Day: March 20, 1978

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Blake's 7 Season 1

Deliverance

Blake's 7The Liberator spots a spaceship as it crashes on Cephlon. Avon, Jenna, Gan and Vila teleport down to the planet to search for survivors from two life capsules that eject from the ship at the last moment. They find one dead and the other badly injured. The crew teleports back up with the survivor but do not realize that Jenna has been attacked by natives of the planet. While Blake and Cally try to help Ensor, the shipwreck survivor who says to tell his father that the Federation will pay a hundred million credits for something called Orac, the others return to Cephlon to rescue Jenna. An underground chamber conveniently opens for them as they barely escape from the natives, and there they meet Meegat, a lone civilized woman guarding a rocket loaded with the gene banks of the last civilization on Cephlon who regards Avon as a god. On the Liberator, Ensor takes Cally hostage and demands that the ship be set on a course for Aristo, his father’s home world. Jenna is rescued by Avon, Gan and Vila, and they manage to reactivate the launch system and send the future progeny of Cephlon on its way. Ensor dies from sheer exhaustion and Blake and Cally set the ship back to Cephlon to pick up the others. Blake is very much intrigued by Ensor’s information: a fortune for something called Orac and a box of power cells for his father’s artifical heart. The Liberator is soon back on course for Aristo…

written by Terry Nation
directed by Michael E. Briant
music by Dudley Simpson

Cast: Gareth Thomas (Blake), Sally Knyvette (Jenna), Paul Darrow (Avon), Jan Chappell (Cally), Michael Keating (Vila), David Jackson (Gan), Peter Tuddenham (Zen), Stephen Grief (Travis), Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan), Tony Caunter (Ensor), James Lister (Maryatt), Suzan Farmer (Meegat)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Blake's 7 Season 2

Gambit

Blake's 7The Liberator crew tracks Docholli down to a frontier town on a distant planet. Blake, Jenna and Cally teleport down to find him, and they do find him, hiding behind a false identity and drinking heavily in a local bar. Travis is there as well, acting as Docholli’s bodyguard. Meanwhile, Avon rounds up Vila and Orac, using the latter to teleport down to the computer controlled casino to break the bank. Krantor, the owner of Freedom City, tries to drug Vila and lull him into a game he can’t win, but Avon and Orac save Vila from certain death and leave with every cent in the casino, while Blake saves Travis from a scheme by Servalan to destroy him, the Liberator crew, and Docholli in a single explosion. Docholli tells Blake that Lurgen, a surgeon whom he knew while still in the Federation, knows the location of Star One, and that the location is hidden somewhere on the planet Goth on a person of royal blood…

written by Robert Holmes
directed by George Spenton-Foster
music by Elizabeth Parker

Cast: Gareth Thomas (Blake), Sally Knyvette (Jenna), Paul Darrow (Avon), Jan Chappell (Cally), Michael Keating (Vila), Peter Tuddenham (Orac), Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan), Brian Croucher (Travis), Aubrey Woods (Krantor), Denis Carey (Docholli), Nicolette Roeg (Chenie), Sylvia Coleridge (Croupier), Paul Grist (Cevedic), John Leeson (Toise), Harry Jones (Jarriere), Michael Halsey (Zee), Deep Roy (Klute)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Buck Rogers Season 1

Buck’s Duel to the Death

Buck Rogers In The 25th CenturyThe people and the rightful government of the planet Katar are under the thumb of the tyrannical Trebor, and they’re beginning to look for a way out of their predicament. Their prophecies state that a 500 year old man will rise up, defeat the Trebor, and free Katar – and they’ve heard of Buck’s origins. An incident is arranged that is sure to attract Buck’s attention, and he is invited to Katar as a way of thanking him for his help. But once he’s on the planet, the real reason for the invitation is revealed to him – the Katarians admit that he may not be the fulfillment of their prophecy, but they do want Buck to help inspire an uprising among the population. Whether or not Buck is expected to survive his new career as a hero of the people, however, is another story.

Order the DVDswritten by Robert W. Gilmer
directed by Bob Bender
music by J.J. Johnson

Cast: Gil Gerard (Buck Rogers), Erin Gray (Wilma Deering), Tim O’Connor (Doctor Huer), William Smith (The Trebor), Keith Andes (Darius), Elizabeth Stack (Vionne), Edward Power (Neil), Fred Sadoff (Kelan), Robert Lussier (Dr. Albert), Stephanie Blackmore (Greta), Heidi Bohay (Maya), Francisco Lagueruela (Karem), Douglas R. Bruce (Young Officer)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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National Public Radio Star Wars

