Sunday, December 23, 2007

Video - Battlestar Galactica Fan Video - Tribute To Better Days

There was no information provided by the YouTube publisher for this video. However, the video really speaks for itself. If you are a BSG fan, this video will touch you in a sentimental way. It is appropriately to be published at Christmas. I hope you enjoy it.


Video - Battlestar Galactica Fan Video - Tribute To Better Days

Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Video - A Christmas Tribute to Michelle Ryan

This video is very nicely presented. It's a collection of Michelle Ryan pictures from her various television ventures. Michelle Claire Ryan (born 22 April 1984) is an English actress. She was previously best known for portraying the role of Zoe Slater on the BBC1 British soap opera EastEnders. She now stars in the NBC television series Bionic Woman.

Video - A Christmas Tribute to Michelle Ryan

Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Friday, November 23, 2007

Thanksgiving TV Options, et al

The science fiction TV options for this long Thanksgiving weekend are hit and miss. Yesterday the SciFi Channel ran "Ghosthunters", not my cup of tea. What's worse was the 400 or so channels on DirecTV were not much better. There were a few good movies, Christmas With the Cranks, Independence Day, the American President. But most of day was spent channel surfing, I even settled for watching Oprah, Rachel Ray, and Fox News Channel. I tried to watch the Dallas-NY Jets game, but it was a slaughter from the start.

Today (Friday) is a little better, Enterprise is the all-day marathon on the SciFi Channel. I figured they'd shows the most popular episodes, maybe the pilot. But they just continued along the episode list from the Monday Night lineup. UGH!!!!! Enterprise season 3 was awful, and season 4 was not much better. What are those guys at the SciFi Channel thinking? Did they recruit some of those T&A rednecks from Spike to do there lineups? I mean, they replaced The Bionic Woman on Friday nights with reruns of The Dresden Files. And they promote Flash Gordon as if it's really popular. And they expect people to stay around to see Stargate Atlantis?

The SciFi Channel used to be the channel to watch on Friday night. But they have slowly eroded to where all they have they that is decent is Atlantis. They need to bring BSG back to Friday nights, when and if it comes back on (considering the writers strike). BSG Razor will still be on this Saturday night at 9PM, that's good news.

Something else that has been stuck in my crawl, this new Star Trek movie. All the non-trek fans are giddy about it since J.J. Abrams is writing it. You know he did that "Lost" thing, and "Mission Impossible II". Neither do I like, so he holds no weight with me as a critic.

The fact is the new movie is based on story lines Trek fans just aren't interested in. Star Trek is about the FUTURE, NOT THE PAST. Hence, that's where Enterprise went wrong. there are so many loose ends from the various series, that's what Trek fans want to know about. Since the last Trek movie bombed at the box office (ST: Nemesis), I bet the Trek hating execs studio is hoping this one will take an early nose dive. then they can finally put Star Trek to bed.

So Mr Abrams, get a clue, you're way off the mark. Write a story about the FUTURE of Star Trek, and tie in some things from the series' and you'll be successful. As it stands right now I don't plan to see the new movie in theaters, nor rent it either on VHS, DVD, or PPV. I'll wait until I can get it for free from the library.

Anyhow, I leave you with this Youtube video, a collection of Star Trek images set to music. Enjoy! Star Trek Music Video


Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Video - Battlestar Galactica A New Crew In Town

In tribute to the Battlestar Galactica: Razor miniseries, this cute video pays tribute to both Galactica crews.


Video - Battlestar Galactica A New Crew In Town
Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Sunday, November 11, 2007

The Bionic Woman, et al.

I think Michelle Ryan just gets better. For a young gal, and her first American TV gig, she's really got it together. Her character is evolving; Jaime's life is becoming a maze of lies and secrets. While she's beginning to play the good soldier, it is just a matter of time before her home life come crashing down. Her little sister, Becca, has already gotten in trouble. Thanks to Jaime's boss, Becca's not in jail. Seems Jaime's boss and Becca have their own secret.

