Sci-Fi
March 28th, 2005, 02:49 PM
From The Mirror:
Blast from the past (http://www.lakelandmirror.com/news/2005/02/03/ArtsEntertainment/Blast.From.The.Past-860219.shtml)
Counting down the top 10 TV series of all time
By Ben Rosenthal
Welcome to the first installment of my brand-new column in which I'll be counting down my top ten TV series of all time (excluding Star Trek, since I'm a huge Trekkie and that can be a column all by itself). For the next four issues, I'll describe two shows on my countdown; for the last two, I'll focus on just one.
And now to the countdown.
Coming in at number ten is the original Battlestar Galactica and it aired only 34 episodes in 1979 and 1980. When the twelve Colonies of Man are all but wiped out by a cybernetic race called the Cylons, Commander Adama (Lorne Greene) and the Battlestar Galactica lead a ragtag human fleet of survivors in search of the mythical planet Earth. Also starring in one of the most special effects laden series of that era were The A-Team's Dirk Benedict and Richard Hatch (no, not the winner of the initial season of Survivor).
Why put the original Battlestar Galactica on my top-ten list? Simply put, it capitalized on the sci-fi craze when Star Wars debuted in theaters back in 1977. For its time, it had what was considered state-of-the-art special effects and, until the debut of Star Trek: Voyager in 1995, had a unique premise about a group of people searching for home. A lot of famous actors guest-starred on the show as well. Examples include Jane Seymour (best known for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman), Fred Astaire, and 24's Dennis Haysbert.
If interested, episodes can be seen on cable TV's Sci-Fi channel. Check local listings for dates and times.
At number nine is Matlock. Premiering in 1986 and running until 1995, Matlock starred Andy Griffith (The Andy Griffith Show) as Ben Matlock, a Georgia-bred Harvard-educated defense attorney whose fee is $250,000, seeking to prove the innocence of his client as he takes on his/her case, of which most involve murders. He does this with the help of a team of people. This team changed from season to season and included Conrad McMasters (Clarence Gilyard from Walker, Texas Ranger), his daughter Charlene (Linda Purl), and Cliff Lewis (Daniel Roebuck).
It was a lot like Perry Mason, another courtroom drama that starred Raymond Burr, in that Ben Matlock was a lawyer that never lost. What I loved about Ben was that he was aggressive and cursed like a sailor. Underneath that gruff exterior was a heart of gold. He also was pretty much like an average guy almost like the one you'd meet walking down the street. To top it off, it had a sense of humor that set it apart from other courtroom dramas and I think that really contributed to its success over its 195 episodes.
Matlock can be seen on a variety of networks including cable TV's Hallmark channel, on TNT, and also on Chicago's WGN. Check your local listings for showtimes.
That concludes this issue's installment of the countdown.
:salute: :Nsalute:
Blast from the past (http://www.lakelandmirror.com/news/2005/02/03/ArtsEntertainment/Blast.From.The.Past-860219.shtml)
Counting down the top 10 TV series of all time
By Ben Rosenthal
Welcome to the first installment of my brand-new column in which I'll be counting down my top ten TV series of all time (excluding Star Trek, since I'm a huge Trekkie and that can be a column all by itself). For the next four issues, I'll describe two shows on my countdown; for the last two, I'll focus on just one.
And now to the countdown.
Coming in at number ten is the original Battlestar Galactica and it aired only 34 episodes in 1979 and 1980. When the twelve Colonies of Man are all but wiped out by a cybernetic race called the Cylons, Commander Adama (Lorne Greene) and the Battlestar Galactica lead a ragtag human fleet of survivors in search of the mythical planet Earth. Also starring in one of the most special effects laden series of that era were The A-Team's Dirk Benedict and Richard Hatch (no, not the winner of the initial season of Survivor).
Why put the original Battlestar Galactica on my top-ten list? Simply put, it capitalized on the sci-fi craze when Star Wars debuted in theaters back in 1977. For its time, it had what was considered state-of-the-art special effects and, until the debut of Star Trek: Voyager in 1995, had a unique premise about a group of people searching for home. A lot of famous actors guest-starred on the show as well. Examples include Jane Seymour (best known for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman), Fred Astaire, and 24's Dennis Haysbert.
If interested, episodes can be seen on cable TV's Sci-Fi channel. Check local listings for dates and times.
At number nine is Matlock. Premiering in 1986 and running until 1995, Matlock starred Andy Griffith (The Andy Griffith Show) as Ben Matlock, a Georgia-bred Harvard-educated defense attorney whose fee is $250,000, seeking to prove the innocence of his client as he takes on his/her case, of which most involve murders. He does this with the help of a team of people. This team changed from season to season and included Conrad McMasters (Clarence Gilyard from Walker, Texas Ranger), his daughter Charlene (Linda Purl), and Cliff Lewis (Daniel Roebuck).
It was a lot like Perry Mason, another courtroom drama that starred Raymond Burr, in that Ben Matlock was a lawyer that never lost. What I loved about Ben was that he was aggressive and cursed like a sailor. Underneath that gruff exterior was a heart of gold. He also was pretty much like an average guy almost like the one you'd meet walking down the street. To top it off, it had a sense of humor that set it apart from other courtroom dramas and I think that really contributed to its success over its 195 episodes.
Matlock can be seen on a variety of networks including cable TV's Hallmark channel, on TNT, and also on Chicago's WGN. Check your local listings for showtimes.
That concludes this issue's installment of the countdown.
:salute: :Nsalute: