Month: April 1999

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Red Dwarf Season 08

Pete Part II

Red DwarfKryten throws the time wand to Bob the Skutter, who is promptly swallowed by the enormous dinosaur that was once known as Pete. In a vain attempt to get the creature to cough up the time wand, Lister and the others cook up a dinosaur-sized vindaloo, complete with a live cow, to upset Pete’s enormous stomach. This it does too well, however, returning the time wand when it gets sick after eating half the food supply on Red Dwarf. Hollister now sentences Lister and Rimmer to turn Pete back into a sparrow at any cost.

Order the DVDswritten by Doug Naylor and Paul Alexander
directed by Ed Bye
music by Howard Goodall

Guest Cast: Mac MacDonald (Captain Hollister), Jake Wood (Kill Crazy), Ricky Glover (Baxter), Ian Masters (Birdman)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Lexx Season 2

The Net

LexxA sentient being resembling a spider permanently attached to its own web lies in wait in deep space, rendering itself all but invisible to any potential prey. When Lexx approaches, its eyes spot the web creature and it asks Stan for permission to take evasive action. Stan, more concerned with trying to bed Xev in the two days that the universe supposedly has left, fails to give that permission, and the web surrounds Lexx. The creature’s tendrils pierce Lexx’s skin, taking over the ship’s brain and working their way inside from there. Tendrils worm their way into Stan and Kai’s heads, but the creature seems to have an adverse reaction to the dead Brunnen G. It finds an easily controlled host in Stan, however, giving it dual control over the Lexx. And nobody seems to suspect anything except for 790 – whose warnings are dismissed as part of the robot head’s usual disdain for Stan…

Order the DVDswritten by Paul Donovan and Jeffrey Hirschfield
directed by Chris Bould
music by Marty Simon

Guest Cast: Jeffrey Hirschfield (790), Tom Gallant (Lexx)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Farscape Season 1

Exodus from Genesis

  • By Dave
  • April 2, 1999

FarscapeA giant swarm of space insects shields Moya from detection by a scanning Peacekeeper Marauder ship – but it also infests the ship. The bugs gather genetic material from the crew and construct physical doppelgangers of them as they transform Moya into a hive. The process raises the ship’s temperature past the tolerance level for Sebaceans, which poses a threat to Aeryn but may be the crew’s best defense when the Peacekeepers arrive.

Order the DVDswritten by Ro Hume
directed by Brian Henson
music by Subvision

Guest Cast: Damian de Montemas (Melkor), Jodie Dry (Kyona), Geoff Barker (PK Commando #3), Chenoeh Miller (PK Commando #4), Tai Scrivener (PK Commando #5)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

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Red Dwarf Season 08

Only The Good…

Red DwarfRed Dwarf rescues a life pod with a sole survivor and an unwelcome visitor – a shapeshifting, corrosive microscopic life form which begins eating away at the ship, though no one realizes this just yet. After Lister tricks him into embarassing Kochanski, Kryten vows revenge, planting a fellow prisoner’s secret stash of home-brewed booze in Lister and Rimmer’s cell. But that prisoner’s response – basically a death threat – requires a new escape attempt. En route to steal a ship, they see the corroded life pod, and Lister decides that Captain Hollister must be informed of the imminent danger. Hollister rewards the prisoners by thanking them for giving Red Dwarf’s officers and crew time to escape…and then announces that all prisoners will be left behind to die.

Order the DVDswritten by Doug Naylor
directed by Ed Bye
music by Howard Goodall

Guest Cast: Mac MacDonald (Captain Hollister), Graham McTavish (Ackerman), Heidi Monsen (Talia), Tony Slattery (Dispensing Machine), Ricky Glover (Baxter), David Verrey (Big Meat)

Original title: Every Dog…

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Deep Space Nine Season 07 Star Trek

Penumbra

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate 52576.2: Worf is reported missing in action after the ship he was commanding was destroyed by Dominion forces. The Defiant is forced to break off the search; however, Ezri sets out alone in a runabout, determined to find him. Meanwhile, Sisko, who has bought the land for his dream house on Bajor, proposes to Kasidy Yates, but then learns that the Prophets do not approve; and Dukat is secretly altered to appear as a Bajoran.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Rene Echavarria
directed by Steven Posey
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Penny Johnson (Kasidy Yates), Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun), Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat), Casey Biggs (Damar), Deborah Lacey (Sarah), Salome Jens (Female Changeling), Michelle Horn (Saghi), Majel Barrett (Federation Computer Voice), Judi Durand (Cardassian Computer Voice)

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

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Lexx Season 2

Brigadoom

LexxLexx hightails it for the center of the universe, trying to stay ahead of Mantrid’s advancing drones. When a satellite along the way is heard broadcasting a Brunnen G battle song, however, Kai’s curiosity is piqued enough to make a stop. In an artificial environment aboard the satellite, Kai is offered the chance to relive the history of the Brunnen G and his own history – up until his death – through song. Xev and Stan watch as an elaborately staged musical traces the Brunnen G’s history from poet-warriors to watered-down pacifists who fell when they ignored the threat of His Divine Shadow – with the exception of Kai and a small number of others who took the initiative to fight back, at the cost of their own lives. But as the story grows longer and longer, Stan worries that the drones may catch up with them before they have a chance to mount their own defense and keep history from repeating itself.

Order the DVDswritten by Lex Gigeroff and Paul Donovan
directed by Bill Fleming
music by Marty Simon

Guest Cast: Jeremy Webb (Master of Ceremonies), John Dunsworth (Lett), Sharron Timmins (Groo), Paul MacGuillan (Kyoo), Joe Wynn (Newborn), Patricia Zentilli (Young Woman), Lorraine Segato (Time Prophet), Richard Sircom (Judge), Jeffrey Hirschfield (790), Tom Gallant (Lexx)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Farscape Season 1

Throne for a Loss

  • By Dave
  • April 9, 1999

FarscapeRygel attempts to impress a group of aliens with his royal status in order to earn the crew some work hauling cargo. Unfortunately the Tavleks are much more interested in earning a ransom from his “kingdom,” so they quickly kidnap the deposed Dominar. The crew does take one of the attackers hostage, and capture his weapon: a gauntlet that pumps its wearer full of stimulants to boost strength and aggression. Zhaan tries to reach out to the prisoner, now suffering from withdrawal. Crichton and Aeryn manage to get the gauntlet from an on-the-warpath D’Argo only to find that Rygel had taken an important control crystal from Moya in order to pull off his ruse – and without the crystal, Moya cannot survive for long.

Order the DVDswritten by Richard Manning
directed by Pino Amenta
music by Subvision

Guest Cast: John Adam (Bekhesh), Jeremiah Tickell (Kyr), Zoe Dimakis (Hontovek), Api Bavadra (Nonk)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

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Deep Space Nine Season 07 Star Trek

‘Til Death Do Us Part

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: When Sisko reluctantly tells Kasidy of the Prophet’s warning against their marriage, the wedding is off – but then the Emissary does some soul-searching about whether to heed the dire prediction, or follow his heart. Meanwhile, Kai Winn finally gets a vision, apparently from the Prophets, telling her to expect a “guide” who will aid her in the restoration of Bajor; then when Dukat arrives, posing as a Bajoran farmer named Anjohl, he begins to insinuate himself into her confidence. And on the Breen ship, Worf and Ezri are held captive and interrogated as the ship proceeds to a rendezvous that may spell disaster for the Alpha Quadrant.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by David Weddle & Bradley Thompson
directed by Winrich Kolbe
music by David Bell

Guest Cast: Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun), Penny Johnson (Kasidy Yates), Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat), Casey Biggs (Damar), Barry Jenner (Admiral Ross), Deborah Lacey (Sarah Alien), Aron Eisenberg (Nog), James Otis (Solbor), Salome Jens (Female Changeling), Louise Fletcher (Kai Winn)

