SF-LOVERS Digest Friday, 5 Feb 1993 Volume 18 : Issue 77 Today's Topics: Television - Highlander (4 msgs) & Space Rangers (13 msgs) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 20 Jan 93 15:47:03 GMT From: arang@desire.wright.edu Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Highlander: The Series I'm looking for anyone out there who likes to watch Highlander: The Series. I've been watching it, but recently they've only shown re-runs. Has anyone heard what is coming up? Amy Rang Wright State University ------------------------------ Date: 23 Jan 93 09:33:59 GMT From: flip@sage.cc.purdue.edu (Phillip D. Russell) Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: HIGHLANDER: Richard Moll's comments In the March (#188) issue of Starlog, the following exerpt from an interview with Richard Moll: Moll enjoyed the fact that his character was a preening egotist in love with his own image. "The first time you see my character, he's sitting in his car, waiting for this woman to show up whom he's going to terrorize later. He looks in the rearview mirror and is primping his hair, checking himself out. The director said, 'Oh, go ahead - blow a kiss to the mirror.' which I did." On working with guest star (and star of the two HIGHLANDER films) Christopher Lambert and series headliner Adrian (War of the Worlds) Paul, Moll offers, "They were both interesting chaps. Christopher knows his stuff, inside and out. He's a pro. So is Adrian. Adrian was very much into the swordfighting. He had all his stances together, and incorporated a lot of Oriental moves into his swordfighting. He was into it 100 percent; he was all excited because it was his first episode. He'll do well." Overall, the experience was "kind of fun. I had to brush up on my swordfighting. I've had some stage combat, which helped. I worked [on the fight choreography] with a gentleman named Bob Anderson, and old Englishman who has been swordmaster to many different people - Errol Flynn and people like that. He had great stories about the old days. I did some of my own swordfighting, and some was done by my double, Ken Kirzinger. He was a good guy; we hung out together." Since his character was beheaded at the story's end, chances are slim that Moll will appear on the show again, although the actor has an idea as to how he could return. "I've been saying I think Slan should have an evil twin brother that nobody knows, and he hits the vengeance trail for 13 out of 22 [episodes]. So, I'm trying to talk the producers into that. We'll see!" Phillip Russell Purdue University West Lafayette, IN flip@sage.cc.purdue.edu ------------------------------ Date: 3 Feb 93 21:40:04 GMT From: obie@hirama.hiram.edu Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Re: Highlander: The Series jblum@hamlet.umd.edu writes: > So far all the reports about Highlander have had it that there will be 22 > episodes - 13 filmed in Vancouver, and 9 in France somewhere. > > But I picked up the latest Variety, and in its guide to available > syndication packages (which includes 20 episodes of Deep Space 9), it > lists Rysher Entertainment's "Highlander" as 26 episodes. > > Any confirmation on this?... No, I can't confirm, but I sure hope it's true. Do you, or anyone, have an address for Rysher Entertainment? obie@hirama.hiram.edu obie@hiramb.bitnet ------------------------------ Date: 2 Feb 93 20:11:16 GMT From: z_coolidgeas@ccsvax.sfasu.edu Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Highlander popularity? I'm wondering how popular the series HIGHLANDER is (in the interest of its own survival:)). I'm nervous. There is a lot of Science-Fiction TV series to watch for the first time since my birth. I'm scared that they'll start taking them off. NO! NO! Akane ------------------------------ Date: 19 Jan 93 15:16:37 GMT From: Peter_L_Zavon.Wbst843@xerox.com Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Re: Space Rangers amd@space.mit.edu (Ann M. Davis) said, among other things: >The name is corny Sure it is. Some of us are old enough to remember how corny the name "Star Trek" sounded before we got used to it. (Personnaly, I knew of "trek" as an Afrikaaner word related to 19th century history in southern Africa. I almost didn't watch the initial broadcasts becasue of that.) I agree, the SF in Space Rangers is either a put-on or the product of scientific ignorance, but it is good for several laughs each episode. If I can get past that horrible pilot's