John Crichton (Ben Browder) insists he won’t get fooled again when he seems to be back on Earth, and nothing ever happened. But everyone seems to be there, D’Argo (Anthony Simcoe), Aeryn (Claudia Black), Chiana (Gigi Edgley), Rygel (voiced by Jonathan Hardy) and Zhaan (Virginia Hey). Lurking around the edges is Scorpius (Wayne Pygram) who…
Tag: heartbreaking
A Closed and Common Orbit (2016) – Becky Chambers
I couldn’t wait. I had to dig into the second book of the Wayfarer series by Becky Chambers. The first book was just so powerful in its portrayal of friendships and family set against the stars and sensibilities of space opera. I didn’t want to wait and read something else, I had to devour the…
Farscape (2000) – Nerve, and The Hidden Memory
It’s a good thing that the secret Peacekeeper installation, Gamak base is so close, because Aeryn (Claudia Black) is in need of some serious medical assistance following their run-in with the Peacekeepers in the previous episode. Nerve was written by Richard Manning, and it was first broadcast on 7 January, 2000. John Crichton (Ben Browder)…
TIFF24: The Last Showgirl dir. Gia Coppola
Pamela Anderson delivers a career-topping performance as Shelley an aging Vegas showgirl, whose show, Razzle Dazzle, is closing, bringing her thirty-year career to a grinding stop. Directed by Gia Coppola whose use of shallow focus lenses keeps the story on Shelley at all times, the tale looks honestly at aging and beauty in not only…
Avatar: The Last Airbender – Book 2: Earth (2006) – Tales of Ba Sing Se, Appa’s Lost Days, and Lake Laogai
Tales of Ba Sing Se is a fun little episode, especially coming after the reveal of the last episode. It’s a collection of short vignettes that delve into the adventures of our various characters around the city. The episode first aired on 29 September, 2006, and has five segments. The Tale of Toph and Katara…
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022) – Serene Squall, and The Elysian Kingdom
Serene Squall lets the Enterprise crew have some fun as pirates take over their ship, and they inspire a mutiny to free themselves, but it also has ties not only to The Original Series, but to Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, tying those narrative threads together to make a cohesive tapestry. Written by Beau…
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022) – Spock Amok, and Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach
Spock Amok, whose title riffs on The Original Series’ Amok Time, was written by Henry Alonso Myers, and Robin Wasserman. It first debuted on 2 June, 2022. Following their encounter with the Gorn, the Enterprise has returned to Starbase One for some shore leave and minor repairs as well as a diplomatic negotiation with a…
Family Ties (1985) – Oh, Donna, Auntie Up, and Philadelphia Story
Alex (Micheal J. Fox) comes down with Daddy Fever when he helps his parents out with their Lamaze class, and becomes enchanted with the idea of becoming the father to the child of a single mother in Oh, Donna. Written by Alan Uger, this episode was first broadcast on 3 January, 1985. Initially dismissive of…
Joyland (2013) – Stephen King
I should just listen to my gut. Just because my brain isn’t initially sure I’ll enjoy a Stephen King book that doesn’t fall into what I think is my ‘usual fare’ doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy it. In fact, my gut constantly reminds me of titles that have surprised me, and we can add Joyland…
M*A*S*H (1983) – Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen
On 28 February, 1983, millions of viewers bid goodbye to the 4077th and its residents over the course of two hours. It’s one of those moments burned into my brain, and I remember exactly where I was and how emotionally it affected me. The only other time I was affected in the same way would…
The Mind Reels 