Season 4 - Resitance is Futile!

As Season Three of Star Trek: Voyager neared its conclusion the show really hit its stride. And Season Four just got better. Starting with the second part of Scorpion (which introduced Jerry Ryan as Seven of Nine) almost every story is a cracker. The lost of Kes was unfortunate (losing the irritating Neelix would have been a better option!), but gaining Seven of Nine, later to be know Seven, was a masterstroke. Although maybe too many of the later stories revolved around her - but then she is a great character. There are a couple of great two-parters: The Year of Hell and The Killing Game (which features the Hirogen, who featured in an earlier story in the season).
The actors all know their characters inside and out and have become comfortable with the set up. Kate Mulgrew makes a formidable (and, at times, quite sexy) captain who sparks off of Seven quite fequently. Quite possibly the most completely satisfying Season in Voyagers seven years, with strong stories, great effects and good writing and acting. There are some quite good extras, not over burdend with them, but then there are seven seasons to fill - and there are several 'easter eggs' dotted about (on all seasons).

if you like x files...

if you like x files, don't have the DVDs and want the DVDs get this! tis simple

Brilliant End to an Epic Series

I never watched DS9 properly while it was on television because I was far too busy watching ST Voyager and Stargate SG-1. Only when a friend convinced me to give it a proper try did I realise just what a brilliant series DS9 is and how much it contributes to the Star Trek universe.

Season seven, while perhaps being a little less brilliant overall than seasons 4 or 5, is a brilliant endgame for the series. It seamlessly combines the tension, drama and violence of the ongoing dominion war with the exploration of both space and of the human condition - from the kind spirit of the DS9 crew, to the effects of war on those who risk their lives on the front line, to what even the most 'enlightened' will do when backed into a corner.

After the unfortunate death of Jadzia Dax, we are introduced to Ezri Dax, who proves both a blessing and a curse for the series. While providing new territory to explore, her character's journey sometimes takes up a lot of the series' focus, taking time away from other characters, such as Kira, who are pushed into the background.

Despite a good build-up, the climax in the Dominion war seems to come all too abruptly but is well executed and the battle scenes are visually stunning. Benjamin Sisko also meets his destiny with an emotional and satisfying conclusion.

All-in-all, Series 7 is a commendable mix of big action episodes and small character episodes, crafted into an almost seamless tapestry of cause and effect. The crew of DS9 should be remembered as one of Star Trek's biggest accomplishments. The series paints a better, more integral picture of the Alpha Quadrant and its powers than TNG and tells a better, stronger story than VOY.

Borg, Time Travel and Holodeck malfunctions! ST: Voyager - season three

Season Three was when Voyager really kicked into gear, with some great stories, aliens and effects. There is fun, 'False Profits', time travel, the two-part 'Future's End', serious goings on in 'Darkling' when the Doctor messes with his holoprogram, and Captain Janeway gets to be an action hero in 'Macrocosm', when Voyager is invaded by a nasty virus, and Janeway strips to her vest, gets sweaty (and just a little sexy) and kicks some alien butt!
In 'Warlord' Kes gets taken over by an ancient warlord, and gets some serious screen time (about time too!), and almost the first girl-on-girl Trek kiss [that was saved for DS9].
All in all, Season Three is a good one - and points to the good times to come. There is a fair smattering of stories and the two crews (Federation and Marquis) are now almost fully intergrated, the characters becoming very familiar to the viewer...and is that a romance blossoming between bad-boy Tom Paris and half-Klingon half-human Belanna Torres? It starts with the conclusion to 'Basics' and ends with the first part of 'Scorpion'. Well worth having.

Wow

I never watch Doctor Who, I always thought of it as dumb sci-fi, so I was surprised when I saw these three episodes on TV. If you've never watched Doctor Who before, buy this DVD first before any others (although there's some in-jokes there that you don't get if you're not a fan).

There are three episodes on here and the first up is Human Nature, where a school teacher dreams of havign adventures in space. Worst episode on the disc, but still very scary. Baines, the villain is a brilliant actor and those scarecrows are... scary.