couch, and they keep things like "residual UV" down to no more than one per episode, I'll stay with it for a while. Peter Zavon Xerox Corporation zavon.wbst843@xerox.com ------------------------------ Date: 19 Jan 93 16:00:03 GMT From: kuvamp@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: SPACE RANGERS fans anonymous :) Hello, my name is Gareth and... (you can do it, man!) I...I...I *Like* Space Rangers. (hi, Gareth!) OK, OK, enough of the 12-step: I really do like this show: 1) yes, it's corny but, so is "Dr. Who" and "Buckaroo Banzai" 2) yes, it's scientifically inaccurate but, so was "Star Wars" (remember "the kessel run in 12 parsecs"?) (not to mention the fact that OL tries to push off the hoary old plot device of Time travel on Quantum mechanics) 3) yes, the acting is substandard but, look at Shatner. 4) yes, the SPFX are rudimentary, at best but, they are poor only by TODAY's standards - we've been spoiled. Even with all of the above I find I still find the show ingratiating. It has no pretentions of being anything other than a cheesy, second-hand, gritty, action-adventure designed to cash in on the recent marketing trend of noticing that sci-fi might (gasp) SELL.. And that's all it is! But hey, at least it's Science Fiction on Television (especially space-based)! i remember back in '79 or'80 when *BUCK ROGERS* was going into it's re-vamped 2nd season (coming to the end of the post-starwars sftv boom), reading a TV guide article that said if this didn't work, you wouldn't be seeing SF on TV for a looooooooooooooong time. They were right! Right now, I'm just happy to be getting a "new Boom", as it were and I'll take what I can get, because it may not last! Gareth-Michael Skarka ------------------------------ Date: 20 Jan 93 00:44:59 GMT From: aa396@cleveland.freenet.edu (Bill Henley) Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: SPACE RANGERS: needs LOTS of work, but... ... it's (IMHO) not completely hopeless. The format, characters and actors could actually work if they could just get some decent scripts. If I had influence at CBS, I would lobby to keep the show going but demand script improvement rather than dumping it. Bill Henley ------------------------------ Date: 20 Jan 93 20:46:07 GMT From: kbaldwin@pica.army.mil ("Anonymous ") Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Re: 2nd episode of Space Rangers I've been reading most of the discussions of Space Rangers, and the interesting comments on how the second episode was a blatant ripoff of Aliens 3, but nobody has yet mentioned the even funnier fact that the episode was a ripoff of the Fox Network show Get_A_Life, where the alien was named Spewie, and was eaten by the stars of the show. Admittedly, the show Get_A_Life is for the terminally brain dead. But one cannot help watching when re-run season is in full swing. If this is the best that Space Rangers can do, I figure that it will last only until they use up whatever they already have in the can. On a scale of 0-10, I rate it about -3. ------------------------------ Date: 21 Jan 93 19:12:14 GMT From: scilib@nowalls.ucsd.edu (Sci Eng Library) Subjecy: RE: Space Rangers!!! YES! I must say I was quite taken by the recent episode of SR, where our hero had to duel the reptilian-like ambassador to save him and his crew from the dreaded nose-worm. Yes, it is "wham-bam-sensational-silly-story- sf" but, IMO a welcome addition to an otherwise milktoast week of TV series. Robust or comic-book heroes along with a wise-cracking hard-assed crew in an environment of smokey, crowded, inadequate equipment in space fits pretty well with the stories so far in this series. I hope this series keeps getting better, even if it does have to "steal" a plot or alien or character now and then (and how many TV series don't?). Question: on the credits I noticed a name - Scott Brazil; why is this person's name familiar? R. Ellis ------------------------------ Date: 22 Jan 93 00:32:21 GMT From: eek2@po.cwru.edu (Eric E. Katz) Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Re: 2nd episode of Space Rangers Just a little correction. The name of the alien in Get a Life is SPEWEY meaning Special Person Entering World Egg Yolks. I actually liked Get a Life. It was not overly creative, but it had its good points. "He must have used toxic waste to gain intelligence" ------------------------------ Date: 22 Jan 93 16:34:27 GMT From: JW83HISW@miamiu.bitnet Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Space