I'm still a little miffed about her enhanced abilities. Maybe they are afraid that she will appear as "too" superhuman. I guess you'd have to be old enough to remember watching the original Bionic Woman (or the Six Million Dollar Man) in prime time. There was nothing else like it on TV. And like I've said in a previous post, the sound effects were a bit cheesy, and their enemies a bit simplistic. But it was 1976! As much as I like the new show, I think they've lost something. In as much as they're trying to make it unique, they owe their initial popularity to those fans that were fans of the original show. I think allot of would-be fans have turned away because it was not what they expected. They need to do something nostalgic, or bring someone in from the original series.

Anyhow, I found this video on YouTube. It's a collection of SciFi TV clips, very nicely done. Enjoy! SciFi Shows a Plenty


Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Saturday, November 3, 2007

NBC's "Life" IS Worth Watching

If you frequent MSN.com or MSNBC.com, you may have noticed this article "Fall TV shows that should go away now". I started watching "Life" simply because it comes on after the "Bionic Woman". And since I just switched from Cable to DirecTV, I haven't figured out DirecTV's totally illogical channel lineup. So I got to see "Life" from the beginning.

Like many shows it tries to be complex, but keep your attention. It's allot like many sci-fi shows that bite the dust, they simply lose their audience. "Life" may be suffering from that. But, I think the story is worth tuning in to.

So the guy has a chip on his shoulder. Hey if you spent twelve years in prison (or one even on day) for a crime you didn't commit, you'd have a little anger bottled up inside. Charlie Crews is no different, and they try to make this as real as possible. And, in case you haven't noticed, reality shows are very popular. So why are fictitious shows shunned from imitating reality? OK, maybe that's too broad a statement.

Nonetheless, I like the show, and hope it lasts a few years. There's a long term story they're trying to reveal, that we'll never know if it's cancelled. The whole story of Charlie reconstructing the facts and players behind his imprisonment is the REAL, but underlying story. Everything else is the clues, apparently including his partner Dani Reese.

Dani has her own issues. She's a very troubled, intense person underneath that sweet but icy exterior. Having been in rehab for drug and alcohol abuse, she still struggles, and sometimes falls off the wagon. And now she may have a sexual addiction. She trusts no one, or hasn't since getting out of rehab. But that icy exterior is slowly melting as she learns to trust her twisted up partner, because in spite of his unconventional ways, he is good, and he's a good person at heart. Last weeks episode, "Powerless", gives us a glimpse into the real friendship that is growing between Charlie and Dani.

If you didn't see "Powerless", Charlie rescues Dani from a "would-be-killer" alcoholic. Dani meets a guy at a bar, Rick, then goes with him to a meeting (for alcoholics). She is attracted to Rick, but is troubled by his confessions, that he stops short of admitting to a crime. She investigates his background and finds there was a a woman and an incident. They set a trap for Rick (and the other woman) and eventually Rick is arrested. Dani heads home for the night, unbeknown to her that Rick made bail and is waiting in her house for her.

Knowing she is a recovering alcoholic he forces her to drink. Dani is able to reach into her coat and dial her cell phone and call Charlie. While Charlie can hear the drama going on in Dani's house, he and a team head out to rescue her. Rick is tipped off to someone at the front door, that enables Dani to subdue him as Charlie and company charge in. Charlie carries Dani to the ambulance, as she's feeling the effects of the alcohol she was forced to ingest. They share an almost... romantic moment, just before he let's her go into the ambulance. It's a powerful moment fo character building for this show in its infancy.

NBC could give it a boost by showing it at an additional time, maybe a mini marathon we could catch up on the missed episodes. This story is powerful, you gotta see it.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/2138181


Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Sunday, October 28, 2007

The Bionic Sizzle

Jaime finally lands a man. But we knew it was coming since the opening scene had all the girls sitting around talking about who to fix her up with. See a clip of last weeks episode. Like many of you, I was not aware that Michelle Ryan (who plays Jaime Sommers) what a native of Great Britain; there she is already famous. I watched her on The View, and was charmed by her accent.

