Larson 80s Week: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

Howdy doodly doo!!! Back again for more Larson 80s TV Week and  what better way for Larson to be on top of his game I believe given its collection of action figures, vehicle and playsets that this particular marketable show got almost as much love as Battlestar Galactica.  Based on comic strip artist Philip Francis Nowlan’s work which became novellas, radio shows and even serials starring Buster Crabbe; this phenomenon swept the nation is a big rush. So strap your blaster, prep your starfighter and get ready to defend Earth in the future.  This is Buck Rogers in the 25^th Century.

Thanks to Head and Shoulders I'm not afraid of flakes.

Twiki: Put me down, you big spoiler.

Due to the popularity of Star Wars dominating the big screen and Empire Strikes Back carving itself a slice out of the box office, Larson felt now was the time to hit the Sci-Fi market and hit it hard to squeeze as much material out of it as possible.  Revamping the old serial formula and putting a handsome and built guy in the lead role was a sure fire bet to win over America’s youth and possibly entertain the adults as well.  

Damn you, space vortex!!!

Captain William “Buck” Rogers (Gil Gerard of Man on a Swing, Not Another Affair, Johnny Blue, Sidekicks, The Stepdaughter and Ghost Town) is a 20^th century astronaut caught is a freak accident blown out of orbit of the planet and causing his return trip to lapse him 500 years into the future.  By this time the planet has recovered from nuclear fallout but is under constant attack by the Draconian Empire (D&D nerds are giggling).    The Earth Defense Directorate in need of combat pilots and hand to hand combatants (because apparently since we are done blowing each other up, we all forgot how to fight) Buck is drafted in.   Somehow his superior officer Colonel Wilma Deering (Erin Gray of The Fall Guy, Six Pack Born Beautiful, Code of Vengeance, Silver Spoons and Friday the 13^th Part 9: Jason Goes to Hell) adheres to most of Rogers’s make it up as you go plans leading them into fire fights, starfighter dog fights and more of Buck trying to outdo Kirk in the making out with aliens category.   Personally, I think Kirk’s record is safe. 

I had a few fun facts about the show.   The production managed to recycled a buttload of props from Battlestar Galactica from scale model effects, costumes, blasters and even more than a few of the cockpits of the Viper starships.   Universal studios were so thrilled to receive a good Neilsen run that it opted to release the Buck Rogers TV movie.

With the rising popularity amongst kids, two sets of action figures were produced by main toy distributor Mego for a 12 inch high line as well as a series of 3 ¾ figures and scaled starships.  Milton Bradley released a board game and several jigsaw puzzles while model kits were created by Monogram.  A few die cast space and land vessels were created by Corgi, Topps has a hand in a series of trading cards and of course a Buck Rogers lunch box to follow.  

Even Gold Key Comics produced comics of the very same stories from the pilot and the second episode but there after followed the old comic strips and novellas.

Colgate: Earth's official toothpaste for 500 years.

BBC Week: Space: 1999

Hello all and greetings back to the BBC Week Day 4.  Well we have experienced Comedy, Mystery and even the unusual hybrid of Sci-Fi Comedy.  What say we tackle some science fiction that does NOT revolve around a little blue police box?  Shocked to find there is more than one British Science Fiction out there?  Well get your bloody heads out of the sand and be observant.  I mean really.   How about some alumni of the Mission: Impossible TV series heading up a space station and no there is no Tom Cruise in this.   So don your space suits, prime your laser pistols and prepare to do the Star Trek bridge shimmy.  This is Space: 1999.

HellOOoOoOOOo Nurse!!!!

John Koenig: It is to live as your own man than as a spoiler in someone else’s dream.

250,000 miles away from the Earth, the 311 inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha commune, work and prosper as Earth Space Research Center on the Moon until…a plot device is unleashed.  For decades humanity got the brilliant idea to store their nuclear waste on the crevices of the Moon’s far side.  Guessing Lake Armstrong is filled to the brim and Pink Floyd is most vexed.  A surge of electromagnetic waves hit the waste with such magnitude that the whole Moon experiences an explosion of a massive thermonuclear proportion for the Moon from the Earth’s gravitational orbit like a giant booster rocket.   Hurled at this enormous speed our citizens of Moonbase Alpha on stuck on a runaway rocket with no return in sight, they must colonize a new home and explore strange new civilizations and other societies that are positively dystopian. 

Chronometer...OF THE FUTURE!!!!

