Day: February 23, 1966

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Batman Season 1

The Thirteenth Hat

BatmanA sinister man whose top hat conceals a mesmerizing ray is stalking Gotham City, stealing hats from their owners…and then stealing their owners. As the number of kidnap victims grows, Batman and Robin are called in to investigate. The Mad Hatter, a criminal Batman had already brought to justice once before, is at large again, and for some reason is obsessed with obtaining Batman’s cowl.

Download this episode via Amazonwritten by Charles Hoffman
directed by Norman Foster
music by Nelson Riddle / Batman theme by Neal Hefti

BatmanCast: Adam West (Batman), Burt Ward (Robin), Alan Napier (Alfred), Neil Hamilton (Commissioner Gordon), Stafford Repp (Chief O’Hara), Madge Blake (Mrs. Cooper), David Wayne (The Mad Hatter), Diane McBain (Lisa), Roland La Starza (Cappy), Gil Perkins (Dicer), Sandra Wells (Babette), Alberto Morin (Octave Marbot), Monique Le Maire (Magda), Norma Varden (Mrs. Monteagle)

Notes:

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Original Series Season 01 Star Trek

A Taste of Armageddon

Star Trek ClassicStardate 3192.1: The Enterprise visits the twin planets of Eminiar VII and Vendikar so Ambassador Fox may approach their governments about joining the Federation. When they beam down to Eminiar 7, Kirk, Spock and the rest of their landing party are informed that the Enterprise has been struck by enemy missiles and Kirk’s party, along with the rest of the crew, have been declared casualties. Investigating further, Kirk discovers that the war between the two planets is controlled by computers, which determine the damage done and the fatalities caused by the attacks, and assigns citizens to report to disintegration machines, which they do willingly. Kirk is trapped on the planet, but Ambassador Fox thinks he can remedy the situation and beams down unarmed against Scotty’s advice.

Order this episode on DVDDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxteleplay by Robert Hammer and Gene L. Coon
story by Robert Hammer
directed by Joseph Pevney
music by Alexander Courage

Cast: William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock), DeForest Kelley (Dr. Leonard McCoy), James Doohan (Mr. Scott), George Takei (Lt. Sulu), Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura), David Opatoshu (Anan 7), Gene Lyons (Ambassador Fox), Barbara Babcock (Mea 3), Miko Mayama (Tamula), David L. Ross (Galloway), Sean Kenney (DePaul), Robert Sampson (Sar 6)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Original Series Season 02 Star Trek

By Any Other Name

Star Trek ClassicStardate 4657.5: The Enterprise responds to a distress call, finding only a trap set by a small group of aliens from the Andromeda galaxy who are assessing the potential of the Federation’s home galaxy for colonization. The aliens successfully take over the ship, reducing all aboard except for Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Scotty to dehydrated cubes so the ship’s supply of food and oxygen can be used by the hijackers and Kirk’s command crew for the staggering 300-year return to Andromeda. The aliens, having assumed human form, also gain attributes such as emotions, which may be just the weakness Kirk and the others need to attack to regain control of the Enterprise.

Order this episode on DVDDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxteleplay by D.C. Fontana and Jerome Bixby
story by Jerome Bixby
directed by Marc Daniels
music by Fred Steiner

Cast: William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock), DeForest Kelley (Dr. Leonard McCoy), James Doohan (Mr. Scott), George Takei (Lt. Sulu), Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura), Warren Stevens (Rojan), Barbara Bouchet (Kelinda), Majel Barrett (Christine Chapel), Stewart Moss (Hanar), Robert Fortier (Tomar), Lezlie Dalton (Drea), Carl Byrd (Lt. Shea), Julie Cobb (Yeoman)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Classic Season 11 Doctor Who

Death To The Daleks – Part 1

Doctor WhoThe TARDIS brings the Doctor and Sarah to Exxilon, but not by choice – an enormous sentient city on the planet drains so much energy from everything around it that the TARDIS is quickly rendered powerless. And the Doctor is not the only unwelcome visitor on Exxilon: an expedition of humans is there mining a substance necessary to cure a plague on Earth, though their ship is now useless. They called for backup from a relief ship, but to their horror, the ship that shows up comes down for a hard landing…and in any case, it’s not another human expedition. The ship that arrives is full of Daleks, on a mission seeking that same precious drug. As the human expedition’s weapons are useless, they and the Doctor are powerless as the Daleks line them up for extermination.

