Day: November 16, 1979

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Monkey Season 1

Monkey Goes Wild About Heaven

MonkeyAn elemental force of nature born from a stone egg, Monkey began life as a stone monkey, but now assumes human form in his ongoing battle of order against chaos against a legion of demons. But while he seeks to bring order to the world around him, Monkey’s love of this fight against the havoc demons means that he’s a chaotic whirl of action, often leaving collateral damage in his wake. To sate Monkey’s considerable ego when he tries to storm Heaven itself, the title of Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, is bestowed upon him, and he is put in charge of Heaven’s orchard of magical peach trees. Monkey promptly begins eating the peaches, whose magical properties make him immortal, and becomes infatuated with Lady Vega, consort of the Emperor of Heaven. He’s willing to start a war in Heaven to win her, and two fighters are sent to stop him – and they fail. The Emperor of Heaven banishes both of them to Earth, turning one of them into a pig and the other into a water spirit, and then summons the help of the Buddha. Assuming a female form, the Buddha assigns Monkey a task, which he thinks is easily accomplished…but in fact he fails and is also banished to Earth.

written by Mamoru Sasaki and Isoa Okishima
based on the story by Wu Ch’Eng-En
adapted by David Weir
directed by Yusuki Watanabe
English dub directed by Michael Bakewell
music by Micky Yoshino / theme performed by Godiego

MonkeyCast: Masaaki Sakai (Monkey), Masako Natsume (Tripitaka), Shirô Kishibe (Sandy), Toshiyuki Nishida (Pigsy), Takao Inoue (Emperor), Yatsuko Tanami (Buddha), Emi Shindo (Lady Vega), Maki Carcer (Demon), David Collings (Monkey’s voice – English dub), Maria Warburg (Tripitaka’s voice – English dub), Gareth Armstrong (Sandy’s voice – English dub), Peter Woodthorpe (Pigsy’s voice – English dub), Frank Duncan (Narrator – English dub), Cecile Chevreau (Buddha’s voice – English dub), Miriam Margolyes (Voices – English dub), Peter Marinker (Voices – English dub)

MonkeyNotes: The airdate shown here reflects the BBC2 premiere date rather than the Japanese premiere date on NTV. Monkey is a satirical Japanese take on the 16th-century Chinese novel Saiyuki (a.k.a. Journey To The West), a staple of Chinese literature that has been adapted dozens of times, both more faithfully told and more bizarrely told (it’s also the basis for the Dragonball franchise). Monkey initiates what is now apparently a tradition of casting a woman as the young male priest Tripitaka.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Astronauts Season 1

Episode 4

AstronautsBeadle arranges for the loved ones of the station crew to talk to them briefly; Mattocks gets to speak to his wife (who naturally asks – as she does on Earth – if he’s keeping his sleeping quarters clean), Ackroyd gets to speak to his mother (much to Mattocks’ amusement), and Foster gets to speak to…no one. She then makes the mistake of revealing that her engagement fell apart before the mission launched, something she decided to keep quiet. Now that she’s aboard a space station with two men, revealing this piece of news is probably not the best idea.

written by Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie
directed by Dick Clement

AstronautsCast: Christopher Godwin (Mattocks), Carmen Du Sautoy (Foster), Barrie Rutter (Ackroyd), Bruce Boa (Beadle), Mary Healey (Valerie), and Bimbo (himself)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Blake's 7 Season 4

Games

Blake's 7The crew of Scorpio set out to plunder an infinite energy source, only to find that Servalan has her mind set on the same prize and a series of games designed to stop any potential thieves from every gaining the energy source requires the skills of Soolin, Tarrant and Vila to pass – and on Avon’s turn, it is learned that the entire thing is a hoax.

