Fusion Patrol

This week, Eugene and John explore *Buck Rogers in the 25th Century*, Season 1, Episode 13, “Cruise Ship to the Stars.” They call out the awkward attraction between the 500+ year old Buck and the 19 year old Ms. Cosmos, critique the episode’s convoluted plot, humorously discuss Twiki’s romance, and ponder 2491’s beauty standards. Next time on Buck Rogers: Space VampireNext week on Fusion Patrol: The Invaders – The Leeches

In this episode of Fusion Patrol, Ben and Eugene delve into the 1961 Irwin Allen film “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,” starring Walter Pidgeon and Joan Fontaine. The discussion centers on the USOS Seaview and Admiral Nelson’s desperate mission to extinguish a catastrophic burning of the Van Allen Belt, which threatens all life on Earth. They explore the film’s key themes, including the clash between reason and fanaticism, as well as character dynamics, particularly between Nelson and his crew. We also reflect on our personal experiences with the film, critique its scientific elements, and analyze the portrayal of authority during the Cold War. Next Week: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century – Cruise Ship to the Stars

In this week’s episode of Fusion Patrol, Simon and Eugene dissect the series finale of Bugs, focusing on the two-part episode “Money Spiders” and “The Enemy Within.” They argue over which of the many things Alex should have been fired for, they discuss whether the G5 is the chip Apple released five years after the show and why they didn’t use a Pentium chip to run a Windows program, and they talk about how Bugs went out with a whimper, not a bang, not even a single bang. Join the conversation and revisit the thrilling conclusion of Bugs with them this week! Next Week: World Beyond Movie Night looks at Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)

In this episode of Fusion Patrol, Kenneth and Eugene analyze Season 1, Episode 3 of The Invaders, titled “The Mutation.” The story follows David Vincent as he investigates mysterious phenomena along the Texas-Mexico border, leading to a life-threatening encounter with locals and ultimately, alien forces. Despite being undermined by those he encounters, including the deceptive Evans and Vicky, Vincent’s quest for the truth about the invaders drives the narrative. They discuss the missed opportunities for deeper explorations of alien culture and the complexities of Vincent’s interactions with Vicky, who reveals her own mutation. They raise critical questions about identity and emotional depth, while critiquing its execution, noting continuity issues and the lack of logical consistency. They dissect the themes of rationality versus emotionality reflected in the series. Peso notes: There was lots of confusion in this episode about peso->dollar exchange rates, so let me clarify some of the confusion.in 1967, when this episode aired, the Mexican Peso (MXP) existed at a fixed exchange rate of 12.5 MXP for 1 USD. That means Vincent gave the men $24 USD.Since then (in 1993) the Peso (MXP) has been replaced by the New Peso (MXN). The New Peso’s exchange rate floats freely on the market.For additional context, $24 USD in 1967 money is roughly the equivalent of $230-$235 USD today.Calculating what the money was worth in Mexico in 1967 is more difficult, but in the 1960s there were different minimum wages, which could vary depending on type of job and region. In some places, a laborer’s minimum wage could have been as low as 8 pesos per day. So for the laborers that took Vincent’s 300 pesos, that could have been a significant portion of a year’s salary for them. Suffice to say, he gave them a lot of their money, and not too terribly much of his own. Next Week: The Bugs two-part finale, Money Spiders & The Enemy WithinNext time on the Invaders: The Leeches

In this episode of Fusion Patrol, we explore “Escape from Wedded Bliss,” the twelfth episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. The plot unfolds as a menacing space probe prompts the Federation to act, while Princess Ardala plots to capture Buck as leverage against them. Amidst a chaotic reception, Buck navigates Ardala's royal wedding challenges, ultimately facing off against Tiger Man. We critique the episode’s pacing and examine Ardala’s character, blending humor with serious themes.Next week: The Invaders, The MutationNext on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: Cruise Ship to The Stars

This week Simon and Eugene look at the Bugs episode Twin Geeks, and discuss their disappointment at the size of this episodes’s explosions, whether lawyers are as scarce as police in Bugs Land, and they lament the lack of eccentric British gauge collectors in this episode. Next week: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Escape from Wedded BlissNext time when we look at Bugs, it’s the 2-part series finale Money Spiders & The Enemy Within

In this episode of Fusion Patrol, the Kenneth and Eugene review The Invaders episode “The Experiment,” which features guest star Roddy McDowall as the son of an astrophysicist targeted by alien brainwashing. The discussion highlights the story’s strong Cold War influences, noting how the plot mirrors spy thrillers like The Manchurian Candidate by effectively substituting aliens for Soviet agents.