written by Terry Nation
directed by Michael Bryant
music by Carey Blyton and played by the London Saxophone Quartet

Cast: Jon Pertwee (The Doctor), Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith), Duncan Lamont (Dan Galloway), John Abineri (Richard Railton), Neil Seiler (Commander Stewart), Julian Fox (Peter Hamilton), Joy Harrison (Jill Tarrant), Mostyn Evans (High Priest), Michael Wisher (Dalek voices), John Scott Martin (Dalek), Cy Town (Dalek), Murphy Grunbar (Dalek)

LogBook entry & review by Earl Green

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Season 1 Star Blazers

Desperate Challenge From Domeru’s Fleet

Star BlazersD minus 253 days: General Lysis is court-martialed and sentenced to death by a Gamilon military court for the loss of the Ballan base, but is pardoned by Leader Desslok with the provision that his next attempt to destroy the Star Force must succeed. Lysis issues a direct challenge to the Argo for a confrontation in the Rainbow Star Group, which Captain Avatar grudgingly agrees to meet. Lysis musters an enormous fighting force for the decisive battle, including a large scale teleportation system capable of transmitting entire ships across space instantenously. Lysis has also prepared a drill missile specially designed to penetrate the muzzle of the Argo’s wave motion gun and rob the Star Force of its single most effective weapon. As the two forces converge at the Rainbow Star Group, the gradually weakening Avatar hopes that he has chosen his successor wisely.

Order the DVDswritten by Keisuke Fujikawa & Eiichi Yamamoto
directed by Leiji Matsumoto
music by Hiroshi Miyagawa

Season 1 Voice Cast: Kenneth Meseroll (Derek Wildstar), Tom Tweedy (Mark Venture), Amy Howard (Nova), Eddie Allen (Leader Desslok), Lydia Leeds (Starsha), other actors unknown

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Classic Season 21 Doctor Who

Planet of Fire

Doctor WhoThe TARDIS has been set for a new course by Kamelion, who is attempting to go to the source of a distress signal which is overriding his every function. The Doctor manages to wrest control of the ship from Kamelion and lands the TARDIS on Earth to investigate. While the Doctor finds little of importance, other than a freshly uncovered batch of artifacts from an archaeological expedition, Turlough discovers the signal’s source and immobilizes the TARDIS to avoid going there. Turlough also spots a drowning swimmer on the TARDIS scanner. He rescues the girl, discovering that she has stolen the oddest of the artifacts that the Doctor saw earlier. When the Doctor returns, the TARDIS again takes off without his control, and apparently with a new passenger on board. The mystery of the new passengers unravels quickly, as does the mystery of who has been controlling Kamelion. But why is Turlough so keen to avoid a colony from his own planet – a colony of outcasts of which he may be a member?

Order the DVDwritten by Peter Grimwade
directed by Fiona Cumming
music by Peter Howell

Cast: Peter Davison (The Doctor), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Mark Strickson (Turlough), Anthony Ainley (The Master), Peter Wyngarde (Timanov), Barbara Shelley (Sorasta), Gerald Flood (voice of Kamelion), James Bate (Amyand), Dallas Adams (Professor Foster), Edward Highmore (Malkon), Jonathan Caplan (Roskal), John Alkin (Lomand), Michael Bangerter (Curt), Simon Sutton (Lookout), Max Arthur (Zuko), Ray Knight (Trion)

Broadcast from February 23 through March 2, 1984

LogBook entry & review by Earl Green

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 1

The Parliament of Dreams

Babylon 5Amidst a week of cultural exchange in which various cultures’ religious and philosophical views are demonstrated, Garibaldi notices the arrival of Catherine Sakai, Sinclair’s old flame from the space academy on Earth. While Sinclair tries to come to grips with his past, Ambassador G’Kar’s past gets a grip on him as an old adversary from the Narn homeworld has diverted all his resources to killing G’Kar. The sudden arrival of a new aide makes the ambassador understandably nervous, and no matter what steps he takes to ensure his own security, someone seems to be one step ahead of G’Kar at every turn…

