SyFy: The Will Wheaton Project

If you are a fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, then the wide-eyed wonder of Ensign Crusher is fixed in your mind.  As much as Jean Luc Picard will forever represent the most capable captain of the USS Enterprise (sorry Kirk), Wesley Crusher stood in for all of us with his wonder and respect for the ship and the crew.  Geeky?  Yes.  But it should ring true to any good Trekkie and will most likely generate an eager audience for Ensign Crusher, aka Wil Wheaton, and his new SyFy show The Wil Wheaton Project.  

The new series premieres tomorrow night (May 27) as a 30-minute review of popular culture with an emphasis on science fiction.  Here is the network's spin: 

The Wil Wheaton Project is a weekly topical comedy show hosted by actor, blogger and champion of geek culture Wil Wheaton. The 30-minute show is a fast-paced, lighthearted exploration and celebration of all things within the realm of science fiction and genre entertainment. Each week, Wil provides his insider point-of-view, sense of humor and genre expertise as he dissects the week’s most popular and trending topics across science fiction film, television and pop culture, video games, viral videos and news. Wil is on his feet for the rapid-fire half hour, delivering witty commentary on the things he knows and loves in this golden age of sci-pop culture. The result is a fun appreciation and celebration of fandom and all things science fiction.  

I have watched Wil Wheaton over the years as he has talked about science fiction in a number of interviews, taken on the geeks in The Big Bang Theory, and expanded upon his views in his writing, including his own science fiction stories.  I do not expect he will have any trouble filling 30 minutes with smart observations and warped humor. 

Here are Wil Wheaton's own words on his new venture as posted on his blog:

I have the same feeling I have before I publish a book, or after I wrap a TV show: I’ve done the best I can to make something I’m proud of, that I think other people will like, but it’s pretty much out of my hands the second we push the beautiful, shiny button … the jolly, candy-like button. Like everything I do as an artist, the best I can hope for is that I don’t get hit by lightning on my way out of the studio. Oh, and that the stuff I think is entertaining and informative lands on the audience the same way.

And now, let the show begin!