Day: January 14, 1967

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Classic Season 04 Doctor Who

The Underwater Menace

Doctor WhoJamie’s first trip in the TARDIS is anything but uneventful, as the timeship brings the Doctor and friends to a volcanic outcropping in the middle of the ocean on Earth. The time travelers are quickly captured taken to an underground city, which they soon realize is Atlantis. The somewhat backward natives seem friendly enough, but they also seem intent on sacrificing the newcomers to the patron goddess of their island. Salvation comes from an unlikely source – a scientist called Zaroff rescues them, but then reveals his plan to cause the Earth to explode by draining the world’s oceans into a shaft leading straight to the planet’s molten core. Zaroff has also been performing horrific experiments to turn the locals into an enslaved population of Fish People. Now on the run from both Zaroff and the Atlanteans, the Doctor and his friends realize that their only hope of escape – and of stopping Zaroff’s mad scheme – may lie with liberating the Fish People. But when Zaroff is so intent on destroying the world, can anything really be a deterrent to his plan?

written by Geoffrey Orme
directed by Julia Smith
music by Dudley Simpson

Guest Cast: Joseph Furst (Professor Zaroff), Catherine Howe (Ara), Tom Watson (Ramo), Peter Stephens (Lolem), Colin Jeavons (Damon), Gerald Taylor (Damon’s Assistant), Graham Ashley (Overseer), Tony Handy, Alex Donald, Tony Douglas (Guards), Paul Anil (Jacko), P.G. Stephens (Sean), Noel Johnson (Thous), Roma Woodnutt (Nola), Bill Burridge (Executioner Priest), Jimmy Mack (Refugee Priest)

Broadcast from January 14 through February 4, 1967

Note: While the Doctor wasn’t mad about Zaroff’s idea to drain the oceans of the Earth into the core of the planet, he was much more sympatico with the idea of draining at least the Thames into the Earth’s core to destroy the emerging children of the Empress of Racnoss in 2006’s The Runaway Bride. This story is quietly sidestepped by other future entries in the Doctor Who canon, including the Jon Pertwee story The Time Monster, which offers a completely different story of the destruction of Atlantis. The master tapes of this story were destroyed by the BBC in the early 1970’s, and only episode 3 and a handful of select clips from episodes 1, 2 and 4 remain intact.

LogBook entry & review by Earl Green

Categories
Classic Series Prisoner, The

Once Upon A Time

The PrisonerNumber Two – actually one of the first men of that rank to interrogate Number Six – returns in a final desperate attempt to break his mind. Number Two forces Number Six through a brutal regression into his own childhood, but the prisoner still doesn’t break – and finally, his interrogator does. Number Six’s reward for surviving the encounter is, at long last, a confrontation with Number One.

written by Patrick McGoohan
directed by Patrick McGoohan
music by Ron Grainer and Albert Elms

Cast: Patrick McGoohan (Number Six), Leo McKern (Number Two), Peter Swanwick (Supervisor), John Cazabon (Umbrella man)

Original Title: Degree Absolute

Note: According to numerous sources, actor Leo McKern suffered a nervous breakdown during the production of this episode, citing the show’s intense content as the cause.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Alien Worlds Season 1

The Sunstealers – Part 2

Alien WorldsCaptain Jon Graydon escapes from the Marcabs, but must leave Captain Griff in the Marcabs’ clutches if he is to escape and warn the ISA of the alien threat to Earth’s solar system. Maura and Tim devise a counter-magnetic generator to render the Marcabs’ sun-mining artificial planetoid helpless, while Graydon plans to lead a desperate flight back to that planetoid to deliver the weapon – and, if possible, to rescue Griff.

written by Mike Hodel and Lee Hansen
directed by Lee Hansen
music by Jim Kirk

Cast: Roger Dressler (Narrator), Linda Gary (Maura Cassidy), Bruce Phillip Miller (Captain Jon Graydon), Corey Burton (Jerry Lyden), Chuck Olsen (Captain Buddy Griff), Jeff Allen (Tim), Stu Jacobs (Zarr Khonar), Tom Rounds (Gargon)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Battlestar Galactica (Classic Series) Season 1

War of the Gods – Part 1

Battlestar Galactica (original)An unusual phenomenon strikes the Colonial fleet as unidentified luminescent objects – which could be vessels or might be life forms themselves – meander among the ships of the fleet. This celestial event becomes less innocuous when a wing of Vipers disappears into the vacuum of space without a trace. Apollo leads a search and rescue mission, but all his team finds is an enigmatic man named Count Iblis. He returns to Galactica with them, and immediately begins winning powerful friends among the Colonial fleet…and swaying opinion away from Adama. Adama sends his son back to the planet from which Iblis was rescued to confirm a suspicion, but the Count doesn’t seem to want any investigation into his past – and proves his point by killing Apollo.

