Day: December 29, 2021

The Book Of Boba Fett: Chapter 1: Stranger In A Strange Land

The Book Of Boba FettStreaming service Disney+ premieres the first episode of Jon Favreau’s The Book Of Boba Fett, a live-action TV series set in the Star Wars universe, starring Temuera Morrison (Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones) and Ming-Na Wen. Matt Berry (Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, What We Do In The Shadows) and Jennifer Beals (Flashdance, Swamp Thing) guest star in the series premiere. Read more

Black Mirror: Season 4

Black MirrorThe fourth season of Charlie Brooker’s anthology series Black Mirror premieres internationally on streaming service Netflix. Guest stars include Cristin Milioti (How I Met Your Mother), Jimmi Simpson (Westworld), Rosemarie DeWitt (Mad Men), Georgina Campbell (Krypton), and Letitia Wright (Black Panther). The season consists of six episodes.

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TekWar: Unknown Soldier

TekWarThe second episode of the sci-fi crime series TekWar, based on William Shatner’s novel series, airs as part of the Universal Action Pack syndication package. Greg Evigan, Eugene Clark, William Shatner, and Torri Higginson star. Lexa Doig (Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda) guest stars.

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Super Force: Water Mania

Super ForceThe 12th episode of the science fiction crime drama Super Force is broadcast in syndication in North America, starring Ken Olandt, Larry B. Scott, and Patrick Macnee (The Avengers).

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Amazing Stories: The Eternal Mind

Amazing StoriesThe 36th episode of Steven Spielberg’s anthology series Amazing Stories airs on NBC. Jeffrey Jones (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) guest stars.

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Amazing Stories now streaming on Amazon Prime

Amazing Stories: Vanessa In The Garden

Amazing StoriesThe 12th episode of Steven Spielberg’s anthology series Amazing Stories airs on NBC. Harvey Keitel, Sondra Locke, and Beau Bridges guest star in an episode directed by Clint Eastwood.

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Amazing Stories now streaming on Amazon Prime

Automan: The Great Pretender

AutomanThe third episode of Glen A. Larson’s science fiction series Automan airs on ABC, starring Desi Arnaz Jr. and Chuck Wagner, taking at least a little bit of inspiration from the 1982 movie Tron. Clu Gulager guest stars. Read more

Corporate networking

PTENHobbled by the recent half-billion-dollar losses of its Atari division, Warner Communications finds itself vulnerable to a potential hostile takeover by Australian publisher Rupert Murdoch, who isn’t shy about his plan to acquire a controlling interest in Warner’s very slowly recovering stock. To stave off Murdoch’s takeover attempt, a 19% stake in Warner is traded for 43% of Chris-Craft Industries’ broadcasting division, BHC Communications. This transaction later has unforseen consequences, including BHC’s near-successful 1989 attempt to block the Time Warner merger, and the creation of the short-lived PTEN television network, a failed 1990s venture whose main claim to fame will be the science fiction series Babylon 5.

K-9 & Company

Doctor WhoBBC1 broadcasts the pilot (and only) episode of the first Doctor Who spin-off ever to see production, K-9 & Company. Focusing on K-9 and Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen), the pilot fails to attract enough of an audience to make it a viable series prospect, though the inclusion of a black magic storyline in a spin-off aimed at Doctor Who’s younger viewers may have some bearing on the decision to abandon the idea. Bill Fraser and Colin Jeavons guest star. A spin-off series involving Sarah Jane and K-9 does eventually appear, but not until 2007.

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Hear about it on the Sci-Fi 5 podcast

Columbia rolls out to the pad

ColumbiaFor the first time in the history of the delay-riddled Space Shuttle program, a complete, flight-ready vehicle is rolled out to the launch pad. Space Shuttle Columbia, atop the modified crawler vehicle which once carried Saturn V rockets to the pad, arrives at Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 39A, strapped to flight-qualified solid rocket boosters and a flight-ready external tank. (The shuttle Enterprise had been attached to empty boosters and tanks for fit checks as early as 1979.) Though preparation work continues to ready Columbia for flight, the shuttle is now in position for her first launch in 1981.