written by Bill Lyons
directed by Vivienne Cozens
music by Dudley Simpson

Cast: Paul Darrow (Avon), Jacqueline Pearce (Servalan), Michael Keating (Vila), Steven Pacey (Tarrant), Josette Simon (Dayna), Glynis Barber (Soolin), Peter Tuddenham (Orac, Slave), Stratford Johns (Belkov), Rosalind Bailey (Gambit), David Neal (Gerren), Michael Gaunt (Computer), James Harvey (Guard)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 01 Star Trek The Next Generation

The Battle

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 41723.9: Captain Picard confronts his own past when the Ferengi present him with the USS Stargazer, which he and his crew had been forced to abandon under his command nine years ago after barely surviving a raid by a Ferengi vessel – but little does he realize that his old ship is only one piece of a puzzle that the Ferengi DaiMon is using as a tool of revenge…

Order the DVDsteleplay by Herbert Wright
story by Larry Forrester
directed by Rob Bowman
music by Ron Jones

Guest Cast: Frank Corsentino (DaiMon Bok), Doug Warhit (Kazago), Robert Towers (Rata)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 06 Star Trek The Next Generation

The Quality Of Life

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 46307.2: The Enterprise arrives at Tyrus 7A to observe a new experimental method of mining, the particle fountain, which uses a stream of high-density particles to extract and lift planet-based ore from an orbiting station. A malfunction occurs while Geordi is visiting the station, and Dr. Farallon, the ambitious head of the particle fountain project, introduces her other innovation, a small repair robot called an exo-comp, which is able to correct the problem almost instantly. Later, while Data is visiting the station, another accident happens and Data notices an exo-comp exhibiting a will to survive. Data hypothesizes that the exo-comps are living beings with their own intelligence, and possibly the beginnings of sentience. But when he asked to prove that the exo-comps are alive, one of them appears to fail a test on the Enterprise, but has actually realized that it is being tested, and is therefore intelligent and alive, though Dr. Farallon refuses to acknowledge the exo-comps’ status. A crisis strands Picard and Geordi on the station, endangered by rising radiation levels, and Farallon proposes a solution which would amount to a suicide mission for the exo-comps. When the crew prepares to implement the solution and save Picard and Geordi, Data stands in the way of the rescue operation to protect the exo-comps’ rights.

Order the DVDswritten by Naren Shankar
based upon material by L.J. Scott
directed by Jonathan Frakes
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), Ellen Bry (Dr. Farallon), J. Downing (Tyran Scientist), David Windsor (Transporter Chief Kelso), Majel Barrett (Computer voice)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 2

The Geometry Of Shadows

Babylon 5Londo is visited by a Centauri political plotter named Refa who, having heard of Londo’s impressive feat at quadrant 37, wants to enlist the ambassador’s help in a possible coup to claim power on Centauri Prime. As Refa leaves the station, a group of human technomages arrives, “magicians” who use science and technology to achieve the illusion of magic. They are simply stopping off at B5 en route to a further destination, anticipating that they will be endangered by a coming apocalypse. Londo tries to gain an audience with them, as the previous Centauri Emperor was seen in the company of such people prior to his appointment. Ivanova is also awarded a promotion to full commander, and her first diplomatic duty in that office challenges her to stop a deadly game of hide-and-seek among the Drazi. She could use Garibaldi’s help – but he’s not sure if he wants to remain in charge of security.

Order now!Download this episode via Amazon's Unboxwritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Mike Laurence Vejar
music by Christopher Franke

Cast: Bruce Boxleitner (Captain John Sheridan), Claudia Christian (Lt. Commander Ivanova), Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi), Mira Furlan (Delenn), Richard Biggs (Dr. Franklin), Andrea Thompson (Talia Winters), Stephen Furst (Vir), Bill Mumy (Lennier), Robert Rusler (Warren Keffer), Mary Kay Adams (Na’Toth), Andreas Katsulas (G’Kar), Peter Jurasik (Londo), Michael Ansara (Elric), William Forward (Refa), David L. Crowley (Lou Welch), Kim Strauss (Green Drazi), Jonathan Chapman (Green Drazi #2), Neil Bradley (Purple Drazi), Joshua Cox (Tech #1), Warren Tabata (Guard)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Deep Space Nine Season 07 Star Trek