Way Of The Jedi

The Empire Strikes Back NPR Radio DramaLuke arrives at the cloud-shrouded swamp world of Dagobah, where he loses control of his X-Wing and crashes it into a marsh. He and Artoo are able to swim to safety as their only means of escape sinks into the bog. As they recover what survival supplies they can and try to figure out what to do next, Luke senses a presence nearby – and draws his blaster on a small green humanoid creature who has been watching him for some time. The strange being, who seems to be amused by everything from Luke’s presence to his predicament, invites him to share a meal. Only when Luke’s host reveals knowledge of Luke’s father does it become clear that Luke has found Yoda, the Jedi Master. Soon, his diminutive mentor is opening Luke’s mind to new ways of harnessing the Force – but when Luke ventures into a cave which Yoda warns is inhabited by the energy of the dark side, he encounters an image of Darth Vader. In the ensuing lightsaber battle, Luke cuts his foe down – only to be shocked when Vader’s mask is cut away to reveal Luke’s own face within.

Order this CDwritten by Brian Daley
based on the screenplay Star Wars by George Lucas
directed by John Madden
music by John Williams

See the first episode for cast information.

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TV Movies

Special Bulletin

Special BulletinAn armed anti-nuclear fringe group docks a rented tugboat at the port in Charleston, South Carolina; at the first sign of a Coast Guard inspection of the boat, fire is exchanged, and a local news crew reporting another story at the port is taken hostage. The terrorists aboard the boat demand that the news crew’s network give them access to the airwaves, or the hostages will be shot. RBN reluctantly allows the terrorists to broadcast their demands across the nation: the U.S. government will either deliver the remote detonation controls for its entire nuclear arsenal to the boat, or a low-yield nuke will be detonated in Charleston. After speculation arises that the demand is a bluff, a real nuclear device is shown on the air, though the government seems slow to respond, other than ordering a “limited” evacuation of Charleston. As RBN profiles the terrorists’ pasts, it becomes apparent that one of them has already contracted radiation poisoning from handling nuclear material…and a man with nothing to lose is the most dangerous man in the world.

teleplay by Marshall Herskovitz
story by Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz
directed by Edward Zwick
music by Ferdinand Jay Smith

Special BulletinCast: Ed Flanders (John Woodley), Kathryn Walker (Susan Myles), Roxanne Hart (Meg Barclay), Christopher Allport (Steven Levitt), David Clennon (Dr. Bruce Lyman), David Rasche (Dr. David McKeeson), Rosalind Cash (Frieda Barton), Ebbe Roe Smith (Jim Seaver), Roberta Maxwell (Diane Silverman), Robert Kay (George Takashima), J. Wesley Huston (Bernard Frost), Frank Dent (Dr. Jason Halpern), Charles Lanyer (Merritt Cunningham), Mie Hunt (Ellen Stevens), Bruce Fields (Walter Letteau), Lane Smith (Morton Sanders), Jim Jansen (Arlen Surrey), Peter Hobbs (Jonathan E. Herman), Mary Armstrong (Interviewee), Bernard Behrens (Dr. Neils Johanssen), Ivan Bonar (Interviewee), Ron Frazier (Interviewee), Bruce Frank (Interviewee), Elizabeth Gill (Interviewee), June Kim (Hiroshima Interviewee), George Morfogen (Interviewee), Duncan Ross (Interviewee), Bill Saito (Hiroshima Interviewee), Kenneth Tigar (Dr. Abraham Sczrsma), John Walsh (Interviewee), Steve Arvin Interviewee(), Edwin Bernstein (Interviewee), Wanda Bowe (Interviewee), Robert Buckingham (Interviewee), Judie Carroll (Interviewee), Marian A. Carter (Interviewee), Kelly Condon (Interviewee), William A. Gimble Jr. Special Bulletin(Interviewee), William J. Ghinta (Interviewee), Liberty Godshall (Interviewee), Ray Godshall (Interviewee), Virginia Gourdin (Interviewee), Steven Ledford (Interviewee), Marc Levy (Interviewee), Michael Madsen (Jimmy Lenox), Robert Marks (Interviewee), Joe Mays (Interviewee), Arthur McDonald Interviewee(), David Moses (Interviewee), Arthur R. Nuzzo (Interviewee), Ellen Ren (Interviewee), Adrian Ricard (Interviewee), Steven M. Sawyer (Interviewee), Sadina H. Terry (Interviewee), Jack Thompson (Tennessee Senator), Celestine Turner (Interviewee), David VandeBrake (Interviewee), Elizabeth Young (Interviewee), Sam Youngblood (Interviewee), Randolph Hille (Politician), John Wesley (Bernard Frost)

LogBook entry and review by Earl Green

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Season 02 Star Trek The Next Generation

Contagion

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 42609.1: After witnessing the tragic destruction of the Galaxy class starship Yamato in the Neutral Zone, Picard follows Yamato Captain Donald Varley’s haunch that the planet Iconia contains the valuable remnants of a now extinct but technologically advanced civilization, leaving Riker on the malfunctioning Enterprise to deal with a Romulan warship.

