Year: 1990

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Alien Nation Season 1

Gimme Gimme

Alien NationA uniquely Tenctonese cross between a lightweight fabric and an incredibly resilient metal, Nu-Knit is rolled out as a prime investment opportunity for Newcomers and humans alike. Its inventor, newcomer Edgar Allan Poe, has forged an uneasy alliance with a shifty human business partner, but when Poe is murdered – after someone replaces the water in his swimming pool with deadly salt water – that partner becomes a prime suspect. Sikes and George are on the case, but after hearing George sing the praises of Nu-Knit, Captain Grazer has also invested heavily in the company, and insists on pursuing the case from the standpoint of protecting his money. A visit to Nu-Knit’s factory leaves Sikes nauseous, almost to the point of fainting, prompting concerns about the company’s compliance with environmental laws. When Poe’s former business partner produces an alibi that, while not commendable, at least turns out to be true, the hunt is on for the real killer…someone who also has a reason to cover up the deadly secret behind Nu-Knit.

Order this episode on DVDDownload this episodewritten by Andrew Schneider & Diane Frolov
directed by David Carson
music by David Kurtz

Guest Cast: Alan Fudge (Phil), Kim Braden (Marilyn Houston), Joseph Cali (Lee Smith), Armin Shimerman (Cyril Roman), David Selburg (Edgar Allen Poe), Beverly Leech (Rita Poe), Michele Lamar Richards (Lois Allen), Michael Zano (Mr. Elias), Bob Minor (Cop), Lance E. Nichols (Delivery Man), Stephen Hart (Thug)

Notes: There’s something refreshingly un-ironic about Armin Shimerman in the role of an unscrupulous, profit-mongering alien, even if it predates his regular role as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s Quark by three years.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Alien Nation Season 1

The Touch

Alien NationCathy learns that Andron, a child who she protected about the Tenctonese slave ship, is receiving some sort of special treatment, and she suspects it’s the same “treatment” he’s been receiving for years: he was taken from her to be indoctrinated into the ranks of the Overseers, beginning with the violent sacrifice of one of his own people. At first, Cathy’s warnings fall on deaf ears among both human and Newcomer child protection officials, and with no proof to back up her claims, even Sikes and George can’t act on her warnings. Desperate to help Andron and expose the Overseers who are working to once again enslave the Newcomers on Earth, Cathy takes matters into her own hands and spirits the boy away, but all she accomplishes in so doing is drawing potential kidnapping charges. The Overseers soon track Andron down, and decide that Cathy would make a fitting sacrifice to complete the boy’s training…

Order this episode on DVDDownload this episodewritten by Steven Long Mitchell & Craig W. Van Sickle
directed by Harry S. Longstreet
music by Steve Dorff & Larry Herbstritt

Guest Cast: Jenny Gago (Beatrice Zepeda), Mike Preston (Rigac), Barbara Bush (Lorraine Clark), Jonathan Brandis (Andron), Dorothy Fielding (Ella Day), Doug Ballard (Mr. Eugene), Martin LaPlatney (Troy), Margaret Howell (Andron’s Mother), Yvette Freeman (Helen), Mitchell Allen (Andron at 7), Vlado Benden (Desk Clerk), Dustin Berkovitz (Newcomer Boy), Eli Guralnick (Female Overseer), Marin May (Newcomer Girl), Tom Pabst (Newcomer Sacrifice), Van Quatro (Male Overseer)

Notes: Cathy’s Tenctonese name is revealed to be Gelana. Guest star Jonathan Brandis would soon find fame in another genre series, seaQuest DSV, in which he starred as whiz kid Lucas Wolenczak. He does not say a single syllable of dialogue in this episode. Brandis later took his own life, at the age of 27, in 2003.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Alien Nation Season 1

Green Eyes

Alien NationAs an investigation begins into the suspicious death of a Newcomer judge, George passes the exam that ensures a promotion that will make him Sikes’ superior. But even as George and Sikes interview a suspect against whom the late judge once ruled, a prominent Newcomer doctor receives an anonymous gift that results in his death. The judge’s autopsy reveals the presence of a genetically-engineered agent designed specifically to kill Tenctonese – and George’s recent promotion may now make him a target. A letter from an organization calling itself the National Purists’ Front arrives, claiming responsibility for the murders and promising more Newcomer deaths. As they try to track down the racially-motivated serial killers, George and Sikes find themselves seriously at odds with each other over George’s promotion. Their own racial tension even spills over into Sikes’ relationship with Cathy. As Sikes retreats into the arms of a human woman, an anonymous gift intended for George infects Susan and Emily instead. But what even George and Sikes don’t know is that this latest attack is merely a test of a new version of the toxin, which the Purists plan to use to wipe out all the Newcomers.

Order this episode on DVDDownload this episodewritten by Diane Frolov & Andrew Schneider
directed by Tom Chehak
music by Steve Dorff & Harry Erbstritt

Guest Cast: Jenny Gago (Zepeda), Barbara Bush (Lorraine Clark), Michelle Lamar Richards (Dr. Lois Allen), Lee Bryant (Phyllis Bryant), Kim Braden (Marilyn Houston), Haskell V. Anderson III (Principal Fisher), David Purdham (Marc Guerin), John Calvin (Rick Parris), Geoffrey Bryant (Michael Bukowski), Edith Fields (Martha), Andras Jones (Noah Ramsey), Geoff Pierson (Dr. Bogg), Thomas Knickerbocker (Judge Kaiser), Thom Zimerle (Joshua Tree), Joe Hoke (Newcomer cop), Michael Najjar (Delivery man)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 03 Star Trek The Next Generation

Tin Man

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 43779.3: The Enterprise is called on to transport first-contact specialist Tam Elbrun – a full Betazoid and one-time mental patient – to Beta Strongren to make initial contact with an alien life form representing the last of its species, but things go disastrously wrong when Romulan attackers show up, and Tam Elbrun decides to stay behind to remain in contact with the creature.

Order the DVDswritten by Dennis Putnam Bailey and David Bischoff
directed by Robert Scheerer
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Harry Groener (Tam Elbrun), Michael Cavanaugh (Captain Robert DeSoto), Peter Vogt (Romulan Captain), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien)

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Season 03 Star Trek The Next Generation

Hollow Pursuits

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 43807.4: Engineering Lieutenant Reginald Barclay, a new member of Geordi’s staff, shirks his duties in favor of spending time on the holodeck, where he has constructed intricate programs simulating members of the bridge crew as he sees them: Picard, Data and Geordi as the Three Musketeers, Dr. Crusher as a sort of fair maiden with Wesley as an asinine blueberry pie-eating Blue Boy – and Counselor Troi as a seductive goddess. When the real crew learns of Barclay’s holo-addiction, all hell breaks loose.

Order the DVDswritten by Sally Caves (a.k.a. Sarah Higley)
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Dwight Schultz (Lt. Barclay), Charley Lang (Lt. Duffy), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 03 Star Trek The Next Generation

The Most Toys

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 43872.2: Data is kidnapped by a greedy collector of one-of-a-kind items and species who considers the android a prize for his collection and fools the crew of the Enterprise into thinking that Data has been killed in a freak shuttle accident. Data then squares off in a grueling psychological battle with his captor and almost tastes vengeance for the first time as the only person willing to help him escape is killed in cold blood by the unscrupulous hoarder.

Order the DVDswritten by Shari Goodhartz
directed by Timothy Bond
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Saul Rubinek (Kivas Fajo), Nehemiah Persoff (Toff), Jane Daly (Varria), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 03 Star Trek The Next Generation

Sarek

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 43917.4: Famed Vulcan Ambassador Sarek, father of Spock, beams aboard the Enterprise to be transported to his final diplomatic duty. But he is suffering the initial symptoms of a mind-deteriorating Vulcan disease and his Vulcan telepathic skills inadvertantly project violent, irrational impulses in the crew’s minds. Picard decides to risk a mind-meld to stabilize Sarek for the negotiations, but the captain risks his own sanity.

Order the DVDstelevision story and teleplay by Peter S. Beagle
from an unpublished story by Marc Cushman & Jake Jacobs
directed by Les Landau
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Mark Lenard (Ambassador Sarek), Joanna Miles (Perrin), William Denis (Kiv Mendrossen), Rocco Sisto (Sakkath), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), John H. Francis (Science Crewman)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 03 Star Trek The Next Generation

Menage a Troi

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 43930.7: Lwaxana Troi visits her daughter at the same time a trade conference is taking place. Ferengi DaiMon Tog decides that Mrs. Troi is the woman for him, and he kidnaps her along with Deanna and Riker. On the Enterprise, Wesley forgoes an opportunity to travel to the Academy to help locate the Ferengi ship and recover Riker, Deanna and Mrs. Troi. Picard rewards Wesley by promoting him from an acting ensign to a real Starfleet ensign.

