Day: April 28, 1966

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Batman Season 1

The Riddler’s False Notion

BatmanRobin is missing, kidnapped by the Riddler and his goons. When Batman follows the latest clues left by the Riddler, however, they don’t lead to the Boy Wonder. With his closest ally in the hands of the Riddler, Batman must take bigger risks than usual, such as bringing Commissioner Gordon to the Batcave, to reel the movie-making criminals in.

Download this episode via Amazonwritten by Dick Carr
directed by Charles R. Rondeau
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), Frank Gorshin (The Riddler), Sherry Jackson (Pauline), Francis X. Bushman (Mr. Van Jones), Richard Bakalayan (C.B.), Theo Marcuse (Van Bloheim), Burt Brandon (Wolf)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Sky

What Dread Hand

SearchThe shadowy man known only as Goodchild has attacked Sky again, rendering the boy feeble and weak; Roy, Arby and Jane take him to the nearest hospital, unsure of what else they can do to help him. In the hospital, Sky continues muttering something about the Juganet, and tries to reach out telepathically to his new friends for help, but otherwise remains in a trancelike state. Goodchild adopts a less medieval outfit to blend in and finish the battle, and Sky’s friends may not be able to save him in time.

Order the DVDswritten by Bob Baker and Dave Martin
directed by Derek Clark
music by Eric Wetherell

SkyCast: Marc Harrison (Sky), Stuart Lock (Arby Vennor), Cherrald Butterfield (Jane Vennor), Richard Speight (Roy Briggs), Jack Watson (Major Briggs), Frances Cuka (Mrs. Vennor), Thomas Heathcote (Mr. Vennor), Meredith Edwards (Tom), Gerald Hel (Dr. Saul), Ursula Barclay (First Nurse), Monica Lavers (Second Nurse), Barbara Baber (Receptionist), Geoff Serle (Orderly), Robert Eddison (Goodchild)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Supertrain

The Green Girl

SupertrainHarry is less than enthusiastic about a televised, high-stakes international poker tournament to be held aboard Supertrain, but he’s at least relieved that Wayne is the one who has to keep the high-rollers happy. With a $100,000 buy-in, only the five best poker players in the world can even afford to ante up…and one of them doesn’t make it to the station in time to meet the train, replaced instead by a woman who claims to have won that player’s invitation by beating him at poker. Wayne is immediately smitten with the unexpected substitute player, but his personal feelings become a liability when it’s discovered that hundreds of thousands of dollars in the game’s pot of cash has been swapped out with counterfeit bills, leaving the unexpected new arrival at the poker table as the only real suspect.

written by Stephen Kandel
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Bob Cobert

SupertrainCast: Edward Andrews (Harry Flood), Ilene Graff (Penny Whitaker), Harrison Page (George Boone), Robert Alda (Dr. Lewis), Joey Aresco (Wayne Randall), Rebecca Balding (Ellen Bradford), David Huddleston (Duke Burnside), Henry Jones (James Malinson), Clyde Kusatsu (Shimaju Fukuda), Cleavon Little (Preacher Ross), Roddy McDowall (Talcott), Chip Fields (Preacher’s Lady), Maggie Jean Smith (Talcott’s Entourage), Laura Grayson (Talcott’s Entourage), Leigh Walsh (Talcott’s Entourage), Ross Bickell (Milburn)

SupertrainNotes: Wayne says that conductor Harry Flood has ascended to the position of CEO of Supertrain (apparently he’s taken over from Winfield Root sometime since episode one); Boone worked at a bank for three years prior to his stint on Supertrain. This episode is another smorgasbord of ’70s TV royalty, with Chip Fields (from The Amazing Spider-Man) scouting out Supertrain ahead of her Spider-Man co-star Nicholas Hammond’s appearance the following week, and no less than Roddy McDowall (Planet Of The Apes, The Fantastic Journey) putting in a guest shot. (Since Robert Alda is already a regular, this series is a John Saxon guest shot away from peak ’70s TV.) Director Cliff Bole (1937–2014) was early in his very busy career here, having already helmed 11 episodes of The Six Million Dollar Man, one episode of The Amazing Spider-Man, and numerous installments of Charlie’s Angels, Baretta, and BJ And The Bear. He would go on to rack up two dozen directing credits on Fantasy Island, as well as episodes of V, T.J. Hooker, MacGyver, Star Trek: The Next Generation (including the fan-favorite two-parter The Best Of Both Worlds), Star Trek spinoffs Deep Space Nine and Voyager, The X-Files, M.A.N.T.I.S., Millennium, Harsh Realm, and Supernatural. And, of course, Supertrain!

