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National Public Radio Star Wars

The Blood Of A Jedi

Return Of The Jedi NPR Radio DramaWith the help of the Ewoks, the Rebels overrun the shield generator, but they’re too late to help their own fleet – the Millennium Falcon and its fighter wings emerge from hyperspace into the waiting arms of the Imperial Fleet, as part of an elaborate plan by Palpatine. But the Empire hasn’t counted on the presence of the Ewoks, and the shield generator is destroyed by Solo and his commando group. Lando makes some desperate alterations to the battle plan, and still manages to lead the Rebels into the heart of the Death Star – but aboard that station, Luke Skywalker is fighting his own battle against the power of the dark side of the Force. He may destroy the Empire, save the Rebellion, free the galaxy and become the last of the Jedi – but Luke still may not be able to save his father in the process.

Order this CDwritten by Brian Daley
additional material by John Whitman
based on the screenplay Return Of The Jedi by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas
directed by John Madden
music by John Williams

See the first episode for cast information.

Notes: Produced many years after the two original NPR Star Wars adaptations, Return Of The Jedi was funded by Highbridge Audio primarily to produce a set of shows to fill out a planned CD box set; it was later offered to NPR. But the project’s for-profit nature precluded Mark Hamill’s involvement (Hamill had volunteered his time to act in the first two Star Wars radio shows), and the original CD-buying audience of already-indoctrinated fans envisioned for the project meant a slimming down of the number of episodes, and an assumption that certain elements – such as Jabba’s Huttese language – could be left intact from the films with no explanation or translation. Sadly, writer Brian Daley died of pancreatic cancer during the recording sessions.

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Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 3

Shadow Dancing

Babylon 5Delenn is having difficulty convincing the League of Non-Aligned Worlds of the merits of committing large numbers of their forces to a full frontal assault on the Shadows – after all, the Shadows’ track record of leaving no survivors is almost spotless – but wins the support of the League. Sheridan dispatches Marcus and Ivanova on a mission in the White Star to act as the early warning for the fleet, but it is made clear to them from the outset that they only have a 50/50 chance of surviving a meeting with the Shadows. Delenn proposes that, after the battle is over, she and Sheridan engage in a three-day Minbari ritual during which the female watches the male in his sleep to find his true face, and, if she approves, to stay with him. Franklin, still on his walkabout, tries to intervene to prevent a man from being thrashed by two dwellers of Downbelow, only to find himself on the receiving end of a large knife, and even the man he saves won’t help him for fear of being exposed as a drug dealer.

A lone Shadow scout vessel appears, and the White Star sounds the alarm – but their quarry turns on them and, before they can destroy it, causes critical damage to the White Star, which now sits helpless before an approaching Shadow attack fleet. Franklin lies alone and dying on the station when he finally meets himself – with mixed results. Franklin reflects with himself upon his inability to take responsibility for his actions or his life, and still no help is on the way. Sheridan, Delenn and the others launch their fleet to counter the Shadow attack, and the battle is on. Franklin manages to struggle his way into a public place where there is a chance that someone will call for help. After a long a bloody fight, the Shadows are routed by Sheridan’s fleet, but at great cost – for every Shadow ship destroyed, at least two of the ships provided by the League of Non-Aligned Worlds faced a similar fate. Franklin is taken to medlab, where he watches as the wounded from the battle with the Shadows are wheeled in en masse and decides he wants to return to his job.

In hyperspace, a Shadow vessel launches a small craft toward the station. Its occupant arrives almost unnoticed, but Zack Allan alerts Ivanova of the mysterious new arrival. Unfortunately, no one can stop this visitor from going to Sheridan’s quarters. Delenn’s ritual of watching Sheridan sleep is interrupted when a woman enters the room and identifies herself as Anna Sheridan.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Kim Friedman
music by
Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Susan Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Security Chief Michael Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Melissa Gilbert (Anna Sheridan), Shirley Prestia (Barbara), John Grantham (Thug #2), J. Gordon Noice (Man), Jonathan Chapman (Brakiri), Joshua Cox (Lt. Corwin), Mark Hendrickson (Drazi Ambassador), Nicholas Ross Oleson (Thug #1), Doug Cox (Husband)

Original UK airdate: September 15, 1996

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Deep Space Nine Season 05 Star Trek

…Nor The Battle To The Strong

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: Jake has accompanied Bashir to a medical conference, to do a profile on the doctor for a magazine. They are returning to the station when they receive a distress call from a colony under Klingon attack. While Bashir joins the medics in saving and caring for the wounded, Jake has his first up-close experience with the horrors of war. Under the pressure, he does the unthinkable – he breaks down and runs, just when he is needed most. Afterwards Jake must face his guilt and shame, and learn where the fine line between courage and cowardice is.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonteleplay by Renè Echavarria
story by Brice R. Parker
directed by Kim Friedman
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Andrew Kavovit (Kirby), Karen Austin (Dr. Kalandra), Mark Holton (Bolian), Lisa Lord (Nurse), Jeb Brown (Ensign), Danny Goldring (Burke), Elle Alexander (Female Guard), Greg “Christopher” Smith (Male Guard)

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

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Season 2 Xena: Warrior Princess

Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Xena: Warrior PrincessXena and Gabrielle learn that several young women have been kidnapped from the villages that surround the Bacchae forest. Xena fears that Bacchus, the god of wine, is responsible for the disappearances. Joxer arrives with the head of Orpheus. Bacchus cut it off so that Orpheus would not be able to play his magical lyre which affects the god of wine and his followers. Orpheus despises Xena, but knows that she may be the only one who can help him stop Bacchus. The god of wine is intrigued when he learns that Xena is helping Orpheus. He decides that he wants to make her one of his Bacchae followers. He sends two of his followers to steal the lyre. Xena and the others go to retrieve the lyre, which Orpheus left with a friend. But when they arrive, they find that the man has been murdered and the lyre is missing. Xena searches for the lyre, but the Bacchae who stole it get away. The group go to the catacombs where Bacchus lives. Xena knows that the only way to kill a Bacchae is to use the bones of their enemy, the Dryad. As they gather the bones, Xena and Joxer are surprised to learn that Gabrielle has become a Bacchae.

Order the DVDswritten by Adam Armus and Nora Kay Foster
directed by T.J. Scott
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: Ted Raimi (Joxer), Matthew Chamberlain (Orpheus), Anthony Ray Parker (Bacchus), Kym Krystaly (Bacchae #1), David Goodwin (Thief #2), Daniel Parker (Thief #1)

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

Categories
Deep Space Nine Season 05 Star Trek

The Assignment

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: O’Brien welcomes his wife Keiko back from her visit to the Fire Caves on Bajor, only to learn that she has been taken over by a being who threatens to kill her body unless O’Brien completes certain reconfigurations to the station’s systems. With no way to disable her or warn his fellow officers, O’Brien must stay silent as he works on his task – a task which will result in the deaths of the Prophets inside the wormhole.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonteleplay by David Weddle & Bradley Thompson
story by David R. Long & Robert Lederman
directed by Allan Kroeker
music by Gregory Smith

Guest Cast: Rosalind Chao (Keiko), Max Grodenchik (Rom), Hana Hatae (Molly), Patrick B. Egan (Jiyar), Rosie Malek-Yonan (Tekoa), Judi Durand (Station Computer Voice), Majel Barrett (Computer Voice)

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

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Season 2 Xena: Warrior Princess

The Return of Callisto

Xena: Warrior PrincessCallisto manages to break out of her prison cell and free her warriors. She finds Joxer and tells him to deliver a message to Xena. Perdicas, Gabrielle’s former fiance shows up at hers and Xena’s camp. He asks the bard to marry him. He tells her that he doesn’t want to be a soldier anymore and that he’s ready to return home and settle down. When she talks later with Xena, she tells her friend that she is going to turn him down. As they talk, Joxer arrives and tells them of Callisto’s escape. They head for the village Callisto and her army is attacking. She distracts Xena by throwing a dagger at a girl. Then Callisto tells her that she plans to kill Xena’s soul, just as the warrior did to her. Later during the fighting, Perdicas is disturbed because he killed someone. When Gabrielle sees how he is affected by this, she decides that she will marry him. The next day, the two are wed with Xena and Joxer in attendance. That night, Xena sneaks into Callisto’s camp. She asks Callisto’s lieutenant, Theodorus, where Callisto is. He tells Xena that Callisto went after Gabrielle.

Order the DVDswritten by R.J. Stewart
directed by T.J. Scott
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: Hudson Leick (Callisto), Ted Raimi (Joxer), Scott Garrison (Perdicas), David Te Rare (Theodorus), Lance Chesire (Half Starved Man), Alex Moffat (First Guard), David Scordino (Second Guard), Puck Willis (Kid #1)

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

Categories
Season 03 Star Trek Voyager

Sacred Ground

Star Trek: VoyagerStardate 50063.2: On a visit to a monastery on an alien world, Kes and Neelix visit a shrine. When Kes approaches it, an energy field knocks her out, and a government official informs the crew that Kes has been punished by the world’s ancient spirits for trespassing on holy ground. Beamed to Voyager’s sickbay, Kes is slowly dying and the Doctor can offer no alternatives to save her. Janeway beams down to the planet to undergo any voyage of discovery necessary to save Kes, but her path is less than straightforward and may not yield any useful information.

Order the DVDsteleplay by Lisa Klink
story by Geo Cameron
directed by Robert Duncan McNeill
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Harry Groener (The Magistrate), Becky Ann Baker (The Guide), Estelle Harris (Spirit #1), Keene Curtis (Spirit #2), Parley Baer (Spirit #3)

LogBook entry by Paul Campbell

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 4

Hour of the Wolf

Babylon 5A week after Sheridan’s fateful voyage to Z’ha’Dum, the League of Non-Aligned Worlds is fragmenting as its member races plan to strengthen their homeworlds’ defenses in fear of Shadow retaliation. Delenn and Ivanova are taking the loss of Sheridan hard in their own ways, but no one seems to remember Garibaldi’s disappearance aside from G’Kar and Zack Allan; G’Kar vows to find Garibaldi. Delenn demands to know why Kosh has not backed her pleas to the League of Non-Aligned Worlds, but Kosh brushes her off, as well as her request for a Vorlon expedition to retreive Sheridan from Z’ha’Dum. Londo, recalled to Centauri Prime to serve as an advisor on planetary security, discovers that the insane young Emperor Cartagia has made a deal with the Shadows, offering their forces shelter on an uninhabited island on the Centauri homeworld. Londo is present as Shadow vessels streak overhead in the Centauri sky, fulfilling a terrifying dream-prophecy that has plagued him for years. The atrophied Morden is also on Centauri Prime, manipulating events. Lyta, Ivanova and Delenn undertake a last-ditch recovery mission to Z’ha’Dum, only to be thwarted and almost destroyed by a remnant of the Shadows, and only Lennier’s quick thinking saves them. Londo calls Vir to Centauri Prime to conspire to remove Cartagia from the throne by any means necessary. Sheridan – whom everyone assumes, from rumors and reports, is dead – finds that he may, in fact, be dead.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by David J. Eagle
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Patricia Tallman (Lyta Alexander), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Peter Jurasik (Londo), Ed Wasser (Morden), Wortham Krimmer (Emperor Cartagia), Wayne Alexander (Lorien), Damian London (Minister), Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh), Mark Hendrickson (Drazi Ambassador), Rick Ryan (Brakiri Ambassador)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Deep Space Nine Season 05 Star Trek

Trials and Tribble-ations

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: The Defiant is transporting an Orb which the Cardassians are returning to Bajor – the Orb of Time. Also present is a human merchant who was trapped on Cardassia by the Klingon invasion. The merchant is actually Arne Darvin, a disgraced Klingon spy whose downfall came 105 years ago at the hands of James T. Kirk. Darvin uses the Orb to transport the Defiant back to that time period. The DS9 officers must infiltrate the Enterprise and space station K7 to stop Darvin from assassinating Kirk, and at the same time must prevent the timeline from being altered.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonteleplay by Ronald D. Moore & Rene Echavarria
story by Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler & Robert Hewitt Wolfe
based on The Trouble With Tribbles by David Gerrold
directed by Jonathan West
footage from The Trouble With Tribbles directed by Joseph Pevney
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Jack Blessing (Dulmer), James W. Jansen (Lucsly), Charlie Brill (Arne Darvin), Leslie Ackerman (Waitress), Charles S. Chun (Engineer), Deirdre L. Imershein (Lieutenant Watley)

Actors appearing in footage from The Trouble With Tribbles: William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock), DeForest Kelley (Dr. Leonard McCoy), James Doohan (Mr. Scott), Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura), William Schallert (Nilz Baris), Stanley Adams (Cyrano Jones), Whit Bissell (Lurry), Michael Pataki (Korax), Charlie Brill (Arne Darvin)

Notes: William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy also appeared as Kirk and Spock in a scene taken from the original Star Trek episode Mirror, Mirror

