It occurs to me that if you put the word “Star” in front of just about anything, odds are, I’ll watch it. Star Wars (all the movies). Star Trek (all the shows and movies). And Stargate. I watched all ten seasons of Stargate SG-1, all five seasons of Stargate Atlantis, and now on October 2nd, “Siffy” will be launching a new series called Stargate Universe. And why not? Here’s a peek …
Here’s what it’s all about … Continue reading
Although I don’t think I’ve ever blogged about it, I’m actually a big fan of the Stargate franchise. It was kind of a slow burn. I picked up Stargate SG-1 around season 3 or so, kind of gradually got into it, then at some point found that I actually looked forward to it every week. It’s not a profound show like Battlestar Galactica, and it’s not “appointment TV” like Lost, but I always considered it — and its spin-off show Stargate: Atlantis — to be fun, well-written sci-fi shows that I catch up with on the weekend, usually while my wife is taking a mid-afternoon nap. (In fact, we have a going joke that Stargate actually helps her to nap.)
You really wouldn’t think writers could get much play out of a big stationary ring that sends people to other planets, but SG-1 was on for TEN YEARS before it was cancelled last year. And Atlantis has been on for five seasons. So it’s obviously done something right. Continue reading
For this week’s W.Y.O.S.T. subject, the answer is actually no — Don S. Davis was never on one of the Star Trek shows. But he has been a regular on various sci-fi projects for over twenty years, including the other “Star” show, and odds are, you’ve seen him in something. Sadly, he passed away on June 29th, and for this reason, I thought it was only right to bump him to the top of the profile list.
Previously both a soldier and a theater professor, Davis was already 40 years old by the time he arrived on the television and movie scene. His first acting job was a one-shot on Joanie Loves Chachi in 1982, which he followed up over the next decade with a variety other small roles in shows like MacGyver, Wiseguy, L.A. Law, and 21 Jump Street, as well as the movies The Journey of Natty Gann, Stakeout, Watchers, Beyond the Stars, Look Who’s Talking, and Look Who’s Talking Too. But where I first became aware of him was in 1991, when he played the stoic Major Garland Briggs in 16 episodes of David Lynch’s creepy entree into television, Twin Peaks.
This week’s W.Y.O.S.T. subject is Tony Todd. Warning: If you haven’t seen Tony Todd in at least 5 roles in the past two decades, you’ve probably been in a coma. Consult your doctor. Okay, here’s a hint … he’s friggin CANDYMAN! Which is just one of well over 100 roles he’s played, across the spectrum, from sci-fi to drama to horror to comedy to … whatever Cop Rock is considered.
Tony Todd started his acting career on the stage, then in the 80s, made a name for himself in high-profile movies like Platoon, Bird, Colors, and Lean on Me, as well as one-shot parts on assorted TV shows — Simon & Simon, 21 Jump Street, Kate & Allie, Night Court, MacGyver, and yes … Cop Rock. Then in 1990, he began an ongoing relationship with the sci-fi/horror universe when he played the lead role of Ben in George Romero’s remake of Night of the Living Dead … which is probably the first time he landed on my radar. A hardcore fan of the original movie, I was very happy with the remake, and from that point on, it seemed as if I saw Todd everywhere. After all, at 6’5″ and with that deep distinctive voice, he’s kind of hard to miss.