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Max Headroom Season 1 (US)

War

Max HeadroomA news package broker contacts Network 23 and offers exclusive access to a terrorist group – for a premium, of course. Cheviot refuses to buy, and when the White Brigade blows up an entire city block, only rival network Breakthru TV has coverage of the event. Network 23’s board fumes over Breakthru’s sudden ratings surge – in the middle of a global rating sweep – but they jump at the chance of having Edison Carter expose the sinister link between Breakthru TV and the terrorists themselves. Edison eventually tracks the terrorists to their headquarters, and finds that their entire war is being fought on television, a war of publicity with as few casualties as possible to avoid negative reaction from the viewers. But when the bombers feel that their deal with Breakthru TV is no longer serving their cause, they change their policy regarding casualties…in a drastic way.

written by Martin Pasko, Rebecca Parr, Michael Cassutt, and Steve Roberts
directed by Thomas J. Wright
music by Cory Lerios

Guest Cast: Gary Swanson (Frank Braddock), Virginia Kiser (Formby), Hank Garrett (?), Lee Wilkof (Pat Zein), Richard Lineback (Hewett), Robert Max HeadroomO’Reilly (Croyd Hauser), Lisa Niemi (Janie Crane), J. Michael Flynn (Lucien), Arsenio “Sonny” Trinidad (?), Ricardo Gutierrez (Martinez), Tom Miller (Breakthru TV Reporter), Michael Colin Ward (Officer Wendt), Randall Caldwell (Phil), Yana Nirvana (Police Chief), Spencer Allan (Breakthru TV Anchor)

Notes: Guest star Robert O’Reilly may be best known to genre fans as Gowron, the leader of the Klingon Empire in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. This episode is also the source of the series-defining exchange: “Since when has news been entertainment?” “Since it was invented.”

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Max Headroom Season 2 (US)

Neurostim

Max HeadroomEdison tries to find out more about Zik Zak’s latest promotional gimmick, the free Neurostim bracelets given away with every Zik Zak burger pack. Whatever it’s doing, it’s certainly driven sales of the burgers sky-high. But Edison’s prying isn’t necessarily welcomed by Zik Zak, and since they’re Network 23’s corporate sponsors, they set out to derail his investigative report by making sure he receives a particularly addictive one. As Edison soon discovers for himself, Neurostim is a mental narcotic, granting its users any dream they wish, at least in their own minds. Bryce thinks the only way to help Edison shake off his Neurostim addiction is to restore his personality by patching Max through the bracelet…but Edison is tired of competing with Max for attention, even in his dreams.

written by Arthur Sellers and Michael Cassutt
directed by Maurice Phillips
music by Michael Hoenig

Max HeadroomGuest Cast: Sab Shimono (Pat Zein), Hank Garrett (?), Lee Wilkof (?), Sharon Barr (?), Jim Piddock (Mr. Kelly), Evan Kim (Mr. Chen), Jacque Lynn Colion (Burger Lady), Edward Wiley (Zik Zak Waiter), Michael Margotta (Sully), Martin Azarow (Punk), Billy Beck (Frank Knight), Roger Hampton (Sgt. Compton), Michael Strasser (Scumball Announcer), Joan Severance (Edison’s dream girl), Julie McCullough (?), Tom Dugan (?), Michael Dobo (?), Frank Kahlil Wheaton (?), Saida Pagan (?)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 4

Lines of Communication

Babylon 5Delenn is alarmed by the arrival of an emissary from Minbar who warns her of impending civil war on her home world. She sets out on a journey back home to try to quell the impending conflict. With all supply lines to the station cut off, and ISN broadcasting the official propoganda line that Babylon 5 is the staging ground for the subversion of Earth, Sheridan tries to come up with a way to fight the hail of lies being fed to the general populace. His answer is to revamp the war room into a broadcast studio and begin transmitting the “Voice of the Resistance” from there with your host, the very reluctant (and tired) Susan Ivanova. Terrorist attacks on Mars create a tense situation for Franklin, who is trying to enlist the help of the rebels on Mars – but not if they continue to use those tactics. Delenn discovers that the Minbari emissary Forell has sold out to a race called the Drakh, who have their own plans for Minbar. And Delenn is sure that there is a connection between the Drakh and the Shadows.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by John C. Flinn III
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Commander Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Jason Carter (Marcus Cole), Stephen Furst (Vir), Jeff Conaway (Zack Allan), Patricia Tallman (Lyta Alexander), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Peter Jurasik (Londo), Marjorie Monaghan (Number One), Paolo Seganti (Phillipe), G.W. Stevens (Forell)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 2 Xena: Warrior Princess

The Price

Xena: Warrior PrincessXena and Gabrielle find an Athenian soldier who washed up in the river they were fishing in. He manages to tell them that he was attacked by the Horde before he dies. They look back to the river and see more bodies.

