December 1998

	Babylon 5
	The Fall of Centauri Prime Channel 4 / S4C, Monday 28th, 11.30
	At last! It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for! Yes, it’s the end of Babylon 5. As a special Christmas treat, Channel Four are stripping the final five episodes from 28th of this month to 1st January, giving UK viewers the opportunity to see what finally happens to their favourite characters. When we left the series last, Londo had a front row seat for the bombing of his homeworld by Alliance ships. Picking up the story moments later, The Fall of Centauri Prime shows exactly that, and Londo’s rise to Emperor, a position borne in a great deal of pain. And it’s just beginning... (Paul Spragg) pic © TNT

12th-18th December

	Earth: Final Conflict		Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
	The Secret of Strandhill: Sky One, Sunday, 20.00		Statistical Probabilities Sky One, Monday, 20.00
	An important story for E:FC, introducing the UK Companion, Agent Beckett, and acting as a lead-in to further revelations about where the Taelons came from, how they’ve been connected to humanity in the past, and what their future plans are. Essential viewing. (PS) pic ©		A group of socially inept genetically engineered people are placed in Bashir’s care in the hope that they’ll communicate better with one of their own. But the geniuses soon work out that the Federation will lose the Dominion War imminently, and the only hope is surrender. An intriguing tale that shows what Bashir can really do, and makes you wonder if they just might be right... (PS) pic © Paramount

19th-25th December

	Star Trek: Voyager
	Scorpion Part II: BBC2 Sunday 20th, 19.20 • FIRST TERRESTRIAL UK SHOWING • rescheduled from 6th December
	At the end of part one, Harry Kim had been infected with an organism connected to Species 8472, and Voyager was caught up in a pitched battle between their new enemy and their old chums, the Borg. Whisked away by a Borg cube, it is now up to Captain Janeway to decide whether an alliance with the cyborgs against their implacable, impossible-to-assimilate foe is worth the risk. But when she is injured, will Chakotay feel the same way? Nicely setting up the cast changes for Season Four, Scorpion II makes good use of just about all the cast, including Kes who can telepathically contact Species 8472. Jeri Ryan makes a memorable impression as Borg drone and potential individual Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One. Humans... they’ll abbreviate anything. (PS) pic © Paramount

	Hercules
	A Star to Guide Them Channel 5, Saturday, 18.00
	When Iolaus has a mysterious dream, he and Hercules set off on a journey that will have deep significance to all Mankind. In the meantime, a king decides to collect together all male babies for his own sinister ends... For its Christmas episode a year or so ago, the Hercules team created a fun romp in which our two heroes suddenly find themselves to be important players in a very well-known biblical story. And for those concerned about this kind of thing, no unnamed baby of key biblical and mythological importance was harmed during the production of this motion picture. (PS) pic ©

26th-31st December

	Doctor Who
	Invasion of the Dinosaurs UK Gold, Sunday, 08.25
	Returning from the middle ages, the Doctor and Sarah arrive in London to find the city deserted and before too long they discover why: dinosaurs are on the loose and the population has been evacuated. Invasion of the Dinosaurs was the last third Doctor story to be exclusively Earthbound, and in some respects it showcases the best aspects of all the UNIT stories that preceded it. Dodgy monsters; crooked army officers/politicians; car chases (showcasing the first appearance of the Doctor’s new car!); Peter Miles... Despite the monstrously bad dinosaurs, this story is tremendous fun. It’s got Madame Edith in from ’Allo ’Allo, what more can I say? (Richard Atkinson) (You could say that it was the first Who story that I ever watched, and that I wouldn't be here without it. Never mind, eh? - Web Ed.)

hIGHFor more highlights, with broadcast and merchandise listings for December, see Cult Times #39. For updates schedules on the Christmas / New Year fortnight, see Cult Times Special #08. Happy New Year!