It isn’t that uncommon for Science Fiction films to showcase a variety of artistic looks … especially when it comes to female characters.

Naturally, fandom has always gone a bit bonkers for ladies whose female attributes lend themselves to a kinda/sorta comic book aesthetic: blonde or brunette bombshells outfitted in retro-looking aluminum bikinis often rule the day, and this kind of raw sexualized energy has been the kind of thing fanboys and fangirls celebrate to varying degrees whenever they see it.  While such objectification has long drawn the ire of our cultural betters – along with our parents and grandparents – Science Fiction and Fantasy enthusiasts have often looked the other way when suffering criticisms for what such adoration says about women (or men, for that matter).  Why, one need look no further than the World Wide Web’s unending fascination of ‘Slave Leia’ – Carrie Fisher famously filled out that someone metal bikini in Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi – to see that a flash of skin here and there certainly captivated audiences to the nth degree.

The truth over where such a look originates – along with Science Fiction’s fascination with it – is a bit more complex.

However, 1936’s Things To Come from London Film Productions arguably serves as a foundation for some of what fandom might dub the slightly more elegant ‘Space Lady’ design.  Director William Cameron Menzies helmed this cinematic adaptation of the celebrated H.G. Wells’ novel; and Google.com reports that the man worked closely alongside René Hubert, John Armstrong, and Cathleen Mann to give the character of Catherine Caball – as played by South Africa actress Pearl Argyle – an almost regal look by comparison to what 1936’s Flash Gordon would do with its ‘Dale Arden’ that same year.  In fact, one could make the argument that the artistic merits of Things To Come definitely influenced the many ladies who’d appear costumed in Gene Roddenberry’s groundbreaking Star Trek (1966-1969) as well as 1976’s Logan’s Run.

Given that Things To Come explored a Utopian’s view of the Future, Caball sported an almost Greek-looking ensemble, one highlighted with flowing layers and almost royally confident shoulders.  While the hemline wasn’t opposed to showcasing the actress’ natural beauty (Argyle performed as a ballerina in London and was once dubbed ‘the most beautiful woman of her generation), there was still an aura of high culture and respectability around such a display.  The point here was that the future was bright, assured, and prosperous; so effort was made to guarantee that Caball looked as though she fit effortlessly into an enclave that was both fashionable and minimalist.  Indeed, this is a template that the more thoughtful forays into the realms of the Fantastic would follow … but it truly got its start ninety years ago and still turns up from time-to-time almost a century later.

Chiefly, I bring this up today in celebration of Pearl Argyle’s birthday.  Born on this day back in 1910 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the actress would go on to eventually establish this archetypical look in Science Fiction; and she deserves to be remembered as one of the earliest and finest examples of the highly-cultured ‘Space Lady’ amongst those who cherish such things.

-- EZ

On November 7, 1951, American television audiences had one of the medium’s earliest experiments in what many folks these days call ‘Meta.’

Viewers tuned in to their regular Science Fiction and Fantasy anthology – Tales Of Tomorrow – for an episode titled “The Window.”  Directed by Don Medford – the fellow who helmed an astonishing 36 installments of the genre program – from a script by Frank De Felitta – a name also heavily associated to the show – the event unfolded routinely not at all unlike any other visit.  However, the opening credits suggested that the next 29 minutes would be known as “The Lost Planet,” and this is where things took a turn to the hard, hard, hard left.

As the audience watched, “The Lost Planet” suddenly experienced somewhat of a signal loss; and the scene opened on two seemingly regular folks plotting to commit murder.  (Dun dun DUN!)  From what I’ve read online, it’s been confirmed that network affiliates’ phones were mildly off-the-hook with folks believing that they were witnessing a planning killing; and it’s even been reported that several of these local networks suspending their regular Tales Of Tomorrow broadcast under the belief that they were somehow airing a crime-in-progress.  Just as radio stations more than a decade early had home audiences suspecting that an alien invasion had started (with Orson Welles’ version of H.G. Wells “The War Of The Worlds”), now TV viewers had been swept up into some curious delights.

Heck, Google.com’s reportage on the event even clarifies that the stage crew – Tales Of Tomorrow was one of those live broadcast shows of the bygone era – were given things do onscreen as events unfolded; and, of course, such activity only gave “The Window” further credibility with those tuning in.  When everything was suitably tied up toward the end of the episode, watchers ultimately realized that they had been somewhat duped by such clever trickery of 50’s era storytelling; and a good time – along with, perhaps, a good laugh – was had by all.  Still, that creative breaching of the wall normally separated fact and fiction appeared to have come down all those years ago.  Who knows how many shows big and small have tried such things since?

From what I’ve read online, the whole thing was apparently hatched on little more than a bet: Tomorrow’s co-creator – Mort Abrahams (a producer who would go on to work in the Planet Of The Apes franchise for a time) – wagered to De Felitta that the screenwriter couldn’t come up with a yarn which could only be executed on live television, meaning that the script couldn’t be re-interpreted as is on radio, theater, or film.  (Perhaps the challenge was intended to underscore the importance of television and how it so intimately involved viewers more than any other presentation?)  Whatever the intent was, De Felitta won the bet by making use of the very mechanics and milieu that established what live meant back in the day; and the rest is history.

(NOTE: I used several online sources in order to complete this feature article.)

-- EZ

On this day in 1976 (in the U.S.), Wonder Woman aired "The Feminum Mystique: Part 1."  Officially, this served as the fifth episode in the program's first season.  According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"Wonder Woman's sister Drusilla is sent from Paradise Island to Washington to tell Diana to come home. Drusilla discovers her own alter ego, Wonder Girl, and is kidnapped by the Nazis."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

"The Feminum Mystique: Part 1" is the fourth episode of Season 1 of the 1975–1979 Wonder Woman television series, originally airing on November 6, 1976.

Key Plot & Details

• The Mission from Paradise Island: Queen Hippolyta sends Diana’s younger sister, Princess Drusilla (played by guest star Debra Winger), from Paradise Island to Washington, D.C., with orders to summon Diana home.
• Enter Wonder Girl: In Washington, young Drusilla discovers modern life (including ice cream), learns how to perform the Amazonian transformation twirl, and adopts her own superhero alter ego as Wonder Girl.
• Nazi Plot & Kidnapping: Nazi agents Captain Radl (John Saxon) and Lieutenant Wertz target the U.S. War Department's new experimental XPJ-1 jet engine and become fixated on discovering the secret behind Wonder Woman's bullet-deflecting bracelets—which they suspect are made of a magical metal. When Drusilla tries to rescue General Blankenship, she is captured by the Nazis.
• The Cliffhanger: Imprisoned by Nazi intelligence, Drusilla claims to be the real Wonder Woman to stall them, leaving Diana and Steve Trevor scrambling to mount a rescue before the Nazis test her bracelets.

We've all heard the ol' wish about -- if you had a time machine -- would you go back in time and kill Adolf Hitler?  Well, a few merry yucksters took the idea a bit differently in Raising Hitler, a streaming program that suggested maybe going back to kill the li'l scamp might have you changing one's tactics to a more humane course of action.  The Comedy premiered on the Information Superhighway (in France) on this day in 2017.  According to our friends at Google.com, here's the series' premise:

"Raising Hitler  (2017) is a dark, satirical comedy series about two Jewish slacker best friends, Mickey Applebaum and Jesse Wagnon, who use a time machine to travel back to 1900s Austria with the intention of killing a young, 10-year-old Adolf Hitler."

ExtraExtra Alert:
In 2026, I received an all new home video release of Raising Hitler (2017) from a distributor in exchange for review coverage on SciFiHistory.Net.  Interested readers can find my review of the whole season right here.

-- EZ

From Google.com:

Raising Hitler is a 2017 dark comedy web series (released around November 2017) directed by Louis Farge and produced in France/by Blackpills.

Premise & Plot

• The Setup: The story follows two slackers and best friends—Mickey Applebaum (played by Ziad El May) and Jesse Wagnon (played by Lucas Englander)—who believe Adolf Hitler is to blame for their personal failures and troubled family history.
• The Time Travel Plan: Jesse invents a time machine, and the duo travels back to the late 19th century with the original intention of drowning or killing a young, 10-year-old Adolf Hitler (played by Moritz Hoyer) to prevent future atrocities.
• The Twist: Upon meeting the young boy and seeing him as a victim of an overbearing father, Mickey has a change of heart. Instead of killing him, they decide to kidnap and raise young Hitler themselves, hoping that love, modern behaviors, and good parenting can rewrite history and strip away future malice.

Key Details

• Cast: Features Ziad El May (Mickey), Lucas Englander (Jesse), Moritz Hoyer (Young Hitler), Christian Erickson, Victoria Cyr, and Joel Wood.
• Format: It spans 1 season (roughly 8 short episodes / around 1 hour and 6 minutes total runtime depending on the platform cut).

