ABC TV's program FlashForward was exactly the kind of 'big premise' idea the networks were all seeking at a time when the sci-fi/mystery program Lost was fading into history: on a normal day, everyone alive on Earth blacked out for over two minutes ... so the program hoped to investigate why? What did it all mean? Unfortunately, FlashForward never quite lived up to the hype and promise of its first episode, "No More Good Days," that premiered on this day back in 2009. FlashForward mostly limped through its only season, answering each question with three more questions, and viewers were quickly disenfranchised.
In the realm of The Matrix Reloaded, Randall Duk Kim played The Keymaker, a role he also revisited in the online Enter the Matrix video game. Duk also appeared in an episode of Fox TV's Fringe. Duk was born on this day in 1943.
Tony Swartz was one of the background players -- a Colonial fighter pilot -- who helped make the original Battlestar Galactica into the space epic that it was. Though he's no longer with us, Swartz was born on this day in 1943.
Director and fan-friendly Brad Bird has more than a few genre notches on his belt to be proud of. He's helmed such properties as The Iron Giant (1999), The Incredibles (2004), Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011), and Tomorrowland (2015). Bird was born on this day in 1957.
As Capt. Dylan Hunt, actor Kevin Sorbo took the reins of a Gene Roddenberry program Andromeda and brought the space opera roaring to life on television. Also in the world of genre entertainment, the man brought Hercules to life as part of the occasionally cheesy Hercules: The Legendary Journeys in syndication, helping to fuel a spin-off that became Xena: Warrior Princess. Sorbo was born on this day in 1958.
Die-hard Star Trek enthusiasts -- of which I proudly consider myself -- have debated for years what or (more appropriately) who contributed to Trek's demise greatest throughout the decades since its inception ... and here's the bloke I give the most credit to: John Logan. He penned an absolutely turgid script that became Star Trek: Nemesis, and -- to make matters worse -- he actually spent time running around the shooting stages trying to "correct" everyone on matters considered Trek canon; however, if his script is any indication, it's pretty clear that the screenwriter knew absolutely nothing about the property itself. Logan was born on this day in 1961 ... and, yes, so far as I'm concerned, he's responsible for Trek's death.
Though I totally dug the premise, I only tuned in for a few episodes of NBC's short-lived Dark Skies. As a conspiracy nut myself, I was fascinated with the idea of revisited world history through the eyes of alien manipulation, but the program's writing was just far too 'elementary' for my refined tastes. Still, I appreciated the work of its stars, of which the lovely Megan Ward played a delicious Kimberly Sayers (above left). Ward was born on this day in 1969.
Though her resume boasts far more work in conventional comedies and dramas, heavenly ginger Erin Chambers did set fandom ablaze with a short-lived recurring guest star status aboard Syfy's Stargate: Atlantis. Chambers was born on this day in 1979.
Justin Bruening dabbled in the world of super high-speed artificial intelligence when he played Mike Traceur, the driver behind the wheel of 2008's Knight Rider reboot. Bruening was born on this day in 1979.
The voluptuous Tanit Phoenix brought her talent and considerable assets to bear in the retooled Death Race franchise, appearing aboard both Death Race 2 and Death Race: Inferno as Katrina Banks. Phoenix was born on this day in 1980.
Lara Jean Chorostecki is a fantastic actress who most recently wowed audiences of NBC's Hannibal, but her genre creds don't stop there. She had a small but crucial role in Antiviral (2012), a terrific and underrated SciFi gem I had the good fortune to see on home video when it was released. She's also appeared aboard Camelot, Lost Girl, and Haven. Chorostecki was born on this day in 1984.
A luminous Jessica Lucas left footprints in a handful of television properties -- including UPN's cult favorite Seven Days -- when she vaulted onto the silver screen as one of the unfortunate few 'urbanites' racing to survive a monstrous encounter with Cloverfield. She continues to impress today. Lucas was born on this day in 1985.
Heartthrob Grey Damon stole young girls' hearts as part of the cast of the CW's short-lived SciFi romance, Star-Crossed. (I never saw it, but some reviews were complimentary.) Damon was born on this day in 1987.
On this day back in the year 2001, an obscure something titled It Came From Outer Space II premiered theatrically (in Russia). I've never heard of it, but I'm only guessing it pilfered its 'alien invasion' idea on the original It Came From Outer Space. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Aliens crashland near a small desert town, strewing odd bluish-glowing rocks throughout the area. Townfolk notice something is amiss when temperatures begin to soar, water disappears, power goes down and people seem not to be themselves."
"Aliens crashland near a small desert town, strewing odd bluish-glowing rocks throughout the area. Townfolk notice something is amiss when temperatures begin to soar, water disappears, power goes down and people seem not to be themselves."
On this day in 1955, the eleventh episode of Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe aired as part of its single season on television. According to our friends at TV.com, here's the plot summary:
"In his efforts to add the Earth to his long list of slave planets, the Ruler tries to get Commando Cody and his crew out of the way. His plans include the capture of Cody's rocketship. The method, a trumped up story told by a Mercurian."
"In his efforts to add the Earth to his long list of slave planets, the Ruler tries to get Commando Cody and his crew out of the way. His plans include the capture of Cody's rocketship. The method, a trumped up story told by a Mercurian."
