There are some episodes of Trek that I find easy to watch over and over and over again while still somehow managing to find something I missed before, and Star Trek: The Next Generation's sixth season outing, "Tapestry," is one such event. (For the record, it premiered in TV syndication on this day back in 1993.) There are just so many layers to it trapped nicely between the winning performances of Patrick Stewart and John de Lancie that it's hard not to catch all of the subtleties ... no matter how many times I see it.
Susan Oliver already possessed an incomparable beauty as the blonde foil meant to influence the male desires of Capt. Christopher Pike in Star Trek's original series pilot, The Cage. Painting her green (as the first Orion slave girl) only made mankind lust for her more! Though she's no longer with us, Oliver was born on this day in 1932.
With the welcome return of the ongoing Star Wars saga to the cineplexes, the interest in the various characters big and small has spiked. 'Mon Mothma' was featured in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but she was played by a different actress than who originated the role: the venerable Caroline Blakiston led the Rebel Alliance originally aboard Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. Blakiston was born on this day in 1933.
Back in 1974, actor George Segal headlined The Terminal Man, a SciFi thriller from the genius of Michael Crichton about a man who has experimental hardware implanted in his brain. Segal was born on this day in 1934.
Oh, the things we do for a paycheck! Screen legend Oliver Reed (above left) donned some sandals and hammed it up as part of the forgettable Gor (1987), a kinda/sorta SciFi/Fantasy-themed knockoff with similarities to the Conan saga. Though he's no longer with us, Reed was born on this day in 1938.
For better or for worse, Donald Sumpter's President of Gallifrey ended up getting on the wrong side of the legendary Doctor (as in Doctor Who). Here's a tip: you don't want to get on the Doctor's bad side, Don. In any event, his big role was part of the ninth season's big finale, and it was pretty interesting. Sumpter was born on this day in 1943.
I know that I've mentioned many times before my love for the universe of Batman Beyond, and the lovely Stockard Channing played the authoritative Barbara Gordon in that version of the Bat-reality. Channing was born on this day in 1944.
The talented Michael Ensign is another one of those terrific character actors who slips almost effortlessly into and out of any role much less any SciFi franchise. Fans know him from appearances aboard Superman (1978), The Greatest American Hero, Voyagers!, Ghostbusters (1984), Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The X-Files, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise. Ensign was born on this day in 1944.
Joe Estevez is not your garden variety Estevez. Check out his IMDB.com profile sometime, and you'll see the man's quickly approaching participation in over three hundred projects. Granted, his forays into the world of SciFi are definitely more of the B movie variety, but it still counts. Estevez was born on this day in 1946.
With over 100 different projects to his name, Scott Paulin (shown above from 1982's Forbidden World) has certainly built an impressive resume. Paulin was born on this day in 1950.
Ellen Bry made a visit to the sixth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation, appearing as 'Dr. Farallon' in "The Quality Of Life." She also had a role in Deep Impact (1998). Bry was born on this day in 1951.
The fantastic Leslie Bevis has appeared in several notable genre projects and deserves much acclaim for conveying a wonderfully sexuality in all of them! She's been a part of V, Spaceballs (1987), Alien Nation (1988), and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Bevis was born on this day in 1957.
Wow. Talk about a rough gig! In Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Pernilla August played Shmi Skywalker -- the mother to the little boy who'd grow up to practically destroy a galaxy far, far away! Then in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, she reprises the role long enough to die from wounds inflicted by Sandpeople. Ouch. August was born on this day back in 1958.
In 1990, Matt Salinger did his patriotic duty by suiting up to play Captain America, a flick which saw theatrical release in the United Kingdom but only video release in the U.S. Salinger was born on this day in 1960.
The great Henry Rollins has dabbled in both live-acting and voice-acting, and that has given him some solid exposure to the realm of genre projects. He's been involved with Welcome to Paradox, Batman Beyond, Teen Titans, and The Legend of Korra. Rollins was born on this day in 1961.
Though her mainstay is probably conventional drama, Michele Greene has given SciFi a try from time to time. She's been in The Unborn II (1994), The Outer Limits, and Stargate: SG-1 for good measure. Greene was born on this day in 1962.
Barry Tubb played a role aboard NBC's short-lived Apocalypse/Drama, Revolution, during its run on television. Tubb was born on this day in 1963.
Audiences were treated to not just one but several Spocks aboard Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, and young Stephen Manley got the chance to play the one enduring pon farr with the much older Lieutenant Saavik. (Not a bad way to mature!) Manley was born on this day in 1965.
The great Neal McDonough joined the crew of the Starship Enterprise D as it journeyed backward through time to save all of mankind from those dastardly Borg in Star Trek: First Contact (1996). McDonough was born on this day in 1966.
All of red-blooded mankind first fell in love with Kelly Hu when she appeared alongside The Rock on the big screen in The Scorpion King, and she's pretty much owned genre entertainment since then. Her projects include roles in X-Men 2, Dark Shadows, The 100, Warehouse 13, Arrow, and an increasingly impressive roster of video game and animation voice acting. Check out her profile over on IMDB.com. Hu was born on this day in 1968.
While Fox TV's Firefly was around, Andrew Bryniarski got the chance to play in that world from the mind of Joss Whedon. Bryniarski was born on this day in 1969.
Lucy Brown played an adventuress hell bent on setting right some downright Primeval events in the BBC series of the same name. Brown was born on this day in 1979.
I totally missed out on the CW's Star-Crossed. Don't get me wrong: I knew it was airing, but it just seemed like a teen-set SciFi 'Romeo and Juliet' story so I probably wasn't their target demo anyway. But the lovely Brina Palencia -- whom I did see in the absolutely phenomenal Upstream Color -- played a role in the TV drama, so let's be thankful for that. Palencia was born on this day in 1984.
On this day in 1994, the SciFi/Telefilm better known as Knight Rider 2010 roared onto the small screen. It starred Richard Joseph Paul and Hudson Leick, and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"Loosely based on the popular television series of the 80's, this movie brings the story into an apocalyptic time and a new "KITT"."
"Loosely based on the popular television series of the 80's, this movie brings the story into an apocalyptic time and a new "KITT"."
On this day in 2012, Astronaut: The Last Push premiered theatrically. The film starred Khary Payton and Lance Henriksen, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"When a tragic accident cuts short the first manned mission to explore life on the moons of Jupiter, Michael Forrest must make the 3 year journey home to Earth in pure solitude."
"When a tragic accident cuts short the first manned mission to explore life on the moons of Jupiter, Michael Forrest must make the 3 year journey home to Earth in pure solitude."
On this day in 1953, Adventures Of Superman aired "Czar of the Underworld." This served as the twenty-second episode of the program's first season, and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"A movie is being filmed about mobster Luigi Dinelli. The film is based on a series of articles that Clark Kent wrote for the Daily Planet. Dinelli is more than displeased. He orders a hit on Clark before the reporter and Inspector Henderson can leave for Hollywood to observe filming. Later, an actor on the movie is killed when real ammunition has been substituted for blanks. Clark, in both his civilian and Superman identities, works to put Dinelli away for good."
"A movie is being filmed about mobster Luigi Dinelli. The film is based on a series of articles that Clark Kent wrote for the Daily Planet. Dinelli is more than displeased. He orders a hit on Clark before the reporter and Inspector Henderson can leave for Hollywood to observe filming. Later, an actor on the movie is killed when real ammunition has been substituted for blanks. Clark, in both his civilian and Superman identities, works to put Dinelli away for good."
It all came down to this: on this day in 1984, the United Kingdom was treated to the finale for the first season of Chocky. According to our friends at TV.com, here's the plot summary:
"The school day has ended and Matthew is kidnapped. There are appeals on television and everyone is searching for him. In Birmingham, Matthew is found with evidence of being injected and he believes that he has been involved in a car crash. Matthew is unaffected and at home, Chocky appears. She says that she would like to speak to his dad. She explains everything and proves that she is real. Chocky then disappears forever. Dad engraves the swimming medal with 'Chocky' for Matthew."
"The school day has ended and Matthew is kidnapped. There are appeals on television and everyone is searching for him. In Birmingham, Matthew is found with evidence of being injected and he believes that he has been involved in a car crash. Matthew is unaffected and at home, Chocky appears. She says that she would like to speak to his dad. She explains everything and proves that she is real. Chocky then disappears forever. Dad engraves the swimming medal with 'Chocky' for Matthew."
On this day in 1988, Wesley Crusher made some new friends in the first season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. "When the Bough Breaks" was the show's 16th episode, and here's the episode summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A planet that was able to cloak itself for thousands of years suddenly reveals itself, with its inhabitants proposing peace. But, after initial negotiations, children of the Enterprise are kidnapped due to the impotence of the inhabitants."
"A planet that was able to cloak itself for thousands of years suddenly reveals itself, with its inhabitants proposing peace. But, after initial negotiations, children of the Enterprise are kidnapped due to the impotence of the inhabitants."
On this day in 1989, War of the Worlds aired "The Meek Shall Inherit." This served as the sixteenth episode of the program's first season, and here's the plot summary from TV.com:
"The aliens' next move is to disrupt communication by destroying global phone links. Meanwhile, Sylvia befriends a homeless woman who believes her talk of aliens because she herself witnessed one of her friends being attacked and absorbed. The two flee the Whitewood Sanitarium to roam the streets of Portland and eventually hiding out in a truck yard for shelter. Having assumed the bodies of three homeless people, the aliens also wait in the same truck yard to hijack a truck carrying an important power source, which will allow them to complete their plan to destroy communiqués and leave society helpless during an attack."
"The aliens' next move is to disrupt communication by destroying global phone links. Meanwhile, Sylvia befriends a homeless woman who believes her talk of aliens because she herself witnessed one of her friends being attacked and absorbed. The two flee the Whitewood Sanitarium to roam the streets of Portland and eventually hiding out in a truck yard for shelter. Having assumed the bodies of three homeless people, the aliens also wait in the same truck yard to hijack a truck carrying an important power source, which will allow them to complete their plan to destroy communiqués and leave society helpless during an attack."
