

Red Dot Diva is glad that the project is having a chance with Starz TV, and this time with fabulous writers like Bryan Fuller ("Hannibal", "Pushing Daisies") and Michael Green ("Heroes") acting as showrunners of the screen adaptation and developing the pilot's script. Neil Gaiman and FreemantleMedia North America will also executive produce for the series.

Oh My SQUEEE!!!

"Da Vinci's Demons" Season 2 - Diva Gets An Armful of Stories from David S. Goyer and Tom Riley

Season 2 of "Da Vinci's Demons" wraps up this weekend in the USA, and it will be awhile before the series returns with a brand new season.

"The Enemies of Men", the penultimate episode of the season, ended with awful things happening to many of our favourite characters, and reveals the existence of a mysterious cult which seems to bode evil intentions on mankind.

Will Leonardo still find it worthwhile to pursue the Book of Leaves? Has Riario's life been turned upside down? And what will the fate of Florence be now that Alfonso is King of Naples?

To help whet your appetite for the season finale, there will be a "Da Vinci's Demons" S2 screening marathon on Starz, on Saturday 31st March starting from 12 PM ET! That is just a few hours from now. Red Dot Diva will get into details on that later on.

In the meantime, here's Red Dot Diva's last "Da Vinci's Demons" interview article from last year's NYCC press roundtable.

"Da Vinci's Demons" Season 2 - Diva Gets Character Insights From Laura Haddock and Gregg Chillin

There is just one episode left in Season 2 of "Da Vinci's Demons" for the folks in USA.

The good news is that, before Season 2's finale is being aired, Starz TV has already announced the renewal of the fantasy-drama series! Whoopee!

Season 2 has taken Leonardo (Tom Riley) and his mates, Zoroaster (Gregg Chillin) and Nico (Eros Vlahos) on a strange and very bloody journey to the other side of the world - South America. Once there, they had to grudgingly rely on their nemesis Count Riario (Blake Ritson) concerning the Book of Leaves.

In another storyline, Lucrezia Donati (Laura Haddock) makes a trek to Constantinople with her Asian guard in a bid to save her father.

At NYCC 2013, Red Dot Diva was at a press roundtable with Gregg Chillin and Laura Haddock to find out more about their characters in the series. Gregg Chillin, with his curly mop of hair and delightful dimpled smile, was as chilled out as his last name suggests. At one point, he even distracted Laura because he had a sudden bout of the giggles. As for Laura Haddock, she was absolutely stunning in person. Red Dot Diva thought her beautiful cheekbones were to die for. Throughout the interview, the passion she has for the character Lucrezia was quite evident.

(For a previous interview article with their co-stars Blake Ritson and the lovely Carolina Guerra, head to this link!)

Here's what Gregg Chillin and Laura Haddock shared about their roles in "Da Vinci's Demons":

"Da Vinci's Demons" Season 2 - Diva Gets Devious With Blake Ritson and Carolina Guerra

Starz TV's very hip and very sexy cable TV series "Da Vinci's Demons" scored themselves a strong fan following in its first season.

Created by David Goyer, the historical-fantasy show is a re-imagining of the life of young Leonardo Da Vinci. The series stars Tom Riley as the lead character, Blake Ritson, Laura Haddock, Elliot Cowan, Lana Pulver amongst others. Part of the series draw are the sequences and depictions of what goes on in young Leonardo's mind as he observes the things around him, and fervently engineers his often over-the-top inventions. Well, over-the-top for that era, anyway.

At NYCC 2013, Red Dot Diva was given the chance to find out more about what's in store for the second season of "Da Vinci's Demons", which has moved beyond the Italian city of Florence, to South America and would feature the Inca Empire and related characters.

Hmmmmmm.... this certainly sounded absolutely absurd, and yet....  very imaginatively intriguing.

Before we get more into that and see what David Goyer had in mind for Season 2, Red Dot Diva managed to draw some tidbits from resident "Da Vinci's Demons" villain Count Girolamo Riario, played by British actor Blake Ritson, and gorgeous Inca high priestess Ima, embodied by Columbian actress Carolina Guerra.

SDCC 2013: Exclusive Screen Preview of Starz' "Black Sails" For Fans!

Ahoy Mateys!

Word has been going around that Pirates are Wanted at this year's Comic-Con!

