HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: tal691@huxley.anu.edu.au (Tonio Loewald)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: (WS) Open letter to M. Straczinski
Date: 11 Jan 93 01:49:45 GMT
Organization: Australian National University
NNTP-Posting-Host: 150.203.2.12

Open letter to Michael J Straczinski on _Murder She 
Wrote_.
 
(This letter was prompted by the increasing frequency of 
_Babylon 5_ articles on the board.  It is my hope that 
someone may forward this letter to him.  If you do forward 
this on, can you please EMail me?  Thanx.)
 
Dear sir,
 
I wondered if you had any plans for an episode of _Murder 
She Wrote_ to be set in a SF convention.  I think you would 
be able to write a very intrguing story.  Your having 
attended several conventions I believe that you would 
have a good idea of how SF conventions are run, and the 
people who attend them.  A story revolving around a crime 
set in a hotel where a convention is being held will be 
interesting both to fans and the general viewing audience. 
 
(I hereby relinquish any claim to the following passage.  
This is in the event that any future script may have 
similarities to any ideas outlined in the following 
scenario.)
 
A possible plot may be this: Jessica Fletcher's agent 
inadvertently mixes up appointments with another of the 
agent's clients, a SF author, with the result that Ms. 
Fletcher is the "main guest" at a SF convention.  Whilst 
there she meet various people, either running or 
attending the convention, and hotel staff.  Whilst 
attending the costume parade, a murder takes place, and 
one of the costumers is implicated, as a description of 
the perpetrator matches the suspect's costume.  In 
addition, the costumer cannot account for his or her 
alibi, as the costumer didn't attemd the parade.  It is up 
to Ms. Fletcher to prove the innocence of the suspect, as 
well as uncover evidence to the real murderer.
 
I hope you will consider the idea of a mystery set in a SF 
convention.  I'm sure that this will be a popular episode if 
it is produced.
 
Thank you for your time. 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
Widya Santoso.
 
----------------------------
"Whenever anyone talks about culture,
I reach for my revolver."
-- Hermann Goering
 
This has been a Widya Santoso Production
Please send all EMail to 
 
     [100033,361]@compuserve.com
 
I hope you have had pleasure reading my words.
 
Brought to you by (but not responsible for, and don't send mail to...)
-- 
Tonio Loewald | tal691@huxley.anu.edu.au | Life is short. Be nice.
"You can lie/You can cry/For all the good it'll do you, you can
die/But when it's done/And the police come/And they lay you down
for dead/Just remember what I said" (Paul Simon-not the senator)
From: berninge@cs.purdue.edu (James Berninger)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: _The Flash_
Date: 8 Jan 93 17:13:44 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, Purdue University
NNTP-Posting-Host: alice.cs.purdue.edu

In article <C0JKIF.FLs@news.cso.uiuc.edu> tara@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Lady Johanna Constantine) writes:
>>djohanne> Got a question for you all, does anyone know where I can
>>djohanne> get/acquire all the episodes to the TV series _The Flash_;
>>djohanne> which aired during the 90-91 TV season (I think?).  Any
>>djohanne> information you can provide for me would be helpful.
>The premier is on VHS in both the states and the UK.
>Try hitting up people on the net for dubs of their copies.
I bought mine through Columbia House Video Club for $29.99
(substantially lower than the $89.99 on the original tag).  Over
time, I'm sure the price will go even lower, but then finding it
will be a problem...

>I ahve about 12, but need an episode guide to figure out the 
>order they're supposed to be in.
A complete guide is available by FTP from ftp.coe.montana.edu, and
is also published in the Flash TV Special (comic book from early
1991).

>ALso try asking the rec.arts.comics.misc people.
Hey, I *am* one of the rec.arts.comics.misc people!  :-/

  ______   Jim Berninger: berninge@cs.purdue.edu  |     Hate is not     ______
  \ \  /     Green Lantern Fan, Extraordinaire    |   a Family Value.   \ \  /
   \/\/   "I don't *wanna* play Leona Helmsley!"  | - - - - - - - - - -  \/\/
    \/        -- Elmyra Duff, Tiny Toons Xmas     |  Boycott Colorado.    \/
From: PKRUSH01@UKCC.UKY.EDU ("Pamela K. Rush")
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re:  Space Rangers (and cheesyness)
Date: 8 Jan 93 21:47:12 GMT
Article-I.D.: rutgers.9301082208.AA20352

Posters who have pointed out that Space Rangers appears to have a few
problems such as stilted dialogue, wooden acting, illiterate scripts,
flimsy sets and cheesey fx are ignoring the Zen principle of transcendent
cheeseyness.   =)  =)  =)

Relax and allow your mind to empty all awareness:  without actually
thinking about them, allow the essences of all the great cheesey SF you
have ever seen to fill up the empty space.  Think of "Rocky Jones, Space
Ranger,"  "Flash Gordon," "Dr. Who,"  "Buckaroo Banzai,"  "Hitchhiker's
Guide," and (reverent pause) "The Day the Earth Stood Still."  =)  =)  =)


Distill this Zen experience and apply it to "Space Rangers."  =)  =)  =)

Maybe it will grow on you.  Of course, so will fungus. =)  =)  =)

Pam
pkrush01.ukcc.uky.edu
From: 01fortec@ac.dal.ca
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: Space Rangers
Date: 12 Jan 93 12:44:15 -0400
Distribution: na
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

In article <1993Jan8.211948.28453@shearson.com>, jpoutre@shearson.com (Joe Poutre) writes:
> In article 24923@openage.openage.com, ghost@openage.openage.com (Glenn Host) writes:
>>jjfink@skcla.monsanto.com writes:
>>
>>>In article <yTiZwB3w166w@hogbbs.scol.pa.us>, crunch@hogbbs.scol.pa.us (Travis Prebble) writes:
>>>[spoilers toward the end]
>>>	The woman pilot is interesting, as she is competent, attractive,
>>>		and strong without being bitchy
>>Attractive?  My wife asked if it was a man or a woman. :)
> _I_ thought she was attractive. I like tall women. :-) At least she didn't
> scream in terror every five seconds. I think her relationship with Doc could
> be worked into a "friendly" ongoing quarrel. Of course, that is also a
> cliche, but maybe she owes him her life, or something.
> 
> Oog. Ack, ptooi! Maybe not.

Gee, I miss those good ol' days. I could do something serious and could always
count on a woman's scream to let me know when the interesting parts were 
coming up. :-)


> 
>>>	The alien character has some potential.  I liked the interplay between
>>>		him and the android.
>>Personally I have been surprised that this has not been done before -
>>a Asian actor playing an alien.
> Actually, it has been done, at least on film. On MST3K I saw a movie with
> Asian actors, including the guy from Quincy, M.D., playing an alien species.
> 
>>
>>>	Linda Hunt can still act circles around everybody, she needs a
>>>		bigger role
> Hopefully she'll also get better lines in future episodes. That would help
> her a lot.
> 

No pilot survives contact with its first airing. I thinks its one of those 
Murphy's laws or something. (see also STTNG: Encounter at Farpoint)

>>   Glenn E. Host - Reston, VA
> 
> I think the best thing to do would be to write CBS with our grievances,
> suggestions, and thanking them for putting "real" sf on a network.
> I know this was probably hacked out in time to beat DS9 and B5, but
> maybe with fan support something can be made from it.
> 
> ---

Are we talking about the network that cancels popular shows in favor of low r 
rating ones?

> Joseph Poutre, aka The Mad Mathematician	N2KOW
> jpoutre@shearson.com
> Anyone who cannot cope with mathematics is not fully human.  At best he
> is a tolerable subhuman who has learned to wear shoes, bathe and not
> make messes in the house.         -- Lazarus Long, "Time Enough for Love"
> 

Lazarus always was an opinionated cuss. 

Joe
01fortec@ac.dal.ca

Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: sbooth@lonestar.utsa.edu (Simon E. Booth)
Subject: Re: _Space Rangers_
Organization: University of Texas at San Antonio
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 05:15:58 GMT

In article <1993Jan7.213010.14766@cas.org> sdr57@cas.org () writes:
>In article <C0I0u4.HGu@austin.ibm.com> jlpicard@austin.ibm.com writes:
>>
>>
>>Ouch! Piloting that ship looks _damned_ uncomfortable, lying on
>>your stomach with your arms outstretched and your head raised.
>>
>
>For what it's worth...
>A number of designs for high speed aircraft included prone pilot
>positions. It can improve acceleration tolera

The Wright Brother's first aircraft was piloted this way as well, although
not to offset acceleration effects.

(top speed under 40 mph)

Simon

Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: mueller@b30news.b30.ingr.com ( Phil Mueller )
Subject: Re: Sci Fi channel hacks movies!
Organization: Intergraph
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 17:53:06 GMT

In article <14290002@hpwrce.mayfield.hp.com> tonyz@hpwrce.mayfield.hp.com (Tony Zugates) writes:
>Judex, 
>
>I got raked over the coals once for posting about the content and programming
>on SF Channel... welcome to the club.
>
>They even show those hour long juicer commercials at night.
>
>SF Channel for the most part is BUNK.
>
>

Hey where else are you going to see "Probe" and "Kolchak: The Night Stalker"
I don't particularly like them cutting them, but I'll put up with it as well
as the bad shows ( "Future Cop" among others ).

-- 
Phil Mueller                  Telephone:  (205) 730-3231
Intergraph Corporation        FAX number: (205) 730-3453
Mailstop: GD3000              Internet: mueller@b30news.b30.ingr.com
Huntsville, AL 35894-0001     UUCP address: bogus.dont.use
From: jet@boxer.nas.nasa.gov (J. Eric Townsend)
Subject: Re: DS9 was very BAD
	<17879@umd5.umd.edu> <1993Jan11.213553.21732@netcom.com>
Organization: Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation, NASA Ames
Date: 11 Jan 93 16:45:43
Distribution: usa

"moses" == Lamont Cranston <moses@netcom.com> writes:
moses> cultures, math is REAL
moses> simple, 1, 2, Many.  Even easier than Binary!  These people
moses> have absolutely no concept of a very physical phenomina, number.

Uh, "number" is not a physical "phenomina".  It's something we people
attribute to a physical world.  Without thinking beings, numbers don't
exist.

--
J. Eric Townsend --  jet@nas.nasa.gov -- 415.604.4311 (DoD# 0378)
"It is the cunning of form to veil itself continually in the evidence
of content.  It is the cunning of the code to veil itself and to produce
itself in the obviousness of value." -- Baudrillard
From: jkung@acs.ucalgary.ca (Jimmy Kung)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: The SciFi Channel stinks !! (was: Re: Does SciFi Channel cut episodes????)
Date: 10 Jan 1993 23:17:14 -0600
Organization: The University of Calgary, Alberta
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

In article <1993Jan7.174635.7179@cas.org> you write:
>In article <1993Jan7.151201.7744@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov> xrcjd@mudpuppy.gsfc.nasa.gov (Charles J. Divine) writes:
[...]
>For better or worse, the SciFi channel is it right now. If they
>succeed, there will be imitators - and competition will force
>quality up. If they fail, it will be a long time before we see
>anything like it again. (And, in the topsy-turvy world of the
>entertainment industry, its failure might convince people that
>"interest in science fiction has peaked and is declining, so
>let's hold off on those expensive movies and make another
>funniest home video clone instead.")

I'm not going to outright call the Sci-Fi Channel a total disaster,
but I was expecting something a bit more "substantial" than what
we got, considering the talents which combined to get this off the
ground.  It seems to me that the mentality of the channel is meant
for those under the age of 16 (by showing a hacked up version of Star
Wars as their first movie when the whole trilogy was airing uncut and
commercial free on The Movie Channel at the same time).  Those under
16 I think would enjoy SFC.  I remember being 14 and enjoying just
about every piece of pap on SFC now (I was a Battlestar Galactica 
junkie, I'm ashamed to admit.)

The problem is that we're all alot older now, and want better and
more sophisticated shows.  Perhaps alot of Sci-Fi out there is 
outgrowing us now (ST:TNG is an example of the "new SF" out there.)
My ideal "Sci-Fi Channel" would be something akin to American Movie
Classics, which shows TV Shows uncut/sped up, films without commercials
and occasionally in letterbox, and has some really interesting new
shows on the subject of Sci-Fi, not just boosterism, but in-depth
interviews and the future of the genre.

Unfortunately, I think that my pipedream would also be economic loser,
which is why SFC has taken the route it has.

jkung@acs.  | "You shoot me in a dream, you better wake up and
ucalgary.ca | apologize." - Mr. White (H. Keitel) RESERVOIR DOGS
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: mcbride@ll.mit.edu (Barbara McBride)
Subject: Re: QL: What happened to Ruthie?
Originator: mcbride@ll.mit.edu (Barbara McBride)
Organization: MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington MA
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 02:30:26 GMT


|> 
|> 1975-1994  The other 4 wives.
|> 
|> Tina:  1995-1999.  Tina is mentioned early on in the show, which is set in
|> 1995.  She and Al are still together, and will be until he finds out about
|> the affair. 
|> 
		What affair?

	Babs
From: by248@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Christine Reynolds)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Highlander in LA?
Date: 4 Jan 1993 13:43:42 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


Can someone on the West Coast help a friend of mine?  She's 
become interested in seeing Highlander (after listening to me
rave about it), but can't seem to find a station that runs it
in her area.  She lives in LA--I can't believe that a city
the size of LA doesn't get the series at all when a town 
like *I* live in gets it 3 times a week (thank God for cable!).
Anyway, information on when and where would be greatly 
appreciated!
Thanks in advance.
-- 
Christine Reynolds             And remember the truth that once
by248@cleveland.Freenet.Edu    was spoken:  To love another
Reynolds@utklib.lib.utk.edu    person is to see the face of God.
					'Les Miserables'
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: firestar@leland.Stanford.EDU (Lipton Ann Meredith)
Subject: Re: QL: What happened to Ruthie?
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 93 19:13:40 GMT

In article <1ic2hhINNsi9@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> eah4@po.CWRU.Edu (Elizabeth A. Hlabse) writes:
>
>In a previous article, finifter@gandalf.rutgers.edu (Tracy E. Finifter) says:
>
>>I don't know how much USA cut from "Thou Shalt Not...", so does anyone know
>>exactly what happened to Al's third wife Ruthie?  Al mentions that he "didn't
>>realize how important family was until Ruthie was gone." (note not divorced,
>>left, seperated, etc.).  Did they divorce or did something else happen?  I've
>>heard mention that she died, but I want to know if this is canon.
>>
>>Keep leaping...
>>
>It's not cannon, but most fans tend to think that Ruthie died.
>

That can't be true -- I know there are episodes where Al talks about more 
divorce complications with his third -- which one does he go to court with in
Future Boy?  Wasn't that one the third?


Firestar
-- 
I don't bite, you know.    | Find me and turn thy | It is better to have loved 
Unless it's called for.    | back on heaven.      | and lost than to have your
-- Audrey Hepburn, Charade | -- R. W. Emerson     | finger caught in a blender.
*******************************************************************************
From: rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu (Michael Rawdon)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: DS9 was very BAD
Keywords: STAR TREK NEXT GENERATION DEEP SPACE NIne
Date: 12 Jan 93 17:24:44 GMT
Reply-To: rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu
Organization: University of Wisconsin Computer Sciences Dept., Madison, WI

In <1993Jan11.224713.4803@ra.msstate.edu> slrosser@whale.st.usm.edu (Meredith) writes:
>To those of you who are trashing DS9 because of poor science...

>THAT'S WHYTHEY CALL THEM SCIENCE FICTION SHOWS AND NOT
>SCIENCE -FACT- SHOWS!!!  

I think that you have a fundamental misunderstanding of what "science fiction"
is.  There is a fine line between fantasy and science fiction which (in my
mind; many disagree) has to do with science fiction attempting to tapdance its
way into convincing the viewer that its pseudoscientific elements could
actually take place, and that the ideas are reasonably plausible given
scientific knowledge at the time the story was written.  In short, "willing
suspension of disbelief".

Fantasy doesn't have that.  It knows, and doesn't try to hide, that its ideas
are pure whimsy which could never in a million years happen.

One objection to Star Trek is that it pretends to be science fiction when it
is actually fantasy, because some of its ideas are so utterly ludicrous from a
plausibility standpoint.  For instance, I can't see the orbs in DS9 as being
anything other than fantasy.

-- 
Michael Rawdon				  rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu
University of Wisconsin Computer Sciences Department,  Madison, WI

"...I trusted [Ganelon] like a brother.  That is to say, not at all."
				- Roger Zelazny, _The_Guns_Of_Avalon_
From: jseaver@bigwpi.WPI.EDU (Jason John Seaver)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: DS9: waht about this?
Date: 13 Jan 1993 03:45:41 GMT
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigwpi.wpi.edu

In article <1ivek2INNme3@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> eek2@po.CWRU.Edu (Eric E. Katz) writes:
>
>About the Cardassians leaving their space station for the
>Federation to claime, why didn't they have a self-destruct
>triggered from remote.  Knowing the way the Cardassians are, it
>could have been very beneficial for them to blow up the space
>station from the inside at any time especially when the Enterprise
>was docked there.  In the state of disrepair that the space 
>station was, there is no way that anyone would have had the time
>to find the device and everything else messed up.  I mean, the
>food replicator was not working.

	Mightn't leaving DS9 behind have been part of a negotiated settlement
between Cardassia and Bajor?  After all, the Bajorans WERE able to force the
Cardassians into retreat; they may have been in a bargaining position.  This
would be consistent with the way it was left; it was the individual crewmembers
(more likely than not with the tacit approval of their superiors) who looted
and smashed the station.
From: bole@hmivax.humgen.upenn.edu (Greg Bole)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: Space Ranger Review
Date: 7 Jan 93 16:04:53 GMT
Organization: HHMI/Human Genetics, Univ of Pa.

In article <1993Jan6.201101.2664@vax1.mankato.msus.edu>, 
kickstart@vax1.mankato.msus.edu writes:

> Okay, I didn't like the show because the characters were dramatically
> stereotyped and 2D.  It moved very quickly for a mere one hour show, and some
> of the dialogue was enough to choke on.  Also, it had some of the cheeziest 
> special effects I've seen lately.

> Although, Linda Hunt did a pretty good job with what she was given.

I was going to post a brief review, but it seems Christopher hit the nail
right on the head.  (Pun intended)  :^)

Good call Chris, this show was a dog.  Dumb characters, lousy dialogue,
and very poor special effects.  Reminded me of "The A Team" in space.

Greg Bole                            "We ride...to hell.  Or to glory.  
bole@hmivax.humgen.upenn.edu         It depends on your point of view."
                                Errol Flynn in _They Died With Their Boots On_
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: ror1@ellis.uchicago.edu (Richard O. Rouse III)
Subject: The Dream Science Fiction Channel
Reply-To: ror1@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 23:41:05 GMT


Many people have been griping about how much the Sci-Fi channel sucks.  I have
not been so lucky/unlucky as to watch it, but it seems to me from there 
listings that it does indeed suck big rocks.  And then people defend it, 
saying "But, there isn't enough out there!"  Bullshit.  

Below is my own monday through friday DREAM schedule.  This will never 
happen due to the current rights to the various shows, but just think what
if it could!  Now, some people might dislike some of the shows, but I think
many people will agree, from the list below, that there is enough Good SF out
there to make a good station.

Also this station would be called the SCIENCE FICTION channel, NOT the stupid
Sci-Fi channel.  

6:00  Super Marionation Hour

7:00  Thundar the Barbarian
      Space Ghost
8:00  Robotech
      Robotech
9:00  Johnny Quest
      (unless I'm completely stupid, JQ is an HOUR show, right?)
10:00 Planet of the Apes (animated)
      Star Trek (animated)
11:00 Dr. Who  (approx 4 episodes, as shown on PBS currently, @2 hours)
        |
12:00   |
        |
1:00  The Prisoner  (who cares if there are only 10/11 episodes, just show em
		     again and again)
2:00  Incredible Hulk ( a personal favorite for no good reason insert
			your favorite show I ommited here)
3:00  Wild, Wild West

4:00  Dark Shadows

5:00  The Invaders (maybe Quantum Leap)

6:00  SF News Show, hosted by Harlan Ellison
      Way Out (hey, Ronald Dahl, don't ask questions)/ One Step Beyond
7:00  Star Trek, The Next Generation

8:00  Star Trek, The Original Series

9:00  The Outer Limits

10:00 The Twilight Zone
      The Twilight Zone (could show the one hour episodes in this slot)
11:00 Ray Bradbury Theatre
      Red Dwarf
12:00 Blake's 7

1:00  British SF hour
      (alternate runs of HHGTTG, UFO, Avengers, Saphire and Steel)
2:00  Night Gallery/ New Twilight Zone
      (NTZ to be shown in hour format, not butchered half hour format)
3:00  Batman

4:00  Man From Uncle

5:00  Short Run Theatre  (like what the sci-fi channel already has, only with
			  good shows like Quark and Science Fiction Theatre)



Of course, this is assuming they don't butcher the shows.  I kill the first 
person who cuts the Prisoner or a TZ episode.  

Weekends would retain the morning line up, having 3 movies shown each 
afternoon, and then some semblance of the evening lineup, possibly with
Doctor Who switched to a late night slot.  

Now, not everyone may like all of this line up, but I think most people
can respect it.  Sci-Fi could be doing a damn better job.  

-- 
===========================================================================
Richard O. Rouse III				 Reviewer:  MacGames Digest
ror1@ellis.uchicago.edu		    Publisher/Creator: ATOMIC SEWAGE COMICS
       "Next thing you know they'll take my thoughts away" - Megadeth
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv