Day: November 18, 1976

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Season 2 Space: 1999

AB Chrysalis

Space: 1999As the moon drifts dangerously close to a planet, Moonbase Alpha’s sensors pick up a massive explosion near that world, sending a massive shockwave across the surface of the moon and doing widespread damage to the Moonbase. During a damage survey, Koenig, Carter and Maya discover that a small number of spherical space vessels landed on the moon in a circular pattern, using the explosion to cover their approach. Koenig boards one and is attacked by an auto-defense system. Carter helps him up and they are both scanned in a room full of spherical objects which bounce from platform to platform. After a brief introduction, the spheres provide the two humans with a breathable atmosphere and make voice contact for the first time. Koenig asks the spheres for help in avoiding the planet, but these objects are merely computer servants of a race which is in a transitional evolutionary stage – and can’t be contacted. Koenig, Carter and Maya resort to desperate measures…something which may curtail the evolutionary process and give birth to a new race before its development is complete.

Order the DVDswritten by Tony Barwick
directed by Val Guest
music by Derek Wadsworth

Guest Cast: Nick Tate (Alan Carter), Ina Skriver (A), Sarah Douglas (B), Robert Rietty (Sphere voice), John Hug (Bill Fraser), David Sebastian Bach (Guardian’s Brother), Sarah Bullen (Kate), Albin Pahernik (Creature), Yasuko Nagazumi (Yasko)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Jason Of Star Command Season 1

The Haunted Planet

Jason Of Star CommandJason’s Starfire vehicle is in trouble: its atomic power source is seconds away from going critical. He’s forced to land on a nearby planet and abandon the Starfire before it explodes, unaware that someone on that planet is the cause of the problem. A hooded man named Bork emerges, informing Jason and friends that they are now prisoners of Queen Vanessa. And she seems to be in no hurry to let them go.

Order this series on DVDwritten by Ted Pedersen & Martha Humphreys
directed by Arthur H. Nadel
music by Yvette Blais & Jeff Michael and Horta-Mahana

Jason Of Star CommandCast: Craig Littler (Jason), Sid Haig (Dragos), Susan O’Hanlon (Capt. Nicole Davidoff), Charlie Dell (Prof. E.J. Parsafoot), James Doohan (Commander Canarvin), Julie Newmar (Queen Vanessa), Angelo Rossitto (Bork)

Notes: Julie Newmar had appeared in the 1960s Batman series as Catwoman, as well as guest starring in the original Star Trek.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Season 2 Star Blazers

Heavy Fighting: The Space Cavalry!

Star BlazersA distress signal is received from Brumis, the eleventh planet of the Earth’s solar system which is home to a Marine-manned defense base – which is now under attack by Comet Empire forces. Wildstar orders a full-scale attack on the Empire’s ships, doing critical damage to their numbers and letting only a single ship get away. The Argo is able to rescue Sgt. Knox and his Marines, taking them aboard. Sandor is able to analyze samples of the Comet Empire’s technology, proving to the EDF once and for all that a new threat to Earth’s safety indeed exists. The Star Force’s renegade status is lifted, and Sgt. Knox vows vengeance upon the enemy who forced he and his men to do the unthinkable – retreat.

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

A Matter Of Time

Star Trek: The Next GenerationStardate 45349.1: While rushing to aid a planet whose atmosphere has been damaged by an asteroid collision, the Enterprise is visited by Rasmussen, ostensibly a 26th century historian who has traveled in time to observe the crew’s activities. Refusing to answer any questions about the future, Rasmussen watches while attempts to salvage the planet almost worsen its condition. When Picard must make a decision that could destroy everyone on the planet or save them, he asks Rasmussen to tell him what history says about the outcome of the Enterprise’s mission – but the time traveler carefully avoids answering…and Picard wonders if Rasmussen is really protecting history, or if he even knows anything about the future at all.

Order the DVDswritten by Rick Berman
directed by Paul Lynch
music by Jay Chattaway

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), Matt Frewer (Professor Rasmussen), Stefan Gierasch (Dr. Moseley), Sheila Franklin (Ensign), Shay Garner (Scientist)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 4

The Summoning

Babylon 5Ivanova and Marcus set out aboard a ship from the White Star fleet to make contact with more of the First Ones, seeking more allies to participate in a final attack on Z’ha’Dum. The information G’Kar acquired about the possible whereabouts of Garibaldi arrives, and Zack Allen leads a fighter group to recover him. G’Kar himself, in the meantime, is being tortured at the hands of the mad Centauri Emperor, while Londo and Vir are helpless to do anything but watch and plan a coup to sieze power from Cartagia. Delenn asks Lyta to find out what the Vorlons’ plans are, but Lyta fears the new Vorlon ambassador. Zack recovers Garibaldi, unaware that the security chief has been subjected to some kind of unknown process. Londo tries to convince G’Kar to put on a convincing show of pain in order to save his own life, but G’Kar resists the idea, attempting to maintain the last vestiges of Narn pride. Ivanova and Marcus stumble across a Vorlon fleet in hyperspace, consisting of thousands of heavy cruisers and even a few ships, several miles across, capable of destroying entire worlds. On the station, some of the former League of Non-Aligned Worlds members assemble to denounce Delenn’s proposed attack on Z’ha’Dum, and a ship arrives carrying Sheridan and the mysterious Lorien. Sheridan breaks up the gathering and prepares to lead the fight against the Shadows again, but Ivanova’s discovery, and a near-fatal encounter between Lyta and the Vorlon ambassador, reveals a new problem…the Vorlons have taken it upon themselves to end the war by eliminating all of the younger races who have ever been influenced by the Shadows.

Order now!Download this episodewritten by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by John McPherson
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), Wayne Alexander (Lorien), Wortham Krimmer (Emperor Cartagia), Kris Iyer (Dome Tech), Eric Zivot (Verano), Ron Campbell (Ambassador #1), Ardwight Chamberlain (Kosh), Jonathan Chapman (Ambassador Lethke), William Scudder (Ambassador #2)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Deep Space Nine Season 05 Star Trek

Things Past

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStardate not given: Odo, Sisko, Dax, and Garak are returning in a runabout from a conference on the occupation. When the runabout arrives back at the station, however, they are found in a catatonic state with their minds active, seemingly the result of a plasma storm. Meanwhile, the four find themselves living the roles of Bajorans on Terok Nor during the occupation. Strangely, the security chief is Odo’s predecessor, Thrax, although all signs point to it being the time period after Odo had become chief. And, according to Odo, the Bajorans they are supposed to be are soon to be unjustly executed for attempting to kill Gul Dukat.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Michael Taylor
directed by LeVar Burton
music by Jay Chattaway

Guest Cast: Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat), Victor Bevine (Belar), Andrew J. Robinson (Garak), Kurtwood Smith (Thrax), Brenon Baird (Soldier), Louahn Lowe (Okala), Judi Durand (Station Computer Voice)

LogBook entry by Tracy Hemenover

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Season 2 Xena: Warrior Princess

Ten Little Warlords

Xena: Warrior PrincessJoxer arrives one night at Xena and Gabrielle’s camp with a message for Callisto. It’s supposedly a message from the god of war, asking for her to come to an island. They soon learn that several other warlords have received the same message and are gathering at a nearby village. Xena also notices that Gabrielle’s behavior has changed, and that of the villagers as well. The people who are normally even tempered, seem to fly into rages fairly easily. They find Ares in a tavern, drunk. He tells Xena that someone stole his sword and with it his powers. That’s the reason all of these people are hostile. The deposed god asks Xena to help him to recover his sword. Xena realizes that it’s the only way she can get Gabrielle and the others to return to normal. She and Ares travel to an island with the other warriors. They discover that Sisyphus is the one who stole the sword. He tells the group that the one who kills the monster, Brakus, will be the next god of war.

Order the DVDswritten by Paul Robert Coyle
directed by Charles Siebert
music by Joseph LoDuca

Guest Cast: Hudson Leick (Xena), Kevin Smith (Ares), Ted Raimi (Joxer), Charels Siebert (Sisyphus), Bruce Hopkins (Tegason), Marcei Kaima (Sadus), Jason Kennedy (Carus), Chris Ryan (Virgilius), Patricia Donovan (Old Woman), John Smith (Boat Captain), Tony Ward (Messenger)

LogBook entry by Mary Terrell

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Babylon 5 / Crusade Season 5

Objects At Rest

Babylon 52262 nears its end, and the last of B5’s departing residents say their goodbyes. Franklin hands the keys to Medlab over to Dr. Hobbs. Ta’lon answers a summons from G’Kar, not knowing that he has been chosen to succeed the departed ambassador. Garibaldi takes charge of Edgars Industries. Lennier returns to the station to escort Sheridan and Delenn to the new Alliance headquarters, but his arrival sets the stage for a possibly fatal betrayal. And an unexpected reunion provides a few moments of joy for Londo…while once again advancing his associates’ sinister agenda.

