Home of The Devil Spawn

Reading Rainbow

2006-12-16T06:40:21Z

The hospital is opening a small library for the children's ward in two months, and I'm in charge of finding books for the kids (ages range from infants to 16 years old). Some of my own early childhood favorites are already in the bag: Charlotte's Web, the Ramona Quimby books, Bridge to Terabithia, The Chronicles of Narnia, Where the Wild Things Are, and so forth.

Any suggestions? What books did you enjoy reading (or books that were read to you) when you were younger?

Three Decades

2006-08-01T22:38:05Z

I will be thirty years old in seven days. Thirty! How confoundingly bizarre.

To my fellow Leos: lonelywalker, my twin saintmaverick, harleen, childlight, and sylvanelfmistre, I wish you all a fantabulous birthmonth.

Since last month, I have found a second job monitoring patients overnight in a sleep lab. This couldn't be more ideal for me, being neurology-related and allowing quiet time to study and catch some shut-eye before going off to work each morning. Today, serendipity smiled on us in the form of a heat wave blistering enough to dissuade many of the scheduled patients from leaving their homes. Slow days like this are often bittersweet, since appointments which do not happen one day are merely deferred to another, probably more hectic day. But I was grateful anyway. The dry spell lasted long enough for me to see some of the the neurosurgery webcast this afternoon. Don't get me wrong. Watching a skilled neurosurgeon at work is amazing. But playing spectator from a comfortable chair is infinitely preferable to standing long hours in the OR with an itchy ear I can't scratch, fielding anatomy questions from the attending surgeon while straining to hold onto a retractor. God bless the surgeons; I'd never have the stamina to be one.

Happy First Birthday!

2005-11-16T08:00:43Z

This journal is a year old today! It's rather humbling to think of how much has happened since my first post one year ago. It's been a rough road at times, but I'm certainly a happier person now than I was then, for many reasons. Thank you for accompanying me along the way.

Two more announcements... New community for Mutant X fan artists: mutantx_fanart. This should be fun!

Also, a grand welcome aboard to jeepy91, vicellious, and l_vera01. :)

Everything You've Ever Wondered About Mutant X but Didn't Ask for Fear of Podding

2005-11-05T15:34:52Z

Please nitpick this fact sheet as it grows; every correction helps! Note: The following contains spoilers and many links. Want more details? Check out The Mutant X Warehouse.

THE SHOW
The History
Mutant X is a science fiction television series about a team of four mutant humans led by geneticist Adam Kane. The show's three seasons, filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, originally aired in the U.S. from October 6 2001 to May 17 2004.

Tribune Entertainment and Marvel Comics teamed up during the summer of 2000 to plan a live action show called Genome X (coincidentally, the first X-Men film had just been released by 20th Century Fox Studios that July). The title would later be changed to Mutant X. Though production began shortly after the cancellation of Howard Mackie's popular "Mutant X" Marvel comic book series in 2001, the show's characters are completely unrelated to those of the comic books. Executive producer Rick Ungar stated in an early interview that the Marvel producers 'kinda forgot' that a Mutant X comic book series already existed when they were developing the show's title. Mackie's 32 comic books depict an alternate X-Men universe, where Havok is transported to a parallel dimension in which Scott Summers's family was captured by the evil Shi'Ar, and many 616 heroes were villains. More about the "Mutant X" comic books can be learned here.

The "X" in the show's title may either be a remnant of the original name "Genome X," or taken directly from the "Mutant X" comic books, which in turn had an "X" because they were related to X-Men. The "X" in X-Men originally stood for the mutants' X-tra special abilities, and later for the "X factor" in their DNA that gave them their powers.

In early April of 2001, while the show was still in production, Fox Studios sued Marvel Comics for copyright violation, claiming that the premise and characters of Mutant X were nearly identical to those of the X-Men film to which they held the rights. They accused Tribune and Marvel of riding on the coattails of X-Men's success. 13 minutes later, Marvel counter-sued, protesting that the show's characters were separate, and that the Fox suit had been brought solely to block the show's release. The judge allowed Tribune to continue production, but ordered some eliminations, such as Adam Xero's surname (too close to Professor X), the appearance of the X logo (resembled that of X-Men), and the code names for the Mutant X team. As a result, Adam was surname-less for the first season, finally acquiring "Kane" in the second season. The character code names (Shalimar Fox=Shadowfox, Brennan Mulwray=Fuse, Emma deLauro=Rapport, and Jesse Kilmartin=Synergy) were also cut.

Even with these compromises, the legal battle between Fox and Marvel continued until March of 2003, when the two companies settled privately. Not long before the settlement, ADV Films was awarded the rights to sell Mutant X DVDs, which it released in June. Seven months later, shortly after Tribune also settled with Fox, Tribune sued Marvel for 100 million in damages, blaming Marvel for all the drama.

Despite its rocky start, Mutant X's first episode earned high ratings, which would continue throughout the first and second seasons. In early 2002, Marvel released three one-shot comic books based upon the show: "Dangerous Decisions" about Shalimar's teenage years, "Origin" about Adam Kane and Mason Eckhart's past, and Future Shock," about a team mission. More about these comics is here.

In April 2004, Mutant X fans, who had been happy when Tribune announced that Mutant X and its sister show Andromeda had been renewed for a fourth season, became confused when actress Karen Cliche (Lexa Pierce) posted on her official website that the show was cancelled. As Cliche had forewarned, owner CanWest Global Communications soon folded Fireworks Entertainment for financial reasons. Tribune Entertainment consequently backed away from continuing with Mutant X. Despite various fandom grassroots efforts, Mutant X was not picked up by the Sci-Fi Channel, and the proposed new season was never produced. Instead, from September 27 2004 to September 19 2005, Tribune aired "The Best of Mutant X", a collection of 52 selected reruns from the first three seasons, calling this "Season 4." At the same time, they floated the possibility of a two-hour television movie that would give a true ending to the third season's cliffhanger. This project never materialized, and Mutant X quietly ended when the final re-run of "The Assault" aired on September 19.

The cast and crew of Mutant X have been nominated for several awards with two wins: the 2002 Gemini Award for Best Sound in a Dramatic Series for "Shock of the New," and the 2003 Canadian Society of Cinematographers Award to Nikos Evdemon for "Nothing to Fear." A full list of awards is here.

The Episodes
Some of the episode titles don't fit their episodes' contents. Tribune's creative producer Seth Howard has been quoted as stating that the episode titles were chosen "because they sounded cool."

Another generally confusing point is that the season one finale, "A Breed Apart," (ep. 121) was actually filmed after the penultimate episode, "Dancing on the Razor" (ep. 122). Thus fans watching the episodes in numerical order will see Mason, who was placed in a pod "for all eternity" in episode 121, pop back up unharmed in 122, only to mysteriously become podded again in episode 201.

Find Mutant X screencaps here. Quotes from the show are here. The Nitpicker's Guide to Mutant X is here.

Season One
Overview: Geneticist Adam once worked at Genomex, a government research facility, where he attempted to save ill children through DNA manipulation. His research did help some, but many of the children developed abnormal abilities as a consequence of the experiments. Guilt-ridden about his role in their creation, Adam stole the database of new mutants and fled Genomex to create his own secret homebase facility, Sanctuary. After the death of the project's creator, Paul Breedlove, the former head of Genomex security, Mason Eckhart, formed The Genetic Security Agency, with the goal of capturing potentially dangerous new mutants. Adam pulls together a Mutant X team of four powerful new mutants, Shalimar Fox, Jesse Kilmartin, Emma deLauro, and Brennan Mulwray, to help him rescue their fellow new mutants from GSA capture.

S1 episode titles: Shock of the New (101), I Scream the Body Electric (102), Russian Roulette (103), Fool for Love (104), Kilohertz (105), The Meaning of Death (106), Lit Fuse (107), In the Presence of Mine Enemies (108), Crime of the New Century (109), Dark Star Rising (110), Whiter Shade of Pale (111), Double Vision (112), Blood Ties (113), Altered Ego (114), Lazarus Syndrome (115), Interface (116), Presumed Guilty (117), Ex Marks the Spot (118), Nothing to Fear (119), Deadly Desire (120), Dancing on the Razor (122), A Breed Apart (121)

S1 episode synopses from the official site: 101-114 ~ 115-122.

Season Two
Overview: When the podding of Mason Eckhart renders the GSA obsolete, Mutant X focuses on shielding the world from the threat of dangerous new mutants like Gabriel Ashlocke, and saving new mutants from government organizations and corrupt individuals out for personal gain.

Episode titles: Past As Prologue (201), Power Play (202), Time Squared (203), Whose Woods These Are (204), The Future Revealed (205), No Man Left Behind (206), Crossroads of the Soul (207), Sign from Above (208), Body and Soul (209), Understudy (210), The Grift (211), At Destiny's End (212), Within These Walls (213), Hard Time (214), Under the Cloak of War (215), Once Around (216), Final Judgement (217), Inferno (218), One Step Closer (219), Reality Check (220), Reawakening (221), Lest He Become (222)

Episode synopses from the official site: 201-210 are 201-210 ~ 211-221 ~ 222.

Season Three
Overview: With the disappearance of Adam and the deaths of Emma and Mason Eckhart at the beginning of season 3, Lexa Pierce, an operative for the powerful and shady organization The Dominion, takes over the role of interim Mutant X leader.

Episode titles: Into the Moonless Night (301), Wages of Sin (302), The Breed (303), Where Evil Dwells (304), The Taking of Crows (305), Shadows of Darkness (306), The Hand of God (307), Wasteland (308), No Exit (309), Brother's Keeper (310), Possibilities (311), Conspiracy Theory (312), The Art of Attraction (313), A Normal Life (314), Divided Loyalties (315), The Age of Innocence (316), She's Come Undone (317), In Between (318), Dream Lover (319), The Prophecy (320), Cirque des Merveilles (321), The Assault (322)

Episode synopses from the official site: 301-308 ~ 309-316, 317-322.

Season Four: The Best of Mutant X
Episodes: 101, 102, 104, 105, 107, 112-115, 117, 119-204, 206, 207, 210-301, 303-310, 312-317, 319-322

THE CHARACTERS
The New Mutants *click on a character's name for a picture
There are four types of new mutants: ferals, moleculars, psionics, and elementals. New mutants' DNA is in a constant state of evolution. The same genetic alterations which give them their abilities also make them vulnerable to periods of active mutation during which their powers run rampant, "growth spurts" where they can develop additional related abilities, and cellular breakdown. The last gives each new mutant an "expiration date," the date by which, if his or her DNA is not stabilized, he or she will die. The more powerful the new mutant, the sooner the expiration date. Thus Gabriel Ashlocke, the first and most powerful new mutant created, was the first to succumb to this cellular breakdown.