From the combined efforts of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson (Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons) comes a series without involving marionette puppets but still scale models and forced perspective.   Starring Martin Landau (North by Northwest, Mission: Impossible, Destination Moonbase-Alpha, Meteor, Trial by Terror, The Evidence and Entourage), Barbara Bain (Perry Mason, Mission: Impossible, Destination Moonbase-Alpha, Murder, She Wrote, Bel Air, American Gun and Political Disasters), Nick Tate (Division 4, Homicide, Spyforce, The Day After Tomorrow, Destination Moonbase-Alpha, Dolphin Cove, Open House and East of Everything) and Catherine Schell (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Moon Zero Two, The Return of the Pink Panther and The March).

I have but a few words on this series.   The show was froth with guest stars that were other humans or beings of other worlds throughout the episodes to the likes of Brian Blessed (The Black Adder, The Last Days of Pompeii, Flash Gordon and Doctor Who), Isla Blair (Battle of Britain, An Englishman’s Castle, Doctor Who and The Final Cut), Bernard Cribbins (Jackanory, The Railway Children, The Wombles and Doctor Who), Sarah Douglas (Thundercloud, Superman, Superman II, Falcon Crest, Return of the Living Dead III and Strippers vs Werewolves) and Peter Cushing (The Curse of Frankenstein, Horror of Dracula, Doctor Who and The Daleks, Land of the Minotaur, Star Wars, Shock Waves and Mystery on Monster Island) the popularity of this show has amassed generations of science fiction fans and to this day is deemed while a hokey intro; a creditable Sci-Fi series and beloved by many.

Slouching is bad for command and the posture.

Babylon 5 Movie Week: Babylon 5: In the Beginning

Welcome back my blooming observers of the Omniverse.    It was hinted that the Minbari were a peaceful race but proud and willfull as well.  The year is 2245 and EarthForce has just managed to fend off their first threat; a species known as the Dilgar and EarthForce handed them their heads. So prime the main guns, set the twin particle arrays to stun and keep the commerce going.  This is Babylon 5: In the Beginning.

Mardi Gras got out of hand.

Delenn:  It is said that in every age, there is one singular spoiler that forever changes the world around us. A nexus if you will.

Our movie opens with the remains of Centauri Prime up in flames and tattered buildings, a young Centauri boy and girl play in the royal throne room. An aged Londo Mollari (Peter Jurasik of Hill Street Blues, Problem Child, Dear John, Babylon 5: The Gathering, Babylon 5, Sliders and 42) lets the boy be Emperor of all the Centauri Republic for 5 minutes, during this time the lad can give any order he wants.  The lad demands a story of epic battles between heroes and villains.  The young girl asks for a true story.  Mollari sighs with a heavy burden but decides to give the children both what they want and speaks of the Earth-Minbari war which occurred 35 years priop when he was still the ambassador to Earth.

 Before the war, Earthgov is cocky as hell due to their triumph over the Dilgar and they are expanding out into space, creating colonies and pushing their ships and cruisers in the reaches of space. 

You will bow before me Jor-El!!!

Meanwhile the Grey Council of the Minbari are ever vigilant to the resurrection of the Shadows and chose to investigate Z’ha’dum (the planet of the Shadows’ origin) when they encounter the Earth ships.  As a sign of respect, the Minbari open their ship’s gunports and the Prometheus (Earthgov ship) assuming this is the beginning of an attack and fires at the Minbaris’ flag ship.  With their leader Dukhat dead, The Grey Council consists of three casts or clans if you will.  The warrior cast, workers cast and religious cast are comprised bringing order to their people and speak for each cast in the wider picture of things.  The Grey Council screams for blood demanding a holy war against all of humanity. A war lasting over ten years writing the battles in space with gallons of blood; the Minbari are a deeply spiritual people discover that their fellow souls are being shared with the Earthlings.  Minbari must never kill Minbari creating an immediate cease fire. 

I just have a quick couple of concerns about this film in the grand scope of the series.   Even if you are not a Babylon 5 fan, this is a compelling story of battle, potential dark days and overtly prideful peoples.  G’Kar (Andreas Katsulas of True Identity, Blame It on the Bellboy, Babylon 5: The Gathering, The Fugitive and Star Trek: The Next Generation) and Dr. Franklin (Richard Biggs of Walk Like a Man, Days of Our Lives, Babylon 5: The River of Souls and Crusade) seemed relegated to cameo appearances and that just don’t fly with the fans, man and while a few scenes establish the pasts of most of our characters, Garibaldi is nowhere at the station or in the war.  A mild annoyance at best this film does cover almost every facet of the war. There is triumph, good humor, mass explosions and more than a fair share of tragedy.

Annual chili cookout ends in tears.

Babylon 5 Movie Week: Babylon 5: Thirdspace

Back again my little space rangers and welcome to a belated Day 2 of Babylon 5 Movie Week.  Due to a slight injury yesterday I was a bit too sore to sit in this seat but I am well enough now to bring you lot some amusement and disturbing story arcs.   So fasten your space belts, prep the safety harness and breach that jumpgate.  This is Babylon 5: Thirdspace.

