Day: November 4, 1976

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Season 2 Space: 1999

The Taybor

Space: 1999Small glowing objects appear all over the station, and the first two people to touch them are blinded. Not long afterward, a booming voice contacts the Moonbase, bellowing “Ahoy there, Moonbase Alpha!” Moments after requesting permission to land (and not really getting it), a large orange spacecraft appears on the moon’s surface, followed by the appearance of its rotund captain, identifying himself as a trader named the Taybor, in Alpha’s command center. It is clear that the Taybor has been monitoring Koenig and his crew for some time, as he seems to know quite a bit about them, and even invites himself to stay for dinner. During that meal, Tony Verdeschi finally finds an admirer of his home-brewed beer in the crew’s guest, and when his tongue is a bit loosened, the Taybor reveals that his craft is capable of making hyperspace jumps, a technology that intrigues Koenig. The commander tries to barter with the Taybor for passage to Earth for the entire crew, but the trader wants only one thing in exchange – Maya.

Order the DVDswritten by Thorn Keyes
directed by Bob Brooks
music by Derek Wadsworth

Guest Cast: Tony Anholt (Tony Verdeschi), Willoughby Goddard (The Taybor), Jeffrey Kissoon (Dr. Ben Vincent), John Hug (Fraser), Yasuko Nagazumo (Yasko), Larraine Humphrys (Karen), Rita Webb (Slatternly Woman), Mel Taylor (Andrews)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Jason Of Star Command Season 1

Peepo’s Last Chance

Jason Of Star CommandDragos discovers Wiki and Peepo conducting a defense survey on the planet Arcturon, and sends his minions to capture them. When the robots fail to check in with Star Command on time, Jason and Nicole go to Arcturon to investigate. When Peepo realizes that Dragos’ henchmen plan to reprogram him, he sends Wiki for help, but it powerless to prevent Dragos from extracting the coordinates of Space Academy from his memory banks. Jason leads Dragos’ henchmen on a chase while Nicole frees Peepo, unaware that Peepo has been completely reprogrammed.

Order this series on DVDwritten by Don Heckman
directed by Arthur H. Nadel
music by Yvette Blais & Jeff Michael and Horta-Mahana

Cast: Craig Littler (Jason), Sid Haig (Dragos), Susan O’Hanlon (Capt. Nicole Davidoff), Charlie Dell (Prof. E.J. Parsafoot), James Doohan (Commander Canarvin)

Notes: Aside from the appearance of Space Academy itself in nearly every episode, this is the only episode to deliver on the intriguing notion that Space Academy and Jason Of Star Command take place in the same universe, with both sets of characters potentially existing side-by-side. Peepo was seen throughout Space Academy.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 2 Star Blazers

Blast Off To The Unknown!

Star BlazersCommander Singleton of the EDF learns of the Argo crew’s return to their old ship, and demands that they disembark and return to their Earthbound duties. With the EDF expecting Wildstar to steal the Argo, a quick, decisive launch is necessary – but two key crew members, Mark Venture and Nova, have yet to report to the Argo. Wildstar gives the blastoff order anyway, and the Argo must fight its way through Earth’s own defenses to make orbit. But once there, a new challenge stands before the Star Force – the better-armed Andromeda has been ordered to keep them from escaping.

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

Season 2 Voice Cast: Kenneth Meseroll (Derek Wildstar), Tom Tweedy (Mark Venture), Amy Howard (Nova), Eddie Allen (Leader Desslok), Chris Latta (Sgt. Knox), Lydia Leeds (Trelaina), Chris Latta (General Dire), Chris Latta (Captain Gideon), other actors unknown

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 05 Star Trek The Next Generation

Unification I

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 45233.1: One of the Federation’s most valued advisors, Spock, has been seen on Romulus. Picard is assigned to go to Romulus undercover and find out if Spock has defected from the Federation. The Enterprise goes to Vulcan, where Picard visits Sarek, and Riker investigates the recovered wreckage of a Vulcan ship. Sarek, near death, suggests that Spock may have gone to visit Pardek, a Romulan peace advocate Spock met at the Khitomer peace conference decades ago. The next stop is the Klingon planet, where Picard borrows a cloaked ship to cross the Neutral Zone. Picard and Data, equipped with disguises, head for Romulus. Federation shipyard operator Dokachen assists Riker in the wreckage investigation. They find an unidentified ship receiving supplies from the shipyard without authorization. The ship fires at the Enterprise, which fires back at minimum power – yet the other vessel explodes. Data and Picard, having just received news of Sarek’s death, beam to Romulus and find Pardek, but before they can follow him, guards stop them and lead them to Pardek…and they discover that Spock is indeed alive and well on Romulus.

