Who'd have guessed that Larry Charles - the mysterious director known for his ZZ Top beard and for aiding and abetting the comic provocations of Larry David and Sacha Baron Cohen - was a big ol' sci-fi fanboy?

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Charles is working on two sci-fi-themed TV comedy pilots. In October, he signed on to rewrite the Fox pilot 'Boldly Going Nowhere,' a comedy set on a spaceship, the brainchild of 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' creators Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Glenn Howerton. And now, he's signed with 'Terminator: Salvation' director McG and NBC to co-produce a semi-scripted series, which Variety says revolves around a group of small-town sci-fi fans who make a fan-film version of their favorite canceled show.

There is further evidence of the Fox network's hatred and/or misunderstanding of the science fiction genre. Along with giving the Friday Night Death Slot to The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Dollhouse, they are making room for shows like Boldly Going Nowhere and Glee.

According to the article, the show Glee, which is about a high school Glee Club (can anybody say High School Musical rip-off?), will be given a slot after American Idol. You don't get much stronger publicity than that. I suspect that Boldly Going Nowhere (which I have hope for, since its from the creators of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) will also get a decent slot. But that show is a parody of science-fiction, not the real thing (which when done well actually makes you cogitate on philosophy, life and the universe).

The buzz on 'Heroes' season 3, Jack Bauer's bathroom breaks and more.

There's no better place to preview TV shows and give back to fans than Comic-Con, and this year, networks embraced the opportunity like never before.

After all the star sightings, exclusive footage, and hard-to-get swag -- we covet the Sci-Fi Channel's purple tote, labeled "BIG FRAKKIN' BAG" -- our heads are so full of great stuff, they just might explode.

And wouldn't that be appropriate for Comic-Con? (Warning: Spoilers ahead!)

Between the sessions for So You Think You Can Dance and Fringe, FOX Entertainment president Kevin Reilly happily took answers from the gathered critics. Perhaps the most interesting piece of news he unleashed on us was that the network is officially going to have two development seasons: the traditional one that ends in May with the upfronts, and a new one that ends in December, which will position the network to air pilots in the January/February time frame, a time Reilly called the network's "high season." (Which it is, of course, given the presence of the BCS and American Idol).

In fact, Reilly has eight pilots currently in development for consideration in December, far more than he had for this past May, due to the writers' strike and other reasons. Other interesting bits after the jump.