In the episode "The Education of Jaime Sommers", Jaime goes undercover to college as a British student. When the boss asked her "How's your British accent?", I'm guessing they had to do that scene a few times to get it without laughing. It's kind've like asking a Klingon actor to do their character, but without the makeup. In the video clip link, she uses her native accent when she shouldn't. And Nathan asked her why. Do you suppose they screwed up and didn't want to have to go back and refilm it?

What is confusing to me is the fight scenes. They have these elaborately choreographed fight scenes. The people she's fighting should be dead. In the original series, they didn't have all that. it was quick, and not usually painless. But one punch with the bionic arm and they weren't getting back up, to say nothing about a direct kick to the mid-section. Maybe David Eick needs to watch a few more of the original episodes. And I think it's a requirement to have the necessary visual and sound effects if you call it a Sci-Fi series. The new ones are... OK, but I really like the old CHEESY ones.

All in all it's a great show. It stands on it's own from it's predecessor. I really hope they DO NOT cancel this show. I think it has immense potential. I'd really like to see Lindsey Wagner make a guest appearance, that would be cool. But we know that when Lee Majors make a guest appearance the show is in danger of being cancelled. I think there's allot of nostalgic things they could throw in to the show that fans would like and appreciate. But if they try to push this thing on its own it probably won't make it past season 2. Given that it's a Sci-Fi series on network TV, the odds are stacked against it. Luckily it's getting extra air time from the SciFi Channel on Friday nights 7PM ET, and again on NBC Saturday night, times vary.


Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Monday, October 8, 2007

The 50 Million Dollar Woman

I wouldn't call the new "Bionic Woman" series a remake. While the show shares it's title with the 1976 series about a female cyborg named Jamie Sommers, that is where the similarities end. One one hand I am disappointed that it is completely different. There's no kool sound effects, no OSI, no Dr. Rudy Wells, and no Oscar Goldman. There still could be a male counterpart, and I'm betting there will be. But 6 million dollars won't cover his medical bills.

On the other hand, I like the adventure cause you know there's gonna be some bionic ass kickin'. I'd never heard of or seen Michelle Ryan before Bionic Woman, but I think she was an excellent choice for the main part. It's unclear at this point whether Sarah Corvus, played by Katie Sackhoff, will be here ally or her nemesis.

Given the state of affairs in the world today, the story lines look to be dark, pulled from the headlines but with a twist. The classic Bionic Woman (and Six Million Dollar Man) was from a different age, for those of us old enough to relate to it. Terrorism was mostly unheard of. Communism was the subject of debate, and the US-Soviet Union cold war filled the story lines (and the headlines). The world mindset was NOT IF there is a nuclear war, but WHEN. And until 1989, most of the world felt that was a sure thing. (Ok, enough of that)

I sincerely hope they don't twist things up too much. Many a series, especially science fiction, start with simple characters and a simple story, but end up with something difficult to explain. Far too many movie and series remakes meet an early death for violating this axiom. I think this series has potential, if they keep it simple.

Also if you miss The Bionic Woman episode at it's regular time on Wednesday Night, you can also see it on the SCI-FI channel on Friday nights at 7:00 PM EST. I also spotted it on the USA Network on Saturday afternoon, and on Bravo on Sunday afternoon.

Here's a link to a kool homemade video of the Bionic Woman series. Enjoy!


Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

The 4400 and The Dead Zone Season Finales

It's been too long since my last post. Several series have ended their season, while others have begun new. The 4400 and the Dead Zone both had very good season finales. Neither was a cliffhanger, both seemed to tie-up allot of loose ends, The 4400 especially. Almost like they were preparing to not be renewed next season. Shawn's brother and mother both die, along with Isabelle. What they left open was who is really in charge, not just Seattle, but the world.

Call me a traditionalist, but I like to know who are the good guys, and who are the bad guys. I believe that some shows twist that up too much, and viewers lose interest. The 4400 was all over the map on that one, but I believe they cleared it up in the season finale. The 4400's are emerging as the good guys, and the U.S. Government as the bad guys. But there's plenty more that we don't know about the temporal warfare being waged.