As much as I admired the entirety of the journey Star Trek: Deep Space Nine delivered to faithful audiences, there was an awful lot of unwanted 'baggage' as part of its first two seasons ... before Sisko got his groove back. Case in point: "Paradise," the fifteenth episode of a relatively uneven second season. (It was broadcast on this day in 1994.) The tale served up the kind of predictability common with other sci-fi franchises. Here's the episode summary, compliments of IMDB.com:
"Sisko and Chief O'Brien discover a colony that lives without technology."
Yeah. That summary screams excellence, no?
"Sisko and Chief O'Brien discover a colony that lives without technology."
Yeah. That summary screams excellence, no?
Sweet mother alive! It's one of my favorite Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes, mostly because of the genius casting of bringing in the voluptuous Tracy Scoggins to play the sexiest Cardassian you'll ever see on this side of the wormhole. It was called "Destiny," it was broadcast on this day in 1995, and here's the episode summary from IMDB.com:
"Sisko faces a conflict between his Starfleet duties and his role as the Bajoran Emissary when an ancient Bajoran prophecy predicts that a joint Federation-Cardassian project will lead to the destruction of the wormhole."
Sometimes the best episodes are the ones that only tinker with our expectations, showing us just how broad the galaxy can be.
"Sisko faces a conflict between his Starfleet duties and his role as the Bajoran Emissary when an ancient Bajoran prophecy predicts that a joint Federation-Cardassian project will lead to the destruction of the wormhole."
Sometimes the best episodes are the ones that only tinker with our expectations, showing us just how broad the galaxy can be.
On this day in 1998, Stargate: SG-1 aired "Tin Man." This served as the eighteenth episode of the long-running program's first season, and here's the plot summary as detailed by IMDB.com:
"Upon arrival on planet P3X,989 the team are rendered unconscious. When they wake, they return to Earth, but soon find out that they are Androids. The team must return to the planet to find out what happened to their real bodies."
"Upon arrival on planet P3X,989 the team are rendered unconscious. When they wake, they return to Earth, but soon find out that they are Androids. The team must return to the planet to find out what happened to their real bodies."
On this day in 2009, battle lines were drawn as Syfy's Battlestar Galactica ticked down yet one more hour toward the program's big finish. The hour was titled "No Exit," and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"Now back in command of the Galactica, Admiral Adama seeks to re-assert his overall authority. Gaeta and Zarek are under arrest and there can be only one sentence. Chief Tyrol shows the Admiral what he's found in the engine room. Sam Anders is in serious condition having been shot in the head during the re-capture of the ship. He has a sudden burst of clarity however telling Tyrol, Tory and Saul about their time on Earth before its destruction. In a flashback to when Saul poisoned his wife Ellen on New Caprica, it is revealed that she was reborn on a Cylon ship where she once again meets John Cavil and later, Boomer Valerii. She created Cavil and he hates her for it. She in turns resents what happened to another of the Final Five's creations, Daniel. Cavil wants her to recreate the regeneration technology and will cut it out of her brain, if necessary. Boomer has another solution however."
"Now back in command of the Galactica, Admiral Adama seeks to re-assert his overall authority. Gaeta and Zarek are under arrest and there can be only one sentence. Chief Tyrol shows the Admiral what he's found in the engine room. Sam Anders is in serious condition having been shot in the head during the re-capture of the ship. He has a sudden burst of clarity however telling Tyrol, Tory and Saul about their time on Earth before its destruction. In a flashback to when Saul poisoned his wife Ellen on New Caprica, it is revealed that she was reborn on a Cylon ship where she once again meets John Cavil and later, Boomer Valerii. She created Cavil and he hates her for it. She in turns resents what happened to another of the Final Five's creations, Daniel. Cavil wants her to recreate the regeneration technology and will cut it out of her brain, if necessary. Boomer has another solution however."
On this day in 2013, the first part of the two-part miniseries Delete aired on television. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Delete imagines a disaster in our all-too-fragile digital world where the web becomes dangerously self-aware with one systematic purpose, to destroy mankind. Faced with possible extinction, there is only one way out - create a second artificial intelligence, just as alive, just as intelligent and just as dangerous."
"Delete imagines a disaster in our all-too-fragile digital world where the web becomes dangerously self-aware with one systematic purpose, to destroy mankind. Faced with possible extinction, there is only one way out - create a second artificial intelligence, just as alive, just as intelligent and just as dangerous."
On this day in 2015, 12 Monkeys aired the pivotal "The Night Room." This served as the fifth episode to the program's first season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"Cole and Dr. Railly face off with the Army of the 12 Monkeys when both discover the Night Room -- an off-site, black ops lab that houses the virus that will one day destroy the world."
"Cole and Dr. Railly face off with the Army of the 12 Monkeys when both discover the Night Room -- an off-site, black ops lab that houses the virus that will one day destroy the world."