Thirdspace is crazy ya'll!

Susan Ivanova: Well, the spoilers are starting to circle.

For starters this film takes place in the year of 2261 (after Season 4, Episode 8: The Shadow War) so our heroes have conquered an ancient evil and allow themselves a moment to breathe.  Babylon 5 Star Fury patrols discover an immense artifact in hyperspace (point between normal space and travel faster than light) and the Interplanetary Expeditions Xenoarchaeologist Dr. Elizabeth Trent (Shari Belafonte of Hotel, The Midnight Hour, Beyond Reality, Hey Arnold! And Teacher of Year) to better decipher what it is, what it can do and how best to exploit it.  

Hungry Eeeyessss!!!

Current commander of Babylon 5 Captain John Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner of Tron, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Gunsmoke: One Man’s Justice, Free Fall and Tron: Legacy) prepares for the worse and feels this artifact is a great and significant find but we should tread cautiously.  There is wisdom in these words but they atypically fall on deaf ears as human greed and arrogance rears its ugly head in these matters.  I was shocked as well.

   

Using a low level current to get better readings on the artifact the entire station seems to have their dreams influenced and are almost reduced to a vegetated state without proper explanation…or is there?

Dr. Trent comes to the conclusion the artifact is pre-existing Jumpgate before even the ancient Vorlons developed it and it starts drawing power from the station causing energy spikes all over the boards.  Hope tech and sub-repair get time and a half. 

Given all that is known by the Vorlons at this time we are given to revere them as wise, brave and with great compassion for the younger races.  The united races find it almost unprecedented that the Vorlons could ever falter.   The device activates on its own opening a passage to Thirdspace and this invasion force proceeds to lay waste to several cruisers and extracts massive destruction on the station itself.  EarthForce preps a counter attack and give our mysterious aliens on hell of a wingding.  These invaders single seat fighters even have shields so the Star Furies are in for one hell of a tumble.   The artifact itself seems to be disrupting the station but driving every sentient being on it to the brink of crackers.

The Galaxy's cutest couple.

I had just a few points to make on the film at this time.  The elevator seen between Zach Allen and Lyta that felt clunky and unnecessary was actually inserted (oOoOo kinky) to fill up time for the film.  Sci-fi and Sci-Fi Fantasy artist/author Wayne Barlowe designed the appearance of the artifact Thirdspace jumpgate  Not one of the better films due to the story flow feeling a bit interfered via time constraint but effects and performances remained spot on so yes you can have this one in your collection.

Babylon 5 Movie Week: Babylon 5: The Gathering

Hello there readers and welcome to the Babylon 5 Movie Week.  Starting us off with we begin logically at the beginning.   The year is 2257.  Earth has taken to the stars and engaged in battles with other species.  Yes humans just can’t help but be messing with peoples.  To create this complex series of creatures, other worlds and cultures we turn to Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski (Captain Power: The Beginning, Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future, The Real Ghost Busters, Jake and the Fatman,Jeremiah, Changeling, Thor, and World War Z) to open our minds to this realm.  So age that spoo, consult the elders and for God’s sake speak nothing of the Grey Council.   This is Babylon 5: The Gathering.

Look out for the credits, Phil!!!

Delenn:  I look forward to meeting a Vorlon.  I’ve heard much about them that is spoiler.

From humans to humanoid to just downright unexplainable lifeforms, the search of intergalactic peace is sought by many.  The place to allow commerce and peace talks are Babylon 5.  A hub in the galaxy allowing issues to be resolved amongst the 5 major space travelers of the known galaxies; humans, Narn, Centauri, Minbari and Vorlons.    It has been a 10 year commission to construct a place that prevents war; this 5 mile long space station is home to 250,000 residents, roughly 100,000 humans and 2,000 EarthForce personnel and including areas for business, living quarters and recreation.

Great, Londo is hammered...again.

Commander Sinclair (Michael O’ Hare of Fly Away Home, C.H.U.D., Into Thin Air, A Case of Deadly Force and Tales from the Darkside) runs this little bailiwick and boy howdy he has his work cut out for him.  Awaiting the final delegate of the Vorlons; Ambassador Kosh arrives 2 days ahead of schedule when he is falls ill in less than a minute of being on the station.   Station chief medical officer Dr. Kyle (Johnny Sekka of Woman of Straw, Khartoum, The Message and Passion Paradise) puts Kosh in quarantine and attempts to prevent his death while Security Chief Michael Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle of The Outsider, Babylon 5, Babylon 5: The River of Souls, Devious Beings and Storm Watch) launches his own investigation into possible poisoning of the ambassador.   The Babylon Council consisting of the 5 major races hold the Commander in contempt and decree his guilt of attempted murder.  Not the best way your first day on the job can go.