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

Guest Cast: Marshall Teague (Ta’lon), Jennifer Balgobin (Dr. Lillian Hobbs), Simon Billig (Ranger), Joshua Cox (Lt. Corwin), Marjorie Monaghan (Number One), Maggie Egan (ISN Reporter), Mike Manzoni (Employee)

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

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Season 05 Star Trek Voyager

Timeless

Star Trek: VoyagerStardate 52143.6: After creating a new slipstream drive for Voyager – thanks to Seven’s Borg technology – Janeway and the crew are ready to give the new drive its test flight. Tom and Harry are certain that they’ve spotted a potentially fatal flaw in the slipstream drive, but Harry proposes a quick fix that involves flying point ahead of Voyager in the Delta Flyer. The powerful new propulsion system brings Voyager within parsecs of the Alpha Quadrant in a matter of minutes – and then fails disastrously, slamming the ship into a class L planet and killing everyone except Harry and Chakotay, who are aboard the Delta Flyer. It is a tragic loss from which neither of them will ever recover.

Order the DVDsteleplay by Brannon Braga & Joe Menosky
story by Rick Berman, Brannon Braga & Joe Menosky
directed by LeVar Burton
music by Dennis McCarthy

Guest Cast: Christine Harnos (Tessa Omond), LeVar Burton (Captain Geordi La Forge), Majel Barrett (Computer voice)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Clone Wars Star Wars Tartakovsky Series, Vol. 1

Chapter 8

  • By Dave
  • November 18, 2003

Star Wars: Clone WarsObi-Wan enters the battle against Durge, who’s not one to let a mere severed limb or two keep him down.

Order the DVDsstory by Bryan Andrew, Darrick Bachman, Paul Rudish and Genndy Tartakovsky
directed by Genndy Tartakovsky
original music by John Williams
new music by James L. Venable and Paul Dinletir

LogBook entry by Dave Thomer

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Doctor Who New Series Season 02

2005 Children In Need Special

Doctor WhoForced to regenerate by absorbing the power of the time vortex before it kills Rose, the Doctor isn’t feeling so well himself. Rose is shocked by what’s happened, accusing the new Doctor of being a Gelth, a Slitheen, or some other manner of impostor. Even after he recalls a moment that only he and Rose were there to witness, the Doctor can’t convince her that he’s the same person in a new body, and guesses that she wants to go home. But even after he sets the TARDIS on a course back to Earth to return Rose on Christmas Eve, the Doctor coughs up more of the time vortex energy – his ordeal isn’t over, and he says something is going wrong with his regeneration. When the chiming of the TARDIS’ cloister bell begins to fill the console room, it’s yet another signal that something has gone horribly wrong…

Season 2 Regular Cast: David Tennant (The Doctor), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler)

written by Russell T. Davies
directed by Euros Lyn
music by Murray Gold

Guest Cast: none

Notes: This untitled special was originally transmitted as part of the annual Children In Need appeal, with no credits for anyone other than the show’s two stars. A lengthy “recap” trailer covering events in The Parting Of The Ways was edited together, but due to overruns of various live performances during the broadcast, it was edited down at the last minute. This was also the first Doctor Who television production since 1964’s Edge Of Destruction to feature no one other than the show’s current regular cast, and to take place entirely inside the TARDIS. (The 1996 TV movie is not counted in this statistic because of its rather unique nature.)

LogBook entry & review by Earl Green

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Doctor Who New Series Specials

2011 Children In Need Special

Doctor WhoThe Doctor, in trying to draw attention toward a worthy cause, offers the shirt off of his back, as well as a few things he wears on his front. The problem now is how to get back to the TARDIS without anyone seeing that he’s just given up his clothes.

written by Steven Moffat
directed by Richard Senior
music by Murray Gold

Cast: Matt Smith (The Doctor)

Doctor WhoNotes: Written by Steven Moffat and shot at BBC Television Centre in London mere days before air, this brief (exactly two minutes) scene was part of the BBC’s annual Children In Need charity event, of which Doctor Who has been a part for years (Dimensions In Time, the 2005 special scene, Time Crash). This was the first time Doctor Who had been before the cameras at Television Centre since the production of the Sylvester McCoy story Ghost Light wrapped in 1989. Following the short skit was a trailer for the 2011 Christmas episode The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe.