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Jim Johnston
music by Christopher Franke

Guest Cast: Julia Nickson (Catherine Sakai), Thomas Kopache (Tu’Pari), Joy Hardin (Narn #1), Mark Hendrickson (Du’Rog), Calvin Jung (Guard), Randall Kirby (Businessman #1), Michael McKenzie (Pilgrim), Marianne Robertson (Dome Tech), Glenn Robinson (Head Waiter), Erich Martin Von Hicks (Businessman #2)

Notes: The character of Na’Toth, making her first appearance here, was originally to have been played by Susan Kellerman according to Warner Bros.’ preliminary promo material. Also note that the Minbari religious ceremony, according to Catherine Sakai, does double duty as a marriage ceremony.

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Earth: Final Conflict Season 1

The Wrath Of Achilles

Earth: Final ConflictAgainst Boone’s objections, the resistance embarks on a risky gambit to infect the Taelons’ biotechnology with Augur’s latest invention – a deadly computer virus that will render the Companions helpless. But Augur has underestimated the power of his own creation. Not only does it shut down Da’an’s headquarters, but it infects other Taelon technology whenever a distress call is placed. Before long, the entire Earth presence of the Taelons is crippled, but the damage is only beginning – since the Taelons have shared their technology with humanity, the entire world is left at its knees. Boone tries to help, while Lili and Da’an crash-land their shuttle in a distant location. Now the movement to liberate humanity may become the death of mankind.

written by Damian Kindler
directed by Stephen Williams
music by Micky Erbe & Maribeth Solomon

Guest Cast: Peter Kelly Gaudreault (Agent Lassiter)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Deep Space Nine Season 06 Star Trek

Honor Among Thieves

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: O’Brien is on an undercover mission for Starfleet Intelligence on Farius Prime. His job is to infiltrate the Orion Syndicate in order to learn the identity of their contact in Starfleet. O’Brien gets himself into the good graces of a man named Bilby. Eventually, O’Brien is able to identify the traitor, but also learns that the Orion Syndicate is working with the Dominion to assassinate the Klingon ambassador to Farius. With Bilby slated to be the trigger man, O’Brien must betray either Starfleet or his friend.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonteleplay by Renè Echavarria
story by Philip Kim
directed by Allan Eastman
music by Gregory Smith

Guest Cast: Michael Harney (Chadwick), Carlos Carrasco (Krole), John Chandler (Flith), Leland Crooke (Gelnon), Joseph Culp (Raimus), Nick Tate (Bilby), Brad Blaisdell (Yint)

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

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Season 3 Xena: Warrior Princess

King Con

Xena: Warrior PrincessThe bard and warrior find three men beating Joxer. Xena stops them, but they run. She finds the two men who conned Joxer and stole his sword. They tell the warrior that the owner of the casino, where Joxer recently won a lot of money, was most likely behind the attack. Xena decides to bring the man down with the help of the two con men.

Order the DVDswritten by Chris Manheim
directed by Janet Greek
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: Ted Raimi (Joxer), Stig Eldred (Titus), Justin Curry (Leo), Patrick Fabian (Rafe), Cameron Rhodes (Eldon), Vikki Cottingham (Barmaid), Bill Florian (Security Guard), Robert McMullen (Croupier/Dealer), Chris Sherwood (Guard #1), and Argo

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

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Season 06 Star Trek Voyager

Spirit Folk

Star Trek: VoyagerStardate not given: The peaceful folk of Fair Haven have never questioned the unusual number of strangers who have entered their village. At least not until Tom Paris calls upon an unknown power known as “computer” to make some slight alterations to life in Fair Haven. The townsfolk don’t take kindly to this hint of sorcery, and soon all of the strangers are persecuted – but Fair Haven’s residents may gain the upper hand when another power, something called the “holodeck failsafes,” leave the strangers at their mercy.

