July 29, 1970 – theLogBook.com Episode Guides

1954-75: Showa Series Godzilla

Monster Zero

By Robert Parson
July 29, 1970

Astronauts Glenn and Fuji are sent to investigate a mysterious Planet X, which is beyond Jupiter. Back on Earth, Fuji’s sister Haruno is dating failed inventor Tetsuo Torii, who Fuji disapproves of. Tetsuo, meanwhile, is awarded a contract from toymaker World Education Corporation for one of his gadgets, the Ladyguard Alarm, which makes a high pitched wail – but his invention is put into development limbo.

Shortly after landing on Planet X, Glenn and Fuji are surprised by thunder and lightning. They discover a highly advanced civilization, that has been driven underground due to continual attacks by Monster Zero, known on Earth as King Ghidorah. The beast damages a water plant, causing the Controller and his staff to leave for a short time, but not before isolating the astronauts in a darkened room. When they return, the Controller asks to borrow monsters Zero-1 and Zero-2 Godzilla and Rodan to defeat Monster Zero. In exchange, Planet X will provide Earth with a miracle drug that will cure all disease.

Even though Earth officials agree to allow the aliens to capture Godzilla and Rodan, Glen and Fuji are cautious. They suspect Planet X is in a severe water shortage, and may have more malevolent plans. Glenn rushes off on a date with Miss Namikawa, the representative from World Education Corp. When he returns, he tells Fuji he suspects the woman of collaborating with the Controller. A short time later, they discover that the Controller and others from Planet X are already on Earth. The aliens encapsulate Godzilla and Rodan in giant bubbles and transport them, Glen, Fuji, and Dr Sakurai to Planet X. On the way, the humans discover the aliens are able to control the flying saucers, animals and planets with their minds.

Tetsuo follows Namikawa to a remote island and discovers the truth: she is an alien collaborator. He’s captured.

Planet X is under assault by Monster Zero. Godzilla and Rodan are released from their bubbles to battle the three headed space monster. After a short fight, they drive away Zero. Glenn and Fuji slip away during the battle and find an oddly beautiful gold park-like room. Namikawa enters the room, wearing the Planet X uniform, but she fails to recognize Glenn, then a second Namikawa enters. Glenn and Fuji are captured by a group of the aliens. The Controller decides not to press charges and releases the pair to Dr. Sakarai. They leave in a replica of their original ship with the medical cure, leaving Godzilla and Rodan behind.

Back on Earth, they discover the tape they brought back doesn’t have instructions on how to produce the miracle drug. Instead, it contains a demand by the Controller to place the Earth under the control of Planet X as a colony, or be destroyed. Riots breakout worldwide. In an abandoned and heavily damaged building, Glenn finds Namikawa wearing a Planet X uniform. She admits she is an alien, but has fallen in love with the astronaut. The two are surrounded by aliens. Before Glenn is led away, she secretly slips a note into his pocket. The aliens kill her for falling in love with a human.

The aliens arrive, and order the humans to surrender within 24 hours or face death. They have brought Godzilla, Rodan, and Ghidorah to Earth and are controlling them with magnetic waves. Glenn, who has been tossed into a cell with Tetsuo, finds the note from Namikawa. She writes that the aliens from Planet X can be defeated through the use of a certain sound. Tetsuo realizes his Ladyguard Alarm emits that sound. Pulling one out of his pocket, he turns it on, rendering their guards helpless. They escape and report their discovery to Dr. Sakurai.

The Xns release Godzilla, and Rodan to attack. The pair smash buildings and knock over bridges in Japan, and Godzilla sets the countryside on fire, while the aliens blow up land-based weapons. Ghidorah joins them as they press the attack into an urban area, devastating the city.

The Ladyguard Alarm signal is broadcast on radio and TV stations. As the aliens try to regain control over their saucers, the humans bring to bear a weapon that disrupts the magnetic waves controlling the monsters, causing them to collapse. They continue to fire the magnetic wave disruptors at the saucers, which are careening out of control. The Controller orders his minions “into the future, the dimension we have never seen.” He presses a button, blowing up the saucers and their island HQ.

Freed from the alien’s grip, Godzilla and Rodan turn on Ghidorah. While the wrestle, they fall over a cliff into the ocean. Ghidorah flies out of the water, but Godzilla and Rodan whereabouts are not known. But it’s not believed the earth monsters are dead. Glenn is advised he will be returning to Planet X as an ambassador to the remaining inhabitants.

screenplay by Shinichi Sekizawa
directed by Inoshiro Honda
music by Akira Ifukube

Human Cast: Nick Adams (Astronaut Glenn), Akira Takarada (Astronaut Fuji), Kumi Mizuno (Miss Namikawa), Keiko Sawai (Haruno Fuji), Jun Tazaki (Dr. Sakurai), Yoshio Tsuchiya (Controller of Planet X), Akira Kubo (Tetsuo Torii)

Monster Cast: Godzilla, Rodan, King Ghidorah / Monster Zero

Notes: The original Japanese language version is known as Invasion Of Astro Monster, and was released in 1965, but even in the Japanese language version, the creature is called Monster Zero or King Ghidorah, not Astro Monster. Among the differences in the Japanese and English versions: a change in the opening theme, the Controller offers “only” a cure for cancer (rather than a cure for all disease), and instead of Glenn being appointed as Ambassador to Planet X, both Glenn and Fuji are dispatched to conduct a survey of Planet X in the original Japanese version.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

Max Headroom Series 2 (UK)

Episode 7

By theLogBook.com
July 29, 1986

Max suddenly has an audience, and begins to interact with them, expounding on the joys of life in Italy and the nature of stardom, and interviewing Michael Caine. When Max tries to steer the discussion toward golf, Caine admits that his golf handicap is that he can’t actually play golf. The esteemed actor is, however, able to explain the origins of a certain rude gesture.

written by Paul Owen & David Hansen
with additional material by Steve Roberts, Jim Pullin and Matt Frewer
directed by David G. Hillier
music by Matt Forrest and Art Of Noise

Cast: Matt Frewer (Max Headroom), Michael Caine (himself), Paul Shearer (Ridley)

Videos: “World Domination” (Belle Stars), “Hot Girls” (Cherry Bomz), “And She Was” (Talking Heads)

Notes: The first Max Headroom Show in over a year, the second series’ opener shows drastic changes, from the live studio audience to Max’s garish new outfit to a major shift in the emphasis of the show. Originally conceived to be a character VJ seen only between music videos (the function he served for the first series), Max was now the center of the show and the music videos had very much taken a back seat, requiring the number of writers on the show to nearly triple (and to include Matt Frewer) to generate new material. Among the writers was Steve Roberts, who, with Frewer and producer Peter Wagg, was one of the very few personnel to participate in all of the major Max Headroom projects in the ’80s (the original TV movie, the Max Headroom Show and the American Max Headroom series).

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Season 1 Xena: Warrior Princess

Is There A Doctor In The House?

By theLogBook.com
July 29, 1996

Xena and Gabrielle are traveling to Athens through the wilderness that separates the Thessalians and the Mitoans, who are at war. Suddenly they hear a moan, and they approach the location of the sound cautiously. It turns out to be their Amazon friend, Ephiny. She has been injured and was hiding from the soldiers. She is also close to having a baby. Xena asks about what happened to Ephiny’s husband, Phantes. The Amazon tells her that he was killed by Mitoans while trying to protect her. Xena tells Gabrielle to stay with Ephiny while she looks for a place for the Amazon to have her baby. Not far away, a Mitoan general is giving orders to some of his men. As they go their separate ways, he spots a Thessalian soldier. When the man retreats, the general chases after him and Xena follows. She knocks him from his horse with her chakrum before he can kill the Thessalian.

Xena and Gabrielle take Ephiny and the general, Marmax, to a Thessalian healing temple. The inside is full of wounded Thessalian and Mitoan soldiers and some civilians. The priests pray to the god Asclepius to treat the injuries of the Thessalians. The head priest, Galen, becomes incensed when Xena begins to treat the wounded. Two young priests are intrigued by what the warrior is doing and want to help her. Soon the three of them and Gabrielle are busy treating the injured people in the temple, despite Galen’s protests. Two very seriously injured men are brought in at the same time. Xena needs to alternate between the patients and calls Gabrielle to assist her. When Galen sees that a Mitoan is on his altar, he is furious. But Xena doesn’t have time to deal with him or his guards and she pushes them back with a few kicks. Unfortunately one of the men has lost too much blood, and he dies. After seeing how upset Gabrielle is about the soldier’s death, Marmax questions Xena’s decision to bring the young woman into a battle zone. The warrior turns it back on him when she questions the reasons the Mitoans and Thessalians are fighting.

Gabrielle is asked by an injured man to go and find his son. He sent the boy into hiding when they were attacked and he’s afraid something might have happened to him. The bard agrees. Marmax asks Ephiny why she is there. She explains that she and her husband were on their way to Athens. When he asks what happened to him, she tells him that Phantes was attacked by Mitoan hunting dogs while soldiers stood around laughing.

Two more injured people are carried into the temple, and one of them is Gabrielle.

written by Patricia Manney
directed by T.J. Scott
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: Danielle Cormack (Ephiny), Ray Woolf (Marmax), Andrew Binns (Hippocrates), Simon Farthing (Democritus), Ron Smith (Galen), Tony Billy (Mitoan Warrior), Harriot Crampton (Hysterical Woman), Edith (Runner), Geoff Houtman (Gangrene Man), Paul McLaren (POW Leader), Adam Middleton (Blind Soldier), Charles Pierard (Thessalian Guard), Deane Vipond (Head Wound Man)

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

Season 09 SG-1 Stargate

Origin

By Dave
July 29, 2005

Vala’s rescuer reveals himself as a Prior of the Ori, and uses alabaster rings to bring her and Daniel to Celestis, a city in the sky. There Daniel has time to study the Book of Origin and attempt to convine the Prior that they’re explorers and not really in the market for a new belief system. The Prior appears to be more interested in the idea that there are more unbelievers where they came from. Daniel manages to arrange an audience with the Doci, the enahnced human who ranks above the Priors. There he realizes that like the Anicents, the Ori have ascended to a higher level of existance. Unlike the Ancients, they want to guide other races there. Rather forcefully, if necessary. The Ancients had apparently hidden the existence of life in our galaxy from the Ori. But thanks to Daniel and Vala’s visit, the veil has been lifted. And the Ori are determined that all will be rescued from evil and led to enlightenment – or destroyed, lest they corrupt others.

At Stargate Command, General Landry interrupts Mitchell’s vigil over Daniel and Vala to ask him to investigate a report from an Earth anthropologist of an unknown missionary appearing through the Stargate on another planet. Mitchell and Landry discuss their concerns that in the power vacuum left behind by the Goa’uld, unscrupulous individuals might try to take advantage of the situation. Similar concerns motivate Landry to invite Gerak to a conference on Earth. Teal’c agrees to relay the invitation and shares his misgivings about Gerak. The Jaffa asceneded to leadership of his troops after an ally of Bra’tac and Teal’c, who shared their vision of a democratic Jaffa nation, mysteriously disappeared. There is no evidence linking Gerak to the disappearance . . . but Teal’c can not help but wonder.

Mitchell assumes his best down-home manner and introduces himself to the missionary – another Prior. When he mentions Earth, the Prior responds with Daniel’s name, prompting Mitchell to bring the Prior back to SGC at the same time that Landry’s meeting with Gerak is going not altogether smoothly. The Jaffa requests the opportunity to meet and possibly challege this would-be prophet, as they are understandably leery of anyone claiming godhood.

Daniel and Vala are returned to their village, presumably to lead the Ori to other nonbelievers. Reluctant to do so, they must nonetheless try to find another Ancient communication device in order to warn Earth. They resolve to set off alone, but Fannis insits on helping them, despite the risks. They are able to make contact with Stargate Command, but only briefly – then the Prior and the townspeople arrive to recapture them. This time both Harrid and Sallis are sentenced to perish in the flames – and unless Mitchell and Teal’c can find a way to disrupt the connection, Daniel and Vala will share their fate.

written by Robert C. Cooper
directed by Brad Turner
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Claudia Black (Vala), Richard Dean Anderson (Maj. Gen. Jack O’Neill), Bill Dow (Dr. Lee), Lexa Doig (Dr. Lam), Louis Gossett, Jr. (Gerak); Gardiner Milla (Yat’yir), Mark Houghton (Prior Or Ori), Julian Sands (Doci), Larry Cedar (Prior #2), Paul Moniz De Sa (Fannis), Greg Anderson (Administrator), Gary Jones (Sgt. Walter Harriman), Stephen Park (Harrid), April Amber Telek (Sallis), Penelope Corrin (Dr. Lindsay)

Notes: This episode is considered the third part of a three-part episode, along with Avalon Parts 1 and 2.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Season 2 Stargate Stargate Atlantis

Runner

By theLogBook.com
July 29, 2005

A routine survey mission through the stargate turns up a dead Wraith, and an autopsy reveals that the glands that produce the enzyme needed to prolong a victim’s life for feeding have been removed – Lt. Ford, still missing, has struck. Sheppard leads a search team back to the planet to look for Ford, but he and Teyla are captured by a man who identifies himself as Ronan Dex. Sheppard and Teyla can’t say anything that will win Dex’s trust, but he has seen Ford. Dex is a runner, captured by the Wraith, implanted with a tracking device, and then set free to be hunted for sport. During his latest encounter with a Wraith, Dex found himself between his pursuer and Ford. He offers to find Ford for Sheppard in exchange for the removal of his tracking implant, but even when Ford is found, there are still ways he can betray his teammates.

written by Robert C. Cooper
directed by Martin Wood
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Rainbow Sun Francks (Lt. Aiden Ford), Kavan Smith (Major Lorne), Mitch Pileggi (Colonel Caldwell), Jonathon Young (Parrish), Dan Payne (Reed), James Lafaznos (Wraith)

Note: This episode introduces new regular Jason Momoa as Ronon Dex.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Battlestar Galactica (New Series) Season 2

Fragged

By theLogBook.com
July 29, 2005

Left without her medication in Galactica’s brig, President Roslin’s condition is worsening rapidly, to the point that she sometimes doesn’t remember where she is. Commander Adama goes under the knife for a surgery that will last for hours – and still may not keep him alive. Colonel Tigh is deteriorating as well, largely by his own doing as he leans ever more heavily on old habits to cope with the pressures of command. Those pressures intensify when the Quorum of Twelve arrives, demanding access to the imprisoned President, and the press begins to demand answers from Tigh as well. Apollo takes off on a search and rescue mission to find Galactica’s crashed crew members on Kobol, and a party of Cylons is preparing a deadly surprise for his arrival. The few survivors left from the crash must prevent the Cylons from ambushing the search and rescue mission – but discipline, and the chain of command, are rapidly breaking down among them. One will lose their nerve, another will lose perspective, another will lose their innocence, and then one will lose their life.

written by Dawn Prestwich & Nicole Yorkin
directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
music by Bear McCreary

Guest Cast: Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh), Aaron Douglas (CPO Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Nicki Clyne (Cally), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Gaeta), Kandyse McClure (Dualla), Sam Witwer (Lt. Crashdown), Kate Vernon (Ellen Tigh), Donnelly Rhodes (Dr. Cottle), Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek), Kerry Norton (Paramedic Layne Ibhay), Kurt Evans (Paramedic Howard Kim), Chris Sheilds (Cpl. Venner), Jannifer Halley (Seelix), Leah Cairns (Racetrack), Patricia Iolette (Sarah Porter), Malcolm Stewart (Marshall Bagot), T-Roy Kozuki (Marine)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Season 4: Miracle Day Torchwood

Escape To L.A.

By theLogBook.com
July 29, 2011

Torchwood makes a cross-country trip to Los Angeles, home of Phi-Corp’s corporate headquarters, to dig deeper into the pharmaceutical giant and find out how they seemed to know ahead of time that death would become a thing of the past. Jack continues to fixate on Oswald Danes, certain that keeping a careful watch on the convicted-pedophile-turned-charismatic-celebrity will reveal more about Phi-Corp’s plans. Esther and Rex let their guard down, perhaps fatally: Esther goes to visit her sister, only to be turned away at the door and told that she can’t see the kids. Rex’s visit to his father is even less welcoming, while Gwen gets disturbing news from Wales about her father. Oswald Danes and his Phi-Corp PR handler, Jilly Kitzinger, discover that he suddenly has an opposite number: a right-wing political figure who advocates the segregation from society of those who “should” be dead. Phi-Corp’s advance planning becomes more apparent – they’ve already bought up enormous amount of property globally to serve as “overflow camps” – as does their ruthlessness, as an assassin is dispatched to deal with both Danes’ nemesis and with Torchwood as they try to break into Phi-Corp itself.

teleplay by Jim Gray and John Shiban
story by Jim Gray
directed by Billy Gierhart
music by Murray Gold and Stu Kennedy

Cast: John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness), Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper), Mekhi Phifer (Rex Matheson), Alexa Havins (Esther Drummond), Kai Owen (Rhys Williams), Bill Pullman (Oswald Danes), Lauren Ambrose (Jilly Kitzinger), Arlene Tur (Dr. Vera Juarez), C. Thomas Howell (The Gentleman), Mare Winningham (Ellis Hartley Monroe), Juanita Jennings (Bisme Katsui), Candace Brown (Sarah Drummond), Kelvin Yu (Nicholas Frumkin), DeSean Terry (Male Nurse), Roger Vernon Burton (Thin Old Man), Katsy Chappell (Woman), April Clark (Young Mother), Anthony Dilio (Lobby Guard), David Fofi (Burly Guard), Teresa Garza (Spanish Newscaster), Roy Lee Jones (Maurice), JoNell Kennedy (Veronica), Masami Kosaka (Japanese Newscaster), Ronobir Lahiri (Simran), Michael D. Nye (Sick Man), Barbara Mallory (Scared Old Woman), Brian Keith Russell (Landlord), Christian Svensson (Chauffeur), Randa Walker (Candice), David Grant Wright (Male Newscaster)

Notes: Writer John Shiban has a long list of genre credits in Hollywood, with writing and producing duties on series such as Supernatural, The Legend of the Seeker, Star Trek: Enterprise and Vampire Diaries, as well as the non-genre favorite Breaking Bad. His early career was spent working for Chris Carter as a writer, producer and story editor on such series as The X-Files, Harsh Realm, and the final X-Files spinoff, The Lone Gunmen. He has also directed episodes of Breaking Bad and X-Files.