It’s Good To Be King

Stargate, Stargate SG-1, Season 08 - premiered on Friday, February 4, 2005

Stargate SG-1As the influence of the System Lords spreads, the Tok’ra advise Earth to evacuate some of their least-defended planets. When SG-1 arrives at one of these worlds, however, they’re not exactly greeted with open arms - in fact, they’re captured and taken to the locals’ king. That king, however, turns out to be Harry Maybourne, the team’s old adversary from NID. Maybourne has achieved his new status by deciphering the runes on a nearby obelisk, which appear to predict future events - and naturally, after making a few accurate “predictions” based on his translations, Maybourne was elevated to royalty by the locals. Daniel does some deciphering of his own, and what he discovers leads the team to a timeship that once belonged to the Ancients. Even more troubling is a rune that Maybourne has already managed to read - a rune indicating that an imminent Goa’uld attack could overrun the planet and its people. O’Neill arrives to assess the situation, and decides that the timeship should be destroyed and the people - including their “king” - evacuated. But the Goa’uld arrive ahead of schedule, and they learn of the obelisk from one of Maybourne’s subjects, leading them to the timeship. O’Neill and Carter get the ship spaceborne in a hurry, forcing Daniel and Teal’c - and Maybourne - to fend for themselves.

Order the DVDsstory by Michael Greenburg & Peter DeLuise and Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
teleplay by Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
directed by William Gereghty
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Wayne Brady (Trelak), Tom McBeath (Harry Maybourne), Melanie Blackwell (Servant), Robert Bruce (Local), Zak Church (Local)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

United

Star Trek, Enterprise, Season 04 - premiered on Friday, February 4, 2005

Star Trek: EnterpriseTrip and Reed find their way to the bridge of the unidentified ship, where find no one else aboard. The ship changes course violently, and they realize it’s being remotely controlled to engage in another attack. This time, the target is a Rigellian scout ship - and the attacker takes on the guise of the Enterprise, creating another potential incident. On the real Enterprise, Archer tries to force a compromise between the Andorians and Tellarites, but the death of Shran’s mate at the hands of the Tellarite ambassador complicates matters. While the Tellarites and Andorians agree in principle to let Archer lead a coordinated, multi-species effort to find the alien ship, Shran vows to coordinate with no one until he can fight a duel with his wife’s killer. Archer finds a loophole in the rules of an Andorian blood fued and replaces the Tellarite as Shran’s opponent - but even that won’t stop Shran from carrying out his vendetta and endangering the already fragile alliance. And aboard the alien ship, Trip and Reed become the first humans to communicate with an enigmatic species known as the Romulans.

Get this season on DVDteleplay by Judith Reeves-Stevens & Garfield Reeves-Stevens
story by Manny Coto
directed by David Livingston
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Jeffrey Combs (Shran), Brian Thompson (Valdore), Lee Arenberg (Gral), Molly Brink (Talas), J. Michael Flynn (Nijil), Kevin Brief (Naarg), Geno Silva (Vrax), Scott Allen Rinker (Pilot)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Hot Zone

Stargate, Stargate Atlantis, Season 1 - premiered on Friday, February 4, 2005

Stargate AtlantisThe mysterious death of two team members after they report seeing something unusual forces Dr. Weir to order a medical quarantine of the entire city - everyone is to remain where they are, including McKay’s team, now trapped near whatever killed their teammates. Sheppard doesn’t like the idea of sitting still, and overrides Weir’s authority when McKay reports that one of his more nervous surviving team members has fled into the city, breaking the quarantine - and possibly spreading the infection. Every member of McKay’s team who reports seeing a dark shadow approaching them dies soon afterward. The city begins sealing sections of itself off, as if sensing that the infection has indeed spread. McKay and Beckett determine that the growing plague isn’t of Wraith origin - and the latest person who’s seen the shadow that precedes yet another death is McKay himself.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxwritten by Martin Gero
directed by Mario Azzopardi
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Paul McGillion (Dr. Beckett), Craig Veroni (Dr. Grodin), David Nykl (Dr. Zelenka), Dean Marshall (Sgt. Bates), Damon Johnson (Peterson), Lindsay Collins (Dr. Biro), Nathanni Arntzen (Dumais)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

You Can’t Go Home Again

Season 1, Battlestar Galactica (New) - premiered on Friday, February 4, 2005

Battlestar GalacticaAfter narrowly surviving a chaotic confrontation defending her pilot trainees from a Cylon surprise attack, Starbuck crash-lands on a moon with a poisonous atmosphere and gale-force winds. Adama launches an all-out search for Starbuck, who has been injured and has less than two days of oxygen. When civilian ships are called out of formation into the search, and even the combat patrol that protects the fleet’s defenseless vessels are called away to take part, President Roslin begins to wonder if Commander Adama’s judgement isn’t clouded by his personal feelings. A call to Apollo, who she relies on as her military liaison, doesn’t reassure her, and when the search continues even after the countdown runs out for Starbuck’s oxygen supply, the President makes her feelings known more forcefully. Meanwhile, on the moon, Starbuck finds a ship that’s in far better shape than her Viper - but it happens to be the Cylon ship that collided with her in the first place, and if its hull is intact, its occupant may be as well. And on Caprica, Helo finds that a shelter where he and Boomer have been hiding isn’t as secure as he thought.

Order the DVDswritten by Carla Robinson
directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
music by Bear McCreary

Guest Cast: Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh), Aaron Douglas (CPO Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Kandyse McClure (Dualla), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Gaeta), Sam Witwer (Lt. Crashdown), Donnelly Rhodes (Dr. Cottle), Alonso Oyarzun (Socinus), Bodie Olmos (Costanza/Hot Dog)

Notes: Starbuck’s unusual maneuvering may be an homage to the original series; Starbuck and Apollo had to fly a stolen Cylon raider back to Galactica in the original series episode The Hand Of God, and only by “waggling” the ship’s wings were they able to signal their fellow Viper pilots to let them land.

Original UK Airdate: November 15, 2004

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Full Alert

Stargate, Stargate SG-1, Season 08 - premiered on Friday, February 11, 2005

Stargate SG-1Kinsey comes to O’Neill with a warning about two threats: the Trust, and the increasingly suspicious Russian government. He warns that Russia feels that the United States isn’t holding up its end of the technology and information-sharing agreement that brought a new stargate to the SGC after the destruction of the original. And the Trust wants to meet with Kinsey, which is suspicious at best after his hasty expulsion from the organization. O’Neill isn’t exactly receptive to Kinsey’s plea for help, and instead intends to send him to meet with the Trust - fully wired for surveillance. Moments into the meeting, the signal is jammed, and before Colonel Carter and the rest of SG-1 can intervene and save Kinsey, he and the agents of the Trust vanish. Colonel Chekov arrives from Russia to try to negotiate with O’Neill, bringing news that the Russians believe the senior officials of America’s government have become Goa’uld hosts. Teal’c is assigned to the Promtheus, which lifts off to patrol near-Earth space for any sign of an imminent attack, while Daniel is sent to Russia to try to negotiate with their government. But when Daniel uncovers signs that the Russian President may be a Goa’uld host, mutual distrust escalates dangerously between the two countries - along with the level of military alert on both sides.

Order the DVDswritten by Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
directed by Andy Mikita
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Francoise Robertson (Captain Veronakova), Garry Chalk (Colonel Chekov), Gary Jones (Chief Sgt. Walter Harriman), Ronny Cox (Kinsey), Lucas Wolf (Jennings), Barclay Hope (Colonel Pendergrast), Chelah Horsdal (Comm. Officer), Mike Dopud (Colonel Chernovshev), Joey Aresco (Mr. Parker), Hiro Kanagawa (Mr. Wayne), Allan Gray (Mr. Kent), Dmitry Chepovetsky (Russian Soldier)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Sanctuary

Stargate, Stargate Atlantis, Season 1 - premiered on Friday, February 11, 2005

Stargate AtlantisSheppard, Teyla, Ford and McKay are on a routine survey mission aboard one of Atlantis’ jumpers, when an attack group of Wraith Darts finds and pursues them. But just when they think they’re about to be destroyed, a blinding burst of energy emanates from a nearby planet, destroying the Darts - and leaving the jumper untouched. Sheppard decides that this force merits investigation (and the jumper needs repairs), but on the planet, they find only a primitive, spiritual people who know nothing of the Wraith or the weapon that destroyed them, to say nothing of the technology that could have built such a weapon. Sheppard’s pleas to relocate refugees to this world falls on deaf ears, so he invites the high priestess to tour Atlantis for herself. McKay, on the other hand, is suspicious of the people of Proculus, and believes they’re more advanced than they appear to be - and when she touches a console and activates it, revealing she has the Ancient gene, it only intensifies his suspicion.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxwritten by Alan Brennert
directed by James Head
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Paul McGillion (Dr. Beckett), Robert Thurston (Zarah), Craig Veroni (Dr. Grodin), Leonor Varela (Chaya Sar)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The Aenar

Star Trek, Enterprise, Season 04 - premiered on Friday, February 11, 2005

Star Trek: EnterpriseWith Trip and Reed safely recovered, along with their tricorder readings from the remote-controlled attack ship, Captain Archer decides to continue following the leads on the attackers that nearly drove a wedge between the major species in the Alpha Quadrant. One such lead is the brain wave pattern of the telepathic pilot who was controlling the attack ship: Phlox believes the ship’s controller was at least related to the Andorians. Shran, who elects to stay about the Enterprise to help Archer investigate, consults with his government and learns that the brain waves are that of an Aenar - an elusive, pacifist Andorian subspecies that few living Andorians have seen. The Enterprise travels to Andoria, where Archer and Shran beam down to seek the Aenar. Shran is injured in the treacherous ice caves, but struggles onward, until he and Archer are found by the Aenar - albino, blind Andorians with strong telepathic abilities. The Aenar provide little help, though a young Aenar girl reveals that her brother is missing. She offers to go search for him with Archer and Shran, breaking the Aenar code of non-involvement. Reports come in that more attacks have been carried out by a ship similar to the one that nearly sent the Andorians and Tellarites to war. On the Enterprise, Phlox, T’Pol and Trip are readying a telepathic piloting device of their own, though at best they can only hope to use the unit to disrupt the control signal controlling the attack drone. But this time, the mysterious Romulans have dispatched two of the drones - and the Enterprise crew, even with the help of an Aenar, can only hope to disrupt control to one of them.

Get this season on DVDteleplay by Andre Bormanis
story by Manny Coto
directed by Mike Vejar
music by Dennis McCarthy & Kevin Kiner

Guest Cast: Jeffrey Combs (Shran), Alexandra Lydon (Jhamel), Brian Thompson (Valdore), Geno Silva (Vrax), Alicia Adams (Lissan), Scott Allen Rinker (Gareb)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Litmus

Season 1, Battlestar Galactica (New) - premiered on Friday, February 11, 2005

Battlestar GalacticaAmong the latest group of visitors to board Galactica is a face all too familiar to Tigh and Adama - Galactica’s former public relations officer, a man who turned out to be a Cylon. When Adama catches up with him, the man turns around and reveals that he’s a walking bomb, hitting the detonator switch. Tigh is barely able to hustle Adama to safety, but others around them aren’t so lucky. Adama decides the time has come to go public with the news that the Cylons can take human form, against the advice of both Tigh and President Roslin. He assigns the ship’s Master at Arms to begin an inquiry, and she insists on having a free hand in the investigation. But she goes beyond that, accusing Tyrol, Boomer and a member of Tyrol’s deck crew of Cylon collaboration and even accusing Commander Adama of creating the conditions that made the attack possible.

Order the DVDswritten by Jeff Vlaming
directed by Rod Hardy
music by Bear McCreary

Guest Cast: Michael Logan (Colonel Tigh), Aaron Douglas (CPO Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Sam Witwer (Lt. Crashdown), Donnelly Rhodes (Dr. Cottle), Jill Teed (Sgt. Hadrian), Dominic Zamprogna (Reporter #3), Alonso Oyarzun (Socinus), Nicki Clyne (Cally), Bodie Olmos (Costanza / Hot Dog), Matthew Bennett (Doral), Christina Schild (Playa Kohn), Raahul Singh (Kimmit), Shaw Madson (Marine Corporal), Nimet Kanji (Candace Myson-Tribunal), Biski Gugushe (Reporter #1), Morris Chapdelaine (Reporter #2)

Original UK Airdate: November 22, 2004

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Citizen Joe

Stargate, Stargate SG-1, Season 08 - premiered on Friday, February 18, 2005

Stargate SG-1An armed man barges into O’Neill’s home, accusing him of ruining his life. Seven years ago, this small-town barber picked up a mysterious object at a yard sale, an item which gave him vivid, recurring visions of SG-1’s exploits. Joe tells his son bedtime stories about Colonel Jack O’Neill, Teal’c and their comrades, and tells his customers at the barber shop an endless series of tales too. Finally, at his wife’s somewhat irritated urging, he begins writing these stories down and submitting them to science fiction magazines. When he sees the premiere of a new TV show called “Wormhole X-Treme,” Joe sues the show’s producers for stealing his ideas, but nothing comes of it and the show is cancelled after one episode. Joe continues his compulsive writing until his family leaves him and he loses his shop and his home. Now Joe wants his life back - not that anyone can figure out how to do this without blowing the SGC’s cover.

Order the DVDsteleplay by Damian Kindler
story by Robert C. Cooper
excerpts written by Robert C. Cooper, James Crocker, Peter DeLuise, Jonathan Glassner, V.C. James, Damian Kindler, Joseph Mallozzi, Paul Mullie and Brad Wright
directed by Andy Mikita
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Dan Castellaneta (Joe Spencer), Deborah Theaker (Charlene), Eric Keenleyside (?), Louis Chirillo (Bert Simmons), Chad Krowchuk (Gordie Lowe), Alex Ferris (Andy), Mark Hansen (older Andy), Andy Thompson (Calvin), Beatrice Zeilinger (Cindy)

Note: Dan Castellaneta is best known for providing the voice of Homer Simpson, patriarch of the animated series “The Simpsons,” of which O’Neill is apparently a fan.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Affliction

Star Trek, Enterprise, Season 04 - premiered on Friday, February 18, 2005

Star Trek: EnterpriseThe Enterprise returns to Earth for the launch of her sister ship Columbia, and so Trip can transfer to the new ship as requested, a move that still has his crewmates baffled. During a routine visit to Earth, Dr. Phlox and Hoshi are attacked by a group of Rigellians, who kidnap Phlox. He is taken to a Klingon colony, where he is forced at the point of a phaser to help a Klingon doctor determine the nature of a virus that is said to be spreading through their entire race. On Earth, Lt. Reed is contacted by a superior officer from a top-secret security organization within Starfleet, and given a few clues about what may have happened to Phlox - and is also given orders not to tell Archer about his assignment, or his connection to the organization known only as Section 31. The Enterprise leaves Earth early to search for Phlox, and is attacked by a Klingon ship and boarded by its crew, who sabotage the engines. One of the Klingons is captured, but Archer and the crew are stunned to find that he looks human, without the characteristic cranial bone structure of a Klingon.

Get this season on DVDteleplay by Mike Sussman
story by Manny Coto
directed by Michael Grossman
music by Velton Ray Bunch

Guest Cast: Ada Maris (Captain Erika Hernandez), John Schuck (Antaak), James Avery (General K’Vagh), Eric Pierpoint (Harris), Terrell Tilford (Marab), Kate McNeil (Lt. Collins), Seth MacFarlane (Ensign Rivers), Marc Worden (Klingon Prisoner), Brad Greenquist (Alien #1), Derek Magyar (Kelby)

Notes: There are several familiar faces among the Klingon crew; John Schuck’s Klingon career predates the Star Trek spinoff era with his appearance as a blustery Klingon Ambassador in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and has also played a Cardassian Legate on Deep Space Nine. Marc Worden also appeared on Deep Space Nine, as the grown-up version of Worf’s son Alexander. Eric Pierpoint has appeared in each of the previous Star Trek spinoffs, and starred in Fox’s series adaptation of Alien Nation. This story marks the first official explanation of the difference between the Klingons’ appearance in the original series and every other iteration of the franchise. Prior to this, the closest to an official explanation was Gene Roddenberry’s assertion that the Klingons, in fact, were always meant to look more alien, but the 1960s series wasn’t budgeted for it; this clashes somewhat with a key plot point of the classic episode The Trouble With Tribbles, in which Klingon undercover operatives were indistinguishable from humans except to tricorder sensors.

LogBook entry by Earl Green