Starz TV is getting ready to release its premiere episode of "Black Sails". The TV series is scheduled to air on the cable channel in January 2015.

Lovers of Robert Louis Stevenson's books especially "Treasure Island" might be very interested in the upcoming pirate adventure TV series. It is after all, about Captain Flint and his men, and takes place about 20 years before what transpired in the literary classic.

The most feared pirate of his day, Captain Flint recruits a smart-talking young 'un called John Silver and together, the crew brutally fight for survival in the New Providence Island, a paradise for all kinds of scum and villainy.

SDCC 2012 Recap: "Spartacus" Gives Fans An Energetic Farewell

Oh, it is with such sweet parting sorrow to be able to sit through Starz's "Spartacus" panel at this year's Comic-Con. *sniff*

Red Dot Diva was almost unable to make it to the panel because she was busy covering another event at an exhibitor's booth. However, she managed to say farewells quickly and gracefully, just in time to make a Olympics-worthy sprint from the basement to Room 6BCF, with barely 4 minutes to spare!

Was she even able to get into the room at all? It was the last "Spartacus" panel for the fans and the series is admired by so many. When she arrived at the venue, there wasn't a line at all, and the volunteers were not stopping anyone from entering yet. Phew!

But inside, the room was nearly filled with spots of empty seats here and there. Red Dot Diva knew she would not be able to sit up front but she managed to snag a seat in the middle of the room, where she had a good wide-angle view of both the projection screen and the guests on stage.

It was a warm, lively and memorable panel with lots of laughter. The cast members were absolutely having fun being there, teasing the fans in general, and having a go at it with each other.

Red Dot Diva's good friend Chelle was in the "Falling Skies" panel earlier, and was lucky enough to score a seat at 6th row centre of the room, enjoying a darn good droolicious view of all those hunky biceps. So, Red Dot Diva will leave it to Chelle to give a recount of that wonderful hour.

SDCC 2012: WB Heats It Up with Previews and Panels

After the mad frenzied rush for registration, passes, hotel bookings, airtickets - just to even get into the hallowed halls of SDCC, Red Dot Diva notes that the Number One question which is on everyone's lips right now is:

"When will SDCC's Schedule be OUT?!!!"

Answer: About two weeks before SDCC.

A certain silver fox-in-the-know has told her that suggestions for panels and panel attendees were to be submitted to Comic-Con by 8 June, so this means that details of the convention's schedule is being worked on right now.

Of course, some lucky media folks receive announcements and official press releases early, and some details are already posted in their blogs or social media timeline. It is very useful to scope out these information as they give important indications of what Comic-Con goers can expect to see and do during 11 - 15 July.

This year, WB has jumped the gun by being one of the first "big-timers" to announce their SDCC panels and special previews. Red Dot Diva couldn't help by squee when she saw the list.

RIP Andy Whitfield: Beautiful Warrrior of "Spartacus"

This piece of sad news came quite unexpectedly on Red Dot Diva's Facebook feed early this morning.

After an 18-month long battle with cancer, Andy Whitfield, the handsome Welsh-born actor, who shot to fame as the heroic Spartacus in the popular Starz period drama series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand", has passed away on Sunday.

Just before the second season of "Spartacus" was to begin filming, Andy was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and after rounds of treatment, he had decided to give up the role for health reasons.

The role has now been taken over by Australian actor Liam McIntyre.

"Spartacus: Vengeance" Panel At SDCC 2011

Pic by Chelle

In order to grow an Evil Diva Empire, it is crucial to gather allies in different territories.

This is how Red Dot Diva was able to get this intel giving her the abs-worthy updates on her favourite gladiator porn, Starz TV series "Spartacus".

Chelle, her trusty LA contact and frequent SDCC attendee, was at the "Spartacus" panel to nab some information relating to the cable TV series, which is reknown for its gory bloodshed and blatantly sexy nude scenes.

For those who are not already aware, the next season will be a sequel to "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" entitled "Spartacus: Vengeance".

Most Spartacus fans were devastated when they heard that previous lead actor Andy Whitfield would not be able to return to the series due to his illness. But, from what Red Dot Diva heard, replacement Aussie actor Liam McIntyre seems equally capable of meeting the gladiator challenge. Which would of course, normally consist of chopping off heads and exploding ovaries at the same time.

Bravely putting herself in danger of losing her fallopian tubes, Chelle brings the "Spartacus: Vengeance" panel report: