Pixel Scroll 10/28 Trolling Down the Moon

(1) The Galactic Journey blog is written as the day-to-day experiences of an sf fan living 55 years ago. Last week The Traveler covered the final Nixon-Kennedy debate and the first episode of The Twilight Zone’s second season.

Today’s post is inspired by a Mack Reynolds story in the “current” November 1960 issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction. Really well done.

Science fiction is not prediction.  It is extrapolation.  No one can see the future, but a gifted writer can show you, dramatically, what will happen “if this goes on.”

It’s no surprise that science fiction writing has enjoyed a boom since 1950.  Never has our world been on the brink of so many exciting and dangerous potentialities.  On the positive side: space travel, automation by computers and robots, atomic energy.  On the negative side: pollution, global warming, and atomic annihilation….

On the other side of the coin, we have Mack Reynolds’ Russkies Go Home!, which appeared in this month’s (November 1960) Fantasy and Science Fiction.  Mr. Reynolds reportedly just returned from a trip behind the Iron Curtain, which explains the multitude of Russia-related stories he’s recently turned out.  Clearly, the trip impressed the writer, as the stories all posit a Soviet Union that fulfills Senator Kennedy’s nightmare prophecies by surpassing the United States in prosperity by 1970.

(2) StoryBundle’s 2015 NaNoWriMo Writing Tools Bundle includes Book View Café’s own Brewing Fine Fiction anthology, and two additional guides by BVC members: Writing Horses by Judith Tarr and Writing Fight Scenes by Marie Brennan.

  • The 2015 NaNoWriMo Writing Tools Bundle contains 13 new books on all aspects of writing, from craft, to productivity, to business, to career advice, to specific areas of expertise, designed for novices or experts alike.
  • A second-tier bonus: If you beat the total of $25, you can get 25 total books, all put together by curator and bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson.
  • When you purchase a bundle you can choose to donate to NaNoWriMo itself.

(3) ‘Tis the season. “Witch wins protective order against warlock in Salem court”.

A judge granted a protective order against a warlock on Wednesday, spelling relief for the Salem witch who accused him of harassment.

The two squared off in court before a Salem District Court judge, who granted the protective order to witch priestess Lori Sforza. She had accused self-proclaimed warlock Christian Day of harassing her over the phone and on social media over the past three years.

(4) Sarah A. Hoyt’s “Swallowing A Fly — #2 How to plot” is useful for NaNoWriMo or any of the other 11 months.

To not lose the plot, I invite you to contemplate the little old lady who swallowed a fly.

She swallowed the spider to catch the fly, she swallowed a bird to catch the spider, she swallowed a cat to catch the bird etc.  Note that starting with the original problem (It might help to know that in regency slang at least to swallow a spider was to go deep into debt you can’t escape) she swallows each animal to catch the last — i.e. to try to solve her problem.  And each time her problem gets worse.

Your character, in the same way, starting with a problem on which they act in what has to be a somewhat rational manner (unless it’s one of my refinishing mysteries) and where the result backfires horribly, must engage in attempting ever bigger solutions (to bigger problems) and having them blow up even bigger.

(5) Allen Steele has a comeback for Nancy Fulda’s “What To Expect When You Start An Internet Kerfuffle” at the SFWA Blog.

There is a solution to all this: don’t blog.

Really, you don’t need to do so, regardless of the current conventional wisdom that says a writer must relentlessly promote himself on the web. Quite a few well-established writers don’t, and their literary careers are just fine, thank you. If you visit the bookstore, you won’t find THE COLLECTED BLOGS OF MARK TWAIN or DUNE BLOGGER by Frank Herbert or ASIMOV BLOGS AGAIN, and there may be a reason for this.

And if getting yourself in trouble for your internet posts isn’t reason enough, then consider this: over the years, I’ve noticed that — with very few exceptions — an author’s literary output decreases in inverse proportion with the amount of time and energy he or she spends on the Internet. And no one is going to pay you for what you post on your blog or even care a month or so later…unless it’s something that may adversely effect your literary career.

The Internet is not your friend. So don’t blog.

(6) Today’s Birthday Boy

  • Born October 28, 1951 – Joe R. Lansdale, 10-time Bram Stoker Award winner.

(7) Motherboard airs its outrage that “Someone in Alabama sold a priceless lunar rover for scrap metal”.

During the Apollo missions, NASA only made a handful of lunar rovers. Three of them are still sitting on the surface of the moon. One of them is at the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. And another was recently smashed into bits in an Alabama junkyard.

According to documents acquired by Motherboard as part of a Freedom of Information Act request, a priceless lunar rover prototype designed for the Apollo missions was sold to a junkyard in Alabama for scrap metal sometime last year. Specific names and details are redacted in the documents, which include internal emails and reports by NASA’s Office of the Inspector General, the agency responsible for investigating and recovering lost and stolen NASA property.

(8) “He had a right to shoot at this drone, and I’m gonna dismiss this charge”, a made-up quote, headlines Eugene Volokh’s latest installment of “The Volokh Conspiracy” for the Washington Post. Kentucky jurisprudence is notorious inside the Beltway, therefore it’s surprising Volokh reaches the end of his column without having made much legal headway against the fellow who shot down a drone flying through his property.

(9) Via Bayou Renaissance Man, another article on model masculinity —

According to Country Life magazine in the UK, a gentleman’s traits include such gems as:

  • Is aware that facial hair is temporary, but a tattoo is permanent
  • Possesses at least one well-made dark suit, one tweed suit and a dinner jacket
  • Avoids lilac socks and polishes his shoes
  • Breaks a relationship face to face
  • Arrives at a meeting five minutes before the agreed time
  • Knows the difference between Glenfiddich and Glenda Jackson
  • Would never own a Chihuahua
  • Can tie his own bow tie
  • Demonstrates that making love is neither a race nor a competition

(10) James H. Burns found a YouTube video of film footage from the costume contest at Phil Seuling’s 1973 Comic Convention, at the Commodore Hotel, in New York. He identified many science fiction friends in the proceedings.

There are just audience shots for the first two minutes, and then footage of the costumed revelers gathered together. That’s the legendary Joan Winston in the midriff baring dress and the star-spangled cape–Joan was the CBS and ABC executive key to helping run the early STAR TREK conventions, who later became an author (and an agent), and also helped contribute to MANY science fiction events. Thomas Anderson, chairman of a Lunacon or two, and a World Fantasy Convention (and another original Trek Con veteran),appears with his girlfriend (were they married yet?) Dana L. Friese (soon to have more fame in fandom as Dana L.F. Anderson) as Elric.  Costume con favorite Angelique Trouvere (aka “Destiny”) is there as Vampirella (with Heidi Saha as the young Vampi).  Long time film actor, and science fiction fan, Teel James Glenn is there as Flash Gordon (and is that Cortland Hull as Ming?) Soon-to-be-veteran comics pro Jack Harris is Two-Face, Patrick Daniel O’Neill hams it up as Captain Marvel Jr…. (Amazngly, Dave Burd,  future cast member the cult TV comedy program THE UNCLE FLOYD SHOW, is also in attendance, as THE T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS’ Dynamo.) The sound kicks in at about 4:05, and then suddenly one is back in July, 1973!  I find this particularly amazing, because I would become friends with many of these folks, just two-and-a-half years later!  (Heck, I’d be helping to run the programming at some of these comic cons, just a little while after that!)  Although I couldn’t spot any familiar faces in the audience, some among the File 770 faithful might be able to recognize someone–and it’s still a great record of just what a comic con crowd often looked like, even during the next d=few seasons.  (The Andersons, and Joanie, perform a skit, at around 10:10.)  It would be interesting who else can identified here, among the costumed cohorts!

 

(11) I’ve heard of The 39 Steps, but this is the first time I have heard of The 75 Steps, although I’ve seen The Exorcist.

For Andrew Huff, lover of horror films, the 75 steps in Washington, D.C., where Father Karras plummets to his death in “The Exorcist” are his Lincoln Memorial. “I go to the steps all the time,” he said, “and when visitors come to Washington, I always take them there.”

All that was missing was a special tourist designation. And on Friday, largely through Mr. Huff’s efforts, that oversight will be rectified. The eerie stairway will be commemorated with an official city plaque — even signed by Mayor Muriel Bowser — declaring them “The Exorcist Steps.”

I wonder where you go in that neighborhood for a nice bowl of pea soup.

(12) Ray Bradbury manuscripts going under the hammer! And some nice artwork. You have until tomorrow to bid on these items in the latest Nate D. Sanders auction.

Bradbury lot COMP

Ray Bradbury Original Typed Manuscripts For “The Women” And “The Shape Of Things” – Also With Letter Signed By Bradbury From 1964

Ray Bradbury typed letter signed, plus two original typed manuscripts, given by Bradbury to Fracisco Porrua, who edited Bradbury’s works for the Spanish language population. Accompanying the typed manuscripts for ”The Women” and ”The Shape of Things”, Bradbury writes to Porrua on 3 March 1964 on his personal stationery: ”…I have no secretary, which means that hundreds of letters which come in during each month must be funneled through my own inadequate hands and sometimes I fall far behind with my correspondence. Forgive me. To help you in your search for stories for R IS FOR ROCKET, I enclose the following science-fantasy stories and weird-fantasy stories…” Bradbury goes on to list 10 stories, including ”The Women” and ”The Shape of Things” and then continues, ”…I believe these stories would give you much to juggle with in reshaping your various titles in the various books…” Bradbury continues, regarding the introduction for ”R Is for Rocket” and writes, ”…I am happy to hear you will soon be making an offer on MACHINERIES OF JOY and THE ANTHEM SPRINTERS…[signed] Ray Bradbury”. Both manuscripts are typed on thin tracing paper which was placed behind regular sheets of paper. ”The Women” is 16 pages and ”The Shape of Things” is 26 pages. Manuscripts and letter measure 8.5” x 11”. Lot is in very good condition.

Minimum Bid: $1,000.

Pooh COMP

Ink and Watercolor Drawing by E.H. Shepard of Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet

Beautifully rendered watercolor and ink drawing of Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet by E.H. Shepard, the illustrator chosen by A.A. Milne to bring his literary characters to life. Here, Shepard draws Pooh and Piglet upon a letter to his agent, allowing the characters to express his feelings of gratitude and joy. In the autograph letter signed, dated 29 February 1932, Shepard thanks his agent for a letter, writing that he has ”done splendidly” and that ”this view is shared by others”. To emphasize his feelings, Shepard draws Winnie-the-Pooh reaching up and Piglet excitedly jumping at his side. Shepard must have been very pleased with his agent, as he very seldom drew his most famous characters; this drawing, done early in the illustrator’s career and just a few years after the Pooh series, is a rare exception. Single page is written from Long Meadow, Guildford. Light uniform toning and mounted to card. Overall in very good to near fine condition. With provenance from Sotheby’s.

Minimum Bid: $50,000

[Thanks to Andrew Porter, David Doering, James H. Burns, and John King Tarpinian for some of these stories. Title credit belongs to File 770 contributing editor of the day Brian Z.]

214 thoughts on “Pixel Scroll 10/28 Trolling Down the Moon

  1. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Abstain

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Abstain — wasn’t that fond of either

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    The Outer Limits (6)

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)

    2. DOUBLE X
    Abstain

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)

  2. Coreward:

    1. Babylon 5
    2. ST: DS9
    3. Outer Limits
    4. Twilight Zone (oooh, that hurt. sorry Capt. Jack, still love ya)

    Spinward:
    1. Prisoner
    2. X-Files
    3. ack ack ack ack… Doctor Who Classic, though so close for Eureka.
    4. Firefly

    Only a little painful.

  3. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5

    I nominated Misfits but B5 had Bester, and you can’t spell that without Best!

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9

    Arguably the best modern Trek

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    The Outer Limits

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone

    Captain Jack vs Rod Sterling. It’s not a match I am afraid.

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner

    2. DOUBLE X
    X-Files

    I love both, but for years my 8:30s on Wednesday was reserved for Mulder and Scully, something TNG can’t compete with.

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic]

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Stargate SG-1

    Firefly is a cult fav but SG1 has the form and endurance.

  4. 1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, LIGHT-SABER MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    The Outer Limits (6)

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)

    Spinward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)
    By a Spot. The X-Files had higher highs. but spent more time in the abyss .

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Eureka (6)

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Stargate SG-1 (10)

  5. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. Babylon 5.

    2. eh… abstain.

    3. LIES! Nobody has a plan! But I’m voting for BSG anyway…

    4. We are now entering a place where oversexed Doctor Who spinoffs have no meaning; We are now entering THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

    Spinnier-Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. eh… abstain

    2. I want to believe that the Duchovny/Anderson reunion tour will be worth watching, but I’m voting for Riker’s Beard. TNG.

    3. … eh. I guess the stuff Doug Adams was involved with was pretty solid. THE DOCTOR.

    4. TAKE MY LOVE, TAKE MY LAND, TAKE ME WHERE I CANNOT STAAAAND… Firefly.

  6. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Abstain–haven’t seen much of either show.

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)
    Robin of Sherwood (12)
    “Far Beyond the Stars” settles it.

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)
    The Outer Limits (6)
    So the 3rd season went wobbly. You’ve still got the board with every single human left: 51,034; you’ve got Tyrol’s demented determination to build a new Blackbird, you’ve got Bear McCreary’s dazzling scoring of “Passacaglia” in s1ep13. So say we all!

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)
    Torchwood (10)
    Torchwood was good sometimes. The Twilight Zone was spectacular most of the time.

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)
    Mystery Science Theater 3000 (9)
    Tough, but as awesome as it as that MST3K exists, it didn’t break new ground after establishing its concept. Once senses The Prisoner was not so much created as unleashed.

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)
    X-Files (5)
    The first seriously difficult vote for me, and strikingly similar scenarios–long-running, variable quality, and “THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!” almost made me reverse course, but at the end of the day, The X-Files could stretch to accommodate the comedic tragedy “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose” to a black and white Frankenstein fable to the bleakly paranoid “The Erlenmeyer Flask.”

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)
    Eureka (6)
    I have now tried to watch classic Dr. Who 3 different times, including an ep by Douglas Adams, whom I worship. I couldn’t get through 5 minutes in any of the cases.

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)
    Stargate SG-1 (10)
    Even if the other Stargate hadn’t just taken out Lost, this quote would lock it down for Firefly: “You’re going to burn in a very special level of hell. A level they reserve for child molesters. And people who talk at the theatre.”

  7. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)
    Misfits [UK] (9)

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)
    Robin of Sherwood (12)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)
    The Outer Limits (6)

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)
    Torchwood (10)

    Spinward? Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)
    Mystery Science Theater 3000 (9)

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)
    X-Files (5)

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)
    Eureka (6)

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)
    Stargate SG-1 (10)

  8. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. abstain
    2. Star Trek: Deep Space 9
    3. abstain
    4. The Twilight Zone

    Spinward Region – Round Two

    1. abstain
    2. Star Trek: The Next Generation
    3. abstain
    4. Firefly

  9. Brackets

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES

    Babylon 5

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF

    Star Trek: Deep Space 9

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.

    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot]

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?

    The Twilight Zone

    Spinward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK

    The Prisoner

    2. DOUBLE X

    X-Files

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION

    Doctor Who [Classic]

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?

    Firefly

  10. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)
    Misfits [UK] (9)

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)
    Robin of Sherwood (12)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)
    The Outer Limits (6)

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)
    Torchwood (10)

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)
    Mystery Science Theater 3000 (9)

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)
    X-Files (5)

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)
    Eureka (6)

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)
    Stargate SG-1 (10)

  11. 1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)

    Tempted to go with the underdog, here, but not quite tempted enough.

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Robin of Sherwood (12)

    Best of the Trek spin-offs, versus the best TV presentation of Robin Hood, ever. Not an easy choice. However, the Hooded Man won out in the end. (Maybe because nobody mentioned Jason Connery.)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)

    Sorely tempted by the Outer Limits, but BSG wins it.

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)

    Ah, right. Torchwood versus something I care about. Guess which wins?

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)

    MST3K does not matter to me more than The Prisoner, sorry.

    2. DOUBLE X
    X-Files (5)

    Never warmed to TNG, not nearly as much as I did to the X-Files. X-Files it is.

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)

    Going to have to do a lot better than Eureka to turn me off the classics, sorry!

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)

    I still think Firefly is overrated. But I like it more than Stargate, anyway.

  12. Coreward Region – Round Two
    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)
    The characters in Misfits make my teeth grind.
    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Robin of Sherwood (12)
    Oooo, tricky. Robin is very much a show of my youth, and thus getting nostalgia points. DS9 is the best post-TNG Trek, but I have to say it never grabbed me into “must watch it all” territory when it was playing in an inconvenient time on UK TV. I would drop in and out. Voting for the UK underdog!
    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)
    OK, so they lied about having a Plan….
    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    Just Watch
    Fifth Coreward Region – Round Two
    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)
    MST3000 was funny, but The Prisoner is a classic.
    2. DOUBLE X
    X-Files (5)
    Ouch. Argh. Both great genre shows but at very different points of the spectrum. Both had major impact. I’d argue that despite frequently losing track of their own meta-plot, X-Files showed you could have one, while TNG’s fingerprints are all over later shows. I’m voting for the one that I watched with marginally higher levels of obsession.
    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)
    You will believe a Dalek can fly (well, hover a bit)
    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)
    Still shiny.

  13. Coreward Region – Round Two

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Robin of Sherwood (12)

    Kind of fell apart when Second Robin showed up. Still better than DS9.

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)

    Although we have probably reached the limit of my affection for the earlier seasons. The outer limit, so to speak.

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)

    IT’S A COOKBOOK!

    Spinward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)

    Ah, I knew it would come. The first time two of my favorites (two of my own nominees, in fact), go up against each other. But while both had some of the sharpest writing on TV, MST3K set the target much closer to the gun; they both scored bullseyes, but I’ll go with the one that hit it from a more impressive distance.

    2. DOUBLE X
    X-Files (5)

    I could always take or leave TNG, honestly. But while X-Files hit a period when I had to leave, there was also a period when I had to watch.

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)
    Stargate SG-1 (10)

    And … two shows I don’t really care about. Can I vote for

    whichever one ultimately loses

    to make them feel better?

  14. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    The Outer Limits (6)

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)

    Spinward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)

    2. DOUBLE X
    X-Files (5)

    Very closely matched but X-Files was much watch TV for longer for me.

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)

    How did Eureka get this far anyway?

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Stargate SG-1 (10)

    Going Stargate with clenched teeth. Firefly burned bright but briefly SG-1 maintained a high standard throughout its run with occasional real highs like the Stargate Extreme episodes.

  15. 1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)

    Sad to see the inevitable demise of Misfits, but for all its flaws there is so much more that is good about B5

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Robin of Sherwood (12)

    Maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s the contest of English mysticism and Norman politics, maybe it’s because Nickolas Grace was just that good, but mainly, I think, it’s because Robin of Sherwood never put an epic, world-changing conflict on hold to go and play bloody baseball.

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)

    I never understood people’s problems with the ending. Given the premise, what were they expecting?

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    Torchwood (10)

    A tricky one, but I have to give it to Torchwood if only for the scene where the Cabinet discuss taking children from the schools at the bottom of the league tables to give to the aliens.

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)

    Number Six is hardly going to be defeated that easily.

    2. DOUBLE X
    X-Files (5)

    Both massively over-rated, but X-Files at least has (a) moments of real humour and (b) Gillian Anderson. TNG is just beige. Beige sets, beige clothes, beige characters, beige dialogue. Beige beige beige.

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)

    It’s hard to think of another show that could do any of The Romans, The Mind Robber, Carnival of Monsters, The Brain of Morbius, City of Death, Kinda, Remembrance of the Daleks, the Happiness Patrol or Ghost Light. To do all of them? That’s astonishing.

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)

    You can get a lot further with engaging characters, snappy dialogue and memorable scenes than you can without any of those things.

  16. Coreward Region – Round Two
    1. Abstain
    2. Robin of Sherwood (12)
    3. The Outer Limits (6)
    4. Torchwood (10)
    Fifth Coreward Region – Round Two
    1. The Prisoner (1)
    2. Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)
    3. Doctor Who [Classic] (3)
    4. Firefly (2)

  17. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)
    Misfits [UK] (9)

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)
    Robin of Sherwood (12)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)
    The Outer Limits (6)
    Abstain

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)
    Torchwood (10)

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)
    Mystery Science Theater 3000 (9)

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)
    X-Files (5)

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)
    Eureka (6)
    Abstain

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)
    Stargate SG-1 (10)
    Abstain

  18. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. Babylon 5 (1)

    2. Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)

    3. Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)

    4. The Twilight Zone (2)

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. The Prisoner (1)

    2. Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)

    3. Doctor Who [Classic] (3)

    4. Stargate SG-1 (10)

  19. 1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)
    Misfits [UK] (9)

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)
    Robin of Sherwood (12)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)
    The Outer Limits (6)

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)
    Torchwood (10)

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)
    Mystery Science Theater 3000 (9)

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)
    X-Files (5)

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)
    Eureka (6)

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)
    Stargate SG-1 (10)

    It is still possible for me to vote in accordance with my submitted bracket. I expect this to change radically next round….

  20. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)

    Spinward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)

    Le sigh. Much as I love MST3K, it is no The Prisoner.

    2. DOUBLE X
    X-Files (5)

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)

  21. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Stargate SG-1 (10)

  22. Forehead Cloths! Getcher nice fresh Forehead Cloths Here! Now available by subscription! Just fill in the box every time you don’t want one! (Why yes, we took our subscription model from the old Science Fiction Book Club, why do you ask?)

    And I can vote on exactly one pairing in these rounds:
    The Prisoner.

