Science Fiction

• Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 5 | DVD | (18/11/2002) from £20.09   |  Saving you £64.90 (323.05%)   |  RRP £84.99

  After the confidence of the previous two years, the fifth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation too often disappointed by not seeing a good idea through to the end. Denise Crosby was swept back under the carpet in the Klingon soap opener ("Redemption Part II"). No one could make the prospect of Deep Space 9 attractive enough to Michelle Forbes, so her fantastic performance as "Ensign Ro" seems wasted in retrospect. And no one could re-schedule for Robin Williams to guest star, so we had Matt Frewer instead ("A Matter of Time"). Of all stories to use Leonard Nimoy in, "Unification" wallowed in Romulan politics instead of anything emotionally engaging. Gene Roddenberry wanted to introduce a gay character, but mere months after his death all we got was the trite "The Outcast". This was inarguably where the rot set in, without The Great Bird overseeing what was going on. Worst of all, his hard-as-nails bad guys The Borg were given a touchy-feely side ("I, Borg"). But scattered in-between were some of the very best of all 178 shows. "Darmok" had the feel of a Classic Trek episode, dealing with language as metaphor. "The First Duty" challenged Wesley Crusher's loyalties. Best of all was the painfully melancholy "The Inner Light", in which Picard experiences an alternate lifetime. There were great guest stars: Paul Winfield, Ashley Judd, Kelsey Grammar, Famke Janssen, and Jerry Hardin. As always there were contributions from Q, Lwaxana and Barclay too. Fans and critics now appreciate that behind-the-scenes focus had shifted from The Next Generation to the next spin-off, and it would never fully return. --Paul Tonks

• Alien Vs Predator (Extended Version) | DVD | (24/09/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Whoever wins...we lose. It may be our planet but it's their war! The deadliest creatures from the scariest sci-fi movies ever made face off for the first time on film beginning when the discovery of an ancient pyramid buried in Antarctica sends a team of scientists and adventurers to the frozen continent. There they make an even more terrifying discovery: two unstoppable alien races engaged in the ultimate battle...

• Crusade - A March Through Time | DVD | (07/09/2009) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Crusade: A March Through Time

• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Season 1 | DVD | (24/03/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £84.99

  Of all the spin-off TV incarnations of Star Trek, Deep Space Nine had the hardest job persuading an audience to watch. By all accounts, Gene Roddenberry had concerns about the idea before his death in 1991. It took two more years to develop, and when it finally aired in 1993 reasons for that concern were evident right away. The show was dark (literally), characters argued a lot, no one went anywhere and the neighbouring natives were hardly ever friendly. Yet for all that the show went against the grain of The Great Bird's original vision of the future, it undeniably caught the mood of the time, incorporating a complex political backdrop that mirrored our own. In the casting, there was a clear intent to differentiate the show from its predecessors. Genre stalwarts Tony Todd and James Earl Jones were considered for Commander Sisko before Avery Brooks. The one let down at the time was that Michelle Forbes did not carry Ensign Ro across from TNG, but when the explosive Nana Visitor defiantly slapped her hand on a console in the pilot episode, viewers knew they were in for a different crew dynamic. In fact, the two-part pilot show ("The Emissary") is largely responsible for DS9's early success. Mysterious, spiritual, claustrophobic, funny and feisty, it remains the most attention-grabbing series opener (apart from the Classic original) the franchise has had. The first year may have relied on a few too many familiar faces--like Picard, Q and Lwaxana Troi--but these were more than outweighed by refreshingly detailed explorations of cultures old and new (Trill, Bajoran, Cardassian, Ferengi). As it turned out, Deep Space Nine was the boldest venture into Roddenberry's galaxy that had been (or ever would be) seen. On the DVD: Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Series 1's hour of special features is split between seven featurettes that really would have worked better edited together. Covering the show's origins and most aspects of Year One's production design, they all crib from interviews with actors and crew from the 1992 shoot (exclusively so in the 10 "Hidden Files"). Other interviews conducted in 1999 and 2002 tend to be more revealing, although the solo section on Major Kira is curiously lacking in recent input. While the designers describe their work with passion, creators Michael Piller and Rick Berman come off as stiff and lacking in knowledge. Hopefully this is something that will improve through the next six box sets. The interactive CD-ROM to build a DS9 database on your PC is something that will become more involving, too. Obviously the most important thing is the episodes themselves, and despite the lack of a commentary to enhance the best of them, sound in 5.1 and the crisp full-frame picture do them ample justice. --Paul Tonks END

• Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 4 | DVD | (07/10/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £84.99

  Season 4 of Star Trek: The Next Generation seemed like the year of the family. After quickly resolving the breathtaking cliffhanger of "The Best of Both Worlds", the show took pains to show some of what the Federation was fighting for. We meet Picard's brother, Data's father, Tasha's sister and Worf's adoptive human parents, plus an old flame with a surprise son in tow. The Klingon heritage sub-plot that begins here and builds to the cliffhanger finale ("Redemption") would continue to the show's end and through into Worf' reappearance in Deep Space Nine. The year also explored the implications of Data, Lwaxana Troi, Geordi and Dr Crusher being in love, while Miles O'Brien (given a first name at last) married Keiko. There were old friends revisited: the ubiquitous Q in a hilarious Robin Hood romp ("Qpid"), perennial screw-up Reg Barclay ("Nth Degree") and even the mysterious Traveller from Season One's "Where No One Has Gone Before" (played by the actor who was nearly cast as Data). There were new races introduced who would have an important bearing on Trek's destiny: the Cardassians and the Trill. Most of all, though, there were the one-off stories that impressed: "Clues", with its memory-loss mystery; "Night Terrors", with some genuine frights; and "Identity Crisis", with possibly the only time Trek technology really helped Geordi solve a puzzle. Then right at the end, reinforcing the year's familial theme, Denise Crosby returned as her own half-Romulan daughter. --Paul Tonks

• Species / Species 2 / Species 3 | DVD | (03/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Species (Dir. Roger Donaldson 1995): Men cannot resist her. Mankind may not survive her! When a creature geneticaly engineered through extraterrestrial intelligence escapes from observation scientist Xavier Fitch (Kingsley) assembles an elite team of experts to track it down. The crew - a government assassin (Madsen) an empath (Whitaker) a biologist (Helgenberger) and an anthropologist (Molina) - combines their expertise and traces their prey to Los Angeles. The

• Chronicle | DVD | (26/08/2013) from £4.83   |  Saving you £15.16 (313.87%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Chronicle is an unconventional and slightly darker take on the superhero genre where three ordinary teenagers suddenly gain super powers and are able to do things they never imagined possible. Initially they have fun but their pranks become ever more dangerous and they must face the inevitable question of whether they can handle the responsibility that comes with extraordinary powers.

• Day Watch | Blu Ray | (06/10/2008) from £6.49   |  Saving you £13.49 (207.86%)   |  RRP £19.98

  The future of Moscow is in the balance in this, the second part of Timur Bekmambetov's fantasy thriller trilogy.

• Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 7 | DVD | (23/12/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £84.99

  The seventh and final season of Star Trek: The Next Generation will always remain a curiosity in TV SF history. Despite the end being definite, despite Deep Space Nine taking over, despite knowing there'd be a movie six months after the series' end, and despite Babylon 5 starting that year with its pre-determined story arc, there is nothing here to suggest things were coming to a close. Wesley finally gets dispatched ("Journey's End"), but everyone was waiting for that anyway. Some continuity was attempted, such as a sequel to Season 1's "The Battle" ("Bloodlines"), Alexander following the Klingon soap saga through ("Firstborn"), the Maquis and the Cardassians being mentioned several times and final instalments being provided for Lwaxana Troi, Barclay, Lore, Guinan and Ro Laren. None of this brings any form of resolution, however. The one-off storylines seem to throw out ideas that beg for development. "Force of Nature" suggests frequent high-warp travel is damaging the very fabric of space-time. "Parallels" has Worf experiencing multiple realities including one where The Borg won at Wolf 359. "Lower Decks" finally introduces some secondary crew from the more than a thousand supposedly supporting Picard and co. There are even hints at some romance at long last between Dr Crusher and Picard as well as Worf and Troi. In the long run, even after terrific guest spots from Trek alumni Armin Shimerman and Robin Curtis, or from Paul Sorvino and Kirsten Dunst, there's one thing for which the final year is remembered: "All Good Things..." is a near-perfect denouement for the show. With terrific production values and FX, not to mention standout performances from all concerned, it was an amazing surprise to have Q suggest there'd been a story arc right from the get-go. If only this final script had been fully conceived earlier on, The Next Generation might not have been overshadowed by the glut of TV SF that followed in its wake. --Paul Tonks

• Der sechste Kontinent (Creature Features Collection #7) | Blu Ray | (22/11/2018) from £13.33   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Screamers | DVD | (01/10/1999) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £5.99

  After 10 years of devastating warfare on Planet Sirius 6B a distant mining planet Commander Joseph Hendricksson (Peter Weller) is assigned to protect his outpost from the New Economic Block. His scientists have created a perfect weapon designed to destroy all enemy life - a blade wielding self-replicating race of killing devices known as Screamers. But something has gone wrong - the Screamers continue to evolve without any human guidance cloning themselves into human form and obliterating all forms of human life. Betrayed by his own political leaders and disgusted by the atrocities of the endless war Hendricksson decides he must negotiate peace with the enemy. But to do so he must first destroy the very weapon he helped to create - the Screamers!

• I, Robot/Minority Report/Independence Day | DVD | (16/10/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

• Extraterrestrial | DVD | (01/09/2014) from £3.52   |  Saving you £10.73 (474.78%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Spanish sci-fi comedy written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo. After a one-night stand he doesn't remember, Julio (Julián Villagrán) wakes up in the apartment of Julia (Michelle Jenner), who likewise can't remember what happened between them. Faced with an awkward situation already, their morning is made even worse when they realise that an alien invasion is happening outside and that much of the city has been evacuated. Told to stay indoors while the extraterrestrial threat is dealt with, any hope of a relationship forming between the two is jeopardised with the arrival of Julia's jealous boyfriend Carlos (Raúl Cimas)...

• X-Men / X-Men 2 | DVD | (08/05/2006) from £6.55   |  Saving you £9.44 (59.00%)   |  RRP £15.99

  X-Men: Born into a world filled with prejudice are children who possess extraordinary and dangerous powers - the result of unique genetic mutations. Cyclops unleashes bolts of energy from his eyes. Storm can manipulate the weather at will. Rogue absorbs the life force of anyone she touches. But under the tutelage of Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) these and other outcasts learn to harness their powers for the good of mankind. Now they must protect those who fear them as the nefarious Magneto (Ian McKellen) who believes humans and mutants can never co-exist unveils his sinister plan for the future... X-Men 2: The X-Men have to band together to find a mutant assassin who has made an attempt on the President's life while the Mutant Academy at Westchester is attacked by military forces prompting some uncomfortable home truths for Wolverine...

• Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1 Disc) | DVD | (09/11/2009) from £11.99   |  Saving you £-2.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The Empire Falls.... In the spectacular final chapter of the Star Wars Saga Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia must travel to Tatooine to free Han Solo by infiltrating the wretched stronghold of Jabba the Hutt the galaxy's most loathsome gangster. Reunited the Rebels team up with tribes of Ewoks to combat the Imperial forces on the forest moon of Endor. Meanwhile the Emperor and Darth Vader conspire to turn Luke to the dark side and young Skywalker is determined to rekindle the spirit of the Jedi within his father. the Galactic Civil War culminates in the ultimate showdown as the rebel forces gather to attack the seemingly defenseless and incomplete second Death Star in the battle that will determine the fate of the galaxy.

• Star Trek: Films 1-10 Remastered Special Edition Box Set | Blu Ray | (16/11/2009) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £179.99

  Titles Comprise: Star Trek I: The Motion Picture: When an unidentified alien destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers Captain James T. Kirk returns to the newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command. Leonard Nimoy DeForest Kelley and the cast from the acclaimed original Star Trek televsion series mobilise at warp speed to stop the alien intruder from its relentless flight toward Earth. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan: It is the 23rd century the Federation Starship U.S.S. Enterprise is on routine training manoeuvres and Khan is back! Aided by his exiled band of genetic supermen Khan - the brilliant renegade of 20th century Earth - is scheming to set a most deadly trap for his old enemy Kirk... with the threat of a universal Armageddon! Star Trek III: The Search For Spock: Admiral Kirk's defeat of Khan and the creation of the Genesis planet are empty victories. Spock is dead and McCoy is inexplicably being driven insane. Then a surprise visit from Sarek Spock's father provides a startling revelation: McCoy is harbouring Spock's living essence. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home: A mysterious alien power is threatening Earth by evaporating the oceans and destroying the atmosphere. In a frantic attempt to save mankind Kirk and his crew must time travel back to 1986 San Francisco where they find a world of punk pizza and exact-change buses that are as alien as anything they've ever encountered in the far reaches of the galaxy. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier: It's Stardate 8454.130 and a vacationing Captain Kirk faces two challenges: Climbing Yosemite's El Capitan and teaching campfire songs to Spock. But vacations are cut short when a renegade Vulcan hijacks the Enterprise and pilots it on a journey to uncover the universe's innermost secrets. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country: After years at war the Federation and the Klingon empire prepare for a peace summit. But the prospect of intergalactic glasnost with sworn enemies is an alarming one to Admiral Kirk. When a Klingon ship is attacked and the Enterprise is held accountable the dogs of war are unleashed again as both worlds brace for what may be their final deadly encounter... Star Trek VII: Generations:: Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of Enterprise-D rescue a physicist named Soran. Unbeknownst to Picard Soran harbors a deadly plan that includes the destruction of the Enterprise and millions of lives. Now Picard's only hope for a future rests within in the Nexus and a legendary captain from the past. Star Trek VIII: First Contact: They call themselves the Borg - a half-organic half machine collective with a sole purpose: to conquer and assimilate all races. Led by their seductive and sadistic queen the Borg are headed to Earth with a devious plan to alter history. Star Trek IX: Insurrection: From the beginning of the Federation the Prime Directive was clear: no Starfleet expedition may interfere with the natural development of other civilizations. But now Picard is confronted with orders that undermine that decree and must rebel against Starfleet to lead the insurrection to preserve Paradise. Star Trek X: Nemesis: Learning that the Romulans have undergone a political upheaval and their new Praetor Shinzon wants to discuss a peace treaty with the Federation Picard and his crew must investigate the situation and determine Shinzon's sincerity.

• Torchwood - The Collection | Blu Ray | (26/10/2009) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £59.99

  Set in modern-day Cardiff Torchwood stars John Barrowman as Captain Jack from Doctor Who. Torchwood follows the adventures of a team of investigators the team use scavenged alien technology in a very real world to solve crime; both alien and human. Separate from the government. Outside the police. Beyond the United Nations. Everyone who works for Torchwood is young under 35. Some say that's because it's a new science. Others say it's because they die young... Season 1 episodes: Everything Changes Day One Ghost Machine Cyberwoman Small Worlds Countrycide Greeks Bearing Gifts They Keep Killing Susie Random Shoes Out Of Time Combat Captain Jack Harkness End Of Days Season 2 episodes: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Sleeper To the Last Man Meat Adam Reset Dead Man Walking A Day in the Death Something Borrowed From Out of the Rain Adrift Fragments Exit Wounds Season 3 episodes: Children of Earth - Day One Children of Earth - Day Two Children of Earth - Day Three Children of Earth - Day Four Children of Earth - Day Five

• X-Files 1 / X | DVD | (04/08/2010) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £6.99

  The X-Files Movie: When a terrorist bomb destroys a building in dallas Texas FBI Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy surpassing anything they've ever encountered. With the dubious assistance of a paranoid doctor (Prior Academy Award winner Martin Landau) Mulder and Scully risk their careers and their lives to hunt down a deadly virus which may be extraterestrial in origin - and could destroy all life on earth. Their pursuit of truth pits them against the mysterious Syndicate powerful men who will stop at nothing to keep their secret safe leading the agents from a cave in Texas to the halls of the FBI and finally to a secret installation in Antarctica which holds the greatest secret of all. The X-Files: I Want To Believe: The supernatural thriller is a stand-alone story in the tradition of some of the show's most acclaimed and beloved episodes and takes the always-complicated relationship between Fox Mulder (Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Anderson) in unexpected directions. Mulder continues his unshakable quest for the truth and Scully the passionate ferociously intelligent physician remains inextricably tied to Mulder's pursuits.

• The Captains Collection | Blu Ray | (20/10/2020) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

• Dungeons And Dragons - Wrath Of The Dragon God | Blu Ray | (11/01/2010) from £13.41   |  Saving you £11.58 (86.35%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Based on the phenomenally successful role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God takes you deeper into the dark and fantastical world of this fantasy epic. Retribution is at hand. Nothing can keep me from it warns evil Damodar. Already dead Damodar has nothing to fear. After centuries beneath the grave the terrifying corpse creature returns to life armed with the most formidable of weapons - a black orb of unimaginable power which will enable him to wreak terrible revenge on the Empire of Ismir whose inhabitants once vanquished him. It falls to five champions of Ismir to stop him with prodigious feats of bravery and sorcery. They must face spectral ghouls thundering armies and huge winged dragons. Be vigilant. Be bold. The quest begins - let no one turn back.