SYFY KICKS OFF 2011 WITH NEW ORIGINAL SERIES BEING HUMAN, FACE OFF AND MARCEL'S QUANTUM KITCHEN

GHOST HUNTERS, DESTINATION TRUTH, GHOST HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL AND MERLIN RETURN AND DEBBIE GIBSON AND TIFFANY STAR IN SATURDAY ORIGINAL MOVIE MEGA PYTHON VS GATOROID!

NEW YORK - November 22, 2010 - Syfy will ring in the New Year with a cavalcade of original programming, from the new series Being Human (Monday, January 17, at 9PM), Face Off (Wednesday, January 26, at 10PM) and Marcel's Quantum Kitchen and returning powerhouses Ghost Hunters, Destination Truth and Ghost Hunters International (Wednesday, January 5, at 9PM), to Saturday Original Movies led by the highly anticipated clash of pop princess rivals Debbie Gibson and Tiffany in Mega Python Vs Gatoroid on Saturday, January 29, at 9PM (ET/PT).

Merlin, starring Colin Morgan, Bradley James and Anthony Head, will rejoin the prime time lineup beginning Friday, January 7, at 10PM (ET/PT) following WWE Friday Night SmackDown(R).

Following are highlights of Syfy's 2011 Winter Programming:

NEW ORIGINAL SERIES

Being Human - Premieres Monday, January 17, at 9PM (ET/PT) - In Syfy's new original series Being Human, leading normal lives is a lot harder than it looks for three paranormal roommates - vampire Aidan (Sam Witwer), ghost Sally (Meaghan Rath) and werewolf Josh (Sam Huntington) - who share their secrets and a Boston brownstone. Together they try their best to be human while navigating the complexities of living double lives. Mark Pellegrino (Lost) co-stars as Bishop, Aidan's charismatic but menacing vampire mentor. Executive Producers are Michael Prupas (The Kennedys, Pillars of the Earth), Jeremy Carver (Supernatural) and Anna Fricke (Men in Trees, Everwood) who are both writers/showrunners, and Rob Pursey and Toby Whithouse. Irene Litinsky is series Producer and Adam Kane (The Mentalist, Heroes) is Co-Executive Producer. Muse Entertainment is producing the show's 13 one-hour episodes, which is based on the acclaimed UK series created by Toby Whithouse.

Face Off -- Premieres Wednesday, January 26, at 10PM (ET/PT-- Face Off is a competition/elimination series exploring the world of special-effects make-up artists and the unlimited imagination that allows them to create amazing works of living art. The contestants are tasked with elaborate feature challenges including executing full body paint make up on models and creating their own horror villain. Not only will the show incorporate effects make-up, it will include a wide range of skill sets including prosthetics, 3-D design, sculpting, eye enhancers, casting and molding. Each episode involves incredible reveals of the competitors' finished work, and the drama of one contestant being sent home by the panel of expert and celebrity judges. It all culminates in one winner and one grand prize that will launch a career. Face Off is a production of Mission Control Media with Michael Agbabian and Dwight Smith serving as executive producers.

Marcel's Quantum Kitchen -- Premieres February -- Marcel's Quantum Kitchen features molecular gastronomist Marcel Vigneron, one of America's most notorious chefs on the cutting edge of the culinary field. At just 30 years old, Marcel has already made a name for himself with his polarizing turn as the season two runner-up on Bravo's Emmy-winning Top Chef. Marcel's Quantum Kitchen follows Marcel as he begins to explore the potential next phase of his career. In each episode, Marcel will be hired by a demanding client to produce and pull off extraordinary events and celebrations. Based on the clients' requests, Marcel will have to dream up a menu for the event, from a dinner party for extreme sports enthusiasts to a multi-room extravaganza featuring live exotic animals. He and his team of chefs will work alongside A-list party planners to create a transformative experience for guests through both immersive decor and innovative menus that emphasizes Marcel's unparalleled brand of molecular gastronomy. Marcel's Quantum Kitchen is produced by Mission Control Media. Dwight Smith, Michael Agbabian, Andy Scheer and Dana Leiken Richards are executive producers.

RETURNING ORIGINAL SERIES

Ghost Hunters International -- Premieres Wednesday, January 5, at 9PM (ET/PT)-- Ghost Hunters International features a squad of paranormal investigators who use their principles of scientific techniques to explore some of the most legendary haunted spots around the world. Each week the team travels to the far corners of the globe, searching for answers to bizarre supernatural mysteries. New investigations include Hamlet's Castle in Denmark, the Castle of Nuremberg, the Huissen House of Horror in the Netherlands and the Petrovaradin Fortress in Serbia. Barry FitzGerald leads the team of investigators, which includes newest member, Ghost Hunters' Kris Williams from TAPS. Ghost Hunters International is produced in association with Craig Piligian's Pilgrim Films and Television (Dirty Jobs, The Ultimate Fighter, My Fair Wedding). Piligian and Thomas Thayer, along with Rob Katz and Alan David, serve as executive producers.

