Day: February 4, 1974

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Classic Season 2 Tomorrow People

The Blue And The Green – Part 1: An Apple For The Teacher

Tomorrow PeopleWith Carol and Kenny having left to live on other worlds, John and Stephen keep their eyes open for other Tomorrow People, perhaps even those who have yet to experience their “breaking out”. One of Stephen’s classmates gets their attention by drawing an accurate artistic representation of another planet, a world about which a normal human would know nothing. But more alarmingly, the weather depicted in the picture changes, affecting the mood of everyone in the class. This happens much to the alarm of Elizabeth, a new student teacher, who admits privately to Stephen that she can overhear his telepathic communication with John and TIM.

Download this episode via Amazonwritten by Roger Price
directed by Roger Price
music by Dudley Simpson

Tomorrow PeopleCast: Elizabeth Adare (Elizabeth), Nicholas Young (John), Peter Vaughan-Clarke (Stephen), Philip Gilbert (TIM), Jason Kemp (Robert), Ray Burdis (Johnson), Nova Llewellyn (Joy)

Notes: John says that Carol and Kenny are “no longer living on Earth”; cast members Sammie Winmill and Stephen Salmon elected not to remain with the series.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Classic Season 15 Doctor Who

The Invasion Of Time

Doctor WhoThe Doctor returns, unbidden, to Gallifrey, claiming the Presidency of the High Council. Leela knows something is wrong, as she has witnessed his meetings with a shadowy group of aliens prior to returning to his homeworld. The Time Lords are aghast at the Doctor’s breach of their power structure, to say nothing of him bringing an alien among them. But when the aliens Leela saw earlier materialize in Gallifrey’s Capitol, all hell breaks loose – the Doctor orders many Time Lords, including his old mentor Borusa, expelled to the harsh surface of Gallifrey beyond the city domes. Leela is also thrown out, though she finds herself quite at home with the primitive nomadic tribes of homeless non-Time Lords known as the Shobogans. Leela rallies both Shobogans and exiled Time Lords to mount a resistance against the Doctor and his shady Vardan allies, but when the invasion is put down, everyone discovers that it was a ruse to allow a far more powerful enemy to slip into the heart of Gallifrey.

Order the DVDDownload this episodewritten by Anthony Read and Graham Williams
directed by Gerald Blake
music by Dudley Simpson

Guest Cast: Milton Johns (Kelner), John Arnatt (Borusa), Stan McGowan (Vardan Leader), Chris Tranchell (Andred), Dennis Edwards (Gomer), Tom Kelly (Vardan), Reginald Jessup (Savar), Charles Morgan (Gold Usher), Hilary Ryan (Rodan), Max Faulkner (Nesbin), Christopher Christou (Chancellery Guard), Michael Harley (Bodyguard), Ray Callaghan (Ablif), Gai Smith (Presta), Michael Mundell (Jasko), Eric Danot (Guard), Derek Deadman (Stor), Stuart Fell (Sontaran)

Broadcast from February 4 through March 11, 1978

LogBook entry & review by Earl Green

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Alien Worlds Season 1

Night Riders Of Kalimar – Part 1

Alien WorldsWord of a glowstone strike reaches the prospectors gathered at the Rising Star Saloon on the asteroid Vesta, setting off a new gold rush. Miners beat a hasty path to the asteroid Kalimar, and the ISA sends Maura, Graydon and Buddy to Kalimar as well, giving Maura a chance to study glowstone up close for the first time. They meet up with Buddy’s old friend, cardsharp Travis Silverthorn, also en route to Kalimar, hoping to hustle the newly-rich miners at the poker table. When they arrive at Kalimar, however, it appears that the miners have already become victims, but with considerably higher stakes. The Night Riders of Kalimar, eyeless predatory lizards, have come for them all.

written by Dudley Brown and Lee Hansen
based on an original story by Dudley Brown
directed by Lee Hansen
music by Jim Kirk

Cast: Roger Dressler (Narrator / Commissioner), Linda Gary (Maura Cassidy), Bruce Phillip Miller (Captain Jon Graydon), Corey Burton (Jerry Lyden), Chuck Olsen (Captain Buddy Griff), Phil Diskin (Travis Silverthorn), Peter Leeds (Gambler / Survivor)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Blake's 7 Season 3

The Harvest Of Kairos

Blake's 7Servalan’s new right-hand man and tactical advisor takes Tarrant on in a battle of strategy in space and on foot on the deadly planet of Kairos, but Avon’s obsessive search for an elusive new weapon hinders the Liberator crew’s efficiency – but saves them in the end.

written by Ben Steed
directed by Gerald Blake
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, Orac), Andrew Burt (Jarvik), Frank Gatliff (Dastor), Anthony Gardner (Shad), Charles Jamieson (Guard), Sam Davies (Carlon), Christopher Douglas (First Leader, Third Leader), Hywel David (Interceptor Captain, Second Leader)

Notes: In a 1986 interview with Time Screen magazine, Paul Darrow said that this episode was “the one that made Jan Chappell decide to leave.”

