The future of Doctor Who and Star Trek may be in flux, but renewed interest in Babylon 5 could be our last, best hope for a classic sci-fi series on streaming services following the cancellation of Stargate.
Warner Bros. Discovery has launched an official YouTube channel featuring classic episodes from J. Michael Straczynski's sprawling space saga.
Read the official description:
"You’ve arrived at Babylon 5, the last, best hope for peace. A neutral station standing at the crossroads of galactic powers, where ambassadors, soldiers, traders, and dreamers all have a stake in the future.
Here you’ll find stories of destiny and choice, of politics and prophecy, of wars fought in shadows and victories won through understanding. This channel is a gathering place for the history, ideas, and moments that made Babylon 5 one of science fiction’s most enduring legacies.
Whether you’re a longtime citizen of the station or arriving through the jump gate for the first time, you’re welcome here."
Straczynski introduced the new channel, promising it would feature original commentaries, interviews, chats, and additional material in the coming months.
As I've written previously, the sci-fi series will always be synonymous with undergraduate study. SeaQuest DSV and Babylon 5 both utilised Amiga Video Toasters and were the subject of lively debate in computer animation studies. George Lucas' Star Wars prequels were still a few years away, non-linear media production was still in its infancy and prohibitively expensive for the homebrew crowd (myself included) before Steve Jobs returned to Apple, democratising the industry with the iMac and iPhone.
Babylon 5 was originally shown on Channel 4 in the UK, running for 5 seasons between 1993 and 1997. Straczynski's sci-fi opus, a galaxy-spanning retelling of The Lord of the Rings, quickly became a touchstone in the space opera firmament. There were countless carshare and water-cooler conversations with fellow fans when I was hired as an online journalist at Reuters following graduation 30 years ago.
Could Warner Bros. Discovery be testing the cosmic waters to garner reaction from fans (myself included)? There have been premature announcements of a reboot with Straczynski back at the helm on The CW.
What are your memories of watching Babylon 5? Let me know in the comments below.
In an era of AI-generated slop and algorithms, I stumbled across Star Wars superfan and YouTuber Zach King's loving recreation of the original Star Wars, made out of cardboard!
King enlisted several of his friends to help create the Star Wars reimagining, including on-screen roles for actors Randall Park and Jamie Costa. Costa has previously acted in Star Wars fan films.
"Star Wars has truly inspired so many filmmakers and reshaped how movies are made," King tells SPACE. "As a nod to how groundbreaking those films were, we asked ourselves, what if we made a version out of cardboard and shot it in just five days? That’s exactly what we ended up doing."
I mean, what Star Wars kid (myself included) didn't use cardboard boxes and pretend they were flying the Millennium Falcon or an X-wing into the Death Star trench during school summer holidays?
Have you watched Star Wars made out of cardboard? Let me know in the comments below.
It's Good Friday for Doctor Who fans (myself included). The BBC has released two missing episodes of The Daleks' Master Plan, starring William Hartnell as the First Doctor, on BBC iPlayer in the UK and on the Doctor Who Classic YouTube channel in the US.
The recovery means that the first three instalments of a once totally missing 12-part story now exist. They provide a dark and gritty outing for the Daleks, who were being groomed by their creator, Terry Nation, for their own series, and life outside of Doctor Who. Indeed, The Daleks’ Master Plan was not sold by the BBC to overseas broadcasters.
Film is Fabulous! have collaborated with BBC Archives to enable these programmes to be returned to the BBC. BBC Archives has ensured that the original 16mm telerecordings are restored – meaning viewers will be able to watch them in the best possible condition on BBC iPlayer.
On Thursday, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy premiered with two episodes exclusively on Paramount+.
However, for a limited time, fans can watch the feature-length pilot episode, introducing USS Athena captain Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter) and her team of fresh-faced cadets, for free on YouTube. If you're outside the US, you can use a VPN such as NordVPN (affiliate link).
Read the official synopsis:
"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy introduces viewers to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself."
The latest Star Trek spin-off series is set after The Burn. If you haven't watched Star Trek: Discovery, you may not know what The Burn is.
Here's a brief explanation:
"The Burn was a galaxy-wide cataclysmic event that occurred circa 3069, in which most dilithium mysteriously went inert, causing the detonation of every active warp core. The event caused widespread death and destruction, making dilithium an even more sought-after resource, and led to the near-collapse of the United Federation of Planets."
The kids are alright!
