Andor: Season 1 (Disney +) — a review

Way back in December 2021, I published a post ranking all of the Star Wars movies. Rogue One (a Star Wars story) ranked #4 out of 11 at that time. Upon reviewing this post, way over here in 2023, I believe this list to still be valid, although I’m tempted to bump Rogue One up […]

Stargate SG-1: Season 3 — a review

If I didn’t already know myself, and I just looked at my reviews for the first two seasons of Stargate SG-1, I would think that this Firewater dude was only lukewarm in his opinion of this science-fiction series. That’s not true. I like this series. Quite a lot, in fact. What it is, is that […]

The Book of Boba Fett: Season 1 (Disney +) — a review

I see what you did there, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. You teased us with a new show named The Book of Boba Fett, and then it turned into another season of The Mandalorian. Maybe Season 2.5. It’s okay. I forgive you. While I found the continuing tale of Fett to be entertaining, and I […]

Stargate SG-1: Season 2 — a review

The second season of Stargate SG-1 isn’t worse or better than its first. I realize that this doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement to you. I graded the first season a solid B. In my personal quest for self-actualization, I’ve gained some knowledge about myself. Not all of this knowledge has been flattering. Not easy […]

//\\ 15-Minute Federation //\\ presents . . . Star Trek III: The Search for Spock — Ch. 5: Extreme Late-Term Abortion (Or: Saavik is All Vulcan)

01:00:01 – 01:15:00 The 15-Minute Federation docked at Starbase 1234, and we were finally able to take some well-deserved shore leave. The base is governed by the benevolent duo known as Dave & Buster, known throughout the galaxy for their old-school video games and free-flowing beer taps. Captain James C. Firewater also had a secret […]

Stargate SG-1: Season 1 — a review

I began watching this series many years ago. I stopped during the first season. My memory can no longer be trusted, but I believe I stopped watching because—at that time—I still hadn’t watched all of the episodes of the various Star Trek series. I felt like I was cheating on the franchise that brought me […]

The Expanse: Season 5 — a review

I’ve read the first four novels in James S. A. Corey’s The Expanse series. Nemesis Games, the fifth novel in the series, is sitting proudly on a shelf, at eye level, in my library closet, waiting for me to start reading it. I’m delaying gratification for the moment, making this science-fantasy space opera series last […]

Star Trek: Discovery: Season 3 — a review

I am a Trekkie. Getting me to admit this fact when I was in my 20s—even my 30s—would have been like pulling teeth. And, not those easy teeth along the front that everyone can see when you have a huge cheese-eating grin, either. I’m talking about one of those back teeth that have roots which […]

Firefly: Cast Personae (how to create character-driven science fiction)

I hold to the belief that most entertaining fiction, whether found as television, cinema, stage plays, comic books, video games or print media, is highly predicated by two main requirements. The first of these is competent worldbuilding. A story’s settings must be realistic within the fictional milieu. The back story, the reasons why the story […]

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (BBC) — a review

This review is wholly unnecessary. I know that. You don’t have to tell me. I am an unrepentant fan of Douglas Adams’s Hitchhiker’s series. I’ve read all five of the novels written by Adams, all more than once. Plus, I also read the sixth novel, And Another Thing . . ., written by Eoin Colfer, […]

Star Trek: Picard: Season 1 — a review

First seasons are difficult. If you’re a Star Trek: The Next Generation fan, go back and watch its first season again. It is what those of us in the business call cringeworthy. The “business” I’m referring to, of course, is the guild of US postal clerks who write anonymous online reviews without any financial remuneration. […]

Star Wars: The Mandalorian: Season 1 (Disney +) — a review

One future writing project I’ve been mulling over for a while now has this working title: “King Nerd of Geek Mountain.” A clunky title, I know. At one point, it was just “King of the Nerds,” but it turns out that this was the actual title of a reality television program that I never watched. […]

Black Mirror: Season 5 — a review

I’m going to blame a Charlie Brooker-style technology glitch on my review of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, which I referred to in the body of the text as “Dark Mirror” for, I don’t know, six or seven times. Too many times to laugh it off as a typo, at any rate. You won’t see my gaff […]

