Day: October 10, 1977

Categories
Raven

Episode Four

RavenRaven escapes the worst part of the rockfall and raises the alarm; the rest of the dig workers and emergency services arrive to dig out the buried man, who may still have enough air for a few minutes, though the effort to reach him is expected to take hours. Arriving on the heels of the people who can help is television reporter Clive Castle, who sees nothing but a story, and is particularly fascinated by Raven’s role in the unfolding drama.

Order the DVDswritten by Jeremy Burnham and Trevor Ray
directed by Michael Hart
music not credited

RavenCast: Michael Aldridge (Professor Young), Patsy Rowlands (Mrs. Young), Phil Daniels (Raven), Shirley Cheriton (Naomi Grant), James Kerry (Bill Telford), Tenniel Evans (Editor), Ellis Jones (Vicar), Blake Butler (Stone), Hugh Thomas (Castle)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Logan's Run

The Innocent

Logan's RunFrancis and the other Sandmen, now armed with their own vehicles, close in on Logan and his friends. Even though Logan is able to shake off his pursuers, his flight comes to a sudden stop when he finds that his hovercraft is in a minefield surrounding an underground bunker. Rem manages to neutralize the bunker’s various defense systems, and inside the bunker, they find rather antisocial robots watching over an adolescent girl who has apparently never seen another human being since her parents died. She develops a strong attachment to Logan, but doesn’t understand the feelings she’s experiencing. But she quickly picks up on Logan’s affection for Jessica, and her envy leads her to reveal a terrifying telekinetic power. After she uses her power to “remove” Rem and Jessica, Logan still rejects her advances…so she decides to betray him to the Sandmen.

Logan's RunDownload this episodeteleplay by Ray Brenner and D.C. Fontana
story by Ray Brenner
directed by Michael Preece
music by Jerrold Immel

Guest Cast: Lisa Eilbacher (Lisa), Lou Richards (Strong), Barney McFadden (Jeremy), Brian Kerwin (Patrick), Gene Tyburn (Friend)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Battle Of The Planets

Ace From Outer Space

Battle Of The PlanetsAt an international air show, Mark is flying a high-tech jet fighter of 7-Zark-7’s design, but is stunned when an ancient biplane appears with a skull-faced pilot standing atop its wings. The pilot’s metallic whip destroys Mark’s fighter, and G-Force is sent to pursue the intruder back to his home planet. He is Captain Doom of the planet Ergos, and he hopes to conquer Earth before his rivals on the planet Spectra can. When his metal whip shears the rudder off of the Phoenix, it seems that Captain Doom might be able to make good on his ambitions…

written by Jameson Brewer
directed by Hisayuki Toriumi
music by Hoyt Curtin and Bob Sakuma

Battle Of The PlanetsVoice Cast: Casey Kasem (Mark), Ronnie Schell (Jason), Janet Waldo (Princess / Susan), Alan Young (7-Zark-7 / Keyop), Alan Dinehart Jr. (Tiny / Chief Anderson), Keye Luke (Zoltar / The Luminous One)

Note: In the original Gatchaman version of this story, the jet being tested by Ken has a non-polluting engine, and was invented by Dr. Nambu. Great pains are taken to point out that “Captain Doom” is not affiliated with Spectra; in the original story, “Katsenberg, the steel demon” is merely another of Berg Katse’s many disguises. The Gatchaman team, particularly Joe and Jinpei, employ considerable violence in thwarting Katsenberg’s scheme, and their escape is shown to be much narrower than G-Force’s escape. For the corresponding episode of Kagaku Ninjatai Gatchaman, click here.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Space Precinct

Enforcer

Space PrecinctThe death of an armed street thug draws the attention of Brogan and Haldane, especially since there are no signs of a struggle – indicating that telekinesis may be the murder weapon. After he’s questioned in the death, a rival thug and several of his cohorts are killed in the same way: their hearts – human or alien – are accelerated until they burst inside their chests. It soon becomes obvious that there’s a new face in charge of crime on the streets, and it’s not a human one. One alien offers to come forward with information, but he dies in a suspicious accident before he can talk. Brogan closes in on a likely suspect, but even under questioning, he won’t talk either – and he certainly isn’t talking about the mysterious (and conveniently mute) alien girl taking shelter in his apartment. Brogan is alarmed when his wife Sally offers to let the alien girl stay at their home, since nothing is known about her. Only too late, Brogan discovers that the missing murder weapon is in his own home with his wife and children.

