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DVD reviews: Battlestar Galactica mini series

pete — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:33:27 +0000

Back in 2003 I was neither inclined nor interested enough to watch Battlestar Galactica when it returned to TV screens. Over the following 5 years I have been even less inclined, then as if by magic I caught a glimpse of something written on a website that struck me as being so dark, I absolutely knew that Battlestar Galactica and I could no longer be parted.

Like a good person I started at the very beginning, back in 2003 with this DVD the mini-series. The Sci-Fi channel have limited funds so launching a mini-series first was a good way of testing whether 25 years from the original series if the show would still be as popular, Sky Television are testing the same this autumn with the two part mini-series Blakes 7. Although originally shown as a two part story, for DVD releases the two episodes have been merged into what appears to be one feature length movie.

The story behind the mini-series is itself quite dark, Cylons an army of robot servants work faithfully for their human creators, until one day and almost in unison they all snapped turning on their owners and starting a war. Out of nowhere the Cylons abandoned their war with the humans and headed off into deep space. The humans offered a floating space station in a neutral zone in which should Cylon and human wish to meet up and discuss matters they could. For 40 years nothing has happened……Until now.

On the Battlestar Galactica a giant floating warship not used for war for many years Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos) is preparing for his retirement, having served faithfully for the colonial forces since the Cylon war it is time for him to step down and allow for a new generation of Commander. Adama’s retirement is drawn to a sudden end when suddenly the worlds that supported the humans find themselves under nuclear attack, and entire populations are wiped out. To add to the problems the fleet of warships the humans own are barely armed, and seemingly disabled by something prior to coming into contact with the incoming Cylon forces. In 40 years of peace the human forces are not prepared for battle, and complete annihilation by Cylon forces seems inevitable.

Battlestar Galactica is as I mentioned earlier a remake of a one season TV show from 1978, the show back in its day was unappreciated despite an abundance of tie in products, from toys to sticker books. A year after the show was ended they tried again with Galactica 1980 in which the human soldiers finally found Earth in 1980, and

Star Trek (Season 2) DVD Review

pete — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:21:25 +0000

Recipient of four Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Dramatic Series on two occasions in its short three-year run, Star Trek is a science-fiction legend among television viewers. The creation of former Los Angeles police officer Gene Roddenberry, the series first aired in Fall 1966 but was cancelled because of low ratings. It might have been NBC executives who were really responsible for the low ratings seeing as how they placed the show in a horrible time slot. Nevertheless, when Star Trek became syndicated, the reruns took hold of an entirely new generation, shooting the Star Trek franchise to new highs. It would be only the beginning of decades of spin-off products, including comics, novels, six feature films, and tons of merchandise as fans clamored for everything Star Trek-related…

The Star Trek (Season 2) DVD features a number of action-packed episodes including the season premiere “Amok Time” in which Spock begins to exhibit strange and irrational characteristics. Concerned, Kirk orders a full medical examination and learns that Spock is experiencing the instinctual mating patterns of a Vulcan and must return to his home planet immediately in order to avoid death. When they arrive, Spock’s chosen mate challenges the pairing, prompting a duel between Spock and the man of her choosing. Kirk is chosen, and he and Spock are forced to fight to the death… Other notable episodes from Season 2 include “Metamorphosis” in which the Enterprise encounters a mysterious force known as The Companion which is in love with a human, and “Patterns of Force” in which the crew of the Enterprise visits a planet resembling the society of 20th Century Nazi Germany…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Star Trek (Season 2) DVD:

Episode 30 (Amok Time) Air Date: 09-15-1967

Episode 31 (Who Mourns for Adonais?) Air Date: 09-22-1967

Episode 32 (The Changeling) Air Date: 09-29-1967

Episode 33 (Mirror, Mirror) Air Date: 10-06-1967

Episode 34 (The Apple) Air Date: 10-13-1967

Episode 35 (The Doomsday Machine) Air Date: 10-20-1967

Episode 36 (Catspaw) Air Date: 10-27-1967

Episode 37 (I, Mudd) Air Date: 11-03-1967

Episode 38 (Metamorphosis) Air Date: 11-10-1967

Episode 39 (Journey to Babel) Air Date: 11-17-1967

Episode 40 (Friday’s Child) Air Date: 12-01-1967

Episode 41 (The Deadly Years) Air Date: 12-08-1967

Episode 42 (Obsession) Air Date: 12-15-1967

Episode 43 (Wolf in the Fold) Air Date: 12-22-1967

Episode 44 (The Trouble with Tribbles) Air Date: 12-29-1967

Episode 45 (The Gamesters of Triskelion) Air Date: 01-05-1968

Episode 46 (A Piece of the Action) Air Date: 01-12-1968

Episode 47 (The Immunity Syndrome) Air Date: 01-19-1968

Episode 48 (A Private Little War) Air Date: 02-02-1968

Episode 49 (Return to Tomorrow) Air Date: 02-09-1968

Episode 50 (Patterns of Force) Air Date: 02-16-1968

Episode 51 (By Any Other Name) Air Date: 02-23-1968

Episode 52 (The Omega Glory) Air Date: 03-01-1968

Episode 53 (The Ultimate Computer) Air Date: 03-08-1968

Episode 54 (Bread and Circuses) Air Date: 03-15-1968

Episode 55 (Assignment: Earth) Air Date: 03-29-1968

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Guide to the recurring characters of Star Trek, Deep Space Nine – Part 1

pete — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:22:45 +0000

In the 40 years of Star Trek there have been five TV series with that name. Star Trek Deep Space Nine was the third. The story was set on a space station near a planet called Bajor and the only stable wormhole in the Star Trek Universe.

There were less than ten regular characters as well as more than ninety recurring characters. The recurring characters appeared in anywhere from three episodes to 91 episodes, depending on the character. Some were major characters that had an impact on the show’s story and some were minor characters, usually in the form of relatives of the regular characters.

The recurring character that holds the record for most appearances was the alien named Morn. He was in 91 episodes, including the first and last episodes of the series. Unlike all of the other recurring characters, Morn just sat in Quark’s bar and never uttered a word.

The Humans

Keiko O’Brien was the wife of Chief O’Brien. She was a Starfleet botanist who was working on the USS Enterprise when she met and married Miles O’Brien. When the O’Briens began living on DS9, Keiko was concerned about her daughter’s education so she started a one-room school with herself as the teacher. When the threat of a Dominion attack forced her to close her school she took a job with an agro biology expedition of Bajor. Keiko and Miles had two children together, Molly and Kirayoshi. Keiko appeared in nineteen episodes and Molly appeared in eleven.

Kasidy Yates was a civilian freighter captain who began dating the station commander, Capt. Ben Sisko. As their relationship progressed, Kasidy took a job with the Bajoran Ministry of Commerce and began living on the station. As the series came to an end, Kasidy and Ben were married and expecting their first child together. Kasidy was in fifteen episodes.

Vic Fontaine was a character in one of Dr. Bashir’s holographic programs. He was a Las Vegas lounge singer from the 1960s and knew he was a hologram. Vic played an important role in Nog’s recovery after Nog lost his leg in battle. (see below)

The Ferengi

Rom is one of the Ferengi characters that lives on the station. He is Quark’s brother and Nog’s father. For the first few seasons of DS9, Rom worked for his brother at Quark’s bar. In season four, Rom became an engineer in the Bajoran militia. He worked for Chief O’Brien and quickly proved that he was not the idiot that his brother thought he was. Rom proved to be a vital part of the crew when his self-replicating mines

Movie reviews: Tripping the Rift, The Movie

pete — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:41:07 +0000

Tripping the Rift has always had a cult following for its creative parodies of sci-fi favorites coupled with brazen language and generous doses of sexual deviance. With three seasons under its belt, the show heads to DVD with the Tripping the Rift Movie (which is actually like three episodes strung together by a slightly connecting storyline).

Tripping the Rift’s style lends itself to half-hour episodes, and while the movie retains the feeling of just watching three in a row, it doesn’t offer anything too original for those expecting the subtitle to really mean anything. Much like a Star Trek in South Park, the outlandish antics and absurd predicaments the main crew of zany characters find themselves in comprise the majority of the entertainment. Chode (Stephen Root) is the three-eyed blobby purple alien captain whose insatiable sexual appetite and very un-sugarcoated dialogue provides the lowest point of the show’s maturity, but also the funniest. Pleasure droid Six (Jenny McCarthy) offers the brains and the looks behind their operations and is usually the target of gratuitous sexual references. The gay robot Gus (Maurice LeMarche) manages a few laughs here and there, and both the hideous bovine alien T’nuk and wimpy lizard Whip generally just get annoying. Main villain Darph Bobo (a clown-like Vader knockoff) doesn’t always impress, but is definitely more appealing than the sub-villains introduced throughout the movie that exude the very essence of all that is dismal and revolting.

The major appeal of the TV show lies in the edgy quips and ludicrous parodies (along with frequent hints of nudity from the unnaturally jiggly female android Six), but more so here than in random episodes the humor is noticeably hit-or-miss. Unexpected interjections and offbeat rants from Chode are easily the most entertaining bits, but everything from gay jokes to breaking out into song and dance find their way into this Rift. The parodies used in the movie are a little too clich and rarely will the grimace change to a laugh, but fans of the series will undoubtedly follow these characters to whatever unlikely locations they end up.

Special Features:

The DVD Special Features include a short “making-of” featurette which is, in reality, just a series of short interviews with the main voice actors. This otherwise throwaway feature becomes essential viewing when the camera turns to Jenny McCarthy (replacing Carmen Electra as the voice of Six) who points out the shared attributes with her animated character, including being built for sex, multi-orgasmic, and showcasing a heaving bosom. A theatrical trailer rounds out the special features, however those fortunate enough to purchase their copy from Best Buy can get the bonus disc “The Best of Six,” which contains three episodes based around the buxom android beauty, which are actually better than those that comprise the movie.

Overall:

The foul-mouthed characters spouting crude jokes and obscenities will appeal to fans of the series, but newcomers may find the offbeat humor and immature spoofing difficult to swallow. The individual episodes of the seasons are more effectively paced and ultimately more entertaining, but those buying the movie will definitely want to pick up the Best Buy exclusive with the bonus episodes.

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Top 10 TV characters

pete — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:44:17 +0000

Meet the top 10 male TV characters that make up the mythological men of science fiction. The top 10 mythological men of science fiction represent powerful figures in the mythology of their programs.

10. G’Kar and Londo Mollari

Tied at Number 10 are two Ambassadors to Babylon 5. G’Kar represents the Narn while Londo represents the Centauri. These two races are at odds after centuries of strife including the Narn enslavement and bitter anger towards their Centauri oppressors. The writing on Babylon 5 explored the transitory nature of their relationship. The two characters share the number 10 spot because they are irrevocably intertwined.

In episode Dust to Dust, G’Kar takes a mind-altering substance called dust that allows him to telepathically rape Londo’s mind. During this experience, G’Kar learns Londo’s deepest secrets and realizes even greater revelations about himself. When the Vorlon Ambassador intervenes, G’Kar sees his father and comes to a turning point in his life as he lets go of all his hate and bitterness. G’Kar will write the book of G’Kar, help shape future alliances, preserve the memories of his people and die a hero’s death to save Londo.

9. Commander Jeffrey Sinclair

From Babylon 5 comes another mythological man of science fiction. Commander Jeffrey Sinclair is appointed commander of the Babylon 5 station at the request of the mysterious Minbari Grey Council. Commander Sinclair underwent many strange encounters during his tenure as Commander of the Babylon station, including rescuing the crew of Babylon 4 which went missing nearly a decade before. Recalled to Earth abruptly at the end of the first season, Sinclair eventually served as Earth’s Ambassador to Minbar and leader to the newly reformed Rangers.

