Good afternoon, gentle readers, and welcome to 'On This Day In Science Fiction, Fantasy, And Horror History' for April 3, 2024!
How's everyone's Hump Day going, eh?
Me? Well, I'm pretty good today. Got a decent night's sleep. Had a little snack-style breakfast. Went out to the health club and had a really solid workout. Hit the grocery store to pick up a few items. And now? Well, now I'm back at the house, checking out today's breaking news (the Disney Company is a total clusterfart, folks), and taking my own deep dive into April 3rd's genre citations. So, yeah ... I'm pretty good.
Last night, I finished streaming a Netflix comedy called Medical Police. It was a little something-something that I'd heard about but hadn't yet stumbled across for streaming. For those of you unaware, it's certainly not Science Fiction and Fantasy (though a case could be made for the fact that it dabbles into some SciFi elements here and there), but don't let that disturb you. It's a farce-style comedy, and it's pretty solid ... if you like that sort of thing. Basically, it's a loose follow-up to the comic Children's Hospital -- employs many of the same cast and crew -- but it plays out on a much broader campus with some great guest stars and a goofy end-of-the-world premise. For those of you who have Netflix, you might wanna check it out ... but, again, it's pure F-A-R-C-E so go in understanding what you're about to get.
How's everyone's Hump Day going, eh?
Me? Well, I'm pretty good today. Got a decent night's sleep. Had a little snack-style breakfast. Went out to the health club and had a really solid workout. Hit the grocery store to pick up a few items. And now? Well, now I'm back at the house, checking out today's breaking news (the Disney Company is a total clusterfart, folks), and taking my own deep dive into April 3rd's genre citations. So, yeah ... I'm pretty good.
Last night, I finished streaming a Netflix comedy called Medical Police. It was a little something-something that I'd heard about but hadn't yet stumbled across for streaming. For those of you unaware, it's certainly not Science Fiction and Fantasy (though a case could be made for the fact that it dabbles into some SciFi elements here and there), but don't let that disturb you. It's a farce-style comedy, and it's pretty solid ... if you like that sort of thing. Basically, it's a loose follow-up to the comic Children's Hospital -- employs many of the same cast and crew -- but it plays out on a much broader campus with some great guest stars and a goofy end-of-the-world premise. For those of you who have Netflix, you might wanna check it out ... but, again, it's pure F-A-R-C-E so go in understanding what you're about to get.
Sigh.
Do all of you remember the days when the BBC's Doctor Who was actually good?
Sigh.
I miss those days.
In any event, it was on this day back in 2010 that the Matt Smith era of the long-running Science Fiction and Fantasy show got its start with the first airing of "The Eleventh Hour." Giving audiences a look at a markedly younger time traveller, the show found a bit of extended life in the wake of David Tennant's departure. It was a great 'save the Earth' story that introduced the new Doctor and his young companion; and -- even if my opinion is in the minority -- I thought it was damn good fun. Granted, it may've felt a bit estranged from the Tennant stuff, but -- hey -- Tennant remains a hard act to follow. What Smith did certainly grew on me, though toward the end of his tenure is was becoming clearer that the writers' room was struggling a bit to come up with some fresh ideas.
Still ... when it was good, it was good, at least ... and that's saying a lot for how low this one-time juggernaut has fallen.
Do all of you remember the days when the BBC's Doctor Who was actually good?
Sigh.
I miss those days.
In any event, it was on this day back in 2010 that the Matt Smith era of the long-running Science Fiction and Fantasy show got its start with the first airing of "The Eleventh Hour." Giving audiences a look at a markedly younger time traveller, the show found a bit of extended life in the wake of David Tennant's departure. It was a great 'save the Earth' story that introduced the new Doctor and his young companion; and -- even if my opinion is in the minority -- I thought it was damn good fun. Granted, it may've felt a bit estranged from the Tennant stuff, but -- hey -- Tennant remains a hard act to follow. What Smith did certainly grew on me, though toward the end of his tenure is was becoming clearer that the writers' room was struggling a bit to come up with some fresh ideas.
Still ... when it was good, it was good, at least ... and that's saying a lot for how low this one-time juggernaut has fallen.