written by Marc Scott Zicree
directed by Sidney Hayers
music by Crispin Merrell

Guest Cast: Andrew Tiernan (Andy Sturgeon), Jade Punt (Vala), Tom Radcliffe (Nick), Kazia Pelka (Madam), Nic Klein (Matt Brogan), Megan Olive (Liz Brogan), Richard James (Orrin), David Quilter (Fredo), Jerome Willis (Podly), Mary Woodvine (Took), Leigh Tinkler (Lurzan), Rob Thirtle (Trask), Andy Dawson (Skeevan), Gary Martin (voice of Slomo)

Notes: Apparently the police code for a shootout is “1701,” surely nothing to do with a certain other SF series for which Marc Scott Zicree had written in recent years. Zicree has also scripted episodes of Babylon 5 and The New Twilight Zone.

Categories
Deep Space Nine Season 03 Star Trek

The House of Quark

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: A drunk Klingon named Kozak tries to kill Quark in a dispute over his bar tab, and winds up falling on his own knife by accident. Quark, attempting to boost business, tells Odo that he bravely killed Kozak in self-defense. Odo warns that Kozak’s family will come after Quark to claim the right of vengeance, which springs to mind very quickly when a new Klingon arrival who claims to be Kozak’s brother D’Ghor accosts Quark on the station. But D’Ghor doesn’t want revenge, he wants Quark to keep quiet about the true nature of Kozak’s death to avoid dishonoring his family.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonteleplay by Ronald D. Moore
story by Tom Benko
directed by Les Landau
music by Richard Bellis

Cast: Avery Brooks (Commander Benjamin Sisko), Rene Auberjonois (Odo), Siddig El Fadil (Dr. Julian Bashir), Terry Farrell (Lt. Jadzia Dax), Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), Armin Shimerman (Quark), Nana Visitor (Major Kira Nerys), Rosalind Chao (Keiko), Mary Kay Adams (Grilka), Carlos Carrasco (D’Ghor), Max Grodenchik (Rom), Robert O’Reilly (Gowron), Joseph Ruskin (Tumek), John Lendale Bennett (Kozak)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Season 01 SG-1 Stargate

Bloodlines

Stargate SG-1An attempt to remove Teal’c’s Goa’uld symbiont for study is cut short when his body’s immune systems begin to shut down. The Goa’uld ensure their dominance over the Jaffa by assuming control of immune functions, forcing the Jaffa to keep the symbionts for their entire lives. But worse, Teal’c is worried about his son – part of a family he claimed didn’t exist when he joined SG-1. Now Teal’c wants to return to Chulak to prevent his son from receiving a symbiont on the day he comes of age, and he’s going with or without General Hammond’s permission. The General sends the rest of SG-1 with Teal’c, but when they arrive, Teal’c finds his home has been destroyed. A lone Jaffa ambushes them, and Teal’c recognizes him as Master Bra’tac, a leader of the Jaffa resistance and Teal’c’s mentor. Bra’tac reveals that Teal’c’s home was burned in retaliation for aiding SG-1, and his family have become outcasts. When Teal’c finds them, he discovers that his son is dying – and Teal’c’s mission prevent his son from receiving a Goa’uld may end with him giving the boy his own symbiont, sacrificing himself in the process.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxstory by Mark Saraceni
teleplay by Jeff King
directed by Mario Azzopardi
music by Joel Goldsmith, Dennis McCarthy and Tim Truman

Guest Cast: Tony Amendola (Bra’tac), Salli Richardson (Drey’auc), Teryl Rothery (Dr. Fraiser), Neil Denis (Rya’c), Brian Jensen (Head Priest), Bob Wilde (Priest)

