Robert Picardo
Chappelle's Show and The Boondocks star Charlie Murphy takes the lead for this comedy concerning two best friends sent hurtling through a politically-incorrect television landscape thanks to a magical remote control that redefines the concept of interactive entertainment. Now, with each change of the channel, the shows get more bizarre, leaving hapless knuckleheads Bubba and Leroy scrambling to find a way back into the real world. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlie Murphy
Director Joe Dante stirred up a great deal of interest in Showtime's Masters of Horror series with his bluntly anti-Operation Iraqi Freedom political satire, Homecoming, scripted by Sam Hamm. An unnamed president is running for reelection during a divisive war, and one of his speechwriters, David Murch (Jon Tenney), goes on TV to speak with talk show host Marty Clark (Terry David Mulligan) and strident right-wing sexpot Jane Cleaver (Thea Gill of Queer as Folk). Another guest is Janet Hofstader (Beverly Breuer), the Cindy Sheehan-like mother of a fallen soldier, who demands to know what her son died for. Murch gets a bit teary-eyed and explains that he lost his older brother in Vietnam. "Believe me," he tells the grieving mom, "if I had one wish, I would wish for your son to come back, because I know he would tell us how important this struggle is." Cleaver is so impressed with Murch's handling of the situation that she takes him out for a drink later, picks his brain, and eventually seduces him. The Karl Rove-like Kurt Rand (Robert Picardo) interrupts their tryst, calling to let Murch know that the president plans to make his line part of his stump speech. Well, as they say, be careful what you wish for. Soon, the soldiers killed in the war do start returning from the dead, and it doesn't go the way Murch predicted. They're not back to feast on the living, but unhappily for the president and his supporters, they just want a chance to vote in the upcoming election. "We'll vote for anyone who ends this war," one explains. The spin machine goes into overdrive, but the dead are determined to make their voice heard. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Tenney
The wildly prolific cult exploitation director and Roger Corman vet Jim Wynorski (Big Bad Mama 2, Not of This Earth) returns to the thematic territory of his 1986 Chopping Mall with the direct-to-video sci-fi actioner Shockwave (2005). The premise concerns a series of top-grade, covert "Shock Wave" robots. Originally designed as Mars Rovers, these machines - shielded with thick armor and laden with state-of-the-art lasers, weapons and tracking systems - ultimately proved themselves so ubiquitous that the armed forces opted to use them in routine military operations, to root out terrorists when attempting to suppress hostile lands. As the story opens, however, a plane transporting the machines crash lands on an abandoned Pacific island. The robots then go on a rampage, and a group of hotshot Navy SEALS is assigned to bring them down, via cutting edge particle cannons. The men are hindered by one small detail: as time rolls on, the intelligence of the robots builds rapidly, enabling the machines to dismantle all of the guns. As the power of the aggressors builds, the soldiers must find an innovative way to stop the madness, before the robots gain enough force and power to wipe out the entire human race. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Lando, Lisa Locicero, (more)
- 2004
In this followup to the second-season episode "Tabula Rasa," Superman's perennial nemesis Lex Luthor returns, claming to have completely reformed. Willing to give their former foe the benefit of the doubt, the Justice Leaguers try to protect Luthor from the evil android AMAZO, who seems determined to kill Lex in as nasty a manner as possible. Meanwhile, "Green Lantern" John Stewart tries to get over his busted romance with Hawkgirl. Fans of The Andy Griffith Show will enjoy the fleeting inside joke during the barbershop scene. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Picardo, Clancy Brown, (more)
- 2004
A trio of nerdish students accidentally invoke a supernatural spell -- and presto! Familiar Justice League nemesis Solomon Grundy is revived from his "sleep of death." Going on a rampage, Grundy cannot be stopped by the Leaguers. Their only hopes lie in the only person who'd ever befriended the villainous Grundy -- former JL member Hawkgirl, now living in seclusion as her "civilian" persona Shayera. The question: Will Hawkgirl be willing to vanquish Grundy, to whom she owes her very life? Clips from several previous episodes are sprinkled throughout this pivotal Justice League Unlimited adventure. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Rummel, Oded Fehr, (more)
- 2003