A few comments about this movie now if you don’t mind.   With the introduction of CGI just in the wings, accomplished scale models and forced perspective; the visual effects can hold their own but this was a truly ambitious start to an impressive feat of writing as well as storytelling.   Complex characters and various story arcs were getting life breathed into them and frankly it offered a wide range of twists and turns for every adventure.   No two Babylon 5 episodes were the same and that is very difficult to do in a medium like science fiction.  This was only just the beginning of greater things to come.

Flying casually sir.

Babylon 5 Movie Week

Welcome eager young space cadets!!!  This week we will view the phenomenon that was Babylon 5.  Five seasons, seven films, series of novels and comic books this has been deemed one of America's finer science fiction.  I felt almost anyone can critique the seasons so I thought we would tackle the TV movies instead.

So grab your junior spaceman rocket belts and flitter on over to this Babylon 5 Movie Week.

Bit phallic ain't it?

Farscape Week: Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars

Hey there readers that cannot find something better to look at.  How do.   It is Day 5 of Farscape Week and well I am afraid I am out of seasons to review.  See the pudding heads at Sci-Fi Channel felt there were just not enough Nielsen ratings for Season 3 to warrant a Season 4.  After a massive e-mail and boards campaign Season 4 was created…but again Sci-fi had its doubts on a Season 5. Yup not a scrap left.  However…I do happen to have a mini-series that would be considered the finale of the Farscape universe.   So sharpen your Qualta Blade, charge your pulse pistols and take up defensive positions.   This is Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars.

Give on to me some sugar, my dear.

The spoiler to victory, the violent path to peace…

With a rather nasty laz weapon that crystallizes its targets thus breaking down its molecular structure, it must mean curtains for John Crichton and Aeryn Sun…or does it? DUN DUN DA DUN!!!!    Well as luck would have it, the blatant bounty hunter attack of Season 4 didn’t turn out as tragic as we all thought. Our two wayward star crossed lovers are then decrystalized and brought back to carbon based life form selves.  Huzzah!!!   However… upon the collection of said nuggets of Crichton and Sun Dominar Rigel XVII accidently swallowed a particular element that tis a Crichton bun in the oven.  Yup you guessed it kiddies poor Rigel has to carry said baby almost to term.   For those just tuning in; the Peacekeeper and the talking money i.e. human have been bumping pelvises.

Oh jeez...Jedi cosplayers.

Commandant Grayza is committing all forces to engage the Scarrans and I ain’t talking a courtship.   As both Scorpius and Crichton are linked via device, Scorpius sets out to find John to once again persuade him to make the wormhole weapon deterrent.   Try as Moya’s crew may, they simply cannot find a safe harbor from this impending war.   John feels he cannot raise his child and love his new wife in a galaxy hell bent on destroying itself.

With the weight of multiple worlds on his back, his friends and lover’s lives in the balance John urges the crew on what can only be construed as an insane quest to bring both factions to a closure and ensure peace.

I have just a few points about this mini-series.  After Season 4 was begrudged on the screen, Sci-Fi channel wanted out of the Farscape business and for months the fans were losing their collective marbles, chomping at the bit waiting to see if we would have a Season 5.   Brian Henson refused to let this saga end on a flat note and lobbied for a mini-series instead to finish the story arc.  Many months of hand holding, courting and cajoling he finally got approved and Jim Henson Productions had not been idle in creating creatures, maintaining armors and prop weapons galore.  

Many Bothans died to bring us this information.

Brian Henson stated in a interview while he loved the creations his father had made and all the adventures that were given life he truly wanted to have that same luck of sparking imagination and capturing hearts.  While it took him twelve years to accomplish it, I think he managed rather nicely.

  

250th Blog Baybee!! Farscape Week: Farscape Season 4

Salutations my whimsical readers and behold it is Day 4 of Farscape Week.  Journey with me to the echelon of time and space as our outlaw heroes would do battle with their ever increasing foes…okay this is starting to sound like an old timey radio show or possibly a serial from the 1930’s.   Sorry about that.    Okay without all the hype and nonsense this time.  This is Farscape Season 4.

Space is for snoggin'...

Utu-Noranti Pratalong: Peace can only be maintained if there is spoiler…

Months on his own, Crichton has done nothing but obsess over Aeryn and of course wormholes.  With his module’s fuel depleted and friends scattered all over the galaxies he has a lot of time on his hands. Finally working out the necessary power requirements and mathematics, John has cracked wormhole theory as he stays on board a leviathan nearing her end of days.   Before he can really celebrate a young woman Sikozu (Raelee Hill of Neighbours, Shark Bay, Water Rats, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars and Superman Returns) breaks into the leviathan claiming to be an expert on the subject matter and informs scruffy Crichton he must leave but she is considered expendable by her own patrons.  She has no choice but to throw in her lot with the crew of Moya in order to avoid angering even more people.

Damn Space hog!! Turn left!!!!

After the bone head with the wormhole tech lab and Moya’s crew escaping, Scorpius has been demoted by one Commandant Grayza (Rebecca Riggs of Space: Above and Beyond, Alien Cargo, The Day of the Roses and Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars) who after attempting to snare and capture Crichton, she promises him a lofty position as director of Peacekeeper Science division and apparently a place in her bed.  Yowza, right??

After a few experimentations John has made it back to Earth after 9-11 and of course the planet is a bit more paranoid but absolutely fascinated by Crichton’s crewmates.  Speculations, talk show hosts and panels of experts are babbling non-stop about these amazing life forms.  John cannot help but feel Earth is so much smaller than he remembered.  He almost feels like Earthlings are still in an infantile stage in the grand scheme of things and journeys back with his friends to space to stop the upcoming crisis.  

 

Okay, okay no more dutch rubs..(silently) big baby.

Just a quick few story notions that came up this season.   In the beginning, Crichton is viewed as this weak, pathetic backwater planet dweller and he has earned the respect of his crew under blood and sweat.  This has been a bumpy destination for all of the crew, each longing for the long journey’s end and yet they know in their collective hearts that they may never see one another again.   Fighting with each other, different species and trained warriors; our outlaw heroes have made this bold transverse and have changed for the better and worst as with all great quests.  One thing is for certain and it is no one of this story is truly who they were in the start of it all.

Farscape Week: Farscape Season 3

Howdy readers.  Back for day 3 of Farscape Week and the seasons just keep the same drive as from the beginning.  Let’s just see how our gang of outlaw heroes is doing this time around.     Holster your blaster, prep your module and for the love of God use evasive maneuvers.   This is Farscape Season 3.

That sort of thing happens to men your age.

John Crichton: Well, you gotta know how deep the spoiler is, Ryg, if you’re gonna dig your way out.

Last season Scorpius experimented on Crichton finding deep within his subconscious that he has knowledge of the wormhole phenomenon or most specifically how to create one through artificial means.   The crew amassed another passenger name of Chiana (Gigi Edgley of The Day of the Roses, BlackJack, The Secret Life of Us, Stingers and Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars) and rescued a slave name of Stark (Paul Goddard of Sons and Daughters, Bullseye, Dead to the World, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie and Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars). 

This VR system kicks butt guys!

 On a frozen wasteland in the uncharted territories, a less than legitimate doctor attempts to remove a Scorpius device from Crichton’s brain and save his mind.   The Peacekeepers and Scarrans are mounting tensions in almost every sector of the known galaxies ranging from underhanded dealings to full on skirmish ground and space battles.    Planets are in fear of their very lives on which faction will ultimately reign supreme. 

The crew of Moya struggles to reunite with one another after parting the year prior.  6 months have lapsed and our team has gone separate ways to avoid Peacekeeper detection and agreed to meet back up, however each of them had different adventures and lives as well.   They start pining for their homes and make it back to their former lives.

Aeryn and John become…close and each cannot fully express the changes in their lives as they struggle with love, fleeing from capture and ensuring a place for each other.  Ka D’Argo and Chiana seem to be fascinated with one another regardless of the difference of their species.  Passions run deep in the halls of Moya as Moya has birthed a child vessel of her own but it is unlike any other leviathan for it has biological energy weapons and a temper that needs to be curbed.

Just a few points of observation for you this time around.   Between the green screen, CGI and amazing puppet creations of Jim Henson Creatures this show keeps pushing the boundaries of imagination and astound us further with this wonderful mesh of animatronics and computer generation.  The creatures and villains truly stand out by comparison to even the Roddenberry creations and those are difficult to match let alone surpass. 

Told you they wouldn't like that nun joke.

From the brilliant design of ships, settlements and this growing cast, the stories are clever, witty and dramatic.  From comedies to serious drama in a science fiction genre, this show manages to keep things fresh.  Shot mostly in 35mm digital these episodes are almost movie worthy in that regards.

Forgive me for this being a biased review but I am enamored with this series.

Farscape Week: Farscape Season 2

Howdy folks and welcome back to Farscape Week.  We last we left our escapees and captive human, the Peacekeepers were in hot pursuit and several of the backwater planets seem to be less than hospitable.

