Mission: Impossible (1969) – Nicole, and The Vault

Well, if Joan Collins was good enough for for Captain Kirk, then the IMF’s Jim Phelps (Peter Graves) should be so lucky… Nicole was written by Paul Playdon, and first aired on 30 March, 1969, and tries, within the confines of the tropes of the Mission: Impossible format, to tell a different kind of story….

The X-Files (2000) – Patience, and Roadrunners

Series creator Chris Carter writes and directs the first monster of the week episode of season eight, first airing 29 November, 2000, which sees a few changes to the series. First and foremost, David Duchovny is no longer listed in the title credits, Gillian Anderson get top billing, and is followed by Robert Patrick. Scully…

The Final Conflict (1981) – Graham Baker

Sam Neill made his North American film debut with the third installment in The Omen series. This one saw Dick Donner as the film’s exectuive producer, and Jerry Goldsmith delivering hi third score for the series moves away from the chanting to deliver a bit more of a majestical piece. Damien Thorn (Neill) is now…

The X-Files (1998) – The Pine Bluff Variant, and Folie a Deux

The Pine Bluff Variant, the first of the two episodes this week, is more of a conspiracy thriller, and gives us an X-Files episode without any supernatural or paranormal leanings. Written by John Shiban, the episode first hit the airwaves on 3 May, 1998. Scully (Gillian Anderson) is suspicious of Mulder’s (David Duchovny) behaviour, especially…

Mission: Impossible (1967) – The Survivors, and The Bank

The second season of Mission: Impossible continues to up its game with The Survivors. In fact, three episodes in, and I feel this second season has a completely different feel from the first. Sure, there’s the arrival of Phelps (Peter Graves) but, so far, the stories feel sharper, arguably more tense, and pretty damned enjoyable….

The X-Files (1997) – Small Potatoes, and Zero Sum

Small Potatoes brings back fan favourite writer Darin Morgan, this time in an acting role, in a script penned for him by Vince Gilligan. First debuting on 20 April, 1997, Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) get to delve into a comic episode that sees them encountering Eddie Van Blundht (Morgan) after they investigate…

Maverick (1994) – Richard Donner

Apparently, I’m still watching more Richard Donner movies, and this one I haven’t seen in years! Based on the television show from the 60s, Maverick comes to the big screen with Mel Gibson in the titular role, while the series original star, James Garner, co-stars as Marshall Zane Cooper. Jodie Foster rounds out the above…

Win, Lose or Die (1989) – John Gardner

John Gardner’s eighth 007 novel is on the book shelf this week, and honestly, as much as I have been enjoying his take on James Bond, I think this may be my favourite one so far. Bond finds himself facing off against a terrorist organisation known as BAST who have plans to infiltrate a Russian/American/British…

The X-Files (1995) – Paper Clip, and D.P.O.

The third episode in the season finale/opener that began with Anasazi plunges Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) further into the still developing mythology arc of the series with this episode, Paper Clip, written by series creator, Chris Carter. First airing on 29 September, 1995 the episode sees the agents on the run, investigating…