Order the DVDsteleplay by Jeri Taylor
story by Rick Berman and Michael Piller
directed by Les Landau
music by Dennis McCarthy

Cast: Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr. Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt. Commander Data), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), Mark Lenard (Sarek), Joanna Miles (Perrin), Stephen Root (Neral), Graham Jarvis (Dokachen), Malachi Throne (Pardek), Norman Large (Captain K’vada), Daniel Roebuck (Jaron), Erick Avari (B’ijik), Karen Hensel (Admiral Brackett), Mimi Cozzens (Soup Woman), Majel Barrett (Computer Voice)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Red Dwarf Season 06

Rimmerworld

Red DwarfStarbug returns to the rogue simulant warship it fought before, from which Lister plans to raid the cargo bays for food. One of the simulants turns out to have survived the previous encounter with Starbug, and it isn’t happy. Any exchange of fire on the simulant ship will bring the interior crashing down on anyone inside. For a moment, it looks as though Rimmer might actually attempt a daring attack on the simulant from behind, but in reality he’s just sneaking over to an escape pod, whose launch destabilizes the ship. The others scramble back to Starbug and escape, but they’re unable to catch up with Rimmer’s escape pod as it tumbles into a wormhole. Due to relativistic time dilation, by the time Starbug catches up with Rimmer, 600 years will have passed for him. In that time, he will found a new society all his own…

Order the DVDswritten by Rob Grant & Doug Naylor
directed by Andy De Emmony
music by Howard Goodall

Guest Cast: Liz Hickling (Rogue Simulant)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 4

Hour of the Wolf

Babylon 5A week after Sheridan’s fateful voyage to Z’ha’Dum, the League of Non-Aligned Worlds is fragmenting as its member races plan to strengthen their homeworlds’ defenses in fear of Shadow retaliation. Delenn and Ivanova are taking the loss of Sheridan hard in their own ways, but no one seems to remember Garibaldi’s disappearance aside from G’Kar and Zack Allan; G’Kar vows to find Garibaldi. Delenn demands to know why Kosh has not backed her pleas to the League of Non-Aligned Worlds, but Kosh brushes her off, as well as her request for a Vorlon expedition to retreive Sheridan from Z’ha’Dum. Londo, recalled to Centauri Prime to serve as an advisor on planetary security, discovers that the insane young Emperor Cartagia has made a deal with the Shadows, offering their forces shelter on an uninhabited island on the Centauri homeworld. Londo is present as Shadow vessels streak overhead in the Centauri sky, fulfilling a terrifying dream-prophecy that has plagued him for years. The atrophied Morden is also on Centauri Prime, manipulating events. Lyta, Ivanova and Delenn undertake a last-ditch recovery mission to Z’ha’Dum, only to be thwarted and almost destroyed by a remnant of the Shadows, and only Lennier’s quick thinking saves them. Londo calls Vir to Centauri Prime to conspire to remove Cartagia from the throne by any means necessary. Sheridan – whom everyone assumes, from rumors and reports, is dead – finds that he may, in fact, be dead.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by David J. Eagle
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), Ed Wasser (Morden), Wortham Krimmer (Emperor Cartagia), Wayne Alexander (Lorien), Damian London (Minister), Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh), Mark Hendrickson (Drazi Ambassador), Rick Ryan (Brakiri Ambassador)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Deep Space Nine Season 05 Star Trek

Trials and Tribble-ations

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: The Defiant is transporting an Orb which the Cardassians are returning to Bajor – the Orb of Time. Also present is a human merchant who was trapped on Cardassia by the Klingon invasion. The merchant is actually Arne Darvin, a disgraced Klingon spy whose downfall came 105 years ago at the hands of James T. Kirk. Darvin uses the Orb to transport the Defiant back to that time period. The DS9 officers must infiltrate the Enterprise and space station K7 to stop Darvin from assassinating Kirk, and at the same time must prevent the timeline from being altered.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonteleplay by Ronald D. Moore & Rene Echavarria
story by Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler & Robert Hewitt Wolfe
based on The Trouble With Tribbles by David Gerrold
directed by Jonathan West
footage from The Trouble With Tribbles directed by Joseph Pevney
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Jack Blessing (Dulmer), James W. Jansen (Lucsly), Charlie Brill (Arne Darvin), Leslie Ackerman (Waitress), Charles S. Chun (Engineer), Deirdre L. Imershein (Lieutenant Watley)

