TV: My Stepmother

This has been a major part of my life, sorry to say. But that's life (or a lack thereof)...

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Some shows i watch regularly include:

Babylon 5

This is one of the greatest shows around. Even the extras can act! Key elements: computer-generated special effects, good acting (especially that of Mira Furlann, Peter Jurasik & Bill Mumy [Will Robinson of Lost in Space]), 5 year story arc (so the episodes are interconnected, rather than just random tales), realistic portrayal of people (everyone is portrayed with a strength & a weakness; not 2 dimensional stereotypes) , approaching ideas which are controversial and would otherwise be portrayed as media stereotypes (i.e. B5 has shown actually religious people, including Catholics/Christians, as intelligent beings trying to do good). That last aspect i mentioned is very interesting, considering that "Joe" (as Producer J. Michael Straczynski is called by his friends) is a self-declared atheist. Joe actually interacts with fans on the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated . Babylon 5 can't be seen in Chicago on WPWR Channel 50 anymore. Babylon5 is on the Sci-Fi cable network everyday starting Janurary 2000. They show re-runs of the first 4 seasons, as well as new episodes of season 5 (the last season--by design!). A sequel series, Babylon 5: Crusade, has been made (very short lived), with a second series, Legend of the Rangers, being planned. TNT has been so good to Joe, that they've produced four made-for-TNT movies: the series prequel "In The Beginning", "Thirdspace", "River of Souls" and the set-up for Babylon 5: Crusade - "A Call to Arms"

Earth: Final Conflict

It's a show based on notes from Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, and given form by his widow, Majel Barrett Roddenberry and son, Eugene Roddenberry Jr (and other producers). It's definitely based on Gene Roddenberry's philosophies, which i don't always agree with. But it's a well done show, with excellent special effects, generally good acting (especially by background characters) and interesting sci-fi concepts.

The basic plot of the show is that it's three years after an alien race, the Taelons, have arrived on Earth, bringing a lot of good things (like cures for cancers, end to world famine, etc.). However, a movement called the Resistance is very suspicious of the Taelons, also known as The Companions. The storyline revolves around Resistance fighters who have infiltrated the ranks of the Companions human servants, and how they are slowly uncovering the true Taelon agenda.
The show has, in many respects, like Babylon 5 , and that's a good thing. Unfortunately, it' been messed with so much, especially with good characters getting dumped and a storyline that really isn't coherent, and it's really lost a lot of it's appeal. Nonetheless, i look forward to seeing the show this season (probably it's last).
My comments on the show appear on alt.tv.earth-final-conflict

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Star Trek

Sad to say, but this show has had a major influence in my life. The show has inspired me to create my own science-fi series...Whether or not that goes anywhere, i can at least have fun with Star Trek!

Enterprise Voyager Deep Space Nine Next Generation The Original Series

Star Trek/Sliders S.O.S.

other

Another good set of web pages comes from Great Britain: The Great Link . There's lots of great art--Extremely detailed web pages.

A Guide to the Star Trek Universe Mostly text, it gives detailed data (specifications, history, etc.) of Starships, aliens and characters on the Star Trek shows.

And a special thanks to Marco Temperini for listing me on his web pages!

www.Tribbles.com

Toon Zone a great set of Star Trek (& X-Files) parodies...

Enterprise

It's the latest Star Trek series. It takes an interesting new look at the show...rather than going into the future of the Original series (like Next Generation & Deep Space Nine), the show actually goes back in time, over 70 years before Captain Kirk is born!

Unfortunately, this series is being run by Brannon Braga and Rick Berman, who were the leaders for Star Trek: Voyager, a show that had potential but missed it more often than not. (And getting strange stuff like the Vulcan First Officer in a skin-tight cat suit. Illogical!)

As of the writing of this webpage, the show has not yet aired (just short promo videos). So i will wait and give it a chance. I do have some opinions & questions (such as why are they making the Vulcan woman a sex object, looking very similar to 7 of 9 in Star Trek: Voyager? Why does the doctor look like a Cardassian?). Ok, OK, i will wait!!!