Ferals have animal DNA spliced into their own, giving each feral some of that animal's characteristics. Genomex.net's feral subtypes: feline (cat, lion, etc.), ursine (bear), canine (dog, wolf, etc.), porcine (boar, hog, etc.), cervine (deer), reptus (lizard, snake, etc.), amphibian (frog, etc.), piscis (fish).

On the Mutant X team, Shalimar Fox is a feline feral with glowing cat's eyes. She has enhanced senses of smell, sight, and touch; because of her enhanced hearing, loud sounds can cause her to have migraines. Her heightened strength and reflexes allow her to make magnificent leaps and powerful combat moves. Like all feline ferals, Shalimar is very territorial and has an intense fear of fire. More about Shalimar Fox is here.

Other ferals who have appeared in the series: Piscis Tina, feline Dr. Richard Saunders, feline Donna Morse, feline Lt. Beau Longstreet, feline Angel Dorn, feline Clark, "The General", canine Aldous Berkley, amphibian Lena Blake, scorpion Lorna Templeton, canine Nathaniel Block, ursine Michael Ward, feline Amanda Terry, feline Nikki Rogers, reptus (lizard) Eckhart's accomplice, lupine Terra, feline Gia DuChamps, arachnid The Guardian, canine Kara Whitely

Moleculars can affect the molecules of their own bodies or those of their environment. Genomex.net's molecular subtypes: intangibility (able to move through solids), imperviousness (withstands physical penetration), invisibility, propulsion (accelerated motion or speed), gravitative (able to alter weight in self, others or objects), chromatic (affects color, light, etc.), stasis-suspension (affects time), replication (self-cloning, etc.), elasticity (able to alter size or shape - extremely rare).

On the Mutant X team, both Jesse Kilmartin and Lexa Pierce are moleculars.

Jesse Kilmartin ("The Nerd Wonder"), as an intangible/impervious molecular, can alter the density of his body's molecular structure to be either intangible enough to walk through walls (called "phasing"), or so dense that neither bullets nor cars can penetrate him ("massing"). By the end of the third season, Jesse can also phase and mass other objects and people by touch. Jesse can only remain massed for as long as he can hold his breath, and if he remains phased for more than 30 seconds, he may not be able to reform. More about Jesse Kilmartin is here.

Lexa Pierce is either an elemental or a chromatic molecular (see elemental or molecular?). Lexa ("Complexa") is able to bend light to make herself and those she is touching invisible, shoot penetrating lasers from her fingertips, and create blinding light flashes with her hands. There is a time limit on Lexa's invisibility, and while invisible her heat outline can still be seen with infra-red goggles or feral vision. More about Lexa Pierce is here.

Other moleculars who have appeared in the series: Propulsive Vince, stasis-suspension Nick Renfield, gravitative Wendy Stone, super-strength Kendra MacEvoy, chromatic/X-ray vision Jerri Wiley, propulsive Todd Wiley, invisibile/stealth Danielle Hartman, regenerative Charles Marlowe, regenerative Caleb Mathias, external intangible Zack Lockhart, astral projection Cyrus Payton, regenerative Kristoff, elastic/multiple Leo Pierce, stasis-suspension Samantha Bennett, chromatic (dark matter) Randall Blake, intangible Nathan Reynolds, invisible The Clown, regenerative Tony LaPorta, stasis-suspension/alternative dimensions Diane Taylor

Psionics have enhanced mental abilities. Genomex.net's psionic subtypes: telepathic (mind readers), telekinetic (able to move objects with the mind), telempathic (able to read and adjust emotions), precog (able to see future events), illusionist (projects unreal visuals or attitudes).

On the Mutant X team, Emma deLauro began as a telempathic psionic and diversified as the series progressed. As a telempath, Emma was able to read the emotions of others and project images/emotions into their minds. Emma would later demonstrate other psionic abilities as well: broadband telempathy, telepathy, memory enhancement and erasure, psionic blasts that rendered the recipient unconscious, and mind control. More about Emma deLauro is here.

Other psionics who have appeared in the series: Telekinetic Frank Thorne, telepath/ESPer Ruby Bishop, telekinetic Allison, telekinetics Daniel and Stephen Benedict, telekinetic Toni Quintana, telepath Lisa Valentine, mutant detector Maria, telecyber Michelle Bigelow, memory erasure Mark Griffin, illusionist/dreams Henry Voight, combustion (microwaves) Harvey Lanchester, telekinetic Morgan Fortier, illusionist Levak Ivanov, telepath Tyler, telepath Sam Raymond, telekinetic Eckhart's accomplice, telepath Andrea Marshall, tele-illusionist Johnny Cummings, explosive Hector Friemark, telecyber William Dennett, telepath Riley Morgan, telempath Dr. Robinson, precog John Bishop

Elementals control the energy of the elements and the environment. Genomex.net's elemental subtypes: electrical, thermal (heat or cold related), sonic, chemical, botanical (plant related), geological (earth related - extremely rare).

On the Mutant X team, Brennan Mulwray is an electrical elemental. Brennan ("Sparky") can throw tesla coils from his fingers, allowing him to jump-start cars and cardiac arrests, open electronic locks, and electrocute enemies. Brennan needs a period of rest between voltage uses, and cannot use his abilities when he gets wet, lest he short out or electrocute himself. Wrapping his arms in chains grounds him. More about Brennan Mulwray is here.

Other elementals who have appeared in the series: Electrical cybernetic Barry Sterling (a.k.a. Kilohertz), thermal Alice Robins, electrical absorber Ashley Elliott, thermal Josh Valentine, botanical Skeet Vossberg, eletrical Matty Conlan, sonic Calvin Porter, air absorber Lynch, thermal/heat and cold Pamela Fries, thermal Kelly Rice, thermal Josh, electrical Patricia, thermal Billy Larkin, thermal Harvey Lanchester, thermal Nick Maddox, energy/pain Silva, electrical Candace Rockwell

Uncategorized:
Gabriel Ashlocke. Psychopath Gabriel Ashlocke, aka Patient Zero, was the first new mutant Adam created. He has traits of all four mutant types: a feline feral's strength and reflexes, a psionic's telepathy, illusionist and mind control abilities, and an elemental's ability to throw destructive balls of light. Adam and Mason podded young Gabriel after killed his parents; he escaped 25 years later to pod Mason Eckhart and form an army of new mutants called The Strand. More about Gabriel Ashlocke is here.

Charlotte Cooke. Charlotte can secrete a toxin from her fingers which changes a person's moral polarity, from good to bad or from bad to good. On new mutants, this effect lasts a minute; on non-new mutants, it lasts forever until Charlotte returns them to normal with a second touch.

Neil. Neil is a non-sleeping mutant who needs only one half an hour of sleep a night.

Diana Moller. Diana is a psionic/molecular mix who can create a vortex through which to send herself and other people back in time.

The Child. Gabriel Ashlocke created "Ashlocke's Second Coming," The Child, from the DNA of four new mutants: elemental Brennan Mulwray, psionic Riley Morgan, molecular Nathan Reynolds, and feral Kara Whitely. As a result, The Child has the abilities of all four new mutant types.

Chester. Chester was Brennan's short-lived genetically engineered pet locust.

Learn more about the new mutants of Mutant X here.

The Normal--excuse me--The Non-New Mutants
Adam Kane. Adam Kane is the clone of The Creator, an ancient geneticist who needed an heir to carry on his lifetime goal of manipulating human evolution's course. The Creator surreptitiously guided Adam's progress as he began college at the age of 12, won honors for genetics research at Stanford, obtained his medical degree, and became a head researcher at Genomex under Dr. Paul Breedlove's mentorship in October 1978. Failing to impart a conscience upon the first new mutant, Gabriel Ashlocke, the young Adam focused instead on curing childhood disease through DNA manipulation. Once Adam discovered that several children had developed superhuman abilities as a result of these experiments, he continued to work on selected mutations in secret before finally ceasing his work altogether. A former lover, Christina, connected Adam with the powerful financial backers who enabled Adam to flee Genomex to build Sanctuary and the mutant underground network. Using the mutant database he had stolen from Dr. Breedlove, Adam recruited the Mutant X team members to aid new mutants in evading Genomex capture. More about Adam Kane is here. A more detailed background on Paul Breedlove and the Genomex project is here.

Adam's colleagues: Paul Breedlove, Dr. Hollis, Anthony Cooke, Dr. Vincent Arrigo, Dr. Marcus, Dr. Sara Stanton, Dr. Denise Willette

Mason Eckhart. Mason Eckhart was the head of security at Genomex. As a result of a horrific accident for which he blames Adam, Mason's immune system was destroyed, causing him to have to wear a white wig, synthetic skin, and gloves to prevent infection. When Paul Breedlove threatened to go public with information about the new mutant research at Genomex, Mason had him killed and began The Genetic Security Agency (GSA) to protect the non-mutant world from genetic terrorism. More about Mason Eckhart is here.

On the GSA's payroll: Russian independents Sonya and Yuri, accountant Karen Bell, bounty hunter Frank Cross, GS agent James Henshaw, Dr. Kenneth Harrison, Nexxogen head Nicole Carter, GS agent Artie Hill, GS agent Carl Ames, GS agent Vance Halloran

The Creator. The Creator began his research into human DNA manipulation many decades before Adam's birth. He founded the organization The Dominion in order to further his work. He keeps himself alive by means of injections, and created a clone, Adam Kane, to carry on his legacy.

Dominion Employees: Lexa's Dominion Contact "The Voice", Dominique, Dr. Sara Bellows, Keith Burstyn, The Council Head, Council member Anthony Gervais, operative Michael Hayes, The Assassins, Dr. Remy Arnot, Dr. John Gonsalves, Dr. Robinson

Mutant X family members
Emma deLauro: Emma's parents were "flakes" who left her in a foster home when she was 10.
Shalimar Fox: Naxcon CEO Nicholas Fox is Shalimar's estranged father.
Jesse Kilmartin: Covert operative Noah Kilmartin is Jesse's father; the decorated navy pilot William Kilmartin is Jesse's grandfather.
Brennan Mulwray: Brennan's biological father was a Vietnam fighter pilot shot down before he was born. Brennan's past criminal associates include Tony Reese, Cole, Michael Azzarello, and Brad Carter.
Lexa Pierce: Lexa's parents were military intelligence operatives.

Others: Learn about more non-new mutants here.

Romance Mutant X-style (canon)
The "romances" of Mutant X tend to be either based upon false pretences or tragically brief.