The Siege Of AR-558

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: The Defiant goes on a supply run to AR-558, a body in the Chin’toka system which is the site of a Dominion communications array that the Jem’Hadar are trying to regain control of. The war-weary troops there have lost two thirds of their original numbers, including their commanding officers, and Sisko decides to stay and take charge. Ezri and Kellin are able to reprogram the Jem’Hadar’s antipersonnel mines to use against the enemy, but when the attack comes, what price will be paid for victory?

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler
directed by Winrich Kolbe
music by Paul Baillargeon

Guest Cast: Raymond Cruz (Vargas), Patrick Kilpatrick (Reese), Aron Eisenberg (Nog), Annette Helde (Larkin), Max Grodenchik (Rom), Bill Mumy (Kellin), James Darren (Vic Fontaine)

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

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Season 4 Xena: Warrior Princess

Crusader

Xena: Warrior PrincessXena and Gabrielle encounter a warrior woman, Najara, who is on a quest similar to theirs, fighting for the greater good. The bard is intrigued by Najara’s talk of the way of the light. Xena thinks that her friend might be better off staying with Najara, and plans to leave her. But when she meets the warlord that Najara has been tracking, she learns what Najara is really all about. She goes to the village where Najara plans to set up a hospice to confront her.

Order the DVDswritten by R.J. Stewart
directed by Paul Lynch
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: Kathryn Morris (Najara), David Te Rare (Marat), and Argo

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

Categories
Lost Season 2

The Other 48 Days

  • By Dave
  • November 16, 2005

LostFlashback to the Island: The tail section of Flight 815 crashes on the island. Eko begins hauling survivors and bodies ashore. Ana Lucia helps resuscitate a child. Another survivor, Goodwin, runs onto the beach screaming for help – another survivor is still strapped to his seat, stuck in a tree. Ana Lucia helps talk Bernard out of the seat, after which he begins looking for his wife. Libby sets another survivor’s broken leg. Things calm down briefly. But that night, some of the survivors go missing from camp. Eko kills two men trying to take him away as well.

Eko withdraws into himself. More survivors are dragged away – including the two children. When one survivor, Nathan, disappears for two hours, Ana Lucia’s suspicions are raised. Eventually the group heads into jungle. Ana Lucia digs the pit and puts Nathan in. Four days pass; Nathan reveals nothing. When she tells Goodwin she plans to start cutting off Nathan’s fingers to get him to talk, Goodwin helps him out of the pit – and then breaks his neck. They set off again, and find the Dharma bunker and a radio. Ana Lucia and Goodwin try to climb higher to get a better signal, and Ana Lucia figures out that she suspected the wrong man all along. In their scuffle, Goodwin is killed. Things once again settle down somewhat, until Bernard hears a signal on the radio – Boone calling for help. Ana Lucia thinks it’s another plot to draw them out of hiding. When she finally gives herself a moment to break down, Eko breaks his silence to comfort her. Cindy and Libby find Jin washed up on the shore; Jin’s escape leads them to Michael and Sawyer, and eventually on their trek to find the survivors from the front of the plane – a meeting with tragic results.

Order the DVDswritten by Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse
directed by Eric Laneuville
music by Michael Giacchino

Guest Cast: Sam Anderson (Bernard), Kimberley Joseph (Cindy), Brett Cullen (Goodwin), Josh Randall (Nathan), Glenn Lehmann (Donald), Kiersten Havelock (Emma), Mickey Graue (Zack)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

Categories
Invasion

The Cradle

InvasionRussell finds an infant in a cooler and takes the baby to the hospital, and Sheriff Underlay later introduces him to a woman and her frantic mother, who says the woman has lost her newborn child. But when Mariel performs DNA matching tests, the baby and the woman don’t appear to be related – the woman has never even given birth. But she was also one of the many people who was found in a dazed state after the hurricane, just like Mariel, her mother reveals – and when Mariel goes to talk to the young woman about her experience later, she finds the woman’s mother laying dead nearby, brutally murdered. Mariel goes to the jail to talk to her fellow hurricane survivor, only to find that the woman has apparently received an unusual pep talk about her destiny – from the sheriff. When Mariel follows the woman’s advice and goes into the water near where she was found after the hurricane, Mariel comes back questioning who she – and her husband – really are.

Order this DVDwritten by Julie Siege
directed by Ernest Dickerson
music by Jon Ehrlich & Jason Derlatka

Guest Cast: Nathan Baesel (Sirk), Lee Garlington (Helen), Elisabeth Moss (Christina), Ron Butler (Coroner)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Doctor Who New Series Season 04

Time Crash

Doctor WhoThe Doctor solemnly gets the TARDIS underway after he bids farewell to Martha Jones and leaves her with her family on Earth, but the quiet is shattered as his timeship lurches uncontrollably – and suddenly has another occupant, a man in full Edwardian cricket regalia. A very familiar man, as it turns out: the Doctor is at a loss to explain why his fifth incarnation is suddenly sharing his TARDIS with him, but both know instantly that it’s not good news. Much like the Doctor, the TARDIS has collided with its earlier self, and it’ll take more than an exchange of insurance information to prevent space and time from collapsing as a result…

Order the DVDwritten by Steven Moffatt
directed by Graeme Harper
music by Murray Gold

Cast: David Tennant (The Doctor), Peter Davison (The Doctor)

Appearing in footage from Last Of The Time Lords: Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones)

Notes: Time Crash was a 7-minute scene written for the BBC’s 2007 Children In Need telethon, with the actors, directors, and crew donating their time and talent; technically, it takes place during the final moments of Last Of The Time Lords, between Martha’s departure and the TARDIS’ collision with the Titanic. Director Graeme Harper also directed Peter Davison’s final adventure as the incumbent Doctor, Caves Of Androzani, in 1984 – so he remains Davison’s last director as the Doctor on TV. Davison is now tied with Tennant for appearing in the most in-character Doctor Who Children In Need specials, having also appeared in 1993’s Dimensions In Time; technically, The Five Doctors was originally shown as part of the Children In Need telethon in 1983, but unlike Time Crash and the 2005 Children In Need special, it was not specially made just for the event. Davison has, of course, been reprising the role of the Doctor’s fifth incarnation for Big Finish’s audio dramas since 1999. There were numerous in-jokes on past Doctor Who adventures, including a mention of zeiton ore (something the sixth Doctor ran out of in Vengeance On Varos). If you’re interested in making a donation to Children In Need, please click here to find out more about the charity, where the money goes, what’s up with the little yellow bear, and how you can help.

LogBook entry & review by Earl Green

Categories
Season 4 Stargate Stargate Atlantis

The Seer

Stargate AtlantisStill searching for the missing Athosians, Teyla decides to consult a man named Davos, hoping that rumors of his abilities as a seer are true. Indeed, when she joins Sheppard’s team to travel via stargate to meet Davos, his people are expecting the Atlantis team and already know them by name. But his daughter, leading the welcoming party, warns that Davos is very ill. In exchange for his help, the services of Atlantis’ infirmary are offered. Also arriving at Atlantis is Dr. Woolsey of the IOA, observing Colonel Carter’s command for a report back to Earth. When Davos begins to deliver visions of a climactic battle that doesn’t end well for the city, Sheppard, McKay and Carter begin second-guessing themselves as they try to determine how to use the information Davos has given them. And all the while, as predicted, the Wraith close in on Atlantis…

Order the DVDswritten by Alan McCullough
directed by Andy Mikita
music by Joel Goldsmith and Neil Acree