Crichton is left without a change of new undies, some football and no Star Trek shows.    This is Farscape Season 2.

Gentlemen cosplaying stormtroopers is lame!

John Cricthon: You wanna have a mid-life crisis? Fine. That- Just…ditch the firm, head off to Maui, shack up with a supermodel, but you do not get to keep the Spoiler.

Narrowly evading capture from the Peacekeepers our nefarious crew strives to avoid too many conflicts and get home.  John is paired up with his alien comrades: The Luxan warrior Ka D’ Argo (Anthony Simcoe of The Castle, Dogwoman: Dead Dog Walking, BlackJack, Marking Time, Solo and Nim’s Island) former Peackeeper commando Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black of A Country Practice, City Life, Pitch Black, God of War and Stargate SG-1), Hynerian exiled ruler Dominar Rigel the XVI (voiced by Jonathan Hardy of The Devil’s Playground, The Mango Tree, Mad Max, The Delinquents and Bloodmoon) and Delvian priestess Pa’u Zotoh Zhaan (Virginia Hey of Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, Timeslip, Neighbours, Vietnam and Dolphin Cove) journey through the stars, visit worlds of unknown origin and get mixed up in more hijinks than the Scooby gang ever could. 

I said I am sorry I was motorboating you!!

 Their mode of transportation Moya is a leviathan, a living spaceship whose species is accustomed to transporting and serving others.  A means to the end in experiencing all the space has to offer.  Every ship must have its pilot and that is all the multi-tendrilled creature that interfaces with Moya is known as.

Aeryn Sun’s former commanding officer Captain Crias (Lani Tupu of Police Rescue, Heart of Fire, The Lost World, Green Sails and Lantana) hunts Crichton down well out of his assigned sector of space with a vengeance.   Enter our newest villain/lawman Scorpius (Wayne Pygram of Doing Time for Patsy Cline, Big Sky, Risk, The Lost World, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars and All Saints) who assumes command of Crais’s ship but allows Crais to appear in charge. 

Yes I have observations to share.  This season we get to see a truly noteworthy character in that of Scorpius.  Initially you get the Sithlord feel from him but you find that he is so much more than a Lord Vader archetype in that he truly believes his cold and heartless exterior is needed to keep order in the galaxies but has vast depths to what made him the man he is. There is even some flashback sequences for Scorpius to better round out the character.     

EW the Luxan beefed!

We also become aware of the biggest Peacekeeper fear; the Scarrans.  A reptilian humanoid that can admit a focused heat wave to the point of 3^rd degree burns and even death, these monsters are by far some of the very best to come out of the Jim Henson Creatures production.   Upper body prosthetics, animatronic puppeteering with full facial and ocular movement; these nasties stand at about 7 feet tall, washboard abs worthy of 300 and overall menacing appearance.

Farscape Week: Farscape Season 1

Well readers welcome back to the blog.  I thought we would do something a little different this time around to wit I will talk about multiple seasons of one show.   Is such a thing possible you may ask?  You may indeed…I’ll wait.    I will wager you asked and yes such a thing is indeed possible with the science fiction series I speak of.   Jim Henson Productions (Sesame Street, The Muppets, Dark Crystal and Labyrinth) under the yoke of Jim’s son Brian Henson (director/producer of The Muppets Christmas Carol, Dinosaurs, Muppets Tonight, Muppets Treasure Island and Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King) comes a tale of science fiction to the likes this critic had not seen before nor has it been duplicated.  So prim your pulse pistols, strap in for starburst and hold on to your mivonks.  This is Farscape Season 1

 

Bad place to go cruising.

Aeryn Sun: No offense, human, but what can 

I possibly need from you?  

John Crichton: (under his breath) Oh, I don’t know.  Manners? Personality?  Spoiler Tips?

Writer Rockne S. O’Bannon (The Twilight Zone, Alien Nation, Fear, SeaQuest 2032, Defiance and Cult ) brings us a story of a young astronaut scientist John Crichton (Ben Browder of Memphis Belle, Party of Five, Stargate SG-1, Bad Kids Go to Hell and Doctor Who) has a theory of using gravitational waves from Earth as a means of propulsion being a sub-orbital maneuver and if this theory is sound will revolutionize existing space travel.  His module is prepped and awaiting launch, recording telemetry and cameras’ catching this experiment for posterity, a wormhole opens up and shoots John into the far recesses of deep space.

Hmm exhaustion or boredom on that girl's face?