Ghost Hunters - Premieres February - Ghost Hunters, Syfy's hugely successful reality series, returns for a seventh season. After inspiring two spin-offs, creating the hottest paranormal franchise in cable, Ghost Hunters has set the standard for paranormal investigating and has cemented its place as a destination for spine-tingling entertainment! Its reign will continue with 25 all-new episodes, slated to premiere in 2011. Since the series debuted in 2004, viewers have flocked to Syfy on Wednesday nights to catch the latest hair-raising cases from the files of TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society), led by Rhode Island plumbers Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson. Ghost Hunters is produced in association with Craig Piligian's Pilgrim Films and Television (Dirty Jobs, The Ultimate Fighter, My Fair Wedding). Piligian and Thomas Thayer, along with Rob Katz and Alan David, serve as executive producers.

Destination Truth - Premieres March -- In the second half of season four, the daring Josh Gates and his team will once again travel to the farthest corners of the earth in search of answers behind some of the world's most intriguing unanswered mysteries. This time, they'll tackle claims of spirits in Namibia, a sea monster in Cyprus, and mysterious creatures in Panama and Argentina - plus much more! The team's biggest challenge this season will be a trek to Antarctica, where strange phenomena occurring around abandoned research stations has stumped scientists. Now, the Destination Truth crew will brave the elements to conduct the world's first paranormal investigation on the frozen continent, giving viewers a rare and unique glimpse at this rarely visited landscape as well as, perhaps, a look into its past. Destination Truth is executive produced by Brad Kuhlman for Ping Pong Productions (1000 Places to See Before You Die, Celebrity Rehab, FM Nation). Josh Gates, Erin Ryder and Christopher Lore will serve as co-executive producers.

SATURDAY ORIGINAL MOVIES

Behemoth - Premieres Saturday, January 15, at 9PM (ET/PT)-- Scientists discover a giant creature under the Earth that is wrapped around the entire planet. When the creature wakes all grumpy, it causes worldwide destruction. Stars Ed Quinn (Eureka). The movie is a production of Cinetel.

Mega Python Vs Gatoroid - Premieres Saturday, January 29, at 9PM (ET/PT) - The long wait is over! 1980s pop singing sensations Debbie Gibson and Tiffany will bury their pop princess rivalry to co-star in the new ripped-from-the-headlines Mega Python Vs Gatoroid. There's a crisis in the Florida Everglades as giant pythons are threatening the alligator population. Gibson portrays a fanatical animal rights advocate who frees illegally imported exotic snakes from pet stores, while Tiffany plays an over-zealous park ranger worried about the growing ecological damage. Mega Python Vs Gatoroid is a production of The Asylum. Mary Lambert (Pet Sematary) is director - the first time a woman has directed a Syfy Saturday Original Movie.

Metal Monster (working title) - Premieres 1Q - Alien bacteria arrives on a meteorite and infects metal, animating a giant iron statue that goes on a killing rampage in a small town. Stars Kavan Smith (Stargate: Atlantis), Chris Gauthier (Watchmen), Nicole DeBoer (Haven), Paul McGillion (Star Trek) and Donnelly Rhodes (Battlestar Galactica). The movie is a production of Cinetel.

Sinbad and the Minotaur - Premieres 1Q -- In this re-imagining of Greek and Arabic folk tales, starring Manu Bennett (Spartacus: Blood and Sand), the legendary voyager and his hearty crew of sailors and adventurers seek a long lost treasure. Sinbad, armed with rumors of ancient gold, finds himself sneaking into the desert camp of the evil sorcerer Al-Jibar. Hidden among the many relics is an ivory scroll case containing the logs of the pirate Captain Minos, which will lead Sinbad to the golden head of the Colossus of Rhodes. The movie is a production of American World Pictures.

Scream of the Banshee - Premieres 1Q -- Starring Lauren Holly (NCIS) and Lance Henriksen (Aliens), Scream of the Banshee is directed by Steven C. Miller (Automaton Transfusion). Holly plays an archeology professor who unearths a dangerous artifact, unwittingly releasing a creature that is able to kill with the power of its bone-splitting scream. The movie is a production of After Dark Films.

51 - Premieres 1Q - Starring Jason London (Monsterwolf), Bruce Boxleitner (Heroes) and Rachel Miner (No Ordinary Family), and directed by Jason Connery (The Devil's Tomb), 51 chronicles what happens after political pressure from the American public forces the Air Force to provide a few well-known reporters with limited access to the most secretive base on the planet: Area 51. When one of the base's hidden "long term visitors" exploits this unprecedented visit as a chance to liberate himself and his fellow alien captives, Area 51 turns from a secure government base to a horrifying destination of terror. The movie is a production of After Dark Films.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)