THe second is the second part of Human Nature; Family of Blood. More Baines, more scarecrows, and some truly sad moments. Paul Cornell is a brilliant writer and all the actors are incredible.

The final episode is Blink, and if you go to any Doctor Who website, most people say this is the best Doctor Who episode. It doesn't have Doctor Who in it much, but the plot which starts very confusing makes brilliant sense in the end and the bad guys are very creepy.

The weird thing is, these are the first Doctor Who I watched and Doctor who was in all three episodes together for about five minutes. Still great though.

Season 7

I thought I'd buy it as I really liked DS9 and I'm very happy I did! It definitely differs in tone being a bit more light-hearted, but it does have a few dark episodes, which tend to be the more enjoyable ones.
I very much enjoyed 'Critical Care', which focuses on The Doctor, by far the most interesting and funny character, and the episode also poses a few moral dilemmas (like 'Repentance, another great episode!), so its not just a simple kind of story. I also really liked 'Shattered', as Voyager is split into many time periods and we get to see back in the past and a little bit of the future.
The episode 'Natural Law' was really a nice episode, and finally the last ever episode 'Endgame' was both fun and enjoyable! I loved the end sequence.
The captain becomes a bit less harsh this season, and there is a rather disturbing sequence with her in a bathtub with John De Lancie ('Q').
The extra features are all good, and some are hidden too so make sure you find them all, but the disc menus, the background beeping and noise is a bit tiring after like 30 seconds, so be quick when you choose an episode!
It really is an extremely good buy, and so I'm going to buy the rest in reverse chronological order.
'Reverse the polarity of the shield' or 'Emit a tachyon pulse'. Solves anything.

John Simm IS the Master

The third series of the new Dr Who has had ups and downs but the finale was fantastic! I loved the finale to series 2 with the Daleks and Cybermen but this totally tops that even with the ever annoying martha.
The reason for this brillance? John Simm. He is amazing, good looking, funny and plays the master just right. His first real episode the second last one"The sound of drums" is the best. David Tennant plays his part perfectly but John simm steals the show - thanks to some bril writing. The last episode lacks something especially as the Dr takes a back seat for the episode to Martha (who is awful) but its still one of the most memorable episodes to date.
If the whole series had been written and cast as well as the last three episodes it would have been by far the best series yet!

Awesome

Far more interesting & entertaining than 99% of the pap out there. Genuinely original & charming.

sweet

Still amazing, I love this show. This box set has everything- every last Babylon 5 related thing ever, packed into a relatively small space. Its quite aesthetically pleasing. I think its good value for money, and hopefully if the Lost Tales part of it sells well then they might make some more! You never know.

I hadn't watched this show in 11 years, but I loved it at the time. So recently I rented a few discs, out of curiosity to see what it would be like to watch again. After two discs I was completely hooked, again, and decided instead to buy the whole lot.

It holds up so well, its so story-rich in comparison to every sci-fi show since. Its also so inventive, you can see how subsequent shows have ripped it off. What makes it for me is the darker side of the conflicts portrayed, internal and external, and the zen/mystical aspects of the stories. I also love the fact that the entire created world is explored so in depth and that they spent so much time developing the characters, the cultures, and the complex political backgrounds. Just brilliant.

Season two holds strong at 80%

`Stargate: Atlantis' season one not only established this show as a unique rival to its fellow series `Stargate: SG-1', but also set the bar very high for a second season with this new breed of adventurers continuing to battle Wraith and other foe in the far-removed Pegasus Galaxy. Consequently for me this season did not quite live up to that impressive debut.

