Conference noted::sf

    The paperback treatment has been available for a month or so. 
    It's a quick read, an interesting concept, some funny moments,
    some questionable science.  The movie could be great or a disaster.
    It's one of these "minimal special effects" kinds of science fiction
    plots.
    
    len.
    

       I saw the promo for this movie and it had the best insult line
       I've ever heard. Said by one alien to another...

       "Your Mother breeds out of season"


       liesl

    Background: The film is set in 1991. Three years previously (that's
    nowadays, in case you lost count), an alien ship landed, carrying
    as cargo a large number of a slave race, genetically engineered
    to adapt to various conditions. After being kept in quarantine,
    eventually the ACLU lobbies to get them "released", and they are
    processed by Immigration and assimilated into our society, where,
    unfortunately, they pretty much become the new "niggers" (only
    they're called "slags" instead). Being very adaptable people, they
    fit right in in no time (actually, a little too quickly -- I think
    they set the film in the very near future so they can get away with
    having things look like current day, but it's hard to believe that
    the "newcomers" assimilated that quickly).
    
    James Caan plays an old, tired police detective who's partner gets
    killed when they try to stop what appears to be a simple robbery
    on a Newcomer-owned grocery store by Newcomer bad guys. But it
    turns out to be much more than a simple robbery. Meanwhile, the
    LAPD, trying to be progressive, decides to promote a uniformed
    Newcomer into the rank of detective, and Sykes (Caan) volunteers
    to take Francisco (the Newcomer, whom Sykes calls George -- as I've
    heard, he was originally supposed to call him "George Jetson", but
    Hann-Barbera wouldn't allow it) on as a partner when he recognizes
    Francisco as someone who might help him track down his partner's
    killers.
    
    From there, it's pure cops and robbers. The mystery revolves
    around something about the aliens that they've kept secret from
    the humans, but it's nothing *too* special. There's no "real"
    science fiction here. When I say it's "cops and robbers", that's
    exactly what I mean. The basic premise and plot is the same as
    this year's earlier film, RED HEAT, in which Arnold Schwartzenegger
    plays a Russian cop who has to team up with an American cop to
    track down some Russian criminals. Just substitute "alien" for
    "Russian" (this is even more interesting in light of the fact that
    the original name for this film was OUTER HEAT, and the title was
    changed because of the other films with "Heat" in the title, one
    being RED HEAT). It also reminded me a lot of THE ENFORCER, the
    third Dirty Harry film, in which the progressive police department
    decides to team Harry up with their first female detective. The
    fact that Sykes' new partner is an alien is nothing more than a
    wrinkle that makes the film distinctive from its sister cops and
    robbers movies.
    
    With that in mind -- that it's not "real" science fiction -- I
    have to say that I enjoyed the film. Generally, what makes or
    breaks a film like this is the chemistry between the characters.
    The aforementioned RED HEAT didn't work for me because I didn't
    think that Arnie and James Belushi had that chemistry. That
    chemistry *is* present here, though, between Caan and Mandy
    Patinkin, who plays "George". Patinkin has the same ineffable
    charm he had as Inigo Montoya in THE PRINCESS BRIDE.
    
    The plot is routine, but I liked the characters (and the acting)
    a lot, so the film gets a thumbs up from me.
    
    --- jerry

    I saw the movie last weekend and I have to agree with Jerry.
    
    You could substitute just about any "minority" group for the Newcomers
    and have the same story, just about.
    
    It's not the best movie I've ever seen, but it was entertaining....
    a good movie to see on a cold, rainy afternoon (which is when I
    saw it!.....).  I loved Mandy Patinkin in it.
    
    Linda

< Note 693.3 by AKOV11::BOYAJIAN "That was Zen; this is Dao" >

<    Newcomer into the rank of detective, and Sykes (Caan) volunteers
<    to take Francisco (the Newcomer, whom Sykes calls George -- as I've
<    heard, he was originally supposed to call him "George Jetson", but
<    Hann-Barbera wouldn't allow it) on as a partner when he recognizes
<    Francisco as someone who might help him track down his partner's
<    killers.
    
According to a review on "All Things Considered" last night, George's name was
Sam Francisco but Sykes couldn't accept that so he called him George. Their
observation was that perhaps the plot would have worked better if Caan's
character had been killed instead of his Black partner. Then you would have had
two "aliens" or minorities working together. 

Dave

P.S. Does one capitalize "Black" when referring to an ethnic/racial group?

    Another thumb upwardly pointing from me.  Read the movie title as
    one word and you have an instant description of the main topic.
    Well done with the subtle background material, but the science seemed
    a bit shakey.  And I agree with the overly-swift assimilation...not
    that the newcomers couldn't adapt that fast -- they were engineered
    for that -- but that WE could!  
    
    Sherry

    	Why are the aliens on Earth?  I knw they're a slave race and
    are genetically engineered and all that, but why come to Earth?
    If it is a spoiler, please hide it appropriately, thanks.
    
    	Larry
    

    re:.5
    
    Arghhh!!! I can't believe that "All Things Considered" mentioned
    that! In my review, I purposefully avoided mentioning Francisco's
    first name because I didn't want to spoil the joke (half the fun
    is realizing the joke at the same time that Sykes does).
    
    re:.6
    
    Exactly! It was that *we* were able to assimilate the Newcomers
    so quickly that I found so hard to believe.
    
    re:.7
    
    It wasn't clear. The impression I got from the expository dialog
    at the beginning was that the ship carrying the Newcomers was
    "lost in space" and wound up on Earth. They themselves didn't
    know how to get back to where they came from or to where they
    were supposed to go.
    
    --- jerry

    re .8 re .7 - yes, according to the book, their ship mistakenly homed
    in our system and once here, couldn't go anywhere else.  All the
    "passengers" were just so much cargo.
    
    len.
    

    
    Re: Larry's question on why are they here....
    
    I believe that in the movie it said that their ship "broke down" and
    they landed (crashed, hoovered, or some such thing) in the desert 
    (Arizona?)....
    
    Linda

Again, according to ATC, they ended up on Earth due to the interstellar 
equivalent of a "flat tire".

Dave

P.S. Sorry about the "Sam" spoiler. 

      Re: Note 693.5 by SPIDER::BUSCH

>P.S. Does one capitalize "Black" when referring to an ethnic/racial group?

      I wouldn't.  The name of a group is not capitalized unless
      it is a derivative of a proper name or is a proper name itself.
      
      Words denoting citizenship or place of origin like 'Armenians',
      'Russians', and 'English' are capitalized because they are derived
      from names of places, which are proper nouns.  A grouping of
      individuals of a religion need not be capitalized (e.g., 'jews'),
      (but 'Christian', because it is derived from the proper name
      'Christ').  Words denoting a racial group should not be
      capitalized (e.g., 'orientals', 'caucasion', 'white', 'negroes',
      'blacks'). 
      
      
      But this belongs in Joy_of_Lex or in Grammar.
      
      Dave C.

    Re .12, this discussion doesn't really belong in this conference.
    However, since it came up, let me correct one thing: "Jew" and "Jewish"
    are properly capitalized. Not capitalizing, in fact, would be
    pejorative. As for the reason, it was basically as stated for other
    groups: "Jew" is derived from the nation of "Judaea" (or "Judea"
    if you prefer).
    
    BTW, you properly capitalize all religions, e.g., Moslem, Zen, Hindu,
    etc.
    
    This is not intended to get into a discussion of "religion vs.
    nationality", which belongs in some other conference.

Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf-lovers
Path: decwrl!ucbvax!pasteur!ames!elroy!cit-vax!tybalt.caltech.edu!palmer
Subject: Alien Nation remade for Fox T.V.
Posted: 13 Feb 89 17:00:16 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology
 
    Fox T.V. is remaking 'Alien Nation' as a made-for-TV movie, saying
that the show will be 'Everything the movie should have been' (my
paraphrase). (I never saw the movie, so I can't comment.  My source
was the L.A. Times calendar section yesterday (Feb. 12)) 
 
    Can you say 'pilot'?  Maybe they'll call it 'Something Else Is Out
There.' On the other hand, maybe it will be good.  (Stranger things
have happened.) 
 
		David Palmer
		[email protected]
		...rutgers!cit-vax!tybalt.caltech.edu!palmer

    	I will admit I have yet to view the TV version of ALIEN NATION,
    but what worries me is what was written in the promo for the program:  
    The aliens come from three billion *miles* away - I was not aware 
    that there were any habitable planets between the orbits of Neptune 
    and Pluto.  
    
        Once again we have network advertisers underestimating the 
    intelligence of the average viewer by giving us some large-sounding
    distance, when in astronomical terms three billion miles isn't even
    out of our solar system.  The nearest star system, Alpha Centauri,
    is over 25 trillion miles away, or 4.3 light years.
    
        Larry 
          

    I saw it, and I thought it was great!  By the end of the 1st hour,
    I couldn't believe that it _was_ an hour already, and was hoping
    that it was a special 2-hour (which, thankfully, it was).
    
