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The Mind Robber is a practically unique story in Doctor Who. First because of its length of five episodes. This was caused by the fact that the previous story, The Dominators, didn’t have enough material to fill its planned six episodes, so instead of a six-parter and a four-parter, they became two five-parters. The next unique aspect is that its primary writer Peter Ling never wrote another story for the show. Finally, there’s the extraordinary story of Fraser Hines’ bout of chicken pox and how they worked his absence into the story through a two-episode stint with Hamish Wilson as a replacement Jamie is a highlight of the series as a whole. (As is the catsuit Wendy Padbury wears as Zoe throughout this story.) (more…)

featuring the episodes The Empath and The Tholian Web

One of the only must-own volumes from Star Trek’s third season, this disc is a one-two punch of some of the most influential Trek storytelling there is. The Empath, in which Kirk, Spock and McCoy find a woman in alien captivity who can sense others’ emotions, pains and pleasures, was later cited by Gene Roddenberry as his inspiration for putting an empath on the bridge of his next starship Enterprise. The production values are nothing elaborate, and the whole story hinges on the performance of Kathryn Hays, who spends the whole hour telling her tale without a single word. (more…)

featuring the episodes Bread And Circuses and Journey To Babel

It’s reality TV run amok! Only this time, it’s on a planet where a society similar to the Roman Empire has evolved, only with at least 20th century technology. Gladiators fight to the death on live television, broadcast across the planet, but the losers don’t get voted off the island - they get a sword between the ribs. Seldom was original Trek more prescient than Bread And Circuses - and to think, this episode’s warped, TV-fed culture was probably considered outrageous and unlikely to ever come to pass. (more…)

Fresh from having Battlestar Galactica wrested from his grip by ABC, producer Glen Larson high-tailed it to another SF dream project of his, NBC’s revival of the comic strip/old-time-radio classic Buck Rogers In The 25th Century. Based on Robert C. Dille’s seminal 1930s space hero, this updated version of the legend was being retooled for a 20th century audience - a little more enlightened, one might think, but only a little. (more…)