Just as with its sister series, `Atlantis' is adept at balancing a large season story-arc while at the same time providing its audience with inventive one-off stories that act both to attract new viewers to the show and also give the loyal fan-base a break from the on-going threat of the Wraith. This second season is no exception. However, with many of the episodes it seemed to me that the plots were simply too similar in style and set-up to many from the first season. Episodes like 11- `The Hive' (6/10) and 14- `Grace Under Pressure' (7/10) felt like carbon-copies of episodes 2- `Rising, Part 2' and 4- `Thirty-Eight Minutes' from the first season- obviously mixing up ideas and going in slightly different directions, but still- simply too reminiscent of those season one stories. This season works slightly differently compared to the first in that many episodes (even those that aren't strongly Wraith-based) tend to bleed into one another, even though they're not described as `to be continued', which means that many episodes here end quite abruptly and in an unsatisfying way for the viewer. Episode 7- `Instinct' (6/10) (guest-starring the unrecognisable Jewel Staite of `Firefly'/'Serenity' fame) was one that left me particularly at a loss and wondering `is that it?' only to begin episode 8- `Conversion' to discover that the closure awarded the character was particularly brutal and baffling. Even in episode 17- `Coup D'etat' (7/10), which sees the long-awaited return of the Genii- the plot feels stretched and doesn't come close to rivalling the twists and character intricacies that were so engrossing with the Genii episodes of season one i.e. `Underground', `The Storm' and `The Eye'. Of course it's great to see Colm Meaney return as the villainous leader of the Genii people, but throughout the episode I was willing the pace to quicken and for events to take off the way they never failed to during season one.

Yet still, there are some especially engrossing and original stories to enjoy in season two. Some of my favourite episodes would be episode 4- `Duet' (8/10), which has some great chemistry between McKay and Beckett (hilarious), episode 12- `Epiphany' (9/10) that steps into SG-1 territory somewhat by exploring the ancients and their process of ascension, and episode 18- `Michael' (10/10) guest-starring Enterprise's Connor Trinneer, which is easily the best episode of the season- absolutely original, suspenseful and emotional. All fans of `Stargate: Atlantis' should be reassured because season two definitely maintains the high-quality of this show, although frustratingly- doesn't quite manage to up the anti after a rollercoaster first season. Anticipation rating for season three- 4 stars.

Will Smith make's it work for me.

When reading the original reviews in the film magazines I was given the impression that this was not a great movie on which to put my money on as the CGI was dissapointing.
So much so that this rendered the film"NOT VERY GOOD!".

Thankfully they were wrong and what you have here is a very moving film in parts played with full gusto by a very impressive Will Smith.

The way that he shows us through the camera how 3 years of isolation, 3 years of hiding and hunting and 3 years of trying to find the ever illusive cure for mankind's desease ... is as realistic as you could expect it to be if you were ever thrown into the same circumstances.

The crushing isolation is all the more apparant when you realise that it was he that set up the mannaquins in the shops to make it feel that there was still some remenance of life.

The CGI of the vampirish city folk is not the best but is far FAR from being the worst either. You soon forget about the short comings and really get into the characters (or should that be character & dog?) .

Impressive, is the New York landscape.
Grass growing up through the roads, cars rusted where they stopped.
Shops stacked with never again to move items and four legged CGI wildlife roaming where once people trod.

The city scenes are breathtaking so much so that you can sense the isolaton.

Well worth the price and definately worth watching twice .. just incase you were wrong the first time!.

P.S. I havent read the book yet but am about to buy it and will then compare.

ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FILMS OF ALL TIME

What made this the hugely successful triumph it was? Was it casting, music, imagination, ingenuity, or luck?

I remember opening day at the theaters. I was old enough to remember every scene, every character, every nuance of this film; having committed it to memory forever, as if I would never again be able to see this beloved, instantly loved masterpiece.

I also remember that the HIT factor of this movie was so unexpected that you had to wait literal MONTHS to get the action figures promised on the cereal boxes. The pieces were still in the manufacturing process and we had to settle for coupons promising our toys in a few months. I wound up seeing this in the theaters a grand total of 36 times; much to my mother's dismay. She loved the movie as I did, but felt I was obsessed. Today, thirty years later, sitting here writing this review, I realize how right she was. I'm still obsessed with this movie, and with the subsequent movies which followed. I wait in great anticipation for Episode 3. I'm a fan, and I don't care what other people say about Episodes 1 & 2. I don't even mind the"prequel" factor, as the situation at the time, dictated to Lucas which movies he would do first.