When they head away from the river, they run into the Horde and so they turn back to the river. Spotting a canoe in the water, they make their escape with it. When they are finally able to stop for a bit, Xena tells Gabrielle about her army’s encounter with the Horde. The warrior tells her that they will have a hard time getting away from the Horde. The Horde attack when Xena and Gabrielle return to the river, but more Athenian soldiers appear and drive the warriors back. The soldiers take the two women to their fortress. Inside the fortress, the men have given up hope of defeating the Horde. When Xena sees this and learns that their commander is dead, she takes control.

Order the DVDswritten by Steven L. Sears
directed by Oley Sassone
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: Paul Glover (Menticles), Mark Perry (Galipan), Tamati Rice (Garel), Brent Gilbert (Drowned Athenian), Bob Johnson (Athenian #2), Phillip Jones (Wounded Athenian), Allen O’Halloran (Fatigued/Gashed Athenian), Sam Williams (Hordemasater)

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

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Season 05 Star Trek Voyager

Someone To Watch Over Me

Star Trek: VoyagerStardate not given: B’Elanna is outraged to discover that, to further her study of human sexual interaction, Seven of Nine has been taking notes on B’Elanna’s relationship with Tom. The Doctor recommends a more academic (and less voyeuristic) approach to Seven’s studies. In the meantime, as Captain Janeway beams down for a cultural exchange with the chaste Kadi race, a Kadi ambassador visits Voyager for a few days, forgoing his race’s conservative ways for a chance to experience every pleasure that Voyager has to offer, whether it’s Neelix’s cooking or scantily-clad women in the holodeck. And when the Kadi ambassador sets his sights on Seven, who has only barely begun to comprehend human relations under the Doctor’s tutelage, a serious diplomatic incident may be the result.

Order the DVDsteleplay by Michael Taylor and Kenneth Biller
story by Brannon Braga
directed by Robert Duncan McNeill
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Scott Thompson (Tomin), Ian Ambercrombie (Abbot), Brian McNamara (Lt. Chapman), David Burke (Steven)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Enterprise Season 03 Star Trek

The Forgotten

Star Trek: EnterpriseEven with a chance to catch their breath for the first time since the Xindi attack, Archer and his crew are still in turmoil. Trip, assigned to write a letter of condolence to the family of an engineering crewmember, can find nothing to say that seems to matter. T’Pol is still struggling with the emotional outbursts triggered by her secret experiments with trellium. And the secret meeting with Degra doesn’t go as planned – until Archer plays his trump card and provides hard evidence that the Xindi-Reptilians have been conducting their own campaign against Earth separate from the rest of the Xindi races. When the Enterprise is ambushed by a Xindi-Reptilian ship while he’s still aboard, Degra must quickly decide where his loyalties and trust lie.

Order DVDsDownload this episode via Amazon's Unboxwritten by Chris Black & David A. Goodman
directed by LeVar Burton
music by Paul Baillargeon

Guest Cast: Randy Oglesby (Degra), Rick Worthy (Xindi-Arboreal), Bob Morrisey (Reptilian Captain), Seth MacFarlane (Engineer), Kipleigh Brown (Crewman Taylor)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Doctor Who New Series Season 03

Evolution Of The Daleks

Doctor WhoDalek Sec, transformed into a hybrid between a Dalek’s mutant occupant and a human, terrifies not only the Doctor and Martha, but even its fellow Daleks. Fearing any evolution that could steer them away from being “pure” Daleks, the rest of the Cult of Skaro now treat their leader’s orders with skepticism. The Doctor and Martha lead their fellow captives to the relative safety of Central Park, but with the realization that the Doctor is working against them, the Daleks follow, no longer worried about hiding. When Dalek Sec spares the Doctor from imminent extermination, the other three Daleks turn against him. With his one hope of reasoning with a new breed of Daleks gone, the Doctor is all that stands between Earth in one of its most defenseless junctures in history and the Daleks’ hunger for conquest.

Download this episodewritten by Helen Raynor
directed by James Strong
music by Murray Gold

Guest Cast: Miranda Raison (Tallulah), Ryan Carnes (Laszlo), Hugh Quarshie (Solomon), Andrew Garfield (Frank), Eric Loren (Dalek Sec), Earl Perkins (Man #1), Barnaby Edwards (Dalek Operator), Nicholas Pegg (Dalek Operator), Anthony Spargo (Dalek Operator), David Hankinson (Dalek Operator), Nick Briggs (Dalek voices), Paul Kasey (Hero Pig), Ian Porter (Hybrid)

LogBook entry & review by Earl Green