  23. Coreward Region – Round Two

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)

    Slapdash metaplot is a problem, but serial TV is more than metaplot and there are many reasons to support BSG here, including the fact that it is every bit as important historically as Outer Limits. But this vote is for Tricia Helfer and James Callis, Mary McConnell and Edward James Olmos, Grace Park and Tamoh Penikett and Nicki Clyne and Aaron Douglas and the half-dozen people in the climactic scene of “Fragged” who had to be perfect and were and we don’t even remember their names without looking them up. This vote is for the best ensemble cast, top to bottom, this side of Deadwood. This vote is for the actors*.

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)

    I’ll vote Children of Earth pretty far in a limited-run tourney, but not full Torchwood here.

    Spinward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)

    On one side, you have The Prisoner’s genuine importance. On the other side, MST3K partakes of nerddom’s unhealthy obsession with performative ridicule of what we dislike. So this is a vote for one and against the other.

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)

    I liked ST:TNG okay. I anti-liked X-Files quite a bit.

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Write-in: A purifying, all-consuming fire

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)

    No contest.

    *Except Lucy Lawless, whose casting was a terrible mistake. She just was not a good enough actor to hang with the rest of the troupe, and tended to bring down every scene she was in.

  24. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    The Outer Limits (6)

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    Torchwood (10)

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)

    Is “coreward” the replacement for “fifth” in these things?

  25. This is indeed the round where some matches tighten up. Early in the second half, our top seeds, B5 and the Prisoner, are walking all over their opponents, as are Classic Who and Twilight Zone. But as of our most recent TV time-out, the two Treks and Firefly were holding only single-digit leads in their matches and BSG-Outer Limits was deadlocked. Will all four contests go down to the wire, or will someone remember that The Wire was not eligible for this tournament?

  26. 1. Misfits
    2. Robin of Sherwood
    3. Outer Limits
    4. Twilight Zone

    1. Mystery Science Theater 3000
    2. Star Trek: The Next Generation (beats everything for “The Inner LIght” alone)
    3. Eureka
    4. Stargate SG-1

  27. Thanks to James H. Burns for digging up the old 1973 Comic Art Con video.

    It was great to see all those fans in old costumes, particularly in new characters of the moment, like Etrigan and Big Barda and Elric and Darkseid and Cheech Wizard and *two* Vampirellas.

    That Ming the Merciless was awesome.

    It really hurt to see the Joker tear up that vintage “Batman” comic, though.

  28. Coreward Region

    1. Babylon 5
    2. Robin of Sherwood because DS9 is always going to be that cheap imitation of B5 to me
    3. Abstain
    4. The Twilight Zone

    Spinward Region

    1. Mystery Science Theater 3000
    2. Abstain
    3. Classic Doctor Who
    4. Abstain

  29. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    The Outer Limits (6)

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    Mystery Science Theater 3000 (9)

    2. DOUBLE X
    X-Files (5)

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Eureka (6)

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Stargate SG-1 (10)

  30. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. Babylon 5 (1)

    2. Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)

    3. Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)

    4. Torchwood (10)

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. The Prisoner (1)

    2. Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)

    3. Doctor Who [Classic] (3)

    4. Got to go for a tie here…

  31. Coreward 1
    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Misfits [UK] (9)
    Ouch – neither are my favorites but Misfits by a whisker.

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)
    Another tough one – nearly voted against DS9 to stop Star Trek dominance but that seems spiteful. However Robin of Sherwood was too uneven in the end.

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)
    Another battle of less-than favorites but I’ll go with BSG because I like the idea of redeeming the original.

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)
    Torchwood is the epitome of uneveness. Children of Earth though is a strong contender for a bracket of a different structure. The Twilight Zone had that all important anything-could-happen quality that results in SF TV shows often being some of the most important bits of TV. What can be done with the medium of the television show? Look to SF.

    Rebel Puppy Coreward Region

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK

    Mystery Science Theater 3000 (9)

    So people can’t claim I always pick the British shows…

    2. DOUBLE X

    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)

    ooofffff – that was a punch to the gut. TNG wins because The X-Files always had that odd anti-science anti-rationality vibe to it. It isn’t because of the stories so much but because the aliens/spooky-forces behind everything felt oddly sincere. Like the opposite of the Doctor Who aesthetic.

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION

    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)

    In particular voting for fragmented bits of half rescued b/w serials with dodgy sets, inconsistent acting, odd plots and unfortunate sexism and racism, not because those are good things but because at its worst (and there is a lot of the worst) it is still genius.

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?