Adam and Christina
Adam and Danielle Hartman. Adam and Danielle fell in love at Genomex when she came to him for the treatments that created her stealth abilities, progressively damaging her DNA. She left him, preferring her freedom to constant experimentation.
Brennan and Ashley Elliot
Brennan and Kristen
Brennan and Lorna Templeton
Brennan and Miranda
Brennan and Riley Morgan
Brennan and Samantha Bennett
Brennan and Shalimar. Shalimar labels Brennan a teammate and "more like a brother" in the first season, which ends with an almost-kiss between the two. In Season 2, subtle hints of jealousy crop up as Shalimar and Brennan have other romances; sporadic flirtations in Season 3 culminate in sex in the last episode. Morea about this ship is here; an anti-shipper essay is here.
Brennan and The Girl Of The Week
Emma and Caleb Mathias
Emma and Tyler
Jesse and Alisha Keary
Jesse and Amanda Terry
Jesse and Lexa. Though it is clear that Jesse has feelings for Lexa by the third episode, in which he risks his life for hers, it isn't clear why. He trusts her long before he has reason to, asks her out just before she blows him off for Randall Blake, and repeatedly attempts to get close to her despite her dismissive attitude. Though Lexa begins to relax around Jesse by the end of the third season, she continues to block his sentimental expressions to the very end.
Jesse and Toni Quintana
Lexa and Charles Carter
Lexa and Randall Blake
Mason and Danielle Hartman
Shalimar and Keith Burstyn
Shalimar and Noel
Shalimar and Dr. Richard Saunders. Feral Richard Saunders was a research associate at Genomex who used Genomex's resources to develop a de-mutantizing serum. Shalimar agreed to leave Mutant X and take the serum with him so that they could spend their lives together, but a flaw in the serum's design caused Richard's premature death.
Shalimar and Zack Lockhart

More information about popular Mutant X 'ships, canon and non-canon, is here.

THE SETTING

An early article about Mutant X stated that the show's place and time were never defined, in order to make the action applicable to anytime in the near future. This, of course, has not stopped fans from trying to determine when and where Mutant X occurs. Establishing a solid Mutant X timeline tricky, since there are some discrepancies between the events of the first season and the two seasons that follow (the efforts of two fans to clarify the timeline based upon different sources are here and here). Since the show is filmed in Canada and most of the actors are Canadian, some fans postulated that Mutant X takes place in Canada. In the first episode, however, Adam specifies that Genomex is a branch of U.S. intelligence, and many believe that Stormking Mountain is somewhere in the mountains of the United States east coast. Read more about the search for Sanctuary and a suitable Mutant X timeline here.

Season 1's sets were designed by Rocco Matteo. An interview is here. A behind-the-scenes look at S2's "The Grift" and "At Destiny's End" is here. John Blackie designed the sets for seasons 2 and 3. Design schematics of the S2 sets are here.

Sanctuary
Sanctuary is Mutant X's secret headquarters, which Adam built inside Stormking Mountain. It is equipped with state-of-the-art security systems designed by Adam and reinforced by Jesse's girlfriend, the expert computer hacker Toni. Adam's view of Stormking Mountain from the former Mutant X Lives site is here.

Virtual tour
External: Stormking Mountain, the hangar's landing bay.

Internal: Front entrance, The dojo, Adam's lab, main computer, dining table, tanning bed, Emma's room, Brennan's room, Lexa's room

Techno toys
The Double Helix. This VTOL (virtual take off and landing) aircraft had a cloaking device/stealth shields, an autopilot mode, voice activated comlink system connected to Sanctuary, an ionizing filter and a microwave blaster.

The biobed. In Adam's words, the most frequent use of the biobed is "to diagnostically calibrate your genetic enhancement and identify any adjustments that may be required since your new mutant DNA is in a constant state of evolution." It can also be used to stabilize an ill new mutant's body functions, extract DNA gene sequences from a new mutant, to scan for bodily injuries, and to re-integrate two personality halves that have been split.

Comlink rings. These rings, worn by the members of Mutant X, are keyed to the wearer's personal DNA strand. The rings have mini cameras, audio/video links to other team members and are apparently activated whenever the wearer wants them to be, or by speaking into them.

Others: Find out about more of Mutant X's drugs and techno toys here.

Genomex
Genomex is the government research facility which is actually a branch of U.S. intelligence. The Canadian water plant building used to film Genomex headquarters is also used as The Center in the television series "The Pretender," and in some episodes of the television show "Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal."

Virtual tour
External: Arial view, closer up, the roof

Mason Eckhart's office, the back office, the interrogation room, Richard's lab, Harrison's lab, the catwalk, Section 9

Techno toys
Stasis pods. Pods were created by Adam Kane as a means of controlling dangerous new mutants. When a GS agent did not perform his or her duty, or a potentially lethal new mutant was captured, they were placed in a pod and kept in a coma-like state in Section 9 for "future study." Individuals shown in pods/presumably podded during the series: Barry Sterling, Karen Bell, Calvin Porter, Jesse Kilmartin, Brianna Voight, Gabriel Ashlocke, Mason Eckhart, Laura Brooks. More about stasis pods is here.

Subdermal governors. Subdermal governors, like stasis pods, were created by Adam to control dangerous new mutants. They connect to a new mutant's DNA, so that when he uses his abilities without the controller's permission, he experiences debilitating pain. The controller also has the option of giving a painful jolt when he chooses. Governors may be deactivated by remote control, short electrical blasts, computer viruses, or Adam Kane. New mutants shown with governors during the series: Frank Thorne, Brennan Mulwray, Ruby Bishop, Emma deLauro, Jesse Kilmartin, Josh Valentine, Charlotte Cooke, Lexa Pierce. More about subdermal governors is here.

Electric sterilization unit. In Mason Eckhart's private office is a round electronic device which sterilizes the immediate environment while Mason seals his synthetic skin and gloves. More about Mason's faux skin is here.

The Pushka. The Pushka H5B7 was developed by Sonya's Russian father in 1980 to detect and neutralize new mutants. After deactivating their mutant abilities, the particle beam caused disintegration of their organs. It also had the ability to reverse the neutralization process when the proper code was keyed in.

The Dominion
Virtual tour: Holding cells, Council room, The Creator's back laboratory

Techno toys: Torture device, operative cellphones, compact decoding device

THE CAST AND CREW
The Cast

Karen Cliche (Lexa Pierce): Bio, interviews, updates & links

Michael Easton (Gabriel Ashlocke): Bio, interviews & links

Forbes March (Jesse Kilmartin): Bio, interviews, updates & links

Tom McCamus (Mason Eckhart): Bio, interviews, updates & links

Victoria Pratt (Shalimar Fox): Bio, interviews, updates & links

John Shea (Adam Kane): Bio, interviews, updates & links

Lauren Lee Smith (Emma deLauro): Bio, interviews, updates & links

*Notes: Emma deLauro was killed in an explosion at the end of S2. Tribune never offered an official explanation for Lauren Lee Smith's departure, but fandom conjecture ranges from the notion that she decided to leave to free up time for upcoming projects, to speculation that she didn't leave by choice, noting the surprised tone of her post on her official website. Recently, actress Karen Cliche has reportedly said that the producers let Smith go to "mix things up" for S3, and that they approached Cliche to play Lexa Pierce before warning Smith of Emma's fate. In the end, the true details are known only by Lauren Lee Smith and the producers of Mutant X.

Victor Webster (Brennan Mulwray): Bio, interviews, update & links

Other Actors
A list of the guest stars and their websites is here. Notable news: Guylaine St. Onge's death, Eddie McGee wins Big Brother

The Crew
A full list of the Mutant X production crew is here.

Producers
Pictures of some of the producers are here

Avi Arad
Adam Haight
Jay Firestone
Rick Ungar: Interview on X-Pider Man
Jonathan Hackett
Seth Howard: Interview on Comics Continuum

The Writers
Howard Chaykin. The head writer for the first season, the famous comic book artist Howard Chaykin, left the show as the first episode of the second season was in production, due to "creative differences". Chaykin's creative ideas on Mutant X
can be read on Sci-Fi Weekly, Comics Continuum, Comic Book Galaxy, and Sci-fi Wire.

Peter Mohan. Executive producer Peter Mohan took over as the head writer for the second and third seasons. Interviews with him are on The Official Site, Starburst, and the S2 DVD extras.

Freddie Prinze Jr.. Actor Freddie Prinze Jr. wrote the screenplay for the S2 episode "One Step Closer." He talks about it on his official site and Comics Continuum 4/03.

Production Crew
Nikos Evdemon (cinematography). Info about Evdemon's award for Mutant X is here.

Havoc Stunt Services. Some pictures of Havoc stuntmen in Mutant X are here. An interview with stuntman David Stinson is here.

Doug MacRae (storyboards). MacRae's Skye Productions website is here; an interview about Mutant X is here.

Rocco Matteo (set design). Rocco Matteo created the sets for the first season of Mutant X. He talks about the look of Mutant X here and here.

Lou Natale and Donald Quan (musical score). Lou Natale created the Mutant X theme song. His website is here. Donald Quan scored 44 episodes of Mutant X. His Q Music site is here.

You can find out about the rest of the production crew here.

THE FANDOM
Mutant X Around the World
With the cancellation of Mutant X in the United States, the size of the U.S. fandom has diminished since its heyday. Fortunately, thanks to the widespread distribution of Tribune and ADV Films, Mutant X has a lively international fandom base, with fans around the world at different stages in their viewing. The United Kingdom and Ireland's Sky Three is presently showing Mutant X re-runs, Australia is in the midst of Season 2, and AXN, which runs in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria, approved syndication for Mutant X in Italy in 2005.

A database of over 1,000 international Mutant X fansites is here.

Mutant X in different countries:
Argentinian: Mutant X
Armenian: Mutant X
Australian: Mutant X
Austrian: Mutant X
Belgian: Mutant X
Brazilian: Mutant X
Bulgarian: Мутант Х
Canadian: Mutant X
Chinese: 异种战士
Czech: Mutant X
Croatian: Mutant X
Danish: Mutant X
Dutch: Mutant X
Finnish: Mutant X
French: Mutant X
German: Mutant X
Greek: Mutant X
Hungarian: X-csapat
Icelandic: Mutant X
Indonesian: Mutant X
Israeli: Project X
Japanese: ミュータントX
Korean: Mutant X
Polish: Pokolenie mutantów
Spanish: Mutante X
Romanian: Mutant X
Russian: Мутанты Икс
South African: Mutant X
Swedish: Mutant X
Taiwanese: 有關小廚師演的
Turkish: Mutant X
The United Kingdom: Mutant X

DVD sales
Box sets: Season 1, Season 2, Season 3

Individual DVDs: S1 Disc 1, S1 Disc 2, S1 Disc 3, S1 Disc 4, S1 Disk 5, S1 disc 6, S2 Discs 1-2, S2 Discs 3-4, S2 Discs 5-6, S2 Discs 7-8, S2 Discs 9-10

Fandom terminology
Brenna: An honest mistyping of Brennan Mulwray's first name, or the female version of Brennan. The less said about her the better, but if you must know, look here.

Brennan Mulwary: An honest mistyping of Brennan Mulwray's last name, or a deliberate sporking of the character. A website devoted to Mulwary is here.

Complexa: Brennan came up with this nickname for Lexa in "She's Come Undone," frustrated with her secretive nature.

