Day: June 16, 1997

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Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 4

Intersections In Real Time

Babylon 5Sheridan’s interrogation begins, conducted by a man named William who has the options to call in guards, inflict pain through Narn pain-givers Sheridan is forced to wear, or otherwise use whatever means are necessary to break the captain and force a confession that his secession of Babylon 5 from Earth was committed under alien influence. William begins to disorient Sheridan’s concepts of time and truth and trust…or perhaps not.

After being fed a poisoned sandwich and vague information about his father, Sheridan resists William’s psychological attacks, and persuades a Drazi hostage not to assist the interrogator even if it almost certainly signs the Drazi’s death sentence…or perhaps not.

William wants Sheridan to put his signature on the confession, but when Sheridan resists the state’s attempts to break him, he finds out that the entire interrogation could be nothing more than a maddening show designed to drive him out of his mind.

Or perhaps not.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by John Lafia
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), Raye Birk (William), Wayne Alexander (Drazi), Bruce Gray (Interrogator), Peter Brown (Minister)

Notes: This was to have been the original season finale of Babylon 5’s fourth year in the original five-year plan.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Deep Space Nine Season 05 Star Trek

A Call To Arms

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate 50975.2: In order to stop the Dominion from sending caravans to Cardassia, Starfleet authorizes Sisko to place a minefield at the entrance to the wormhole. With war now imminent, a Bajor/Dominion non-aggression pact is signed with Sisko’s endorsement, to ensure Bajor’s survival. Rom and Leeta are married, and Worf and Dax become engaged, while Odo and Kira agree to set aside their relationship for now. When the Dominion attacks, the station must fight them off until the Defiant finishes setting the minefield – but all may already be lost.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe
directed by Allan Kroeker
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Andrew J. Robinson (Garak), Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun), Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat), Max Grodenchik (Rom), Aron Eisenberg (Nog), J.G. Hertzler (Martok), Chase Masterson (Leeta), Melanie Smith (Ziyal), Casey Biggs (Damar)

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

Categories
Babylon 5 / Crusade Spinoff: Crusade

The Long Road

CrusadeSome time ago, Earth colonists discovered a planet whose water supply contains an anti-viral agent. An EA destroyer sets up a mining operation near the planet’s major settlement, a group of humans who voluntarily live with 1800’s-era technology. The locals, however, are opposed, and somehow they are causing all sorts of mischief – including the appearance of a giant golden dragon – to impede the effort. The destroyer captain enlists Gideon’s aid, and Galen arranges for him to meet the locals’ protector, an exiled Technomage named Alwyn. Before they can reach some agreement, the locals take hostages, and the captain sends troops. With no one willing to compromise in the resulting standoff, Alwyn resolves to take matters into his own hands, and forces Gideon to decide whose lives are to be saved.

Order the DVDswritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Mike Vejar
music by Evan H. Chen

Cast: Gary Cole (Captain Matthew Gideon), Tracy Scoggins (Captain Elizabeth Lochley), Daniel Dae Kim (Lt. Matheson), Carrie Dobro (Dureena Nafeel), David Allen Brooks (Max Eilerson), Marjean Holden (Dr. Sarah Chambers), Peter Woodward (Galen), Edward Woodward (Alwyn), Alison Lohman (Claire), Scott Paetty (Lieutenant Meyers), Mik Scriba (Barkeep), Marshall Teague (Captain Daniels), Michael O’Connell (Worker #2), Sophia Santi (Worker #1), Rex Ryon (First man)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Farscape Season 2

Home On The Remains

  • By Dave
  • June 16, 2000

FarscapeLow on supplies, the crew follows Chiana to a mining colony harvesting the remains of a Budong. Their situation is becoming extreme; a starving Zhaan has started to sprout as a defense mechanism, and the resulting pollen threatens to overwhelm everyone, including Moya. Although Chiana knows the colonists, she left on good terms with only a few – and one of those is quickly killed by a predator called a Keedva. The colony’s leader, B’Sogg, is not inclined to offer Chiana any favors. As Zhaan worsens, the crew pursue their own methods to mine enough crystals to buy some food, but the Keedva and its owner have very different plans.