Order the DVDswritten by Bryan Fuller
directed by David Livingston
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Finton McKeown (Michael Sullivan), Richard Riehle (Seamus), Ian Abercrombie (Milo), Ian Patrick Williams (Doc), Henriette Ivanans (Maggie), Duffie McIntire (Grace), Bairbre Dowling (Edith), Majel Barrett (Computer voice)

Original Title: Daoine Sidhe

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
7th Doctor Doctor Who The Audio Dramas

The Fearmonger

Doctor Who: The FearmongerIn the present day, the Doctor and Ace arrive in a London gripped by fear. Terrorists seem to be going to extreme lengths to rid Britain of the ultra-right-wing New Britannia party and its Parliamentary candidate, Sherilyn Harper. The Doctor unceremoniously bursts in on Mick Thompson’s political talk radio show to make contact with a man named Walter who, with an accomplice who is now institutionalized, attempted to assassinate Harper and barely escaped with their lives after being attacked by…something. The Doctor postulates that the deadly entity is a non-corporeal creature which incites fear among its victims – and then feeds off that fear, often leaving the victims traumatized for life. Walter says that he can hear this creature in the voice of Sherilyn Harper, but as the crisis worsens and the streets become even more infested with terrorists – some of whom are not political agitators, but hired guns – it becomes apparent that the Fearmonger could be using anyone as its host… even, as Ace comes to believe, the Doctor himself.

Order this CDwritten by Jonathan Blum
directed by Gary Russell
music by Alistair Lock

Cast: Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Sophie Aldred (Ace), Jacqueline Pearce (Sherilyn Harper), Mark McDonnell (Walter Jacobs), Vince Henderson (Mick Thompson), Hugh Walters (Roderick Allingham), Jonathan Clarkson (Paul Tanner), Jack Gallagher (Alexsandr Karadjic), Mark Wright (Stephen Keyser), John Ainsworth (Tannoy voice)

Timeline: between Survival and The Genocide Machine

LogBook entry and TheatEar review by Earl Green

Categories
Star Trek Star Trek Fan Films Starship Farragut

The Captaincy

Starship Farragut

This is an episode of a fan-made series whose storyline may be invalidated by later official studio productions.

Stardate 4625.1: Captain John Carter assumes command of the Constitution Class starship U.S.S. Farragut after a tragic incident forces her previous captain into retirement. His hand-picked choices for his chief engineer and first officer are also aboard, though he’s a little bit put off by the by-the-books demeanor of the security chief he’s inherited. The Farragut is ordered to investigate the disappearance of another Federation vessel and a survey team headed by the headstrong Commodore Broughton – and what Captain Carter and his crew find waiting for them is a party of Klingons, led by Commander Kruge and guarding a secret weapon. Focusing the energy of an entire planet on its targets, the Klingons’ new weapon could threaten any world in the Federation on a planetary scale. With the Farragut searching for survivors from the destroyed ship elsewhere, it’s up to Carter and his crew to put the Klingons out of commission.

Watch Itwritten by John Broughton & Paul Sieber
directed by Paul Sieber
music by John Seguin / additional music by Patrick Phillips

Cast: John Broughton (Captain John T. Carter), Michael Bednar (Commander Robert Tacket), Holly Bednar (Lt. Commander Michelle Smithfield), Paul R. Sieber (Lt. Prescott / Klingon voice), Tonya Bacon (Lt. Alissa Moretti), David Sepan (Baker), Amy Sepan (Dr. Holley), John Broughton Sr. (Commodore Broughton), Mark Hildebrand (Kruge), Chris Carothers (Karek), Trey Thomas (Kray), Larry Manzare (Admiral Wainwright), Amanda Root (Bell), Bob McDonough (Galway), Cherise Rosemond (Shuttlecraft Pilot), Daniel Awkward (Nash / Klingon voice), Ralph Miller (Computer voice), Michael Struck (Jennings / Strickland), James Cawley (Captain Kirk), Jeff Quinn (Mr. Spock), John Kelly (Dr. McCoy), Sally Arkulari, Daniel Awkward, Ken Brison, Nancy Ellis, Brad Graper, Steve Kaserman, Dan Manherz, John Miller, Roger Miller, Michael Oetting, Tracy Phelps, Laird Sheep, Eric Van Arsale, John Winsley (Klingon Warriors), Patrick Bell, Bruce Dennis, David Dufrane, Denis Durand, Ron Gates, Natalie Montgomery, Ian Peters, Trey Thomas, Rob Turner, Jessica Young (Farragut Crew)

Review: The premiere of a new fan series set in the classic Trek era, Starship Farragut has a roughly equal number of things going for it and things that need improvement. But it’s a very impressive first effort, and the people who put it together can hold their heads high with this latest addition to the Trek universe. Though it seems as though the ranks of Kirk-era fan films are swelling, each series is unique enough to provide a different experience, and Farragut is no exception.