Laura Varady: Though she never actually appeared in the show, Laura Varady was the name of Genomex's chief psychologist on Tribune Entertainment's faux website, Genomex.net.

Marcus Eckhart: Mason Eckhart's first name was originally supposed to be Marcus. Though the name was officially changed to Mason before the start of the series, hints of the original name do pop up. If you listen carefully to the episode "Russian Roulette," you'll notice that Sonya mistakenly calls herself "an associate of Marcus Eckhart." And in Mason's biography on the faux website Genomex.net, it is stated that Mason once had a twin brother, Marcus, who drowned in an accident when the two were boys.

Mohan, Mohanized, Mohanization: Peter Mohan was the head writer for the second and third seasons. Since some fans feel that the quality of the show declined during this time, "Mohanization" can refer to plot discontinuities, character misrepresentations, or un-science.

Mutant Lex: A term coined by Shalimar, who, annoyed with Lexa's disregard for her teammates in "Brother's Keeper," says: "It's time we remind her that this is Mutant X, not Mutant Lex."

S1, S2, S3, S4: Abbreviations for season one, season two, season three, and season four.

Santa: Otherwise known as "Evil Santa," a nickname for Lexa Pierce's unnamed Dominion contact.

'Ship, 'shipper, 'shipping: A general fandom term for the romantic relationships in fiction. Wikipedia's definition is here.

'Ship abbreviations: Bremma (Brennan/Emma), Brenimar (Brennan/Shalimar), Jemma (Jesse/Emma), Jexa (Jesse/Lexa), Shalnan (Shalimar/Brennan), Shalash (Shalimar/Gabriel Ashlocke).

Sparky: The nickname for Brennan Mulwray used frequently on the show.

Special thanks to tptigger, princessbryn, tribeofroses, and katana137uk for their input. Invaluable information resources: The Official Site, Child of Genomex, Comics Continuum, The Feral Sisterhood, Forbesilicious, Genomex.net, The Great Mutant X Fansite Directory, Ground Control, Gryphon's Lair, IMDb, LLS Forums, Masonesque, ME Corner, Mutant X French, MXL:OS, Mutant X PhoeniX, Mutant X-treme, Mutant X Warehouse, PureMX-on-Masonesque, Pink Hearts, Proxy Blue, Proxy Green, TV.com .