This week Simon and Eugene look at the last nugget of the Disney-BBC Doctor Who deal, the War Between the Land and the Sea where they discuss parallels between the modern UNIT and Torchwood, whether Kate Lethbridge-Stewart is the true heir to the Brigadier, and Eugene explains why the naming of Homo Aqua is as inappropriate as the naming of the Silurians.

This week Fusion Patrol looks at Buck Rogers in the 25th Century – Season 1, Episode 11, Cosmic Whiz Kid as John and Eugene discuss— Buck sidelined while Wilma saves the day Cross-promotion stunt casting with Gary Coleman Ray Walston as an unconvincing villain The timeline and age math that do not work Aldebaran 2 as a lawless world with municipal androids and no police Cosmic Whiz Kid Airdate: November 15, 1979 Runtime: 60 minutes Starring: Gil Gerard, Erin Gray, Tim O’Connor Guest Stars: Gary Coleman, Ray Walston Director: Leslie H. Martinson Writer: Alan Brennert (teleplay), Anne Collins (story) Synopsis: When child genius and President of the planet Genesia Hieronymous Fox is kidnapped by criminal Roderick Zale, his bodyguard seeks help from Earth's Defense Directorate. Buck Rogers is pulled from a planned vacation and teams up with Lieutenant Dia Cyrton to rescue Fox from Aldebaran II before Zale can use him as leverage for political gain.

This week Fusion Patrol looks at The Andromeda Strain as Ben and Eugene discuss hard science fiction tension built from plausible medical and military technology; human errors, prejudice, and design flaws that nearly trigger nuclear catastrophe; Nostalgic enthusiasm for long‑forgotten light pen computer interfaces; and a strangely prominent topless corpse and its clash with the film's G‑rated reputation. THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN
Release Date: March 12, 1971
Runtime: 131 minutes
Starring: Arthur Hill, David Wayne, James Olson, Kate Reid
Director: Robert Wise
Writer: Nelson Gidding
Synopsis: After a government satellite crashes in a small New Mexico town, nearly all residents die instantly from a mysterious extraterrestrial organism. An elite team of scientists is assembled in a secret underground facility to isolate the virus and determine why an elderly man and an infant were the only survivors. They must race against time and a nuclear self-destruct mechanism to neutralize the threat before it causes a global pandemic.

This week we look at “Bugs: Jewel Control” as Simon and Eugene discuss electricity billing, Beckett’s impressive Chinese reading capabilities, and whether Bugs is part of the same universe as Torchwood and whether it shares some of the same strengths and flaws. Jewel Control “Airdate: ” August 29, 1998 “Runtime:” 50 “Starring: ” Jaye Griffiths, Jesse Birdsall, Steven Houghton “Guest Stars: ” Naoko Mori “Director: “John Stroud “Writer: “Colin Brake “Synopsis: ” A Colombian emerald baron plans to use an ancient Continuation of Government facility to take control of the world’s jewel market. The team is alerted when Colombian gangster Diaz enters the country and has a connection to an old friend of Ros’.

This week Fusion Patrol looks at “The Invaders: Beachhead” as Kenneth and Eugene discuss— Every aspect of the David Vincent’s life being systematically destroyed, Uncertainty about who is alien and who is actually human, Unreliable pinky gestures and Creator Larry Cohen’s intended symbolism of the aliens’ extended pinky, and they posit whether anyone would notice the difference between Bud’s and Kelly’s Diner Beachhead Airdate: January 10, 1967 Runtime: 51 minutes Starring: Roy Thinnes Guest Stars: Diane Baker, J.D. Cannon, James Daly Director: Joseph Sargent Writer: Anthony Wilson (teleplay), Larry Cohen (story & creator) Synopsis: Architect David Vincent, tired from a late-night drive, stumbles upon an alien landing in a remote town. Unable to convince anyone of what he’s seen, Vincent finds his life unraveling as he obsesses over the mysterious invaders hiding in plain sight.

This week Fusion Patrol looks at the 1973 movie Soylent Green as John and Eugene discuss if starving people even care if Soylent Green is people, Charlton Heston’s most human performance in a dystopian film, women treated as apartment “furniture” in a collapsing society, and Edward G. Robinson’s final acting role as his own death scene Soylent Green Release Date: May 9, 1973 Runtime: 97 minutes Starring: Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, Edward G. Robinson, Chuck Connors, Joseph Cotten, Brock Peters, Paula Kelly, Stephen Young, Mike Henry, Whit Bissell Director: Richard Fleischer Writer: Stanley R. Greenberg (screenplay), Harry Harrison (novel) Synopsis: In a polluted and overpopulated New York City in the year 2022, detective Robert Thorn uncovers the corporate murder linked to a popular food product called Soylent Green. As Thorn investigates, he discovers the disturbing secret behind the food that sustains the masses, while society teeters on the brink of environmental catastrophe.