Kids These Days is an effects-heavy opener, while Beta Test is a character-driven Earthbound episode. In my teens, I had a crush on Betazoid empath Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis)! The chemistry between Caleb Mir (Sandro Rosta) and Tarima Sadal (Zoë Steiner), the Betazed president’s daughter, is palpable. It's an emotive episode that looks to a future free of the toxic trammels we all face in 2026. A philosophical study worthy of Gene Roddenberry's 60-year creation.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy the latest Star Trek spin-off series as much as I have! From Jeff Russo's opening theme, which pays homage to Jerry Goldsmith, to a shiny San Fransico and flying robots, it's the most fun and inclusive Star Trek has been since the first season of Star Trek: Discovery.
Here's an overview of the Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season one release schedule, so you can mark your calendars for when each episode drops on Paramount+:
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 1 – Thursday 15th January (out now)
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 2 – Thursday 15th January (out now)
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 3 – Thursday 22nd January
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 4 – Thursday 29th January
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 5 – Thursday 5th February
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 6 – Thursday 12th February
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 7 – Thursday 19th February
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 8 – Thursday 26th February
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 9 – Thursday 5th March
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 10 – Thursday 12th March
Have you watched Star Trek: Starfleet Academy? Let me know in the comments below.
Whilst Star Wars fans (myself included) wait for a new movie and further spin-off series on Disney+, fans continue to produce short films based on George Lucas' space opera.
Star Wars: Brightstar, directed by Raphaël Hébert, is an award-winning fan film sans Skywalkers or Mandalorians.
Read the official synopsis:
"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a fugitive family living in peace must brace itself when their past has tracked them down."
The 20-minute short film features an electrifying lightsabre duel and an emotional core evoking the original trilogy.
If you have a Star Wars fan film you'd like to share, please contact me.
The Might of the Daleks could be one of the best Doctor Who fan films I've ever seen!
YouTuber Josh Snares and a talented team perfectly distil the clawing claustrophobia of the First Doctor's era, most notably Mission to the Unknown, for the 60th anniversary.
Mission to the Unknown is a classic Doctor Who episode unique for not featuring William Hartnell as the titular time traveller, brilliantly remade by students at the University of Central Lancaster with Nicholas Briggs performing the voices of the Daleks. This was a passion project of Professor Andrew Ireland, a friend and fellow Bournemouth University alumni.
I'm sure Hartnell would be proud.
Read the synopsis for The Might of the Daleks:
"On the final days of Continent A, there are no heroes. Only the might of the Daleks."
Includes depiction of suicide. Viewer discretion is advised.
What did you think of The Might of the Daleks? Let me know in the comments below.
If you have a Doctor Who fan film you'd like to share, please contact me.
This is the unboxing video Star Wars fans are looking for! Fan films are always fun to watch and sometimes they go above and beyond (special thanks to my friend Earl Barker for the tip-off).
Read the synopsis for E-11: Standard Issues:
"Today TK-421 shows you exclusive first pictures and outstanding test results of the new E-11 - the upcoming standard blaster rifle of the Imperial Forces. Enjoy increased precision, new firing mode and a reworked cooling system for much more power!"
If you have a Star Wars fan film you'd like to share, please contact me.
DC FanDome was in response to the ongoing global pandemic and lockdowns, which saw conventions cancelled en masse last year.
Wisely, Warner Bros. has brought it back for a second year and, like many DC Comics fans, I'd be pleased to see DC FanDome become an annual online event to watch on my Apple TV.
Nick Smith, my US-based partner in comic book crime-fighting, has thoughts...
Guest post by Nick Smith
Batman is big business. After eight decades in the public consciousness, the franchise character is estimated to have earned almost $28 billion in retail, box office returns and other media. But it’s not just the Dark Knight who brings in the bucks – Bruce’s just a bonus. DC FanDome’s 2021 line-up shows how much the Bat-family has grown in popularity over recent years.
DC FanDome is a virtual event designed to showcase new or returning projects and celebrate the publishing company’s beloved characters. This year’s ‘ultimate DC fan experience’ included clips and interviews available to watch on YouTube. Many of those clips were based around the Bat.
The FanDome’s sneak peeks, presented by actors, directors and producers, included Batwoman, Batgirl, Titans, Harley Quinn, a Gotham Knights game, Catwoman: Hunted, Batman Unburied, Batman: Wayne Family Adventures, Batman: Caped Crusader and Pennyworth, all birthed in the streets of Gotham.
Even Todd McFarlane got in on the act, discussing the merger with DC Direct and McFarlane Toys, focusing on Batman-related figurines in what felt more like a sales expo pitch than a guest appearance from a well-known comics creator.
DC’s emphasis on its best-known characters – Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman (celebrating her 80th anniversary) – is understandable. They’re a known quantity that casual fans want to see and are more likely to spend money on. But the company has dozens of heroes and villains to promote in the hope that one of them will take off in movie theatres or on TV, so it would be good to see more balance and diversity on a day like this.
There were breaks from the big guns. Members of the general public don’t know Black Adam from… Adam. But they know Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who hyped up a Black Adam flick last year. With a summer 2022 release date, Johnson was back with a preview showing Adam’s intro.
Other segments had stars to help raise the stature of their projects: Jason Momoa (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom), John Cena (Peacemaker), Zachary Levi (Shazam! Fury of the Gods). News Flashes were reported by Candice Patton (Iris West-Allen on TV). All these teases and news bites led up to a new trailer for The Batman, the COVID-slowed feature film arriving (we hope) in March 2022.
The major project delays were cheekily acknowledged, especially in a tiny tease for the live-action feature The Flash (adapting Flashpoint) and an animated pastiche plugging an unfinished new season of Harley Quinn. It might have been the music or Ezra Miller’s candid intro but the Flash tease proved less is more… right down to the final non-image of a batmobile. Which model will it be? We’ll have to wait until they film more of the movie to find out.
This brings us back to The Batman, keeping his presence felt throughout the FanDome. The latest take on the caped crusader is appropriately dark and gritty, with a Blade Runner-bricked landscape, an Edward Hopper-style opening image and other trailer tropes we’ve come to expect. Slowed-down rock song? Check. Rapid flashes to black? Check. Vengeful hero? Double-check. The focus this time is on violence (lots of punching, hitting and crashing) leavened by Zoe Kravitz’s caring Catwoman.
Director Matt Reeves has given this film a lot of TLC and attempts to give hoary chestnut images a new spin. Case in point: The Batman walks away from a wall of fire a la RoboCop and countless other movie heroes; this shot is upside down. We also get a good hard look at Batman’s bullet-proof chin; shots bounce of Robert Pattinson’s chiselled jaw.
The more I watch the trailer, the more I like it but the Flash tease gives me more goosebumps per second, even though we’ve seen Flashpoint regurgitated multiple timelines’ worth in comics, animated movies and on TV. Both new films look solid, as well as less famed features like Blue Beetle, starring Xolo Maridueña.
DC FanDome is a convention with no queues and no expensive entry fees. Everyone gets a front-row seat. There are downsides though: no Q&A this year, no one-on-one meetings with the stars and, most importantly, no in-person camaraderie among fans.
Presented as a digital storefront, this year’s DC FanDome seems more like lip service to comic book aficionados. We are told, ‘you’re the best fans ever.’ Yes, we are. But the best way to remind and reward us is to provide more collaborative content. It’s time to spend Bruce Wayne’s billions to utilize the internet’s full interactive capabilities.
Did you watch DC FanDome? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.
Previously, I've shared Jamie Costa's Star Wars fan films. Han Solo: A Smuggler's Trade, in which he played the titular captain of the Millennium Falcon, and Star Wars: Origins.
Costa's Robin Williams (The Fisher King) test footage scene is on another level. I implore you to watch it if you haven't already.
Williams was a household name growing up in the seventies and eighties. Mork & Mindy became a welcome escape from childhood trauma and Williams one of the first actors I remember doing impressions of to amuse family and friends.
Costa's clip has, deservedly, gone viral. He effortlessly captures the late actor's zaniness with many fans (myself included) calling for an official biopic.
With the return of The Walking Dead this week, our resident US-based stellar scribe and comic book aficionado, Nick Smith, takes a well-earned break from reviewing all the things to talk about the inherent challenges of making a zombie horror B-movie during a pandemic.
It's not as easy as you might think.
Guest post by Nick Smith
It’s easy to watch a B-movie and ridicule the low budget, DIY production techniques. But making one is no laughing matter, as I was reminded when I agreed to produce a feature film about flesh-eating zombie bees called ZomBeez.
Executive Producer-Director-lead actress Elesia Marie had a good script that didn’t take itself too seriously, a strong cast and a determination to get her project picked up by the SyFy channel. There was only one drawback – we had no money.
While that salient fact has scuppered many movie projects, we soldiered stubbornly on, seeking funding and locations like a barn in the middle of nowhere (we found a farm specializing in ecotourism) and a school that wouldn’t mind being devastated by giant mutant anthophila (we secured an old school office building that was due to be torn down anyway).