Movies

2005-11-04T06:41:32Z

Updated as I remember them.
Movies I've Watched (A-M) [1813]
Aberdeen
About a Boy
About Last Night...
About Sara
About Schmidt
Absolutely Positive
Abyss
Accidental Tourist
Accompanist
Ace in the Hole
Adam’s Rib
Adaptation
Addams Family
Addams Family Values
Addicted to Love
Adventures in Babysitting
Adventures of Baron Muchousen
Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
Affair to Remember
Affliction
African Queen
Afterglow
After the Thin Man
Age of Innocence
Agent Cody Banks
Agnes of God
A.I.
Aida
Air Force One
Airplane
Airplane II: The Sequel
Aladdin
Alfie
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
Alien
Alien Resurrection
Aliens
Ali Zaoua: Prince of the Streets
All About Eve
All About Lily Chou Chou
All About My Mother
All Dogs Go to Heaven
All I Want for Christmas
All Quiet on the Western Front
All That Jazz
All the King’s Men
All the Pretty Horses
Almost Famous
Along Came a Spider
Always
Amelie
American Beauty
American Graffiti
American Pie
American President
American Tail
American Wedding
America’s Sweethearts
Amityville: The Horror
Amityville II: The Possession
Amityville 3-D: The Demon
Amnesia
Analyze That
Analyze This
An American in Paris
Anastasia
Anastasia
Anatomy of a Murder
And the Band Played On
And Then There Were None
Angela’s Ashes
Anger Management
Angie
Animal House
Anna and the King
Anne of a Thousand Days
Anne of Avonlea
Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel
Annie
Annie Hall
Another 48 Hours
Another You
Another Thin Man
Antigone
Antitrust
Ants
Antz
Any Given Sunday
Anything Else
Anywhere But Here
Apartment
Apollo 13
Arabian Nights
Arachnophobia
Aristocats
Arlington Road
Armageddon
As Good as Dead
As Good as It Gets
Assassins
As You Like It
At Close Range
Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Attack of the 50 Ft.Woman
Auntie Mame
Aura
Au Revoir, Les Enfants
Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery
Austin Powers II: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
Autumn in New York
Autumn Sonata
Autumn Spring
Avengers
Aviator
Awakenings
Babe
Babe, Pig in the City
Babes in Toyland
Babysitter’s Seduction
Baby’s Day Out
Bachelor
Back to the Beach
Bad Boys
Bambi
Babarella
Barber Shop
Barber Shop 2
Barefoot in the Park
Basic Instinct
Batman
Batman
Batman and Robin
Batman Begins
Batman Forever
Batman Returns
Bats
Battlefield Earth
Beaches
Beastmaster
Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time
Beautician and the Beast
Beautiful Girls
Beautiful Mind
Beauty and the Beast
Bebe’s Kids
Because of Winn Dixie
Beevis and Butthead Do America
Beethoven
Beetlejuice
Being John Malkovitch
Ben and Me
Bend it Like Beckham
Ben-Hur
Benji
Benji the Hunted
Benny and Joon
Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Best Man
Best of Show
Best of the Best II
Best Years of Our Lives
Betsy’s Wedding
Better Off Dead
Beverly Hillbillies
Beverly Hills Cop
Beverly Hills Cop II
Beverly Hills Cop III
Beverly Hills Ninja
Bicycle Thief
Big
Big Bully
Big Business
Big Chill
Big Easy
Big Fish
Big Girls Don’t Cry, They Get Even
Big Lebowski
Big To p Pee-Wee
Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Blackberries
Blade Runner: The Director’s Cut
Blades of Glory
Blair Witch Project
Blast from the Past
Blazing Saddles
Bless the Beasts and the Children
Blind Date
Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi
Blood Simple
Blood Sport
Blow
Blues Brothers
Bobby Jones
Bodyguard
Bogus
Boiler Room
Bone Collector
Bonfire of the Vanities
Bonnie and Clyde
Boogie Nights
Book of Love
Book of Stars
Boomerang
Bootie Call
Born Free
Born on the Fourth of July
Born Yesterday
Bounce
Bound
Bourne Identity
Bowfinger
Boxer
Boy Named Charlie Brown
Boys
Boys Don’t Cry
Boys Town
Boyz N the Hood
Brady Bunch Movie
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Breakfast Club
Breaking Away
Breaking Free
Brewster’s Millions
Bride of Frankenstein
Bridge on the River Kwai
Bridges of Madison County
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Brighton Beach Memoirs
Bringing out the Dead
Bringing up Baby
Bring It On
Broadcast News
Broadway Melody
Brokeback Mountain
Broken Wings
Brothers Grimm
Brothers McMullen
Bruce Almighty
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
bug’s life
Bull Durham
Bully
Bunny’s Story
‘burbs
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Butcher Boy
Butcher’s Wife
Butterflies Are Free
Butterfly
Bye Bye Birdie
Bye Bye Love
Cabaret
Cable Guy
Caddyshack
Cadillac Man
Caine Mutiny
Calamity Jane
Camelot
Candyman
Cannery Row
Can’t Buy Me Love
Can’t Hardly Wait
Can You Feel Me Dancing?
Cape Fear
Capricorn One
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
Captain Ron
Captains Courageous
Care Bears Movie
Carlito’s Way
Carmen
Carmen Jones
Carousel
Carrie
Carrie 2: The Rage
Casablanca
Casino Royale
Casper
Castaway
Castlerock
Casual Sex
Catch Me If You Can
Cats
Cat’s Eye
Cellular
Center Stage
Central Station
Chain Reaction
Chamber
Chances Are
Changing Habits
Chariots of Fire
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie Brown Christmas Special
Charlie’s Angels
Charlie’s Angels 2: Full Throttle
Charlotte's Web
Charly
Chase
Chasing Amy
Cheaper by the Dozen
Cheaper by the Dozen
Cherokee Kid
Chicago
Chicken Run
Children of Heaven
Children of Noisy Village
Children of the Corn
Child’s Play
Child’s Play 2
Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang
Chocolat
Chocolate War
Choices of the Hear
Chorus Line
Christine
Christmas Carol
Christmas in Tattertown
Christmas Story
Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Chushingura
Cinderella
Circle of Friends
Cider House Rules
Cinema Paradiso
Citizen Kane
City of Angels
City Slickers
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold
Clara’s Heart
Clash of the Titans
Class
Clear and Present Danger
Clerks
Client
Clockstoppers
Clockwatchers
Clockwork Orange
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Clue
Clueless
Coal Miner’s Daughter
Cocktail
Cocoon
Cocoon: The Return
Cold Mountain
Commitments
Coming to America
Con Air
Conan the Destroyer
Coneheads
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Congo
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
Conspiracy Theory
Contact
Conversation
Cool Hand Luke
Cop and a Half
Copycat
Corpse Bride
Corrina, Corrina
Cotton Club
Country Mouse and the City Mouse
Courage Under Fire
Cowboys
Coyote Ugly
Craft
Crazy/Beautiful
Crazy People
Crazy Stranger
Creepshow
Cricket in Times Square
Crime of the Century
Critters
Critters 2: The New Meal
Cruel Intentions
Crush
Crow
Crow: City of Angels
Crybaby
Crying Game
Curly Sue
Cutting Edge
Dance ‘Til Dawn
Dance with Me
Dances with Wolves
Dangerous Liasons
Dangerous Minds
Dangerous Trail
Danielle Steele’s Star
Darby O’Gill and the Little People
Daredevil
Daria
Dark City
Dark Half
Date with an Angel
Dave
David and Lisa
Daydream Believers: The Monkee Story
Days of Wine and Roses
Day the Earth Stood Still
Dead Man Walking
Dead Silence
Death Becomes Her
Deathtrap
D.E.B.S.
Deconstructing Harry
Deep Blue Sea
Deerhunter
Delerius
Delores Claiborne
De-Lovely
Dennis the Menace
Desert Blue
Desperate Hours
Desperately Seeking Susan
Devil’s Advocate
Devil’s Food
Devil Wears Prada
Dial M for Murder
Diamonds Are Forever
Diary of Anne Frank
Die Another Day
Die, Die, My Darling
Diner
Dinner with Friends
Dirty Dancing
Dirty Pretty Things
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Disclosure
Distinguished Gentleman
Disturbia
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Dogma
Doll’s House
Donny Darko
Don't Say a Word
Don’t Tell Her It’s Me
Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead
Do the Right Thing
Double Jeopardy
Double-O-Kid
Down in the Delta
Down to Earth
Down to You
Dragnet
Dragon Heart
Dragonslayer
Dr. Doolittle
Dream a Little Dream
Dreamcatchers
Dream Girls
Driving Miss Daisy
Dr. No
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Drowning Mona
Dr. Strangelove, or How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Dr. Zhivago
Duck Soup
Dude, Where’s My Car?
Dumbo
Dune
Dungeons and Dragons
Dunston Checks In
Dutch
Dying Young
Earrings of Madame de...
Earth Girls Are Easy
Easter Parade
Easy Rider
Eat Drink Man Woman
Edie and Penn
Ed T.V.
Edward Scissorhands
Ed Wood
Egyptian
Election Day
Elephant Man
Elf
Elizabeth
Ella Enchanted
Elmer Gantry
Emma
Emma
Emperor's Club
Emperor’s New Clothes
Empire Records
Empire Strikes Back
Encino Man
End of Days
Enemies: A Love Story
Enemy Mine
Enemy of the State
English Patient
Entrapment
Eraser
Erin Bronkovitch
Ernest Goes to Camp
E.T.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eugene and Dominick
Ever After
Everyone Says I Love You
Evita
Eve’s Bayou
Excess Baggage
Exorcism of Emily Rose
Exorcist
Extramarital
Eyes on the Prize
Face/Off
Face on the Milk Carton
Face the Music
Faculty
Fairy Tale: A True Story
Fall of the House of Usher
Fame
Family Business
Family Man
Fantasia
Fantasia 2000
Fantastic Journey
Farewell, My Concubine
Fargo
Fast and the Furious
Fatal Attraction
Fatal Instinct
Father Hood
Father of the Bride
Father of the Bride: Part II
Father’s Day
Favor
FBI Story
Fear
Fear Dot Com
Feds
Fern Gully: The Last Rain Forest
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Few Good Men
Fiddler on the Roof
Field of Dreams
Fierce Creatures
Fifth Dimension
50 First Dates
Fight Club
Final Fantasy: Phantoms Within
Finding Forrester
Finding Nemo
Finding Neverland
Finnian’s Rainbow
Firestarter
Firm
First Knight
First Wives Club
Fish Called Wanda
Fisher King
Fists of the North
Five Easy Pieces
Flashdance
Flatliners
Flight of the Navigator
Flipper
Flood: Who Will Save Our Children?
Flowers in the Attic
Flowers of Shanghai
Flubber
Fly
Fog
Fools Rush In
Footloose
Forbidden Dance
Forces of Nature
Foreign Correspondents
Forever Young
Forget Paris
Forrest Gump
Foul Play
Foundling
48 Hours
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Fox and the Hound
Fracture
Framed
Frankenstein
Frankie and Johnny
Freaks
Freeway
French Connection
French Lieutenant’s Woman
French Kiss
Frequency
Freshman
Fried Green Tomatoes
Friday the 13th
Frighteners
From Dusk Til Dawn
From Here to Eternity
From Russia, with Love
F/X
Full Metal Jacket
Full Monty
Funny Face
Funny Girl
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Galaxy Quest
Game
Gandhi
Gangs of New York
Garden State
Gas, Food, Lodging
Gaslight
Gate
Gattaca
Gay Divorcee
General’s Daughter
Gentleman’s Agreement
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Get Shorty
Ghost
Ghost and Mrs. Muir
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters II
Ghostbusters III
Ghost Dad
Ghost of Cantebury
Ghost World
Gigi
Gilda
Ginger Snaps
Girl, Interrupted
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Gladiator
Glass House
Glass Menagerie
Glitter
Gloria
Godfather
Godfather II
Godfather III
Gods Must Be Crazy
Gods Must Be Crazy II
Godzilla
Golden Child
Goldeneye
Gone in 60 Seconds
Goonies
Good Burger
Goodfellas
Good Morning, Vietnam
Good Wil Hunting
Gone Fishin’
Gone with the Wind
Gosford Park
Graduate
Grand Canyon
Grand Hotel
Grand Illusion
Graveyard Shift
Grease
Grease II
Great Balls of Fire
Greatest Show on Earth
Great Gatsby
Great Gilly Hopkins
Great Outdoors
Green Card
Green Mile
Gremlins
Gremlins II: The New Batch
Grifters
Grinch Who Stole Christmas
Gross Anatomy
Grosse Point Blank
Groundhog Day
Grudge
Grumpier Old Men
Grumpy Old Men
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
Guilty by Suspicion
Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag
Gun Shy
Guys and Dolls
Guyver
Guyver II: The Dark Hero
Hackers
Halloween
Halloween III: The Season of the Witch
Halloween H2O
Hamlet
Hamlet
Handmaid’s Tale
Hand That Rocks the Cradle
Hanging Up
Hannibal
Hard Day’s Night
Hard Way
Harry and the Handersons
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Hauting
Haunting of Sarah Hardy
Head Above Water
Heartbreakers
Hearts in Atlantis
Heathers
Heaven Can Wait
Heaven Help Us
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Heidi
Heights
Heist
Hellboy
Hello Again
Henry and June
Hercules
Here on Earth
Her Fatal Flaw
Hero
He Said, She Said
He Walked by Night
Hidalgo
Hider in the House
High Crimes
High Fidelity
Hilary and Jackie
His Girl Friday
History of the World, Part I
Hitch
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Hocus Pocus
Holes
Holiday Inn
Hollow Man
Holy Matrimony
Home Alone
Home Alone II: Lost in New York
Home for the Holidays
Hooch
Howard’s End
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves
Hook
Hope Floats
Horse Whisperer
Hot Shots
Hot Shots, Part Deux
Hot to Trot
The Hours
House Arrest
House of Cards
House of Flying Daggers
House of Sand and Fog
House on Haunted Hill
House Party
House Party II
House Party III
Howard the Duck
How I Got into College
Howling
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
How to Frame a Figg
How to Make an American Quilt
Hulk
Hunchback of Notre Dame
Hunt for Red October
Hurlyburly
Husbands and Wives
I am Sam
I Capture the Castle
Ice Castles
Ice Harvest
Ice Storm
I Confess
I’d Do Anything
If Looks Could Kill
I Know My First Name is Stephen
I Know What You Did Last Summer
I Like it Like That
I’ll Remember April
I Love You, Don’t Touch Me
I Love You to Death
Il Postino
Imaginary Heroes
I’m Gonna Get You, Sucka
Importance of Being Ernest
In a Child’s Name
In and Out
Incredible Journey
The Incredibles
Indecent Proposal
Independence Day
Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indian in the Cupboard
Inherit the Wind
In Her Shoes
In Love and War
Insider
Insomnia
Inspector Gadget
Interpreter
Intersection
Interview with a Vampire
In the Eyes of a Stranger
In the Interest of the Children
In the Name of the Father
In the Shadow of the Vampire
Invasion from Mars
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Inventing the Abbotts
Invisible Man
I.Q.
I, Robot
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
It
It Could Happen to You
It Happened One Night
It’s a Wonderful Life
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
It’s the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown
It Takes Two
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
I Was a Teenaged Vampire
I Was a Teenaged Werewolf
Jack
Jackal
Jackie Chan’s First Strike
James and the Giant Peach
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre
Jaws
Jaws 2
Jaws 3
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Jean de Florette
Jekyll and Hyde
Jesus Christ, Superstar
Jerk
Jerry McGuire
Jewel of the Nile
Joan of Arc
Joe vs. the Volcano
Johnny Dangerously
Johnny Mnemonic
John Tucker Must Die
Josie and the Pussycats
Joy Luck Club
Joyriders
Julius Caesar
Jumanji
Jumping Jack Flash
Jungle Book
Jungle Fever
Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park: The Lost World
Just a Little Meaningless Sex
Just Cause
Justice for Annie
Just One of the Guys
Karate Kid
Karate Kid II
Karate Kid III
Kate’s Secret
Kid
Kidco
Kindergarten Cop
King and I
King Kong
King Lear
King Ralph
Kino's Journey
Kiss
Kissing a Fool
Kiss of the Spiderwoman
Kissing Jessica Stein
Kiss the Girls
King Kong
K-Pax
Kramer vs. Kramer
Krull
Kundun
Kung Fu Hustle
La Belle de Jour
La Bella Vita
La Boheme
La Bombe
Labyrinth
L.A. Confidential
Lady and the Tramp
Lady in White
Lady Vanishes
Land Before Time
Laura Croft: Tomb Raider
Last Don
Last Dragon
Last Emperor
Last of the Mohicans
Laura
Lawnmower Man
Laws of Attraction
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
League of Their Own
Leap of Faith
Leaving Las Vegas
Legally Blonde
Legend of Bagger Vance
Legends of the Fall
Leolo
Les Girls
Les Miserables
Liar, Liar
Liberty Heights
Life wtht Mickey
Like Water for Chocolate
Lillies of the Field
Linda
Lion in Winter
Lion King
Lipstick Camera
License to Drive
Lifeboat
Life with Father
Lisa
Little Black Book
Little Man Tate
Little Mermaid
Little Miss Sunshine
Little Princess
Little Princess
Little Shop of Horrors
Little Women
Living Daylights
Lizzie McGuire Movie
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Lolita
Long Goodbye
Long Grey Line
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
Looking for Richard
Look Who’s Talking
Look Who’s Tlaking Now
Look Who’s Talking Too
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Lorenzo’s Oil
Loser
Lost Boys
Lost in Space
Love and Basketball
Love Letter
Love Potion No. 9
Loverboy
Lovers of the Arctic Circle
Love’s Labor Lost
Loving Annabelle
Lucas
Lunatics: A Love Story
M
Macbeth
Made in America
Madness of King George
Mafia
Magic Flute
Mahogany
Major League
Major League II
Malcolm X
Malice
Manchurian Candidate
Manhattan
Man in the Iron Mask
Man in the Moon
Mannequin
Mannequin 2: On the Move
Man on the Moon
Man Who Fell to Earth
Man Who Knew Too Much
Man Without a Face
Marnie
Married to the Mob
Mars Attacks
Mary Poppins
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Mask
Mask
Master and Commander
Matchmaker
Matilda
Matrix
Matrix Reloaded
Maverick
Ma Vie En Rose
Meatballs 3
Meatballs 4
Medallion
Medicine River
Meet Me in St. Louis
Meet the parents
Memento
Memories of Me
Me, Myself and Irene
Men at Work
Men at Work
Men in Black
Men in Black II
Men of Honor
Merlin
Mermaids
Metropolis
Mexican
Michael
Michael Collins
Mickey Blue-Eyes
Midnight Cowboy
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Midsummer Night’s Dream
Mighty
Mighty Ducks
Mighty Ducks II
Mighty Joe Young
Mind Hunters
Mind Ripper
Miracle on 34th Street
Mischief
Misery
Miss Congeniality
Missing
Mission Impossible
Mississippi Burnings
Mixed Nuts
Mixed Signals
Mo Better Blues
Mobsters
Model Behavior
Modern Times
Moll Flanders
Mommie Dearest
Mom’s a Werewolf
Money Pit
Mononoke_Hime
Most Dangerous Game
Monster’s Ball
Monsters Inc.
Moonstruck
Mona Lisa Smile
Monty Python and the Holy Grain
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life
Mortal Kombat
Mother
Moulin Rouge
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Mr. Destiny
Mr. Hobbes Takes a Vacation
Mr. Holland’s Opus
Mr. Magoo
Mr. Nice Guy
Mr. Saturday Night
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Much Ado About Nothing
Mulan
Mulholland Dr.
Multiplicity
Mummy
Mummy Returns
Muppet Movie
Murder at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Murder Cycle
Murder on the Orient Express
Music of the Heart
Must Love Dogs
My Best Friend’s Wedding
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
My Cousin Vinny
My Fair Lady
My Father, the Hero
My Fellow Americans
My First Mister
My Girl
My Girl II
My Left Foot
My Life as a Dog
My Own Private Idaho
My Son Johnny
My Son the Fanatic
My Stepmother is an Alien
Mystic Pizza
Mystic River