    I loved the speech in front of the school, the "newcomer's" definition
    of "constipation", and the female newcomer neighbor.  I also liked
    the way that clips from the movie were used.
    
    I hope that they don't show a lot of "Albert".  He reminded me too
    much of "Willie" in "V" (your token sweet, friendly but stupid alien).
    
    Looking forward to next Monday!
    
    K.C.

    Last night {mon. 9/18/89} I caught a new series Alien Nation.
    Did anyone else and what did you think?
    It was on the Turner Network and op. mon night football.
    
    Frank
    

...which usually means it won't last. We never saw the movie. How well does the
show follow the lines of the movie? The little girl was great and really liked
George (where I have seen that actor before?)

Another question. <spoiler warning>
























My wife and I have been so conditioned by other 'alien' TV shows, we never even
considered that the 'insect' was not as it appeared. Did anyone else fall into
this trap?

						/ed/

>    It was on the Turner Network and op. mon night football.


Not Turner, but Fox (unless you have an outlet affiliated with both).

    I missed the first 35 minutes of this (on FOX), but as soon as I
    started watching, I got hooked!  I really liked it!  Is this going
    to be on Monday nights at 9?  That'd be kind of a bummer since I
    don't get home 'til 9:30 or so.
    
    
    
    -mishel

    Thank God for Video!
    
    (If you don't have one, find a friend who does!)
    
    21 Jump Street and Alien Nation, Fox's Monday Night!
    
    K.C.

    re: .15  I thought that was the home-to-work commute!
    
    					Don  :-)

    	I have been watching AN enough now to sadly realize that television
    still can't handle *true* science fiction.  Now I admit that I did
    "enjoy" watching AN, and some of it was very amusing, but overall if
    you really think about it, AN is just a standard cop series with a 
    few very human-acting aliens thrown in for good measure.
    
        Yes, I know it is supposed to be a "commentary" on the way our
    society treats what it considers to be minorities, but the aliens
    are far too human and the plots way too typical for AN to really be
    considered an SF program.  Just once I'd like to see a truly *alien*
    alien on TV, not just some guy in a rubber suit.  
    
    	Think about the recent blight of SF series on TV:  QUANTUM LEAP,
    SOMETHING IS OUT THERE, and even ST:TNG - they're all just basic
    soap opera and TV melodrama plots with one or two gee-whiz SF devices
    thrown in; none of it is really science fiction.  This no doubt comes
    from two things:  The networks are afraid to make an actual SF series,
    as they just don't rake in the bucks, and I'm also quite certain that
    most network people wouldn't know SF if it jumped up and tried to
    explain the concept to them in depth.
    
    	As far as I'm concerned, the last real SF series we've had on TV
    were MAX HEADROOM and THE NEW TWILIGHT ZONE, and look what happened
    to them.
    
    	Dare I dream and hope again?
    
    	Larry
                                                    

    Re: .23
    
    Please define:
    
    	a)  *true* science fiction
    	b)  a truly alien alien
    
    K.C.

    	I'm afraid that what I say will be argued against and start a
    little flame war that is totally innappropriate to this Topic, since
    of course everyone has their own ideas about SF, and I have stated
    some of what I feel is *not* SF in Note 693.23.  You are certainly 
    free to agree or disagree with that.
    
        Larry
    

    Re .23
    
    A convincingly non-human alien is about the hardest dramatic feat SF
    can aim for.  I'm not the least surprised AN doesn't attempt it.  But
    aliens as images, surrogates, or metaphors for human types is at least
    a very old SF literary tradition.  I wouldn't condemn AN on the sole
    basis of too-human psychology.
    
    I haven't seen the TV show, but I saw the movie, and I remember a
    number of gratifyingly alien points about the ETs:
    
    	different rates of maturation (much faster)
    	different dietary requirements (can't eat cooked food)
    	different pharmacology (that drug that was the motivation
    	   in the movie)
    	at least one different psychological feature -- a gift for
    	   adaptation that ties in logically with the rapid maturation
    	   and (conveniently enough for the lazy or hurried writer)
    	   explains why they act so very human in most ways
    
    True, they are obviously people in heavy make-up, like Vulcans and
    Klingons, but this is a budgetary constraint as well as a probable lack
    of imagination on the part of the producers.
    
    Earl Wajenberg

    re:.23
    
    Larry, I'm not sure what you expected out of ALIEN NATION, but
    the series is no different in this respect from the parent movie.
    The film was simply THE ENFORCER or RED HEAT, with an alien in
    place of a woman or a Russian. It's just a wrinkle, nothing more.
    
    re:.24
    
    	� ["Please define"] a) *true* science fiction* �
    
    "True" science fiction would be where the science fictional elements
    are used as central elements in the story, or have a significant
    role in affecting the characters, the society, and the world in
    the story. MAX HEADROOM was "true" science fiction, because the
    show would be significantly different without the sf elements
    present. ALIEN NATION would be essentially the same if a human
    minority was used in place of the alien minority. The only problem
    is that tv cop shows have already had mixed-sex or mixed-race
    partnerships for a long time, and it's become old hat. The only
    way we could get a fresh look at the issue is to add the new wrinkle.
    
    	� ["Please define"] b) a truly alien alien �
    
    An alien who thinks differently than a human being. The aliens in
    ALIEN NATION, like so many of the ones depicted throughout the
    history of science fiction, are simply "funny looking human beings".
    Because both writers and readers are human, and thus can't think
    in a non-human way, it's impossible to really create a convincing
    alien alien. Some writers have come close, though. If you read,
    say THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, or
    THE ABYSS (based on the film) by Orson Scott Card, you'll see some
    fine examples of aliens (the Moties and the Builders, respectively)
    who think differently from humans.
    
    --- jerry

    Re .27 (Jerry):
    
    >	� ["Please define"] b) a truly alien alien �
    >
    >An alien who thinks differently than a human being. The aliens in
    >ALIEN NATION, like so many of the ones depicted throughout the
    >history of science fiction, are simply "funny looking human beings".
    >Because both writers and readers are human, and thus can't think
    >in a non-human way, it's impossible to really create a convincing
    >alien alien. Some writers have come close, though. ...
     
    Some have succeeded.  Tweel, in "A Martian Odyssey," is an excellent
    example.  Some of Doc Smith's aliens, too, such as Palanians (Lensmen),
    Vorkulls [sp?] (Spacehounds), and Arpalones (Galaxy Primes) spring
    to mind, as close.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

	Did anyone who works or lives in the So. NH area videotape last night's
episode of Alien Nation?  I missed it, and if anyone in the area has it on 
tape, I'd like to borrow it if possible.  Thanks.

-Jonmathan

    
    
    I'd be happy with a summary of the first half hour.  When I tuned
    in, George was busy picking himself off the ground...
    
    -mishel

    
    If you saw last nights program, [11/13/89], I was really glad they,
    [the writers], have started to fill in real details on some of the
    differences between the newcomers and humans. In effect most were
    sexual tounge-in- cheek references, but they were details. The making
    of the usual bumbling gofer into a critical third partner with
    religious overtones was a real surprise. Yet it shows real thought to
    filling out the newcomer profile. I really liked this.
    
                                                            

    I haven't seen the show.  Could you elaborate?
    
    Earl Wajenberg

    
    Time Monday night 9pm on Fox channel
    
    You really should see this series, and if you watch Cinimax this month
    the full lenth movie it came from is on.
    
    
                              

    I'm really glad that someone else is watching this show, maybe we
    can keep it on the air!  
    
    I don't agree with earlier views that this is not SF, and if you
    took out the alien the show would still be the same.  This show
    is a social commentary on what is happening now, only set 5-6 years
    in the future.  The original Star Trek did the same thing back int
    the sixties, only they disguised it better to get it past the censors.
    
    AN is one of the best shows on the tube this year (besides ST:TNG).
    The acting is good, the writing is very good and some of the storylines
    have been excellent.  Yes, it is done in the framework of a cop
    show, but this allows for the variations in the stories.  You wouldn't
    want to see "Father Knows Best in Outer Space" now, would you?
    I remember that ST was originally referred to as "Wagon Train in
    Outer Space" and that it wasn't really an original idea.  Yet many
    years later it is being hailed as an innovative, fresh show that
    was ahead of it's time.
    
    We here at work should watch it, if only to learn more about Valuing
    Differences.  This show covers the many aspects of Differences and
    ways to cope with them and the change that surrounds it.  I find
    myself laughing at many of the shows' scenes where George or his
    family try to fit in, or where his partner tries to understand and
    accept these people.  I have also found a tear or two coming to
    my eyes at parts where you find that you care about the characters
    a little more than you thought.
    
    SF?  Yes, even though they don't look that much different.  But
    then, neither did Mr. Spock.  Yet the Vulcans have been a source
    of intense curiousity to us because they are similar yet different
    in their outlook.  The Tenktinese(sp?) are a culture with a muddled
    background who are trying to fit in and yet reatain and/or rediscover
    their heritage.  It's a wonderful journey that I am glad I can discover
    along with them.
    