Having exited his role on The West Wing in a flurry of largely negative publicity, Rob Lowe quickly resurfaced as the star of the NBC legal drama The Lyon's Den. Lowe was cast as Jack Turner, an idealistic attorney who hoped to make a name for himself separate from that of his prestigious state-senator father (Rip Torn) by helping the poor and downtrodden on a pro bono basis. A stroke of fate obliged him to accept a full partnership at a high-profile D.C. law firm, populated almost exclusively by ruthless glory-grabbers, bottom-feeding backstabbers, and hedonistic sexual predators. Would Jack be able to do the sort of work he loved while surrounded by expensively dressed sharks? The Lyon's Den opened for business on September 28, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Lowe, Matt Craven, (more)
In a land where cartoon characters and flesh-and-blood people work side by side, one little black duck lands in a big pot of trouble in this comedy, which brings the beloved Looney Tunes characters into the real world. Daffy Duck (voice of Joe Alaskey) has grown tired of his status as Warner Bros.' leading avian second fiddle and demands that if he can't be given equal billing with his rival Bugs Bunny (also voiced by Alaskey), he wants to be released from his contract. Kate Houghton (Jenna Elfman), Warners' vice president in charge of comedy, is way ahead of Daffy and orders studio stuntman D.J. Drake (Brendan Fraser) to kick the duck off the studio lot. D.J. soon discovers getting rid of Daffy is no easy task, and the duck is in tow when Drake makes a startling discovery -- his father Damien Drake (Timothy Dalton), a movie star best know for playing ultra-suave secret agents, really is a secret agent, and he's been kidnapped by Mr. Chairman (Steve Martin), the evil leader of the monolithic Acme Corporation. Damien knows the secret hiding place of the priceless Blue Monkey Diamond and Mr. Chairman will stop at nothing to get it, so D.J. and Daffy set out to rescue Damien and save the diamond, one step behind Acme's musclemen and one step ahead of Kate and Bugs, who now realize how important Daffy is to the Looney Tunes franchise. Looney Tunes: Back in Action also stars Heather Locklear as a lounge singer working for Yosemite Sam (voice of Steve Babiar), Joan Cusack, John Cleese, Stan Freberg, and Roger Corman. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brendan Fraser, Jenna Elfman, (more)
- 2003
This cable TV special spotlights people who aren't doctors, but who play doctors on TV. Actors from General Hospital, Scrubs, and the various incarnations of Star Trek discuss their experiences as fictional members of the medical profession, noting the intense research necessary for such roles, and also confessing the sheer joy of making "life and death" situations while the cameras are rolling. Hollywood Hospital was the pilot for a proposed series on the Discovery Health Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Picardo, John Billingsley, (more)
- 2003
Still recovering from the death of a close friend, Johnny (Anthony Michael Hall) goes on a vacation with the Bannermans and Bruce (John L. Adams). Before long, Johnny experiences another of his disturbing psychic visions -- this one of a tornado that bids fair to be the storm of the century. Despite his own fears of death, Johnny must confront the tornado head-on to save the lives of his loved ones. The first Dead Zone episode filmed in the letterbox format, "The Storm" was intended as the inaugural episode of the series' third season, but was included instead in season two. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John L. Adams, Nicole deBoer, (more)
- 2003
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Lex Luthor continues his campaign of revenge against the Justice League with the help of the android AMAZO, which is capable of mirroring the likenesses and special skills of the League members. Once AMAZO takes on the powers of Superman -- albeit with an evil twist -- there seems to be no stopping him. The only hope for our heroes' salvation is in the hands of J'onn J'onnz, "The Martian Manhunter," who unfortunately has soured on mankind and is no mood to come to anyone's rescue. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clancy Brown, Lisa Edelstein, (more)
- 2003
In the first episode of a two-part story, perennial Superman foe Lex Luthor manages to escape incarceration, though his life-saving armor has been damaged in the process. Hoping to wreak vengeance against the Justice League, Luthor activates one of his many sinister creations: AMAZO, an android capable of mirroring the likenesses and powers of the League members. Unfortunately, the "mirror" is a dark one, as proven by the unsavory "alternate" versions of the Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and the rest. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clancy Brown, Lisa Edelstein, (more)
- 2002
In the conclusion of a three-part story, the Justice Leaguers, teamed with an alternate-reality Vandal Savage, have gone back in time to World War 2 in hopes of preventing the present from being horribly altered by despotic dictator Vandal Savage. Assisting the League in its efforts are such vintage comic-book heroes as Blackhawk, Steve Trevor (Wonder Woman's erstwhile mortal beau), and Sgt. Rock of Easy Company. Unfortunately, the villainy has been doubled as the 1940s-era Savage trades information with his modern-day counterpart. Will the combined forces of good be able to vanquish Savage, or will the horrifiying "alternate" world of the 21st century become reality? ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Duffy, Phil Morris, (more)
- 2002
In the second episode of a three-part story (originally telecast as a single "feature film"), the Justice Leaguers have gone back in time to World War 2, the better to prevent the despotic Vandal Savage from becoming ruler of the world in "The Present." In pursuit of this goal, the Green Lantern hooks up with Sgt. Rock and Easy Company; Flash and Hawkgirl team with the Blackhawks; and Wonder Woman aligns herself with military officer Steve Trevor. Meanwhile, J'onn J'onnz discovers that the 1940s-era Vandal Savage has forged a psychic link with his modern-day counterpart -- but before J'onn can act upon this information, the Leaguers fall into a trap! ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Duffy, Phil Morris, (more)
- 2001
Normally a man who does not back down from a confrontation, Martin (John Mahoney) just stands and takes it when his new boss Rich (M. Emmet Walsh) bullies him on the job. Sympathizing with his dad's frustration, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) decides to intervene -- the last thing in the world that Martin wants him to do. As the situation develops, Frasier learns a whole new meaning for the old adage "Like Father, Like Son." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The seventh and final season of Star Trek: Voyager opens with the resolution of the previous season's cliffhanger, in which the loyalties of Voyager crew member Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) perilously vacillate between Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and the evil Borg Queen (Susanna Thompson). Pushing ever forward in hopes of returning to their home base in Alpha Quadrant, Janeway's crew encounters numerous other adventures and challenges. Along the way, the crew person Neelix (Ethan Phillips) helps his fellow Talaxians vanquish their evil miner oppressors on a distant asteroid, and is ultimately appointed Starfleet ambassador to the Delta Quadrant. The series concludes with a "flash-forward" set 33 years in the future -- ten years after the Voyager had successfully returned to the Alpha Quadrant. Janeway has been promoted to Admiral, former ensign Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) is now a captain, Lt. Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) is a successful author, the daughter of Tom and B'Elanna (Roxann Biggs-Dawson) is herself a Starfleet officer, the holographic Doctor (Robert Picardo) has become sufficiently human to fall in love -- and, tragically, the Vulcan Tuvok (Tim Russ) is gravely ill and Seven of Nine is long dead. Stealing a Klingon device that enables her to go back in time, the elderly Janeway hopes to help her younger self in the battle against the Borg Queen (now played by Alice Krige) which cost Seven of Nine her life -- and the ex-captain may have to sacrifice herself in the process. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, (more)
- 2000
In this follow-up to the earlier episode "Pathfinder," Robert Picardo plays the dual role of the holographic Doctor and the Doctor's creator, Lewis Zimmerman. With the help of a transmitter rigged by Reginald Barclay (Dwight Schultz), the Doctor is transported to the Alpha Quandrant, in hopes of saving the life of the mortally ill Zimmerman. Alas, Zimmerman turns down this help, on the grounds that the Doctor is a mere Mark One Hologram, and thus dreadfully outdated. Co-written by actor Picardo, "Life Line" first aired on May 10, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roxann Dawson
- 2000
- PG
This family drama by actress and first-time director Anne DeSalvo centers around four adult sisters who are forced to re-evaluate their situations after tragedy strikes. The oldest of the clan, Grace (Mercedes Ruehl), is called upon to be the tower of strength, even though she is widely perceived to be a replica of their mother Dolly (Cloris Leachman), a woman who, like Grace, has unfailingly devoted much of her life to a husband who doesn't appreciate her as he should. Christine (Sean Young) is separated from her job-obsessed husband Paul (Jamey Sheridan), and contemplates divorcing him even though they have a young daughter. Another sister, Denise (Dinah Manoff), rejects the idea of marriage despite the advances of boyfriend Lawrence (Mark Harmon); youngest sister Dolores (Lily Knight) has become mentally challenged due to an accident, and has trouble relating to her older siblings. Dolores has found a romantic interest, but the family feels she is unable to cope with such an attachment at her age. Through the aid of Dolly's sisters Splendora (Lee Grant) and Loretta (Edith Fields), the family tries to retain its bond and deal with unexpected tragedy. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mercedes Ruehl, Paul Sorvino, (more)
