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Discovery Season 1 Star Trek

The War Without, The War Within

Star Trek: DiscoveryStardate not given: Discovery‘s return to its native universe and timeline is heralded by a boarding party led by Admiral Cornwell and Sarek, who mind melds with Saru in order to confirm that everyone aboard Discovery is who they claim to be. The Federation has nearly lost the war with the Klingons, as Discovery was absent for nine months (and presumed lost, since wreckage of the ship’s alternate universe counterpart was found). Nearly a third of Starfleet’s ships have been destroyed in kamikaze Klingon raids, and defeat seems imminent. The one advantage with which Discovery has returned? Emperor Georgiou, who strategically engineered the downfall of the Klingons in her timeline. Burnham feels she could offer vital tactical advice, but Sarek and Cornwell have another role in mind for her – one that involves putting the leader of a cutthroat regime into Discovery‘s captain’s chair.

Order DVDsStream this episode via Amazonwritten by Lisa Randolph
directed by David Solomon
music by Jeff Russo

Star Trek DiscoveryCast: Sonequa Martin-Green (Commander Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Lt. Commander Saru), Shazad Latif (Lt. Ash Tyler / Voq), Anthony Rapp (Lt. Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Cadet Sylvia Tilly), Jason Isaacs (Captain Gabriel Lorca), Michelle Yeoh (Emperor Georgiou), Jayne Brook (Admiral Cornwell), Mary Chieffo (L’Rell), James Frain (Sarek), Michael Ayres (Transport Officer), Emily Coutts (Keyla Detmer), Raven Dauda (Dr. Pollard), Riley Gilchrist (Admiral Shukar), Julianne Grossman (Discovery Computer), Harry Judge (Admiral Gorch), Patrick Kwok-Choon (Rhys), Sara Mitich (Airiam), Melanie Nicholls-King (Admiral Drake), Oyin Oladejo (Joann Owosekun), Ronnie Rowe Jr. (Bryce)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Discovery Season 1 Star Trek

Will You Take My Hand?

Star Trek: DiscoveryStardate not given: “Captain” Georgiou is introduced by Admiral Cornwell, under the cover story that reports of her death were exaggerated and she was recently rescued from Klingon territory. The mission proceeds as suggested by Georgiou before, but rather than jumping Discovery into an underground chasm to map the surface for military targets, Georgiou decides she’d rather destroy the planet, destroying the Klingon civilization altogether. Burnham returns to Discovery to confront Admiral Cornwell about the mission, learning that Starfleet Command was privy to the changes in the mission plan. After making an impassioned plea for Starfleet to stand by its code of ethics, Burnham rewrites the mission plan, letting Georgiou go free and placing the detonator of her doomsday weapon into the hands of L’Rell, who uses the threat of annihilating the Klingon homeworld to unite the great houses and end the war. Tyler elects to remain with L’Rell as a peace liaison between the Federation and the Klingons, and Discovery at last returns to Earth, where a full pardon and reinstatement to the rank of commander awaits Burnham. Saru commands Discovery on a course for Vulcan, where the ship’s new captain will come aboard…but this mission is delayed by a distorted distress signal from the U.S.S. Enterprise, commanded by Captain Christopher Pike.

Order DVDsStream this episode via Amazonteleplay by Gretchen J. Berg & Aaron Harberts
story by Akiva Goldsman & Gretchen J. Berg & Aaron Harberts
directed by Akiva Goldsman
music by Jeff Russo

Star Trek DiscoveryCast: Sonequa Martin-Green (Commander Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Lt. Commander Saru), Shazad Latif (Lt. Ash Tyler / Voq), Anthony Rapp (Lt. Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Cadet Sylvia Tilly), Jason Isaacs (Captain Gabriel Lorca), Michelle Yeoh (Emperor Georgiou), Mia Kershner (Amanda), Jayne Brook (Admiral Cornwell), Mary Chieffo (L’Rell), James Frain (Sarek), Clint Howard (Creepy Orion), Michael Ayres (Transport Officer), Matthew Binkley (Shavo), Emily Coutts (Keyla Detmer), Riley Gilchrist (Admiral Shukar), Anthony Grant (Er’Toom), Julianne Grossman (Discovery Computer), Harry Judge (Admiral Gorch), Morgan Kohan (Weapons Trader), Patrick Kwok-Choon (Rhys), Crystal Leger (Klingon Player #2), Clare McConnel (Dennas), Damon Runyan (Ujilli). Sara Mitich (Airiam), Oyin Oladejo (Joann Owosekun), Ronnie Rowe Jr. (Bryce), David Benjamin Tomlinson (Klingon Player #1), Bree Wasylenko (Shava)