TV Time-Warp: Television shows I've watched

2005-11-03T13:41:32Z

Shows of which I've seen more than a couple of episodes. Some I loved. Others just happened to be on while I was doing something else. ;)

Shows I've Watched: Past and Present

The Addams Family * The Adventures of Black Beauty * The Adventures of Pete and Pete * The Adventures of Spiderman * Alf * Alfred Hitchock Presents * Ally McBeal * Amen * America's Funniest Home Videos * America's Most Wanted * Andromeda * Angel: The Series * Animal Planet * Animaniacs * Are You Afraid of the Dark * As The World Turns * The A-Team * Babylon 5 * Bananaman * Batman Beyond * Battlestar Galactica * Beauty and the Beast * Bewitched * The Beverly Hillbillies * Beverly Hills 90210 * Blossom * The Bold and the Beautiful * Bosom Buddies * Boy Meets World * The Brady Bunch * Buffy the Vampire Slayer * Cagney & Lacy * California Dreams * Candid Camera * Captain Kangaroo * Care Bears * Car 54, Where Are You? * Carol Burnett Show * Caroline in the City * Charles in Charge * Charmed * Cheers * Clarissa Explains It All * Cleopatra 2525* The Commish * C.O.P.S. * Cosby * The Cosby Show * Count Duckula * CSI* Curious George * Cybill * The Daily Show * Dangermouse * Daria * Dark Angel * Dark Shadows * Dawson's Creek * Dear John * Dennis the Menace * Dharma & Greg * Dinosaurs * Diff'rent Strokes * A Different World * The Discovery Channel * Divorce Court * Doogie Howser, M.D. * The Donna Reed Show * Double Dare * Double Trouble * Dragnet * Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist * Eight is Enough * The Electric Company * The Elephant Show * Elimidate * Ellen * Empty Nest * E.R. * Everwood * Fame * Family Ties * The Famous Jet Jackson * Fat Albert * Family Matters * Farscape * La Femme Nikita * Fifteen * Firefly * The Flintstones * Flipper * The Flying Nun * Fraggle Rock * Frasier * The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air * Friends * Full House * General Hospital * Get Smart * Ghostbusters * Gidget * G.I. Joe * Gilmore Girls * Gimme a Break * Girlfriends * Golden Girls * Good Times * Green Acres * Grey's Anatomy * Growing Pains * Guiding Light * The Gummie Bears * Hanging with Mr. Cooper * Happy Days * Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats* Hee-Haw * He-Man * Herman's Head * Hey Dude * Hi, Honey I'm Home * I Dream of Jeannie * Jack and Bobby * The Jeffersons * Jem and the Holograms * The Jetsons * Joan of Arcadia * Judge Judy * Judging Amy * Just Shoot Me * Just the Ten of Us * Kids in the Hall * La Femme Nikita * Lassie * Leave it to Beaver * Life Goes On * Little House on the Prarie * The Little Prince * Lois & Clark * Lost * The Love Boat * The L Word * MacGuyver * Mad About You * Mad TV * Make Room for Daddy * Married with Children * Martin * MASH * Mask * Mathnet * Melrose Place * Mighty Mouse * Moesha * Monk * The Monkees * Mork and Mindy * Mr. Ed * Mr. Wizard's World * Muppet Babies * The Muppet Show * Mutant X * My Little Pony * My Secret Identity * My Sister Sam * My So-Called Life * Mysterious Cities of Gold * My Three Sons * My Two Dads * National Geographic * Nell * Night Court * Northern Exposure * Nurses * The O.C. * One Day at a Time * One Life to Live * One Tree Hill * Oprah * Our House * The Outer Limits * Parker Lewis Can't Lose * Party of Five * The Patty Duke Show * People's Court * Perfect Strangers * Pinky and the Brain * Pinwheel * Prison Break * Punky Brewster * Quantam Leap * Reading Rainbow * Roseanne * Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In * Salute Your Shorts * Saturday Night Live * Saved by the Bell * The Scarecrow and Mrs. King * Scrubs * Seinfeld * 7th Heaven * She-Ra * Shirt Tales * Silk Stalkings * The Simpsons * Sister, Sister * Six Feet Under * 60 Minutes * Smallville * Small Wonder * The Smurfs * The Snorks * Soul Train * South Park * Spartakus and the Sun Beneath the Sea * Spenser for Hire * Spin City * Sports Night * Square One TV * Stargate Atalantis * Stargate SG-1 * Star Search * Star Trek * Star Trek: The Next Generation * Step by Step * Suddenly Susan * Tales from the Crypt * Taxi * That 70's Show * That's So Raven * 3rd Rock from the Sun * 3-2-1 Contact! * Thundercats * Today's Special * The Tonight Show * The Torkelsons * The Transformers * Tru Calling * 24 * 21 Jump Street * The Twilight Zone * 227 * Vampire High * Veronica Mars * The Wayans Brothers * Welcome Back, Kotter * The West Wing * What I Like About You * Who's The Boss? * Will & Grace * Wings * WKRP in Cincinnati * Wolf's Rain * Wonder Woman * The Wonder Years * The World of David The Gnome * Xena: Warrior Princess * The X-Files * X-Men * You Can't Do That on Television * The Young and the Restless * Young Blades * Zorro

My Girls
The Addams Family: Wednesday
Andromeda: Trance
Angel: Fred, Lilah
Buffy: Willow, Faith, Drusilla, Tara
Daria: Daria, Jane
Farscape: Aeryn
Firefly: Kaylee
Gilmore Girls: Paris
The L Word: Lara
Moonlighting: Agnes
Mutant X: Lexa, Emma, Shalimar
One Tree Hill: Brooke
Roseanne: Darlene
Seinfeld: Elaine
The Simpsons: Lisa
Sports Night: Natalie
Star Trek: Uhura, Deanna, Guinan
That 70's Show: Jackie, Laurie
Will & Grace: Karen
Xena: Callisto
X-Men: Storm, Rogue, Dark Phoenix

My Boys
Angel: Doyle, Spike, Angelus
Charmed: Chris
Daria: Trent
Family Matters: Urkel
Firefly: Wash
Frasier: Niles
Gilmore Girls: Michel
Joan of Arcadia: Adam
Moonlighting: David
Mutant X: Jesse, Mason, Gabriel
The O.C.: Seth
Sports Night: Dan
Star Trek: Spock, Sulu, Chekov, McCoy, Data, Wesley, Geordi, Q, Picard
Will & Grace: Jack
Xena: Ares
The X-Files: Mulder
X-Men: Magneto, Xavier, Wolverine

'Ships
Buffy: Faith and Buffy, Spike and Dru, Willow and Tara
Charmed: Leo and Piper
Gilmore Girls: Luke and Lorelai
Joan of Arcadia: Joan and Adam
The L Word: Lara and Dana
Mutant X: Emma and Shalimar, Jesse and Lexa
One Tree Hill: Nathan and Haley, Brooke and Peyton
Star Trek TNG: Picard and Crusher
That 70's Show: Jackie and Hyde
Xena: Xena and Gabrielle
X-Files: Mulder and Scully

Happy Halloween!

2005-10-22T06:06:37Z

First Mutant's Haunted House Party

Welcome guests! Before you enter, Igor wants to know:

Do you celebrate Halloween?
What's the most frightening experience you've ever had?
Do you have a costume for the costume contest (not required)?

-----------------------------------

Once you have gained admittance, please grab a poisoned bite in The Kitchen, where Witch Wanda will brew whatever you'd like.

Then, if you have time, choose your destination in the Haunted House:

The Parlor: Join the virtual seance.
The Den: Talk about horror film/television/novels and Halloween-related topics.
The Dungeon: Suggest fun links and play scary games.
The Bonfire: Contribute to the neverending ghost story.

Voting for the costume contest will occur at the end of the week; prizes will be awarded next Saturday. Have fun, and thanks for coming!

You're Invited!

2005-10-15T04:35:59Z

First Mutant's LiveJournal Halloween Party!

The party will begin next Saturday, October 22nd. We'll be playing games, talking about horror movies, holding a seance, and much more. You may choose to come as you are, or in costume--once you find an outfit you like, post a link/picture/description here so that we will know what you're wearing. You can post spooky decorations, any foods you'd like to have, and game suggestions here as well. Let me know if you can come. Hope to see you then!

Tell Me About Yourself

2005-10-12T08:47:34Z

Bored, waiting for my patient to return from MRI. Idea swiped from roguem: Tell me about yourself.

Name:
Age:
Location:
Languages you study/speak:
Food you'd never eat:
Something you want:
One random thing:

The Nitpicker's Guide to Mutant X: Part One

2005-09-19T09:22:54Z

Moved to GreatestJournal

*Inspired by The Discontinuity Guide: The Unofficial Doctor Who Companion: "To really love something, you have to want to take it apart."

GENERAL by firstmutant
Beta aid by milmiss

Entry #1: New Mutant Growth Spurts.
In the S1 episode "A Breed Apart," Brennan, Shalimar, Jesse, and Emma suddenly experience a new evolution in their mutant abilities. Shalimar develops heightened reflexes and perception, Emma forms her characteristic psionic blast, Jesse begins to phase external objects by touch, and Brennan develops jet propulsion. It is curious that Adam did not predict Emma's eventually acquiring a psionic blast, since the other three tele/telempaths who appear later, Andrea Marshall in "Where Evil Dwells," Dr. Robinson in "In Between," Riley Morgan in "The Prophecy," all have this ability too.

Why these four undergo this spontaneous growth spurt simultaneously despite being different ages and mutant types is never explained. Perhaps it was something in the water supply at Sanctuary...leading to Adam's eventual decision to nix the waterfall and reflecting pool before the second season. Alternatively, the evolution could be the result of Adam's continual experimentation upon the Mutant X team members. In "Shock of the New," Adam tells Emma that new mutant DNA is in a constant state of evolution. Thus, the mutant growth spurts of "A Breed Apart" may or may not be related to uncontrolled mutating mutations of the type causing Ashley Elliot's electrical hunger in "Lit Fuse." By the end of that episode, Adam was able to stabilize her DNA. Oddly, Adam would continue to claim ignorance about methods for making similar repairs to his own team's DNA up until "The Assault," when he finally admits to having secretly succeeded in stabilizing Jesse's DNA. Further hints that the technology for new mutant DNA stabilization was in place long before "The Assault" comes in "Wages of Sin," when Jesse discovers that Dominique had been able to stablize the DNA of new mutants in her employ.