Original title: Umbra

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

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Lexx Season 2

Brizon

LexxMantrid’s drones continue to consume entire galaxies, and Kai decides it’s time to stop running. Stan broadcasts a challenge to Mantrid on all frequencies, followed by an offer to join forces with anyone wishing to fight back. A response comes immediately from a small insect fighter – of the same kind piloted by Kai when the Brunnen-G fell. Inside, barely alive, is Brizon, a former bio-vizier of the Divine Order and Mantrid’s predecessor. Though no one trusts Brizon, his knowledge is the only advantage the Lexx has in the fight against Mantrid – and he has already performed some major bio-engineering operations on himself. Brizon insists that one of the drone arms should be captured so he can study it, and Stan and Kai find the nearest world being attacked to retrieve one. In the meantime, Brizon remains on the Lexx, taking perhaps too personal an interest in Xev’s unique human-cluster lizard biology. When the captive drone arm is brought aboard, Brizon springs his trap and reveals his true plan: he doesn’t want to just destroy Mantrid, he wants to take over Mantrid’s artificial body and his resources…including the destructive drones.

Order the DVDswritten by Paul Donovan
directed by Paul Donovan
music by Marty Simon

Guest Cast: Earl Pastko (Brizon), Dieter Laser (Mantrid), Jeffrey Hirschfield (790), Tom Gallant (Lexx)

Original title: End Game

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Farscape Season 1

PK Tech Girl

  • By Dave
  • April 16, 1999

FarscapeMoya encounters the Zelbinion, a derelict Peacekeeper ship which served as Rygel’s first prison a hundred cycles ago. When Crichton and Aeryn board the ship looking for salvageable wares, they find it gutted, with a lone Peacekeeper tech on board. Gilina’s crew, sent by Crais, fell victim to an attack from local scavengers called the Sheyangs. While Gilina and Crichton attempt to get the Zelbinion‘s defense screen functioning before the Sheyang send another crew to finish the job (and wipe out Moya in the bargain), D’Argo trades on his race’s reputation to stall for time, and Rygel determines to enter the graveyard of his demons.

Order the DVDswritten by Nan Hagan
directed by Tony Tilse
music by Subvision

Guest Cast: Jane Cook (Gilina), Derek Amer (Teurac), Peter Astridge (Lomus), Peter Knowles (Evran), David Wheeler (Captain Durka)

Notes: Oddly enough, this was the first episode of Farscape ever broadcast, as a “sneak preview” episode on USA Network five days before the series premiere aired on the Sci-Fi Channel; the episode was actually the seventh produced and the fifth aired on the Sci-Fi Channel.

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

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Deep Space Nine Season 07 Star Trek

Strange Bedfellows

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: Kai Winn has another vision, and is horrified when the beings she thought were the Prophets instead identify themselves as the pagh-wraiths, and urge her to embrace their path. “Anjohl” too reveals his allegiance (although not his identity), and Winn is faced with the choice of stepping down as Kai. Meanwhile, Damar is increasingly disturbed and frustrated by the Dominion alliance with the Breen, and by Weyoun’s continued insistence on casually making decisions concerning Cardassia without consulting him. And Worf and Ezri have been taken to Cardassia to await trial and execution.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Ronald D. Moore
directed by Rene Auberjonois
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Penny Johnson (Kasidy Yates), Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun), Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat), Casey Biggs (Damar), J.G. Hertzler (Martok), James Otis (Solbor), Salome Jens (Female Changeling), Louise Fletcher (Kai Winn)

Original title: Eclipse

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

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Season 4 Xena: Warrior Princess

The Convert

Xena: Warrior PrincessXena, Gabrielle and Joxer arrive at a temple too late to prevent the warlord Cryton from murdering the priests and kidnapping the novitiates. When they find the warlord, Cryton is beating someone on the ground, while his men guard the young women from the temple. Xena steps in and fights Cryton. During the fight, the warlord runs into Joxer, who is holding a dagger in his hand. Cryton falls to the ground and dies. Gabrielle discovers that the person he had been beating is Najara. She tries to convince the bard that she’s changed and that they have a future together.