Order the DVDsDownload this episodewritten by Glen A. Larson
directed by Daniel Haller
music by Stu Phillips

Guest Cast: Patrick Macnee (Count Iblis), John Williams (Statesman), Janet Louise Johnson (Sgt. Brie), Jack Stauffer (Captain Bojay), Kirk Alyn (Old Man), Paula Victor (Old Woman), Paul Coufos (Pilot), Chip Johnson (Pilot), Bruce Wright (Guard), Leann Hunley (Warrior), Olan Soule (Carmichael), Norman Stuart (Statesman)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Blake's 7 Season 3

Powerplay

Blake's 7Avon and Dayna are interrogated by the Federation officers, who are under the command of Del Tarrant. Avon, using the pseudonym Chevron, fakes an attempt to draw a concealed weapon and is knocked out by Tarrant. Dayna attacks with the same end result, and both are locked into a cabin. As soon as they manage to get out again, Avon contacts Zen and learns that the ship is en route to pick up Vila, who has been marooned on a jungle planet where a primitive faction and a race of advanced humans fight each other for any new arrivals on the planet. After that, Avon and Dayna discover that someone is killing off the Federation troops one by one. Avon sets out to learn who, while Dayna stays behind armed but is captured. Avon discovers that Tarrant is not a Federation Captain, but an outlaw who had been wanting to join Blake and his crew and had to disguise himself as a Federation officer. He and Tarrant overpower the other Federation troops and rescue Dayna, as Vila and Cally, who has also arrived on that planet, are about to be killed.

written by Terry Nation
directed by David Maloney
music by Dudley Simpson

Cast: Paul Darrow (Avon), Jan Chappell (Cally), Michael Keating (Vila), Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan), Steven Pacey (Tarrant), Josette Simon (Dayna), Peter Tuddenham (Zen), Michael Sheard (Clegg), Doyne Byrd (Harmon), John Hollis (Lom), Michael Crane (Mall), Primi Townsend (Zee), Julia Vidler (Barr), Catherine Chase (Nurse), Helen Blatch (Receptionist)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Space: Above And Beyond

Level of Necessity

Space: Above And BeyondDuring a desperate retreat through subterranean caves on Daedalus, the 58th meets up with another Marine unit. Though they initially follow the other unit toward an escape route, Damphousse warns them not to after witnessing an inexplicable halo of light around the other Marines – who are then killed, leaving only one survivor. Though she saved her comrades, Damphousse falls under suspicion, and finds herself receiving the attention of an officer who intends to test her for psi abilities – for possible use as a weapon.

Order the DVDwritten by Matt Kiene & Joe Reinkemeyer
directed by Thomas J. Wright
music by Shirley Walker

Guest Cast: Richard Kind (Colonel Burke), Kane Picoy (Lubin), Tasia Valenza (Lt. Winslow), Timothy Dale Agee (Captain Kremens)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 04 Star Trek Voyager

Waking Moments

Star Trek: VoyagerStardate not given: Many members of the crew report the sudden incongruous appearance of a previously unknown alien being in their dreams. Discussion of the alien’s appearance reveals that everyone has seen the same creature, even though no one has ever met this species before. The Doctor fights to keep the crew from falling into comas, but before long he is fighting a losing battle. Chakotay, whose Indian meditation practices include a thorough knowledge of directed dreaming, believes he may be able to lead the rest of the crew out of the alien’s trap…but even his abilities may not match up the power of the crew’s uninvited guests.