This week Fusion Patrol looks at Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, “Planet of the Amazon Women” as John and Eugene discuss Looking “like leftover dinner” as an insult. The proper technique for making a grilled cheese sandwich, which doesn’t involve holding bread over an open flame. Twiki's use of the phrase “Holy Toledo.” Planet of the Amazon Women Airdate: 1 November 1979 Runtime: 49 minutes Starring: Gil Gerard, Erin Gray, Tim O’Connor Guest Stars: Ann Dusenberry, Jay Robinson, Anne Jeffreys Director: Philip Leacock Writer: D.C. Fontana, Richard Fontana Synopsis: Buck is tricked into landing on the planet Zantia, where he is made a prisoner before being sold as a slave to Ariela, the daughter of the planet’s Prime Minister. While living on the planet, Buck learns that all male members of Zantia’s population have become prisoners of war while battling the planet Ruathan.

Simon and Eugene look at Season 4, episode 6 of Bugs — Pandora's Box. They discuss why you can't fix a sixth century plague with modern technology, Beckett's annoying, sexy upstairs neighbor, and why blowing things up is a much better solution to a contagion than containment. Pandora's Box Airdate: April 8, 1995 Runtime: 50 ... Read more

Kenneth and Eugene discuss the final two parts of Children of the Dog Star, with the episodes Kolob, and Alien Contact.

John and Eugene talk about the time Buck Rogers met the Scream Queen, Jamie Lee Curtis, and they discuss the Tennessee delicacy, sand squid, as they look at the episode Unchained Woman.

This week, Ben and Eugene look at the 1956 Japanese Kaiju classic, Rodan! Or, as originally known, Sora no Daikaiju, Radon. I'm dropping a little detour here into the show notes, not directly about Rodan, but just because you may be interested. “Rodan! The Flying Monster” (1957) as it was billed in the US was ... Read more

Simon and Eugene look Season 4, Episode 5 of Bugs, Hell and High Water. They discuss how this throws back to earlier Bugs episodes, whether Alex commits the most unethical act seen in the show so far, and if you work on defense contracts and give your computer to a museum, whether you should check ... Read more

Hello and welcome to this not-actually-an-episode of Fusion Patrol. I'm Eugene, and I'm all alone here today. Have you noticed that Fusion Patrol episode numbers just keep getting higher and higher? Here we are at over 750 episodes. Our first episode dropped in April of 2010. That's over 15 years. That's like 30 to 60 ... Read more

Kenneth and Eugene look at episodes 3 and 4 of Children of the Dog Star.

Who'd have thunk it?  Buck Rogers in the 25th Century decides to tackle issues of ageism, the mental anguish of disabilities, and questions of identity as related to the concept of “fixing” a disability.   Or at least, it would have been if the production staff had given this episode much thought. John and Eugene, ... Read more

This week Ben and Eugene look at the 1960 movie, Village of the Damned, inspired by the 1957 John Wyndham novel, the Midwich Cuckoos.

This week, Simon and Eugene discuss ultrasonic weapons and whether they are as effective at punching holes in concrete as they are at cleaning dental guards, Ross's suddenly discovered sensitivity to sexism and Alex being patronized for her age, and Eugene introduces his groundbreaking conception of the three eras of Britain.

This week, Kenneth and Eugene begin their look at a new series here on Fusion Patrol — the 1984 New Zealand production, Children of the Dog Star. This time, the first two installments, The Brass Daisy and Power Stop.

John and Eugene discuss the time Buck Rogers pits himself again the lamest group of assassins the galaxy can muster, and they ponder the riddle, “Why are they even a threat?” It's the two-part episode, The Plot to Kill a City.

It's hard to keep a good Phibes down. Would it be as hard to keep a bad Phibes down? Ben and Eugene discuss the 1972 The Abominable Dr. Phibes sequel, Dr. Phibes Rises Again.

This week, Simon and Eugene look at Bugs, Series 4, Episode 3, Girl Power. When they discuss child geniuses being given the idiot ball, how convincingly Ed and Beckett are at getting duped, and when the Intel Pentium 7 chip came out.

Kenneth and Eugene finally arrive at the final episode of Space Rangers with, the Trial.

This week, John and Eugene look at the Buck Rogers in the 25th century episode, Vegas in Space, where we ask the questions, do you see mirrors or a piano keyboard, and can Buck be a bigger SOB to Wilma than he was in the movie, we also reflect on Gil Gerard's moment of acting.