Next, we jumped through a carnival’s worth of hoops dealing with the Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG), a union that has many rules to protect its actors from making movies. Er, I mean, to make sure they’re taken care of properly, with plenty of tea breaks, pensions and benefits, and fair billing in the credits.
SAG’s paperwork was tougher to take care of than any movie monster but we completed it while working on our next step – filming a proof of concept, in this case, a sequence from ZomBeez that we could use as a teaser trailer, showing the tone and basic concept of the film.
We got a permit to film in a woodland location where we could tell our mini-story about strange bees chasing a pair of hapless joggers. But before the running could happen, there was another unanticipated hurdle.
Our camera didn’t work.
Without a way to repair our Black Magic camera on site, we had to return it to the manufacturer and they couldn’t tell us how long it would be until we got it back. The only proof we would have for our Proof of Concept was proof that we were screwed.
We could have given up. We could have gone home and left the trees to the bees. Instead, a kind colleague lent us his gear and we were able to make our day.
We were almost ready to release our Proof of Concept to an impatient public with our rough footage, bloody makeup, and ‘bee’s eye view’ shots using a Ronin and a superimposed swarm. We needed one more ingredient – and that came from local rock band Nik Flagstar and his Dirty Mangy Dogs, best known for the theme tune to the show Nightmare Theatre. They created a super catchy original song for us and it added to the whole impression we wanted to make with the raw teaser sequence.
There was a lot more work to do. After we completed principal production of the movie this summer, Elesia got stuck into the editing process, rough-cutting a two-and-a-half-hour version of the film. We have to trim that down to 90 minutes, colour grade the footage, add digital effects and clean up the sound.
Only then will we have a finished product to show to distributors and channels like SyFy. We’re starting to talk to sales agents, the first of whom says he’s ‘a sucker for films like Zombeavers and Big Bad Bugs.’
There certainly seems to be an audience for this kind of B-movie.
I’ve focused on our challenges while making this movie but there have been many highlights too – the camaraderie of our cast and crew, the excitement of making a feature in our own neighbourhood instead of having to travel to a different state, the kindness of local businesses and organizations as we looked for locations. All this helps to motivate us as much – if not more – than any A-list movie buzz.
When Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) cameoed in The Mandalorian second season finale last Christmas, most Star Wars fans (myself included) were overwhelmingly surprised and delighted to see the beloved Jedi Knight at the peak of his audacious powers.
However, the de-ageing technology, utilised by Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), was divisive. And independent VFX wizards quickly got to work on subjectively improving the visuals (following in the hallowed footsteps of Star Wars creator George Lucas' endless tinkering on the original trilogy).
One stood out from the rest. YouTube Deepfake star, Shamook.
His work was so impressive, it caught the attention of the fine folks at Lucasfilm who have subsequently hired him. IndieWire confirms in this quote:
“Over the past several years ILM has been investing in both machine learning and A.I. as a means to produce compelling visual effects work and it’s been terrific to see momentum building in this space as the technology advances.”
This is a mission statement suggesting there'll be more classic characters appearing in Star Wars spin-offs both on the big screen and Disney+.
“As some of you may already know, I joined ILM/Lucasfilm a few months ago and haven’t had the time to work on any new YouTube content,” Shamook wrote in a comment this month. “Now I’ve settled into my job, uploads should start increasing again. They’ll still be slow, but hopefully not months apart. Enjoy!”
Are you a fan of Deepfake technology or more concerned with the possible ethical implications therein? Let me know in the comments below.
During Sunday's Doctor Who panel at Comic-Con@Home 2021, the BBC dropped a trailer for series 13.
Watch showrunner Chris Chibnall, Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who), Mandip Gill (Yasmin Khan), new companion John Bishop (Dan) and a very special surprise guest as they share exclusive content from Doctor Who.
“Before we started making it, there were times when we thought we were going to be unable to do the show under Covid conditions this year… there were two ways you could go,” Chibnall told Deadline. “You could go ‘let’s do lots of tiny little episodes in one room, with no monsters,’ or we could throw down the gauntlet and do the biggest story we’ve ever done. We’re going to go to all kinds of different places, we’re going to have all kinds of characters and monsters, and it’s all going to be part of a bigger whole. It’s definitely the most ambitious thing we’ve done since we’ve been on the series.”
Whittaker's tenure as the titular Time Lord is rumoured to be coming to an end. However, this is simply speculation, and there's the small matter of the beloved sci-fi series' 60th anniversary in 2023.