LogBook entry by Earl Green with notes by Dave Thomer

Categories
Enterprise Season 01 Star Trek

Strange New World

Star Trek: EnterpriseThe Enterprise pays a visit to its first Earthlike world, which appears to be uninhabited. Captain Archer and a landing party take a shuttle down and find an inviting environment. T’Pol selects two junior crew members for their scientific qualifications, and Mayweather and Trip tag along (with Porthos in tow). But when Archer takes the shuttle back to orbit, the landing party’s overnight stay goes from Mayweather’s ghost stories around the campfire to a sudden severe storm. The explorers hastily set up a new camp in a series of caves, but once there, tensions run high. Ensign Novakovich runs outside, and when Trip and Mayweather go to find him, they both see mysterious figures – Trip sees a creature morph out of a rock face, and Mayweather sees humanoid life forms in the distance. Back in the caves, Ensign Cutler thinks she sees and hears T’Pol conspiring with more humanoid figures. The tension becomes hostility, and Archer’s attempt to fly a rescue shuttle down in the storm fails, almost killing him in the process. As a last resort, Reed uses the transporter to rescue Novakovich – with almost fatal results. And worse yet, Dr. Phlox’s examination of Novakovich reveals that it may be too late to bring the others back alive.

Order DVDsDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxteleplay by Mike Sussman & Phyllis Strong
story by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga
directed by David Livingston
music by Dennis McCarthy

Cast: Scott Bakula (Captain Jonathan Archer), Jolene Blalock (Subcommander T’Pol), John Billingsley (Dr. Phlox), Dominic Keating (Lt. Malcolm Reed), Anthony Montgomery (Ensign Travis Mayweather), Linda Park (Ensign Hoshi Sato), Connor Trinneer (Commander Charles “Trip” Tucker III), Kellie Waymire (Elizabeth Cutler), Henri Lubatti (Ethan Novakovich), Rey Gallegos (Crewman), and Porthos

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Jeremiah Season 2

Letters From The Other Side

JeremiahJeremiah, Marcus and Erin are reunited in cells in Valhalla Sector, where Marcus is ruthlessly interrogated about his involvement in an “attempt to overthrow the United States government.” Jeremiah, on the other hand, is escorted to a personal meeting with the man who seems to be in control of that government. The President asks Jeremiah to talk his father into revealing the secrets of the out-of-control bioweapon that the world knows as the Big Death – but, if Jeremiah refuses to cooperate, his life will be used as a pawn to force his father to tell the President what he knows. Jeremiah is reunited with his father, meeting his research assistant Libby in the process, but both men know that their reunion has put them in a dangerous position: the President’s men won’t touch Devon, but as a bargaining chip, Jeremiah is expendable – and the moment he talks, so is Devon.

In the meantime, Kurdy is still on the run from Valhalla Sector search parties and helicopters, and he meets a man who claims that God wants Kurdy to stop running and surrender. Kurdy keeps running until he’s cornered – by none other than Lee Chen, Marcus’ traitorous right-hand-man. But now Lee claims to be working for Jeremiah’s father, and wants to return to Thunder Mountain with Marcus’ help. Lee wants to use Megan, the Big Death-infected woman living in Thunder Mountain’s isolation lab, as a way to secure the release of Valhalla Sector’s prisoners – and if it means saving Marcus’ life, Megan is willing to hand herself over. But the shadow government within Valhalla Sector doesn’t want Megan or Devon’s research to contain the Big Death. They want the ability to selectively deploy the disease as a weapon to ensure their dominance over the world.

Season 2 Regular Cast: Luke Perry (Jeremiah), Malcolm Jamal-Warner (Kurdy), Joanne Kelly (Liberty “Libby” Kaufman), Sean Astin (Mister Smith)

Order the DVDswritten by J. Michael Straczynski
series based on the comic book by Hermann Huppen
directed by Martin Wood
music by Tim Truman
series main theme by Tim Truman

Guest Cast: Peter Stebbings (Marcus), Ingrid Kavelaars (Erin), Byron Lawson (Lee Chen), Michael David Simms (General), Robert Wisden (Devon), Suzy Joachim (Megan), Robert Foxworth (The President), Garfield Wilson (Cell Guard), Robin Mossley (Interrogator)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Audio Dramas Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

Episode 2

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective AgencyEveryone is dealing with the aftermath of Gordon’s murder. Richard is with Dirk, going over the events of the previous day, Susan is at home in mourning and Gordon’s ghost is unable to get anyone to notice him. Michael, meanwhile, is falling apart over the loss of his magazine and the Electric Monk goes in search of fast food. Richard’s behavior is becoming erratic. In the middle of denying that he has been behaving odd, for instance, he jumps into a canal.

Order this story on CDwritten by Douglas Adams
adapted by Dirk Maggs and John Langdon from the novel “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency”
directed by Dirk Maggs
music by Philip Pope

Cast: Felicity Montagu (Susan Way), Robert Duncan (Gordon Way), Harry Enfield (Dirk Gently), Billy Boyd (Richard MacDuff), Olivia Colman (Janice Pierce), Michael Fenton Stevens (Michael Wenton-Weakes), Toby Longworth (The Electric Monk), Andrew Sachs (Professor Chronotis), Jim Carter (Gilks), Jeffrey Holland (George III), Wayne Forester (Courtier), Jon Glover (Professor Cawley), Philip Pope (Garage Attendant), Neil Sleet (Newsreader), John Marsh (Announcer)

LogBook entry by Philip R. Frey

Categories
Clone Wars Season 1 Star Wars

Shadow Of Malevolence

Star Wars: The Clone WarsWith the Malevolence wreaking havoc in the galaxy, Anakin Skywalker comes up with a bold plan to take out the bridge and the ship’s commander, General Grievous, in one fell swoop. But before he can put this plan into action, the Malevolence is seen heading for the Kaliida Shoals Medical Center, intent on destroying the Republic’s only safe haven for wounded clones. Anakin decides to take his flight group, the Shadow Squadron, through the Kaliida Nebula in order to cut off the Malevolence before it can attack while Obi-Wan’s battleships take the long way ’round. But Anakin has underestimated the dangers of his shortcut and the consequences may leave his squadron unable to complete his plan.

written by Steven Melching
directed by Brian Kalin O’Connell
music by Kevin Kiner / original Star Wars themes by John Williams

Cast: Tom Kane (Admiral Yularen / Narrator), Matt Lanter (Anakin Skywalker), Dee Bradley Baker (Matchstick / Tag / Commander Wolffe), James Arnold Taylor (Plo Koon / Obi-Wan Kenobi), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano), Matthew Wood (General Grievous / Battle Droids), Corey Burton (Count Dooku), Gwendoline Yeo (Nala Se)

LogBook entry by Philip R. Frey

Categories
Season 5

The Curse Of Clyde Langer – Part 1

The Sarah Jane AdventuresClyde and Rani’s school day – and Sarah’s attempt to enroll Sky in their school – is brought to a standstill when fish begin raining from the sky. Mr. Smith suggests a connection between the unusual storm and a Mojave totem pole on display at a nearby museum – a totem whose discovery was also associated with raining fish. Clyde touches the totem pole and gets a splinter in his finger. The next day, his friends begin turning against him and telling him to get out of their sight – anyone exposed to the sight or sound of Clyde’s name suddenly hates him. Even his own mother kicks him out of his house. In the space of one day, Clyde has gone from alien hunter and budding artist to homeless.

Get the DVDwritten by Phil Ford
directed by Ashley Way
music by Sam Watts / title music by Murray Gold

Cast: Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith), Daniel Anthony (Clyde Langer), Anjli Mohindra (Rani Chandra), Sinead Michael (Sky), Ace Bhatti (Haresh Chandra), Alexander Armstrong (Mr. Smith), Lily Sarah Jane AdventuresLoveless (Ellie), Jocelyn Jee Esien (Carla Langer), Sara Houghton (Doctor Madigan), Elijah Baker (Steve Wallace), Anwar Lynch (Security Guard)

Notes: Clyde’s perusal of a book about the French Revolution is a gag that goes all the way back to the very first Doctor Who episode, in which the Doctor’s granddaughter Susan was seen reading a similar book. (In 1988’s 25th anniversary story Remembrance Of The Daleks, Ace was seen glancing at a similar book – possibly the same one, since both stories took place at Coal Hill School.)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Batman Movies (Adam West)

Return Of The Caped Crusaders

BatmanThe Riddler, the Penguin, Catwoman and the Joker hijack Gotham’s most-watched TV variety show simply to signal their latest crime wave. Batman and Robin follow leads and pursue the criminals, but Catwoman thinks she knows how to sway Batman to their side, using a potent chemical concoction that will do away with Batman’s urge to do good. The chemical doesn’t work until after Batman has rounded up the quartet of criminals, but when its effects do kick in, Batman suddenly installs himself as the ruler of Gotham City, relieving the police of their duties and allowing anarchy to reign. Alfred is fired, and Aunt Harriet is sent away in tears. Robin is about to go it alone against his mentor when he decides to enlist Catwoman’s reluctant help instead. But how can Robin fight the man who taught him everything he knows about fighting crime?

written by Michael Jelenic & James Tucker
directed by Rick Morales
music by Kristopher Carter, Michael McCuistion and Lolita Ritmanis / Batman theme by Neal Hefti

BatmanCast: Adam West (Batman), Burt Ward (Robin), Julie Newmar (Catwoman), Jeff Bergman (Announcer / Joker), Sirena Irwin (Miranda Moore), Thomas Lennon (Chief O’Hara), William Salyers (The Penguin), Lynne Marie Stewart (Aunt Harriet), Jim Ward (Commissioner Gordon), Steven Weber (Alfred), Wally Wingert (The Riddler)

LogBook entry & review by Earl Green

Categories
Short Treks Star Trek

The Trouble With Edward

Star Trek: Short TreksStardate: breakfast: Former Enterprise science officer Lynne Locero is promoted to Captain and given her own command – the science vessel U.S.S. Cabot. Her pre-departure pep talk from Captain Pike, however, barely begins to cover the realities of command – in particular, a problematic science officer aboard the Cabot, one Edward Larkin. The ship’s crew has been tasked with finding a solution to a planetary food shortage, and Larkin obsessively fixates upon a defenseless species called tribbles as a means to ending the famine. Larkin proposes genetically manipulating the creatures so they reproduce rapidly, but Captain Locero wants to explore options that don’t involve killing and cooking the tribbles, or otherwise violating their rights to exist. Unbowed, Larkin proceeds with the experiment anyway, adding his own DNA to the tribbles…and creating a species that, far from solving a food shortage, now threatens to devour everything in sight, including the Cabot itself.

Order DVDsStream this episode via Amazonwritten by Graham Wagner
directed by Daniel Gray Longino
music by Sahil Jindal

Cast: Anson Mount (Captain Pike), Rosa Salazar (Captain Locero), H. Jon Benjamin (Edward Larkin), Lisa Michelle Cornelius (Sarah), Matthew Gouveia (Noel), Krista Jang (Rob), John Jarvis (Admiral Quinn), Loretta Shenosky (Cabot Computer)

Short TreksNotes: This episode significantly rewrites the DNA – quite literally – of one of Star Trek’s most beloved alien species. As they originally evolved, Tribbles were harmless and largely helpless (Edward notes that one died simply by falling from his desk to the floor). It was only with the addition of Edward’s own human DNA and some other genetic engineering on his part that led to Tribbles that are born ravenously hungry and pregnant, as first seen in 1967’s The Trouble With Tribbles. (This also explains why Captain Lorca had a tribble in Star Trek: Discovery‘s first season which wasn’t chowing down on everything in sight.) H. Jon Benjamin may be more of a familiar voice than a familiar face; he’s the voice of Sterling Archer in the FX animated series Archer, and his voice has been a mainstay of numerous series in Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block. Stick around after the end credits for a fourth-wall-busting Star Trek first, a “commercial” for Tribbles cereal!

LogBook entry by Earl Green