Star Trek Voyager

It's the fourtth, and it seems, the worst of the Star Trek Franchise. The producers of the show spent a lot of time & resources creating great Web pages. Unfortunately, they didn't seem to spend that energy on the show itself.

Voyager deals with people from 2 ship crews (who were enemies) who have been whisked away 70,000 light years from Earth. My problems with the show include: stilted dialogue ("Take that cheese to sickbay!"), lack of tension, little characterization (some of the stars are basically glorified extras), semi-recycled and/or lame plots (how can they be called space anomalies if they run into one every other week?), lack of surprise (we know Voyager won't return home till the end of the series, if at all, so why even pretend that it will be a possibility?) and, of course, (almost)all the aliens speak English. And how can i forget the destroyed shuttlecraft count ?! 13 destroyed or missing in 7 years. Voyager allegedly only had 5 shuttles to start with!

The whole show is kind of a disappointment, considering that the executive producers of the show (Rick Berman, Jeri Taylor and Brannon Braga) all had ample time to really consider how Voyager could be developed, and to come up with some original ideas (which they have--on occasion!). It had some awesome potential, but simply dropped the ball.

Why do i still watch it? 1) It might get better [lately, it has] 2) i know the Star Trek universe, so i get an ego trip when the producers mess up 3) It's fun.

You can see much of my criticism & thought on Voyager in the Star Trek Voyager newsgroup: alt.tv.startrek.voyager and on the newsgroup: rec.arts.startrek.current. Voyager can be seen in Chicago Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 11:00 p.m. on WPWR Channel 50.

Voyager Deep Space Nine Next Generation The Original Series

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

This was originally Paramount's hasty rip-off of Babylon 5 (Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski originally pitched the idea of a space station-based sci-fi series to Paramount, but was rejected). i like it, however, because the characters here are more realistic than Voyager or even The Next Generation. Now that they're picking up the Babylon 5 idea of stories that go beyond 2 episodes, DS9 has been more exciting and interesting to me. Unfortunately, this season, season 7, is the final one for DS9. Hopefully, some of this good writing will find its way to Star Trek: Voyager!. Deep Space Nine can occasionally be seen in Chicago Saturdays at 4 p.m. (i.e. weekends without televised sports games) and Sundays/Mondays at 12:30 a.m. on WGN Channel 9.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

This show helped bring sci-fi back from the mid-80's and continue strongly into the 1990's (after brief heydays in the mid-60's and mid-70's. TNG wasn't always the best, but they had some good episodes now and then. It took TV sci-fi to a whole new level, and especially giving us the wealth (or is that glut?) of Star Trek material we have today.

Problems which plague the TNG Universe

Events in one episode rarely affect other episodes Exception: Deep Space Nine
Lack of characterization for "normal" people/non aliens (i.e. Beverly Crusher)
A good story destroyed by a hokey ending (including hitting the "reset button"; see above)

Star Trek: The Next Generation can be seen in Chicago on Channel 50 (WPWR-Aurora) on Saturdays/Sundays at 12 Midnight and Sundays at 9 p.m. (all Central Standard Time)

Voyager Deep Space Nine Next Generation The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series

This is the show that got me serious interested in video science fiction.

The show might look very cheesy now, but it helped set the stage for today's television science fi.

Star Trek Classic can't be seen in Chicago on Channel 50 (WPWR-Aurora); i don't know where it can be seen in Chicago.

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Highlander: The Series

It's based on the movies, but follows the adventures of Duncan MacLeod (rather than kinsman Connor MacLeod), a 400 year immortal who tries to survive until the Gathering, when last few immortals will fight, and in the end only One will win the Prize. The Immortals can only die if they are beheaded. There are some other "rules of the Game". Basically, i like the show for not only the action, but the different perspectives at history & human interaction. Highlander has ended its run (with star Adrian Paul seeking to act in other venues). Highlander:the Raven was a short-lived sequel series that focuses on a recurring character from the series, Amanda. Unlike the Highlander, Amanda has little honor, loves being a thief, and gets many people angry. But she's also been alive for 1,000 years, and thus has some interesting stories to tell. Amanda was great on Highlander; I can't wait for her show.
Look for the movie Highlander 4: the Search for Connor in video stores. It has Duncan and Connor MacLeod. There are rumors of a Highlander 5 with oth actors once again!