    Debbi
    

    
    
    I love the show, but am totally bull that they went into reruns
    already!
    
    The only good part is I get to see the few I missed.
    
    Any word yet on if they were renewed??
    
    Frank

    re:.36
    
    It's the rerun season. Very few shows do first-run episodes around
    the holidays.
    
    --- jerry

    Jerry,
    
    Ever have the feeling that we are repeating ourselves?  ;^)
    
    (I have answered the same question a number of times in TVnotes)
    
    _I_ don't mind.  This week's repeat was one that I missed anyway!
    
    K.C.

    I for one sure hope this show is renewed.
    
    I think it ranks right up there with StarTrek1,Hill Street Blues, MASH,
    etc. as one of the truely well done and inovative series to come to TV.
    
    I love the attention to detail such as Emily's doll and the use of the
    Tenktanese language.(I believe there was one show that had a linguist
    listed in the credits - I suspect that a complete language was roughed
    out for the series a-la what Tolkien did for his middle earth
    characters.)
    
    The plot lines are rich and well integrated.
    
    My biggest disappointment is that this show has not been discovered by
    that many people.
    
    Neil
    

    Read the review in next week's TV GUIDE.  Positively glowing!
    
    K.C.

    
    It could just be that a lot of people watch only the standard big 3
    networks. It is a little unusual for a show this good to be landed by a
    smaller network. Cable helps broaden the perspective, offering a much
    wider  choice of programs. I'll look for the T.V. Guide. A little 
    exposure could be just what the show needs to widen the audience.
    
    Frank
    

	I really messed up....  Last monday I set up my VCR to record AN and
	didn't realize it was a TWO hour show.  Does anybody have a tape of
	the show that I could borrow so I can see how it turns out.  I'm
	in ZKO at DTN: 381-0856 (office ZK2-2/R38) or interoffice mail at
	ZK2-2/O23.  PLEASE HELP!!!  I really like this show.  For me it is
	far more realistic than Star Trek even though I like that program also.

	Thanks...
	Bill Ekle

    Don't watch that much TV since they took M*A*S*H off the air, but after
    reading these reviews I caught the show Monday evening.  Boy am I glad
    I did.  I agree wholeheartedly with the positive comments I've read in
    here.  I'm not at all bothered that the "aliens" look so human.  That's
    just TV doing it's thing.  But the storylines, character interplay, and
    MESSAGE of the show are not the typical mindless drivel that you see on
    most TV shows these days.
    
    This show is a lot like M*A*S*H, in that it can run you through an
    entire emotional gamut in one episode, and leave you with something to
    think about that pertains to real life.  It's very well done (IMO of
    course) for a TV show.  I will certainly be watching it next Monday
    night.
    
    ... Bob
    

    I believe you caught the repeat of the pilot?
    
    What a good repeat to catch for the first time!
    
    K.C.

    
    
    HEY! HEY!
    
    Everyone. Be sure to watch FEB.12 episode! Their pod is due!!
    This looks like a real good one with a few twists!
    
    The uncles death last week was a shock, but did you like the special
    effects? Our first view of their home was very good.
    
    
    Frank
    

    Yes, it looks from the previews that the dad gets to participate in
    the process to a much greater extent than us human males (heavy sigh
    of relief)
    
    Also it looks more and more like Sikes and his newcomer neighbor down
    the hall could be headed for the TV's first serious inter-species love
    affair.
    
    Neil

    re:.46
    
    I assume that you used "serious" so that you wouldn't have to take
    Mork and Mindy into consideration? :-)
    
    --- jerry

    RE: .46
    
    	Already been done....Beauty and the Beast.

    RE: .46, .47,.48

...And who can't forget "V" -- the mini series.

Mike_L

    That was hardly romance.  ;^)  
    
    K.C.

What about the relationship between Willy (Robert Englund) and the earth
woman ?
 

    This is true.  That was romantic, is a cute sorta way.  I always liked
    "Willy".
    
    K.C.

    By serious what I really meant was pushing the bounds of interspecies
    sexuality. There I said it. Probably soft core but relatively explicit. 
    
    So please no more - Bewitched, King-Kong, Star_Trek(Spock's parents),
    "who framed Rodger Rabit"....
    
    -Neil
    
    

    ...besides, the child from "Beauty and the Beast" was from a
    human/human interaction - the Beast was human; he was simply a
    mutation.  Not all radical mutations are necessarily mules.
    