Are you looking forward to the new 6-part series later this year on BBC One, BBC America and HBO Max? Let me know in the comments below.
The 40th anniversary of Indiana Jones is the ideal moment to share this award-winning Star Wars fan film approved by Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill.
Read the official synopsis:
“Star Wars: Origins takes a unique look at where it all began. A thrilling action-adventure film drawing inspiration from both Star Wars and Indiana Jones to tell an epic story based on Earth during WWII. Behind what is possibly the most expensive fan film ever made are award-winning team, and life-long Star Wars fans; writer/director Phil Hawkins filmed on location in the Sahara Desert, Morocco, Star Wars: Origins is a self-funded not-for-profit project and the culmination of three years work.”
The movie stars Marie Everett (What Happened To Monday), Jamie Costa (Han Solo: A Smuggler’s Trade), Hadrian Howard (The Mummy) and Philip Walker.
On his ambitious love letter to George Lucas’ beloved sagas, writer and director Phil Hawkins said, “I’ve been lucky enough to make five feature films in the past — which were released by the likes of Sony Pictures and Netflix — but I could see a great divide from the low-budget films I was making to the scale and ambition of the films I’d like to make. Those films I grew up watching. Star Wars: Origins is hopefully a piece of work to help cross that divide and show the studios what I can do.”
Hawkins' fan film takes its inspiration from the Star Wars Easter eggs in Raiders of the Lost Ark and captures the essence of both beloved Lucasfilm franchises with aplomb.
If you have a Star Wars fan film you'd like to share, please contact me.
The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves, won't be in cinemas until 4th March 2022. So, here's an awesome Batman fan film that's gone viral.
Arriving days before Zack Snyder's Justice League. Batman: Dying is Easy.
The crowdfunded 25-minute fan film, directed by father and son duo Sean and Aaron Schoenke, stars Kevin Porter as Batman, Aaron Schoenke as Joker, Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs) as Bullock, Doug Jones as Riddler, Vera Bambi as Poison Ivy, Chris Daughtry as Hugo Strange, Amy Johnston as Harley Quinn and Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers) as Commissioner Gordon.
"Batman and Joker have always had such an interested psychological relationship, it's those dark concepts that make the characters so interesting," the movie description reads.
If you have a fan film you'd like to share, please contact me.
Director Steven Spielberg (Jaws) surprised goddaughter Drew Barrymore on her 46th birthday with a special virtual appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. No, you're crying.
"Director Steven Spielberg joins Drew's surprise birthday bash to share the first time he met an adorable six-year-old Drew when she came for an audition in his office for E.T.: The Extraterrestrial and his reaction to a very adult Drew Playboy spread years later in this digitally extended interview."
Spielberg talks affectionately about Barrymore's audition for the role of Carol Anne, played by the late Heather Michele O'Rourke, in director Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist (a suburban ghost story that continues to cause lively debate, among fellow film fans and friends, as to whether or not Spielberg was really at the helm as pre-production began on E.T.) and how he didn't hesitate to cast her as Gertie in E.T.
What are your memories of watching E.T., and do you think Spielberg directed Poltergeist? Let me know in the comments below.
It's New Year's Eve and most of the UK is now in tier 4 (the highest level of restrictions) due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Tim Hoekstra, from New Zealand-based Knights of Renesmee, got in touch to 'shamelessly plug' his latest Star Wars fan film, a 6-hour prequel movie marathon filmed during the lockdown, that will help pass the time until 2021. How could I refuse?
I asked Tim: "What was the inspiration and, more importantly, is there going to be a holiday special in 2021?"
"The Star Wars Holiday Special would be extremely fertile ground haha. We'll see..." You heard it here first, folks! Tim went on to explain the creative impulse behind the shot-for-shot remake of Star Wars creator George Lucas' prequel trilogy. "We started almost 4 years ago with Revenge of the Sith, filming it over 5 days (it was holidays, we were bored and none of us had jobs). Our motivation was largely to have fun hanging out which I think you can see in our film. Another motivation was to make something nostalgic we could look back on in 10 years when we all have kids/families etc. After releasing it to Youtube and getting ~50 views in the first week, I woke up one morning and found it on Youtube trending with 100'000 views and from there, completing the trilogy was inevitable..."
If you have a fan film you'd like to share, please contact me.
This past year, I've not shared many fan films and wanted to redress that. And to make a new year's resolution to further support the creative fanbases of Doctor Who, Star Wars and more as we continue to navigate the 'new normal' together in 2021.
