Can the Sci Fi Channel successfully reinvent the Flash Gordon franchise? Their brand new series ditches the camp thrills of the legendary 80s movie for a tone far closer to the relaunched Battlestar Galactica. The classic elements are still retained though, as the dashing Flash takes on the evil Ming The Merciless on the planet Mungo, aided by Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov. Sadly, there's no Brian Blessed on hand to bellow "Gordon's aliiiive!"

We caught up with Jonathan Lloyd Walker, who plays Ming's dastardly scientist Rankol, to chat about the action-packed new series.