HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: an2531@anon.penet.fi (/dev/high)
Subject: Space Rangers stuff
Organization: Anonymous contact service
X-Anonymously-To: rec.arts.sf.tv
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 21:01:39 GMT


X-Anon-To:rec.arts.sf.tv

I cast one vote for enjoying it. Not overly mind you. But the
green sticky herbage helped in that dept. ;*)

The first couple minutes into it my roommate and I were almost
ready to turn it off, but it managed to save face a little bit -
I would have been REALLY pissed if they had kept up the voiceover.

Being a Highlander fiend I dug the weird sword fighting and hope
(but doubt they will) keep it up.

Anyone else think that the empath dude looked like the guy
in Evil Dead II when he was possessed. Made me laugh every
time they showed him.

I, like others, am just happy that the networks keep trying to
put out Science Fiction. Every once in a while they create
something worth watching, and at other times they fail. Eventually
there will be a show that is pure genious, but until that time
we just have to review what they give us and give them feedback.

Someone previously said to shut off the TV and just read a book.
That used to work just fine for me, but I have been in a non-SF
reading mode lately, getting into philosophy and politics. So I
REALLY enjoy to be able to just sit back, load a bowl, and relax
to some visuals. Until recently I only would watch 1.5 hours of
TV per week (ST:TNG and Home Improvement), but now there are all
these SF shows coming on - sure, it melts my brain, but maybe I
will catch up to the national average if enough SF comes on. (What
a goal!:-)


/dev/high
+++++++++
If physicians feel marijuana "would be beneficial for use by the patient
..... it should be available," said Dr. Joycelyn Elders, director of the
Arkansas Health Department.
+++++++++
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From: eek2@po.CWRU.Edu (Eric E. Katz)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: SF on TV
Date: 10 Jan 1993 17:52:28 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc10.ins.cwru.edu


I agree with you about most of the things, but I think Max 
Headroom was pretty unique for any SF show.  I may be one of the 
biggest Max fans in existence, but the show was original.  Some of
the plots were far-fetched, but what they represented was cool.  
Instead of bringing in limitless number of alien species almost all
of which were bipedal and was either distinctly male or female, it 
took the stories from conflicts in the network and the new hierachy
of people who run the world which is now based on television.
From: mab@buphy.bu.edu (Michael Burstein)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Sci-Fi Channel Listings?
Date: 6 Jan 93 13:41:58 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Boston University Physics Department

Could someone repost the listings for the Sci-Fi Channel? The one I have
is from December 3rd and seems to be out of date. 

We just got the channel here in Boston without any fanfare from the
cable company at all. When I called them a few months ago, they said
that yes, they'd be getting the SF Channel (and the Cartoon Network) and
that they'd announce it in the mail.

Well, they made no announcements, but on Monday I discovered the channel
now exists for us. And here I am, with comprehensive exams to take...
(OK, I'll stop sounding like Marvin :-)



-- 
Michael A. Burstein
Physics Department, Boston University         mab@buphy.bu.edu
590 Commonwealth Ave.                         (617) 353-9437 (o)
Boston, MA 02215                              (617) 735-9433 (h)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: DS9 was very BAD
From: <MRM122@psuvm.psu.edu>
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 09:45:38 EST
Distribution: usa
Organization: Penn State University

In response to what you said about the writers being poor, yes, I'd have to
agree with you on that one for some episodes (I personally thought the latest
'Q' episode was pure drivel, a shame)- but there is a reason for that: The
producers of Star Trek treat their writers like shit, so self-respecting ones
don't stay long at all.
As for scientific flaws, I can accept them with a grain of salt- all sci-fi has
some scientific flaws (Predator 2 has one of my favorites- they analyze one of
its weapons and the scientist says "It's nothing on the periodic table!")
You have to ignore some of the scientific mumbo-jumbo they use for plot
elements when it isn't in concordance with what we know as reality.  The beings
with non-linear time I can accept, for example, as part of that.  One can argue
that they talked with him in a linear fashion, and thus must be linear, but
that was A. From Sisko's perspective and B. Had to be linear since we are and
it is just a TV show.
That's what I have to say right now.


                                   Marsh
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: brad@cmptrc.lonestar.org (Brad Barton)
Subject: Re: ST-TNG episode guide?
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 22:46:45 GMT
Organization: CompuTrac Inc., Richardson TX

In article <alien.026g@acheron.amigans.gen.nz> alien@acheron.amigans.gen.nz (Ross Smith) writes:
>Does anybody have a complete episode guide to "Star Trek -- The Next
>Generation" that they can mail me? It's just switched networks here in
>New Zealand, and I want to check whether we've missed any episodes (and
>if so, which ones). I particularly need seasons 2-3-4.
Check rec.arts.startrek.current and get the List of Lists post.  It contains
a complete episode guide to the Next Generation.


-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|  Brad Barton - brad@cmptrc.lonestar.org  |  "Light the lamp, not the rat!"  |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: wisner@netcom.com (Bill Wisner)
Subject: Re: Babylon 5 -- one more for the FAQ
Organization: Trailing Edge Technologies, Mountain View, CA
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 19:32:57 GMT

>And what will happen if they DO both run B5? I believe KMSB is licensed in
>Nogales rather than Tucson but they are considered a single market area.

This isn't unheard of -- two Bay Area stations run ST:TNG, one in San Jose
and one in San Francisco.

w.
From: vincent@cad.gatech.edu (Vincent Fox)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: DS9 was very BAD
Date: 10 Jan 1993 15:45:19 -0500
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology, CAE/CAD Lab
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: cae.cad.gatech.edu

In <1993Jan10.182104.27788@wam.umd.edu> rsrodger@wam.umd.edu (Yamanari) writes:
[other things deleted]
>	This is stupid.  The whole idea of *life* in a non-linear time
>	sense is absurd.  The reasons why are so numerous that only a total
>	numbskull accepts the idea as anything more than a fanciful chance
>	for some writer to take a poke or two at his/her shallow philosophy
>	of human nature.

I think you've hit the heart of the matter better than any of us so far.
We must have some Sociology-types on the writing staff who think us boring
techno-types need their moronic aphorisms spoon-fed to us. Yep, I definitely
got the idea it was Man's Manifest Destiny to Learn All That Is Learnable.
And that gosh isn't it exciting being a human? I mean our limitations can
magically be transformed into the things that makes us Better Than Or At
Least Equal To all those Godlike Aliens Who Don't Know as Much as They Think
They Do. I hope they at least feel guilty about this junk. At least Gary
Larson confesses to feeling guilty over drawing comic strips with
both hominids and dinosaurs.

The fact that most aliens are just people with bumps and all speak English
is sufficient proof that the science is just a thin veneer to legitimize
their stuffed-shirt scripts. The Bejorans have got to be the worst.
Supposedly they have their own (10,000 year old?) religion. Hmmm, odd that
the Major refers to the stations as a God-forsaken post. Woops, forgot
about that eh? You'd think at least the Major would have been conferring
with her superiors in Bejoran or Cardassian. Nope, for the convenience
of the new rulers we all forget our usual languages. Come on, would
it be so inconvenient to the under-60 IQ crowd for them to be speaking
nonsense syllables on occasion with some English subtitles?!

One last thing: I am totally sick of how every technoid/engineer
can come up with some radical new reconfiguration of the ship/station to
meet any new threat. Sure was great that they could figure out a
way to reduce the mass of the station to move it faster eh? Amazing that
no one with plenty of time to think about that problem and the motivation
of saving lots of fuel ever did it before.

Here's hoping Babylon 5 doesn't go the same route. I picture DS9 heading
toward the last season of Lost in Space, but at high speed using
wormholes and warp drive instead of an occasionally working saucer.
Bleh! If it wasn't for MST3K, I think I would sell my TV to cure myself
of this sort of junk.
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: GGPERRY@NUACVM.ACNS.NWU.EDU (ggreg)
Subject: DS9 was VERY BAD (AMEN)
Organization: Northwestern University
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 18:25:44 GMT

yes, that's everything connected with star trek's major problem:  no sf
elements (except superficial trappings and setting) in these shows.  at
least the old series had some interesting concepts and intriguing ideas
once in a while: a sense of wonder ocassionly.  these new shows completely
blow.
           ggreg
From: jennise@opus.dgi.COM (Milady Printcap the goddess of peripherals)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: SF-LOVERS Digest   V18 #27
Date: 13 Jan 93 01:22:00 GMT

" And if it's so awful, why is it still among the top three syndicated shows? "

Why is Full House the most popular show on the Networks?

As to the general comment about TNG using Sci Fi writers my basic
complaint and a problem I've seen in several episodes has to do with
the basic sci fi maxium---"You can make up any rules you want but you
MUST be consistant in the use of those rules." Maybe one of my problems is that I have a good memory and I tend to
realize when TNG has broken one of it's own rules. n

As to the use of a few physics books; I think theres a lot to be said
for plausibility. Granted I ditched physics so there a lots of times
when I'm floating out there with the rest of the viewin public
oblivious to any....uh...shall we say...story elements that conflict
with current scientific fact. I think, though, that if you can avoid
alienating any portion of your audience then avoid it. We're talking
about something as simple (expensive?) as having a Physics grad (or
from what I'm told undergrad) student glance at a script before it
goes into production. I've developed this attitude from having read
books/viewed movies involving computers that were doing great; had me
hooked; then did something absolutely rediculous (like the thumbs up
at the end of T2- that made me crazy).

Somehow I think if I went back and listed my least liked (okay the
ones that made me craziest) episodes that there would be no Sci Fi
writer in the credits. I like STTNG too. I like it a lot, but it
doesn't stop me from pointing out and screaming (into my pillow) when
I catch a glimpse of bad storytelling or screenwriting. Hey, like many
on the list I could give you an hour or so on moments where TNG
suffered from this. I wish I could beat it when it came to the good ones.

Jennise
From: rabjab@golem.ucsd.edu (rabjab)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: Space Rangers
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 23:11:38 GMT
Organization: ucsd
NNTP-Posting-Host: lutherlab.ucsd.edu


>psudo-science-fiction possible?  The writers of this show obviously
>believe that Battlestar Galctica was the definitive sci-fi experience,
>because we get all of those old worn out launch sequences and cliched
>ripped-directly-out-of-a-western dialogue.  I couldn't believe how
>bad this series pilot was!

Space Rangers is definitely Space Opera, designed to be wrapped around
commercials.  It's so bad it might even be fun to watch once a week.
The sleazeballs at CBS who are guiding this project will cut and run
quickly if they encounter turbulence.  My hunch is that stories loaded
with real sleaziness are in the pipe, explaining why it's not seen
Sat. morning.

-rabjab
From: nanis@ll.mit.edu (Jeff Nanis)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: Space Rangers !!Spoilers (I guess)!!
Date: 8 Jan 93 18:32:15 GMT
Organization: MIT Lincoln Laboratory

In article <1993Jan8.105729.21353@sol.UVic.CA> mmcalees@cs16.UVic.CA (Michael McAleese) writes:
>In article <1993Jan7.035335.26532@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> pjm6z@kelvin.seas.Virginia.EDU (Dave Lister) writes:

>>  3) This goes along with the second point.  If this is so many years
>>     in the future that we have outposts on distant planets and have
>>     contacted and befriended different aliens, our "police" would
>>     not have the same semi-automatic or automatic guns we do now.
>>     Strapping a flashlight onto the gun doesn't make it a futuristic
>>     weapon.  

>   For the guns actually, no. Projectile weapons are a very efficient 
>method to impart kinetic energy to a foe, and chemical storage for the
>propellant is also very efficient. Energy weapons have all sorts of 
>problems inherent in the nature of beaming energy at a target. I don't 
>think projectile weapons will *ever* die out, 

	Yes, but, I agree with the first poster on one thing: strapping
a flashlight onto said gun doesn't make a 21st Century _aiming device_,
especially considering some of the current or developmental personal
weapon systems available even now. For example, laser sights, night
vision goggles, heads-up displays, and other tracking devices. How about
smart bullets? What annoyed me wasn't the guns (I loved the weapons in
Aliens) but the inability to hit anything except after long exchanges on
full auto.
-- 
  Jeff Nanis				MIT Lincoln Lab
		An official opinion? Be real. 

  nanis@ll.mit.edu			Radars 'r' us.
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: "dale clayton" <dale.clayton@canrem.com>
Subject: babylon5 - what is the ai
Reply-To: "dale clayton" <dale.clayton@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 4 Jan 93 02:49:46 EST

-> Does anyone know what the airdate is for Babylon5, EST time?

 8:00pm.

dc
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: glover@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Eric Glover)
Subject: Re: Space Ranger Review
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 17:48:08 GMT

>
>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_

Tha is what made this show truely great! I would watch this as another
poster said over DSN for one major reason: I am SICK and TIRED of "But,
startrek says this", "But star trek says that..."  Science fiction is about
the future and so many of us fans are locked in the past. Warp technology
is no more realistic then Slingships, Starfleet Command is
no more a reality than Fort Hope. 

It was dumb, it was trite but it wasnt overbearing, pompus or inane with
the cosmic signifance of a universe of a 1/4 billion god like beings
who dont understand linear time, humanities past crimes or humanities
nature to be free and not controlled by cabbage-headed aliens from a "goal"
oriented planet. [No offense to TOS viewers out there]

Id be real happy if I never heard the words; Phaser, Warp, Klingon,
Dilithium or Mind Meld again for a very, very long time. Im rather
trekked out by 6 years of shameless merchandising. With paramount
running from station to station followed by its screaming trek-a-maniacs
[not to be confused with normal average Trekkors] saying anything
non trek "will be assimulated" {and with the infinite upcoming
crossovers,shared production staff and props.
DSN is starting to look like inbreeding}

Space is not all talk, 200 years is not going to exterminate hammer and
nail usage thru the galaxy, sometimes people dont have 1.4 million to waste
of FX and enjoy story telling.

I hope it makes it, I hope it does well and Kennner brings out a whole line
of Slingships and Rangers. I really hope that they get a competent Science
writer\advisor whos brain hasnt been exposed to "so much UV" [That was the
major down point for last nights episode]

Finally a little fresh air in an otherwise stale room! 
 
and BTW I liked Max Headroom, Mann And Machine [Before the writers screwed
it up] and I liked the A-TEAM!
From: MKJACOBS@GSVMS2.CC.GASOU.EDU ("Michael K. Jacobs")
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Space Rangers (Captain Power in Space)
Date: 12 Jan 93 14:50:55 GMT
Reply-To: MKJACOBS@gsvms2.cc.gasou.edu

For months I have avidly read the postings on this list, but this is my
first message that I have posted.

First of all, after watching Space Rangers (and not really liking it) -
I began to think of this show as a combination of T.J. Hooker and
Captain Power.

It resembles T.J. Hooker in the fact that the first couple
of episodes were just terrible - another excuse to see William Shatner
in another role besides James Tiberius Kirk.  Later, T.J. Hooker grew into
a good show.

It resembles Captain Power in the fact that the shows have characters that
could easily switch roles (they both had women pilots - Yeah, both leading
male roles could be considered "heroes", etc.)

Please don't think that I am making fun of T.J. Hooker and Captain Power,
I really did enjoy the shows - Space Rangers just reminds me of them.

I realize that there are many different points-of-view about the universe
we live in, and many different dreams and events take place.  Trying to
compare Space Rangers to a "Star Trek kind of universe" is futile.
The Rifleman wasn't the only type of western show on television years ago.
Thank goodness Wagon Train came around as the GREAT BIRD OF THE GALAXY did
get an idea from that.  I, for one, still enjoy TOS and TNG for the
adventures of the E - not because of the crew (I almost cried when Kirk
destroyed the E in TREK III - but it was a valiant and glorius death.)

In summary about Space Rangers - I will continue to watch it as some of
the good things about life (love for example) need time to grow and will
enjoy it for what it's worth -- entertainment, not some sort of Newton's
Apple.

DS9 - Having only seen a bit of the first episode "Emissary", It will be
a different point-of-view of the events in the 24th century.  I can't
wait to finish watching "Emissary" and the other shows that have been
promised.

So much for my first message.  I will now leave myself available for
discussion by private email or through this list.

    "Hey, Let's be careful out there." - Sgt. Phil Esterhouse

8-)  Michael K. Jacobs, Programmer II  (-8
     Georgia Southern University
     Computer Services            Phone: (912) 681-5364
     Landrum Box 8122              GIST: 364-5364
     Statesboro, GA USA 30460      Mail: MKJACOBS@GSVMS2.CC.GaSoU.EDU

     "The universe is only as big as one makes it." - Unknown

********************< This transmission ends now >********************
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: QL: new episodes?
From: kickstart@vax1.mankato.msus.edu
Date: 4 Jan 93 08:54:31 -0600
Organization: Mankato State University

Also, I beleive the 19th of Jan is the Dr. Ruth episode as mentioned in this
week's TV Guide...


--------------------------------------/\----------------------------------------
kickstart@vax1.mankato.msus.edu      /\/\  NeXT:  The object is the advantage.
"Christopher P. Josephes"           |\/\/|
Mankato State University             \\//   "I'm back......"
--------------------------------------\/----------------------------------------

Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: abilenko@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Arkady Bilenko)
Subject: Re: DS9 was very BAD
Keywords: bbbaaaaadddd?  Think again.
Organization: The Ohio State University
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 15:42:47 GMT

In article <1993Jan10.122547.12235@wam.umd.edu> rsrodger@wam.umd.edu (Yamanari) writes:
>In article <17879@umd5.umd.edu> jblum@hamlet.umd.edu (Hi ho -- Kermit the Frog here...) writes:
>>Seems that the biggest complaint of the DS9-bashers is about the aliens who
>>don't perceive linear time.  How dare an SF TV show come up with an unusual
>>idea, and not explain it to their satisfaction!
>
>
>	Unusual?  Original?  Try, stupid.  Try, "Why don't they try consulting
>	witha freshman physics major before they dump this crap on TV.
>
>
>>The point of the show was not that the alien(s) didn't follow time -- it's
>>that they didn't UNDERSTAND it.  They had no concept of it, just like we
>>had no concept of gravity before old Isaac got bonked by an apple.
>
>
>	Yeah, right.  Perhaps on YOUR planet.  I think we humans have been
>	quite aware of the concept of gravity for as long as we've been 
>	human.  Look, drop it and it falls.  Do you think this was some sort
>	of great discovery?
>
>	I can see yourversion of Newton now.  "If youdrop it, it falls!

	I have not seen DSN (DS9) yet, and am not sure what exactly you are 
talking about, but the statements above are way too radical and do not allow
for a different point of view.  How about we go back to the preparatory SAT
courses where it's tought that "Nothing is Always true or false" and anything
is possible.  Even though humans were aware, as Yanamari points out, of
gravity, they concepts behind it eluded them.  And weren't a couple of people
burned (like Giordano Bruno) when they said that geocentricity was BS even
though today a freshman physics major can probably find references ;-) to prove 
that?
	Arkady Bilenko (abilenko@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
DISCLAIMER:  MY opinions stated above are MY own opinions and NO ONE else's 
opinions.
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: jogle@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Jim Ogle (Ks. Jim))
Subject: Re: Sci Fi channel hacks movies!
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 93 22:09:17 GMT

Given the fact that the Sci-Fi Channel is so closely associated with
the USA Network, it doesn't surprise me to find out that they're
hacking things to pieces; USA is notorious for it.


-- 
Kansas Jim (Jim Ogle, TORG guru)                               /|
jogle@aoc.nrao.edu (NRAO-VLBA, Socorro New Mexico)           o| |-
"I'd be apathetic if I cared."                              /| \|
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
From: tara@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Lady Johanna Constantine)
Subject: Space Rangers vs Galaxy Rangers
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 06:37:04 GMT

Okay, this is goign to sound weird, but the first thing I noticed
about this show is that is seems to have borrowed haeavily from the
animated "Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers", and as there are none of the
same people involved, I can onyl say that Galaxy Rangers did it better....

I mean, lets see, we had a guy with a bionic arm, an empath, a
straight Captain very interested in justice and getting hsi team 
treated right, a guy in charge back home who keeps short changing them, 
and a superior officer who looks out for the team againts the bureaucrat.

The only difference is that the young hot shot has no personality 
(compared to Shane Gooseman), and the girl is the pilot ratehr than the empath.

Otehr than that, I see few differences.

I'll wait for a few more episodes to see if it's worth watching.  Fun,
but ultimately silly.

LJC
-- 
Lady Johanna Constantine* Tales and dreams are the shadow-truths that will
tara@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu   * endure when mere facts are dust, and ashes, and
Disclaimer - huh?       * forgot.      -Dream of the Endless (and Neil G.)
Church of Our Lady of the Perpetually Clueless, donations accepted......