Scorekeeper is a fun not-for-profit mash-up of Star Wars and Predator franchises from Creative Force Films (CFF), based out of Atlanta, GA. Featuring bounty hunter Bossk from The Empire Strikes Back and The Clone Wars.
"An Elite Rebel Team infiltrates an Imperial outpost on a mission of securing an asset that has vital information. Unbeknownst to them, they are not the only ones on the hunt."
If you have a fan film you'd like to share, please contact me.
Ahead of the Doctor Who holiday special, Revolution of the Daleks, Nick Smith, our US-based stellar scribe, has been checking out the latest spin-off series streaming on YouTube.
Daleks! Tell on...
Guest post by Nick Smith
It’s not easy being mean. Just ask the Daleks, who sucker-punched their way into pop culture almost six decades ago, thrilling and chilling readers and audiences ever since.
My first encounter with the Skaro squad came with Genesis of the Daleks back in the mid-seventies. But it was their search for Davros in 1979’s Destiny of the Daleks that really captured my imagination. I didn’t care that they were a bit tatty, or that Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor made fun of them. I found them fearsome, fascinating and most important of all, easy to imitate in the school playground. The bullies of the small screen took my mind off the real-life bullies I couldn’t exterminate [you had me at exterminate - Ed].
A few years later I got hooked on a periodical called Doctor Who Monthly (DWM). One of the strips I loved to read was a reprint of Dalek adventures first published in TV Century 21 magazine from the sixties. Ron Turner’s art was packed with eye-catching design and colour, the supporting characters were memorable, and the Daleks’ devious plans were a big draw too.
Since then, I have been drawn to any little reference to those comic strips, whether in the Dalekmania documentary or in the hovering Dalek hordes of Bad Wolf. Imagine my delight when BBC’s new five-part animated series Daleks! delivered a golden emperor, hoverbouts, galactic machinations and conniving robots, all Terry Nation and David Whitaker-spawned staples retooled for 2020. Furthermore, this was new Who material, the first official on-screen spin-off since 2016’s Class [I didn't get beyond the pilot with Twelve - Ed].
Storywise, my expectations were low. This was a show for kids, surely; at just over ten minutes, the episodes didn’t have room for deep themes or grand character arcs. I was pleasantly surprised.
The Daleks in this show are fallible, backstabbing, on the run from a powerful space entity but still as devious as ever. The brass-bumped emperor is pompous and the scarred old strategist is loyal. Along with the entity, they face stubborn librarians, reprogramed rivals and (finally, after 55 years) the Mechanoids. I‘ve always had a soft spot for these big bots from the First Doctor story The Chase, with their beautiful architecture and their high-pitched voices, speaking a mix of code and broken English. It’s a delight to see them back in action.
Although the episodes are brief, there’s enough meat in them to tell a solid story, develop the main Dalek characters and squeeze in a twist or two. These Daleks aren’t as menacing as they appear in Doctor Who but their threat is in their numbers – we see their armada in full force – and in their Machiavellian antics.
The animation is uneven; while most of the spacecraft and alien cities are highly detailed, the explosions and robots are highly simplified and unrealistic [should've used the Unreal Engine - Ed]. Nevertheless, the faceless Daleks, obviously easier to animate than humans, are imbued with life and momentum, as are the slick ‘camera’ moves.
Daleks! provides a great opportunity for a new audience to familiarize themselves with Doctor Who’s main menace, and for die-hard fans to get a fix before the New Year’s Revolution. I dearly hope that this show leads to more seasons and more spin-offs. Anyone for Saturday Morning Cybermen? [an excellent suggestion - Ed]
Watch Daleks! for free on YouTube and let us know what you think in the comments below!
To celebrate the launch of the official Disney+ YouTube channel, The Walt Disney Company has released fun new unofficial official trailers for some of its classic movies now streaming including The Black Hole, which was the House of Mouse's response to Star Wars decades before buying Lucasfilm from George Lucas and The Child AKA Baby Yoda was a twinkle in Jon Favreau's eye.
Here's the official synopsis:
"A beacon draws them to the edge of space and time, but once they arrive at the long-lost ship, the crew of the Palomino discovers a mysterious scientist and that things aren't always as they seem. Explore deep space in this modern trailer for the 1979 Disney sci-fi classic, The Black Hole."
The Black Hole will always occupy a special place in my formative cinemagoing years, with my family, as I underwent intensive rehabilitation for a life-changing head trauma. John Barry's original soundtrack underscored many after school action figure adventures and the official read-a-long book aided in my literacy.