The Orville: Season 2 — a review

I was so much younger back in December 2017, when I wrote my review for the first season of Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville. Back then, I spent a lot of time comparing it to the latest entry in the official Trek universe, Star Trek: Discovery. I can see clearly now that this approach was misguided. […]

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch — a review

I was pissed off, in the American sense of the word “pissed,” meaning angry, when Bandersnatch aired. I thought that a new series of Black Mirror was coming out, and I had been looking forward to it. Instead, we got a “Black Mirror presents . . .” movie, and that wasn’t what I wanted. Then, […]

|||[Boldly Going]||| Star Trek: The Original Series—Season Two: Ep. 2.7 “Catspaw” – (Original air date: Friday, October 27, 1967)

Welcome to my rewatching of the original 79 episodes of the series that launched the franchise. Below are the bulletpointed notes I jotted down while watching “Catspaw.” On this date in history: Lulu’s “To Sir With Love” is still burning up the charts in the US, while the Bee Gees’ “Massachusetts” reigns in the UK. […]

The Expanse: Season 3 — a review

I’m glad that SYFY cancelled The Expanse. Science fiction this good shouldn’t be on a network that can’t spell sci-fi correctly. I’m even happier that Amazon picked it up for a fourth season, coming some time in 2019, because it is that good. Watching this series motivated me to begin reading the James S. A. […]

10-List: The “Essential” Next-Gen Era Star Trek Episodes

Having recently completed my tour through all of the Next-Gen Era Star Trek episodes, I’ve decided to dedicate a 10-List to those I consider to be essential viewing to understand the essence of each series. Some clarification may be needed here. By “Next-Gen Era,” I am referring to the following Star Trek series: The Next […]

Star Trek: Voyager: Season 7 — a review

It took a full seven seasons to get there, but Voyager finally won a round against TNG and DS9. This was the best seventh season of Trek . . . so far. Voyager finally took the gold. Neither TNG nor DS9 turned in a particularly strong season. This much is true. But, even if both […]

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 7 — a review

Deep Space Nine was just okay in its last season. None of its episodes made the All-Time Best Trek list, and—as I’ve already covered—the finale episodes disappointed me, at least partly. Of the three Next-Gen Era series, the seventh season of DS9 ends up in third place, taking the bronze. Of course, this means that, […]

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season 7 — a review

This is it. The end of a long, long road. As I’ve written before, this was my second trip through TNG, although it was the first time I’ve watched it from beginning to end in order. Without shame or qualification, I’m going to say that I love this series, and this rewatch has only reinforced […]

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Episodes 7.25 & 7.26—”All Good Things . . .”

This is a review of the two-part TNG series finale. A review of the entire seventh season will follow shortly. In these episodes, Jean-Luc Picard—who will always be the heart of the series—finds himself hopping back-and-forth in time. There are three distinct timelines. There is the present-day timeline; there’s a future timeline, around twenty-five years […]

|||[Boldly Going]||| Star Trek: The Original Series—Season One: Ep. 1.26 “Errand of Mercy” – (Original air date: Thursday, March 23, 1967)

Welcome to my rewatching of the original 79 episodes of the series that launched the franchise. Below are the bulletpointed notes I jotted down while watching “Errand of Mercy.” On this date in history: The Beatles’ hit #1 on the Billboard charts with “Penny Lane” on March 12, but it doesn’t last long. By the […]

|||[Boldly Going]||| Star Trek: The Original Series—Season One: Ep. 1.24 “This Side of Paradise” – (Original air date: Thursday, March 2, 1967)

Welcome to my rewatching of the original 79 episodes of the series that launched the franchise. Below are the bulletpointed notes I jotted down while watching “This Side of Paradise.” On this date in history: The Rolling Stones top the US charts with #1 “Ruby Tuesday.” Meanwhile, Englebert Humperdinck rules the UK with “Release Me.” […]

Star Trek: Voyager: Season 6 — a review

The problem is that we’re comparing apples to apples here. I’m comparing all of the sixth seasons of TNG, DS9, and Voyager to each other. While Season 6 of DS9 was airing, Voyager was on Season 4. The fourth season of Star Trek: Voyager was unequivocally better than the sixth season of DS9. And, since […]

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