Guest Cast: Martin Jarvis (Davos), Christopher Heyerdahl (Wraith), Jewel Staite (Dr. Keller), Kimberley Warnat (Linara), Robert Picardo (Richard Woolsey)

Notes: British actor Martin Jarvis is a rarity in the Stargate universe – a guest star who has also appeared on Doctor Who. Mainstream audiences will also remember him from films such as Titanic. Sheppard’s fellow escapee, who happens to be a Wraith, appeared in Common Ground. Teyla’s pregnancy was written into the fourth season’s storyline to explain actress Rachel Luttrell’s real-life pregnancy.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
New Series Prisoner, The

Anvil

The Prisoner (2009 remake)2 recruits 6 to join his legion of “undercovers” – Village residents who spy on other Village residents. The undercovers don’t try to determine if someone is guilty; they assume guilt and then try to find out what their subject is guilty of. 6 vows on the spot to find ways to turn this new assignment against 2, but even 6 is surprised when he learns about the culture of surveillance that exists within the borders of the Village: children are taught spying techniques, and virtually anyone could be a spy. 6 worries about the fate of the dreamers, Village residents who have inexplicably drawn sketches of such things as Big Ben and the Statue of Liberty. Anyone caught remembering the world outside the Village doesn’t have a long life expectancy; anyone caught associating with 6 may have an even shorter life.

written by Bill Gallagher
directed by Nick Hurran
music by Rupert Gregson-Williams

Cast: Ian McKellen (2), Jim Caviezel (6), Hayley Atwell (Lucy), Ruth Wilson (313), Lennie James (147), Jeffrey R. Smith (16), Rachael Blake (M2), Jamie Campbell Bower (11-12), Vincent Regan (909), Warrick Grier (1955)

Notes: The new Prisoner episode titles hearken back to episodes of the original – in this case, Hammer Into Anvil – even though there may not necessarily be a direct story correlation.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
New Series Prisoner, The

Darling

The Prisoner (2009 remake)A gaping hole leading to nowhere has opened up in 147’s back yard. 6 is curious as to what caused it – the best explanation anyone seems to have is that it’s not the weather – and even wonders if it’s a mean of escaping the Village. At the same time, 6 is being pressured to take part in the Village’s matchmaking program, and while he’s skeptical at first, he’s stunned to find himself matched to a woman who he remembers encountering in New York City. Only now she’s blind, and has no memory of life before the Village – or of 6. One of 147’s children disappears into the hole while playing, never to emerge again. As it seems as though wedding bells may be ringing for 6, the hole may be ringing in the end of the Village.

written by Bill Gallagher
directed by Nick Hurran
music by Rupert Gregson-Williams

Cast: Ian McKellen (2), Jim Caviezel (6), Hayley Atwell (Lucy), Ruth Wilson (313), Lennie James (147), Jeffrey R. Smith (16), Rachael Blake (M2), Jamie Campbell Bower (11-12)

Notes: The new Prisoner episode titles hearken back to episodes of the original – in this case, Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling – even though there may not necessarily be a direct story correlation.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Sarah Jane Adventures Season 4

Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith – Part 2

The Sarah Jane AdventuresWith Ruby’s true identity revealed, Sarah is trapped. Clyde and Rani aren’t convinced by the “message” Sarah leaves for them by way of Mr. Smith, however, and Ruby immediately sets about trying to turn the two against each other. But Ruby hasn’t counted on one thing – Luke returns from Cambridge, trying to find out why he can’t contact Sarah.

written by Clayton Hickman & Gareth Roberts
directed by Joss Agnew
music by Sam Watts / title music by Murray Gold

Get the DVDDownload this episodeGuest Cast: Mina Anwar (Gita Chandra), Ace Bhatti (Haresh Chandra), Julie Graham (Ruby White), Eddie Marsan (Mr. White), John Leeson (voice of K-9)

Notes: Luke makes his first appearance in person since part 2 of The Nightmare Man here, as does K-9.

LogBook entry by Earl Green