The Dead Zone Season 6 finale also provided a bit of closure. We got a much deeper insight into Johnny's doomsday visions, and we discovered his father, played by an aging Tom Skerritt, was alive all this time. Unfortunately he dies. But the proof of Greg Stillson's corruption is finally out in the open. And JJ discovers he has a "dead zone". Is there a spin-off in the making?



Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Sunday, August 26, 2007

The 4400; Season 4 So Far

I think The 4400 is right up there with Battlestar Galactica as the best shows on TV. I don't have as much free time as I used to so posting reviews has been sparse. Nonetheless, allot is going on this season of The 4400. As usual, things are twisted up. Tom is sleeping with the boss, and now he's one of the bad guys from the future. I still say he'll take the shot, Diana too. Isabelle will get her powers back as well now that her "life" has been reversed, and reversed again. I also think that Diana and Marco will get back together. Ben has departed and no sign of returning. April is working for the Justice Department (or something like that); maybe her and Ben will get back together. Although Maia says her Mom and Ben will get married.

Shawn and Jordon are on opposites sides, but seem to be fighting for the same thing. Alana will be back when her (Karina Lombard's)other TV and movie commitments allow. And for all we know this whole season could be one of Alana'a alternate realities.

Kevin and Tess thus far have not played significant roles. However, Kevin is working on a test to determine 100% who will die if they take Promicin. Shawn's brother, Danny, is contemplating taking the shot.

Kyle, and his newly discovered ability Cassie, have taken up residency with Jordon and company in Promise City. Tom Knows where Kyle is, and even helped him escape from other places. How is that going to play out now that Tom is a bad guy from the future? I think this where the writers have gone too far. You can twist things too much. The writers and producers need to keep in mind that viewers expect a certain status quo at the end of the episode, such as key players are there and their roles do not change that way.

Things I'd like to see happen on the show.

1. Johnny, from the Dead Zone, makes a guest visit as his character.
2. A Dead Zone episode featuring a 4400 character and their ability.
3. Reveal more names on the list of people that have to take the shot.
4. Jordon joins NTAC to fight the bad guys from the future.
5. A 4400 elected to the White House.

Unfortunately the season will be over in a few weeks. I wish the USA Network would spread these out. We go 9 months out the your with no 4400 episodes, and they only show reruns at 2AM. I know allot of people that watched the show the first season, but lost track of it since. The network does a lousy job of keeping viewers interest when new episodes are not being made. The same for the Dead Zone, Monk, and Psych.


Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Video - The Wall, Part 9: One of Baltar's Many Turns

Gaius Baltar is a man who has come along way in life. From humbling beginnings as the son of a farmer to being a genius who worked at the Ministry of Defense, he has enjoyed some of life's successes- like women.

One such woman turned out to be a Cylon infiltrator, named Number Six. But, while at first this disturbed him, he has finally accepted the fact that his only love comes from a machine.

He is generally attracted to the Number Six model- which includes Caprica Six and Gina. However, even they have left him feeling frustrated at times.

This video is more of a reflection of Baltar's dealings with the Number Six model. The song used is "One of My Turns" by Pink Floyd.

http://www.shareaflick.net/36258-The-Wall,-Part-9:-One-of-Baltar's-Many-Turns.html


Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Saturday, June 30, 2007

The 4400: Fear Itself

They did something that no other show on TV has ever done, they portrayed healing autism. It was a bold and a very controversial move. OK, you're thinking "how could I watch the whole episode and find that as the key arc?" That's easy, I have a 21 year old autistic son, so this hits home for me. The thought of an autistic person, child or not, wondering around in the cold and rain, alone and unsupervised, is frightening. Young actor, Jake Cherry, did a superb job of imitating an autistic person. The rocking and humming sounds, and the non-responsiveness to stimuli were right on. People who are unfamiliar with autism do not realize that most autistic people cannot read, write, talk. At the end when Shawn heals Brandon, and Brandon utters his first words (since being an infant), well it's a moment for a parent that cannot be described with words. It would be really great if they had Brandon is a future episode as a normal child, but able to share his imprisonment with autism. Now that would be controversial.

