Day: November 19, 2020

Herbert F. Solow, producer, dies

Herbert F. SolowHired by Lucille Ball to help turn around the fortunes of Desilu Studios in the 1960s following her divorce from studio co-founder Desi Arnaz, producer and production executive Herbert F. Solow became known as “the man who sold Star Trek” – namely, he pitched the series to the networks, and finally made a sale to NBC, getting the storied science fiction series on the air at last. Solow also sold CBS on the spy-fi series Mission: Impossible at the same time, and later scored another major sale to CBS in the form of the detective series Mannix. He adapted (from a novel) and produced the early 1970s TV movie adaptation Killdozer, and co-created the late ’70s sci-fi series Man From Atlantis. He also went on to add “movie producer” to his resume; in later years, he looked back fondly upon his role in starting the Star Trek franchise with such biographical books as “Inside Star Trek: The Real Story“. Herb Solow died at the age of 89.

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Arecibo Observatory slated for demolition

Arecibo ObservatoryAfter being in operation for most of the past 57 years, the fate of the Arecibo Radio Telescope facility is sealed by the failure of two major tension cables suspending the 900-ton equipment platform over the dish carved into the Puerto Rican countryside. Engineering safety assessments reveal that other cables are on the verge of failure, which could lead to an “uncontrolled collapse” putting the lives of nearby researchers and engineers at risk. As a result, the Arecibo facility – originally a project of Cornell University but now managed by the University of Central Florida – is slated for demolition as soon as is safely possible, provided its aging superstructure doesn’t collapse under its own weight first. The observatory’s physical superstructure had been under close observation since suffering major damage from Hurricane Maria, which caused widespread destruction in Puerto Rico in 2017. The closure of the Arecibo facility marks the end of a significant era of radio astronomy.

Daleks!: The Sentinel Of The Fifth Galaxy

Daleks!The BBC releases the second episode of Daleks!, an animated Doctor Who spinoff centered around that franchise’s most enduring villains, on YouTube, featuring the voices of Joe Sugg and Nicholas Briggs. This is part of the “Time Lord Victorious” alternate-timeline multimedia event. Read more

The Flash: License To Elongate

The FlashThe CW airs the 119th episode of The Flash, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ superhero starring Grant Gustin. Sendhil Ramamurthy (Heroes) guest stars.

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Arrow: Prochnost

ArrowThe 165th episode of Arrow, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ Green Arrow superhero starring Stephen Amell, airs on the CW.

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Legends Of Tomorrow: Tagumo Attacks!!!

ArrowThe CW airs the 56th episode of Legends Of Tomorrow, starring Caity Lotz, Matt Ryan, Brandon Routh, and Tala Ashe. Eijiro Ozaki (The Man In The High Castle) guest stars.

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Arrow: Due Process

ArrowThe 144th episode of Arrow, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ Green Arrow superhero starring Stephen Amell, airs on the CW.

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Mars: Worlds Apart

MarsThe eighth episode of Mars airs on the National Geographic Channel. The series is a hybrid drama/documentary about a fictional human colony on Mars in 2042, contrasted against efforts to prepare for such a mission in the present day. The series is produced by Ron Howard (Apollo 13).

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Arrow: Draw Back Your Bow

ArrowThe 53rd episode of Arrow, a modern-day reboot of DC Comics’ Green Arrow superhero starring Stephen Amell, airs on the CW.

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The Clone Wars: Chapter 9

Clone WarsBridging the gap between Star Wars Episode II and Episode III, Cartoon Network premieres the ninth mini-episode of Genndy Tartakovsky’s The Clone Wars animated shorts.

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Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Sleeper

Buffy The Vampire SlayerThe 130th episode of Joss Whedon’s supernatural series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, airs on UPN. James Marsters and Alyson Hannigan also star.

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The X-Files: Patience

The X-FilesThe 164th episode of Chris Carter’s modern-day science fiction series The X-Files airs on Fox, starring Gillian Anderson and Robert Patrick. Gene Dynarski guest stars.

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STS-87

Space ShuttleSpace Shuttle Columbia lifts off on the 88th shuttle flight, a mission lasting nearly 16 days to conduct microgravity studies and deploy a space science payload which begins spinning after the shuttle’s manipulator arm releases it. Plans to match the shuttle to the satellite’s rotation and recapture it are called off in favor of a no-less-risky seven-hour, two-man spacewalk to slow the satellite’s rotation and retrieve it. Aboard Columbia for her 24th flight are Commander Kevin Kregel, Pilot Steven Lindsey, and mission specialists Winston Scott, Kalpana Chawla, Takao Doi and Leonid Kadenyuk.

STS-80

Space ShuttleSpace Shuttle Columbia lifts off on the 80th shuttle flight, a science mission lasting nearly 18 days. Two free-floating experiment platforms are deployed and then retrieved by the end of the mission for delivery back to Earth. Two spacewalks to test space station construction techniques are called off for safety reasons when a problem arises with Columbia’s airlock. Aboard Columbia for her 21st flight are Commander Kenneth Cockrell, Pilot Kent Rominger, and mission specialists Tammy Jernigan, Thomas Jones and Story Musgrave.

Lois & Clark: Chip Off The Old Clark

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of SupermanThe 51st episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman airs on ABC, starring Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher. Joel Brooks and Dave Coulier (Full House) guest star.

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The X-Files: Fallen Angel

The X-FilesThe tenth episode of Chris Carter’s modern-day science fiction series The X-Files airs on Fox, starring Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, and guest starring Jerry Hardin and Brent Stait (Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda).

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Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.: Steel Horses

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.Fox airs the 13th episode of the sci-fi western, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., starring Bruce Campbell, Julius Carry, and Christian Clemenson. John Astin (The Addams Family) guest stars.

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Star Trek: TNG: Final Mission

Star Trek: The Next GenerationThe week-long national syndication window opens for the 82nd episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Nick Tate (Space: 1999) guest stars in the last episode to feature Wil Wheaton as a series regular.

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Superman: Episode 10

SupermanCBS airs the tenth episode of the animated series Superman, starring the voices of Beau Weaver and Ginny McSwain, and comprised of two stories: The Beast Beneath These Streets and First Date.

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Superboy: The Beast And Beauty

SuperboyThe seventh episode of the syndicated Alexander and Ilya Salkind-produced Superboy series, starring John Haymes Newton and Stacy Haiduk, airs. David Marciano (Due South, The Shield) guest stars.

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Twilight Zone: The Call

The Twilight ZoneThe 44th episode of a revival of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone airs in syndication. William Sanderson (Blade Runner) stars in an episode written by J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, Jeremiah, Sense8).

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The Powers Of Matthew Star: The Triangle

The Powers Of Matthew StarThe ninth episode of the science fiction series The Powers Of Matthew Star airs on NBC, starring Peter Barton and Louis Gossett Jr. Jeff Corey (Star Trek, Babylon 5) and Julie Newmar (Batman) guest star.

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The Greatest American Hero: The Resurrection Of Carlini

The Greatest American HeroABC airs the 34th episode of Stephen J. Cannell’s superhero comedy series The Greatest American Hero, starring William Katt, Connie Sellecca, and Robert Culp. Andrew Robinson (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) guest stars.

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