LogBook entry & review by Earl Green

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Rebels Season 2 Star Wars

Blood Sisters

Star Wars: RebelsSabine is sent on a mission to find an undercover Rebel courier carrying much-needed information, with Ezra and Chopper as backup, though they’re all surprised to find that the courier is a lowly power droid – and it already has a Black Sun bounty hunter on its trail. But this bounty hunter, Ketsu, knows Sabine…because Sabine was once a fellow bounty hunter. Now Sabine must fight her old friend in order to get the droid offworld, but if there’s one thing Sabine knows about Ketsu, it’s that she isn’t easy to lose – and she doesn’t give up.

Order the DVDsDownload this episode via Amazonwritten by Kevin Hopps
directed by Bosco Ng
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

RebelsCast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Vanessa Marshall (Hera), Tiya Sircar (Sabine), Steve Blum (EG-86 Gonk Droid / Dispatch / Imperial Technician), Stephen Stanton (Imperial Officer / Pilot Droid / Stormtrooper 1), Gina Torres (Ketsu Onyo), Dave Filoni (Rodian / Stormtrooper 2)

RebelsNotes: Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan) does not appear in this episode, and while series regular Steve Blum does, Zeb does not. Gina Torres is best known to genre fans as Zoe Washburne from Firefly, and before that co-starred in Cleopatra 2525. R2-D2 makes an appearance at the end of this episode. The Black Sun crime syndicate is a rare callback to the pre-Disney “Legends” expanded universe, and figured heavily in such ’90s fiction as Shadows Of The Empire.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Resistance Season 1 Star Wars

Synara’s Score

Star Wars: ResistanceYeager is tasked with repairing the Colossus station’s turbolaser cannon targeting systems by Captain Doza. Kaz and Tam are assigned to find a specialized, military-grade part…and Neeku is assigned to keep his mouth shut about any of it. With pirate attacks on the rise, the station’s ability to defend itself is of prime important to Doza, especially as he fights to keep Colossus from having to agree to “help” from the First Order. Kaz lucks out in acquiring the part needed from Synara San, the scavenger that he and Poe recently rescued from a freighter that had been attacked by pirates. But the repairs to the targeting systems are still underway when the next pirate raid occurs. How did they know that the station happened to be defenseless?

Download this episode via Amazonwritten by Gavin Hignight
directed by Bosco Ng
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), Bobby Moynihan (Orka / Pirate #2), David Shaughnessy (Drell), Dee Bradley Baker (Dock Worker), Gary Anthony Williams (Kragan Gorr), Jason Hightower (Captain Doza / Pirate #4), Jim Rash (Flix / Pirate #3), Liam McIntyre (Commander Pyre / Pirate #1), Nazneen Contractor (Synara San)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

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Doctor Who New Series Season 11

Kerblam!

Doctor WhoThe TARDIS is boarded by a robot delivery man from Kerblam, the largest mail-order retailer in the galaxy, with a package that the Doctor ordered some time back. But while the Doctor is delighted to once again have a fez, the packing slip is even more important – bearing the words “help me” on the back. The Doctor pilots the TARDIS to Kerblam headquarters, where the time travelers go undercover as new hires in a warehouse populated by 90% robots and 10% people (in accordance with local law). Workers have been disappearing from Kerblam, and the Doctor immediately suspects the company’s small management staff, especially when Slade, the warehouse manager, is revealed to have known about the disappearances without telling anyone. But the Doctor soon discovers that Kerblam itself sent out the distress call…and that one of the “organics” on the premises is planning to start a planet-wide spree of death and destruction with super saver shipping.

Order the DVDwritten by Pete McTighe
directed by Jennifer Perrott
music by Segun Akinola

Doctor WhoCast: Jodie Whittaker (The Doctor), Bradley Walsh (Graham O’Brien), Tosin Cole (Ryan Sinclair), Mandip Gill (Yasmin Khan), Julie Hesmondhalgh (Judy Maddox), Lee Mack (Dan Cooper), Callum Dixon (Jarva Slade), Claudia Jessie (Kira Arlo), Leo Flanagan (Charlie Duffy), Matthew Gravelle (voice of Kerblam)

Doctor WhoNotes: Odds are good that the eleventh Doctor purchased the fez, a piece of headwear whose coolness he was fond of declaring (though it could have been the seventh Doctor, who had some affection for fezzes, as seen in 1988’s Silver Nemesis). This episode also isn’t the first time that mail has been delivered directly into the TARDIS, as a similar special delivery initiated the seventh Doctor’s investigation of the Psychic Circus in 1988’s The Greatest Show In The Galaxy.

LogBook entry by Earl Green