Newcomer head of NTAC, Meghan Doyle (Jenni Baird), is certainly making her mark. Unlike her predecessors, we get to see inside her personal life. When Tom tells her that having a 4400 on their side comes in handy, she probably doesn't realize the relevance even after she gets the call about her father. But I'm gonna predict that she asks Shawn to help her father.

Kyle got the coolest ability, the wonder of ever man's dreams. Cassie, the girl of his dreams is there whenever he wants, in his mind. Of course, that could make it difficult to have real relationships. Many a psychiatrist pay their country club memberships with the likes of those circumstances. But we know Kyle is normal... for someone with Promicin in their blood. I think we'll see allot of good and bad things from Cassie. She is the embodiment of Kyle's conscience mind so there's a whole lot they can develop on that.

I think Danny will take the shot. He wants to, and now that Kyle's ability has surfaced, he won't be able to resist.

Diana's back, no surprise there. Maia said it would happen and she's never wrong.

We've yet to see Richard this season. It's likely because actor Mahershalalhashbaz Ali is involved in the film "Crossing Over" that's filming in Los Angeles.




Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Continuity? The 4400 Season 4 Premier

They really did a bad job of transitioning from last season. With no marathons or special to bring us up-to-date, It was difficult to follow the storyline. For instance, why is Shawn in the hospital, in a coma? Where was Kyle? What happened to Nina Jarvis? What happened to all the 4400's when the 4400 Center was closed? I guess we will find out in future episodes.

That Graham kid, though, had an ability many would want. He could make a person do anything he wanted them to do. Talk about being in control? But Jordan took it away, so now we know what his 4400 ability is. But here's what I don't understand. If the authorities have a warrant for Jordan Collier's arrest, how could he show up at that high school, in public view, with police present and then walk away?

Diana and Maia will be back in Seattle soon. This love triangle with Ben and April is far from over. Remember she stole him from her sister? Since April's been given the promicin, there some plot twist coming with her. Then there's Marco. Maybe we'll see an old fashioned fight between Marco and Ben?

We saw Alana (Karina Lombard) abducted again at the end of last season. Chances are we won't see much of her as she is starring in "The L Word" and just finished a miniseries called "Suspectes".

Nina (Samantha Farris / Sarah Ryan) has been very busy since last season. According to IMDB.com she been in 6 episodes of "Supernatural" and 2 episodes of "Battlestar Galactica". She has also appeared in other TV series I've never of: "Tell Me No Lies" and "Last Chance Cafe". She also appeared in these movies: "Butterfly on a Wheel" and "Gray Matters". All of these are/were filmed in British Columbia, Canada.


Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Flop: Stargate SG-1 Series Finale

What a let down. They hyped this episode for months, but it really could have been just another episode. there was no endings, no closures, no surprise cameos, nothing that would make you think of it as the final episode of a 10 year running series. We already knew this was the very last episode, we did not know if someone would really die. We already knew that Amanda Tapping was moving to Atlantis. The only somewhat issue was the Teal'c aged approximately 50 years.

OK, that's not to say it wasn't a good episode. Given the key players were trapped on a ship for that long, the inevitable things happened when boys and girls are together. But what happened to all the other crew members? OK, maybe it wasn't such a good episode.


Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

A Sleeper: The 4400, Season 4 Premier

It's been awhile since writing in this column. Science Fiction is one of my passions, but writing here is all dependent on what's new on TV. Or in this case, what's not new on TV. When you like a TV series, you look forward to when it's on. It's been 9 months since the last new episode of The 4400 aired, and like millions of 4400 fans, this Sunday night at 9:00PM I'll be tuned in.

