Science Fiction Television Series: Episode Guides, Histories, and Casts and Credits for 62 Prime Time Shows, 1959 Through 1989 [Hardcover]

Mark Phillips (Author), Frank Garcia (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0786400412 | ISBN-13: 978-0786400416 | Publication Date: July 1996

Comprehensive episode guides and cast and production credits for 62 science fiction series that were aired from 1959 through 1989 are provided here. For each episode, a brief synopsis is given, along with the writer and director of the show and the guest cast. Using extensive research and interviews with writers, directors, actors, stuntmen and many of the show's creators, an essay about each of the shows is also provided.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"a meticulously crafted work by authors with an awesome knowledge of the field...[a] fine compendium...readers will delight in simply reading the episode summaries...will quickly become the definitive guide in the field" -- ARBA

About the Author

Mark Phillips is a Canadian correspondent for the New York-based magazine Starlog. He has also written articles for magazines such as Cinefantastique, Filmfax, Outre and Britain's TV Zone. He lives in Victoria, Canada.

Frank Garcia is a science fiction media journalist. His work has appeared in Cinefantastique, Filmfax, Starlog, Video Watchdog and other publications. He lives in Vancouver. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 691 pages
• Publisher: Mcfarland & Co Inc Pub (July 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786400412
• ISBN-13: 978-0786400416
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.2 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,168,639 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a wealth of fascinating insights, August 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Science Fiction Television Series: Episode Guides, Histories, and Casts and Credits for 62 Prime Time Shows, 1959 Through 1989 (Hardcover)

What makes this guide especially fascinating are the numerous candid in-depth interviews with the producers and writers of these shows, giving much insight into the creative process and the trials and tribulations of creating innovative television shows. There are countless behind-the-scenes anecdotes that have, I am sure, never seen print before. I thought I knew a lot about certain shows, but this book contained info that was new to me; and even reading the articles about shows I never watched (and the entries on each show are long and detailed) I could scarcely put the book down. This book serves as a reference, but it is more than that; it has a wealth of fascinating insights into the television industry itself.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you're a fan, save up and get this, August 10, 2000

By 

Susan Paxton - See all my reviews

This review is from: Science Fiction Television Series: Episode Guides, Histories, and Casts and Credits for 62 Prime Time Shows, 1959 Through 1989 (Hardcover)

It's past time that someone put some thought and effort into a book of this nature. We've had "Science Fiction TV" guides before, and they've uniformly been written by authors whose axes could be heard grinding away throughout as they slagged shows they disliked and drooled over shows they (often unaccountably) were fans of. Mark Phillips and Frank Garcia have done a good job of research and writing here, with few and minor mistakes. The chapter on "Battlestar Galactica," which is accurate and contains a good deal of information, much of it from new interviews done especially for this book, is worth the price of admission alone. If you're a fan of science fiction on TV, this book, in spite of its price, should be on your bookshelf. Very highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No self-respecting fan of TV sci-fi should be without it, August 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Science Fiction Television Series: Episode Guides, Histories, and Casts and Credits for 62 Prime Time Shows, 1959 Through 1989 (Hardcover)

This book represents the pinnacle in terms of a blend of behind-the-scenes insights and anecdotes combined with basic reference data. The multitude of interviews that went into the text give the material a depth that the more common coverage of sci-fi shows rarely attains. Like other books by McFarland, it's pricey, but I can think of none that give the reader better value for their dollar.