Actors appearing in footage from The Trouble With Tribbles: William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock), DeForest Kelley (Dr. Leonard McCoy), James Doohan (Mr. Scott), Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura), William Schallert (Nilz Baris), Stanley Adams (Cyrano Jones), Whit Bissell (Lurry), Michael Pataki (Korax), Charlie Brill (Arne Darvin)

Notes: William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy also appeared as Kirk and Spock in a scene taken from the original Star Trek episode Mirror, Mirror

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

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Season 2 Xena: Warrior Princess

Warrior…Princess…Tramp

Xena: Warrior PrincessKing Lias summons Xena and Gabrielle to his castle. Gabrielle is to meet up with Xena in a tavern before heading there, but Joxer tells her the warrior has already left for Trius. To the bard’s surprise, “Xena” has her thrown into the dungeon, shortly after her arrival at the castle. Agis, a friend of this “Xena” tells her that wasn’t a good idea and has her go and speak to Gabrielle. She tells the Amazon that she is in the dungeon for her own protection. Xena stops in at the tavern where she was to meet with Gabrielle. The barkeep tells her that she left the day before. When the warrior starts to leave, soldiers appear and try to stop her. Joxer goes to the castle. He is convinced that “Xena” is in love with him. He unknowingly makes an inappropriate advance on the princess, who is an exact lookalike of the real Xena. She has him thrown into the dungeon with Gabrielle. “Xena” has learned of Joxer’s imprisonment and has him freed. She still insists that the bard remain where she is for her own safety. Gabrielle is furious. The real Xena finally makes it to the castle. Joxer surprises her, and he finally realizes that she isn’t interested in him at all. The two are about to go after Gabrielle, when “Xena” enters the room with Agis. From their hiding place, they learn that Agis hired Meg to first take Xena’s place and then later Diana’s. After they free Gabrielle, they make plans to stop Agis’ scheme.

Order the DVDswritten by R.J. Stewart
directed by Josh Becker
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: Lucy Lawless (Diana / Meg), Ted Raimi (Joxer), Norman Forsey (King Lias), Iain Rea (Philemon), Chris Bailey (Agis), Simone Fa’amoe (Alcibiades), Tim Faville (Barfly #1), Tai Hadfield (Guard), Collette Pennington (Nurse), Lawrence Wharerau (Barfly #2)

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

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Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 5

The Wheel of Fire

Babylon 5G’Kar returns to Babylon 5 to a more enthusiastic welcome than he’d prefer. Garibaldi can no longer hide his drinking problem; Sheridan and Lochley take different paths in reaching out to help him. Lise arrives on the station, offering to share Michael’s struggles with him and asking him to share control of Edgars Industries with her. Zack and Lochley learn that Lyta has been supporting terrorist activity against Psi Corps, creating a dilemma – how does one arrest someone who may be a living Vorlon doomsday weapon? But while station security sees problems, Garibaldi sees an opportunity to take back control of his life…and perhaps settle a score.

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

Guest Cast: Monique Edwards (Officer), Denise Gentile (Lise Hampton-Edgars)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

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Season 05 Star Trek Voyager

In The Flesh

Star Trek: VoyagerStardate not given: A surprising discovery is made in a most unexpected place – a spaceborne artificial environment which perfectly recreates the grounds and facilities of Starfleet Academy, complete with such beloved faces as Boothby the groundskeeper. When Chakotay and Tuvok bring one of the Stafleet officers from the “Academy” back to Voyager, however, they discover that this isolated outpost of humans is, in fact, a staging and training area for Species 8472’s eventual invasion of the planet Earth.

