Tag: science fiction

March Reads: Watch Your Step; Discovering Brandon Sanderson

/ Gary Hilson

Sometimes I’m the mood for space opera and other times I want more traditional, “hard” science fiction. March’s reads strike a balance between human-focused adventure stories in futuristic worlds ground in solid science fiction concepts.

Infinity Gate by M.R. Carey

After travelling though time by TARDIS, my next read had me jumping parallel universes using “step” technology. Infinity Gate wasn’t what I expected given the back cover blurb, and it was a bit of adjustment after previous reads. Many of the main characters are morally gray by nature, and I wasn’t immediately sure I liked them all that much.

The clever world-building and unexpected character arcs made for a compelling read, however, and by the end I was completely onboard – I don’t know where this series is headed, but I’m intrigued.

There are millions of universes in Infinity Gate, many of them conducting business with each other. Some universes aren’t worth visiting, while others are inhabited by what appears to be soulless artificial intelligence. These distinctions matter greatly as the story goes on, beginning with a scientist living in a parallel Earth on the brink of ecological collapse.

I only recently picked this up at the bookstore in my old neighbourhood in Ottawa during one of my recent visits, and the sequel isn’t out yet.

Lockstep by Karl Schroeder

A different type of stepping technology and a totally different tone characterizes Lockstep. If the system of how people on different worlds slept for decades to sync up to enable a futuristic human economy wasn’t so complicated, this could be a YA novel.

It tells the story of a teen boy who’s been asleep for 14,000 years as human civilization evolves and expands around him under the guidance of his sister and brother, because of the lockstep, they are middle-aged adults rather than long dead. The empire built by his siblings has developed larger than life myths about him and his family, so his reappearance could have serious ramifications on how this complex society going forward.

Schroeder eschews foul language and violence, but there is sufficient action and peril propelling the story forward. Some of the characters are a little underdeveloped, and Lockstep almost feels like the first book of a series that further explores this universe, but it’s a standalone novel. An enjoyable read that has me eager to read the other Schroeder books on my shelf.

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

I’ve been wanting to give Sanderson a try for a while. As I’m more of a science fiction reader than fantasy reader, Skyward was the obvious choice. Like Lockstep, Skyward could easily be a YA novel given the age of the characters and overall tone. There is enough peril, however, to keep readers on their toes. Sanderson is not averse to killing off a character or two to show how high the stakes are, and makes you feel their loss.

There’s also an unfolding mystery at the heart of the story, and all isn’t what it seems. Although the story is told in the first person by our heroine, the supporting characters are well developed, and even the ones that only have a few lines or minimal development have an emotional impact.

Sanderson’s writing style and worldbuilding has me eager to read the sequel as well as his fantasy novels. Skyward has also prompted me to watch his BYU lectures on writing science fiction and fantasy and apply it to my own moribund fiction writing. Sanderson loves telling stories and it shows in writing and lectures.

The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi

I’ve got lots of Scalzi books on the TBR, having only read Red Shirts many years ago. The Collapsing Empire seemed like a good choice to follow up Skyward, given the setting – humans in the future with spaceships. But that’s where the similarities end, as Scalzi’s writing style is quite different. His prose is very dialogue driven, and he’s generous with the swears.

But like Sanderson, Scalzi is great at establishing setting quickly and giving you a strong idea of how the world he’s built works with an interesting take on how humans in the future travel between worlds. The universe of The Collapsing Empire is clever, and the characters engaging. The plot moves forward at a fast pace, too, with a few twists. I’m looking forward to the sequel and reading more of Scalzi’s other work.

New Acquisitions

I’m proud of my restraint in 2024. I’ve bought relatively fewer books and most of them are previously enjoyed. In March I snagged one of The Chronicles of St. Mary’s books for a few bucks. I splurged on getting David Mack’s Firewall, which I’m eager to read as part of my April pile, despite not having finished any of the previous Star: Trek Picard novels.

I’d also like to tackle Dune since I want to read the books before I see the movies. My strategy continues to be to jump around from different genres and writing styles, so I don’t get stuck in a rut, even though I want to immediately read sequels and authors I know I enjoy. I’m also making a point of reading first books in series I own so I can quickly establish whether I want to commit myself to the sequels.

