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Season 04 Star Trek The Next Generation

Qpid

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 44741.9: Picard is readying a speech on the subject of the planet Tagus 3, whose archaelogical digs are off-limits to outsiders, to be delivered to a group of distinguished archaeologists, and is surprised to find that Vash, a very fondly remembered acquaintance from his visit to Risa, is present as well, no doubt to fulfill her nefarious urge to go treasure-seeking. She and Picard seem to be able to agree on nothing, which catches the attention of Q, who, to force Picard to admit that he does indeed love Vash, sends the crew, Vash, and even himself, into Sherwood Forest. Picard, of course, becomes Robin Hood, his crew become Robin’s merry men, Q becomes Guy of Gisbourne, and Vash, naturally, is the damsel in distress…a role she doesn’t play willingly, or, indeed, correctly!

Order the DVDsteleplay by Ira Steven Behr
story by Randee Russell and Ira Steven Behr
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Jennifer Hetrick (Vash), Clive Revill (Sheriff of Nottingham), John de Lancie (Q), Joi Staton (Servant)

Notes: Clive Revill, the Sheriff of Nottingham in this story, also has another well-known science fiction saga in his resume: he provided the voice (and a shimmering but fuzzy image) of the Galactic Emperor in The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 (Ian McDiarmid took that role over in 1983’s Return Of The Jedi when the Emperor finally made a personal appearance in the saga).

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 3

A Late Delivery From Avalon

Babylon 5A man claiming to be King Arthur arrives on Babylon 5, brandishing his sword and threatening security until Marcus’ British accent reassures him that he is in friendly territory. Franklin scans Arthur for any illnesses, and later discovers that the self-proclaimed King of the Britons is, in fact, an Earthforce veteran who played an unfortunate key role in the Earth-Minbari War. But Arthur goes missing, traveling through Downbelow and – after befriending G’Kar, who he later knights – righting wrongs among the station’s commoners. But when Franklin confronts Arthur with his true identity, his concern for his patient could wind up destroying a legend.

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

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Susan Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Security Chief Michael Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Peter Jurasik (Londo Mollari), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Michael York (Arthur/David MacIntyre), Michael Kagan (Emmett Farquaha), Roger Hampton (Merchant), Dona Hardy (Old Woman), Michael Francis Kelly (Security Guard #1), James Kiriyama-Lem (Med Tech), Robert Schuch (Lurker), Jerry O’Donnell (Security Guard #2)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

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Deep Space Nine Season 04 Star Trek

Shattered Mirror

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: Sisko receives a surprise visit from Jennifer – the mirror universe version of his late wife, whom he met last year when he convinced her to join the rebels against the Alliance in her universe. Now, she says, the rebels have captured Terok Nor. Jennifer lures Jake back to her universe with her, as part of a plan to coerce Sisko into helping finish the mirror version of the Defiant. Sisko follows, and finds himself in a race against time to prepare the ship before the arrival of an Alliance fleet headed by the Regent – Worf.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler
directed by James L. Conway
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Felecia M. Bell (Jennifer), Aron Eisenberg (Nog), Carlos Carrasco (Klingon Officer), Andrew Robinson (Garak), James Black (Helmsman), Dennis Madalone (Guard)

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

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Season 1 Xena: Warrior Princess