Rangers 3rd Episode & season so far. First off, I like Space Rangers. It's a fun show, with plenty of action and little of the preachy pretension that marks too much SF on television these days. The 3rd epsiode (1/20) followed in this vein: it was as action-packed as the second episode. The film work was good, with excellent use of lighting. Another thing I liked was that while the alien Prince was portrayed as a sybaritic fop, he was also a tremendous fighter. I thought it a nice touch, somthing a little different in terms of characterization. The fight sequence was also excellent, with both good stunt work and directing. Basically, Space Rangers is a lot of fun to watch. The pilot _was_ a bad episode, but it did a good job of introducing the characters. The second episode was very well filmed, action packed, tense, and had very intriguing aliens. The third ep. continued in this pattern. With luck, the next three episodes will be just as good and this show will be picked up as a full time member of CBS's line-up. Finally, does anyone out there (besides me) find that this show reminds you of the Japanese anime series called Thunderbirds: 2086? It was a show about a para-military type rescue team called the Thunderbirds, who had lots of really wild and fun adventures on and off 21st century Earth. That show always made a big deal of the launch of the teams' vehicles, much like Space Rangers. Anybody else remember Thunderbirds: 2086? It was shown on Showtime in the afternoons for a while. Jim ------------------------------ Date: 25 Jan 93 01:23:35 GMT From: rsrodger@wam.umd.edu (Yamanari) Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Space Rangers is _good_ Chalk another point up on the Space Rangers 3rd episode (Boon vs. the Lizardmen). I had to videotape it and delay watching it. It was Good!! Action, bad jokes, weird, mysterious aliens, funky looking ships (flashing lights back in fashion?) and strange new cultures! What more could you want? Well, better writing, but hey. It's *fun* which is more than can be said for others. ------------------------------ Date: 25 Jan 93 20:39:07 GMT From: clayson@xenomorph.eng.sun.com (Mathew Clayson) Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Space Rangers 3rd Episode, fan Yes, the show is getting better. I've enjoyed it from the first episode, but then I also enjoyed Wizards and Warriors, the cheesy Fantasy parody from the 80s. ------------------------------ Date: 25 Jan 93 23:45:30 GMT From: bz978@cleveland.freenet.edu (Charles E Gibbs) Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Thought on SPACE RANGERS On the down side for this show: As a whole, having a bunch of rock-n-roll space marines roaming the galaxy is definitely cheesy. Don't look for award winning scripts or acting. The special effects aren't overwhelming. My personal count: I've seen elements from 4 movies, 9 TV series, and 1 animated cartoon in Space Rangers (Note: I believe the man that created Space Rangers, Pen Densham, was at least partially involved in the Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers cartoon). On the upside: Despite all that I've said, SR does have a certain appeal if you don't take anything seriously. An hour of mindless action is a welcome change of pace in a timeslot dominated by Beverly Hills 90210. If they don't go into plot retread too quickly, they should make the next fall lineup. Chuck GIbbs gibbsc@ac.grin.edu ------------------------------ Date: 28 Jan 93 18:48:29 GMT From: geoffb@coos.dartmouth.edu (Thumper) Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Re: Space Rangers lazarus@ug.cs.dal.ca (Chuck Turner) writes: > I watched CBS's Space Rangers last night (on a local independent >station), and I'm wondering why they didn't show this episode four weeks >ago when it should have been aired. It is obviously the pilot episode, >for it introduces all the characters. If this episode had been shown in >sequence, it would have made the other episodes (slightly) less confusing. No one seems to have any idea why the sequence is so screwed up. It would have been a better premeire episode because this was the best so far. It still isn't great but I would have been more encouraged from the start if we hadn't started with that stupid 'drug dealers in space' opening. Even so, this episode suffered from the same problems. They keep trying to do so much! Why the stupid interlude with the Banshees? It was pointless! Geoff geoffb@Dartmouth.EDU ------------------------------ Date: 28 Jan 93 19:11:47 GMT From: nml@hq.lcs.mit.edu (Newton Loui) Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Space Rangers Episode (#1-#3) - short summaries (possible spoilers) wlrc@uhura.neoucom.edu (William R. Cruce) writes: >Could some kind fan please post a list of the titles (and one line summary >if you choose to accept this mission) of the Space Rangers episodes thus >far. Last week Cleveland was treated to Geraldo instead of Space Rangers, >but I gather from net postings here that some places saw a new SR episode. None of the episodes had a title, as far as I could tell from watching, so I made some up based on the plot. 8-) SPOILER WARNING Episode #1 - Dead Ringers Can't Morph (6 January 1993) (The network Premiere) We meet all the Space Rangers "in media res" and they are fighting a drug war. One of the villains morphs and leaves traces of UV wherever he goes. An android is introduced as the harbinger of replacements for the Rangers. Quotable quote: "Yeah, well leave it alone! ... Oh, great. Next time just ask." Episode #2 - Banzai Banshees! (13 January 1993) Hopeful colonists in illegal transports become banshee fodder in the Blood Nebula. The Space Rangers rescue a deaf boy from the clutches of the Banshees on the New Mayflower. Quotable quote: "Some of us still wanna know we're men, right Jo-Jo?" Best dialogue IMHO: Boon: "We need you here, kid. When we come back, we'll be in a hurry. Something big and hairy could be on our tail. It's your job to shoot it." Caylon (or C-Man as Doc calls him): "When you shoot something big and hairy, make sure it's not *me*!" Doc: "Hey, C-Man made a joke!" C-Man: "I apologize." Doc: "Hey, no, that's O.K." Episode #3 - For Love and Honor ... in Geeno's Bar? (20 January 1993) The Veelons (sp) and (whoever it is that the Space Rangers represent) are engaged in trade talks that go awry as Capt. John Boon violates Veelon custom regarding the body of the Prince. Best quote IMHO: "A being willing to die for his Nation is one thing; a Nation of such beings is another matter altogether." Episode #4 "The Pilot" (27 January 1993) I had to tape this episode in order to watch "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues" in its entirety. So I'll probably watch it tonight. Someone else want to pick up here? Of course, all quotes are from memory. Sticklers may ask me to re-watch my tapes to get them right. 8-) Hope this helps. Newton Loui nml@hq.lcs.mit.edu nml@csa.bu.edu ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jan 93 13:56:44 GMT From: 01fortec@ac.dal.ca Reply-to: sf-lovers-tv@Rutgers.Edu Subject: Re: Thought on SPACE RANGERS' bz978@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Charles E Gibbs) writes: > On the down side for this show: > As a whole, having a bunch of rock-n-roll space marines roaming the > galaxy is definitely cheesy. Don't look for award winning scripts or > acting. > > The special effects aren't overwhelming. > > My personal count: I've seen elements from 4 movies, 9 TV series, and 1 > animated cartoon in Space Rangers (Note: I believe the man that created > Space Rangers, Pen Densham, was at least partially involved in the > Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers cartoon). Only this much? After nearly eighty years of commercial films and over thirty of television scifi, you've go to be able to find more than just this! Actually, after over 110 years of combined scifi film and tv, it's more than a little surprising that they can get something original in there at all. (Even Forbidden Planet was a rehash of Shakespeare, and it was done in the fifties) > On the upside: > Despite all that I've said, SR does have a certain appeal if you don't > take anything seriously. An hour of mindless action is a welcome change > of pace in a timeslot dominated by Beverly Hills 90210. If they don't go > into plot retread too quickly, they should make the next fall lineup. Absolutely! I love the show. It's comic-book action on the screen. Just plain fun, no moralizing or preaching. By the way, I still don't quite get the pilot's position. She gets in this clamp seat and then the whole thing leans forward. Is this supposed to enhance some sort of symbiosis with the ship? (Yeah, I know, it's just a visually interesting position) Joe 01fortec@ac.dal.ca ------------------------------ End of SF-LOVERS Digest ***********************