Gary Hilson is a freelance writer with a focus on B2B technology, including information technology, cybersecurity, and semiconductors.

February Reads: Travels in Time (and Space); Surviving The Blitz

/ Gary Hilson

I’m not big on publicly declaring my New Year’s resolutions, but 2024 is all about more books and blogging, with a little less beer. (I highly recommend non-alcoholic Guinness).

After making progress tackling my TBR pile in the fall, I was overloaded with freelance writing assignments in late November / December that needed to be done by end of calendar year. It took me until February to get back to reading for pleasure. (On a side note, I’ve been diligent in my Daily Stoic readings, but that’s another post).

Anyone who follows me on Instagram knows I’m great at buying books, especially previously enjoyed copies in pristine condition. I’m also great at starting books right after I’ve bought them, usually in a nearby pub. But I’ve struggled to stick with a novel no matter how much I’m enjoying it given how much time I spend with the written word as a freelance writer covering complex topics such semiconductors. There’s not a lot of brain power left at the end of the day, so I usually end up streaming something to watch.

Reading is a muscle, and in the fall I was determined to get that muscle back in shape. Despite a lackluster January, I’ve got some momentum.

All Clear by Connie Willis

After discovering the Time Police series by Jodi Taylor late last year, I was tempted to go out and buy the next book. Instead, I decided to be financially responsible and quench my thirst for further time travel stories by finally reading Black Out by Connie Willis, which was already on bookshelf. Why I waited so long, I have no idea, and I was itching to read the sequel.

While Black Out spends a lot of time chronicling the mundane activities of our three time-travelling historians from Oxford in the future before fully embracing their shared predicament toward the end, All Clear is much more about creating peril beyond The Blitz itself. What is wrong with the drops that’s keeping Merope, Mike and Polly from returning home and why hasn’t anyone come looking for them? While All Clear could have been trimmed by about 100 pages, Willis’ choice to keep the characters involved in the period’s events while trying to figure out their fate makes the ultimate ending so much more satisfying.

It was also incredibly emotional – I was crying off and on for the last 100 pages as the mystery to why the historians were stranded in World War II London was solved. Having spent two sizable books with these characters – 1,100 words in total – I found myself missing them several weeks after finishing All Clear.

Goodnight from London by Jennifer Robson

Determined to read what I already owned, I had many options for my next read, including more Connie Willis and sequels to books I’ve read in the fall, including Arkady Martine’s A Desolation Called Peace, I opted to go with Goodnight from London because I enjoy book sets during World War II that are not directly about the war itself.

This is ultimately a romance novel, but like Willis, Robson has spent a lot of time doing research to make Goodnight from London historically accurate. The romance is a slow burn over the course of the war as American journalist Ruby Sutton navigates The Blitz, writing articles for a magazine and becoming more resilient as the war goes on. The supporting characters are well drawn, and I was sad when this book came to an end.

Hard Time / Saving Time by Jodi Taylor

I could only resist picking up the next Time Police series for so long, so I breezed through Hard Time and Saving Time back-to-back. Doing Time was all about introducing the universe (albeit an expansion of The Chronicles of St. Mary’s series) and the characters. Hard Time is a much more focused story that sees Luke and Jane teamed up to endure some serious peril, while Matthew makes decisions against orders on his own to save his friends.

I love the English humour and sensibilities in these books, as well as the world building. Plot elements from the first book that appeared to be isolated adventures have an impact in the sequels. As the members of Team Weird get closer to becoming full-blown Time Police officers, the stakes get higher, especially in Saving Time, and they must rise to the occasion. A fire-trucking good time, as Jane might say.

The Wheel of Ice by Stephen Baxter

I have a lot of unread media-tie in novels in the TBR pile and reading a Doctor Who novel seemed like a logical next book after two Time Police adventures. I’m guessing Baxter’s status as an established science fiction writer was why this book merited a hardcover release, but this story isn’t exceptional, although it is clever. The Wheel of Ice is a solidly entertaining outing with the Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe, who are one my favourite TARDIS teams, and I was in the middle of rewatching their episodes starting with “The Mind Robber” through to “The War Games.”