    Firefly (2)

    Not a big fan of either but I remain mystified that Stargate could milk that premise for so long and over spin-offs and TV-movies. I quite liked the film despite its flaws but the premise was really just enough for the one movie. Firefly though had the exact opposite problem – a really good sized ‘world’, small enough to make sense of and big enough for lots of stories…and yet failed in a TV world full of Stargate spin-offs. A vote for Firefly is a vote against the vagaries of broadcasting.

    Hopefully the coreward rebellion is quashed soon, I can see Meredith has broken out the riot foam.

  32. Coreward

    1. Babylon 5
    2. ST:DS9

    Spinning Coreward

    1. The Prisoner
    Watched The Prisoner with my dad, MST3K with my kids….sorry kids
    2.ST:TNG
    Two Trek votes in one round and yet I have to explain to my mundane friends why I’m not a Trekie. Hmmmm, note to self…
    4. Firefly
    The answer: because way more of my books (books!!!) feel like Firefly than Star Trek….or Stargate

  33. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. Babylon 5 (1)

    2. Robin of Sherwood (12)

    3. Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)

    4. Torchwood (10)

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. The Prisoner (1)

    2. X-Files (5)

    3. Eureka (6)

    4. Stargate SG-1 (10)

    Breaking out the forehead cloths…

  34. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Misfits [UK] (9). While B5 had lovely graphics, the story never did anything for me.

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4). Ugh, this was hard. Both shows had major flaws, but both were a lot of fun if you looked past that. Overall, though, I think I liked DS9 a little more.

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    The Outer Limits (6). Another very hard one, but OL is just too much of a classic, and I thought BG was a bit too uneven in quality.

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    Abstain.

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1). Ouch! Very hard choice.

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4). No contest.

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Eureka (6). Love this, and not a fan of classic Who at all.

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2). I’m not as big a fan as a lot of people, but it definitely had enough good moments to push it past SG.

  35. Whew–made this one!

    FILE 770 LIVE-ACTION TV TOURNAMENT AND BRACKETS

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)
    Misfits [UK] (9)

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)
    Robin of Sherwood (12)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)
    The Outer Limits (6)

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)
    Torchwood (10)

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)
    Mystery Science Theater 3000 (9)

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)
    X-Files (5)

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)
    Eureka (6)

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)
    Stargate SG-1 (10)

  36. Coreward Region – Round Two
    1. Babylon 5
    2. Star Trek: Deep Space 9
    3. The Outer Limits
    4. The Twilight Zone

    Spinward Region – Round Two
    1. The Prisoner
    2. Star Trek: The Next Generation
    3. Doctor Who [Classic]
    4. Firefly

  37. Because I’m not sure three episodes of classic Doctor Who and season one of Eureka are a representative sample, I have:

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    The Outer Limits (6)

    The BSG revamp started out as the most exciting, interesting thing I’d seen in a very long time. I still haven’t seen the last few (six? 10?) episodes, so I’m voting for the one that regularly gave me weird dreams and occasional nightmares.

  38. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)
    Misfits [UK] (9)

    Oh come on! I enjoyed Misfits more but Babylon5 was more influential. Goes looking for a forehead cloth (TM).

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)
    Robin of Sherwood (12)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)
    The Outer Limits (6)

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)
    Torchwood (10)

    Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)
    Mystery Science Theater 3000 (9)

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)
    X-Files (5)

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)
    Eureka (6)

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)
    Stargate SG-1 (10)
    Bit of an unfair comparison 14 episodes vs. many many more.

  39. 1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Deep Space Nine

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION, AND WE HAVE A PLAN
    Outer Limits

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    Twilight Zone

  40. Coreward Region – Round Two

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)
    Londo and G’kar’s arc alone brings B5 at least this far. That was a thing of beauty.

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Abstain due to ominous omens.

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)
    I enjoyed Torchwood, but it did not hit genius. The Twilight Zone did.

    Sqidward Region – Round Two

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)
    Now I am exiled from the Satellite of Love evermore, and will have no one “I’m a Danger to Myself and Others” with ever again.

    2. DOUBLE X
    X-Files (5)
    Four words: Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose.

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Abstain with a cheery insouciance.