What I think the show producers or the studio maybe forgot was the show has been off the air for 9 months. OK, USA network shows a episode occasionally late at night, 1:00 or 2:00 AM, but who's awake for it? So for Season 4 they have no planned marathon, no showing of season 3's finale, no lead up to the story. Nothing. This is in contrast to the season 3 premier which was proceeded by a whole day marathon and a special episode that explained the entire story.

I guess those that make the show or the studio are out of touch with the fans. I have friends that say they liked the show but since they never see or hear about it they assumed it was cancelled. I mean, unless you watch the USA Network allot (and I don't), then you would be very much uninformed about such things. That is a shame since it is a great show.

And it's not just The 4400. There's the Dead Zone, Monk, and Psych. If you don't watch the USA Network you won't know what's up with any of those shows. The USA Network seems to be preoccupied with anything "Law & Order". But I'm not here to dis the network, after all, they do show The 4400, Dead Zone, Monk, and Psych, and that's very good. I just hope these shows will survive the lack of PR a marathon, or special episode does for a continuing storyline.


Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Star Trek: To Be Captain

Who do you think would make a good ships Captain? We've had 41 years of Star Trek, 5 TV series, 10 feature films, an animated series, comic books and hundred of novels. And that's just a drop in the bucket. There's another feature film on the horizon, and another series in the rumor mill. But if you could plant your favorite actor or actress in the captains chair, who might that be? Here's some names I've kick around over the years. Some you may find obvious based on the roles they've played. Others may be a stretch. After actor Alan Ruck took the chair in Star Trek: Generation, maybe the writers need a little nudge. His character, Captain John Harriman, had to be the least experienced captain in Starfleet history. Maybe his experience was set to "arrive on Tuesday", along with his crew, his medical team, and the tractor beam.

Here's my list.

Kurt Russell
Patricia Heaton
Tom Hanks
Ben Affleck
Billy Bob Thornton
Sandra Bullock
Julia Roberts
Claudia Black
Amanda Tappping
Teryl Rothery
Catherine Bell
Eric Close
Will Smith
Gillian Anderson



Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Saturday, April 28, 2007

More Stargate SG-1 Wish List

At least one of my wishes has come true already, well, sort of.

4. The Stargate program is made public.

In last nights episode of Stargate SG-1, The Road Not Taken, Sam is accidentally taken to an alternate reality during an experiment. What she finds is an Earth that is foreign to what she knows. It looks the same, but is very different just under the surface. And the Stargate program was public knowledge. How about that!

Do you suppose this episode was a jab at our real world US Government? While our post 9/11 world is nowhere close to what they portrayed, if the John Ashcroft's of the world had their way, it might be similar. Granted, most Americans (and most people of the FREE world) would not and do not mind a small cut back in civil liberty to gain allot of security, However, we know there's a huge gap between providing for the security of a nation and ruling by oppression.

If the Earth was to find itself being attacked by an alien race, chances are we would find ourselves in the same situation as in The Road Not Taken. And to some degree you can't ignore the need suspend civil liberties and implement martial law. But, you can bet that things like the constitution would become null and void, and a whole new way of governing would rein supreme throughout the world.

I especially liked how they portrayed the sane characters, but in different roles. General Landry, for instance, being president. That strong leader we've grown to trust is now the "dictator". The officers you trust with your life are now in the Secret Service, and they are watching you, but not watching your back.

I would not have played the Sam & Rodney romance/marriage card. I just do not see them fitting together. Ironically, they didn't make a very good married couple, and had divorced. Where was Jack? Did I miss that detail when Sam going down the list, asking where everyone was now?

Anyhow, it was a good episode, and not much technbabble. Amanda Tapping ROCKS!!

Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Stargate SG-1 Wish List

It's just like me to think of these things now that the last episodes of Stargate SG-1 have been shot. Nonetheless, I wanted to share them and see if you had some the same ideas. So, if you could recommend a storyline or idea to the show, what would it be? Here's some I came up with.