After its big premiere, the original Battlestar Galactica then settled into its regular episodic format on this day back in 1978 with the premiere of "The Lost Planet of the Gods, Part 1." The action saw most of the male Viper pilots sidelined by a space virus, leaving Starbuck and Apollo with the curiously thankless job of training any and all females capable of strapping in to the cockpit to defend the Fleet. BOOYAH!
On this day in 1979, Battle of the Planets aired "Decoys of Doom." This served as the fifty-third episode of the program's United States' run, and here's the plot summary as provided by TV.com:
"Humanoid decoys of the G-Force team are created to be used as bait in a trap for Spectra. The "real" Mark swaps places with his decoy and is captured by Spectra. Mark must signal the team and lead G-Force to the Spectra base."
"Humanoid decoys of the G-Force team are created to be used as bait in a trap for Spectra. The "real" Mark swaps places with his decoy and is captured by Spectra. Mark must signal the team and lead G-Force to the Spectra base."
On this day in 1982, The Powers of Matthew Star aired the second episode of its only season. Here's the hour's summary compliments of IMDB.com:
"When a cop is killed while the police were in the middle of an operation. One of the other cops recognizes Walt as the killer. Walt is arrested and at his arraignment they produce a video tape that shows that "Walt" killed the cop, Walt is held without bail. Walt tells Matthew that the man is Walt's counterpart on Earth. When Matthew fails to convince the police they have the wrong man, he goes out and tries to find Walt's counterpart, which won't be easy cause the man's associates will do whatever they have to, to protect him."
"When a cop is killed while the police were in the middle of an operation. One of the other cops recognizes Walt as the killer. Walt is arrested and at his arraignment they produce a video tape that shows that "Walt" killed the cop, Walt is held without bail. Walt tells Matthew that the man is Walt's counterpart on Earth. When Matthew fails to convince the police they have the wrong man, he goes out and tries to find Walt's counterpart, which won't be easy cause the man's associates will do whatever they have to, to protect him."
On this day in 1986, The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers aired "Space Moby." This (technically) served as the program's eighteenth episode (they aired wildly out of sequence), and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:
"Some Space Miners in an Asteroid field encounter Space Whales. Business leaders want the whales eliminated, others want them protected. The Rangers are sent in to find a solution."
"Some Space Miners in an Asteroid field encounter Space Whales. Business leaders want the whales eliminated, others want them protected. The Rangers are sent in to find a solution."
On this day back in 1993, The X-Files was getting one of its most memorable villains (especially for its first season) when the episode "Squeeze" introduced audiences to Eugene Victor Tooms (played by Doug Hutchison).
What? Don't tell me you've never seen Space: Above and Beyond? Clearly, S:AAB (as it's known among its fans) was one of the highwater marks of sci-fi TV for the 1990's. It premiered on this day in 1995 with a plot that bore a lot of similarities to another sci-fi book & film (that I won't name in order to divert controversy): settlers on a distant planet were attacked by an unseen alien race, and the forces of Earth respond, in kind, with a military campaign. It introduced audiences to a squadron of young cadets -- soldiers and fighter pilots known as the 'Wild Cards' -- and all of them would be affected in ways they never imagined before it all came crashing to its epic end in only a single season.
On this day in 1996, The Burning Zone aired "Arms of Fire." This served as the fourth episode to the program's first and only season, and here's the plot summary as detailed by IMDB.com:
"Edward and Kimberly have to make a vaccine to solve a virus."
"Edward and Kimberly have to make a vaccine to solve a virus."
On this day in 2002, Smallville soared back onto the small screen, premiering its second season with an hour titled "Vortex." According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Clark Kent saves Lana Lang from the tornado, but his father Jonathan is missing, trapped with the despicable reporter Roger Nixon (Tom O'Brien) in an old tomb beneath a destroyed church filled with meteor rocks. Lex Luthor saves his father, who is submitted to the hospital for surgery, and then joins forces with Clark to look for Jonathan. Chloe Sullivan decides to be only friends with Clark after his disappearance from the dance to rescue Lana. Also, Lana becomes suspicious of the abilities of Clark."
"Clark Kent saves Lana Lang from the tornado, but his father Jonathan is missing, trapped with the despicable reporter Roger Nixon (Tom O'Brien) in an old tomb beneath a destroyed church filled with meteor rocks. Lex Luthor saves his father, who is submitted to the hospital for surgery, and then joins forces with Clark to look for Jonathan. Chloe Sullivan decides to be only friends with Clark after his disappearance from the dance to rescue Lana. Also, Lana becomes suspicious of the abilities of Clark."
And if you missed Journeyman in its short run, then you sure missed something special. The modern take on a man who finds himself mysteriously drifting through the events of the past and present was nothing short of inspired. It premiered on this day back in 2007, and fans have been clamoring for a DVD release ever since.
On this day in 2002, Earth & Beyond was released to the general marketplace. According to our friends at Wikipedia.org, here's what all of the excitement was about:
"Earth & Beyond was a science fiction massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Westwood Studios and published by Electronic Arts (EA). The game was released in September 2002 in the United States. EA shut down Earth & Beyond on September 22, 2004. It was the last game developed by Westwood Studios."
"Earth & Beyond was a science fiction massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Westwood Studios and published by Electronic Arts (EA). The game was released in September 2002 in the United States. EA shut down Earth & Beyond on September 22, 2004. It was the last game developed by Westwood Studios."
