Coming Soon to your Home Theater: 3DTV
By Chris Boylan
Patricia Arquette's buxom figure will be literally popping out of the screen later this fall.
NBC to Broadcast "Medium" Episode in 3-D
Since the 1950s, various film-makers have experimented with presenting their works in three dimensions, with sometimes cheesy ("Jaws 3," anyone?), and sometimes breathtaking results. Notably successful recent attempts include dozens of 3-D IMAX films, which combine realistic three-dimensional effects with the ultra-large screen format of IMAX. But 3-D selections for the smaller screen have been few and far between.
NBC is planning to address this with a test broadcast of the popular drama "Medium" in 3-D on November 21. "Medium" stars Patricia Arquette (who won an Emmy for the role) as psychic Allison DuBois, a consultant for the Phoenix District Attorney's office who helps solve violent crimes. The role of Allison is actually based on a real-life person of the same name, though you'd have to believe that the writers take many liberties with the scripts - after all, how many violent crimes actually occur in Phoenix?
NBC is using this broadcast as a test, to see how receptive the viewing public is to 3DTV. If the response is positive, it could lead to more frequent 3D broadcasts. Partnering with NBC is
TV Guide, who will be distributing the 3D glasses to subscribers and on newstands, as an insert in the prior week's issue.
You can read more about this, including details on the episode and tips on how you can get the glasses in NBC's
press release.