In a particularly gripping pair of episodes in Season 3, however, Commander Sinclair’s mythological roots were established as viewers learned that he was the reason that the Minbari surrendered during the Earth-Minbari War. The Grey Council believed that Sinclair contained the soul of a reborn Minbari. But in the War Without End Sinclair became The One Who Was as he fulfilled a prophecy and took the Babylon 4 station back in time over one thousand years. Using a device given to him by Delenn, he became a Minbari not born of Minbari and the greatest figure to lead the Minbari people: Valen.

8. Captain Benjamin Sisko

Originally a Commander when assigned to Deep Space Nine, Captain Sisko arrived with his own history and baggage. His wife

TV show reviews: Star Trek Enterprise

pete — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 02:42:52 +0000

I became a Trekker on September 8, 1966. I was a young girl, and I fell in love with Mr. Spock almost from the moment I first saw him. I have watched every episode of the original “Star Trek” dozens of times, even the stinkeroos. (Lava monster meets Abraham Lincoln, anyone?) As a teenager, I wrote dozens of stories about Mr. Spock falling in love with a beautiful young Star Fleet lieutenant who looked like an idealized version of me — or as a change of pace, a beautiful young woman from ShiKahr who looked like an idealized, Vulcan version of me.

I’ve seen most of the episodes of the animated series, every feature film, every episode of “The Next Generation,” about 4/7th of the episodes of “Deep Space Nine,” every episode of “Voyager,” and every episode of “Enterprise.” I’ve read dozens of novels based on the Star Trek universe.

Which is all to say, when “Enterprise” debuted in 2001, I was elated. I thought the series had enormous promise, I’ve always liked Scott Bakula, and the first few episodes of the new show were terrific. (Also terrific, incidentally, were two or three of the LAST episodes of the series, especially the two-parter set in the “Mirror, Mirror” universe.)

But after its good beginning, “Enterprise” succumbed to what I think of (perhaps unjustly) as “Rick Berman-itis,” after the producer of every Star Trek spinoff so far, except the animated series. Most of its episodes were infuriating, either because they ignored the Star Trek “canon” (the “facts” of the Star Trek universe, like Vulcans having green blood) or they ignored tiny little details like scientific fact.

The original “Star Trek” attracted some of the finest science fiction writers alive, including Harlan Ellison, Robert Bloch, Norman Spinrad, and the great Theodore Sturgeon. “The Next Generation” attempted in the beginning to recapture the spirit of the original series, but by the time “Enterprise” appeared, almost 15 years later, the bloom wasn’t just off the rose, the rose had turned into a skunk cabbage.

The original “Star Trek” cared enough about scientific fact to hire actual scientists to review each script and make sure they at least sounded plausible. Each succeeding spinoff made less and less of an effort, until finally, with “Enterprise,” we reached a point where important plot points were based on physical impossibilities or technobabble Bushwah. The most egregious error I can remember off the top of my head was an episode whose plot hinged on how

Least favorite Star Trek characters – Part 1

pete — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:29:00 +0000

I am a Trekkie. It runs deep within my blood and I have been watching the adventures of Captain Kirk for years. I must say that even though I was a fan of the Original Series, I do like the newer Star trek series even better. But each of the series has characters that just seem to be there for no real reason at all.

The Next Generation: Deanna Troi

The character of Deanna Troi seems to be one of those additions that just did not make sense. Her character is only developed on a small scale and really has a small role in the actual function of the ship. Deanna stands out because she does not seem like an officer. Many times I have thought that the character was only there for romantic involvement and nothing more. Deanna Troi adds little if anything to the depth of the show in any season and is by far my least favorite character in the Next Generation.

Deep Space Nine: Jake Sisko, Rom and Vic Fontaine

My three least favorite characters on Deep Space Nine are Jake Sisko, Rom and Vic Fontaine. Let me say that Deep Space Nine is without a doubt my favorite of all the Star Trek series. However, I never really saw a real purpose for any of these characters.

Jake Sisko was there because his father, Benjamin Sisko, was the commanding officer on the station. I understand why he is there but too many times there is emphasis on things other than his relationship with his father. For instance, the episode The Muse, was about an alien that fed off of the life energy of writers. The whole story was stupid but there was a moment when I was hoping that they might kill Jake off but no such luck.