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

Categories
Season 2 Xena: Warrior Princess

Warrior…Princess…Tramp

Xena: Warrior PrincessKing Lias summons Xena and Gabrielle to his castle. Gabrielle is to meet up with Xena in a tavern before heading there, but Joxer tells her the warrior has already left for Trius. To the bard’s surprise, “Xena” has her thrown into the dungeon, shortly after her arrival at the castle. Agis, a friend of this “Xena” tells her that wasn’t a good idea and has her go and speak to Gabrielle. She tells the Amazon that she is in the dungeon for her own protection. Xena stops in at the tavern where she was to meet with Gabrielle. The barkeep tells her that she left the day before. When the warrior starts to leave, soldiers appear and try to stop her. Joxer goes to the castle. He is convinced that “Xena” is in love with him. He unknowingly makes an inappropriate advance on the princess, who is an exact lookalike of the real Xena. She has him thrown into the dungeon with Gabrielle. “Xena” has learned of Joxer’s imprisonment and has him freed. She still insists that the bard remain where she is for her own safety. Gabrielle is furious. The real Xena finally makes it to the castle. Joxer surprises her, and he finally realizes that she isn’t interested in him at all. The two are about to go after Gabrielle, when “Xena” enters the room with Agis. From their hiding place, they learn that Agis hired Meg to first take Xena’s place and then later Diana’s. After they free Gabrielle, they make plans to stop Agis’ scheme.

Order the DVDswritten by R.J. Stewart
directed by Josh Becker
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: Lucy Lawless (Diana / Meg), Ted Raimi (Joxer), Norman Forsey (King Lias), Iain Rea (Philemon), Chris Bailey (Agis), Simone Fa’amoe (Alcibiades), Tim Faville (Barfly #1), Tai Hadfield (Guard), Collette Pennington (Nurse), Lawrence Wharerau (Barfly #2)

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

Categories
Season 03 Star Trek Voyager

Future’s End – Part I

Star Trek: VoyagerStardate not given: A brief encounter with a vessel whose lone occupant claims to be a Federation time scout from 500 years in the future results in a fierce firefight. The future captain describes a cataclysmic disaster in the 29th century resulting from an incident that Voyager is about to initiate. The timeship is damaged in the ensuing battle and falls back into the temporal rift through which it arrived, which also drags Voyager in. Voyager is taken back to Earth, 1996, and faint signs are detected of the timeship. Janeway, Chakotay, Paris and Tuvok beam down incognito to search for the wayward vessel, but unknown to them their own ship has been detected in orbit by an astronomy graduate named Rain Robinson. Rain contacts computer magnate Henry Starling, who is in possession of the timeship while its original occupant languishes on the streets of Los Angeles. Tom and Tuvok make their way to Griffith Observatory to erase Rain’s evidence of Voyager’s presence, but she catches them in the act and is hot on their trail as one of Starling’s employees attempts to kill them all. Janeway and Chakotay break into Starling’s office and discover that he has already contaminated the timeline, using the timeship’s technology to jump-start the computer revolution. Starling finds the uninvited guests and threatens them, but Harry, left in command of Voyager, rescues them just in time. But Starling still has the timeship – and worse yet, Voyager’s low-orbit rescue run has been detected by cameras on 20th century Earth.

Order the DVDswritten by Brannon Braga & Joe Menosky
directed by David Livingston
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Ed Begley, Jr. (Henry Starling), Sarah Silverman (Rain Robinson), Allan G. Royal (Captain Braxton)

LogBook entry by Paul Campbell

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 4

Whatever Happened To Mr. Garibaldi?

Babylon 5Sheridan experiences strange visions of being questioned by something unknown. He is still in an unspecified underground location on Z’ha’Dum, with the mysterious alien called Lorien, who proves beyond most reasonable doubts that Sheridan is dead…maybe. G’Kar has left the station to investigate a possible lead into Garibaldi’s whereabouts, and Marcus follows him quietly, since G’Kar’s amnesty ends at the hull of Babylon 5. G’Kar, enquiring about a recovered fragment of Garibaldi’s Starfury, makes too much of a stir at an offworld bar and attracts the attention of Centauri bounty hunters. G’Kar sends Marcus back to the station to follow up on some new information, but is captured by the Centauri and taken to their homeworld, where the Emperor presents G’Kar to Londo as a gift. Londo accepts his new slave graciously, but also sees the potential to use G’Kar as the means to remove Cartagia from the throne. Sheridan eventually digs through Lorien’s riddles to learn that Lorien is not only one of the First Ones, he is the First One himself. With no guarantees that Sheridan can survive, Lorien offers the captain an opportunity to return to the world of the living. And somewhere, Garibaldi finds himself imprisoned, unable to remember what happened to him after being captured by the Shadows…