Order the DVDswritten by Steve Gerber and Beth Woods
directed by Joseph L. Scanlan
music by Dennis McCarthy

Cast: Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher), Diana Muldaur (Dr. Pulaski), Thalmus Rasulala (Captain Donald Varley), Carolyn Seymour (Subcommander Taris), Dana Sparks (Tactics Officer), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), Folkert Schmidt (Doctor)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 01 Star Trek Voyager

Prime Factors

Star Trek: VoyagerStardate 48642.5: Voyager is intercepted by a ship from Sakarris, an planet with an advanced culture renowned for its hospitality; Sakarran magistrate Gath offers an extended visit to his planet, which Janeway accepts. During this visit, Harry finds out that the Sakarrans have developed transportation technology that could send Voyager at least halfway home, if not all the way. But the Sakarrans have their own rule – much like Starfleet’s Prime Directive – that will not permit them to share this technology with less advanced cultures. However, a faction on Sakarris is willing to exchange a sample of their trajector with Voyager’s crew in exchange for something only the outsiders can offer. Janeway will not conduct an unofficial or illegal exchange, but she finds out that there are those among her crew who will.

Order the DVDsteleplay by Michael Perricone and Greg Elliot
story by David R. George III and Eric A. Stillwell
directed by Les Landau
music by Jay Chattaway

Cast: Kate Mulgrew (Captain Kathryn Janeway), Robert Beltran (Chakotay), Roxann Biggs-Dawson (B’Elanna Torres), Jennifer Lien (Kes), Robert Duncan McNeill (Tom Paris), Ethan Phillips (Neelix), Robert Picardo (The Doctor), Tim Russ (Tuvok), Garrett Wang (Ensign Harry Kim), Ronald Guttman (Gath), Yvonne Suhor (Eudana), Andrew Hill Newman (Jaret), Martha Hackett (Seska), Josh Clark (Carey)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 5 Xena: Warrior Princess

Kindred Spirits

Xena: Warrior PrincessNow that the right of caste ceremony is over, Gabrielle is thinking that she and Xena should stay with the Amazons and raise Eve, but Xena is ready to move on. As the two discuss their plans, a group of Amazons captures Joxer, who was spying on them while they were bathing. They bring him back to the village for Gabrielle to decide on his punishment. To complicate things, Cyane wants to be queen, another Amazon wants to be Xena’s new sidekick, and a third becomes interested in having a baby.

Order the DVDswritten by George Strayton and Tom O’Neill
directed by Josh Becker
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: Joy Van Uden (Rhea), Morgan Reese Fairhead (Eris), Shelley Edwards (Cyane), Charlotte Comer (Young Amazon), Joy Ramirez (Amazon)

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

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Enterprise Season 01 Star Trek

Rogue Planet

Star Trek: EnterpriseThe Enterprise encounters a rogue planet, an isolated world which was thrown out of its sun’s orbit. Though science generally dictates that such a world would be dead, but thermal energy from the planet’s still-active core have kept a thriving (if nocturnal) ecosystem alive. Archer heads up a landing party that happens upon a group of hunters, led by Damrus. The non-indigenous hunters seem friendly enough, and Malcolm even convinces them to let him join them on their next foray. While the others rest up, Archer keeps watch at the camp, and hears a woman call his name. He sees her, but is unable to catch up with her, and no one else in the camp can find any evidence that she was there. She appears again later as he, Trip and T’Pol are exploring, but she only approaches when Archer is alone. The hunt goes badly, and one of the hunters is nearly killed by an amorphous life form; he is taken back to the Enterprise by shuttle and Dr. Phlox restores him to full health. Archer insists on staying on the planet overnight to see if the mysterious woman contacts him again, and she does. This time she stays long enough to have a conversation, and Archer learns that she’s not human, but a member of a sentient shapeshifting species. Though interfering with the well-armed hunters doesn’t seem like an option, Archer has a plan for evening the odds in the shapeshifters’ favor.