On this day in 1996 (in the U.S.), Star Trek: Voyager aired "Future's End: Part 1."  Officially, this served as the eighth episode in the program's third season.  According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"A timeship from the future who tries to stop Voyager gets thrown with Voyager into the twentieth century. His timeship is found in 1967 and Voyager discovers that a company that has benefited from its technology exists in 1996."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

"Future's End, Part I" is the eighth episode of the third season of Star Trek: Voyager, originally airing on November 6, 1996. [1, 2]

The Premise & Inciting Incident

• The 29th-Century Threat: While traveling through the Delta Quadrant, the USS Voyager is confronted by Captain Braxton, a time-traveling police officer piloting the Federation timeship Aeon. Braxton claims that Voyager will cause a catastrophic temporal explosion in the 29th century that destroys Earth's solar system.
• The Time Jump: Intent on stopping Voyager, Braxton attacks the ship. During the retaliatory defense, both Voyager and the Aeon are caught in a temporal rift. The Aeon crashes in Earth's past (in 1967, appearing as a "meteor" to a lone camper), while Voyager and an away team are thrown back to Los Angeles in 1996.

The 1996 Investigation

• Henry Starling and Chronowerx: In 1967, a young tech entrepreneur named Henry Starling (played by Ed Begley Jr.) discovered the crashed Aeon. By reverse-engineering its 29th-century technology, Starling kickstarted the modern microcomputer revolution and built a massive tech conglomerate called Chronowerx Industries (or Super Mega Technoc International).
• The Away Team on Earth: Captain Janeway, Chakotay, Tuvok, and Tom Paris beam down to 1996 L.A. to investigate local warp signatures and locate the timeship. They cross paths with Rain Robinson (played by Sarah Silverman), an astronomer at Griffith Observatory who detects Voyager's strange anomalies.
• Displaced Braxton: The crew also tracks down Captain Braxton himself—who has been stranded in the 20th century for decades, now aged and living as a deranged homeless man warning people about the end of the world.

The Cliffhanger

• Up in orbit, Ensign Harry Kim commands Voyager.
• Down on the ground, Starling manages to tap into Voyager's computer database and forcibly teleports the ship's Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) into his office, setting up the high-stakes confrontation for Part II.

It all began right here ...

Earth 2 is a cult show, indeed.  When it aired originally, it never had much of an audience, but -- with syndication and the explosion of home video -- more and more folks have found it and embraced it.  It premiered on this day back in 1994 (in the U.S.), and here's the summary from IMDB.com:

"Devon Adair and her crew are searching a new home for the human race. The colonization of "Earth 2" is difficult. Some government forces want to destroy the ship of the colonists. But they manage to escape and arrive in orbit around "Earth 2". There the crew has to face some technical problems and they crash land on the planet. Soon they find out that the Earth like planet is inhabited by intelligent humanoid life forms..."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

Earth 2 is an American science-fiction television series that aired on NBC from November 6, 1994, to June 4, 1995, running for a single season of 21 episodes. Produced by Amblin Television and Universal Television, the show was created by Billy Ray, Michael Duggan, Carol Flint, and Mark Levin.

Premise & Plot

• Setting: In the year 2192, a severely polluted Earth has forced humanity to live on orbiting space stations.
• The Syndrome: Children born in space suffer from a fatal illness known as "the syndrome".
• The Eden Project: Billionaire Devon Adair organizes a covert, unauthorized expedition to colonize a distant, habitable planet named G889 (22 light-years away) to cure the children.
• The Trek: After their advance ship malfunctions and crash-lands on the wrong side of the planet, the unarmed survivors must make an arduous 3,400-mile overland journey across unfamiliar terrain to reach their designated settlement site, New Pacifica. Along the way, they encounter harsh alien environments, corporate/government antagonists, and the indigenous, subterranean-dwelling native species known as the Terrians.

Main Cast

• Devon Adair: Debrah Farentino (expedition leader)
• John Danziger: Clancy Brown (mechanic and survivalist)
• Alonzo Solace: Antonio Sabato Jr. (pilot)
• Dr. Julia Heller: Jessica Steen
• Ulysses Adair: J. Paul Zimmerman (Devon’s son)
• Morgan Martin: John Wollner
• Also starring Bess Martin, Yale (a biomechanical android/teacher), and True.

