Rules Of Attraction
Hal Sterling’s latest job overseeing hydroelectric power plant construction has brought him, and his reluctant family, to Egypt. They’re so ready to return to California that even a newspaper headline about a once-in-10,000-years alignment of the planets doesn’t excite anyone. As their time abroad is drawing to a close, they take a local up on an offer of a guided tour of the pyramids…only to be abandoned when they don’t fork over his asking fee a second time. They stumble into what seems like an endless drop, and emerge from a lake in unfamiliar surroundings. A chance encounter with a futuristic vehicle piloted by some kind of soldier proves that they’re no longer in Egypt, and possibly not even on Earth. They make their way to an equally futuristic city called Sarlex, and Hal bluffs his way through an indoctrination session for new residents to secure a home for them, at least for now. The Sterlings are assigned to unfamiliar jobs and schools, and their oldest son, Trace, falls for a local girl, only to discover that the locals are all androids. Commander Kroll, the soldier whose vehicle the Sterlings “borrowed” to reach Sarlex, comes to town, determined to find the “dangerous terrorists” who attacked him. Upon learning from their neighbors that Sarlex is innundated with radiation that is harmful to humans, the Sterlings get ready to go on the run, having worn out their welcome in this other world.
written by Roderick Taylor
directed by William A. Graham
music by Sylvester LeVay
Cast: Sam Groom (Hal Sterling), Gretchen Corbett (June Sterling), Tony O’Dell (Trace Sterling), Jonna Lee (Gina Sterling), Brandon Crane (Smith Sterling), Jonathan Banks (Kroll), Amanda Wyss (Nova), Peter Bromilow (Praetor), Gokul (Ahmed), James Costy (Professor Kroyd), Conrad Bachmann (Litten), Michael Rider (Officer), James Hampton (Fred Roach), Barbara Stuart (Mrs. Roach), Ray Walston (Bureaucrat), Michael Sharrett (Stock Clerk), Wayne Alexander (Lieutenant), Gary Pagett (Monitor), Barbara Beckley (Mr. Mob), Anita Jesse (Miss Wanda), Dan Lewk (Fabrique), Rodger LaRue (Corporal), Janet Rasak (Woman),
Robert Vinson (Student), Zachary Baker (Bo) Notes: Otherworld was scheduled immediately before Airwolf on CBS’ Saturday prime time schedule, meaning that audiences who stuck with the network throughout the night got a double-shot of Sylvester LeVay theme music.
LogBook entry by Earl Green
Cast: Sam Groom (Hal Sterling), Gretchen Corbett (June Sterling), Tony O’Dell (Trace Sterling), Jonna Lee (Gina Sterling), Chris Hebert (Smith Sterling), Jonathan Banks (Kroll), Mark Lenard (Commander Perel Sightings), Dominick Brascia (Hobert Racks), Robert O’Reilly (Drill Instructor), Kevin Scott Allen (Brindle), Bryan McGuire (Sergeant), Wayne Alexander (Aid), Nadine van der Velde (Girl), Michael McGrady (Zone Trooper), Robert L. Gibson (Teacher), Greg Elliot (Christopher), Kay Tornborg (Map Instructor), Bill Covert (Brax), Dale Butcher (Instructor), Brian Thompson (D.I. #2), Steven Whiteford (Flight Instructor)
Notes: The Sterlings are now the Hardins (presumably the Sterlings are having to adopt aliases as they travel). It’s all-star Major Recurring Star Trek Actors week at Otherworld: Mark Lenard played Spock’s father Sarek in the classic Star Trek series (both live-action and animated) and movies, while Robert O’Reilly played Klingon Chancellor Gorwon in numerous episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine from 1990 through 1999. Brian Thompson also played numerous alien characters in various Trek episodes, and Otherworld’s unit production manager (in its post-pilot weekly series format) is one David Livingston, who served as a line producer on Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise, as well as directing several episodes of each.