Order DVDsDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxteleplay by Chris Black
story by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga & Chris Black
directed by Allan Kroeker
music by Paul Baillargeon

Cast: Scott Bakula (Captain Jonathan Archer), Jolene Blalock (Subcommander T’Pol), John Billingsley (Dr. Phlox), Dominic Keating (Lt. Malcolm Reed), Anthony Montgomery (Ensign Travis Mayweather), Linda Park (Ensign Hoshi Sato), Connor Trinneer (Commander Charles “Trip” Tucker III), Keith Szarabajka (Damrus), Stephanie Niznik (Woman), Conor O’Farrell (Buzaan), Eric Pierpoint (Shiraht)

Notes: An interesting “future history” note – the Boy Scouts are apparently still earning merit badges in the 22nd century. Archer earned 26 of them and made it to Eagle Scout, while Reed accumulated 28, including a merit badge in exobiology. Any scouts hoping to earn a hunting merit badge are out of luck, as Archer points out that hunting for sport has been out of fashion on Earth for a century. Guest star Keith Szarabajka has guest starred on Babylon 5 and, at the time he guest starred on Enterprise, also had a recurring role on Angel as immortal vampire hunter Holtz.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Clone Wars Season 1 Star Wars

Hostage Crisis

The Clone WarsA group of bounty hunters, led by Cade Bane, infiltrate the Senate building. Taking a group of Senators hostage, they demand the release of Ziro the Hutt. Anakin, who has given his lightsaber to Padme as a sign of trust, must find a way to free the captives without allowing them to come to harm.

written by Eoghan Mahony
directed by Giancarlo Volpe
music by Kevin Kiner / original Star Wars themes by John Williams

Cast: Corey Burton (Cade Bane / Ziro the Hutt / Shanan Alama), Tom Kane (Senate Guard Captain / Narrator), David Acord (Senate Guards / Servant Droid), Matthew Wood (3D / Senate Guards / Commando Droid), Matt Lanter (Anakin Skywalker), Catherine Taber (Padmé Amidala / Betty Droid), Dee Bradley Baker (Robonino / Onaconda Farr / Commander Fox / clone troopers), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Phil Lamarr (Bail Organa / Senator Philo / Orn Free Taa), Ian Abercrombie (Chancellor Palpatine), Jaime King (Aurra Sing)

LogBook entry by Philip R. Frey

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Battlestar Galactica (New Series) Season 4

Daybreak – Part Two

Battlestar GalacticaCaprica City, before the fall: Saul and Ellen Tigh drink to Bill Adama’s impending career move, but during the intense interview – bordering on an interrogation – Adama decides he’d rather be back in uniform, fading into obscurity performing ceremonial duties aboard a museum piece of a battlestar that will never see action again…

Now: Instructed to stay with the fleet to provide medical care, Doc Cottle issues Roslin with enough drugs to keep her up and moving for the mission to save Hera. Surprisingly, Baltar finally joins the mission as well. Their orders are simple: Galactica will jump into the heart of the Cylon stronghold, and Sam will communicate with the colony’s hybrid, convincing it to bring the automatic defenses’ assault on Galactica to a halt. Adama rams Galactica right down the Cylons’ throats, causing massive damage to both vessels – and giving the combined Colonial/rebel Cylon forces a perfect entrance to the colony. But even when a remorseful Boomer hands Hera back over to her parents, the fight isn’t over: Brother Cavel and his forces raid Galactica, and just when it seems Hera is safe and sound, he grabs the child and threatens to kill her unless the secret of resurrection is restored to the Cylons. This requires a group-mind link among the final five, during which all will be revealed, something which makes Tory nervous. During the link, her murder of Cally is revealed to Tyrol, who breaks the link to exact revenge. Deciding that he’s been tricked, Cavel orders his forces to open fire again, and he himself dies in the ensuing bloodbath. A stray raptor, its pilot dying, accidentally fires nukes into the heart of the Cylon colony; with Hera safely aboard, Galactica jumps away from the imminent cataclysm, on a heading for nearly-random coordinates that Starbuck has derived from musical notes written down by Hera.

But it proves to be the ship’s last jump: returning to normal space is the straw that literally breaks Galactica’s back. The battlestar will never jump again. Galactica has arrived near a habitable planet, and summons the rest of the fleet to follow. On this planet, primitive humanoids – genetically combatible with Colonials and Cylons alike – are thriving. But rather than introduce technology and concepts – and trouble – to advance the natives, Lee has a better idea: the survivors of the fleet should abandon their technology and go native, learning to live off the land anew. The Cylon centurions are dispatched in their base ship to find freedom, though no one can say with any certainty that they won’t return to this planet and wipe out the rest of the Colonials. On the ground, the crew begin making plans for a new, simpler life…but will their progeny learn from their mistakes, or repeat them?

written by Ronald D. Moore
directed by Michael Rymer
music by Bear McCreary

Guest Cast: Michael Hogan (Tigh), Aaron Douglas (Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Michael Trucco (Sam Anders), Callum Keith Rennie (Leoben), Kate Vernon (Ellen Tigh), Rick Worthy (Simon), Mark Sheppard (Romo Lampkin), Donnelly Rhodes (Doc Cottle), Matthew Bennett (Aaron Doral), Rekha Sharma (Tory Foster), Kerry Norton (Nurse Ishay), Dean Stockwell (Brother Cavel), Brad Drybrough (Hoshi)

LogBook entry by Earl Green