See, I remember the studios saying to him that he had to choose from the three central climactic books, and trash the rest, or just trash the whole idea. He didn't exactly"sell out," he did what he had to do to get his movie...his vision...out there for us to see and experience. I admired his decision then, and I admire it now. Episodes 1-3 are being filmed now, because Lucas had the clout, the money, and the patience to give us his vision...his complete vision and not just the three center books of a 9-book series. I realize that now, there are dozens of books, but at the time, there were nine. And while most of us were happy with Episodes 4-6 and would not have missed 1-3 and 7-9, I personally am so very glad he has taken it upon himself to give us his full vision. I have enjoyed each and every installment with the same sense of awe and joy as I did this one.

The casting was the first triumph for this cinematic milestone. Ford is a charismatic and magnetic personality and portrayed Han with a professionalism that you'd expect from more seasoned actors. Sir Alec Guiness is an absolute joy as Obi Wan. His casting was precise and excellent in that part. Carrie Fisher portrayed Leia in a way that, up until then, had never been experienced. Most"princess" types before her were whining, whimpering, little snots who were incapable of anything beyond tripping and twisting their ankle in times of peril, while Fisher portrayed her character as a bold, brazen, yet sophisticated and educated woman who was aware of her surroundings and capable of defending herself and her realm with the utmost authority.

And Mark Hamil. He was perfectly cast as the whining little boy who wanted more, but was afraid to reach for it. He grows up quite well on film in these three installments, and endears himself to the audience so much the more for it. But a cast member who is almost always left out of these reviews is Peter Mayhew. Chewbacca. His character, as a supporting character to Han's, was exemplary. It's not easy portraying a walking carpet, yet holding the attention, admiration, and love of virtual millions. I am VERY happy about his being cast as Chewy in Episode 3. Couldn't happen to a more deserving...or capable...fellow. Bravo! And James Earl Jones's voice being used as the voice of Darth Vader, was pure genius. His commanding voice haunted the dreams of countless thousands of star-struck children for generations to come. I also have to say that this movie would not have had the charm it does had it not been for Anthony Daniels' C3P0. He is a gift and a joy.

The musical score by John Williams featured in this masterpiece was one of the contributing factors. But honestly, this movie's success was such a total surprise to everyone, including Lucas, that nothing could prepare the world for the aftermath of having witnessed this bona fide legend, first hand.

The story itself; replete with sub-plot after sub-plot, rich in dialog and detail, was beyond anyone's greatest expectations. Everyone, including Lucas, expected this movie to fail. It is a timeless classic, which I will not repeat here. There are too many movie reviews giving full details of the plot, and I won't be redundant beyond what I have already said.

However, that being said, there are a few points I would like to make concerning the symbolism of this endeavor. The Force is a metaphor for the psychic abilities with which we are all born. It was also a metaphor for hope and faith, dedication and commitment to the greater state of being. The Empire is said to have been a metaphor for the Germanic Nazi"storm troopers." While the Rebellion is said to have been symbolic of (what would later become) the NATO forces who defeated them.

And then there are the effects. The effects were, in 1977, so awesome; so creative; so ahead of their time, as to ensure this movie's vast success for the next forty years. George Lucas enjoys an almost god-like status among sci-fi/fantasy fans worldwide.

This movie does not rate a rating. Usually, when I say that, it is because the movie is so bad, or disappointing that I don't have the heart to rate it.

But in this case, it far surpasses any 10/10 rating I could give it.

classic!!!!the best end to a series

turn left-10/10-a classic episode,Catherine Tate flexes her acting and really 'meats' Donna up as she shows different perspectives of her character,and one of my favourite episodes...the best doctor light ever...blows Blink right out of the water...and Rose makes a big comeback,Donna has to be the best companion on the show ever!!
The Stolen Earth-10+/10-a massive/epic episode that finally makes the Daleks scary again...definately my favourite episode to date,Davros makes a petrifying comeback and so do-Martha,Jack,and Sarah-Jane as they team up with TORCHWOOD's Gwen and Ianto,some amazing scenes and superb effects,Russel T.Davies is set to make the biggest finale ever!!!!and my god that cliffhanger...just four more days to wait.
Journey's End-BE BACK TO REVIEW WHEN EPISODE HAS AIRED
i can't wait until the finale...couldn't wait to express my excitement(sorry)but i will edit my review once Journey's end has aired...(aaaaaaaaah).

