Juliet (Jeri Ryan) gets a bit more of a backstory in Shades of Gray. Written by Brad Markowitz this episode first aired on 8 February, 1997. As things get filled in, including a horrifying encounter during her childhood in Russia, we are invited to an even darker journey John Loengard (Eric Close) and Kim Sayers…
Tag: backstory
Stargate SG-1 (1997) – The Torment of Tantalus, and Bloodlines
How do we know we’re in the SGC in the 40s with the opening of this episode? The bluesy version of the Stargate theme, honestly it’s a solid episode that helps the series continue to build its backstory, and its worldbuilding. Jackson (Michael Shanks) is watching old footage of the Stargate project and both her…
Stargate SG-1 (1997) – Cold Lazarus, and The Nox
When O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) is replaced by another being, from a crystalline structure on a remote planet, his replacement explores the loss of O’Neill’s son, and talks with his ex-wife, Sara (Harley Jane Kozak). Cold Lazarus was written by Jeff King and first aired on 29 August, 1997. As the replacement O’Neill confronts O’Neill’s…
Avatar: The Last Airbender – Book 2: Earth (2006) – Zuko Alone, The Chase, and Bitter Work
Zuko Alone, written by Elizabeth Welch Ehasz, first aired on 12 May 2006. Zuko (Dante Basco) is on his own, and the episode explores his character and his past as he recalls his conflict with his father, Ozai the Firelord (Mark Hamill), as well as the fate of his mother, Ursa (Jen Cohn). The episode…
Ancillary Justice (2013) – Ann Leckie
Ann Leckie delivers an interesting space opera read that uses the feminine pronoun she throughout, as a part of its language, not as a descriptor of the people themselves, who are predominantly genderless. It’s a great touch, and really plays nicely with the casting of characters in the mind’s eye. We are introduced to Breq,…
One Piece: Season 1 – East Blue, Part 2
There is so much to discover on Crunchyroll, and I may have been foolish to dig into something so huge as One Piece right off the bat, but I was intrigued by the concept, and after watching the first few episodes I was hooked. The first half of the season helped set up a lot…
The World is Not Enough (1999) Raymond Benson
Raymond Benson’s next Bond story was the adaptation of the Pierce Brosnan film, The World is Not Enough. It doesn’t differ too much from what ended up onscreen, but because it’s the written word, it allows one to recast the film, and I happily eject Denise Richards as Christmas Jones from the movie in my…
Quigley Down Under (1990) – Simon Wincer
Simon Wincer is a hard-working director, his efforts can be hit or miss, but I loved his work on The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, Lonesome Dove, and D.A.R.Y.L. Starting with Quigley Down Under, he’s worked with Tom Selleck a number of times, but this was their first feature film…
Family Ties (1984) – Don’t Kiss Me, I’m Only the Messenger, Help Wanted, and Karen II, Alex 0
While Elyse (Meredith Baxter) goes to an architects’ convention, Skippy (Marc Price) falls for Mallory’s (Justine Bateman) friend Jane (Michelle Meyrink) in Don’t Kiss Me, I’m Only the Messenger. Written by Ruth Bennett, this episode first aired on 29 November, 1984. And while Mallory deals with the sudden realization that Skippy isn’t interested in her…
Family Ties (1982) – Have Gun, Will Unravel, A Christmas Story, and Oops
The Keaton household is burglarized and Steven (Micheal Gross) and Elyse (Meredith Baxter) have to find a way to reconcile their beliefs with the need to protect their family. Have Gun, Will Travel was written by Ruth Bennett and originally aired on 8 December, 1982. I did like the fact that the movie the family…
The Mind Reels 