Order the DVDswritten by Andrè Bormanis & Kenneth Biller
directed by Alexander Singer
music by David Bell

Guest Cast: Mark Colson (Dream Alien), Jennifer Grundy (Ensign)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Farscape Season 1

Hidden Memory

  • By Dave
  • January 14, 2000

FarscapeA barely-recovered Aeryn insists on leading a mission to rescue Crichton, while Moya’s labor shuts down all her propulsion systems. At the Gammak base, Crichton gradually befriends his cellmate Stark, while Gilina patches into the intercom long enough to tell Crichton that the next time Scorpius puts him in the chair, he should recall their kiss aboard the Zelbinion. Crichton is a bit confused by this, as that’s exactly the memory he’s been trying to hide, but Gilina insists that she trust him. When Crichton recalls the kiss, he triggers a flood of false memories that Gilina programmed into the chair – “memories” that implicate Crais in a conspiracy to use wormhole technology against the Peacekeepers. When Crais denies this, Scorpius orders him into the chair to prove his innocence. With help from Aeryn and company, Stark, Crichton and Gilina make their break. As they try to escape, Chiana and Rygel must try to survive the birth of Moya’s child – a Leviathan/Peacekeeper hybrid complete with weaponry that blocks the offspring’s exit from the birth canal. But the baby wants out, and if he has to fire on his mother to do it, so be it.

Order the DVDswritten by Justin Monjo
directed by Ian Watson
music by Subvision

Guest Cast: Gigi Edgley (Chiana), Lani John Tupu (Captain Bialar Crais), Alyssa-Jane Cook (Gilina), Wayne Pygram (Scorpius), Paul Goddard (Stark), Imogen Annesley (Niem), Anthony Kierann (Lt. Heskon), Pete Walters (Crais’ Guard), Nicole Roma (Blonde Technician)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Enterprise Season 03 Star Trek

Chosen Realm

Star Trek: EnterpriseA chance encounter with a small vessel full of humanoids on a spiritual pilgrimage turns out to be more than a coincidence – their leader, D’Jamat, has specifically sought the Enterprise. His followers attack the crew and hijack the ship, intending to use it to turn the tide in a holy war that has divided their planet for centuries. When D’Jamat demands that Archer select a member of the crew to die, Archer chooses himself – and even names his own sentence, “death” by transporter. In fact, Archer merely has himself beamed into the bowels of the Enterprise, where he coordinates a last-ditch effort to retake the ship. But even if he can’t, has the end of this so-called holy war already been decided?

Order DVDsDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxwritten by Manny Coto
directed by Roxann Dawson
music by Paul Biallargeon

Guest Cast: Conor O’Farrell (D’Jamat), Vince Grant (Yarrick), Lindsey Stoddart (Indava), Tayler Sheridan (Jareb), David Youse (Nalbis), Gregory Wagrowski (Ceris), Matt Huhn (Triannon), Kim Fitzgerald (Crewman)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
8th Doctor Doctor Who

The Creed Of The Kromon

Doctor Who: The Creed Of The KromonStill trapped in the divergent universe without the TARDIS, the Doctor and Charley encounter what seems to be an impenetrable barrier, guarded by a being known as the Kro’Ka. After assessing what both of the travelers fear, the Kro’Ka lets them pass through to a neighboring zone, where the native humanoid population has been enslaved by the insectoid Kromon. The Doctor and Charley meet C’rizz, a refugee from the Kromon biodomes in a suicidal mood since he lost his mate. The Doctor offers to help, and the three make their way into the nearest Kromon dome, which is also where the Doctor hopes to find the TARDIS. Once inside, however, they become prisoners of the Kromon. The insectoid creatures, following the creed set down by a long-vanished Company, intend to mine the Doctor’s knowledge of space travel and enslave C’rizz once more. And they have something else in mind for Charley – a fate worse than death in the Kromon breeding chambers.