John finds himself in the midst of a space battle as 30 some starfighters are attacking a much larger vessel.    The module is dragged aboard the larger vessel with some sort of tractor beam.  John is lead from the cargo bay by gun point from a technorganic droid no bigger than a dust buster.    He is lead to the bridge of this ship to find 3 different aliens all shouting and John cannot understand a single one of them.   After the droid injects a translation biological program into him he can decipher everything they are saying.   He learns that this ship is a living entity and the three aliens are escaped prisoners fleeing the authorities.

To make matters even worse, Crichton has a near miss with one of this starfighters which caused the death of the pilot.   The commanding officer of this flagship and squadron’s younger brother and he swears Crichton will pay for that in blood. 

Yeah I do have a bit to talk about in my notes.

Combining green screen EFX, with Henson puppetry and an amazing cast, this show is not the typical science fiction we are used to.  Everyone has their own agenda, they work with one another only because they have to and these different species do not know how to cope with the distinct differences in language and culture.  

That really furrows my bone brows!

John is the voice of humanity in the fact he is a sci-fi and sports nerd so plenty of pop culture comments from him that I bet you were thinking the same thing when seeing the episodes.   There is no drawn line in the sand over what is a good and evil but myriad shade of grey which makes for excellent writing.   The story will keep you coming back for more as everyone is attempting to get their way back to their various homes, avoid Peacekeeper entanglement and whenever possible enjoy a hot cup of tea.   Well maybe tea isn’t the highest priority.

N64 Week: Star Fox N64

 Today we start off N64 Week right with a fun filled game full of dangerous forces, high stakes and the difficulties of aerial dog fights.  So just in your way back machines, call up 3 friends to join you and make sure your hands doesn’t get too sweaty.  This is Star Fox N64

 

I think my tights are binding.

Spoiler:  Do a barrel roll!

Back in 1997, 3 years after its Super NES predecessor Star Fox 64 was the first game to implement the rumble pack to simulate combat damage from impacts from energy weapons to careless flying bashing into buildings or the ground.  The improvements did not stop there.  Sample of voice over was used for each character bringing a bit more life into the game from its 8 megabyte humble beginnings. The returning characters from Star Fox assist you (Fox McCloud) as your wingmen.  Peppy (the rabbit) is a mentor and offers you tips and hints throughout each level. Slippy (the frog) analyzes shields of each main boss and keeps track of their life as you fly in, disable and destroy them.  Falco (the bird) offers you different and quicker routes to the more difficult levels.  As team leader of the Fox squadron you must look out for one another.  The longer it takes to get an enemy off one of your squad, the more it is for to repair their ship.  Simple, right?  You are sent to fight the forces of Andross, who has a stranglehold on the galaxy and is personally responsible for the death of your father.

Slippy, deodorant. Look it up.

Multi-player option

Okay now the main reason this game is still beloved is the 4 person multi-player option.  Going head to head or playing for points.  You and three of your friends take each other out in a series of aerial dogfights. For the life of me I have no idea why the game was not set up for you and your friends to go through missions together but hey who needs them? 

Now we will get to the mean and evil portion of the multi-player aspect. Dual lasers and a bomb will be available on all head to head levels.  Weapons lock is possible if you hold down the laser button and it charges a more concentrated burst of fire, however this is a one shot deal.  You will need to follow it up with a series of smaller bursts.  Using your radar is key for many reasons.  It allows you to know where you are, where your opposition is and how close are that to the target, i.e. you.

Hints for multi-player play

Now there are cheats and tips all over the net for this game still, I just thought a few little surprises would assist you in better pissing off your friends.  With weapons lock you also have the ability to fire a bomb at them instead of lasers.  This act of heinous evil is best performed from stalking them down, using the boost lightly to catch them in your sights and fire.  Immediately after the bomb has been released, U-turn the hell away or you will get caught in the blast zone.  There is nothing more sad then dying at the hands of your own ambush.

Alright, now you are being chased and hunted down.  Your friend sneaked off and picked up the bomb after it was used on him. So in a blatant attack he or she will repeat that which was done to him or her.  How to avoid this heinous attack you ask?  Hmm?  I can’t hear you maggot!!!  Okay since you asked so nicely the somersault option is very wise but it cannot be timed as well as a U-turn.  Gets you out in plenty of time and leaves you free to explore for the newly formed bomb.  As for a strictly laser based aerial attack, your opponents will waste countless rounds trying to eliminate you and commonly yet another cowardly attack from behind.   