Click to the Highlander Sword Shopper's Guide for Sword information, links, and Photo-spoofed art, such as Highlander vs. Barney the Purple Dinosaur, Mr. Bean meets Duncan MacCleod, MacLeods In Back (MiB), and much more.

" In the end, there can be only One."

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Korean Historical Dramas

Emperor Wang Guhn, Tears of the Dragon, Chang Nok Soo, Cho Kwang Jo, West Palace

These TV shows are Korean Historical Dramas (read: Soap Opera), produced by Korean Broadcasting System (KBS). In Chicago, hese series air Fridays & Saturdays at (approximately) 11:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m. on Channel 28 WOCH-LP, , a low power station in Chicago. Tears of the Dragon was the title of the previous show.

No, i can't understand Korean, but i am very fluent in subtitles. (But without them, I can't watch the show; that's the problem with this current series; no where in the country are there sub-titles! ) i like it because it's history brought to life. These shows take place during the Yi Dynasty (Chosun period) in Korean history (or try KBS's Korean History page ), which spans from the 13th century until the 19th Century. Each drama follows the life of a particular ruler, and the politics that surround the King.

i got into Korean Historical Dramas because i was flipping channels, and saw these cute kids. Since it had subtitles, i got drawn into wondering "What's gonna happen next with these kids?" The drama, "Chang Nok Soo", was following the life and times of King Yeon San (who, i guess is portrayed as tyrannical, according to "official" history) and his concubine, Chang Nok Soo (also spelled Jang Nok Soo).

For details "Chang Nok Soo" and other shows, check my web page on the Korean Kings of the Yi Dynasty.

What I find interesting about these shows are cute kids, the politics, and the "revisionist history" ("Cruel tyrants" are made out to be sympathetic victims of circumstances). There are occasional cheesy martial arts scenes, quite a bit of death, but usually not too explicit. The sex is inferred, but not at all explicit, unlike in America.

...Is there anyone in America who watches these shows? Please e mail me: (j.p. paulus) if you do watch these shows, or if you have questions or comments (even bad ones).

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Semi-Regularly watched shows include:

Veggie Tales

Excellent computer animated series (direct-to-video), teaching Christian values. The theme song is catchy ( Many adults know and sing the theme song!), the dialogue is smart, and lessons are well taught. They use parodies of pop culture (Batman, Star Trek & Monty Python & the Holy Grail, for instance) and music to get the point across.

The Simpsons

It's very funny & very clever. DOH!

The Tick

Hilarious parody of superheroes & life in general. Excellent for kids of all ages!

Look for the TV show coming Fall 2001 to FOX!!!!

Not in the face! --Arthur
... SPOOOOOON!--Tick

Robotech

Awesome animated show adapted from 3 animated series. Fans of the original anime hate it, but i thought it was amazing! Click here to get Robotech back on the air!

Jackie Chan!

Ya, I know Jackie Chan is a movie star, but he's always fun whether he's on the big or the smaller screen. If more action films were like Jackie's films, we wouldn't have to worry about "violence in the movies.": it would be more mental skill, acrobatics and comedy rather than hateful, mindless, blood-n-guts. Unfortunately, he hasn't gotten very good advertising in the U.S. Here's one of many Jackie Chan fan pages: by Daniel Au. Support quality entertainment: Rent or go watch Jackie Chan! RUSH HOUR 2 is out in theaters!
For a TV connection, watch Sammo Hung (a frequent co-star of Jackie in Hong Kong movies) on "Martial Law" (cable TV)

Late night talk shows

i usually wind up watching the monologue for the Tonight Show & then flip to see the Top Ten lists. Then i try to click off unless Jackie Chan is on.

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