The opening episode of Star Trek: Voyager's sixth season neatly resolves the cliffhanger set up at the end of season five -- and once the crew of the Voyager has rescued the ship's technology from the wrong hands, they resume their efforts to return to Starfleet Command in the Alpha Quadrant. This season's highlights include an episode in which the crew rescues a 300-year-old U.S. spaceship, trapped in a huge energy ball; a startling revelation regarding the Borg Collective past of crew member Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan); the introduction of a new recurring character, the adolescent Naomi Wildman (played by future Reba co-star Scarlett Pomers); and a guest appearance by the pro wrestler known as The Rock. The episode "Pathfinder" represents the first of several series appearances by former Star Trek: The Next Generation semi-regular Dwight Schultz in his familiar role as "Reg" Barclay, here establishing a communication link between Voyager and the Alpha Quadrant -- but only for 11 minutes at a time. Seven of Nine learns awful truth about her Borg past. The crew rescue a 300-year-old U.S. spaceship trapped in a huge energy ball in "One Small Step." "Collective" introduces four new recurring characters, the partially assimilated Borg children Icheb (Manu Intiraymi), Mezoti (Marley S. McClean), Azan (Kurt Wetherill), and Rebi (Cody Wetherill), with whom Seven of Nine forms a sympathetic bond. And in "Fury," former regular Jennifer Lien makes a return appearance as the Ocampan Kes. The season's traditional cliffhanger finale is sparked by a dream experienced by Seven of Nine in which all Borg Drones are allowed to regain their individuality -- a contingency that the Borg Queen (Susanna Thompson) intends to prevent at any cost, including the total destruction of the Voyager. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, (more)
- 1999
In a huge rolling energy ball called the Graviton Ellipse, Janeway and the crew try to rescue a trapped U.S. spacecraft. Originally the vanguard of the first manned mission to Mars, the American vessel -- and its skipper, Lt. John Kelly (Phil Morris) -- has been in a state of suspended animation since the year 2032. Janeway's (Kate Mulgrew) efforts to shepherd Kelly to safety end up having disastrous effects on her crew -- especially Chakotay (Robert Beltran). Written by Mike Wollaeger, Jessica Scott, Bryan Fuller, and Michael Taylor from a story by Wollaeger and Scott, "One Small Step" made its network TV bow on November 17, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roxann Dawson
As the crew of the Voyager eagerly looks forward to their imminent return to their home base in the Alpha Quadrant, the fifth-season opener of Star Trek: Voyager finds the ship's captain, Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), in seclusion, grimly questioning her past judgments of command. As it turns out, the ship is not quite back on its own turf, meaning that more adventures must come to pass before the Voyager's lengthy space odyssey can be resolved. Of the many plot developments transpiring during season five, several stand out: Lt. Tom Paris' (Robert Duncan McNeill) humiliating demotion after refusing to obey an order he cannot justify to himself; the near-reassimilation of Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) into her old Borg Collective; the bleak future envisioned by crew members Chakotay (Robert Beltran) and Kim (Garrett Wang) unless they are able to turn back the clock some 15 years; the marriage of Paris and B'Elanna (Roxann Biggs-Dawson), and their subsequent holographic honeymoon; and a foray into chaotic space, where absolutely none of the usual rules of physics apply. Elsewhere, Voyager's holographic Doctor (Robert Picardo) continues his efforts to become more human; and in the episode "11:59," Janeway flashes back to the time when her 20th century ancestor saved the world on the brink of the millennium. And yes, season five ends on a cliffhanger. This time out, the Voyager's technology is captured by a hostile force, leaving everyone's fate in the balance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, (more)