I've always reminded readers that genre entertainment has a lot of middling entries. This isn't to say that a particular show or shows are unworthy; rather, it's just a reminder that a run-of-the-mill production might spread out the great stuff with some lesser adventures. Again: don't even remotely think I'm suggesting that you tune off stuff like The Lost World which premiered on this day back in 1999 and lasted for three seasons. In fact, I'd argue that even though its effect stuff hasn't aged all that well I think this remains a property that earned its sea legs and then some even if it wasn't a wide hit.
No, I didn't catch this one in U.S. TV syndication when it was on. I had to pick it up on home video to enjoy (without commercials, which I absolutely loathe). Having heard about it from a few friends, it was a property that sounded like it had potential ... and I'm thrilled to say that, yes, it was a modest winner. Nestled somewhere between, say, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and a TV-grade incarnation of the Indiana Jones stuff, The Lost World basically only took its foundation from the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle story and then serialized it with a good cast, shifting allegiances, and the usual TV corn.
The result?
Well, as I said, it lasted a good three seasons; and, sadly, it came to an end with an epic cliffhanger that to this date has never been resolved. What a shame, as I think its audiences deserved better than a cliffhanger.
No, I didn't catch this one in U.S. TV syndication when it was on. I had to pick it up on home video to enjoy (without commercials, which I absolutely loathe). Having heard about it from a few friends, it was a property that sounded like it had potential ... and I'm thrilled to say that, yes, it was a modest winner. Nestled somewhere between, say, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and a TV-grade incarnation of the Indiana Jones stuff, The Lost World basically only took its foundation from the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle story and then serialized it with a good cast, shifting allegiances, and the usual TV corn.
The result?
Well, as I said, it lasted a good three seasons; and, sadly, it came to an end with an epic cliffhanger that to this date has never been resolved. What a shame, as I think its audiences deserved better than a cliffhanger.
Though 1953's theatrical adaptation of H.G. Wells' The War Of The Worlds is probably not considered required viewing by today's generation of Science Fiction fans, there are still those of us who'd argue it's still one of the best flicks to introduce viewers to the quintessential Martian invasion of Earth.
Yes, I say this as one of the web's 'old dogs' who still works very hard to draw attention to older flicks; and -- readers -- there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Its groundbreaking visual effects are backed up with some very real human relationship drama -- albeit a bit dated -- and the sight of those invading spacecraft along with their Martian crew still stirs the imaginations of fans who discover it. Its sights and sounds still mean something, and -- to top it off -- it's one of the rare Science Fiction productions inducted into the U.S.'s National Film Registry.
Now, sure, I get that the narrative and the relationships aren't what appear to be authentic to the modern age. That's ok, too, because it wasn't made for the modern age. It was crafted to captivate audiences of another era; and -- on that front -- it succeeded so well that specialists have chosen it to be preserved for tomorrow's watchers. If you haven't seen it, then give it a whirl. You may not like all of it; but if you're a true SciFi and Fantasy junkie like so many who traffic in these parts I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Yes, I say this as one of the web's 'old dogs' who still works very hard to draw attention to older flicks; and -- readers -- there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Its groundbreaking visual effects are backed up with some very real human relationship drama -- albeit a bit dated -- and the sight of those invading spacecraft along with their Martian crew still stirs the imaginations of fans who discover it. Its sights and sounds still mean something, and -- to top it off -- it's one of the rare Science Fiction productions inducted into the U.S.'s National Film Registry.
Now, sure, I get that the narrative and the relationships aren't what appear to be authentic to the modern age. That's ok, too, because it wasn't made for the modern age. It was crafted to captivate audiences of another era; and -- on that front -- it succeeded so well that specialists have chosen it to be preserved for tomorrow's watchers. If you haven't seen it, then give it a whirl. You may not like all of it; but if you're a true SciFi and Fantasy junkie like so many who traffic in these parts I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Of course, it goes without saying that there's more. Now, yes, I'm a bit underwhelmed myself with only 50 genre trivia citations, but this is where I remind folks that SciFiHistory.Net has always been -- and will always be -- a work-in-progress. I have a good many other items I'm working to add to the Daily Citation Page for today, but it takes time. I'll work this afternoon to add a few more, and, hopefully, this time next year it'll be more than you could ever possibly imagine.
In the meantime, here's the link:
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
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