Cancellation & Legacy

The series was canceled after 21 episodes due to low ratings and high production costs, ending on a cliffhanger. Over time, it developed a cult following among fans of 1990s speculative fiction for its grounded, serialized survival tone and environmental themes.

On this day in 2001 (in the U.S.), Earth: Final Conflict aired "Termination."  Officially, this served as the sixth episode of the program's fifth (and final) season.  According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"Renee breaks a serial killer who also happens to be a pathologist out of prison to help her determine a way to kill the Atavus. Street has difficulty agreeing with Renee's plan."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

"Termination" is the 6th episode of the 5th season of the SciFi television series Earth: Final Conflict.  It originally aired on November 5, 2001.

Overview

• Air Date: November 5, 2001
• Director: David Winning (won a gold award at Worldfest Houston and a gold plaque at the Chicago International Film Festival for his direction)
• Writers: David Ransil, Mark Amato, Harold Apter
• Episode Order: 94th in the series overall, 6th in Season 5

Plot

• Renee Palmer (played by Jayne Heitmeyer) breaks Dr. Josephine Mataros (played by Margot Kidder)—a convicted serial killer and pathologist on death row—out of prison.
• Renee’s desperate goal is to use Mataros’s dark expertise to find a biological or clinical way to kill the Atavus, the new hostile alien race that replaced the Taelons in Season 5.
• Juliet Street (played by Melinda Deines) strongly disagrees with Renee's risky plan to work with a murderous psychopath.
• Ronald Sandoval (played by Von Flores) also features in the episode's complex web of character tension and power dynamics.

On this day in 2001, Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda aired "All Too Human."  This served as the sixth episode of the program's second season, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:

"Harper, Rev, Tyr wait for Rommie in the Maru. Rommie's on a mission to find out about a new weapon being developed. Once their contact find out she's an AI, he becomes wary of Rommie. The AIs on the planet had revolted against their creators years ago."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

"All Too Human" is the 6th episode of Season 2 (and the 23rd episode overall) of the sci-fi television series Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda. It first aired on November 5, 2001. [1, 2]

Plot Overview

The crew is split into two desperate storylines:

• Rommie's Mission on Machen Alpha: Rommie (the android avatar of the Andromeda Ascendant) joins Dylan Hunt, Beka Valentine, and Trance Gemini to investigate a dangerous new weapon being developed on Machen Alpha. The planet has a bitter history of an AI revolt where cold-logic machines ruled harshly. When a contact named Kim discovers Rommie is an AI, he panics. Rommie must prove her human-like empathy and values, though their target contact is eventually killed by his own people. They discover the planet has allied with the Magog and possesses a deadly ship (the Basilisk) armed with a Point Singularity Projector.
• The Eureka Maru Survival Crisis: Meanwhile, the Eureka Maru crashes and begins sinking deep into an ocean. Seamus Harper, Rev Bem, and Tyr Anasazi are trapped inside. Harper overdoses on his medication to keep his Magog infection from hatching and falls into a coma. With the ship flooding and only one EVA suit available, a tense ethical clash breaks out. Tyr claims the single suit for himself, arguing Harper is already doomed by the Magog infestation. Rev Bem refuses to abandon Harper, leading Tyr to contemplate shooting Harper to make the decision simple.

Resolution

• Andromeda destroys the enemy Basilisk ship and uses slipstream portals to deflect incoming point-singularity projectiles, saving the planet from total destruction.
• Relenting at the last moment, Tyr gives the EVA suit to Rev so they can save Harper.
• Rommie steals a Magog/Machen-allied ship and arrives just in time to rescue Rev, Tyr, Harper, and the crew of the Maru.

From The New Systems Commonwealth Wiki:

• The title refers to the Artificial Intelligence's taking on human emotions and not acting like a computer.
• The title refers to Friedrich Nietzsche's first significant work of philosophy, "Human, All Too Human", written in part out of his dissatisfaction with some contemporary thinkers whom he once idolized as near-godlike but now regards as "All Too Human".
• The basis of the opening quote was used in "Star Trek". Whenever Kirk and crew were confronted with a supercomputer, the supercomputer was always revealed to be evil.
• In the Colossus novel series and "Colossus: The Forbin Project", the supercomputer designed to save the population decides the only solution is to control the population.
• The revolt is similar to the Butlerian Jihad.
• In the "Blake's 7" episode "Redemption" the supercomputer known as the System creates Space World. The System is created from the combat computers of the planets. The Altas are used for controlling the guards and workers.
• Harper references "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea".
• There are similiar storylines with Dylan Hunt and Rommie regarding perceived failed missions in "All Too Human" and "Forced Perspective".
• The Basilisk refers to a mythical creature.