With the cliffhanger finale of Star Trek: Voyager's third season efficiently resolved in the opening salvo of season four, the crew of the Voyager finds itself with a new member: Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), an earthling who in childhood had been assimilated into a Borg collective, forsaking her individuality in the process. As the season progresses, Seven of Nine's essential humanity slowly returns -- but given her Borg background, can she be trusted? Meanwhile, the Voyager bids goodbye to Ocampan crew person Kes (Jennifer Lien), who after the battle which briefly united her crew with the Borg is compelled to morph into an energy being -- but not before pushing the Voyager some 9,500 light years closer to the Alpha Quadrant. In other developments, Talaxian crew member Neelix (Ethan Phillips) ponders the significance of his existence after being snatched from the jaws of death; former antagonists B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Biggs-Dawson) and Lt. Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) fall in love; and Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) faces a new threat to the well-being of herself and her crew in the form of "Species 8472." The season's most intriguing episode is "Living Witness," set in the far-distant future, in which a museum curator relates a "reconstructed" version of the Voyager's crucial intervention in the war between the Kyrians and the Vaskans. This season's cliffhanger finale finds the crew celebrating the likelihood that they will soon return to their home base -- but Janeway is curiously non-celebratory, and very grim. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran, (more)
Joe Dante directed this satirical action-comedy about talking tech toys accidentally juiced-up with military microchips. After the defense industry firm Globotech takes over a small toy company, Heartland Play Systems' CEO Gil Mars (Denis Leary) gives the green light to develop a new line of action figures, requesting an upgrade to more realistic figures from Heartland toy designers Larry Benson (Jay Mohr) and fumbling Irwin Wayfair (David Cross). Mars wants toys that act like the ones in TV commercials. The results are fierce fighting figures, the Commando Elite, programmed to seek out and destroy the kindly alien-like Gorgonites. In an effort to make the toys as natural as possible, Benson inserts Globotech's most powerful military computer chips. Meanwhile, in quiet Winslow Corners, Ohio, toy-store owner Stuart Abernathy (Kevin Dunn) and his 15-year-old son Alan (Gregory Smith) are stuck in a failing business, so when Heartland truckdriver Joe (Dick Miller) stops by with the Commando and Gorgonite toys, Alan is convinced they will be hot sellers, commenting, "Maybe this store will finally make a little money." With blistering blows to their blister packs, the Commandos burst out, receive orders from their leader Chip Hazard (voice of Tommy Lee Jones) and ready for an all-out assault on the Gorgonites. When the Gorgonite leader Archer (voice of Frank Langella) begins communicating with Alan, it causes the Commandos to perceive humans as another enemy, simply by their association with the "Gorgonite scum," so an attack on the Abernathy house begins. Unfortunately, the Gorgonites can offer only limited assistance, since they have been programmed to lose. The film combines animatronics, puppetry, and computer animation. The Commando Elite voices include surviving actors from Robert Aldrich's The Dirty Dozen (1967), while the Gorgonite voices reunited several This Is Spinal Tap (1983) cast members. A dedication to Phil Hartman (the voice of Phil Fimple) after the closing credits features a brief Hartman outtake. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirsten Dunst, Gregory Smith, (more)
- 1997
Dr. Bashir is selected as the model for Starfleet's holographic doctor program. As part of the process, program head Dr. Zimmerman (Robert Picardo) must learn everything about Bashir, warts and all. In the course of his investigation, Zimmerman uncovers a dark family secret that threatens to ruin Bashir's future career. First telecast February 24, 1997, "Doctor Bashir, I Presume" was scripted by Ronald D. Moore, from a story by Jimmy Diggs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
In this episode of the popular sci-fi series Star Trek: Voyager, Ensign Kim (Garrett Wang) makes a surprising confession to Tuvok (Tim Russ) -- he's fallen in love with someone on board the U.S.S. Voyager. However, the apple of Kim's eye isn't the sort of person cut out for a long-term relationship; Marayna (Sandra Nelson) is actually one of the electronically generated figures on the holodeck. Tuvok discovers while communicating with Marayna that Kim's infatuation isn't as odd as it may seem, as the character seems attractive, charming, and intelligent. Kim, however, feels Tuvok is becoming too close to Marayna, and Tuvok attempts to delete the character from the hologram's computer system to avoid a confrontation. Tuvok, however, realizes this isn't a typical hologram he's dealing with when after she's been deleted from the computer's files, Marayna managed to appear in his cabin. Star Trek: Voyager 55: Alter Ego was first aired on January 15, 1997. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roxann Dawson