Order this CDwritten by Philip Martin
directed by Gary Russell
music by David Darlington

Cast: Paul McGann (The Doctor), India Fisher (Charley), Conrad Westmaas (C’rizz), Brian Cobby (The Oroog), Stephen Perring (The Kro’Ka / Kromon voices), Jane Hills (L’da), Daniel Hogarth (Kromon voices)

Timeline: after Scherzo and before The Natural History Of Fear

LogBook entry and TheatEar review by Earl Green

Categories
Enterprise Season 04 Star Trek

Daedalus

Star Trek: EnterpriseTrip is nervous about the arrival of Dr. Emory Erickson, the man who invented Earth’s transporter technology. Captain Archer is a little bit less in awe of the crotchety, wheelchair-bound scientist – Archer, Erickson’s daughter Danica and his son Quinn grew up together, their fathers both demanding pioneers. Erickson has gotten permission from Starfleet to conduct experiments in a new transport technique aboard the Enterprise, a breakthrough which Erickson claims could make star travel obsolete. But en route to Erickson’s destination coordinates for the experiment, something infiltrates the ship, killing a crewman. Erickson, who had previously conducted experiments in that region, says he’s never seen anything like it before. The phenomenon occurs again, and this time T’Pol records a visual record – a record which reveals that the roaming anomaly is, in fact, Quinn Erickson, who Archer thought had died in a transporter accident years ago. Erickson finally reveals that Quinn volunteered to be the first test subject for the long-range transporter, and was trapped in subspace, presumed lost. Erickson confesses that he thinks he’s made a breakthrough, something that will bring Quinn back, and over the senior officers’ objections he pleads with Archer to help him. And despite the fact that Quinn seems to leave a trail of death and destruction with each visit, Archer agrees.

Order DVDswritten by Ken LaZebnik & Michael Bryant
directed by David Straiton
music by Paul Baillargeon

Guest Cast: Bill Cobbs (Emory Erickson), Leslie Silva (Danica Erickson), Donovan Knowles (Quinn Erickson), Noel Manzano (Ensign Burrows), and Porthos

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Battlestar Galactica (New Series) Season 1

33

Battlestar GalacticaFor an entire week, the Cylons have attacked the Colonial fleet every 33 minutes. Every time, a Cylon base ship appears and launches fighters and missiles, and every time, the fleet barely escapes – usually with more casualties than the last time. Baltar continues to experience visits from the Cylon woman known as Number Six, visits only he can see or feel, whether he’s aboard Galactica or Colonial One. It’s while he’s aboard the President’s ship that Baltar overhears that another Colonial scientist, claiming to have information on how the Cylons overcame Caprica’s defenses, is requesting an audience with the President. When he learns this, Baltar’s encounters with Number Six take on a new urgency, and she implies that this “problem” can be taken care of – with a little bit of Cylon intervention. The ship carrying that scientist doesn’t make the next FTL jump on time – and the ships of the fleet, and Baltar, get a temporary reprieve. But when the Olympic Carrier does reappear, the Cylons are right behind it…and even though the Olympic Carrier’s complement of passengers is over 1,300, Adama must weigh those lives against saving the rest of the fleet.

Season 1 Regular Cast: Edward James Olmos (Commander Adama), Mary McDonnell (President Laura Roslin), Katie Sackhoff (Lt. Starbuck), Jamie Bamber (Captain Apollo), James Callis (Dr. Gaius Baltar), Tricia Helfer (Number Six), Grace Park (Lt. Boomer)

Order the DVDsDownload this episodewritten by Ronald D. Moore
directed by Michael Rymer
music by Bear McCreary

Guest Cast: Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh), Aaron Douglas (CPO Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Kandyse McClure (Dualla), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Gaeta), Sam Witwer (Lt. Crashdown), Alonso Ozaryun (Socinus), Nicki Clyne (Cally)

Notes: Despite many a rumor to the contrary, there is no relation between actresses Grace Park (Galactica’s Lt. Boomer) and Linda Park (Star Trek: Enterprise’s Ensign Hoshi Sato), though both are of Korean descent. Production designer Richard Hudolin has a knack for giving SF franchises a new look – not only did he work on numerous episodes of Stargate SG-1, but he was also responsible for the striking redesign of the TARDIS for the 1996 Doctor Who TV movie. The airdate above reflects the episode’s U.S. premiere; it premiered a few months earlier on the UK Sky One satellite channel.