Wonder Woman: Gault’s Brain

Wonder WomanThe 47th episode of Wonder Woman airs on CBS, starring Lynda Carter and Lyle Waggoner. Peter Mark Richman (Electra Woman and Dyna Girl) guest stars.

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Wonder Woman now streaming on Amazon Prime
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The Starlost: The Beehive

The StarlostThe 15th episode of the short-lived Canadian-made science fiction series The Starlost, The Beehive, premieres.

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Doctor Who: The Time Warrior, Part 3

Doctor WhoThe 358th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. This story introduces the Sontarans, created by writer Robert Holmes, as well as a new companion named Sarah Jane Smith, played by Elisabeth Sladen.

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Rod Serling’s Night Gallery: Episode 20

Night GalleryNBC airs the 20th episode of Rod Serling’s Night Gallery, an anthology series of original short plays and short story adaptations hosted by Serling himself. Dana Andrews, Sandra Dee, Jared Martin, Patrick Macnee, Brock Peters, and Tim Matheson guest star.

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Land Of The Giants: The Golden Cage

Land Of The GiantsABC airs the 12th episode of Irwin Allen’s sci-fi series Land Of The Giants, starring Gary Conway, Don Matheson, Deanna Lund, and Don Marshall. Celeste Yarnall guest stars.

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Land Of The Giants now streaming on Amazon Prime

Star Trek: The Trouble With Tribbles

Star TrekThe 44th episode of Gene Roddenberry’s science fiction series Star Trek premieres on NBC. This early script by writer David Gerrold becomes the best-loved episode of the entire series (according to many a fan poll), introducing the rapidly-reproducing, rapidly-eating, Klingon-sniffing Tribbles to the Star Trek universe. This is their only appearance in the original series, though they reappear in the animated series and Deep Space Nine years later.

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Out Of The Unknown: Satisfaction Guaranteed

Out Of The UnknownBBC2 airs the 24th episode of science fiction anthology series Out Of The Unknown. Adapted by Hugh Leonard from a story by Isaac Asimov, the story stars Ann Firbank and Bruce Boa (Astronauts). This episode no longer exists in the BBC’s archives.

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1965: a space odyssey

2001After a year of story development and refinement, filming begins on 2001: a space odyssey, directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on a story hashed out between Kubrick and SF writer Arthur C. Clarke from their mutual desire to create “the proverbial good science fiction movie” rather than the man-in-a-monster/robot-suit variety of movie that passes for science fiction in theaters. The film is budgeted at a hefty $10,000,000 – an impressive budget for the mid-1960s – including the construction of a rotating, hamster-wheel-like set for the interior of the spaceship Discovery. The unusual post-production and effects demands of 2001 will keep the movie “in production” for over two years.

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Lost In Space: Return From Outer Space

Lost In SpaceThe 15th episode of Irwin Allen’s science fiction series Lost In Space premieres on CBS, starring Guy Williams, June Lockhart, and Jonathan Harris. Reta Shaw (Mary Poppins) and Walter Sande (Bad Day At Black Rock) guest star.

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Lost In Space now streaming on Amazon Prime

The Avengers: Dead On Course

The AvengersBritish broadcaster ABC airs the 40th episode of Sydney Newman’s spy series The Avengers, starring Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman. Bruce Boa (Astronauts) guest stars in an episode written by future Star Maidens scribe Eric Paice.

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The Avengers now streaming on Amazon Prime

The Twilight Zone: A Quality Of Mercy

The Twilight ZoneThe 80th episode of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone airs on CBS. Dean Stockwell, Albert Salmi, and Leonard Nimoy star.

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The Twilight Zone now streaming on Paramount Plus

One Step Beyond: The Hand

One Step BeyondABC airs the 37th episode of the supernatural anthology series One Step Beyond, hosted and directed by John Newland. Robert Loggia and Anna Lee Carroll guest star.

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One Step Beyond now streaming on Amazon Prime

Science Fiction Theatre: Sun Gold

Science Fiction TheatreThe 71st episode of the syndicated science fiction Science Fiction Theatre airs on stations across the U.S. Hosted by Truman Bradley, the episode stars Marilyn Erskine and Ross Elliott.

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