Altared States

Xena: Warrior PrincessXena and Gabrielle’s morning of fishing is interrupted when some men chase a young boy into their area. After dealing with the men, they learn from the boy, Icus, that his father is going to sacrifice him and that was why he was being chased. Xena hides Icus and Gabrielle in a cave that she once used for her army, and goes to talk to the boy’s father. His father, Anteus, seems relieved that Xena and Gabrielle are watching over his son. Maell convinces the zealots that Xena must die. Gabrielle is telling stories to Icus, but the boy isn’t listening. He’s wondering about why his father wants to sacrifice him. The bard tries to reassure him that Xena will find a way to keep that from happening. She then wishes she had something to eat, since the fish that she and Xena caught were used as a weapon by the warrior. Icus says he has plenty of food that his mom packed for him. One of the things that he has to eat is a large piece of nut bread, one of Gabrielle’s favorite foods. The warrior finds his mother at the temple of Hestia. She tells Xena that the supreme one told Anteus to make Icus the next leader instead of his older brother Maell. She then asks Xena to take more nutbread to Icus. She has some that Maell had specially made for his father. Xena realizes that there is something wrong with the nutbread and races back to the cave. She finds Gabrielle asleep on the floor of the cave and Icus is gone. When she wakes the young woman, the bard acts strangely. She has no idea what happened to Icus. Xena tells Gabrielle to stay in the cave, while she goes to find the boy. Icus, concerned about his new friend has returned home to ask his mother to help Gabrielle. But the zealots come and grab him. One stands guard over his mother, while the others take him to Anteus. Xena takes care of the zealot, and goes after the ones who have taken the boy. She distracts them and is able to get Icus away from them. Xena and Icus find Anteus slumped over the altar. He’s exhausted and Xena helps him return home. She asks him again to spare his son, but he won’t. She tells him that she will stop him, and Anteus says part of him hopes she will succeed. Once the warrior has returned the father and son to their home, she explains that the nutbread that Maell has been giving Anteus is drugged. She’s interrupted by a knock on the door. It’s Gabrielle. She was told by a rock to come and find Xena. The warrior points out that the bard has been hearing voices because of the nutbread she ate. Icus spots his brother and the zealots outside. He runs out the other door and Xena follows him. He’s angry and says that everything would have been fine if she hadn’t interfered. Xena returns to the house and finds that Maell has Gabrielle with a knife to her throat. He promises he won’t hurt anyone as long as Xena cooperates. He has the two women thrown into the well.

Order the DVDswritten by Chris Manheim
directed by Michael Levine
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: David Ackroyd (Anteus), Karl Urban (Maell), David deLautour (Icus), Teresa Woodham (Zora), Sean Ashton-Peach (Zealot #1), Jack Dacey (Brawny Zealot), Peter Ford (Zealot Guard), Graham Smith (Senior Zealot)

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

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Deep Space Nine Season 05 Star Trek

Ferengi Love Songs

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: With things going from bad to worse for Quark, he retreats to Ferenginar to visit his mother – but is shocked to learn that she has become romantically involved with none other than Grand Nagus Zek. Then Brunt of the FCA offers Quark a deal he can’t refuse: he will reinstate Quark’s license in exchange for Quark breaking up the lovers. Quark does this, only to learn that his actions may have just spelled disaster for Ferengi society.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler
directed by Rene Auberjonois
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Cecily Adams (Ishka), Max Grodenchik (Rom), Chase Masterson (Leeta), Tiny Ron (Maihar’du), Hamilton Camp (Leck), Jeffrey Combs (Brunt), Wallace Shawn (Zek)

Original title: Of Love And Profit

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

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Season 04 Star Trek Voyager

Unforgettable

Star Trek: VoyagerStardate 51813.4: A woman’s voice from a critically damaged ship calls out to Chakotay – even though he has no idea who she is. Rescued from her ship, Kellin promptly asks for asylum from her own people, warning that they will certainly come looking for her. Though suspicious of his guest, Chakotay listens as she recounts a story of how she previously sought the help of the crew in tracking down another fugitive from her world – and fell in love with Chakotay in the process. The genetic makeup of Kellin’s people prevents sensors from picking her up accurately, and keeps other races from retaining any memory of her. But just as Kellin once captured a runaway from her world, another member of her race has secretly boarded Voyager to retrieve her – whether she wants to go home or not.

Order the DVDswritten by Greg Elliot & Michael Perricone
directed by Andrew J. Robinson
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Virginia Madsen (Kellin), Michael Canavan (Curneth)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Enterprise Season 04 Star Trek

In A Mirror Darkly Part I

Star Trek: Enterprise100 years after a Vulcan ship landed in Bozeman, Montana, where a hungry human mob killed its crew and stripped the ship of its technology, the Earth Empire is already carving a swath of fear across the galaxy. Humanity’s greed for technology and territory has made the Empire’s Starfleet a formidable force, especially its flagship, the Enterprise, commanded by Captain Forrest. Forrest’s ambitious first officer, Jonathan Archer, is keen to follow up on leads regarding unusual activity in Tholian space. When Forrest dismisses Archer’s plans to see what the Tholians are up to, the Empire’s typical policy of attrition comes into play: Archer relieves Forrest of command by force, but leaves the captain alive and in the brig. Archer sets a course deep into Tholian space and locks the Enterprise’s helm controls. En route, an incident in engineering cripples many of the ship’s systems and sensors, and marks the beginning of another uprising – this time, science officer T’Pol and the other Vulcan crewmembers, who have survived only by existing in near-slavery to the Empire, sabotage the ship and free Forrest.

But their efforts are far too late – the Enterprise is already in Tholian territory, where they’ve found a ship that seems to be based on Earth Empire technology, but is far more advanced than the Enterprise. Archer theorizes that it could be from an alternate timeline, but again finds little support for his idea. Despite misgivings about Archer’s loyalty, the reinstated Captain Forrest sends his first officer on a mission to salvage the massive ship – the U.S.S. Defiant – but also sends T’Pol along as well, with orders of her own: Archer isn’t to return from this salvage operation alive. But before Forrest can see his orders carried out, the Enterprise becomes the Tholians’ primary target.

Order DVDswritten by Michael Sussman
directed by James L. Conway
footage from Star Trek: First Contact directed by Jonathan Frakes
music by Dennis McCarthy & Kevin Kiner
music from Star Trek: First Contact by Jerry Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Vaughn Armstrong (Captain Forrest), Franc Ross (Grizzled Human)

Appearing in footage from Star Trek: First Contact: James Cromwell (Zefram Cochrane), Cully Frederickson (Vulcan)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Doctor Who New Series Season 02

Tooth And Claw

Doctor WhoIn 1879, a band of warrior monks takes Torchwood House and its staff by force – a place which just happens to be Queen Victoria’s next stop on a trip through Scotland. The monks bring a cage with them, containing an unearthly terror which they also hope to introduce to Her Majesty. The Queen’s entourage happens upon the Doctor and Rose, who have only just arrived, expecting it to be 1979. Her Majesty brings the travelers with her to Torchwood House, where a trap has been waiting over two centuries to spring. On schedule, when moonlight falls upon the monks’ cage, its passenger – a werewolf – breaks loose. Now the Doctor finds himself having to protect not only Rose, but Queen Victoria and perhaps the entire human race.

Download this episodewritten by Russell T. Davies
directed by Euros Lyn
music by Murray Gold

Guest Cast: Pauline Collins (Queen Victoria), Ian Hanmore (Father Angelo), Michelle Duncan (Lasy Isobel), Derek Riddell (Sir Robert), Jamie Sives (Captain Reynolds), Ron Donachie (Steward), Tom Smith (The Host), Ruthie Milne (Flora)

LogBook entry & review by Earl Green

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Doctor Who New Series Season 10

Smile

Doctor WhoBill wants to see Earth’s future, so the Doctor takes her to an Earth colony several centuries into that future. The odd thing is, the entire colony seems to be populated not by humans, but by two kinds of robots: flying, bee-like microbots that built, and make up the material of, the colony structures, and diminutive mobile robots who communicate only through simple facial expressions. But at the first sign that their guests are unhappy with what they’ve found – a city built for humans but devoid of humans – the robots don what could be a fatal frown. Determined to make sure that any future colonists aren’t walking into a trap, the Doctor decides to destroy the colony…until Bill discovers that the colonists are already there.

Order the DVDDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Frank Cottrell Boyce
directed by Lawrence Gough
music by Murray Gold

Cast: Peter Capaldi (The Doctor), Pearl Mackie (Bill), Matt Lucas (Nardole), Kiran L Dadlani (Kezzia), Mina Anwar (Goodthing),Ralf Little (Steadfast), Kalungi Ssebandeke (Nate), Kiran Shah (Emojibot), Craig Garner (Emojibot)

Doctor WhoNotes: Mina Anwar is no stranger to the universe of Doctor Who. She played Gita Chandra, the excitable mother of series regular Rani Chandra, on The Sarah Jane Adventures, though she plays a different, unrelated character here.

LogBook entry & review by Earl Green