While I was tempted to read another Who novel after this adventure – I’ve got a lot to pick from, including another adventure from the same era – I want to avoid getting locked into one author, style of writing or sub-genre of science fiction or fantasy.

New Acquisitions

I’m doing best not to add to the TBR pile, but I can’t resist picking up out-of-print Star Trek novels when I can find them. Growing up there was a new Star Trek book every month, alternating between and The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation. I want to reread many of those books from that era, while also reading those I missed afterward as I got busy building my career and moving around the country.

Gary Hilson is a freelance writer with a focus on B2B technology, including information technology, cybersecurity, and semiconductors.

Remembering Frederik Pohl: A True Grandmaster of Science Fiction

/ Gary Hilson

pohl-future-wasFrederik Pohl passed away this weekend just as the 73rd annual WorldCon was coming to a close – his granddaughter Emily Pohl-Weary broke the news Monday afternoon via Twitter.

Pohl blogged regularly until his death; his blog won a Hugo in 2010 for Best Fan Writer, one of four Hugo awards he won over the course of his lengthy career; he also won three Nebula Awards.

Pohl grew up in Brooklyn, New York and served with the US Army in the Second World War. His first published work was a poem in1937, but he is probably best known for his 1977 science fiction novel Gateway, the story of a space station hidden in an asteroid. It won the Hugo, Locus, Nebula and John W Campbell awards and was adapted into a computer game.

The Science Fiction Writers of America named Pohl its 12th recipient of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award in 1993 and he was inducted by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1998.

Upon hearing the news of Pohl’s death, Canadian science fiction and fantasy author Jo Walton blogged that “it’s impossible to over-estimate the importance of Frederik Pohl to the science fiction genre…. He wrote stories and novels that were absolutely essential to the genre, and he kept on writing them, from his early stories in the 1930s to his most recent novel in 2011.”

I must confess I’ve only read a few of Pohl’s novels and particularly enjoyed the quirky Narabedla as a teenager; I wish I still owned a copy.

Frederik Pohl was 93.

The Best of All Cliffhangers

/ Gary Hilson

“I am Locutus of Borg. Resistance is futile. Your life, as it has been, is over. From this time forward you will service us.”

“Mr. Worf: Fire.”

bobwSeason-ending cliffhangers are now standard practice on both network and cable TV series, but in 1990, they weren’t so common, and the season finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation made jaws drop.

The first part of “The Best of Both Worlds” had Star Trek fans and casual viewers wondering all summer if Captain Jean-Luc Picard would survive his assimilation by the relentless Borg, while TV critics were comparing the cliffhanger to the infamous season ender of Dallas in 1980: the mystery of “Who shot J.R.” was the most watched program in television history for its day.

TNG’s “Best of Both Worlds” remains one of the most effective season finales of any Star Trek series – arguably of any series – because it looks like there is no way out: Picard is lost; Riker will soldier on as captain of the Enterprise with ambitious newcomer Commander Shelby as his first officer.

I spent that summer wondering if Picard would return in season four. It was hard to contemplate Star Trek: The Next Generation without Patrick Stewart, especially since the series had found its creative footing in season three. The return of Gates McFadden as Dr. Crusher coupled with some great storytelling begged the question: If it ain’t broke, why fix it?

Even without the ubiquitous Internet and social media, there was chatter that Patrick Stewart was leaving the show, apparently unhappy with the series’ scripts – these rumors could be traced back to an uneven second season that was cut short by a writer’s strike. I vaguely recall reading a brief news item in Starlog magazine that fueled the fire; it also reported Wil Wheaton was leaving the series, something that did come to pass.

The late Michael Piller, who scripted the episode, made use of his own inner turmoil to drive the story as he debated whether to continue on as head of the show’s writing team; the episode became a Riker-centric story that reflected Piller’s own dilemma. (He would ultimately stay on through the end of the series, co-create Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager and write the screenplay for Star Trek: Insurrection).

Riker’s struggle with the prospect of promotion rings true given that he’s already turned down command twice, and it adds to the overall sense that things will inevitably change aboard the Enterprise, especially since Shelby is convinced she’s going to land the first officer’s gig.

