February 1999

1st-5th February

	South Park
	Chef Aid / Chef: Behind the Menu: Sky 1: Monday, 22.00
	"Stinky Britches, you've got Stinky Britches!" Alanis wails in a traumatized fashion from Chef's TV, but hold on a second, isn't that a song that Jerome 'Chef' McElroy wrote back in the '60s? At last the back story of the most popular Chef in all of... Colorado, is unearthed in these funny and downright obvious plugs for the South Park album. Firstly we have the story seen through the normal South Park lens as Chef tries to sue Capitalist Records for the use of his lyrics without giving him credit. He is promptly counter-sued and put up against Johnny Cochran. Secondly in Chef: Behind the Menu, we have a live-action tribute by the contributors of the album, including stars such as Elton John, all citing Chef as their mentor. (Grant Kempster)

6th-12th February

	Earth: Final Conflict
	Moonscape Sky 1: Sunday 7th, 20.00
	Augur is captured and imprisoned in Russia, but is released into the custody of the Taelons in order for them to perform experiments on him, and turn him into a warrior Earth can use to combat the coming Jaridian invasion. Meanwhile, Sandoval tries to discover who Maiya is when the alternate universe refugee decides to chat him up while he's having his morning tea on the principle that she was married to someone who looks just like the Taelon agent. It's quite an interesting premise, and although the storyline isn't one of Earth: Final Conflict's best, it does serve an important function in the story arc by introducing the mysterious Lazarus, who has a link with both Da'an and Augur. (Paul Spragg) Pic © Visual Imagination Ltd / Photo by Steve Wilkie

13th-19th February

	Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
	Wrongs Darker than Death or Night Sky 1: Monday 15th, 20.00
	Gul Dukat, feeling a bit bored one day, decides to give Kira a ring and tell her he had an affair with her mum. Kira. Feeling slightly upset by this sudden call (well, it is in the middle of the night), decides to use the Orb of Time (natch) to see what really happened all those years ago. An important episode for Kira, that has repercussions that will come back to haunt her, this is touching DSN which depicts the unpleasantness of an occupation, and shows the hardships and tough decisions that must be faced. (Paul Spragg) pic © Paramount

20th-26th February

	Quantum Leap
	The Curse of Ptah-Hotep: Sci-Fi: Thursday 25th, 10.00
	Back in the hey-day of Quantum Leap, just before the episode in which Terry Farrell helpfully appeared topless, comes this story of Egyptian curses and Indiana Jones-style heroics. Sam leaps into an archaeologist exploring a tomb with the usual collection of slaves, attractive assistants who only need to remove their glasses and let out their hair to look stunning, evil-looking men with scars who are clearly going to try and kill everyone and walking mummies. Yes, all the clichés are in evidence, but the episode is put together as such an entertaining romp that you soon forget all this. So sit back and enjoy that Sam/Al partnership once again, as the hologram makes clear his feelings about dead people, and the mummy walks! Daft, but fun. (Paul Spragg) pic © Universal

hIGHFor more highlights, with broadcast and merchandise listings for February, see Cult Times #41.