On this day in 1996 (in the U.S.), Babylon 5 premiered its fourth season with an hour titled "The Hour Of The Wolf."  According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"After the destruction of Z'Ha'Dum, Sheridan: presumed dead, Garibaldi: missing and the fragile alliance against the Shadows is crumbling. Mollari faces the new Emperor, and B5 is in a holding pattern, waiting for the next shoe to drop."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

"The Hour of the Wolf" is the fourth-season premiere of Babylon 5, written by J. Michael Straczynski and directed by David J. Eagle, which originally aired on November 4, 1996. [1]

Major Plotlines

• The Aftermath of Z'ha'dum: Set one week after the events of the Season 3 finale, the galaxy is caught in an uneasy, heavy quiet. Captain John Sheridan is presumed dead after his fall on Z'ha'dum, Michael Garibaldi is missing, and Susan Ivanova struggles with exhaustion, grief, and a failing alliance.
• Sheridan's Fate: While Lyta Alexander uses her telepathic abilities near Z'ha'dum—and a White Star nearly falls victim to a Shadow-controlled deadman's switch—Sheridan is actually revealed to be alive in a subterranean cavern, tended to by a mysterious, ancient alien named Lorien.
• Centauri Prime and Emperor Cartagia: Londo Mollari returns to his homeworld to serve as adviser on planetary security. He discovers that the throne is occupied by the dangerously insane Emperor Cartagia, who has struck a deal with the scarred Shadow representative Morden to allow Shadow ships to stage on Centauri Prime so Cartagia can ascend to godhood. Horrified by the impending destruction of his people, Londo quietly recruits Vir Cotto to help orchestrate regicide.
• G'Kar and Delenn: Delenn fasts and refuses to abandon her belief that Sheridan is still alive, while G'Kar writes in his journal and begins his personal search for the missing Garibaldi. Meanwhile, the League of Non-Aligned Worlds, assuming the Shadow War has peaked or ended, loses its nerve and pulls back from supporting Babylon 5.

The Meaning of the Title

The "hour of the wolf" is an old Scandinavian and European expression for the deep middle of the night—typically between 3:00 AM and 5:00 AM—when anxieties peak, sleep evades people, and the soul faces its darkest doubts. The episode leans heavily into this moody, melancholic atmosphere as the characters confront uncertainty and grief.

On this day in 1967 (in the U.S.), Star Trek aired "I, Mudd."  Officially, this served as the eighth episode in the program's second season.  According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"Harry Mudd returns with a plot to take over the Enterprise by stranding the crew on a planet populated by androids under his command."

-- EZ

From Google.com:

"I, Mudd" is the eighth episode of season 2 of Star Trek: The Original Series, originally broadcast on November 3, 1967. [1]

The Plot

• The Hijacking: An android named Norman takes control of the U.S.S. Enterprise and forces Captain Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, and Chekov to beam down to an uncharted planet.
• Harry Mudd's Return: The crew discovers that the planet is populated by hundreds of thousands of androids (including 500 identical female "Alice" models) and is ruled by the returning con artist Harry Mudd (played by Roger C. Carmel).
• The Androids' Plan: Mudd originally escaped to the planet and made himself "king," expecting to use the androids to leave. However, the androids reveal they tricked him: they plan to study and eventually control or replace humanity for its own "good".
• The Defeat: Kirk, Spock, and the crew defeat the central android intelligence, Norman, by intentionally acting completely erratic, dancing around, and overwhelming the logic circuits with paradoxes (such as the Liar's Paradox: "Everything I say is a lie. I am also a liar").
• The Resolution: The androids are reprogrammed to return to their original task of productive settlement, and Mudd is paroled on the planet—permanently trapped with 500 android duplicates of his nagging wife, Stella.

Key Details

• Writers: Written by Stephen Kandel, with uncredited rewrites and gags added by David Gerrold.
• Tone: Unlike heavier philosophical episodes, "I, Mudd" leans into an absurdist, light-hearted sci-fi farce.
• Legacy: It marks the final appearance of Harry Mudd in The Original Series, though the character later returned in animated form and in Star Trek: Discovery.