But what really made “The Best of Both Worlds” cliffhanger so compelling was that Piller had in fact painted himself into a corner. He didn’t think he’d have to worry about solving a seemingly unsolvable problem: how to save Picard and defeat the Borg. When “To Be Continued” appears on the screen backed up by Ron Jones’ chilling music, it’s hard to imagine how the rest of the story will unfold.

Nearly 23 years later, it’s still an amazing hour of television. A feeling of foreboding hangs over the scene where Picard and Guinan discuss the tradition of a captain touring his ship on the eve of a hopeless battle and how Nelson never returned from Trafalgar, even though the battle was won.

And it even holds up well on the big screen. Last week the combined two-part “Best of Both Worlds” was shown in theatres across North America, and while the second half struggles to live up to the first (most second parts in the Star Trek universe do), as a feature film it compares well to the actual Star Trek movies. The special effects are still convincing, especially considering they were produced on a television budget with older technology, and the story slowly builds tension throughout the first half with a seamless transition into a faster paced second half.

The big screen debut of “The Best of Both Worlds” serves as a reminder that Star Trek works better on television when the characters are allowed to develop and the story lines are allowed to evolve over time. Viewed on television it is Star Trek at its finest and holds its own against big screen lens flare.

Gary Hilson is a Toronto-based freelance writer, editor and content strategist storyteller. “The Best of Both Worlds” Parts I & II is available today on BluRay as a feature-length film as is the entire third season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Star Trek: The Wrath of Gary

/ Gary Hilson

Gary Mitchell RebootedThe Interwebs are all abuzz about Star Trek Into Darkness with the online release of a short teaser trailer and a nine-minute preview set to debut in theaters ahead of The Hobbit next week. The biggest point of discussion: What iconic Trek villain is being portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch?

Over at io9, Charlie Jane Anders has dissected the trailer looking for clues as to the identity of the Cumberbatch character as well as other hints that might reveal the movie’s plot.

Speculation was rampant that genetically-modified superman Khan would return ever since the movie went into production. But given what’s been shown in the limited clips and stills released so far, it’s unlikely.

And that’s a good thing, otherwise this Trekker would be forced to boycott this film. While I was pleasantly surprised by J.J Abrahm’s rebooted Star Trek, it was more style than substance, and every time I rewatch it, I find another element that irritates me. I will concede it’s a good start, but I have high expectations for its sequel. I want some depth and some compelling ideas, two ingredients that are essential to a great Star Trek story.

I also think the whole point of rebooting the Star Trek franchise is to tell new stories, and no matter what spin is put on a Khan-centric story, it will inevitably be compared to The Wrath Khan, arguably the best Star Trek film.

It’s been reported that the villain in Into Darkness is a character Star Trek fans will be familiar with, and based on what I’ve seen, Gary Mitchell, seen in the second original series pilot “Where No Man Has Gone Before” is the best bet, given that Cumberbatch is seen wearing a Starfleet uniform. While Garth of Izar from the original third season episode “Whom Gods Destroy” has also been mentioned as a possibility, I think he’s a little obscure. Considering Alice Eve‘s unnamed Into Darkness character looks a lot like Sally Kellerman‘s character Elizabeth Dehner from “Where No Man Has Gone Before”, the Mitchell theory has a lot of legs.

And I’m okay with that. For one thing, it’s plausible he would have exist in the rebooted timeline and have crossed paths with Kirk during their Starfleet Academy days. That doesn’t mean he has to become the silver-eyed God as he did the original series: he could be driven off the deep end by a different set of circumstances, hopefully something with emotional resonance rather than by some abstract alien force.

As for the trailer, it was full of sound and fury, but there wasn’t much to distinguish it from any other action/sci-fi movie. Abrahms has said he wants to bring a Star Wars sensibility to Star Trek and this worries me as much as the possibility of Khan popping up. The whole point of Star Trek is that it’s not Star Wars.

While I may be completely off-base with my predictions and concerns, one thing is for sure: There will be lots of lens flare.

Gary Hilson is a Toronto-based writer and content strategist. He also does a mean fox trot.

