The X-Files (1995) – Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose, and The List

Darin Morgan who was first cast as the Fluke-Man, then penned the season two classic Humbug, joined the crew of The X-Files as a story editor at the beginning of the third season, and he turned in another instant classic scipt with Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose. First airing on 13 October, 1995 the story is…

Star Trek: Voyager (1998) – Thirty Days, and Counterpoint

Captain’s log: stardate 52179.4 Oh, Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill), you were doing so well… and then this episode happened. Written by Kenneth Biller, from a story by Scott Miller, this episode debuted, just days before Star Trek: Insurrection opened in theaters, on 9 December, 1998. Tom has been busted down to ensign for disobeying…

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1994) – Second Skin, and The Abandoned

Station log: stardate unknown Robert Hewitt Wolfe pens this Kira (Nana Visitor) episode that first aired on 24 October, 1994. When Major Kira is abducted by Cardassians, and she is horrified to discover that she is supposed to be one of them. She no longer appears to be a Bajoran, she’s been modified to look…

Saving Private Ryan (1998) – Steven Spielberg

I was stunned when I first saw Saving Private Ryan on opening day, 24 July, 1998. I had never seen war depicted so realistically, so heart-breaking, graphic, and impactful. I held onto the names of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks like a mantra through the film, to guide me through it, to make everything be…

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1994) – Rivals, and The Alternate

Station log: stardate unknown Rivals was written by Joe Menosky from a story by Jim Trombetta and Michael Piller. It originally aired on 2 January, 1994. Quark (Armin Shimerman) has trouble on the Promenade when an El-Aurian con artist, Martus Mazur (Chris Sarandon) arrives on the station and plans to open a competing bar. Mazur…

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1993/1994) – Parallels, and The Pegasus

Captain’s log: stardate 47391.2 Brannon Braga pens this episode that is one of the highlights of the seventh, and final season, and also gives Worf (Michael Dorn) a fantastic story that debuted on 29 November, 1993. Returning to the Enterprise by shuttle after winning a bat’leth competition, the Klingon officer notices subtle differences aboard the…