Ruminations from the Wasteland

By: Jason Davis
Date: Monday, February 13, 2006

This week's column is going to be a little different. The adjective could be "diverse" or it could be "scattered" depending on your personal taste. The idea is to spew forth all the things that are cluttering up my head at the moment in the hopes that I can sleep more soundly having divested my brain of these sundry ruminations. Here goes:

First off, thanks to everyone who chimed in with their close encounters of the TV kind. While most ended up in the talkbacks, Brian Doucette wrote in to note that he once bumped into Rob Schneider on Hollywood Blvd. at 2am. I once bumped into a celebrity as well-- BABYLON 5's Mira Furlan--alas, it was not at such a provocative hour. Though I have a disturbing tendency to run into B5 creator J. Michael Straczynski at odd moments, I must bow to www.sftv.org 's Lee Whiteside's visit to the B5 Production Offices during the show's run. Though I once made a pilgrimage to the Sun Valley site, the show was long off the air and I was forced to admire the great warehouse from the parking lot.

As I mentioned last week, I do a lot of DVD reviewing for another outlet and, whilst reviewing THE TIME TUNNEL, have been struck by the show's similarities to QUANTUM LEAP. In both cases, the principal character(s) whose time travel research is financed by the government in a secret desert lab in the Southwest United STates I suppose Uncle Sam's probably the likely candidate for funding that sort of research, but that's not the extent of the similarity. Both shows feature scientists who test their own theories upon themselves when the government threatens to cut off financing. In each instance, the time traveler is unable to be recalled to the present day and the folks operating the project are able to track them with super-computers, observing as they pinball through history. Granted, QUANTUM LEAP refines the idea to a set era of time (baring a few exceptions) and adds a definitive purpose alongside a holographic observer, but the concepts are remarkably similar at an origin level. I suppose it's just a case of recreating the same ideas to entertain a new audience every few decade... Though if VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA turns out to closely resemble SEAQUEST DSV, I'm gonna be disturbed.

Not unexpectedly, it has been announced that THE WEST WING will conclude its seven-year run in May with the election of President Bartlet's successor. In the wake of series star John Spencer's untimely death, this seems like the best way to handle the situation and allows the series to make a dignified exodus from the screen without dragging ever onward into mediocrity like ER. Besides, it's appropriate that the series be contained by Bartlet's two terms in office--it makes the whole thing "of a piece" if you will.

The CW merger has claimed its first victim as far as I'm concerned. Though I'm relieved that VERONICA MARS is go for year three, I must sadly report that CULT, a new series created by FARSCAPE's Rockne S. O'Bannon for the WB, was among the projects scrapped in the wake of the network's demise. I met O'Bannon some months ago and his enthusiasm for the series infected me in such a way that I feel personally betrayed by the CW's decision to cancel the pilot's production. The concept alone was enough to get me onboard with the show and now I'm forced to imagine what it would have been like. I guess that's Hollywood for you.

Speaking of O'Bannon brings to mind his 1985 TWILIGHT ZONE confederate Harlan Ellison. As I understand it, Ellison is presently working on a companion series to Showtime's MASTERS OF HORROR. Though I'm reasonably certain the phrase "Sci-Fi" is out of the question for any series Ellison's involved with, I look forward to anything and everything that bares his name--for a guy who hates working in TV, he sure has enough awards for doing it!

As a few of you noted in the talbacks, we're rapidly approaching the US debut of DOCTOR WHO on the Sci Fi Channel. I'd like to add my voice to all those praising the series here and elsewhere. Executive producer Russell T. Davies and his cohorts have captured the magic and mystery of the original series and recreated it with a modern sensibility for today's audience. To my mind, the three episode run beginning with "Father's Day" continuing through "The Empty Child" and concluding with "The Doctor Dances" can stand beside any stretch of episodes in the classic 26 seasons as an example of the concept at its best. With a bit of luck, perhaps the Sci FI Channel will find the response to the series so enthusiastic, that they'll continue airing the series with season two saving American viewers the one-year lag they've had with the premiere season.

In other DOCTOR WHO news, this weekend hosts the 17th Gallifrey One convention in Los Angeles. Stars from both the original and new series will be on hand to talk about their work on the show as will I, your humble columnist. If all goes well, I'll be composing next week's column at the con and can include all the latest goings-on and some quotes or interview snippets from the venerable guests.

Until then, I thank your for tolerating this evacuation of ephemera from my thought channels--try saying that one five times fast--and hope that you'll see fit to drop a line to me at WastelandJason@hotmail.com. You could also hunt me down in person at the convention, but I warn you, I'm a hard cat to corner. When next we meet, I'll have all the latest on DOCTOR WHO and the week after that will likely bring me to the best TV series you missed last year...something I've been getting around to talking about for weeks. "And hey--let's be careful out there."

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13

24 (8 PM PST, Fox) "Day 5: 2:00PM - 3:00PM" If only Jack knew that each of these horrific days was going to be completely confined to 24 hours, he could fantasize about how things will nicely wrap up by 7am.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14

SCRUBS (9 PM PST, NBC) "My Buddy's Booty" In the aftermath of Julie (aka Mandy Moore), J.D. must cope with a perfect intern and a favorite patient in a coma.

HOUSE, M.D. (9 PM PST, Fox) "Distractions" Dr. House becomes a guinea pig to prove another doctor wrong. This is how Marvel Comics superheroes start out...

SCRUBS (9:30 PM PST, NBC) "My Cabbage" Kelso discovers a bird living in the hospital and orders it removed while J.D. becomes unnerved by Elliot's affair with Kieth, the intern.

SUPERNATURAL (9 PM PST, WB) "The Benders" X-FILES writer-producer John Shiban returns to the screen with this tale of hillbillies who hunt humans...WRONG TURN anyone?

THE SHIELD (10 PM PST, FX) "Rap Payback" Nothing says Valentine's Day like scary cops.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15

LOST (9 PM PST, ABC) "One of Them" After last week's excellent episode, I have high hopes for this installment... not only do we get the return of Mira Furlan, but Clancy Brown is guesting as well. There can be only one!

VERONICA MARS (9 PM PST, UPN) "Versatile Toppings" The gay community seeks Veronica's help in an episode with a rather suggestive title clearly missed by the UPN censors.

INVASION (10 PM PST, ABC) "The Nest" A blood test leads to shocking results... well, it would have to in order to create drama--sometimes I love the useless info loglines provide.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16

SMALLVILLE (8 PM PST, WB) "Cyborg" DC fans may now cheer what with the live-action TV debut of Teen Titan Victor Stone.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17

STARGATE: SG-1 (8 PM PST, Sci Fi Channel) "The Scourge" TREK guest star night begins on SG-1 with VOYAGER's Robert Picardo...

STARGATE ATLANTIS (9 PM PST, Sci Fi Channel) "Coup De'etat" ...and continues on ATLANTIS with DS9's Colm Meaney.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (10 PM PST, Sci Fi Channel) "The Captain's Hand" The new CO of the Pegasus becomes increasingly unstable--clearly not a cause for alarm as being CO of the Pegasus entails an average lifespan of 2.5 episodes.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18

HU$TLE (10 PM PST, AMC) "Episode 7" Season two kicks off with Danny and company trying to sell a London gold mine to a ruthless property developer.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (9 PM PST, ABC) "Thank You So Much" A lovely guest cast includes Jay Harrington, late of THE INSIDE and the always entertaining Kathryn Joosten.

GREY'S ANATOMY (10 PM PST, ABC) "Yesterday" All Grey's troubles seemed so far away...