Order the DVDswritten by Gabrielle Stanton & Harry Werksman, Jr.
directed by Rowan Woods
music by Guy Gross

Guest Cast: John Brumpton (B’Sogg), Justine Saunders (Altana), Rob Carlton (Vija), Hunter Perske (Temmon), Gavin Robins (Keedva)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

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Season 2 Witchblade

Emergence

WitchbladeNYPD detectives Sara Pezzini and Danny Woo are on the trail of a criminal named Gallo who, among other things, is suspected by Pezzini of murdering her father, and, more recently, a childhood friend of hers. In the ensuing chase, Pezzini and Danny are separated, and Pez finds herself in an art gallery at the mercy of a trained killer. The only thing that saves her life is the Witchblade – an armored gauntlet in one of the display cases which seems to somehow make its own way onto her arm in the melee, deflecting bullets and effectively ending the fight by sparking a huge explosion which kills the gunman. Pezzini is understandably confused by what has happened, especially when there is no evidence of the gauntlet later (though she can’t explain the origin of the ancient-looking bracelet which now graces her wrist) – nor is there any evidence of a dark-clothed man who she spotted gazing at the Witchblade in the gallery.

As she recovers from the fierce fight, Pezzini’s dreams are infiltrated by the bracelet, filling them with images of death, battle, and even Joan of Arc. And the man in black from the gallery is watching her and reporting back to an unseen master – a master who owns the Rialto Theatre, a property in which Gallo is interested. Pezzini and Danny act on a tip about Gallo’s interest in the Rialto from rookie cop Jake McCartey – whose somewhat hazy background doesn’t inspire Danny’s trust. Unknown to the two veteran cops, two others tag along when they stake out the Rialto – the man who has been trailing Pez, and McCartey, who seems determined to get a piece of the action. But at the last minute, Pez decides not to make the move – though what she doesn’t tell Danny is that somehow, the Witchblade told her that Danny would die if she tried to take Gallo down now.

Eccentric billionaire Kenneth Irons, owner of the gigantic Vorschlaag Industries and collector of art and artifacts related to the Witchblade, has been watching Sara Pezzini closely. His henchman, Ian Nottingham, has been following her. But Irons wants to control whoever wields the blade, and Sara’s introduction to the weapon didn’t take place under violent enough circumstances to make her impressionable enough to bend to Irons’ will. The billionaire orders Nottingham to kill her and retrieve the Witchblade; he already has someone in mind to wear it, someone who is already in his thrall. But despite Nottingham’s proficiency in close combat, Sara defeats him and, in the process, kills Irons’ candidate for the Witchblade. This only convinces Irons that he will have to resort to other means to achieve ultimate power…and to kill Sara Pezzini.

Season Two Regular Cast: Yancy Butler (Detective Sara Pezzini), David Chokachi (Detective Jake McCartey), Will Yun Lee (Danny Woo), Anthony Cistaro (Kenneth Irons), John Hensley (Gabriel Bowman), Eric Etebari (Ian Nottingham)

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Ralph Hemecker & Jorge Zamacona
directed by Joe Chappelle
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Marika Dominczyk (Christina Wales), Kathryn Winslow (Vicki), Conrad Dunn (Gallo), Joe Butler (Arnold Buck), Leah Coldrige (Debbie Buck), Dov Tiejenbach (Turnville) and Lazar

Note: Guest star Joe Butler is the real-life father of series star Yancy Butler, and a former member of the rock group The Lovin’ Spoonful.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Season 2 Witchblade

Destiny

WitchbladePez and Danny are called to the scene of a homicide in the dock district – a security guard was impaled through the chest with some sort of bladed instrument, but not a very sharp one. Pez questions Kenneth Irons, but their brief meeting ends in his barely-veiled threat, and shortly afterward, she’s on the case of two more grisly murders – both committed with the same weapon as the dock guard. Even more amazingly, analysis of the bodies reveals that the weapon may date back to the time of Christ. Pez and Danny visit Irons’ home, where she discovers a business card for an online relic search service. She visits that site’s home base and finds a potential ally in a young internet entrepreneur, Gabriel Bowman, who was unable to find something for Irons: a spear that may have been used to inflict Christ’s mortal wound on the cross. That spear, like the Witchblade, can be wielded only by those destined to carry it – and it contains the masculine equivalent of the immense power of the Witchblade, which can only be worn by a woman. Iron intends to use the Spear of Destiny to kill Pez, and in the inevitable confrontation, one of them will end up dead.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonteleplay by Jorge Zamacona & William J. MacDonald and Ralph Hemecker
story by Jorge Zamacona & William J. MacDonald
directed by David Carson
music by Joel Goldsmith

Guest Cast: Bill McDonald (Orlinsky), Kathryn Winslow (Vicki), Dov Tiejenbach (Turnville), Johnie Chase (Paul), Jean Moon (Sidney) and Lazar

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Doctor Who New Series Season 03

Utopia

Doctor WhoThe Doctor once again brings the TARDIS to Cardiff to recharge the timeship’s engines with energy from the interdimensional rift that runs through the city. When he spots Captain Jack running toward the TARDIS at full speed, the Doctor tries to dematerialize the TARDIS – but Jack, eager to seek the Doctor’s help with his newfound immortality, leaps onto the time machine and clings to it as it tries to escape him. The TARDIS makes a rough landing on the eve of what could be the last night of humanity: the universe is collapsing, the stars and galaxies are dying, and the last remnants of humankind huddle in a rickety launch silo, awaiting their orders to board a rocket that will take them to a planet called Utopia. Trying to help ready the rocket, but making little headway, is the enigmatic Professor Yana, who seems to have a strange reaction to the Doctor and the TARDIS. A race called the Futurekind closes in on the last human settlement to feed, and Yana reveals that the rocket really won’t work at all. As the Doctor and Jack try to help, Martha notices that Professor Yana has a pocketwatch similar to one which once hid the Doctor’s personality and genetic information – a device of Time Lord design. But when the Doctor realizes that he isn’t the last Time Lord in the universe, he faces the horrifying revelation that only one other member of his race could’ve had the drive to survive the Time War…

Download this episodewritten by Russell T. Davies
directed by Graeme Harper
music by Murray Gold

Guest Cast: John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness), Sir Derek Jacobi (Professor Yana), Chipo Chung (Chantho), Rene Zagger (Padra), Neil Reidman (Lieutenant Atillo), Paul Marc Davies (Chieftan), Robert Forknall (Guard), John Bell (Creet), Deborah MacLaren (Kistane), Abigail Canton (Wiry Woman) and John Simm (The Master)

Notes: Both this colony and the isolated human colony seen in Frontios (1984) are said to be the last human colonies in existence in the universe, though the implication is that Utopia is set much, much further in the future, during the twilight of the universe itself. During Professor Yana’s moments of mental distress, sound clips of Roger Delgado and Anthony Ainley as past incarnations of the Master can be heard; ironically, Sir Derek Jacobi played the part of the Master in a one-off animated Doctor Who story, Scream Of The Shalka, as well as starring in a well-received UtopiaDoctor Who: Unbound audio story, Deadline. Presumably, Jack’s chase after the TARDIS takes place immediately on the heels of his disappearance in the Torchwood episode End Of Days (and the Doctor remarks that the Cardiff rift has seen recent activity, possibly from the opening of the rift in that episode), although End Of Days strongly implies that the TARDIS materialized inside the Torchwood hub. (Maybe the scattered papers found by the rest of Jack’s team were an indication of how fast he ran outside…)

LogBook entry & review by Earl Green