The second best series ever to run, and the spin-off from the first

If you're a Buffy fan, I don't even know why I have to bother explaining why you should buy this - you should be clicking the"Buy" button as we speak.

This is the second best series ever to run (after Buffy itself of course). Season 5 takes place after the ending of Buffy after season 7, so you get something of an insight into what happened afterwards, and a familiar face crops up you thought was gone forever. As for seasons 1-4, they run alongside Buffy seasons 4+, after Angel's tear-soaked departure, even with the occasional guest-spot from Buffy characters.

This box set is a must-have. Better than most things on TV nowadays and you won't get sick of watching it. what're you waiting for: BUY IT!

A lot more to offer

The 1st 2 seasons steadily improved upon a simple formula. 4400 people who disappeared without a trace return all at once. It turns out they were abducted and have each been given a special power, but by who & why? It's those 2 questions that season 3 really starts to get it's teeth into. The little pre-cog girl mya tells her adopted mum she's going to forget about her and the story that follows opens up a whole new area that is more important than anything thats gone before. Just who took these people & why starts to be shown and into the mix is thrown the former baby of 4400's Lily & richard, Isabelle. she has become an adult overnight at the cost of her mother rapidly aging too. isabelle it turns out has more power than the other 4400's. before long she is becoming dangerous & begins to frighten those around her, including Shawn.
As all this takes place doc Burkoff appears to slip into madness & near death as he injects hiself with the 4400 hormone pro-mycin. Ryland returns more nasty than ever and a character that was thought long gone returns to startling effect.
There are fewer of the stand-alone 'lets take a look at a single 4400 & their power' episodes as all the major characters begin to become more & more important time spent away from them begins to feel redundant. There are some terriffic plot twists & although it takes a couple of episodes to get going once it does it never looks back & just keeps gathering pace & urgency.
The only other programme of this type is really 'Battlestar galactica', a different setting I know but they share the fact that they are unaffraid to explore personalities, to change characters from good to bad quickly and to make thepeople portrayed appear as frail, greedy and unpleasant as in real life. The boundaries really begin to blur in season 3.
Production values have always been high & that hasn't changed here. picture & especially sound are spot on.
The extra's are fine incl. commentaries but it's the storylines that count here.
If you saw the 1st 2 and enjoyed them then this will not disappoint.

let war commence

The best season of deep space nine begins with the six part occupation arc continuing from the season 5 finale in which hostile forces occupy the station & its up to a small band of resistance fighters to help Starfleet forces retake the station which concludes with an epic battle. The season continues with episodes of the highest calibre with marriage in `you are concordantly invited', faked death in who `mourns for morn', survival with your worst enemy in `waltz', the fantastic `beyond the stars', the secret sub division of the federation in `inquisition', unprepared glory hungry cadets in `valiant' & the exciting & heart breaking season finale `tears of the prophets'. This season showcases the finest of ds9 & perhaps of any star trek show. It's worth every penny you pay for it particularly at this low price, snap it up.

Good solid performances, shame about the end!

A fast paced, creepy movie with a huge tense build-up (the moment Kidman has a salesman call at her front door is very scary) with top notch performances from the main characters and then... a rushed, disappointing ending which leaves you feeling cheated. A shame, could have been a real classic chiller if this had been addressed. A special credit should go to Kidman's on screen Son who acted the role in a non-slushy way as usually happens in similar American movies.

You'll watch this because of the first two series but it's nowhere near as good

It seems that the writers may have taken themselves a bit too seriously in this installment, because the pacing is incredibly slow. The religious and political aspect of the show takes on a far greater role, and as a result the balance of the show is greatly interrupted. There is far less action, and this is replaced with long, drawn out and wordy scenes which in my opinion are very pompous indeed. Also, the plot lines are a lot less strong-there are some episodes where you just think"oh please, this is just ridiculous." One very important episode springs to mind-the whole series could come to a close, but the ending is preposterous, and is just glossed over, then things move on to the next episode (trying not to include spoilers here). You'll watch it because you have to in order to keep up with the series, but it really is pretty poor in comparison to the first 2 series.