Thursday, May 7, 2026

The Apothecary Diaries 1.01

Maomao

A young apothecary, Maomao, is kidnapped and sold to the Rear Palace where she becomes one of the many serving girls in a structure populated only by women and eunuchs. She remains a lowly servant until she anonymously uses her knowledge to heal the newborn daughter of Gyokuyō, one of the high ranking concubines of the emperor. Jinshi, the manager of the Rear Palace, tricks Maomao into revealing that she knows how to read and write and then takes her to see Gyokuyō who elevates Maomao to be one of her personal servants.

Thoughts

I watched this episode in Japanese with the English subtitles. I wish that the subtitles were closed captioned. I also wish that they didn't flash by as quickly as they do at times. I watched on my computer because it is easier to pause and rewind than it is on my television.

The Outer Limits (1963) 1.17

Don't Open Until Doomsday

starring Miriam Hopkins, John Hoyt, Russell Collins
writer by Joseph Stefano
directed by Gerd Oswald

Gard Hayden and Vivia Balfour elope. They rush to the justice of the peace (Russell Collins). He marries them and then directs them to the home of Mrs. Kry (Miriam Hopkins). There are no hotels in town and it has a bridal suite. Mrs. Key is more than happy to set them up in the bridal suite. Her husband disappeared just after they god married, 35 years before. She tells them that but she doesn't warn them about the box with the blinking light with the alien inside it.

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

Solar Opposites 2.01

The Sacred Non-Repeating Number

Korvo has fixed the space ship. They try leaving but there is too much extra weight aboard the space ship so it crashes back on top of the roof of the house. Korvo discovers that there is another family of Shlorpians on Earth. Korvo and Terry find them hiding in the sewers of London. Kabronius Zelvod, Tivo, and Damasculon live in fear of the people of Earth. They only go out at night to scavenge for food. Korvo takes a liking to them. Terry and Jesse do not.

Yumyulak stays behind while the others go to London. He goes back to high school and thinks that the cool kids finally like him. They convince him that they want him to host a party.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1.20

And So Died Riabouchinska

starring Claude Rains
written by Ray Bradbury, Mel Dinelli
directed by Robert Stevenson

Police Detective Krovitch discovers something stranger than murder when he investigates the death of a man named Ockham whose body was found in the basement of a theater. Krovitch learns that Ockham was there to see John Fabian (Claude Rains), a ventriloquist. Alice, Fabian's wife, was having an affair with Mel Douglas, his manager. That wasn't why Ockham came to see Fabian or why Ockham was murdered. 

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Star Trek (1966) 2.02

Who Mourns for Adonais?

written by Gilbert Ralston
directed by Marc Daniels

The Enterprise is approaching the planet Pollux IV when a huge hand reaches out and grabs the ship. The crew of the Enterprise unsuccessfully tries to break loose. A man's face appears on the view screen. He explains that he wants Captain Kirk to come down to the surface of the planet with some of his officers. Kirk doesn't like it but feeling as though they don't have a choice he complies with the orders.

Captain Kirk, Doctor McCoy, Chief Engineer Scott, Lieutenant Carolyn Palamas, and Ensign Chekov beam down to the surface of Pollux IV. There they are greeted by a man who calls himself Apollo and claims to be one of the Greek gods of old. 

Doctor Who (1963) 13.01.01

Terror of the Zygons - Part One

The Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith, and Harry Sullivan return to Earth. The TARDIS sets down in the wilderness in Scotland. They get a ride to the nearest town from the Duke of Forgill. There they meet up with the Brigadier who explains why he summoned the Doctor back to Earth. A couple North Sea oil rigs belonging to the Hibernia Oil Company have been recently been destroyed under mysterious circumstances.

The Duke of Forgill makes it very clear that he cares nothing for the oil company before leaving. Mr. Huckle, the local manager for the oil company, tells the Doctor, the Brigadier, Sarah, and Harry what he knows about the disasters. He's convinced that something weird is going on. 

Monday, May 4, 2026

Amazing Stories 1.04

Mummy Daddy

starring Tom Harrison
written by Earl Pomerantz, Steven Spielberg
directed by William Dear

Harold (Tom Harrison), an actor, rushes off the set of a movie, Mummy's Kiss, after learning that his wife is about to give birth. Harold doesn't have time to change and is still in full mummy makeup. He gets lost and spooks some of the locals. They come after him thinking that he is a real mummy. Harold bumps into Ra Amin Ka, a real mummy, While running from the mob that wants to kill him. Harold eventually makes it to the hospital about the same time that Ra Amin Ka arrives on set where nobody bats as eyelash at his appearance.