This week, on World Beyond movie Night, Ben and Eugene dip their toes into comedy/horror Diesel Punk with The Abominable Dr. Phibes.

This week, Simon and Eugene look at Season 4, Episode 2 of Bugs, Sacrifice to Science.  They discuss the naming of government security departments, the difference between boathouses and houseboats, and whether you could be excused for not trusting scientists if you only ever meet the mad ones. 

A washed-up comedian, Buddy Hackett, arrives for a show, and there's a disaster… No, that description might just be a little too meta. A washed-up comedian, Lenny Hacker, is en route for a show, and there's a disaster. The Space Rangers team has to rescue him from a notorious prison planet. Kenneth and Eugene discuss ... Read more

Investigating a mystery on the planet of the slave girls. Tough job, and only one man in the 25th century is up to it: Capt. Buck Rogers! John and Eugene discuss Planet of the Slave Girls.

Between seasons 1 and 2 of Space: 1999, Gerry Anderson took another stab at space opera, this time with an eye towards teachiing children about Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity. How well did that plan go? Find out as Ben and Eugene discuss The Day After Tomorrow. (AKA, Into Infinity)

Simon and Eugene pick up where they left off on their coverage of bugs, this time with the opening episode of series 4, Absent Friends. Where they rant… er… discuss recasting, retcons, recasting, cliffhangers, and recasting.

This week, Kenneth and Eugene watch as Capt. Boon makes mistake after mistake after mistake as they muddle their way through the Space Rangers episode, Death Before Dishonor.

At long last, John and Eugene begin the much-requested coverage of the epitome of 1970s space opera: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century! This week they look at the theatrical release and they spare some thoughts for the television re-edit.

This week, Simon and Eugene finally come to the end of the 2025 season of Doctor Who and the end of the Gatwa era, when they look at the final two episodes, Wish World and The Reality War. They discuss Ncuti Gatwa's performance as the Doctor, compare the Deadly Assassin with the Reality War, whether ... Read more

“Barbarella, pychodella, there's a kind of cockleshell about you…” It began as a scandalous comic book, then Dino De Laurentiis thought, “hey, they oughta make a movie about that.” …and now, Ben and Eugene have to watch it and discuss it. It's the 1968 movie, Barbarella starring Jane Fonda.

This week on Fusion Patrol, Simon and Eugene look at the 2025 season of Doctor Who, episode number six, the Interstellar Song Contest. They discuss parallels between the ice in the Doctor's heart and the Time Lord Victorious, the influence of Diamonds Are Forever on this episode, why Eugene's local sports team is the New ... Read more

The Doctor lands in Lagos, and Simon and Eugene land on their thoughts about the Story & the Engine. The consider which continents on Earth the Doctor tends to visit, barbershops in television culture, and give their Fusion Patrol literary recommendations.

Is it Simon and Eugene's lucky day as they discuss Lucky Day? They argue over the capability of this incarnation of UN.I.T., they discuss the history of the Think Tank organization and whether Kate Stewart sends the Doctor monthly reports.

Simon and Eugene discuss whether the Well is needed to be a sequel and which episode it should have been a sequel to, whether twice is too many times to play Britney Spears' Toxic in two decades, and whether dialogue on TV used to be easier to hear.

Doctor Who 2025 barrels on with episode 2, Lux, as Simon and Eugene discuss whether animations have depth, the missing merchandise from this episode, whether they're seeing a new season template emerging, and how the new TARDIS wardrobe works.

Simon and Eugene kick off the 2025 season of Doctor who looking at the episode, The Robot Revolution, where they discuss meta-paradoxes, RTD using Moffatisms, and how you count hyphenated words when you are missing every ninth word.

Simon and Eugene discuss different forms of mind transference, they rate Steven's departure against other companions, and they discuss what aspects of animation take us out of a animated reconstructed story. Come join the conversation as they look at the newly-released animated Doctor Who story, the Savages.

Kenneth and Eugene discuss “…so many pieces…” of this episode of Space Rangers.

John and Eugene come to the end of Star Maidens with the final two episodes. In Creatures of the Mind, where they discuss the implications of what happens if AI learned to move without the aid of wheels or legs. In The Enemy, they ask the question, “was the whole point of this series leading ... Read more

Cheap Star Wars ripoff, or a more brilliant parody than Space Balls? This week, Ben and Eugene look at the Roger Corman film, Starcrash!

This week, Simon and Eugene look at the final episode of the first series of Real Humans, episode 10, The Code. They discuss the source of HuBot morality, how HuBot's having an old USB-A port is at least better than a Lightning port, why HuBots don't have laser eyes, and what the Swedish Actors Union ... Read more