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Rebels Season 1 Star Wars

Rebel Resolve

Star Wars: RebelsEzra and the others are nearly obsessed with trying to locate Kanan, even to the point of taking on riskier offensives against the Empire than usual. But Hera receives a message from the mysterious Rebel leader Fulcrum: the search for Kanan is too risky, and has to stop. Undaunted by this, and unimpressed with Fulcrum, Ezra, Sabine, Zeb and Chopper launch their own rescue mission anyway. Kanan, in Imperial custody, refuses to talk even under the Inquisitor’s torture, so Governor Tarkin sets a course for a planet that has spelled the end of Jedi in the past: Mustafar.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Charles Murray and Henry Gilroy
directed by Justin Ridge
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

RebelsCast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Vanessa Marshall (Hera), Tiya Sircar (Sabine), Steven Blum (Zeb / Stormtrooper Commander / Shuttle Trooper #1), David Oyelowo (Agent Kallus), Keith Szarabajka (Cikatro Vizago / Shuttle Trooper #2), Stephen Stanton (Grand Moff Tarkin / Imperial Cruiser Officer / Stormtrooper #1), Liam O’Brien (Yogar Lyste / Imperial Technician / Shuttle Pilot), Jason Isaacs (The Inquisitor)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Avenue 5 Season 1

Was It Your Ears?

Avenue 5Beep. The fallout from the Halfway Home party continues, as passenger liaison Karen Kelly demands an apology from Judd, who led the crowd into nearly throwing her husband out of an airlock. Judd seems less than contrite. Beep. In the meantime, everyone aboard does have a reason to celebrate, even if they’re not really halfway home: the first baby born in space has just been born aboard Avenue 5. Beep. Captain Clark and Billie – among others – have been noticing a periodic “beep” being broadcast throughout the ship. Ex-astronaut Spike Martin thinks that it might be an indication of a slow oxygen leak, but even a slow one will doom everyone aboard. Beep. Judd turns his attention to the ring of human excrement orbiting the ship, and hatches an audacious plan to coat all of it with glitter and sequins, and then using the ship’s external lighting to turn it into something more decorative. Beep. On Earth, Rav Mulcair secures emergency funding for a rescue effort…but is asked to consider the possibility that, really, not everyone needs to make it off of Avenue 5 alive. Beep. As news of the oxygen leak spreads by word of mouth, dread grows among the passengers that every breath – and every beep – could be the last. Beep.

Download this episode via Amazonteleplay by Jon Brown
story by Armando Iannucci & Jon Brown
directed by Peter Fellows
music by Adem Ilhan

Avenue 5Cast: Hugh Laurie (Captain Ryan Clark), Josh Gad (Herman Judd), Zach Woods (Matt Spencer), Rebecca Front (Karen Kelly), Suzy Nakamura (Iris Kimura), Lenora Crichlow (Billie McEvoy), Nikki Amuka-Bird (Rav Mulcair), Ethan Phillips (Spike Martin), Andy Buckley (Frank Kelly), Jessica St. Clair (Mia), Kyle Bornheimer (Doug), Himesh Patel (Jordan Hatwal), Yasmine Akram (Mother), Joseph Balderrama (Tim), Kelly Bennett (Passenger), Rachel Handshaw (Teri), Brigid Leahy (Ella), Amanda Blake (White House Staffer), Mark Heenehan (Passenger), Stuart Milligan (Passenger), Josephine Jobert (Passenger), Alana Maria (Tina), Avenue 5Anna Siow (Secretary of State), Alex Harvey Brown (Wade), James Carroll Jordan (Crossbow Guy), Talal Karkouti (Passenger)

Notes: Stuart Milligan is an old hand at the sci-fi genre, with a resume including (among many other things) a 2011 Doctor Who two–parter in which he guest starred as President Richard Nixon, roles in Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, and numerous voice roles for animation and video games. Beep.

LogBook entry by Earl Green