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SF-LOVERS Digest            Friday, 5 Feb 1993         Volume 18 : Issue 77

Today's Topics:

                    Television - Highlander (4 msgs) &
                                 Space Rangers (13 msgs)

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Date: 20 Jan 93 15:47:03 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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

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Date: 23 Jan 93 09:33:59 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Phillip D. Russell)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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
[e-mail]

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Date: 3 Feb 93 21:40:04 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Reply-to: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Highlander: The Series

[e-mail] 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?

[e-mail]
[e-mail]

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Date: 2 Feb 93 20:11:16 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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

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Date: 19 Jan 93 15:16:37 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Reply-to: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Space Rangers

[e-mail] (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
[e-mail]

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Date: 19 Jan 93 16:00:03 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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

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Date: 20 Jan 93 00:44:59 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Bill Henley)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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

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Date: 20 Jan 93 20:46:07 GMT
From: [e-mail] ("Anonymous ")
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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.

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Date: 21 Jan 93 19:12:14 GMT
From: [e-mail] (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

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Date: 22 Jan 93 00:32:21 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Eric E. Katz)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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"

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Date: 22 Jan 93 16:34:27 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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

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Date: 25 Jan 93 01:23:35 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Yamanari)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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.

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Date: 25 Jan 93 20:39:07 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Mathew Clayson)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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.

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Date: 25 Jan 93 23:45:30 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Charles E Gibbs)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
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
[e-mail]

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Date: 28 Jan 93 18:48:29 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Thumper)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Space Rangers

[e-mail] (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
[e-mail]

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Date: 28 Jan 93 19:11:47 GMT
From: [e-mail] (Newton Loui)
Reply-to: [e-mail]
Subject: Space Rangers Episode (#1-#3) - short summaries (possible spoilers)

[e-mail] (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
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 29 Jan 93 13:56:44 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Reply-to: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Thought on SPACE RANGERS'

[e-mail] (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
[e-mail]

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End of SF-LOVERS Digest
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