Enemy Mine (1985) – Wolfgang Petersen

Enemy Mine, from director Wolfgang Petersen and starring Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr., looks like a 50s era sci-fi film (particularly the model work and space suits) but it’s message of prejudice, hate, and race war, is as relevant today (and arguably more so) than it was when it was made. Feeling like a…

The X-Files (1997) – Max, and Synchrony

The two-parter that began last week concludes with the episode, Max, written by series creator Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, this story first debuted on 23 March, 1997. While the lovelorn Agent Pendrell (Brendan Beiser) loses his life to a bullet meant for Scully (Gillian Anderson) and her witness, Mulder (David Duchovny) begins to suspect…

The X-Files (1997) – Unrequited, and Tempus Fugit

Howard Gordon and series creator Chris Carter pen the teleplay for this episode from a story developed by Gordon to show that even in the late 90s the horror and worry over Vietnam POWs was still with us and haunting American society. With an original airdate of 23 February, 1997, Mulder (David Duchovny), Scully (Gillian…

Bull Durham (1988) – Ron Shelton

I love a good baseball movie, there’s something inherently joyful about them, whether it’s the game, itself, the sound of the crack of the bat, the tightly edited homages of games played, or the characters that step up to the plate, I love them, drama, comedy… is there a baseball musical? I’d probably dig that…

Star Wars: Splinter of the Mind’s Eye (1978) – Alan Dean Foster

Back in 1978, we had just one movie, and a handful of toys available from Kenner, not taking into account a ton of tees, trading cards, and almost anything else they could plaster the name Star Wars on. People were clamouring for more adventures from Luke Skywalker and the rest of the rebel alliance, but…

Star Trek: Enterprise (2003) – Dawn, and Stigma

Captain’s log: date unknown Roxann Dawson directs this Trip (Connor Trinneer) episode written by John Shiban. Originally airing on 8 January, 2003 this episode riffs on the science fiction classic, Enemy Mine. Of course, it’s also been done previously in Trek, most notably in The Next Generation episodes, Darmok and The Enemy. And they were…

Star Trek: Enterprise (2002) – Shockwave Part II, and Carbon Creek

Captain’s log: February, 2152 Rick Berman and Brannon Braga pen the season two opener of Enterprise, which resolves the Shockwave cliffhanger. The season debuted on 18 September, 2002. While Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) is seemingly marooned in the 31st century with Daniels (Matt Winston), the crew of the Enterprise is taken prisoner by the Suliban….

Star Trek: Voyager (2001) – Friendship One, and Natural Law

Captain’s log: stardate  54775.4 Micheal Taylor and Bryan Fuller pen this episode that debuted on 25 April, 2001. An episode that is view of the series finish line, and sees the crew of the Voyager getting their first mission from Starfleet since their original orders at the beginning of the series. It seems an probe…