Of the four mutants, it's Jesse's "new" ability that hasn't changed much. At the new mutant Safehouse in “I Scream the Body Electric,” Jesse phases as Brennan shoots through him, and then falls through the floor. Since he does not fall through the floor instantly every time he phases, he must have been able to phase the floor beneath him at will. It's also clear that whenever Jesse phases, his clothes, shoes, and comlink ring phase with him, presumably because he is in close contact with them. Thus, the supposed growth spurt that occurs in “A Breed Apart,” allowing him to phase other objects by touching them, was really nothing new. Yet, in "Dark Star Rising," when Jesse is holding the Tricorp plant, he must toss it through the window while he phases through the wall, and catch it on the other side. No idea why.

Though Shalimar, Jesse, and Emma keep their newfound powers for the rest of the series, Brennan's flights mysteriously cease halfway through the second season and are never mentioned again after "Crossroads of the Soul." Shalimar's heightened reflexes and magnificent leaps calm down during the second and third seasons as well.

Entry #2: Emma’s Psionic Abilities
Throughout the first season, Adam calls Emma a telempath, one who can sense and manipulate the emotions of others. She does indeed have this gift, but her range has always exceeded this one facet of possible psionic abilities. In "Russian Roulette" and "The Meaning of Death," she makes Sonya and Jesse respectively feel as though they are choking. Choking is not an emotion. Neither is blindness, which she accomplishes with the GS agents in "In the Presence of Mine Enemies." In "Fool for Love," she enhances a witness’s memory of a license plate number.

Entry #3: Genomex and Sanctuary.
At the end of Season 1's "A Breed Apart," Gabriel Ashlocke announces that Genomex is the perfect place from which to oversee his world domination schemes. Though Genomex will be mentioned many times after this episode, this is the last time this perfect place is seen in its original glory in Mutant X. Mason's office does make three special guest appearances throughout Season 3, however, the first being in "No Exit" (William Dennett looks down at Jesse and Brennan from there), and in "A Normal Life" when Shalimar goes back to Sanctuary to retrieve the microwave accelerator. Its last cameo occurs under (literally) Brennan and Shalimar's love scene in "The Assault."

Perhaps the main reason Mason Eckhart could never find Sanctuary was because it was constantly adapting and moving about. In Season 1, Sanctuary was located near a lake; afterwards somewhere in the mountains. In the beginning, Sanctuary had all kinds of beautiful amenities, including a reflecting pool, a waterfall, and a dojo for practicing martial arts. These wonderous luxuries lasted throughout the first season, then vanished, leaving Sanctuary a darker, starker place in which to live.

Entry #4: Plotline Recycling
Season 3, especially, is filled with these. Examples: Barry Sterling ("Kilohertz") is resurrected as William Dennett ("No Exit"), the OTHER psychotic telecyber who gets revenge on Mutant X by tampering with Sanctuary’s air supply. Zack Lockhart ("Ex Marks the Spot") is revived as Randall Blake ("The Art of Attraction"), the OTHER untrustworthy art thief with whom Mutant X and a female member must “get into bed” in order to complete the mission. Richard Saunders ("Fool for Love") is reincarnated as Keith Burstyn ("A Normal Life") the OTHER scientist who wants to live a normal life with Shalimar.] "The Taking of Crows" bears suspicious resemblence to "Hard Time," except that Shalimar and Lexa take Brennan and Jesse's place behind bars. Do TPTB think we suffer from amnesia?

Entry #5: The Mutant X Timeline
1800s The Creator begins his work
1913 William Kilmartin born
1943 Project Immortalis
1958 Adam Kane cloned
1968 Gabriel Ashlocke born
1978 Adam begins at Genomex
1980 Genomex’s stem cell research program in full swing, Jesse Kilmartin and Johnny Cummings born
1982 Lexa and Leo Pierce born
1983 Gabriel Ashlocke podded
1985 Shalimar Fox born
1992 Adam meets Danielle Hartman
1993 Catherine Hartman born
1996 Lexa and Leo leave the military facility
1998 Adam escapes Genomex and begins Mutant X 1.0
2000 Lexa leaves Adam
Adam finds Shalimar
2004 Lexa joins the GSA
2005 Leo escapes from Genomex
2006 Lexa joins The Dominion
2008 S1
2009 S2
2010 S3

Reasoning.
1. “Time Squared.” Adam’s first day at Genomex was 10/23/78, when he was 20 and Gabriel Ashlocke was 10. That means Adam was born in 1958 and Gabriel was born in 1968. Adam worked at Genomex for 20 years, so his escape occurred in 1998. He was then free to find Lexa and start Mutant X 1.0. Gabriel was in the pod for 25 years, meaning that he was released in 1983.
2. “Into the Moonless Night.” Lexa was part of Mutant X 1.0 for two years before Adam found the 15 year old Shalimar. If MX 1.0 began in 1998, then Shalimar began with Adam in 2000.
3. “A Normal Life.” Shalimar tells Keith Burstyn that she’s been with Adam for 10 years in S3. Since he found her at 15, that means that she’s 25, and S3 takes place in 2010.
4. “Divided Loyalties.” Jesse tells Brennan that “three years is a long time to be under the radar,” meaning that it as been about three years since Brennan joined Mutant X. This means that each season lasts a little longer than a year.
4. “Brother’s Keeper.” Leo Pierce’s age in S3 is listed as 28, so Lexa is 3 years older than Shalimar. Lexa and Leo left the military facility at 14 when Leo began having problems. Eckhart agreed to treat Leo in exchange for Lexa’s working at the GSA. Leo escaped Eckhart’s facility five years before S3, and Lexa joined the Dominion to find him.
5. “Shock of the New.” Frank Thorne’s statement, “Our GS agents are new at this,” along with Adam’s assertion that Emma’s pursuers were from the security branch of Genomex imply that the GSA existed in some form before Paul Breedlove’s death. Lexa might have been part of this covert organization.
6. “The Assault.” The Creator began his projects 100 years before S3, and cloned Adam Kane.
7. "Shadows of Darkness." Johnny Cummings was born in the summer of 1980, when Genomex's genetic embryo research "was in full swing." Jesse is 30 years old in S3, so he was also born in 1980.
8. "Age of Innocence." Jesse's grandfather William was part of Project Immortalis in 1943. When he de-ages, he has the body of a 30 year old, so he must have been born sometime around 1913.

Entry #6: Genomex’s Project Timeline
In “Shock of the New,” Adam explains to Emma that the 1,000 new mutants in existence were the unforseen consequence of secret genetic experiments conducted by the biotechnology firm Genomex, a branch of government intelligence. It is revealed in “The Meaning of Death” that the original purpose of those experiments was to heal children with irreversible diseases; the 11 year old Charles Marlowe was brought to Adam to be cured of his fatal illness. The development of his enhanced cellular regeneration was a side effect of his treatments, leading to indestructibility. The first new mutant Adam thus created was Gabriel Ashlocke in 1967, after his parents brought him to Genomex because of his behavioral difficulties (“Past as Prologue”). At the end of “The Meaning of Death,” Shalimar comforts Adam by reminding him that all the Children of Genomex owe their lives to him and his work at Genomex.

However, a closer look reveals that there must have been several separate Genomex genetic projects, for there are at least three different generations of new mutants created by Genomex. The first generation of Genomex new mutants is represented in “Russian Roulette,” where Adam’s contemporary, the telekinetic Paul, is clearly older than Adam’s first creation, Gabriel Ashlocke. Frank Thorne, too, looks older than Gabriel Ashlocke. The second generation is made up of those ill children brought to Adam to be cured, like Charles Marlowe and Gabriel Ashlocke. The third generation are the Children of Genomex who were born slightly after Marlowe and Ashlocke, but were never ill in the first place...the new mutants of Mutant X. In “I Scream the Body Electric,” Shalimar tells Emma, “We’ve all had our gifts from birth. And just like we learned to walk and talk, we’ve had to develop skills with our new mutant abilities as well.” Apparently, though their parents were normal, these four were born new mutants, and not made that way by experimentation during childhood with the intention of curing disease. Was Adam responsible for these as well? Perhaps, perhaps not. Evidence that there was a large project outreach performed by Genomex at some point emerges in "Shadows of Darkness," when Jesse discovers that the telepath Johnny was the product of their widespread experimental “fertility program.” If this is indeed the case, Adam’s initial estimate of 1,000 new mutants he created is far too low to encompass all new mutants.

The fourth generation of new mutants are the children of the Children of Genomex, such as the thermal elemental Joshua Valentine and telekinetic Daniel Benedict.

Mason Eckhart also succeeded in making a handful of new mutants. In Season One's "Dark Star Rising," Mason Eckhart and Dr. Kenneth Harrison team up to restart Genomex's early Rafflesia Pricei project for the purpose of creating new mutant soldiers from humans with serum injections. Though two of the feline ferals created manage to survive, Mutant X's destruction of Tricorp's three Rafflesia Pricei plants forced Eckhart and Harrison down a second avenue in "Double Vision": the enhancement of low-level mutant abilities through operations. The mechanism by which humans or low-level mutants could be transformed into new mutants through injections or operations is never clarified, though Dr. Harrison hints that Lieutenant Bo Longstreet was able to survive his new mutation because of a single strand of DNA.

And just when you thought it was safe...things become even more muddled after Season 3's "The Assault," when The Creator reveals that he is behind all the genetic projects at Genomex and The Dominion, and in fact, has been playing with the genetic code for a hundred years. All bets are off then.

Entry #7: Comlink Rings
a. Communication. Are the comlinks always on, or only when the wearer wants them to be? They're definitely activated when you talk into them. They can also broadcast sounds and conversations around the wearer to the other Mutant X team members--but apparently selectively so, since you don't hear each member's ring constantly spouting forth noise from the environments of the others. And I'd guess rings can be selectively blocked from picking up conversations as well, since Brennan believes he can talk to Jesse without Lexa's overhearing--even though she's wearing a ring (and sitting like four feet away, but that's another matter altogether). We'll ignore for the moment how it is that no non-Mutant X member in the immediate vicinity can hear voices coming from the comlink.
b. Location fixes. When can the computer find a comlink ring? Only when the wearer is conscious? Only when the ring is on, i.e. being worn by it's rightful owner? In "Where Evil Dwells," Jesse can't find Shalimar because her comlink has fallen off, so it would seem that the comlink itself is of no value for locating a member unless it's on. In "Hand of God," Jesse can tell that Shalimar's barely alive by her weak signal, but says can't get a fix on her location until she actually responds. The computer finds her the minute she wakes up, but what should consciousness have to do with it?