    Dwight

    
    It's a girl! Very good special effects for both the birth shows.
    It was great that Sikes is really becoming involved with Newcomer
    family life, and with Kathy. This show really makes you think
    about "valuing differences"! If we had to have the children we wouldn't
    have any population control issues!  I really wonder sometimes if we
    could be "adult" enough to even try to undewrstand and live with a
    potential superior race of aliens, that we would by our nature compete
    against in all phases. In school, sports, jobs, the list is endless.
    In a lot of these episodes, I find myself asking myself " how would you
    have handled that?" And too many times I didn't have an answer.                  
    
    

    The episode was well researched!!  Everything George did reminded me of
    every pregnant woman I have ever known!
    
    Well, except for one thing.
    
    One woman once told me that when you become pregnant, your stomach
    becomes community property; everyone thinks its their right to touch
    it.  I wonder how many women cheered when George pulled away from
    Matt's friend, when the friend said "May I?" and George replied "NO YOU
    MAY NOT!!"?
    
    Both the hub and I were in stitches throughout the entire show, and I
    was in tears at the end.  (The birth; not the VERY end; which was
    wonderfully cute.)
    
    So very well done!
    
    K.C.

	Snicker,snicker...

	I always threatened to practice my Aikido joint locks on the wrists 
and elbows of anyone who tried.  Fortunately, a dirty look was genreally
sufficient to discourage the average "belly rubber".
  
	Generally well done.  The last few shows have won me over.  I've always 
enjoyed the show when I remembered to watch it, but now I think I'll make an
active effort to remember to watch it.

Tracey

    re: .46
    
    There was a old 50's B-rated sci-fi movie called "I Married A Monster
    From Outer Space" where a woman falls in love with and marries a
    Martian or something like that.  So this idea ain't new at all.
    
    klam

    re .58 And that was a crib from the story of Pasiphae and 
    Poseidon's bull :-)
    

    I've seen the movie and some episodes of the TV series.  Frankly, I
    like the TV series alot better.  The movie was like watching any old
    cop movie going after drug dealers.  As some of the previous replies
    have mentioned before, this was no different from movies like the
    "Enforcer", "Red Heat", or even "Goodbye, Mr. Tibbs" where you have a
    cop working with a minority or woman partner in solving some crime.
    
    The Tv series goes alot deeper into the aliens themselves and their
    culture.  How they adapt and live on Earth and its people.  Also the
    relationship between Sykes, the human cop and George the alien cop is
    dealt with much better.  There is more chemistry between these two
    actors than the ones in the movie.  What I like best about the series
    is it's doing what good SF is known for, make commentaries about the
    present world in a context that is different or alien.  It's not hard
    sci-fi.  It's soft sci-fi along the lines of writers like Bradbury or
    maybe Anne McCaffrey.  No hi-tech razzle dazzle, just ordinary people
    or aliens trying to live out their lives in a context that is different
    from ours but not different enough to make us realize ourselves and our
    own society or culture.
    

    re:.60
    
    In the movie's defense, I feel obliged to point out that one of
    the reasons that a number of things are fleshed out better in the
    tv series (such as the relationship between Sikes and Francisco)
    is because the tv series, by virtue of the fact that it *is* a
    continuing series, has more time to develop them. There's also a
    lot of "set-up" in the film that wasn't really needed for the series.
    
    --- jerry

    Last night's was great.
    
    LOVED the car!  ;^)
    
    K.C.

    
    	I heard that Alien Nation was not going to be renewed next
    season, has anyone else heard this ?
    
    				jim

    not with the cliffhanger they left us with!!!  They better not cancel
    it!  Actually, I heard on the news a while back that it is one of
    Fox's better rated shows.  It'll be back.       I hope.
    
    
    Debbi

    re -.1
    Oh, just George Francisco's entire family being infected with a
    bacteria that is 100% fatal to Newcomers.
    
    Nothing serious.  ;-)

    Sorry folks, I think I read in yesterday's Wall Street Journal that
    Alien Nation is history...
    

              <<< ZENDIA::DISK_NOTES$LIBRARY:[000000]TV.NOTE;1 >>>
                              -< TV or not TV... >-
================================================================================
Note 714.39                       Alien Nation                          39 of 40
USRCV1::BECKER                                       16 lines   1-JUN-1990 13:36
                                 -< bad news >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    According to today's paper, the Fox network has decided to cancel
    Alien Nation.  Some of the Alien Nation staff are trying to 
    organize a call-in, write-in campaign to save the show.  According
    to contracts, Fox has 10 days to change its decision.
    