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Chocky Season 2: Chocky's Children

Episode 2.5

Chocky's ChildrenWith Albertine missing, Matthew confides to her father that Chocky is real and has been enhancing Albertine’s intelligence. Albertine’s father, convinced that Matthew has a hand in her disappearance, calls the police. Deacon returns to question Matthew’s aunt about his whereabouts, and leaves with an unexpected passenger, because rather than hiding from Deacon, Matthew wants to get inside and save Albertine.

written by Anthony Read
based on characters created by John Wyndham
directed by Peter Duguid
music not credited

ChockyCast: Andrew Ellams (Matthew), Anabel Worrell (Albertine), Angela Galbreath (Cissie), Prentis Hancock (Meyer), Ed Bishop (Deacon), Michael Crampton (Luke), Sidney Livingstone (Police Sergeant), Brian de Salvo (Doctor) Glynis Brooks (Chocky’s voice)

Notes: Even if Deacon doesn’t look familiar, he probably sounds familiar – actor Ed Bishop (1932-2005) was a favorite of producer Gerry Anderson, and voiced characters in many of Anderson’s Chockypuppet-based series, as well as playing a starring on-screen role as Ed Straker in Anderson’s 1970 live-action series UFO. He also appeared in 2001: a space odyssey, Saturn 3, as well as uncredited roles in numerous James Bond films, along with guest shots on such TV series as Out Of The Unknown, 1990, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, and Highlander: The Series.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 04 Star Trek The Next Generation

Devil’s Due

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 44474.5: The Enterprise arrives at Ventax III to retrieve a Federation anthropological team, only to discover that the planet is in a state of chaos and the team has been taken hostage by the Ventaxians, who believe their peaceful way of life is about to end with the “second coming” of Ardra – the devil. But when Ardra takes a dangerously personal interest in Picard, he must quickly find some way to discredit her.

Order the DVDsteleplay by Philip Lazebnik
story by Philip Lazebnik and William Douglas Lansford
directed by Tom Benko
music by Ron Jones

Guest Cast: Marta Dubois (Ardra), Paul Lambert (Dr. Clark), Marcelo Tubert (Acost Jared), Thad Lamey (Devil Monster), Tom Magee (Klingon Monster)

Notes: The script for this episode actually originated in the 1970s, when it was originally written for the planned but abandoned Star Trek: Phase II series, which would have told new tales of Captain Kirk and the original Enterprise.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Space: Above And Beyond

Never No More

Space: Above And BeyondReports begin to filter in of a new Chig “ace” ship which has destroyed almost every Earth fighter to come in contact with it…but these reports come in the form of unsubstantiated rumors rather than official news. The Wild Cards are frustrated by the lack of any official denial or confirmation. When the latest victim turns out to be the lover of an old high school sweetheart of Vansen’s, she fills the empty slot when the same squadron is sent on a recon mission. Then, and only then, does McQueen break with orders to warn Vansen that “Chiggy Von Richtoven” does indeed exist.

Order the DVDwritten by Glen Morgan & James Wong
directed by James Charleston
music by Shirley Walker / “Never No More” by Patsy Cline

Guest Cast: Michael Reilly Burke (Captain John Oakes), Heinrich James (Fenris), Tasia Valenza (Lt. Winslow), David Jean Thomas (Alcott), Michael Raynor (Admiral), Randy Stone (Spud), Rob Elk (Mr. Saber), Xavier Montalvo (Sullivan), Jacquelyn Houston (Hadden), David St. James (Broden), Ashley Smock (Curran), Jonathan Williams (Burnett), Michelle Clunie (Jennifer Brandt), Will Schaub (Paterno), Julio Dolce Vita (Ensign)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 5

The Paragon of Animals

Babylon 5The Alliance makes a show of force – the force of arms, as it defends an isolated world from raiders; the force of mind, as Sheridan and Garibaldi debate the role of telepaths; and the force of ideals, as G’Kar attempts to draft a declaration of principles that will satisfy all the member races. The Alliance turns once again to Lyta for assistance, but Byron declares that the days of mundanes using telepaths as tools are over. And without his help, the Alliance may not survive betrayal by one of its own.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Mike Vejar
music by Christopher Franke

