The Prisoner (1967) – Checkmate, and Hammer Into Anvil

Number Six (Patrick McGoohan) squares off against Number Two (this time played by Peter Wyngarde) in a layered scheme in Checkmate. Written by Gerald Kelsey, this episode first debuted on 24 November, 1967. Inspired by a life-sized chess game, Six begins canvassing his own pieces, fellow prisoners, as he’s reasoned out how to tell the…

Iron Eagle (1986) – Sidney J. Furie

Shortly before Top Gun hit theatres, another jet fighter movie took to the skies, this time it was the F-16 Eagle, in the military fantasy, Iron Eagle. I say fantasy, because this film pretty much embodies every young boy’s dream of being a hero, of going against impossible odds, and proving to his father that…

Star Wars: Leia, Princess of Alderaan (2017) – Claudia Gray

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… Over the course of three novels, Claudia Gray has proven herself to be my favourite voice in the new Star Wars canon books. Her latest novel, Leia, Princess of Alderaan gives us a look at the teen years of the young princess. Living as the…

Tik-Tok of Oz (1914) – Frank L. Baum

A quick trip to Oz has been overdue, so I figured it was time to dig into book eight in the series, and check in with all those old friends, and new ones, to see what was happening in that faraway land. Following in the quest stories which have been the hallmark of the series…

Doctor Who (Sylvester McCoy) – Delta and the Bannermen

The third story of season 24 (!) sees a shift to a three episode format, written by Malcolm Krohll, Delta and the Bannermen ran from 2 to 16 November, 1987. The Doctor and Mel (Bonnie Langford) find themselves finally getting away for a bit of a holiday travelling on the Nostalgia Tours bus, but when…

Uncovered – Queen & Bowie

Last night I had the good fortune of attending the closing night performance of Acting Up Stage’s annual Uncovered show. This year, an impressive assembly of Canadian talent performed selections from the musical libraries of David Bowie and Queen, and included a pair of actors who basically channelled the ghosts of Bowie and Freddie Mercury…

Quantum Leap (1990) – Animal Frat and Another Mother

  Sam (Scott Bakula) is back in school, when he leaps into Knut ‘Wild Thing’ Wileton, in Animal Frat. This Animal House-like episode was penned by Chris Ruppenthal and aired 3 January, 1990. It’s 19 October, 1967, and Sam seems to be Big Man On Campus, but as always, he’s there to put something right,…