1. Kurt Russell and James Spader return to do cameos.
2. Kurt Russell and James Spader return and play their characters (from the movie), through an entire episode, as if it's been that way for all 10 seasons.
3. Richard Dean Anderson reprises his role as "McGyver", Jack's alter ego. (A side effect of gate travel).
4. The Stargate program is made public.
5. Sam and Jack finally get together.
6. The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701E) makes a grand appearance to save Earth when the Ori finally attack (like in the movie Star Trek: First Contact).
7. The Battlestar Galactica finds Earth, and it's under attack by the Ori.
8. Cam and Vala are taken captive on an alien world where everyone speaks perfect English with an Australian accent.
9. Jeff Bridges makes a guest appearance
10. Elvis and Jimmy Hoffa are found on an alien planet, once taken as a slaves by the Goa'uld.
11. Harland Williams guest stars as a Prior.
12. The Ori and the Wraith find each other. The Ori demand obedience; the wraith see a them as lunch; the Borg find the Ori and the Wraith, and assimilate them.
13. The Replicators turn all their attention to the consuming the Ori and the Wraith.
14. Jack finds live fish in his pond.
15. SG-1 explores the mystery of Bermuda Triangle and discover it's technology left behind by the Goa'uld causing the strange phenomenon.
16. SG-1 discovers a world abandoned by the Ancients that has hundreds of ZPM's. Earth finally has an inexhaustible power supply and ends it's reliance on fossil fuels.
17. Because we saved their little gray butts so many times, the Asgard remove all terrorists from Earth. They take them to a small, inhospitable planet in a far away galaxy.
18. A 16 year old boy and his girlfriend hack into the computers at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex and takes control of the Stargate. This sets off a count dount to war with the Goa'uld, who insist on playing Tic-Tac-Toe. After hours of stalemate, SG-1 convinces the Goa'uld to play a nice game of Chess.
19. Jack's duplicate, who was mistakenly created as a teenager by the Asgard, returns to Stargate Command for another jaunt through the old orifice.
20. On an alien planet, SG-1 finds an ancient library and a librarian named Mr. Atoz.

Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Monday, April 23, 2007

Ending Of An Era

I developed the site The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews with the hope of writing alot of reviews. I eagerly took notes during my favorites sci-fi shows, then put together my reviews. "The 4400" and "Battlestar Galactica" I found fairly easy follow, at first. But at times the plot and the technobabble are just too much to decipher. Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis have eluded me, lacking the interest to write about them. Mind you, I watch all the new episodes, and reruns. The "Dead Zone" as well.

As Stargate SG-1 has only 8 more episodes till it's last curtain call, I'm sure going to miss it. There just seems to be something special about shows made in Vancouver. I've never been there, in fact, never been anywhere in the northwest US or any part of Canada. But I think it would be a hoot to retire to Vancouver and make a living as a TV and movie extra. For now however, I have to stick with my day job and maybe a few pennies from these blogs.

So what's new on the Sci-fi horizon? "Pain Killer Jane" doesn't look too bad. But, it's already too complicated. I think this is a fatal error that will be it's undoing. It's my unqualified opinion the reason why "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was able to sustain such good ratings and a devoted following is simple. They stuck to the basics. Despite all their technobabble, we knew the 7 main characters would survive by the end of the episode. They followed the simple thigs that Gene Roddenberry envisioned. In the 24th century we have evolved to where material things do not matter, and we work to better ourselves. We've grown in our awareness of the universe and have created a safe and peaceful area of the galaxy. And we've grown strong enough with the knowledge, and gathered technology that keeps our enemys at arms length. When the credits rolled at the end of "Star Trek: TNG" episodes, one could feel hope for the future, and the world was a better place than it was just an hour earlier.

However, all other Star Trek series after it lost site of that. Although "Star Trek: Deep Space 9" started out with simple plot lines and simple character building, they introduces enemies and wars that left us (the viewers) alwasy feeling negative and hopeless. "Voyager" would have been easy to review, it stuck to the vision, for the most part. And despite poor ratings, we knew it would run 7 seasons, and in the series finale they would make it home. Granted it sure seemed destitute at times.

As for "Enterprise", it had potential. I don't truely think UPN gave it the benefit of the doubt. But the introduction of the Xindi was the beginning of the end. They turned a weekly series into a soap opera. People who were long time Trek fans were used to seeing a different episode each week, and the plots were completely different, and there was minimal crossover. Somewhere in the cranial lobes of the writers and producers they developed this obsession with carrying forward the details of the previous episode(s). It was certainly their undoing.

So as an avid sci-fi fan, and a critic, I hold "Star Trek: TNG" as the gold standard for all sci-fi shows. Why do you think "Battlestar Galactica" has down so well? The Ronald D. Moore's of the entertainment world need only look at the Star Trek franchise for examples of what and what NOT to do to survive. Is BSG complicated? Yes. But they shake things up, and they always keep you guessing. And when Mr. Moore wants to operate 'outside the box', he knows he's leaving the safe zone. BSG, albeit, a group of ragtag survivors, cling to the will to live and to succeed. When the Cylons seem to have them cornered, out manned, out gunned, or out witted, the human spirit rises above it all.

"StarGate SG-1" and "Stargate Atlantis" have adopted this growing need to 'paint themselves into a corner'. I do not understand why there has to always be some superior bad guy, and the outlook is hopeless. The Ori and the Wraith, I wish they would just disappear. Be nice if they could pit one against the other and they just go away. What ever happened to the journey? What ever happened to exploring? Are they afraid no one would watch?

"Eureka" looked interesting at first, but it's fallen into that complicated trap. Note to the writers and producers, ease up on the details, and concentrate on fun. As Scotty once said "the more complicated you make the plumbing, the easier it is to clog up."

A older series that's making the rounds is "Jake 2.0". Another vicitm of UPN's shortsightedness. Ok, it was a bit overboard with the spy agency references, and they did a not-so-good job of portraying them. So hire a consultant to advise them on what's real and what's not. I am a staunch believer that if you want a non-sci-fi fan to watch your larger-than-life sci-fi show, the line between science and science fiction has to be blurred. Blurred to the point the viewer believe it could be real. "Jake 2.0" definately got a "F" in that subject. But I would have liked for it to stay around for another season to see if they could iron out the bugs. They didn't even air the last 3 episodes. Those 3 episodes made their first run in the SCIFI Channel earlier this year, and the last 3 episodes were dramatically different than the first 12.


Regards
John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Sunday, April 8, 2007

The Legacy Of StarGate SG-1: Is It More Than Meets The Eye?

A legendary science fiction series is ending. Star Gate SG-1 will begin the last season of its long run in April 2007 on the Sci-Fi Channel. This is very bad news for SG-1 Fans who have invested ten years and over 200 episodes in the long-running saga. But is there more here than meets the eye?

SG-1 has a loyal fan following. That is best explained by the fact that it blends old style science fiction with new. The scripts give you time to get to know the characters without...

John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Saturday, March 31, 2007

A Modern Sci-Fi Classic

I have been a science fiction fan ever since the movie Star Wars came out. I have also been a fan of Kevin Spacey since the movie seeing the Usual Suspects. So when I heard about the Sci-Fi movie K-Pax starring Spacey I knew I had to watch it. It turns out that the movie K-Pax was based on the novel by Genre Brewer.


John Crawford

AutismZone
Accokeek Computers
Accokeek Gifts
Mamas Best Recipes
The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews
Simple Opportunities
Conquer Your Niche

Saturday, March 17, 2007

How Battlestar Galactica Saved Science Fiction

In 1977, Star Wars reintroduced the world to the serialized space opera with groundbreaking results both creatively and financially. In the wake of this paradigm shift came a gaggle of embarrassing me-too projects both for film and television. Then there was Battlestar Galactica.

Battlestar Galactica was the brain-child of producer/writer/director... To read the full article go to How Battlestar Galactica Saved Science Fiction

John Crawford

AutismZone

Accokeek Computers

Accokeek Gifts

Mamas Best Recipes

The Cartouche - Science Fiction Reviews

Simple Opportunities

Conquer Your Niche

Sunday, March 4, 2007