Original UK Airdate: October 19, 2004

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Battlestar Galactica (New Series) Season 1

Water

Battlestar GalacticaLt. Boomer goes to CPO Tyrol with an unusual problem – she recently found herself inexplicably drenched with water, and in possession of a case from munitions which carried several explosives and detonators. Galactica conducts a routine water tanking maneuver with one of the smaller Colonial ships during a visit by the President. But the transfer becomes less than routine when a massive explosion rocks Galactica’s water tanks, venting well over half of the fleet’s water supply into space. Adama and President Roslin launch an investigation, and the missing explosives from munitions quickly come to light. Tyrol is careful to avoid mentioning anything he knows that might implicate Boomer, but her own increasingly nervous behavior may give her away before the evidence does. Baltar also betrays his own nervousness while serving on the investigation panel, as the President orders him to look for a way to detect any Cylons disguised as members of the ship’s crew; despite that alarming possibility, Adama and the President opt to keep that information from the rest of the fleet for now. A desperate search for a new source of water begins, though Boomer’s participation in the survey may spell its doom. And on Caprica, now occupied by the Cylons, lone Galactica crewmember Helo – left behind in the evacuation of the planet’s civilians – discovers he’s not alone…because Lt. Boomer is there with him too.

Order the DVDsDownload this episodewritten by Ronald D. Moore
directed by Marita Grabiak
music by Richard Gibbs

Guest Cast: Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh), Aaron Douglas (CPO Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Kandyse McClure (Dualla), Paul Campbell (Billy Keikeya), Alessandro Juliani (Lt. Gaeta), Sam Witwer (Lt. Crashdown), Alonso Ozaryun (Socinus), Nicki Clyne (Cally)

Original UK Airdate: October 26, 2004

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
8th Doctor Doctor Who The Audio Dramas

Horror Of Glam Rock

Doctor Who: The Horror Of Glam RockThe Doctor tries to get Lucie back to her own time, but lands in 1974 in the middle of the Glam Rock fad. On a wintery night, they find themselves holed up in a diner with a variety of music-business types, including a manager and his up-and-coming young brother/sister act, Trisha and Tommy Tomorrow. But there’s also a never-was ex-singer with an odd connection to Lucie. And who are “The Only Ones”? And what do they want from Tommy Tomorrow?

Order this CDwritten by Paul Magrs
directed by Nicholas Briggs
music by Tim Sutton

Cast: Paul McGann (The Doctor), Sheridan Smith (Lucie Miller), Bernard Cribbins (Arnold Korns), Una Stubbs (Flo), Stephen Gately (Tommy Tomorrow), Clare Buckfield (Trisha Tomorrow), Lindsay Hardwick (Pat), Katarina Olsson (Headhunter)

Notes: Bernard Cribbins previously portrayed Tom Campbell, the storyline replacement for Ian Chesterton, in the second Doctor Who theatrical film, Daleks – Invasion Earth 2150 AD. The title of this story is a play on The Horror Of Fang Rock, a popular Fourth Doctor story.

Timeline: after Blood Of The Daleks Part 2 and before Immortal Beloved

LogBook entry & review by Philip R. Frey

Categories
4th Doctor Doctor Who The Audio Dramas

The Auntie Matter

Doctor WhoThe Doctor, having set the TARDIS’ randomizer to send the timeship to a thousand planets under the supervision of K-9 in order to throw the Black Guardian off his scent, settles down in 1920s England to relax. Romana reluctantly joins him, finding little to stimulate her intellectually. She happens upon Reginald Bassett, the heir-apparent of a local estate, and is stunned when he seems to demonstrate a more-than-passing acquaintance with quantum theory. She’s even more stunned, however, when he pops the question unexpectedly, asking her to marry him and insisting upon introducing her to his aunt, a sinister matriarch whose interest in Reggie’s choices in women is more than mere family concern.

Order this CDwritten by Jonathan Morris
directed by Ken Bentley
music by Howard Carter

Cast: Tom Baker (The Doctor), Mary Tamm (Romana), Julia McKenzie (Florence), Robert Portal (Reggie), Lucy Griffiths (Mabel), Alan Cox (Grenville), Jane Slavin (Ligeia)

Notes: Both Earth and the Doctor himself are described as “harmless… well, mostly,” a nod to Earth’s “mostly harmless” status in The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, which was written by Douglas Adams. His earliest produced Doctor Who scripts were part of the 16th season, which introduced Romana.

LogBook entry and TheatEar review by Earl Green