Star Trek DiscoveryNotes: Welcome Clint Howard back to the Star Trek fold as the sleazy Orion trader dealing in “smoke”. As a young child actor, Clint appeared as Balok in the first weekly episode filmed, The Corbomite Maneuver, and later appeared in Deep Space Nine (Past Tense Part II) as a homeless man and in Enterprise as a Ferengi (Acquisition). He has also appeared in Rod Serling’s Night Gallery, From The Earth To The Moon, was a regular on the short-lived early ’90s CBS series Space Rangers, and has appeared in many of his older brother Ron Howard’s films, Star Trek Discoveryincluding Apollo 13. If you look closely in the opening shot of Earth, you can see the familiar shape of the Starfleet starbase first seen in Star Trek III, though possibly still under construction. Deanna Troi’s home planet, Betazed, is known to the Terran Empire (if not the Federation) in this time frame, as is Mintaka III (TNG: Who Watches The Watchers?). Emperor Georgiou dismisses the distractions on Qo’noS as “bread and circuses”, name-checking an unrelated original series episode of the same name. While Kahless was first mentioned in the original series (The Savage Curtain), the legend of Kahless’ battles against his treacherous brother Molor is fleshed out in such TNG episodes as Rightful Heir and Star Trek DiscoveryFirst Born. Burnham’s description of the real phenomenon known as a phreatic eruption is accurate, but it would have to take place on a massive, worldwide scale to have the planet-destroying effect described. Rather than the customary theme from Star Trek: Discovery, the end credits feature a new recording of Alexander Courage’s theme from the original series.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Stargate Stargate Origins

Part One

Stargate: Origins1928: A massive circular object, fashioned from stone and metal by advanced technology, is unearthed at an archaeological dig in Giza, Egypt, its purpose and origins unknown.

1938: Professor Paul Langford’s study of the unearthed artifact has run aground – he’s run out of funding, a German colleague has returned to Berlin without a word, and his daughter Catherine, who has been part of the study from its beginning, will soon return to the United States to take a job at a museum. Whatever the circular behemoth’s secrets are, there’s very little danger of them being found out with Langford’s project running out of steam. Just when it seems things can’t get any worse, agents of the German government arrive, claiming to know some of those secrets already.

Stargate Originswritten by Mark Ilvedson & Justin Michael Terry
directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan
music by Robert Allaire

Cast: Ellie Gall (Catherine Langford), Aylam Orian (Wilhelm Brucke), Philip Alexander (James Beal), Sarah Navratil (Eva Reinhardt), Derek Chariton (Heinrich), Justin Michael Terry (Gunter), Lincoln Hoppe (Stefan), Connor Trinneer (Professor Paul Langford)

Stargate OriginsNotes: The cornerstone of the Stargate Command stream-on-demand service, Stargate Origins is a new web series derived from events recounted in The Tormant Of Tantalus, a first season episode of Stargate SG-1. Though that episode (and thus the character of Catherine Langford) was written by Robert C. Cooper, the credits of Stargate Origins indicate only that the series is based upon the original movie by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich. This is the first new Stargate project to go into production since the 2011 conclusion of Stargate Universe. Connor Trinneer is no stranger to the Stargate franchise, having played a recurring villain in the Stargate Atlantis spinoff series; he’s probably better known for his role as Chief Engineer Charles “Trip” Tucker on Star Trek: Enterprise.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Stargate Stargate Origins

Part Two

Stargate: OriginsAs his guards hold the Langfords at gunpoint, Brucke orders the Stargate to be powered up, and the empty center of the circle erupts into a vortex of otherworldly energy. Brucke believes that unimaginable treasures and technologies are waiting for him on the other side, which he intends to claim and bring back for the glory of the Third Reich. Since there’s no guarantee of safety, he sends Professor Langford through first. Catherine realizes she’ll need help to retrieve her father…as soon as she can escape from the Nazis.

Stargate Originswritten by Mark Ilvedson & Justin Michael Terry
directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan
music by Robert Allaire

Cast: Ellie Gall (Catherine Langford), Aylam Orian (Wilhelm Brucke), Philip Alexander (James Beal), Sarah Navratil (Eva Reinhardt), Shvan Aladdin (Wasif) Derek Chariton (Heinrich), Justin Michael Terry (Gunter), Lincoln Hoppe (Stefan), Connor Trinneer (Professor Paul Langford)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Rebels Season 4 Star Wars

Jedi Night

Star Wars: RebelsAs Hera is questioned and tortured in Lothal’s capitol, Kanan confesses to Ezra that his feelings for Hera may be clouding his judgement, and he asks Ezra to take the lead on Hera’s rescue. Just as Ezra and Sabine prepare to leave on undetectable gliders disguised as Loth-bats, Kanan has a change of heart and joins the rescue mission. As Sabine and Ezra, disguised as Imperial pilots, work to hijack an escape vehicle, Kanan rescues Hera, who is moved to admit her feelings for him are mutual. The reunion is brief: Kanan wants to target the Imperial fuel depot on their way back to base, and Governor McGlynn wants to be rid of the Rebels on Lothal once and for all.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Dave Filoni & Henry Gilroy
directed by Saul Ruiz
music by Kevin Kiner
additional music by David Russell, Sean Kiner, and Dean Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