  41. 1. TONIGHT THERES GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Stargate SG-1

  42. FILE 770 LIVE-ACTION TV TOURNAMENT AND BRACKETS

    Coreward Region – Round Two Results

    1. COPING STRATEGIES
    Babylon 5 (1)
    Misfits [UK] (9)

    Fresh off their first-round upset, the superpowered hooligans of Misfits found out what a real favorite looks like. The Babylon 5 crew took a commanding lead early and never let up. “That is what I call peace in our time, baby!” exulted CWO Michael Garibaldi. “I thought Garibaldi died?” said Nathan of the Misfits. It turned out he was thinking of the detective from Hill Street Blues. Final score:

    Babylon 5 – 46
    Misfits 3

    2. BALD MAN, HOODED MAN, ANDROID MAN, THIEF
    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (4)
    Robin of Sherwood (12)

    The Merry Men came in as underdogs, but with a plan: take advantage of their greater mobility against their space-station-bound opponents. The plan was good enough to keep things close for awhile and finish respectably, but ultimately it was bows and arrows against, you know, phasers and stuff. Final score:

    Star Trek: DS9 – 35
    Robin of Sherwood 19

    3. WE ARE CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION. AND WE HAVE A PLAN.
    Battlestar Galactica [Reboot] (3)
    The Outer Limits (6)

    This one went down to the wire. Creator Leslie Stevens’ 6th-seeded squad was determined to play to their strengths: “Who even wants the same characters from episode to episode, let alone the same story for year after year?” he said. Meanwhile, Coach Ron Moore’s Reboot-Conference team counted on its undeniable talent to pull away from the underdog. But the underdog wouldn’t go away, and nervous Viper pilots began demanding, “What’s the plan, Ron?” “Don’t worry,” he told them. “I have a plan.” The Galactica kept coming from behind, tying the score at 18, 21 and 22. The final margin was Razor-thin. Score:

    Outer Limits 25
    BSG 23

    4. ARE YOU GONNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OR JUST WATCH?
    The Twilight Zone (2)
    Torchwood (10)


    The Zone was in the zone. Torchwood got torched. Serling was sterling and Jack got whacked. The Children of Earth got sent to the cornfield. Wales got whaled on. Twilight was “Good night” for the spinoff series. The only thing Twilight Zone’s victory lacked was suspense.
    I got a million of ’em. Final score:

    Twilight Zone 44
    Torchwood 13

    The Sweet Sixteen matches for this conference will be very much matches, as Star Trek: DS9 takes on Babylon 5 while upstart Outer Limits tries to take down fellow classic anthology series Twilight Zone. The action begins tomorrow night!

    Spinward Region – Round Two Results

    1. TONIGHT THERE’S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK
    The Prisoner (1)
    Mystery Science Theater 3000 (9)

    A tragedy as what’s-his-name, the janitor-dude on the spaceship, kept pausing play to try to form an alliance with Number 6 against “our mutual captors.” Number 6, believing it to be just another cunning trick by Number 1, kept playing, and destroyed both the human and mechanical residents of the Satellite of Love without remorse. (Note: it was in fact all a trick by Number 1.) Final score:

    The Prisoner 43
    Mystery Science Theater 10

    2. DOUBLE X
    Star Trek: The Next Generation (4)
    X-Files (5)

    The team from the 24th Century (or 25th, maybe; one of those) came in a slight favorite, but the FBI squad had learned to never say die. However, they did learn to say “lose respectably.” Captain Picard’s team played with typical empathy and compassion, but also with, you know, phasers and stuff. Final score:

    Star Trek: TNG 35
    X-Files 21

    3. GENIUS VS. INTUITION
    Doctor Who [Classic] (3)
    Eureka (6)

    Having already seen a six-seed pull off an upset earlier, the Oregonians were determined to do the same. “Go invent something that can take down a Time Lord,” Sheriff Jack Carter instructed the lab boys. “Just make sure it’s not zany and dangerous.” The Global Dynamics team responded with a so-called “grey hole – like a black hole, but more managea – oh my god.” The Doctor and his companions agreed that at some point they might need to step in and help their opponents. “Once the game is over, anyway.” Final score:

    Classic Who 44
    Eureka 9

    4. WHICH CAME FIRST, THE MOVIE OR THE SERIES?
    Firefly (2)
    Stargate SG-1 (10)

    Pundits have wondered whether the favored Mutant Enemy team truly had the body of work to take on the seemingly more durable underdog from the Spinoffs Conference. What ensued was a classic match between stolid military precision and intense but anarchic fury. In the end, the Serenity’s greater maneuverability was the difference. “You mean they have to walk through that hole, every time?” marveled shooting guard Jayne. “Already sighted it in,” said first mate Zoe Washburne. “Also, Blam!” Final score:

    Firefly 33
    SG-1 – 22

    Tomorrow night’s Sweet Sixteen action for the Spinward region will feature all-chalk matchups of The Prisoner against Star Trek: TNG and Classic Who versus Firefly.

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