A somersault is your best friend and allows you to get the drop on them but you need a twist on this idea.  As you somersault, hit the brake button to drop directly behind them, weapons lock and fire!  Congrats.  You just turned the tide in this fight and made them mad as hell.   If you cannot manage this maneuver, a series of barrel rolls will confuse their aim but this is no guarantee to keep from getting hit.  Head on attacks are fun for anyone that enjoys a good game of chicken. Weapons lock is a bit more difficult so keep your hand steady.  In my last GoldenEye review I mentioned ez grip bat tape for your controllers.  Use it and love it.  No matter how sweaty your hands get you can keep a firm grip….on your controller.  Staring down the barrels of your adversary is dangerous to your Arwing but hell it is fun.  Why not engage a series of bursts at him or her?  Spank them with a weapons lock (if you can get one) or break off with a u-turn when they least suspect it?  If you don’t have enough friends you can head to head against a friend and one or two computer players and frankly they are too easy to beat it is sad.  They always go for a back attack so get that somersault handy and strife the hell out of their ships.

Nintendo N64 Week

I have taken an inventory on my reviews and realized I have not done anything on video games in months.  I thought now was an opportune time to dust off the video game system and give a shot at an old profession.  Video Game reviews and I missed doing it.  Checking in my array of game systems I thought it might be fun to see these games and see what we can find as a level of amusement.  So this week we look at these antiquated titles of our childhood and breathe some life into the nostalgia that is Nintendo N64.

Meh I only get one game and Mario has over 20.

Sci-Fi Week: Flash Gordon

Hidey ho folks and welcome to Day 5 of Sci-Fi Week and this fine day we end on a Dino de Laurentiis production of which was a huge staple in science fiction and scifi fantasy.   What other film has a Bond, a Bond villain and Ornella Muti in basically spandex?   What other film can give you cheesy lines like,”Flying blind on a rocket cycle,” or “Lying bitch.”   So strap yourselves in, prep your preflight and may the gods have mercy.   This is Flash Gordon.

Space girls are easy...heh.

Spoiler’s alive??!!!

Based primarily on the 1934 comic strip created by Alex Raymond our film opens with booming narrative between two malicious powers on deciding what to do with the Earth.   His excellency, Emperor Ming (Max Von Sydow of The Exorcist, Conan the Barbarian, Judge Dredd, Minority Report and Shutter Island) amuses himself with tormenting Earth with manipulations of nature elements and disasters.    On Earth, New York Jets football hero Flash Gordon (Sam J. Jones of 10, My Chauffeur, Jane and the Lost City, Black Scorpion, Gangland, Revamped and Redemption) starts getting all flirty flirty with this leggy travel agent journalist Dale Arden (Melody Anderson of Dead & Buried, Manimal, Firewalker and Jake and the Fatman) and she plays hard to get.  Better to catch up with the pilots of this tiny two prop Cessna.   Little idle chat with the pilots and next thing you know the pilots are atomized by freak lightning.  No ifs ands or buts about it, they just vanish, leaving Flash to crash land the plane to safety.  Oh folks this will be a familiar theme as he seems to crash land everything he flies.   Dale and Flash are none worse for wear as they encounter NASA disavowed scientist Dr. Zarkov (Topol of Sallah, El Dorado, Fiddler on the Roof, The Public Eye, For Your Eyes Only and The Winds of War) whose building they crashed into.  He explains that he is concerned about the weather and assures them he has a phone to contact whomever they need.  Moments later he kidnaps them both on a rocket ship of his design to encounter whoever is wreaking havoc on the planet.  Travelled through almost a completely different galaxy our heroes arrive at the less that hospitable Mongo.  Nice place to visit but who wants to live there?  A bit like Vegas in that regards.  

Ming or the Mandarin? Who can say.

The intrepid trio is brought before the Royal Court and it will be in Ming’s law what to do with the pathetic Earthlings. Ming chooses to have Dale for…well pleasure.  Flash bowls over 12 of Ming’s men, in an impromptu Football tacklings and chucks these green cylinders at the soldiers, we get a fairly kick ass theme music going and then…Zarkov, typical geek throws like a retarded ape and clocks Flash in the coconut by accident.  Flash is scheduled to be executed but Ming’s daughter Aura (Ornella Muti of Tales of Ordinary Madness, Oscar, An Amazing Couple and Postcards from Rome) has the hots for Flash and asks to keep him as her…pleasure pet?   You get a Gorrean feel here in Mongo.   Our party is split up as Dale is prepped for…pleasure, Zarkov is to be mind wiped and Flash sent to death.  I tell you Ming can delegate his work load.  

And now a few points of interest about the film.   The airfield scenes at the beginning of the film, though set in America was actually shot in Scotland, Dino De Laurentiis was hoping Federico Fellini (La Strada, 8 1/2, La Dolce Vita and Juliet of the Spirits) would have directed the film given his involvement in the comic strip during WWII and Timothy Dalton looked good in a Errol Flynn mustache.   Yes the effects are blue screened and composited in but all in all this purposely campy film holds a place near and dear in my heart.

So drink after all this?  Oh, yeah.