Guest Cast: Tony Abatemarco (Verchan), Robin Atkin Downes (Byron), Kim Strauss (Drazi Ambassador), Daniel Bryan Cartmell (Merkat), Bart Johnson (Ranger)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 03 SG-1 Stargate

A Hundred Days

Stargate SG-1A visit to a peaceful planet to establish relations becomes more serious when SG-1 discovers that the eagerly anticipated annual “fire rains” are actually meteor storms that occur when the planet passes through its solar system’s asteroid belt. A near-miss convinces Carter and Daniel that this society’s time is almost up, and that an extinction-level event can’t be far off. The next day, for the first time that any of the planet’s inhabitants can remember, the fire rains begin again during broad daylight – and this time, the blazing lights slam into the ground. The team begins evacuating the people of the village they’re visiting through the stargate back to the SGC for their own safety, but the entire planet can’t be saved – and when the next meteorite takes out the gate, O’Neill finds himself trapped with no way home.

Order the DVDsstory by V.C. James
teleplay by Brad Wright
directed by David Warry-Smith
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Michele Greene (Laira), Julie Patzwald (Naytha), Gary Jones (Sgt. Walter Harriman), Shane Meier (Garan), Teryl Rothery (Dr. Fraiser), Marcel Maillard (Paynan)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Enterprise Season 03 Star Trek

Strategem

Star Trek: EnterpriseThree years after the end of the human-Xindi conflict, Archer and Degra, the Xindi-humanoid weapons develeoper, escape from imprisonment at the hands of the Xindi-insectoids. Degra has experienced memory loss during his interrogation, and Archer reminds him that after destroying Earth, the various Xindi turned on each other in a vicious civil war. But Archer is also insisting that Degra must help him return to the place where the fateful Xindi sphere-weapon was tested before being launched toward Earth. And Degra is unaware – at least at first – that everything he is being told is untrue.

Order DVDsDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxteleplay by Michael Sussman
story by Terry Matalas
directed by Mike Vejar
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Josh Drennen (Thalen), Randy Oglesby (Degra)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 08 SG-1 Stargate

It’s Good To Be King

Stargate SG-1As the influence of the System Lords spreads, the Tok’ra advise Earth to evacuate some of their least-defended planets. When SG-1 arrives at one of these worlds, however, they’re not exactly greeted with open arms – in fact, they’re captured and taken to the locals’ king. That king, however, turns out to be Harry Maybourne, the team’s old adversary from NID. Maybourne has achieved his new status by deciphering the runes on a nearby obelisk, which appear to predict future events – and naturally, after making a few accurate “predictions” based on his translations, Maybourne was elevated to royalty by the locals. Daniel does some deciphering of his own, and what he discovers leads the team to a timeship that once belonged to the Ancients. Even more troubling is a rune that Maybourne has already managed to read – a rune indicating that an imminent Goa’uld attack could overrun the planet and its people. O’Neill arrives to assess the situation, and decides that the timeship should be destroyed and the people – including their “king” – evacuated. But the Goa’uld arrive ahead of schedule, and they learn of the obelisk from one of Maybourne’s subjects, leading them to the timeship. O’Neill and Carter get the ship spaceborne in a hurry, forcing Daniel and Teal’c – and Maybourne – to fend for themselves.

Order the DVDsstory by Michael Greenburg & Peter DeLuise and Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
teleplay by Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
directed by William Gereghty
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Wayne Brady (Trelak), Tom McBeath (Harry Maybourne), Melanie Blackwell (Servant), Robert Bruce (Local), Zak Church (Local)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Enterprise Season 04 Star Trek

United

Star Trek: EnterpriseTrip and Reed find their way to the bridge of the unidentified ship, where find no one else aboard. The ship changes course violently, and they realize it’s being remotely controlled to engage in another attack. This time, the target is a Rigellian scout ship – and the attacker takes on the guise of the Enterprise, creating another potential incident. On the real Enterprise, Archer tries to force a compromise between the Andorians and Tellarites, but the death of Shran’s mate at the hands of the Tellarite ambassador complicates matters. While the Tellarites and Andorians agree in principle to let Archer lead a coordinated, multi-species effort to find the alien ship, Shran vows to coordinate with no one until he can fight a duel with his wife’s killer. Archer finds a loophole in the rules of an Andorian blood fued and replaces the Tellarite as Shran’s opponent – but even that won’t stop Shran from carrying out his vendetta and endangering the already fragile alliance. And aboard the alien ship, Trip and Reed become the first humans to communicate with an enigmatic species known as the Romulans.

