06.30 Logan's Run
07.30 The Sarah Connor Chronicles
08.30 The Twilight Zone
09.00 Swamp Thing
09.30 Captain Power
Logan's Run. Episode 9. "The Judas Goat" It's all a bit slow-moving and serious, and there is a logic flaw at the start, but this is a very good story in several respects.
It starts off in the City Of Domes that Logan and Jessica ran from at the start of the series. The police force (the Sandmen) have created a double-agent (Nicholas Hammond) whose mission is to head out after Logan and fool him into coming back. He does this with ridiculous ease, making you wonder why the Sandmen don't just head out and ambush Logan since he is that easy to find.
Nevertheless, the stuff with the double-agent is very good. Before he leaves the City Of Domes he is brought to the council of rulers (last seen in the pilot) and learns to his surprise that all is not as it seems in the City. This short scene adds a nice political subtext to the series: corrupt city officials trying to keep the population in the dark, etc.
Once our double-agent finds/joins Logan the rest of the episode plays out like a typical adventure-of-the-week: the trio (now a quartet) find a hidden society and run foul of it's leader (the excellent Lance LeGault). That fact that one of the heroes is a double-agent (and we know it) makes the story much more interesting than it would normally be. Logan and the new guy have a strong dynamic. And this conflict between the 'heroes' is a nice change of pace for the show.
All in all it's a solid hour. Logan's Run is such a serious drama series, it's difficult to think of it as being only a couple of years older than Buck Rogers. The two shows are decades apart in style and sensibility. One is fluff and nonsense and the other (while flawed) is a very strong drama series with occasional flair in the storytelling.
The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Season 2, Episode 12. "Alpine Fields" Another flawless outing. And another example of this show's fantastic storytelling.
Derek is the main character this time out (with Sarah having a very strong b-plot). The story unfolds on three fronts: one in the far future, and two of them in the present day, but six months apart. It's the story of a family that (first) Sarah and (then) Derek are trying to protect from a determined Terminator.
Samantha Krutzfeldt almost steals the episode out from under Brian Austin Green, but not quite. Nevertheless, she makes quite an impression as two versions of the same young woman separated in time by six months of experience. The story leaves no opening for the character to return, which is a great pity, but given that Krutzfeldt is exceptionally beautiful she will undoubtedly appear on Supernatural before too long!
The Twilight Zone. Season 3, Episode 5. "Dream Me a Life" Absolutely superb. J. Michael Straczynski (once again) delivers a really great story, and Eddie Albert delivers a showcase performance.
Roger is living a quiet live in a friendly retirement home when he starts to have a series of vivid nightmares, when he meets a woman who is terrified of something trying to break down a door and get to her. She pleads for help. Over and over. It all means nothing to Roger until the same woman suddenly moves into the same retirement home. He tries to speak to her, but she speaks to nobody. She just sits there. In silence, shut off from the world. Next time Roger enters the dream to try and save the woman, he burns his hand and wakes to find the same burn on his hand here in the real world...
The dream sequences looks fantastic and Albert is fantastic to watch. On one occasion the camera just stays on him for a long passionate speech/rant and he covers about 96 different emotions and moods going from line to line. It's pretty cool, and Roger is one of the Zone's coolest heroes.
Swamp Thing. Episode 1. "The Emerald Heart" A strange concoction. Which probably owes something to Twin Peaks for it's odd flavour.
There's no story, as such, just a lot of random events involving a mad scientist, a kid and a mysterious 'monster' who dwells within the swamp.
Some of the cast are very, very weak and the lines they are given are often quite dreadful. There's no logical behind most of what happens. Characters regularly say and do things that make no sense, and don't serve the story.
It's really odd, and deadly serious.
Captain Power And The Soldiers Of The Future. Episode 1. "Shattered" Solid opening episode. It opens with a long, exciting action sequence and follows up with a good story of betrayal and loyalty.
Captain Power (who leads the resistance forces against evil Lord Dredd) gets a message from an old flame. He goes to meet her in the remains of San Francisco. Turns out that it's a trap. But there's more to it than that, and a fairly compelling reason behind her actions. Guest star Ann-Marie MacDonald gives 100% to the role and sells all the horror and pain that is needed to justify what the character does. She's amazing.
The regular cast comes across very well, too, with Jessica Steen in particular making a great impression as Pilot.
Highlight? The Sarah Connor Chronicles (blows me away, yet again)
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Wed, Dec 10, 08 - Logan's Run, Sarah Connor, Twilight Zone, Swamp Thing, Captain Power