    The person to write to is 
    
    				Barry Diller
    				20th Century Fox
    				Executive Building Room 127
    				PO Box 900
    				Beverly Hills, CA
    				90213
    
    If you'd prefer to call -- contact Peter Chernin, president of
    Fox Broadcasting Entertainment at (213) 203-3986.
================================================================================
Note 714.40                       Alien Nation                          40 of 40
YANKS::COSTA                                         13 lines   1-JUN-1990 15:02
                  -< Keep sending Those Cards and Letters!! >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Just placed a call to Peter Chernin at the given phone number. When I
    Told the person who answered the phone that I wanted to leave a message
    for Mr. Chernin, she put me on hold. When she returned she siad that I
    should send something in writing to  Alein Nation..PO Box 900..ect.
    
     I hadn't even mentioned that th Alien Nation cancellation was the
    reason for my call. I then asked if they had received many calls today,
    and she said she had.
     
     So I guess the only chance is to send them mail.
    
      Go for it....Fran
    

re:  Alien Nation being cancelled?

As in the last words of George Francisco in the series cliffhanger...



"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"!!!!!!!!!!

Mike_L

    TV Guide for Aug 18-Aug 24 again stated that it's still being
    considered for a midseason replacement.  We're writing more letters.
    
    Ellen
    

    
    	I sent a letter to Fox Broadcasting Co. expressing disfavor
    	for plans to cancel ALIEN NATION.  Received this reply today:
    
    	Dear "Alien Nation" Fan:
    
    	Thank you for your kind words of support in favor of keeping
    	"Alien Nation" on the air.  We have received a strong show of
    	support from hundreds of loyal viewers, such as yourself, who
    	have requested the show's return next fall.
    
    	Choosing a new schedule is probably the hardest thing we do
    	each year and unfortunately, no matter what schedule we choose,
    	someone's favorite program sometimes doesn't get picked.
    
    	We appreciate your support for Fox and "Alien Nation" and
    	hope you continue to enjoy the innovative programming that
    	we offer.
    
    	Best regards,
    
    	Brad Turrell
    	Senior V.P., Publicity
    	and Corporate Creative Services
    
    
    
    	So, without coming out and admitting it, looks like they've
    	decided to axe AN.  Hundreds of loyal fans?  Spit in the
    	ocean...  In my letter, I threatened to tune 21 Jump St.
    	out if they cancelled AN.  I'll probably watch it anyway,
    	they'll never know... 8^)
    
    	-rick

    Good luck...they cancelled 21 Jumpstreet, too.
    
    I DID read (in TV Guide) that they may bring back Alien Nation as a
    mid-season replacement (Hopefully, to take out Parker Lewis and Babes,
    IMO).
    
    K.C.

                                   Newcomer Novels

            (copied without permission from March-1993 STARLOG)

            When the final episode of ALIEN NATION ended the short-lived SF
            series with an unresolved cliffhanger, fans were left wondering
            what had happened to its main characters, most of whom had been
            left in jeopardy.

            Now, after several false starts, ALIEN NATION is ready to return,
            beginning next month, in a series of novels published by Pocket
            Books. Not only are the last episode's dangling plotlines finally
            wrapped up, but readers can also look forward to all-new adven-
            tures.

            .
            .
            .

            (end of copied without permission material; synopsis of rest of
            article follows)

            The article goes on to say that there are plans for 8 novels to
            be released over the next 2-1/2 years, beginning in March-1993.

            Planned novels and brief synopsis:

            o  THE DAY OF DESCENT, by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens

               Prequel to the TV show; deals with the landing of the ship

            o  DARK HORIZONS, compiled by K.W. Jeter

               Sequel to the cliffhanger. A novelization of the last episode
               of the season and the subsequent 2-hour script that (we hope)
               resolves the cliffhanger.

            o  BODY AND SOUL, written by Peter David

               The "big Cathy/Sikes romance that everyone has been waiting
               for...."

            o  CHANGE, by Barry Longyear

               Deals with George's midlife crisis, "that goes back to a very
               real transformation taking place because of his alien biol-
               ogy".

            o  PASSING FANCY, by David Spenser

               Newcomers using drugs, surgery, etc. to try to pass for hu-
               man. Turns out there's some kind of conspiracy behind this trend,
               and George and Sikes track down the conspirators.

            o  SLAG LIKE ME, by Barry Longyear

               Story of a human journalist going undercover as a Tenctonese
               to experience the prejudice against Newcomers and determine
               its severity.
 
            o  EXTREME PREJUDICE, by L.A. Graf

               George and Sikes travel to Pittsburgh, where George (practi-
               cally the only Tenctonese in the city) experiences "a whole
               different kind of racism".

            o  CROSS OF BLOOD, by K.W. Jeter

               "...deals heavily with the relationship between Cathy and Sikes,
               as well as the first hybrid baby."