Farscape: Through the Looking Glass / A Bug’s Life [DVD Review]

/ Gary Hilson

Farscape: Through the Looking Glass / A Bug’s Life
DVD / ADV Films / November 2003

The ninth DVD in the Farscape series begins with a great standalone episode and finishes with an episode that opens the door on storylines that will resonate well into the third season of SF series.

In “Through the Looking Glass,” the passengers aboard Moya are hotly debating their next move – some want to leave the biomechanoid ship for fear that her pregnant condition may make her easier to capture by the Peacekeepers.

Crichton would like to stay, if only because the Uncharted Territories are where the worm holes are, while Aeryn is the only one who wishes to remain aboard Moya out of loyalty to the ship and her Pilot. The argument is cut short when Pilot interjects to say that Moya feels confident enough that she can starburst to put some distance between her and the Peacekeepers. Needless to say, starburst does not go as planned. In the aftermath, the crew discovers Rygel has disappeared. Setting off to look for him, Aeryn and D’Argo also disappear in a flash of light before the other’s very eyes. Crichton soon stumbles through inter-dimensional doors leading to four different Moyas. It turns out Moya is stuck in starburst — she didn’t have enough power to complete the journey. To top it off, there’s an alien entity roaming the corridors of all four Moyas, leaving large scratches in the hull. Crichton’s science background is put to the test here as he races to merge Moya back together and free her from starburst before time runs out.

“Through the Looking Glass” is at its heart a puzzle and thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end. As often is the case, it’s Crichton who clues in first and has to rally the crew to come up the solution.

There’s also some hilarious interplay between the characters, as well as some bonding in the peril – both proving why this series is a few steps beyond the average TV SF: the characters are the heart of the story.

“A Bug’s Life” for the most part is also a standalone story, but it sets events in motions that have immediate effect through the end of the first season and well into Farscape’s third year. When special commandos are forced by a fuel leak to come aboard the ship, they are deceived into believing that Moya is still under Peacekeeper control. They reveal to Aeryn and Crichton (acting as a Peacekeeper company) that they are on a mission to a secret base to deliver an unmarked crate. Curious about the crate’s contents, Rygel and Chiana are the first to discover an unseen enemy: a lethal virus living within a host body. Virtually undetectable, the virus plays a deadly jumping game as it changes host from Thonn to Chiana to Crichton.

No longer able to continue the ruse, Crichton et al must work with the commandos to recapture the virus. However, their efforts will have deadly consequences for at least one of Moya’s crew.

“A Bug’s Life” is the weaker episode on this disc, but is redeemed by an action-packed ending that has ramifications for years to come.

As for the extras, they’re pretty slim, although the video profile of Lani Tupu offers fascinating insight into the characters of Crais and Pilot. It’s just too bad that these profiles don’t have footage of the actors interacting off screen and between scenes.

“Through The Looking Glass” — 10/10
“A Bug’s Life” — 7/10
DVD Extras — 6/10

Gary Hilson is a writer, editor and digital media specialist for hire. He lives in Toronto.

Classic SF Series Foresees Reality TV [DVD Review]

/ Gary Hilson

The Doctor has promised Jo a holiday on Metebelis 3, but the TARDIS materializes not on the famous blue planet, but in the cargo hold of the SS Bernice, sailing to India in 1926. Despite all appearances, the Doctor insists that they are no longer on Earth, but Jo’s not convinced, at least not until a sea dinosaur attacks the ship…

One has to wonder if writer Robert Holmes was clairvoyant enough to see the dawn of reality television when he scripted Carnival of Monsters.

Even though it’s been 30 years since this Doctor Who adventure was conceived, it almost seems as though it was written as a commentary on the exploitation of people as entertainment.

In this 1973 four-parter, the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) attempts to take his companion Jo Grant (Katy Manning) to Metebelis 3 for a vacation, but instead the TARDIS finds itself on a sailing ship in 1926 on Earth. Of course, as it always happens in Doctor Who, nothing is as it seems, providing an entertaining adventure and some social commentary (albeit unintentional, perhaps) along the way.

“Haven’t you ever been to the zoo? Haven’t you ever kept goldfish in a bowl?” The Doctor asks Jo when he realizes they’ve got trapped in a “minascope” run by the traveling entertainer Vorg.

The Doctor, of course, is outraged that he and other creatures have been pulled from their native environment, miniaturized and obliviously held captive for the entertainment of others.

Carnival of Monsters is constrained by the technology of the era, but it’s still a lot of fun. The guest cast, including Ian Marter (who would go on to play Harry Sullivan) and Michael Wisher (the original Davros), all give fine performances, and the creativity despite the constraints put into the overall production is evident in every scene.

The Doctor Who DVD releases are always chock full of extras, and Carnival of Monsters is no different. The release includes a commentary by Katy Manning and director/producer Barry Letts, both of whom have very vivid and fond memories of the production.

There are also extended, deleted and alternate scenes as well as behind-the-scenes footage with the only disappointments being there are no introductions to provide context.

One particularly good extra feature is the explanation of CSO – color separation overlay – which was no doubt the precursor to blue screen (now green screen) technology now employed by special effects houses such as Industrial Light & Magic.

Ultimately, Carnival of Monsters endures because of its universal themes. Beyond the reality TV parallels, there is also a hint of anti-corporate sentiment, something echoed daily in Dilbert strips and found in the conversations of the alien Minorian officials:

“The latest thinking is that the latest outbreak of violence of the functionaries is caused through lack of amusement.”

“More anti-productive legislation.”

“Where will it end?”

This review originally appeared in the online publications Sci Fi Dimensions and Outpost Gallifrey. Gary Hilson is a writer, editor and digital media specialist for hire. He lives in Toronto.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season One [DVD Review]

/ Gary Hilson

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season One
DVD / Paramount / March 2002

Regardless of what you thought of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s rookie season, it can’t be denied that it had a lasting influence on the genre television for years to come. One could even say it revived science fiction on television, paving the way not only for its spinoffs, but for ground breaking series such as Babylon 5 and Farscape, and forgettable flotsum such as Lexx and Starhunter.

Yes, season one of TNG, now available on DVD as a box set, was pretty uneven, but there are a few gems among what is clearly the series’ weakest season.

Encounter At Farpoint: The two-hour premiere hammers us over the head with the message that humans are still savages – a typical Roddenberry story – but it capably introduces the new cast and crew. And, while “humanity on trial” plotline is derivative of the original Star Trek, John de Lance as Q is will prove to be entertaining throughout the show’s even-year run.

The Naked Now: An obvious original Trek ripoff, (The Naked Now), the crew’s enounter with a virus that acts on the brain like alcohol does lead to some character revelations and some funny moments, but it’s an ultimately forgettable episode.

Code of Honor: Probably the first hint of TNG’s true potential as Natasha Yar because the unwitting participant in a fight to the death.

Haven: It was just a matter of time before Majel Barrett-Roddenberry showed up in what would be a recurring role as Counselor Troi’s mother. This episode is a weak attempt at developing the past between Deanna and Will Riker. A few funny moments, but overall forgettable.

Where No One Has Gone Before: High marks for this one; great story and character development, and one of the rare episodes that treats Wesley’s precosiousness properly. An early highlight of the season.

The Last Outpost: We finally get to see the Ferengi, and while the makeup work is outstanding, they’re neither frightening nor foretell the potential of the race as finally shown in Deep Space Nine as great sources of comedy. And there’s that whole “humanity on trial” theme raising its pesky head again.

Lonely Among Us: Farfetched but fun. Data plays Sherlock Holmes for the first time, there’s a mystery to be solved and some cool aliens. Oh yeah, Deanna Troi’s cleavage is particularly cleavy.

Justice: Ouch. A misguided attempt to illustrate how Picard would handle the prime directive. Lots of pretty barely dressed humanoids, but a rather juvenile approach to sex. Palease!

The Battle: The Ferengi are a little more cunning this around, and we get a peak into Picard’s pass. An above average episode and holds up rather well.

Hide and Q: A fun, fast paced episode. John de Lance shines as Q, but it’s painfully clear that Denise Crosby needs acting lessons. And where’s Deanna Troi?