RebelsCast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios / Stormtrooper #1 / Stormtrooper Commander), Dave Filoni (AT-AT Driver / Stormtrooper #2), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Governor Pryce), Stephen Stanton (Grand Moff Tarkin / TIE Pilot / Stormtrooper #3), Lars Mikkelsen (Grand Admiral Thrawn), Warwick Davis (Rukh)

Notes: Tarkin informs Thrawn that the TIE Defender program is now competing for Imperial funding with Director Krennic’s “Stardust” project (the code name given to the Death Star in Rogue One). The end credits play over silence rather than the customary theme music.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Rebels Season 4 Star Wars

DUME

Star Wars: RebelsThe rebel cell on Lothal is demoralized in the wake of Kanan’s death. Hera retreates into grief, Sabine and Zeb set out for Imperial blood without a plan, and Ezra finds that the Loth-Wolves no longer harbor friendly feelings for him, and runs for his life. Though Governor Pryce declares victory and even arranges for a parade to celebrate the death of Kanan Jarrus, Grand Admiral Thrawn knows that this is a cover for her failures: the fuel refinery explosion severely damaged the TIE defender factory, forcing it to shut down. Expecting the rebels to mount a reckless attack in blind fury, Thrawn dispatches Rukh to finish them off. Lost in the wilderness, Ezra is cornered by the Loth-Wolves, one of whom now talks…and introduces itself as Dume, the same name that Kanan himself went by as a Jedi padawan.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Dave Filoni & Christopher Yost
directed by Sergio Paez
music by Kevin Kiner
additional music by David Russell, Sean Kiner, and Dean Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

RebelsCast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla), Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios / Alton Kastle / Biker Scout #1), Sam Witwer (Biker Scout #2 / Imperial Officer #1 / Imperial Technician), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Governor Pryce), Lars Mikkelsen (Grand Admiral Thrawn), Dave Filoni (Imperial Officer #2), Dante Basco (Jai Kell), Warwick Davis (Rukh), Clancy Brown (Ryder Azadi)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Rebels Season 4 Star Wars

Wolves And A Door

Star Wars: RebelsThanks to his Force connection to the Loth-Wolves, Ezra makes the others aware that the abandoned Jedi Temple on Lothal is now occupied by Imperial forces who are close to cracking its secrets. Hera approves a mission to keep that from happening, but is surprised when the Loth-Wolves themselves provide passage to the temple, which is far north of the rebel base camp. Sabine and Ezra disguise themselves as Biker Scouts and enter the Imperial operation, finding that it is being led by an unknown man who reports directly to the Emperor himself. The Loth-Wolves are defending their own secret of travel across Lothal by means of the Force, and need Ezra to learn and protect that secret as well…even if it means leaving Sabine in the hands of the Empire.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Dave Filoni
directed by Dave Filoni & Bosco Ng
music by Kevin Kiner
additional music by David Russell, Sean Kiner, and Dean Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

RebelsCast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla / Imperial Scout #1), Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios / Stormtrooper #2 / Thrawn Trooper #2), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano), Adrienne Wilkinson (Daughter), Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine), Lars Mikkelsen (Grand Admiral Thrawn), Matthew Wood (Imperial Comm / Stormtrooper #1 / Thrawn Trooper #1), Dave Filoni (Imperial Scout #2 / Mining Guild Worker), Jason Isaacs (The Inquisitor), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Malcolm McDowell (Minister Hydan)

Notes: Strong with the Dark Side, this episode of Rebels is a wretched hive of scum and villainy from numerous other SF shows and movies, whether it’s Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies, who had just finished his stint as the suspicious Captain Lorca on Star Trek: Discovery mere weeks before this episode’s premiere ), Malcolm McDowell (of A Clockwork Orange fame, and still infamous as “the man who killed Captain Kirk” in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations), or Emperor Palpatine himself, Ian McDiarmid, making his first Rebels appearance. Ashley Eckstein appears as Ahsoka for the first time since the season 2 finale, with Adrienne Wilkinson (Eve from Xena: Warrior Princess) appearing as the voice of one of the figures in the painting from the walls of the ancient Jedi temple.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Rebels Season 4 Star Wars

A World Between Worlds

Star Wars: RebelsAfter going through the Jedi portal, EZra finds himself at a crossroads connecting all of space and time through other similar portals. He reaches through one portal and pulls out Ahsoka Tano, rescuing her from her final duel with Darth Vader, but someone else is rapidly finding out how to reach through the other portals as well: the Emperor. Ahsoka warns Ezra that she can’t return to his present with him, but having survived the fight with Vader, she will find him again. With the Emperor’s ability to probe and manipulate the portals growing by the second, Ezra must now reunite with his friends and find a way to close all of the portals…or surrender to the Sith Lord the power to change history.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Dave Filoni
directed by Dave Filoni & Steward Lee
music by Kevin Kiner
additional music by David Russell, Sean Kiner, and Dean Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

RebelsCast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla), Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios / Stormtrooper), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano), Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine), Malcolm McDowell (Minister Hydan)

Notes: While it’s a mainstay of other science fiction, this is one of very few instances of a Star Wars storyline hinting at the ability to time travel and change history.

LogBook entry by Earl Green