    Re .73 "first hybrid baby"
    
    *sigh*  The Newcomers are so alien in biochemistry, they burn at 
    the touch of salt water (though they prefer to eat raw meat, which is
    full of blood, which is mostly salt water, but that's another sigh).
    A human is supposed to hybridize with that?  On the face of it, we'd
    have a better chance of hybridizing with a rose bush.
    
    Similar problems apply to the late unlamented Visitors of th "V"
    series, who hybridized with humans despite being reptiles from Sirius,
    and of course Mr. Spock, who has copper-based blood with blood-salts no
    alien salt-vampire (first season) can stomach, while his mother has
    iron-based blood and would be prime salt-vampire-fodder had the species
    survived the first season.
    
    Compared with this, Miss Piggy's infatuation with Kermit the Frog looks
    like a potentially very fruitful union.
    
    Earl Wajenberg

Re: <<< Note 693.74 by CUPMK::WAJENBERG >>>

              ...Mr. Spock, who has copper-based blood with blood-salts no
    alien salt-vampire (first season) can stomach, while his mother has
    iron-based blood and would be prime salt-vampire-fodder had the species
    survived the first season.

I think you're confusing the salt-vampire shapechanger with the
red-corpuscle-eating cloud.

I know, get a life :-)

                                  Roak

    Roak,
    
    No, I think Earl has it right.  The Salt Creature (as I think of it)
    attacked Spock, but didn't get very far, and Dr. McCoy claimed that
    it was ~his <optional adjective> green blood~ that let him survive
    the attack.
    
    							Ann B.

Re: <<< Note 693.76 by REGENT::BROOMHEAD "Don't panic -- yet." >>>
    
>>    No, I think Earl has it right.  The Salt Creature (as I think of it)
>>    attacked Spock, but didn't get very far, and Dr. McCoy claimed that
>>    it was ~his <optional adjective> green blood~ that let him survive
>>    the attack.

Want to put a bet of having to sit through "Spocks Brain" on it?  :-)

I think that McCoy made the above comment after Spock walked out of the room
after closing the stuck ventalator valve (what's his name was mad, threw
something across the room and had jammed the vent open earlier in the show to
make a plot device).  Last shot before commercial:  Spock with his hands
covering the vent and the cloud (read: smoke) coming through the vent. Next shot
of Spock: walking out the door and McCoy waving a medical instrument over him
and making the comment about the cloud not liking his green blood.

The salt creature was the shape changer that that started out looking like that
scientist's wife (which the creature had killed).  I don't remember any attack
on Spock in that episode -- I would have thought that if there had been an
attack, they would have known about the salt creature earlier.  They didn't know
about it until the very end, when it attacked Kirk and they killed it before it
killed Kirk.  But then again, I don't remember the salt-creature episode as well
as the cloud one...

I agree -- what's a life?  :-)

                                Roak

    Get out the handcuff and the toothpicks for Roak.  One episode of 
    Spock's Brain coming up!
    
    When they took Crater to Sickbay to pump him up with truth serum,
    McCoy (who was actually the salt vampire disgusted), killed Crater 
    and attacked Spock.  There's a scene with Nimoy lying on a diagnostic
    bed with lime green makeup on his forehead explaining that he survived
    the attack because of his Vulcan characteristic.  
    
    Nimoy commented on this scene in later years, saying how silly he felt
    doing it originally.
    

    
    Hey BJ!  Everybody remember where we parked :').
    
    

    Now THAT's cruel and unusual punishment ;)
    

    Just saw an advert on Fox for an Alien Nation movie, "Dark Horizon"
    
    I believe it airs this coming tuesday,
    
    Dave

    Yes, I believe it airs on your local FOX station. If this is true to
    the novel, I believe it will resolve the cliff hanger from the end of
    the series and advance the plot a little vis-a-vis Cathy and Sikes 
    romance. 
    
    I enjoyed the novel, by the way.
    
    Neil

    There is a new Alien Nation movie that is being shown, TONIGHT!  
    or yesterday night if you don't see this till Wednesday.  I had
    thought to mention it earlier, but got distracted.
    
    PeterT