Order the DVDswritten by Nick Sagan
directed by David Livingston
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Kate Vernon (Archer), Ray Walston (Boothby), Zach Galligan (Ensign Gantry), Tucker Smallwood (Admiral Bullock)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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4th Doctor Doctor Who The Audio Dramas

Demon Quest Part 3: A Shard Of Ice

Doctor WhoThe Doctor and Mike Yates land the TARDIS on an icy, snowy, dead-man’s-curve pass, blocking the way of Albert Tiermann, hand-picked storyteller of the King. But Tiermann is troubled – he’s running short on inspiration and the punishment for failing to amuse the royalty with a new story is death. The Doctor tries to bolster Tiermann’s confidence, brandishing a volume of stories that he has yet to write to prove the storyteller’s future success. Tiermann becomes obsessed with this relic of the future: it could be a shortcut to his survival and prosperity. When a demonic presence arrives to stalk the Doctor yet again, Tiermann’s obsession with the Doctor’s book of his stories leaves him dangerously vulnerable to persuasion: if he does the demon’s bidding, he may be able to claim his prize.

Order this CDwritten by Paul Magrs
directed by Kate Thomas
music by Simon Power

Cast: Tom Baker (The Doctor), Richard Franklin (Mike Yates), Samuel West (Albert Tiermann), Carole Boyd (Frau Herz), Jan Francis (Ice Queen), Tom Lawrence (Hans), Susan Jameson (Mrs. Wibbsey)

Timeline: after The Demon Of Paris and before Starfall, and probably still before The Ribos Operation

Notes: The Doctor asks Mike if he was present for UNIT’s battles with the Yeti (The Web Of Fear); Mike responds that he hasn’t met them yet, “at least… not yeti…”

LogBook entry and TheatEar review by Earl Green

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Rebels Season 2 Star Wars

Brothers Of The Broken Horn

Star Wars: RebelsFeeling overburdened by his constant duties, whether it’s Jedi training with Kanan, sharpshooting lessons with Rex, or cleaning the Ghost, Ezra yearns for the days when he was on his own. When he hears a distress signal from the ship belonging to Lothal trader boss Vizago – to whom he owes a favor – Ezra takes the Phantom (and Chopper) to go help, alone. But Vizago’s ship is no longer commanded by Vizago, and Ezra has to think fast, adopting the alias of Lando Calrissian for good measure. But when he has a chance to procure just what the Rebellion needs, and finds himself up against an old enemy, Ezra yearns for the days when he had backup.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Bill Wolkoff
directed by Saul Ruiz
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), James Hong (Azmorigan), Keith Szarabajka (Cikatro Vizago), Keone Young (Commander Sato), Jim Cummings (Hondo Ohnaka), Dee Bradley Baker (Rex / Imperial Technician)

Notes: Series regular voice artist Steve Blum does not have a role in this episode. Azmorigan was last seen in season 1’s Idiot’s Array.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Doctor Who New Series Season 11

The Tsuranga Conundrum

Doctor WhoA visit to a salvage planet in the Seffilun 27 galaxy goes wrong when Graham happens upon a sonic mine, which detonates seconds later. The time travelers awaken aboard an automated hospital ship, staffed by only two medics, which makes routine runs between the planets Tsuranga and Resus One, near the planet where the TARDIS team tripped the mine. Only now they don’t have the TARDIS, and they do have a problem: a life form capable of surviving the vacuum of space manages to sneak aboard and begans literally chewing its way through the ship’s systems, starting with the life pods. Other patients aboard the hospital ship have useful skills in this crisis, but are suffering from their own conditions and weaknesses. The Doctor, still recovering from the point-blank sonic mine detonation, tries to rally everyone aboard to deal with the alien creature and keep themselves alive.

Order the DVDwritten by Chris Chibnall
directed by Jennifer Perrott
music by Segun Akinola

Cast: Jodie Whittaker (The Doctor), Bradley Walsh (Graham O’Brien), Tosin Cole (Ryan Sinclair), Mandip Gill (Yasmin Khan), Brett Goldstein (Astos), Lois Chimimba (Mabli), Suzanne Packer (General Eve Cicero), Ben Bailey-Smith (Durkas Cicero), David Shields (Ronan), Jack Shalloo (Yoss)

Chris Noth as Robertson in Doctor WhoNotes: Brett Goldstein co-starred with David Hasselhoff in the surreal UK reality show Hoff The Record, and has appeared on Derek, Undercover, Drunk History UK, Drifters, and Uncle. Lois Chimimba is no stranger to hospital dramas, having appeared in Trust Me and Holby City, and the same can certainly be said of Suzanne Packer, who starred as Tess on Casualty. Ben Bailey-Smith has voiced characters on the 21st century revival Thunderbirds Are Go, while David Shields appeared in episodes of The Crown alongside former Doctor Who star Matt Smith. Ironically, given Graham’s Call The Midwife addiction (except for the squeamish bits), guest star Jack Shalloo had just appeared on that show’s 2018 Christmas special.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Resistance Season 1 Star Wars

The Children Of Tehar

Star Wars: ResistanceKaz is broke, which is bad not just because he can’t buy his own drinks at Aunt Z’s, but because he can’t afford to repair Tam’s compensator, which he accidentally broke during installation. He overhears of a bounty offered for finding two missing children from Tehar and sets about trying to look for them on the platform, though he hasn’t thought far enough ahead to ask himself why the First Order would offer a reward for two lost children. He bumps into them more by chance than by skill, and discovers that they’re runaways who don’t want to return to Tehar. They just escaped that planet after witnessing the actions of a high-ranking member of the First Order who calls himself Kylo Ren. When the First Order arrives in force to search for the children, Kaz and Neeku risk everything to find them a safe hiding place.

Download this episode via Amazonwritten by Paul Giacoppo
directed by Saul Ruiz
music by Michael Tavera
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Star Wars: ResistanceCast: Christopher Sean (Kazuda Xiono), Josh Brener (Neeku Vozo), Scott Lawrence (Jarek Yeager), Suzie McGrath (Tam Ryvora), Dee Bradley Baker (Security Guard / Ugnaught Vendor), Donald Faison (Hype Fazon), Antony Del Rio (Kel), Bobby Moynihan (Yani), Dee Bradley Baker (Security Guard / Stormtrooper #2 / Ugnaught Vendor), Frank Welker (Chelidae), Greg Proops (Garma), Gwendoline Christie (Captain Phasma), Jason Hightower (Captain Doza), Lex Lang (Stormtrooper #1), Liam McIntyre (Commander Pyre), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (4D-M1N), Matthew Wood (Ello Asty), Nikki SooHoo (Eila), Tovah Feldshuh (Aunt Z)

Notes: Ello Asty is not only one of Poe’s fellow X-Wing pilots as seen in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, but he’s named after the Beastie Boys single “Hello Nasty”.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Prodigy Season 1 Star Trek

Starstruck

Star Trek: ProdigyStardate unknown: Welcoming what she assumes is a fresh batch of cadets to the Protostar, the hologram of Captain Janeway offers an introduction to the Federation’s history, purpose, and structure, and that of its Starfleet as well. While Zero, Rok-Tahk, Jankom Pog, and even the gelatinous life form nicknamed Murf immediately find this appealing, Dal is annoyed by their enthusiasm – to him, the Federation sounds like yet another group of authority figures who will tell him what to do, and he opts to set the ship on a course further away from Federation space. When the hologram of Janeway tries to warn him of what lies in his path, he shuts her down quite literally. He also throws Gwyn in the brig, and claims the captain’s quarters for himself. He’s ready to claim the privileges of authority for himself, but his distrust of the nearest authority figure – namely Janeway – leaves the Protostar in a catastrophically dire position near a dying star.

Order DVDswritten by Chad Quandt
directed by Alan Wan
music by Nami Melamud
Star Trek: Prodigy main theme by Michael Giacchino

Star Trek DiscoveryCast: Brett Gray (Dal R’El), Ella Purnell (Gwyn), Jason Mantzoukas (Jankom Pog), Angus Imrie (Zero), Rylee Alazraqui (Rok-Tahk), Dee Bradley Baker (Murf), Jimmi Simpson (Drednok), John Noble (Diviner), Kate Mulgrew (Captain Janeway), Bonnie Gordon (Ship Computer)

Notes: The holographic “slide show” used by Hologram Janeway to illustrate the histories of the Federation and Starfleet are packed with easter eggs, including line-art representations of Archer’s Enterprise, Janeway’s Voyager, the Defiant (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Discovery, the Enterprise-D (Star Trek: The Next Generation), and the Enterprise and shuttlecraft Galileo from the original Star Trek, along with humans, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites (the Federation’s founding member races), and the accompanying lines are actually one of the better introductions to/explanations of the Federation in the history of the franchise. (Technically, since all records of Discovery and its mission were purged from official Federation history, Discovery shouldn’t appear in this lineup of famous ships.)

LogBook entry by Earl Green