The trio take the novitiates, the warlord’s body and Najara back to the village. There the town leaders congratulate Joxer on getting rid of the warlord, then tell him that his son may take revenge on him…and Joxer plans to go tell him what happened.

Order the DVDswritten by Chris Manheim
directed by Andrew Merrifield
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: Ted Raimi (Joxer), Kathryn Norris (Najara), Darryl Brown (Armon), Mfundo Morrison (Cryton)

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

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Lexx Season 2

The End Of The Universe

LexxThe universe has just over 93 hours left, and Mantrid’s drones are now reproducing themselves by the billion. Stanley wants to experiment on the drone captured for Brizon in a last-ditch effort to fight back. But Stan’s experiment is cut short when more drone arms appear inside Lexx, trapping him and Xev. The drones even attack Lyekka’s dormant pod on the flight deck, forcing her to awaken. After Stan connects the captured arm to 790, the robot head goes to rescue Xev. 790’s success in fighting off the Mantrid drones inspires a new strategy – Xev asks him to build duplicates of himself and attach them to the remains of drones destroyed by Kai and Lyekka – and the new 790 drones concentrate not on destroying the Mantrid drones, but on capturing them to replicate further 790 drones. But even with this new tactic, Mantrid’s drones outnumber 790’s a million to one – and the collapse of the light universe has progressed too far to be stopped.

Order the DVDswritten by Paul Donovan, Lex Gigeroff and Jeffrey Hirschfield
directed by Paul Donovan
music by Marty Simon

Guest Cast: Louise Wischermann (Lyekka), Dieter Laser (Mantrid), Alan MacGillivray (Deejay), Jeffrey Hirschfield (790), Tom Gallant (Lexx)

Original title: The Dark Zone

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Farscape Season 1

Thank God It’s Friday . . . Again

  • By Dave
  • April 23, 1999

FarscapeD’Argo storms off Moya in the midst of a Luxan hyper-rage. But when Crichton, Aeryn, Zhaan and Rygel follow him down to the planet Sykar, they find their much-mellowed shipmate celebrating the end of the work week and tomorrow’s rest day. Crichton and Zhaan stay with D’Argo in an effort to persuade him to give up his new life as a field laborer. Aeryn and Rygel return to Moya before the Sykaran sun brings the temperature above Aeryn’s tolerance levels; once there, Rygel encounters a threat of a decidedly internal nature. Morning comes, and a confused Crichton and Zhaan watch D’Argo set off for work, declaring that tomorrow is rest day.

Order the DVDswritten by David Wilks
directed by Rowan Woods
music by Subvision

Guest Cast: Angie Milliken (Volmae), Tina Thomsen (Tanga), Ken Blackburn (Hybin)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

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Deep Space Nine Season 07 Star Trek

The Changing Face Of Evil

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: As Worf and Ezri return safely to DS9, news comes that the Breen have attacked Starfleet Headquarters on Earth. Meanwhile, Damar secretly gathers his forces to strike against the Dominion. When the Breen launch a counter-offensive at the Chin’toka system, Sisko joins the Starfleet reinforcements. On Bajor, at “Anjohl”‘s urging, Kai Winn researches ways to free the pagh wraiths from their imprisonment in the Fire Caves. But Winn’s faithful assistant has learned who Anjohl really is.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler
directed by Mike Vejar
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun), Penny Johnson (Kasidy Yates), Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat), Casey Biggs (Damar), J.G. Hertzler (Martok), Aron Eisenberg (Nog), Barry Jenner (Admiral Ross), James Otis (Solbor), John Vickery (Gul Rusot), Salome Jens (Female Changeling), Louise Fletcher (Kai Winn)

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover