TREK REVIEW: Star Trek Continues: Divided We Stand

I rather enjoyed this one, in spite of its being squarely aimed at the core American audience of Trek fans. It's not, to be fair, terribly original in its content: Kirk and McCoy are seemingly sent back in time to the American Civil War, although it's very quickly revealed to the audience that they have been infected by a virus that has caught them in a shared dreamscape. There's no mystery to it, nor much interest in the Enterprise-based subplot of curing the two friends. No, this is all about how Jim and Bones cope in this environment, believing it to be viscerally real and apparently without hope of rescue.

The original Star Trek played with Earth's history on numerous occasions, so much so that it seems odd that it wasn't repurposed as a time travel show. Whether it was actual trips into the past, bizarre alien recreations or planets that seem to have developed along Earthlike lines due to interference or sheer coincidence. So this excursion to 19th century America feels very in keeping with the series that it's seeking to emulate, without taking the path of previous episodes and indulging in heavy continuity. Not that there's anything wrong with heavy continuity in a fan series, but it's a pleasure to have something a little fresher after a run of sequels and callbacks. In fact, I can only think of one nod to the series' history, that being the name of the probe that delivers the virus: Friendship Three, presumably a successor to the eponymous probe from the Voyager episode Friendship One.

The strength of the episode lies in the recreation of the American battlefields. I presume the production team called on the services of some historical reenactment enthusiasts, since the battle scenes are populous and convincing (not that I'm any expert on the period, never having had a particular interest in the American Civil War). The decision to use Kirk and McCoy was a wise one. The strength of their friendship keeps them going through the bloody horrors of a very real war, far from the usually sanitised conflicts seen in Trek (although the original series was bloodier than people remember). Their respective backgrounds put Kirk and Bones on opposing sides in the war, with Kirk cast as a Union soldier and McCoy as his prisoner. It unfolds predictably, but nonetheless effectively, with both Vic Mignola and Chuck Huber working extremely well together here. A particularly effective installment from an always impressive fan production.


Watch the episode here.

WHO REVIEW: 9-3 & 9-4: Under the Lake/Before the Flood

With Being Human, Toby Whithouse brought together vampires, werewolves and ghosts, along with such elements as time travel, to remarkable effect. In Doctor Who, he's already had a stab at vampires, and now he's utilised both time travel and ghosts in a story with a fascinating set-up. It's a very clever idea, splitting the story across two time zones, so that characters can, in theory, meet their own ghosts in the future. It never quite runs with this idea, though. The concept of being able to not only see but actually speak with your ghost is compelling, but beyond a brief interaction between the Doctor and his ghost (revealed to be nothing of the sort in any case), the idea isn't explored. The fact that the ghosts are essentially incapable of communication rather ruins it anyway; they're not characters but sinister set dressing and hazards. It's undeniably effective, but it's the less interesting option. Equally, the Fisher King, is well designed and realised - at least in the underlit interior scenes, not looking quite so creepy stomping about in daylight. However, since he does little more than rant and murder people off screen, he's a very hollow and uninspiring villain. 

Huge respect for the inclusion of the talented Sophie Stone as Cass, a deaf actress playing a deaf character, unapologetically included not as a token to disabled sensibilities but simply as a strong, interesting character who brings a somewhat different perspective to adventure. Around the country, deaf children will be watching Doctor Who and seeing a deaf person in a heroic role, not only leading the guest characters but enthusiastically told by the Doctor that she is the smartest person in the room (barring himself, of course). It's a wonderfully positive move on the part of the series' creators. Oddly enough, the Doctor doesn't know sign language; a strange omission for the man who knows fifty million languages, even if the script did make a joke about it being deleted to make room for semaphore. It's understandable in real life terms, of course; very likely, Peter Capaldi doesn't know sign, and in any case, having Cass's signs translated makes it possible for the bulk of the audience to understand her lines. However, I watched Before the Flood in the company of a fluent signer who was translating along with the episode, and I can therefore say that any viewer who can sign will get more out of the it than one relying on the interpreter. 

The remaining guest cast are all very good indeed, although in many cases rather wasted in the parts they have. Zaqi Ismail is perfectly good as Lunn but lacks a great deal in character as written; Arsher Ali seemed at risk of the same during the first episode, but he, as Bennett, came into his own in the second part once he had something to play other than spooked. Paul Kaye, rightfully recognised now as a highly talented actor, is amusing as the snivelling Prentis, but is so quickly killed off that there was never really any chance to appreciate him. The same goes for Steven Robertson and, most of all, Colin MacFarlane; talented actors whose characters are given virtually no screen time before being bumped. Yes, they then get to do their best as hollow-eyed phantoms, but that's still a waste of genuinely fine acting talent. Most galling is the killing of O'Donnell, who, particularly in the second episode, develops into an infectiously likeable and entertainingly bloody-minded character before being killed off to give the male characters the necessary angst. I'm not making a vehement feminist point here; the best character in the story was female (Cass, of course), and since much of my upset at O'Donnell's death is that I fancy the pants off Morven Christie, I'd be pretty hypocritical. Nonetheless, it grates.

Capaldi shines, as always, even though, to be honest, he didn't have very strong material to work with this time, Nonetheless, he's an interesting enough actor to make any of his scenes compelling. Clara, though, is rather uninteresting in this story, and Jenna Coleman makes less of an impression than usual. Perhaps it's a good thing she's leaving this year; there doesn't seem to be much left to do with her character. 

Ultimately, the script is packed with potentially great ideas and characters that, for the most part, it fails to explore to full effect. For all its atmosphere - and I think we need more slow-paced, unsettling stories - it's a disappointing tale, relying on rather a dissatisfying interpretation of time travel that lacks real drama.

Casting Call: Sophie Stone is the first deaf actress in the series, but not the first deaf actor. That was Tim Barlow, who played Tyssan in 1979's Destiny of the Daleks. Barlow lost his hearing in a military incident, although has since recovered much of it through the use of a cochlear implant.

Nitpick: Why didn't the base crew try switching the lights to permanent day mode, so that the ghosts wouldn't be able to materialise? I realise that the ghosts took control of the day/night systems during the episode, but you'd have thought they'd at least try this rather obvious idea.

Continuity Corner: The future parts of the story are set in 2119, and it seems that not only are UNIT still operating, but the Doctor is still well known - enough that O'Donnell knows of him and his exploits, at least. We haven't really seen much of this period in the series; The Rebel Flesh/The Also People was set in the 22nd century, presumably the earlier part, since The Dalek Invasion of Earth essentially ruined human society from the 2150s onwards. Other stories set around this time include Nightmare of Eden and possibly some other outer space stories (Doctor Who tends to go for a generic spacey future in the classic series), but we see very little of Earth in this time. The ninth Doctor considered the year 2105 "a bit boring" in The End of the World. The existence of an alien ship doesn't seem to be a huge surprise to the base crew.

The Doctor's cheat cards include one that says "I should've known you didn't live in Aberdeen," a reference back to where he left Sarah Jane Smith, according to Whithouse's first Who episode, 2006's School Reunion.

Prentis is a Tivolian, a species introduced in the form of Gibbis in another Whithouse script, 2011's The God Complex. He notes that they were conquered by the Arcateenians, another species created by Whithouse, for the Torchwood episode "Greeks Bearing Gifts." They're one of the very few species to turn up in both that series and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

The Doctor ponders whether the ghosts are Flesh avatars (right period, as noted above), Autons (Spearhead from Space, et al) or digital copies in the Nethersphere (Dark Water/Death in Heaven).

Doctor fanatic O'Donnell references Rose, Martha and Amy, and refers to the 1980s being pre-Harold Saxon (The Sound of Drums) and "pre-the Moon exploding and a bat coming out" (Kill the Moon). She also mentions a Minister of War, but what this means is as yet unknown.

The Doctor once met Shirley Bassey. At least, he thinks he did; it might have been Iris Wildthyme in her Bassey-like second incarnation. 

Back to the Small Rouge One

As of October 2nd, Red Dwarf is back in production, three years since post-production completed on series ten. Both Red Dwarf XI and XII have begun pre-production, the first steps in creating twelve new episodes, which will bring the total run up to 73. Full production doesn't begin until cameras start rolling in November. And for the first time, I've actually found out about a live recording in time to book tickets! I'm going to see an episode of Series XII recorded on February 26th, as a treat for my birthday. Series XI is set to air on Dave next year and XII in 2017, so I'll have to sit on the plot details for a whole year.

Producer Richard Naylor tweeted this image to mark the start of pre-production on Series XI:

Presumably this is Kryten himself, not Spare Head 2.

Casting Call: More DC Television Stars

The autumn TV season has started Stateside and the return of DC's series is imminent. Except Gotham, which is so imminent it's already started. Time enough for one last roundup of characters and actors joining the Arrowverse and the new Supergirl series.

Violett Beane

Jesse Chambers/Jesse Quick (The Flash)

Wow, we're really getting a full complement of speedsters in the new season of the The Flash. Not content with Grant Gustin as Barry Allen, Keiynan Lonsdale as Wally West and Teddy Sears as Jay Garrick, now they've added young female speedster Jesse Quick. While her backstory in the series will probably adjust this, in the comics she's the daughter of two Golden Age heroes, Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle. She inherits both their power sets, giving her both super strength and super speed. Although reluctant to become a costumed hero, she eventually joined the New Titans team. Violett Beane (great name) is a new face, and the only other credits I can find for her are the films Flay and Slash, neither of which has yet been released.

Franz Drameh

Jay Jackson/Firestorm (The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow)

Firestorm is such a weird, complicated character. In The Flash season one the original Firestorm was involved, a fusion of two characters, Ronnie Raymond (Robbie Amell) and Prof. Martin Stein (Victor Garber). In the comics, there have been various combinations of characters melted together to make Firestorm, including Jason Rusch, who had a brief appearance in The Flash (played by Luc Roderique). Yet, season two and Legends of Tomorrow will be fusing Stein with a wholly new character, Jay Jackson, described as a former high school athlete, who has become a mechanic since dropping out due to injury. Franz Drameh is an Anglo-Gambian actor, still quite new to the screen but known for the excellent Attack the Block and a role in Edge of Tomorrow (Live. Die. Repeat).

Demore Barnes

Henry Hewitt/Tokamak (The Flash)

Initially an enemy of Firestorm (introduced in The Fury of Firestorm in the 1980s), Henry Hewitt gained powers after exposing himself to the same conditions that created the nuclear-powered hero. This gives him the power to generate rings of energy that can destroy matter's atomic structure. The TV version appears to be another victim of the disaster at STAR Labs that created the Flash, Firestorm and the various metahumans of the series. Canadian actor Demore Barnes is best known as Hector "Hammerhead" Williams in The Unit, and has had numerous American TV appearances including as Raphael in Supernatural. 

Michael Ironside

Lewis Snart (The Flash)

Another villain for The Flash, Lewis Snart is the estranged father if Leonard and Lisa Snart, aka Captain Cold and the Golden Glider. Brief glimpses of their past in season one made it clear that Snart Sr. was an abusive father. He's back with a plan that endangers both his children. Michael Ironside is a huge sf fan and a bit of a legend among genre fans, known for roles in Top Gun, Robocop, Starship Troopers and The Machinist. He has DC experience as well, having voiced both Darkseid and, briefly, Batman, in animated adventures, and also having played Lois Lane's father, General Sam Lane on Smallville.

Tony Todd

voice of Zoom (The Flash)

Zoom is confusing, but I think I have it (I've become more versed in Flash-mythology lately). Eobard Thawne, the villain of the first season of The Flash, is known as the Reverse Flash and is also sometimes called Professor Zoom in the comics. Hunter Zolomon, on the other hand, is an entirely separate character, inspired by Thawne to become the newest Reverse Flash and taking on the moniker Zoom. He's obsessed with the Flash - the Wally West version in the the comics, generally - and wants to make him suffer personal tragedy so that he can become a more compassionate hero. He's more powerful than the original Reverse Flash, having the ability to manipulate the fabric of time around himself.

Tony Todd, owner of the scariest voice in Hollywood and infamous as the Candyman, as well as having numerous other major horror roles and various appearances on genre TV (he has three credits for the Star Trek franchise alone, including DS9: "The Visitor," which was just beautiful). He's only providing the voice for Zoom, so presumably the identity of the villain is to be kept under wraps for a while. In any case, he's the Big Bad for The Flash season two.

Jimmy Akingbola

Reiter (Arrow)

Well, this is an odd one. Reiter is better known as Baron Blitzkreig, and Earth-2 villain first introduced in the 70s but retroactively stated to be active during WWII. He's one of the various Nazi villains who joined the Fourth Reich, as well as affiliating with the Secret Society of Super Villains and Shadowspire. The important thing to note here is that he's a Nazi; in fact, he gained his powers of super strength, heat vision and flight after undergoing operations to save his life after he was wounded by a prisoner in a concentration camp. Yet, the TV version is going to be played by British actor Jimmy Akingbola, who is of Nigerian descent. This is an unexpected juxtaposition, and presumably the TV version will have a rather different character to the comics version, and won't be going by the name Baron Blitzkreig. In fact, the only similarities between Arrow Reiter and comics Reiter is that they're both villains and both have links to the Shadowspire organisation.

Jimmy Akingbola is mostly known for his theatre work but has expanded onto film and television in recent years, including appearances in sitcoms The Crouches and Big School and the film Anansi. Unlike his villainous counterpart, he's known to the acting community as "Mr. Nice." Which would actually be a cool name for a villain, come to think of it.

Stephanie Corneliussen

Valentina Vostok (Legends of Tomorrow)

Another character who'll need to be reimagined to make sense in a modern series, Vostok dates back to Showcase comic in 1977 and was a Soviet spy, who absorbed the powers of Negative Man to become Negative Woman. These powers included the ability to transform into an ethereal energy form, but she lost these powers. She became a generally heroic character and served in the Doom Patrol. How her origin is to be tweaked for the Arrowverse isn't certain, but she's described as an exceptional physicist, and if she's a villain she may be working for Vandal Savage in some capacity. Danish model Stephanie Corneliussen appeared on the acting seen a couple of years ago and has had major roles in Mr. Robot and The Exes.

Rutina Wesley

Liza Warner (Arrow)

Liza Warner is the alter ego of the comics character better known as Lady Cop. She first appeared in her own title in 1975, and her thing, see, is that she was a cop, but she was a lady. In spite of the utter sexism and naffness of this idea, she's actually a pretty impressive character, being a dedicated and skilled detective. Over the years she's been involved in thwarting some serious crimes and her comics have dealt with adult issues, such as sexual health and trauma counselling. She also has links to the Atom (the newer, Ryan Choi version, but she might meet Brandon Routh's Ray Palmer version). The Arrow version of Warner will head an anti-vigilante taskforce and so come up against Oliver Queen and his team. I think we can safely say she won't be calling herself Lady Cop. Rutina Wesley is best known for playing Tara in True Blood and Reba in Hannibal, and I must say I am loving the CW's support of diverse casting across its series. 

Iddo Goldberg

T.O. Morrow/Red Tornado (Supergirl)

Looks like Iddo Goldberg is playing two characters on Supergirl, scientist and creator, unless in this version of events T.O. Morrow actually becomes the Red Tornado. The android hero has had multiple origins in DC comics, but the most recent version is an android hosting an air elemental. (He doesn't appear to exist currently in the New 52 continuity, but I may be out of date here.) Red Tornado has been part of the Justice League and was an advisor and mentor to Young Justice team; indeed, I know him best from his appearance in the Young Justice animated series, voiced by Jeff Bennett. In spite of usually being heroic, his earliest iterations included the Tornado Tyrant, a more villainous turn, and his Supergirl TV persona has been described as a villain,. Still, I wouldn't be surprised to see him ally with Supergirl in the future.

Red Tornado has the usual attributes of superhuman strength and intelligence you'd expect from an android, but also has the ability to control the air and generate wind. Most versions can also assume human form. The perennially villainous Thomas Oscar Morrow has no powers but is a highly gifted engineer and has created numerous mechanical warriors over the years. Iddo Goldberg is an Anglo-Israeli actor most recognisable for roles in British series such as Peaky Blinders and The Secret Diary of a Call Girl and the movie Defiance.

Audio Explosion

Lots of exciting audio information!

Strangeness in Space has just released Episode 2, which is now streamable here for free. Starring Trev & Simon and Sophie "Ace" Aldred, this episode also features Rufus Hound as Atrocious Knocious and Peter Guinness as the villainous Dr. Scarifium. There's also a guest appearance by Carol Cleveland. It's very silly, and did I mention it's free?

Big Finish has been secretly recording a special new box set starring John Hurt! We always wondered if they might get there eventually, and now BF have broached the Time War, starting with The War Doctor: Only the Monstrous. Clearly that title refers to Nicholas Briggs, who has no regard for the dwindling of our bank balances. The press release goes on to say that there will be three further box sets for the War Doctor, followed by a prequel release featuring Paul McGann's eighth Doctor at the beginnings of the Time War. All the sets are available for £20 on pre-order for both CD and download. As well as this, McGann stars in this month's big release, the first set in the Doom Coalition series, which is set to crossover with BF's new River Song series. So bye-bye pocket money. (The order of events right now seems to be To the Death [previously on Radio 4X], Dark Eyes 1-4, Doom Coalition 1-4 [with a River Song instalment too], The Eighth Doctor: The Time War, The Night of the Doctor [the webcast mini-ep], The War Doctor: Only the Monstrous.)

Before all that, though, there's a chance to listen to some classic science fiction on Radio 4X. Walter M. Miller, Jr.'s 1960 novel A Canticle For Leibowitz has been adapted for radio in this excellent reading by Nigel Lindsay, who explores this devastated future through the eyes of a Catholic monk. The first book in the novel, Fiat Homo, is now available to download or stream in five episodes. It's really quite something.