Order DVDsteleplay by Judith Reeves-Stevens & Garfield Reeves-Stevens
story by Manny Coto
directed by David Livingston
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Jeffrey Combs (Shran), Brian Thompson (Valdore), Lee Arenberg (Gral), Molly Brink (Talas), J. Michael Flynn (Nijil), Kevin Brief (Naarg), Geno Silva (Vrax), Scott Allen Rinker (Pilot)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 1 Stargate Stargate Atlantis

Hot Zone

Stargate AtlantisThe mysterious death of two team members after they report seeing something unusual forces Dr. Weir to order a medical quarantine of the entire city – everyone is to remain where they are, including McKay’s team, now trapped near whatever killed their teammates. Sheppard doesn’t like the idea of sitting still, and overrides Weir’s authority when McKay reports that one of his more nervous surviving team members has fled into the city, breaking the quarantine – and possibly spreading the infection. Every member of McKay’s team who reports seeing a dark shadow approaching them dies soon afterward. The city begins sealing sections of itself off, as if sensing that the infection has indeed spread. McKay and Beckett determine that the growing plague isn’t of Wraith origin – and the latest person who’s seen the shadow that precedes yet another death is McKay himself.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxwritten by Martin Gero
directed by Mario Azzopardi
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Paul McGillion (Dr. Beckett), Craig Veroni (Dr. Grodin), David Nykl (Dr. Zelenka), Dean Marshall (Sgt. Bates), Damon Johnson (Peterson), Lindsay Collins (Dr. Biro), Nathanni Arntzen (Dumais)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Battlestar Galactica (New Series) Season 1

You Can’t Go Home Again

Battlestar GalacticaAfter narrowly surviving a chaotic confrontation defending her pilot trainees from a Cylon surprise attack, Starbuck crash-lands on a moon with a poisonous atmosphere and gale-force winds. Adama launches an all-out search for Starbuck, who has been injured and has less than two days of oxygen. When civilian ships are called out of formation into the search, and even the combat patrol that protects the fleet’s defenseless vessels are called away to take part, President Roslin begins to wonder if Commander Adama’s judgement isn’t clouded by his personal feelings. A call to Apollo, who she relies on as her military liaison, doesn’t reassure her, and when the search continues even after the countdown runs out for Starbuck’s oxygen supply, the President makes her feelings known more forcefully. Meanwhile, on the moon, Starbuck finds a ship that’s in far better shape than her Viper – but it happens to be the Cylon ship that collided with her in the first place, and if its hull is intact, its occupant may be as well. And on Caprica, Helo finds that a shelter where he and Boomer have been hiding isn’t as secure as he thought.

Order the DVDsDownload this episodewritten by Carla Robinson
directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
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), Donnelly Rhodes (Dr. Cottle), Alonso Oyarzun (Socinus), Bodie Olmos (Costanza/Hot Dog)

Notes: Starbuck’s unusual maneuvering may be an homage to the original series; Starbuck and Apollo had to fly a stolen Cylon raider back to Galactica in the original series episode The Hand Of God, and only by “waggling” the ship’s wings were they able to signal their fellow Viper pilots to let them land.

Original UK Airdate: November 15, 2004

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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8th Doctor Doctor Who The Audio Dramas

No More Lies

Doctor Who: No More LiesThe Doctor and Lucie are entangled with a rogue time traveller named Zimmerman who escapes, leaving them at the mercy of an group of angry aliens, bent on finding the cause of the time trouble, no matter the cost. But when the Doctor and Lucie finally catch up to Zimmerman, they find him happily married and enjoying a garden party that seems to go on forever. Only Zimmerman can end the time loop and thereby save the space/time continuum. But even though he has denounced his former life, he is disinclined to help, as ending the time loop would cause the death of his beloved wife, leading to a standstill between the Doctor, Zimmerman and the Tar-Modowk, who get ever closer.

Order this CDwritten by Paul Sutton
directed by Barnaby Edwards
music by Tim Sutton

Cast: Paul McGann (The Doctor), Sheridan Smith (Lucie Miller), Nigel Havers (Nick), Julia McKenzie (Rachel), Tom Chadbon (Gordon), Tim Hudson (Tar-Modowk Leader), Katarina Olsson (Headhunter)

Notes: Tom Chadbon previously appeared in the Doctor Who stories City Of Death and The Mysterious Planet, as well as playing a major role in the second “season” of Sarah Jane Smith audios, also produced by Big Finish Productions.

Timeline: after Phobos and before Human Resources Part 1

LogBook entry & review by Philip R. Frey