I've discovered a probable reason why I always liked the early half of the first season of Buck Rogers way more than the last half and well above the second season:

ALAN BRENNERT!

Brennert is the story editor through about the first half, until he got fed up with dealing with star Gil Gerard and quit (along with Anne Collins, who was story consultant and story editor of one episode). I have a whole thread singing Brennert's praises, for his comic book work. His other writing is just as good, as he wrote the series episodes "The Plot to Kill a City" (a two-parter), "The Cosmic Whiz Kid," "Escape From Wedded Bliss," and "Cruise Ship to the Stars" as well as the episode, "A Dream of Jennifer." After Cosmic Whiz Kid, he is credited as Michael Bryant, for his teleplays and is credited story editor through "Space vampire".

Now, Cosmic Whiz kid is a little hokey, thanks to Gary Coleman; but, it is a fun adventure and it gets into Buck's desire to help another fugitive from the 20th century, especially a child. He and Hieronymous (the boy) are the only ones who understand each others feelings of loss and isolation. Cruise Ship delves a lot into the psychological, as a crook plots to kidnap Miss Cosmos, a genetically perfect woman, to sell her DNA. She laments about being viewed for the physical, while the crook manipulates a woman with a split personality, that manifests as another physical form, one with powers (and big hair).

Escape From Wedded Bliss is the return of Ardala & Kane, from the pilot movie and its a hoot, as Ardala wants Buck for her mate or she blows up New Chicago, with an orbital weapon. Buck has to "take one for the team," in order to sabotage the death device, from the control room. He also learns that the courtship involves fighting Tigerman, in gladiatorial combat and consenting to being collared, with one that can constrict and choke the life out of him, if he doesn't satisfy Ardala. Talk about pressure! Buck defeats Tigerman, but spares his life and this ends up altering things in Buck's favor, later.

The Plot To Kill a city s one of the best episodes, as a group of assassins plots to destroy New Chicago, in revenge for killing one of their own. Buck masquerades as a member, never seen by the others, but is discovered. It has some fun stuff, like James Sloyan, as the conniving Barney (aka Black barney, the pirate, from the comic strip) and Markie Post, as Joella Cameron, a woman who had a fling with the assassin Buck has replaced. Frank Gorshin is the leader of the bunch and Nancy Decarl is a sexy telepathic assassin, in tight leather. Perennial bad guy John Quade is Quince, the rotund telekinetic, with an eye for the ladies (especially in denebian silk) and Anthony James is Valek, the mutant henchman for Gorshin, whose people are deformed as a result of destroying their world, with powerful nuclear weapons. Valek is a tragic figure and Buck ends up befriend the abused member, causing him to aid the Earth when they set an anti-matter reactor to meltdown.

Brennert's scripts have plenty of human touches and easter eggs, especially in spaceport announcements. In Plot To Kill a City, you hear a page for Dr Adam Strange, of Alpha Centauri and one for passengers arriving from Thanagar; and, in A Dream of Jennifer, you hear one for pages for Norrin Radd and Christopher Pike, as well as Katar Hol.

Brennert also wrote for LA Law and the revived Twilight Zone (and Outer Limits) and is highly regarded among his peers, especially Harlan Ellison, who worked with him (and Joe Straczynski) on Twilight Zone.

The same guy who gave us the concept of Batman's scarred body and the wonderful Christmas present of a visit, by a ghost of realities past.

Thirty five years ago today, Red Dwarf debuted on BBC Two:






As you all no doubt know, the series follows the exploits of the crew of the mining ship Red Dwarf. Dave Lister (Craig Charles) is in suspended animation as punishment for taking a cat aboard the ship. The ship’s computer, Holly, keeps Lister in suspended animation after a radiation incident kills all of the crew. When he awakens 3 million years later, his only companions are a hologram of his deceased roommate, Rimmer, and Cat, a humanoid who evolved from the descendants of his cat. On that last point, LOL.

(Android Kryten debuted in Season 2)

In my humble opinion, the earlier seasons are stronger than the later ones. Truth be told, I felt that the “joke” wore thin as time went on, and it all seemed rather desperate and unfunny later on. The early seasons were golden, though.

That said, I haven’t seen any of the revival seasons that have aired on Dave since 2009.

If you ask me, Season Two’s “Future Echoes” is the show’s finest moment. The crew begin experiencing “future echoes” after their ship breaches light speed. Among other things, this involves Lister trying to prevent Cat’s tooth being broken, an act that could have major ramifications.

Same, I thought Red Dwarf was better when it was just "the odd couple" in space with vague, religious undertones

Thirty five years ago today, London’s Burning debuted on ITV, running for 14 seasons until 2002. (It actually began as a TVM in 1986, with some characters making the transition to the series)

Set at the fictional Blackwall Station, it followed the lives and careers of Blue Watch, led by Station Officer Sidney Tate and his deputy, Sub-Officer John Hallam. Each episode involved at least one incident (sometimes two), and we got a glimpse of the firefighters’ private lives, too.

It was a good show that seemed to spare no expense on the special effects. And there was often much conflict. In one episode, some builders were trapped under some rubble near the Thames, with the tide dangerously close. Tate’s superior, Assistant Divisional Officer Scase, arrived and ordered the firefighters to stop the rescue until some nearby scaffolding was secured; with the tide dangerously close, Tate disobeyed the order and continued the rescue.

There was much tragedy throughout. In one later episode, firefighters rescued some people trapped in a fireworks factory. Their station officer told them to let the factory just burn as all lives had been saved, but his superior arrived and ordered the firefighters to go back into the fireworks factory, so as to preserve property; two of them never came out.

Sadly, the last two years were too much “soap opera” for my liking, with some characters disappearing without explanation. Still, in its prime, it was a fantastic show.

If you watch it, look out for the late Gareth Thomas as Assistant Chief Fire Officer Bulstrode, a most acerbic character. Here’s a pic (not a high-quality one) of him taking charge at a major fire:

On the Buses was one of my favourite shows as a kid in the early 1970s - we had a lot of UK shows on CBC in Canada at that time. I wasn't aware of the sequel.

Porridge I don't remember watching. I've heard of it but I'm not sure if that means we had it on one of our channels back then or if I've just come to know of it through the internet. I liked The Two Ronnies but have never seen much of Barker's other shows.

On the Buses apparently used to be pretty popular in the former Yugoslavia (as were several other British sitcoms) in the 1980s. The national broadcaster in Croatia aired the show for a while in the late '90s/early '00s or thereabouts; I watched a few episodes and thought it was absolutely dire.

The Nashville Network, more commonly referred to as TNN, was launched 40 years ago today. Some of their programming did make its way over here, and I’m glad it featured wrestling at one time or another.

I didn’t realise that it closed down nearly ten years ago. Seems later than that.