Too Short A Season: A great dramatic episode with action to boot, but an early sign that Yar’s days were numbered. She’s the security officer but doesn’t get any lines in an episode about terrorists taking hostages until almost the final act. Hellooooo?

The Big Goodbye: The first major holodeck story and deserved of its Peabody award, but the whole Wesley saves ship schtick is getting obvious.

Datalore: Proof that Brent Spiner is da man and that Data is more than a Spock clone. A few plot holes don’t overshadow the overall enjoyment of this episode, which begs for a sequel and does eventually get one.

Angel One: The only thing that kept me watching this one was the hope the Romulans would reappear and they don’t. Big blandfest this one.

11001001: Possibly the best ep of the season, and smart use of the holodeck. The beginning of a solid run of episodes.

When The Bough Breaks: A good commentary on how we’re screwing up our environment back on Earth.

Home Soil: Neat story idea, a few thrills, but once again we’re told humans are savages and the guest cast barely phone in their performances.

Coming of Age: Two parallel storylines do a nice job of teaching some life lessons that aren’t unique to Star Trek.

Heart of Glory: We all knew Worf kicks ass and he finally gets to show it. A first step in developing Klingon culture, this episode raises the bar.

Arsenal of Freedom: Yet another example of how Star Trek can entertain and inform at the same time, this time making a solid comment on the arms race.

Symbiosis: This time the commentary’s on drug addiction, and it’s done dramatically and cleverly, except for Yar’s just say no to drugs speech to Wesley. Die already!

Skin of Evil: And so she does. Killing off a regular character always makes for good entertainment, and overall this episode works quite well.

We’ll Always Have Paris: Cool time-travel idea gets muddled by melodrama.

Conspiracy: If humans had been at the heart of the conspiracy, it would have been the best episode of the season. Unfortunately the great setup is ruined by the introduction of aliens and gory ending bordering on hokey.

The Neutral Zone: A lot going on here, but it never really gels. The Romulans come back, and the hint of a bigger threat remains to the end. A shaky end to the season.

You see, there were some gems to be found here and there. As for the extras, they’re almost non-existent. Most of it comprises of recompiled footage from previously-aired specials, and there’s no real insight offered into any aspect of the series.

Episodes: 6/10
Extras: 3/10

Doctor Who: The Robots of Death [DVD Review]

/ Gary Hilson

DOCTOR WHO: THE ROBOTS OF DEATH
DVD / BBC Video / November 2000

“The Robots of Death” is a perfect example of how ageless Doctor Who is when it’s done well.

Originally aired in the late 70s, this four-part story featuring Tom Baker as the Doctor and Louise Jameson as his traveling companion Leela still holds up well when you take a hard look at the story, even if the sets and costumes look rather dated.

The Doctor and Leela arrive on Storm Mine 4, a “sandminer” trawling a desert planet for rare and value minerals. The miner is staffed by a skeleton crew of humans and a complement of robots that handle the mundane day-to-day chores.

When a member of the crew is murdered, no one believes it possible that a robot could have committed the crime – they have numerous fail-safes to prevent it – but of course the Doctor and his companion are immediately suspected of the crime.

What follows is a murder mystery as more crewmembers turn up dead, but also a complex tale that intelligently wonders how people will truly deal with artificial beings, especially when it’s impossible to judge what a robot might be thinking without the benefit of facial expressions and body language.

The supporting cast gives able performances, and the characters are reasonably well-developed. In fact, some are not what they originally appear to be, which adds to the who-dunnit story.

Tom Baker is really on his game as the Doctor, and Louise Jameson as Leela comes across as both simple as her savage upbringing dictates but intelligent at the same time – often plot points are explained through her questions to the Doctor about what’s going on.

As for the DVD extras, they’re average at best. The commentary by writer Chris Boucher and producer Philip Hinchcliffe provides an occasional interesting tidbit, but most of it doesn’t directly relate to the action on the screen and the mind quickly wanders.

Some of the features, such as the alternate beginning of episode one, studio plans and even photo galleries would be much more interesting with some description or commentary.

Overall, as Doctor Who stories go, Robots of Death is one of the best examples of how the series is still relevant in large part due to great storytelling.

Originally published on Outpost Gallifrey