Rom was the idiot brother of Quark the owner of Deep Space Nine’s bar. Again I never understood why this character was included so much in the series. His role as the lowly or stupid brother does not help his character. However, Rom does develop a backbone and becomes part of the station engineering crew. He does somewhat break out of the dumb brother mold. In the end, his rise to power almost seems fitting. Rom becomes the new Grand Nagus, ruler of the Ferengi alliance.

Vic Fontaine was introduced as a minor character in the sixth season. In fact, Vic is not even real, he is a hologram character. Vic Fontaine is a singer in a 50’s era casino, where he is the opening and only act. The writers used this as a way to include some great classic songs in the series. The only good thing is that Vic is only in a handful of episodes.

Voyager: Commander Chakotay

Of all

The science of Star Trek

pete — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:01:19 +0000

The Inventions of Star Trek

Star Trek is full of the stuff of life: drama, adventure, philosophy, emotion, etc. But the one thing that caught people’s imagination was the technology; some practical, some possible and others fanciful. The technologies I have listed below have been debated over for decades and while I have thought about this subject, I have also added information from the TV show How William Shatner Changed the World’, and books by Lawrence Krauss’ 1997 The physics of Star Trek and Douglas Mulhall’s 2002 Our Molecular Future’. These show how far we have come in technology since the original programme and how 23rd century technology is closer than we think or know.

Computers in Star Trek brought several innovations to our world. Computer disks were used by Mr. Spock in The Menagerie’ when trying to escape with Capt. Pike. But since disks are going out of fashion now, then maybe they were more like flash drives, big ones, but more sophisticated. There was also voice-recognition, conversational computers (that must have passed the Turing Test) and also on Voyager, a computer that was constructed of bioneural gel packs. Scientists now are working on neural interfaces to produce better thinking computers. Translators are also a part of his revolution. PDA translators are in use in Iraq and Afghanistan by soldiers which speaks to civilians in Arabic. Computers on Star Trek also allowed video conferencing and computer note pads.

Our first real PC was named Altair’, named after a solar system in Star Trek, according to How William Shatner’. This computer directly influenced Steve Jobs (Apple) and Bill Gates (Microsoft) into creating software. Related to computers are crystal storage devices of varying shapes and sizes used by different cultures in Star Trek. Instead of tapes, disks, CDs/DVDs, memory sticks or drives, we use crystal units ourselves for holograph memory.

Communicators were the mobile phones of the future, limited in scope, but they were the inspirations for some of our mobiles. In fact, Martin Cooper envisaged the mobile phone while at Motorola after watching Star Trek; and the rest was history from the brick to Razr. With the Next Generation came the comm-badge, which could be a reality as new types of batteries could be printed onto surfaces and made more powerful and flexible. This means that the shape and size of any electronic device would not depend on its battery shape as most current mobiles do. A triangular comm-badge

Should William Shatner return as Captain Kirk in the new Star Trek movie?

pete — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 05:55:59 +0000

William Shatner will always be remembered as the original face of the “Star Trek” legacy, Captain Kirk was ever-present on the bridge of the starship “Enterprise” through 79 episodes of the long running TV show. Shatner enjoyed more big-screen success when the original TV cast were re-united for “Star Trek: the motion picture”. Five more films were to follow before “Star trek: Next generation” took over the big-screen mantle; Shatner would make an appearance in “Star Trek: Generations”.

Now we have the scheduled release of the new “Star Trek” in 2009 with an all-new cast; the past is indeed alive but without anyone from any of the previous movies or TV series. At the very energetic age of 78 years old, William Shatner has remained active in his acting career; with a major role in the hit TV show “Boston legal”.

If the new “Star Trek” is trying to re-invent itself then bringing back the original actor would be a major mistake; it would be difficult to convince an audience, possibly even fans of “Star Trek” that Shatner could still be considered a credible captain of a starship at his age. Another more obvious aspect is that the makers have decided to rewind history and see the Enterprise in its early days; a captain that’s about 40 years everyone else’s senior would look pretty ridiculous!

The “Next generation” films were a step in the right direction when it came to continuing the big-screen presence of “Star Trek”, but going backwards to the beginning doesn’t exactly follow any logic (as any Vulcan might think). The idea of even considering the original captain shouldn’t even be talked about; “Trek” has moved on, so should’ve the films.

There has been “Voyager” and “Deep Space Nine” that followed on in the successful tradition of “Star Trek” and “Next generation” TV shows, so where have their films been? “Voyager” had more than enough scope to surely make a decent script and story from? “Deep Space Nine” was an epic series centered around conflict, belief and war; this would have been a good area to draw inspiration and resume the quality films we have become accustomed to.

If it wasn’t for the efforts of people like William Shatner then you couldn’t even have a discussion about this decades later, but “Star Trek” has grown into something much more now, it’s not about re-cycling old ideas or characters, Sci-fi is about the future and new ideas.

Star Trek (Season 3) DVD Review

pete — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:42:56 +0000

Winner of countless awards and unsurpassed audience devotion, the original Star Trek TV series follows the adventures of the crew aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise as they “boldly go where no man has gone before…” Led by Captain Kirk (William Shatner), an astronaut who displays the character traits necessary for the Earth mission’s survival, the Enterprise crew includes Lt. Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy), a retired commander and Vulcan theoretical scientist; chief medical officer Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley); and a varying and talented supporting cast including guest appearances and cameo roles by famous 1960s personalities. Together, they vow to carry out their appointed mission: “to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations…”

The Star Trek (Season 3) DVD features a number of action-packed episodes including the season premiere “Spock’s Brain” in which the Enterprise is intercepted by a mysterious, unidentified spacecraft. An alien from the ship beams herself onto the bridge of the Enterprise and renders the entire crew unconscious. When they awaken, McCoy informs Kirk that the alien has confiscated Spock’s brain. Now, the Enterprise is tasked with locating Spock’s brain before his body decays… Other notable episodes from Season 3 include “Plato’s Stepchildren” in which the inhabitants of the planet Platonius take advantage of the Enterprise crew’s goodwill in order to enslave them via telekinesis, and “The Way to Eden” in which the Enterprise is hijacked by a band of Earthlings in pursuit of the mythical planet Eden, a garden-like world of health, purity, and happiness…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Star Trek (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 56 (Spock’s Brain) Air Date: 09-20-1968

Episode 57 (The Enterprise Incident) Air Date: 09-27-1968

Episode 58 (The Paradise Syndrome) Air Date: 10-04-1968

Episode 59 (And the Children Shall Lead) Air Date: 10-11-1968

Episode 60 (Is There in Truth No Beauty?) Air Date: 10-18-1968

Episode 61 (Spectre of the Gun) Air Date: 10-25-1968

Episode 62 (Day of the Dove) Air Date: 11-01-1968

Episode 63 (For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky) Air Date: 11-08-1968

Episode 64 (The Tholian Web) Air Date: 11-15-1968

Episode 65 (Plato’s Stepchildren) Air Date: 11-22-1968

Episode 66 (Wink of an Eye) Air Date: 11-29-1968

Episode 67 (The Empath) Air Date: 12-06-1968

Episode 68 (Elaan of Troyius) Air Date: 12-20-1968

Episode 69 (Whom Gods Destroy) Air Date: 01-03-1969

Episode 70 (Let That Be Your Last Battlefield) Air Date: 01-10-1969

Episode 71 (The Mark of Gideon) Air Date: 01-17-1969

Episode 72 (That Which Survives) Air Date: 01-24-1969

Episode 73 (The Lights of Zetar) Air Date: 01-31-1969

Episode 74 (Requiem for Methuselah) Air Date: 02-14-1969

Episode 75 (The Way to Eden) Air Date: 02-21-1969

Episode 76 (The Cloudminders) Air Date: 02-28-1969

Episode 77 (The Savage Curtain) Air Date: 03-07-1969

Episode 78 (All Our Yesterdays) Air Date: 03-14-1969

Episode 79 (Turnabout Intruder) Air Date: 06-03-1969