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Kevin James Dobson
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Patricia Tallman (Lyta Alexander), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Peter Jurasik (Londo), Wayne Alexander (Lorien), Lenny Citrano (Issac), Anthony DeLongis (Harry), Wortham Krimmer (Emperor Cartagia), Damian London (Minister), Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh), Rick Scarry (Centauri)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Deep Space Nine Season 05 Star Trek

Let He Who Is Without Sin…

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: Dax and Worf are going to Risa for a vacation and to work out some kinks in their relationship. They are accompanied by Leeta and Bashir, who are going in order to enact the Bajoran Rite of Separation, and by Quark, who is eager for some “jamaharon.” Worf, displeased with Dax’s refusal to take their relationship as seriously as he would like, and disapproving of the pleasure-seeking Risian lifestyle, is attracted by the words of Fullerton, leader of a movement seeking to restore traditional Federation morals and culture, who plans to shut down Risa by any means necessary.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Robert Hewitt Wolfe & Ira Steven Behr
directed by Rene Auberjonois
music by Paul Baillargeon

Guest Cast: Monte Markham (Pascal Fullerton), Chase Masterson (Leeta), Frank Kopyc (Bolian), Vanessa Williams (Arandis), Blair Valk (Risian Woman), Zora DeHorter (Risian Woman)

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

Categories
Season 2 Xena: Warrior Princess

Intimate Strangers

Xena: Warrior PrincessXena is plagued by nightmares while she and Gabrielle are tracking down Theodorus and the other members of Callisto’s former army. The nightmares are about Callisto herself. Joxer is also looking for Callisto’s army. He is captured by Theodoris and held in an old barn. Xena and Gabrielle arrive and the warriors retreat. Since it is late, the trio decide to stay in the barn that night. Callisto appears again in Xena’s dream and beckons her to follow. The warrior finds herself in Tartarus, where Ares is waiting. He wants Xena to admit that she murdered Callisto. When she does, he puts his plan in motion. He has Callisto sent back in Xena’s body, while Xena is trapped in Tartarus in Callisto’s body. Callisto/Xena wakes Gabrielle and tells her that Callisto has escaped Tatarus and is headed for Amphipolus. She says that Callisto plans on killing her mother. They leave Joxer behind as they head to the village. The real Xena talks with Hades. She convinces him of who she is and of what Ares is up to. He gives her a day to stop Callisto and return her to Tartarus. If she is unsuccessful, he will bring her back and she will remain there forever.

Order the DVDswritten by Steven L. Sears
directed by Gary Jones
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: Hudson Leick (Callisto / Xena), Kevin Smith (Ares), Ted Raimi (Joxer), Darien Takle (Cyrene), David Te Rare (Theodorus), Michael Cooper (Gressius), Lee-Jane Foreman (Arleia)

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

Categories
Season 03 Star Trek Voyager

Future’s End – Part II

Star Trek: VoyagerStardate not given: Tuvok and Paris enlist Rain’s help in contacting Voyager and setting a trap for Starling which involves pinpointing his location to allow a transporter kidnap from a shuttlecraft. Starling, however, has two tricks up his sleeve – the Doctor, equipped with a portable holo-emitter, is his hostage, and he has a device to thwart the shuttle’s transporter. The shuttle’s systems overload and the shuttle, piloted by Chakotay and Torres, crashes in the Arizona desert, but the Doctor escapes as Voyager takes over transport of Starling. Chakotay and B’Elanna fall into the hands of a cult militia group, but are rescued by Tuvok and the newly independent Doctor. Starling escapes and launches the timeship despite Janeway’s warnings, but his scheme for Earth’s future won’t exactly unfold as planned.

Order the DVDswritten by Brannon Braga & Joe Menosky
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Ed Begley, Jr. (Henry Starling), Sarah Silverman (Rain Robinson), Allan G. Royal (Captain Braxton), Brent Hinkley (Militia #1), Clayton Murray (Militia #2), Susan Patterson (Ensign Kaplan), Christian R. Conrad (Dunbar), Majel Barrett (Computer Voice)

LogBook entry by Paul Campbell