Order the DVDswritten by Fred Bronson and Susan Sackett
directed by Robert Legato
music by Ron Jones

Guest Cast: Majel Barrett (Lwaxana Troi), Frank Corsentino (DaiMon Tog), Ethan Phillips (Dr. Farek), Peter Slutsker (Nibor), Rudolph Willrich (Reittan Grax), Carel Struycken (Mr. Homn)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 03 Star Trek The Next Generation

Transfigurations

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 43957.2: The Enterprise crew rescues the injured lone survivor of a shipwrecked escape pod who has lost his memory and all traces of his identity. As the survivor, dubbed “John Doe” by the crew, recovers, he develops a rapport with Doctor Crusher and the rest of the crew, but his recovery almost seems too miraculous and it is discovered that not only is John Doe recuperating with incredible speed, but he is mutating as well. But his presence on the Enterprise is seen by all as a benefit; the Crushers grow close to Doe, Geordi grows close to another Enterprise crew member, and all seems well with the exception of Doe’s occasional mutative side effects until Sunad – obviously of the same race as Doe – arrives to take Doe, who he claims to be a dangerous criminal, prisoner. But it is soon revealed that John Doe is an outcast from his own society because he has been exiled by the normal elements of his people who fear his impending mutation into a higher life form. When Sunad boards the Enterprise to take Doe, Doe completes his mutation and, forgiving his persecutors, sends Sunad back to his ship unharmed and departs from the Enterprise by himself.

Order the DVDswritten by Rene Echavarria
directed by Tom Benko
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Mark LaMura (John Doe), Charles Dennis (Sunad), Julie Warner (Christy), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), Patti Tippo (Nurse Temple)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 03 Star Trek The Next Generation

The Best Of Both Worlds

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 43989.1: Lt. Commander Shelby, a tactical advisor from Starfleet with her eye on promotion to a first officer – perhaps of the Enterprise – joins the crew as they investigate the latest planet victimized by the Borg. After another Federation planet is attacked, the Enterprise sets off in pursuit of the Borg. During the flight, Riker learns of Shelby’s impetuousity and the possibility that he himself is long overdue to command a starship of his own. The Borg intercepts the Enterprise and does critical damage, and the Enterprise enters a nebula to evade capture. When some repairs are made, the Enterprise tries to escape but is captured by the Borg. They board the Enterprise, kidnap Captain Picard, and warp toward Earth.

The Enterprise follows the Borg through Federation space until Geordi can’t keep the warp engines up to speed. Shelby leads an away team to the Borg vessel where she, Worf, Data and Dr. Crusher sabotage the Borg’s internal power network. They are attacked and hold off their attackers until the Borg adapt to generate their own shields against the crew’s hand phasers. And Captain Picard is found – no longer human, modified into a Borg. The away team returns to the Enterprise, leaving Riker with a momentous decision – he must use a variation of the Enterprise’s deflectors to disrupt the Borg and possibly kill Picard.

Order the DVDswritten by Michael Piller
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Ron Jones

Guest Cast: Elizabeth Dennehy (Lt. Commander Shelby), George Murdock (Admiral Hanson), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 04 Star Trek The Next Generation

The Best Of Both Worlds Part II

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 44001.4: The main deflector dish has no effect on the Borg because, having assimilated Picard and converted him into their spokesman, Locutus, the Borg know now every strategy and contingency that Picard had been informed of before his kidnapping. Riker is promoted to Captain by Admiral Hanson, who then leads a fleet of 40 starships to Wolf 359 to confront the Borg, but the fleet’s efforts are in vain – every starship is annihilated. Riker orders a cunning attack consisting of awkward strategies that Picard would never have carried out or expected, and an away team kidnaps Locutus and returns him to the Enterprise. Data then links up to Locutus to access the Borg communication network, and every approach he takes to disarm the Borg down fails until the Borg arrive at Earth to begin their domination of the Federation. Data triggers the Borg regeneration process, putting every Borg to “sleep,” but this also triggers the self-destruction of the Borg ship. Picard is freed from the Borg, Shelby returns to Starfleet to rebuild the fleet, and Riker remains on the Enterprise to continue serving as first officer. However, staring out the window of his ready room, Picard’s face indicates that all is not well…

Season 4 Regular Cast: Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Wil Wheaton (Ensign Wesley Crusher)

Click here to watch a video previewOrder the DVDswritten by Michael Piller
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Ron Jones

Guest Cast: Elizabeth Dennehy (Lt. Commander Shelby), George Murdock (Admiral Hanson), Colm Meaney (O’Brien), Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan), Todd Merrill (Gleason)

Notes: Of course, it was not even thought of at the time of this episode’s production, but one of the very few survivors of the Borg attack at Wolf 359 later turns up in his own series: Commander Sisko of Deep Space Nine, the premiere episode of which features scenes of the battle between the Borg and the Federation that was mentioned in this episode.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Quantum Leap Season 3

The Leap Home

Quantum LeapSam finds himself back home in Elk Ridge, Indiana – not living someone else’s life, but for once, reliving his own youth. In the days leading up to Thanksgiving and a major high school basketball game whose outcome would define some of his classmates’ lives, Sam has an opportunity – according to Al – to change the outcome of that game. But Sam sees other outcomes in much more urgent need of changing, such as trying to introduce his father to a healthier lifestyle so he won’t die in 1972, and trying to prevent his older brother, Tom, from shipping out to Vietnam. Uncharacteristically, Sam boldly announces that he has seen the future, and he knows what will happen…but far from convincing his family that he’s right, all this does is convince them that he’s crazy.

Download this episode via Amazonwritten by Donald P. Bellisario
directed by Joe Napolitano
music by Velton Ray Bunch

Quantum LeapCast: Scott Bakula (Dr. Sam Beckett / John Beckett), Dean Stockwell (Al), David Newsom (Tom Beckett), Olivia Burnette (Katie Beckett), Hannah Cutrona (Mary Lou), Mai-Lis Kuniholm (Lisa Parsons), Caroline Kava (Thelma Beckett), Mik Scriba (Coach Donnelly), Niles Brewster (Dr. Berger), Matthew John Graeser (Herky), Ethan Wilson (Sibby), John L. Tuell (No Nose Pruitt), Adam Affonso (young Sam)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 04 Star Trek The Next Generation

Family

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 44012.3: In drydock at Earth Station McKinley, the Enterprise is undergoing extensive repairs while the crew, most notably Captain Picard, recover from the Borg invasion attempt. Picard returns to France for a less than warm welcome from his brother Robert, while Worf’s human foster parents beam aboard, concerned about Worf’s feelings since his dishonor from the Klingon Empire.

Order the DVDswritten by Ronald D. Moore
based in part on a premise by Susanne Lambdin and Bryan Stewart
directed by Les Landau
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Jeremy Kemp (Robert Picard), Samantha Eggar (Marie Picard), Theodore Bikel (Sergey Rozhenko), Georgia Brown (Helena Rozhenko), Dennis Creaghan (Louis), Colm Meaney (O’Brien), Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan), David Tristan Birkin (Rene Picard), Doug Wert (Jack Crusher)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 04 Star Trek The Next Generation

Brothers

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 44085.7: While rushing a young boy to a Starbase medical facility after his older brother played a cruel practical joke on him, the Enterprise is suddenly diverted from her course and headed for an unknown, out-of-the-way planet. What no one realizes until it’s too late is that Data is responsible for this, having been taken over by a homing signal that leads him to his creator, Dr. Soong, who had been thought dead for many years. Data has been called home to be given an upgrade – emotions – but the unexpected arrival of his jealous android “brother” Lore at Soong’s hiding place puts Data’s upgrade and his creator in jeopardy…

Order the DVDswritten by Rick Berman
directed by Rob Bowman
music by Ron Jones

Guest Cast: Brent Spiner (Dr. Noonian Soong), Cory Danziger (Jake Potts), Colm Meaney (O’Brien), Adam Ryen (Willie Potts), James Lashly (Ensign Kopf), Brent Spiner (Lore)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 04 Star Trek The Next Generation

Suddenly Human

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 44143.7: Finding a Talarian training vessel in deep space, the Enterprise crew discover that one of the ship’s crew is actually a human teenager. Dr. Crusher’s examinations reveal that he has been injured in the past as well – and it’s likely that these came about on purpose. When the boy’s Talarian foster father appears to reclaim him, Picard is left with a choice – either return the boy to a society whose people may have abused him, or face the possibility of starting a war.

Order the DVDsteleplay by John Whelpley and Jeri Taylor
story by Ralph Phillips
directed by Gabrielle Beaumont
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Sherman Howard (Endar), Chad Allen (Jono), Barbara Townsend (Admiral Rossa)

LogBook entry by Earl Green