Entry #7: Contacting Sanctuary by tribeofroses
How is it that everyone can contact any of the MX team via phone or email at Sanctuary? Even Eckhart, who had been looking for Sanctuary for God knows how long, even manages a vidphone call to Sanctuary in Lest He Become, but in the following ep he's still looking for it? And Harrison knew Lexa's cellphone number in In Between? The Grift: Brennan's old girlfriend sends him an email at Sanctuary. How? If she's supposedly not been in touch with Brennan for years. Lest He Become: How does Eckhart know how & where to call Sanctuary? The Prophecy: How does the molecular guy contact Brennan? Has Sanctuary suddenly been listed in the Yellow Pages?

Entry #8: Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm... by princessbryn
How many times did we see Brennan without his shirt? How many times did Adam kiss someone's forhead? How come in "Body & Soul" every time the teenage boy changed bodies he always managed to have a bag of chesse puffs?

--------------------

SEASON ONE by tptigger and firstmutant
Beta aid by tribeofroses

The Shock of the New
Continuity Points for future reference:
The Double Helix is currently in autopilot

We learn that Genomex is really a wing of the government, but the Genetic Security Agency isn't formed until this episode, following Dr. Breedlove's untimely demise at the hands of "genetic terrorists".

Adam states that there are maybe 1,000 Children of Genomex. Pretty impressive for for a bunch of labs that didn't have site directed mutagenesis (c.f. Time Squared)

Interestingly, GS Agents are referred to *before* Eckhart makes his Orwellian announcement. Which makes you wonder how much, if anything, the Genomex Rank & File all ready know.

Mutant DNA is in a constant state of mutation ("evolution"--hey writers guys? Not. Equivalent.). This necessitates the "tune ups" and is probably as good an explanation as any for the "growth spurts" in "A Breed Apart". And is then promptly forgotten about until season 3.

Shal, like most Ferals is territorial. Jesse is sensitive. Prior to joining Mutant X, Emma was a sales girl and sold misses and petites, using her powers any chance she got.

Shalimar joined Mutant X before Jesse.

Stuff dropped like a hot potato: Jesse using his comlink like a camera during the first fight scene.

I Scream the Body Electric
Continuity Points:

Before Shalimar joined Mutant X, Adam found her holed up in a fleabag hotel having not eaten for five days.

Adam's virus that he uses to destroy Genomex's copy of the New Mutant Database: Wouldn't a company as large as Genomex have offsite back ups?

Brennan runs out of juice after a certain period of time, and needs an hour before ~~swimming~~ he can reform a tesla coil.

Emma's parents left when she was ten; she was raised in a foster home.

Most ironic line has to be Shalimar's "It's not in Adam's nature to dislike anyone." Sure. Shal seems to have forgotten the little tiff Adam's had with Mason for, oh, the past 20 years or so.

For Brennan, the pain of a subdermal governor hits him in the stomach. For Thorne, it's a headache.

Brennan's school difficulties began in the 3rd grade.

Randomness:
At the end of the episode, Jesse presents Brennan with his ring and then says: "What, no hug?" (Referring to Emma's response to getting her comlink ring from Shalimar.) Sorry, dude, not even when you almost get gassed to death in "No Exit."

Brennan trusts Emma awfully easily just by learning she has powers too, doesn't he?

And finally: Since Brennan had no idea at the time that Jesse could phase and mass, did Brennan really throw Jesse a look and then lie about it for some strange reason (I don't get the male psyche, nope nope) or did he really miss and Jesse was, for some reason, seeing what he wanted to see?

Russian Roulette
Possible continuity issue:
Shalimar: What do I know about family therapy?
Adam: You have a family don't you?
Shalimar: Yeah, but...
Adam: That's all the training you need.

Does Adam not know about the insane asylum second season? Or did the writers? Then again, maybe her life before that was decent, it's hard to tell.

And while we're discussing that scene, why does Daniel's dad have a pipe right out of the 1950s?

Back to continuity:
The holographic dojo and force fields are introduced

The ground car is referred to as the MV for the first, and AFICT last time.

They establish video contact through the comlink rings when Jesse is on assignment. I think this goes away as well. Too bad; it was cool.

Where is this show supposed to take place? The reversal sequence is A-7 Zed-41 then the trigger. Russians using "zed" makes sense--they probably used British English. But Jesse and Adam? Canadian writers, I guess.

According to Shalimar, The GSA doesn't hire Russians. Sonya says that Eckhart has no faith in Russian technology.

Though the Mutant X team eats lots of sushi, Shalimar prefers her meat medium well.

Sonya says that Mason has no faith in Russian technology. Perhaps this is because she can't get his name right. While on the phone to Daniel, she says she's an associate of Marcus Eckhart... Tsk, tsk.

Sonya, being outside of the GSA, is smarter than the average GS agent in that she immediately makes sure that Jesse is scanned for bugs. When Shalimar is caught in "Dark Star Rising," no one bothers to take away her comlink ring. Too bad she decides to tie him to a chair, after she's discovered that he's a molecular.

The MXverse has an Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Jesse makes comlink rings and Genomex IDs.

Name of interest: Daniel Benedict. Benedict Arnold. Get it?

Fashion victim: Emma in shiny black vinyl. Whose idea was that?

Notable guest apperance: Ross Hull of Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Fool for Love
Continuity: Emma can pull out things from memories that peole don't know they have.

Real life science issues:
1) Research associates are usually sub-PhD level scientists.
2) Someone should tell Saunders that not closing his lab coat is as bad as not wearing it. Big splash zone in the middle.

Semi-fashion victim: Emma's tight outfit doesn't seem as bad when it's not shiny.

Kilohertz

Continuity stuff:
1) Emma's parents were (hippies?) very into organics and macrobiotic foods. This makes her a bit of a technophobe. (Odd, given her best friend in high school as shown in Interface.)

2) Jesse says "I have no time for romance, I'm too busy making the world a safer place to live." This lasts (checks DVD insert) about three episodes. I smell a fanfic. Somewhere. I think.

Technobabble: Stop gaps for the stock market? Sounds like something the Star Trek tech computer would dream up. Huh? (I'm not finding it very realistic at all)

Also, at the end, Renfield says "I have renewed my vows of commitment to constant vigilance." Does Mad Eye Moody teach at the GSA academy now?

The Meaning of Death
Continuity:
Helping new mutants get into the underground is not the exclusive purview of Mutant X--or if it is, Mutant X is bigger than the main characters of the series. It's clear from this episode that Rick was instrumental into getting new mutants into the underground. Presumably, there are many other agents like him. Where'd they go after this season?
Mutant X has a rogue's gallery of GS agents and their informants.

Random nitpick: In the scene when they're discussing how they're not sick, really, honest, Jesse and Emma are wearing the exact same outfits as they were when they were discussing hacking things in Kilohertz.

Funny how Brennan had a book handy for when they were quarantined. (Either that or the safe house has a library.) And someone should tell him that's a bad way to shield something from X-ray vision. (Also, he picks Todd's pocket, so apparently he wasn't always doing armed robbery and such.)

Also, the safe house is different from the one we see in later episodes such as Blood Ties, Dancing on the Razor, and A Breed Apart. This one seems to be an abandoned subway station. Tomorrow People complex, anyone?

Lit Fuse
Continuity stuff: Proxy Blue is apparently local as Jesse comments that she must have a generator when the power is out.

The name of The City's electric company is Trans El. (Never know when details like that will come in handy.)

Ashley Elliot: How did you know I fell in love with this?
Brennan: Let's just say I got to know you a little.
Ashley: Maybe a little too well. But uh, I'll never tell.
Brennan: Neither will I.

This is dropped, and it's hard to tell if it's just the hundreds of things going on in your head you wouldn't want anyone else to know about, or something more sinister. (Brennan's a GSA mole, really a woman, part of the Russian Mafia, constantly chatting up women to cover up his undying love for Jesse, *tries to come up with more unlikely possibilities* *fails* )

In the Presence of Mine Enemies:
Fashion Victim: Why is it guys with long hair think too much gel goes with a suit? *shudder*

Everyone changes clothes when the simulation shuts off. This is giving me some pretty nasty bad!fic ideas.

Adam plays poker with Shal and chess with Emma. At the same time. Apparently this makes him Very Smart.

This is the first time Eckhart explicitly states that they want to keep new mutants' existence invisible to society's radar.

They do too eat at Sanctuary. Look, dishes! Of course, they look like they came from a Japanese restaurant but still. The Mutant X team is always eating take-out--Japanese, Thai, pizza. Being a member of Mutant X means never having to actually cook anything.

Notable Guest apperances: Mark Lutz as Eric Tanner. (Sometimes known as The Groosalugg on Angel: The Series.)

The Crime of the New Century
Brennan sparks Jesse in the teaser probably at about the voltage of a joy buzzer. Not bad for someone who'd never used his power on a person before "The Shock of the New". (See? Right episode now.) I find it hard to believe prank!boy hadn't done that before.

How did we not notice how easy it was for kidnapper guy to get through that high priced security system?

Why would Brennan know who an astronaut is? I find it hard to believe he watches that much of the news (or did as a crook, anyway). Also? I don't believe his "favors for friends" line, he was totally boosting cars at 10. (I suspect with his background, trouble found him...)

How is it Eckhart manages to find out all of this stuff and get agents in place ahead of time? I mean, government, sure, but wouldn't the CIA and the FBI, you know *notice* their agencies were being called off?

Why on Earth is Brennan bouncing that tennis ball? Argh.

The MV has Mutant X license plates. Isn't that just a little conspicuous?

Emma meditates in a darkened Sanctuary, so why is Adam playing on the computers and making all that noise?

Is it just me or is the room where Lisa Valentine wakes up after Corbin slips her the sleeping pill a new set?

Good Josh, hit the gun, not the person. Someone taught you well.

Dark Star Rising
How would Brennan know about Dark Star if they're more secret than the Navy Seals?

Emma meditates in the darkened Sanctuary two weeks in a row. Seriously, what's wrong with her room? Also, whose thoughts, exactly, is she pulling this from? It doesn't seem to be on Angel and Longstreet's minds at the moment...

Eckhart wants to gentically alter humans into new mutants. This really doesn't fit with what we've heard from him so far--he seems to want these "anomalies" to go away, so why make more?

The following quote may shed some light on this:
Eckhart: We are on the verge of creating new mutants.
Harrison: Obedient and subservient new mutants. Completely at the service of your will.
Eckhart: Enough to conceivably make the Children of Genomex unnecessary in the greater scheme of things.

What greater scheme of things? What is Eckhart's master plan? Why did Ashlocke have to pod him so we wouldn't know?

For a former army brat (c.f. "No Man Left Behind") Brennan doesn't seem too understanding about Longstreet's reluctance to leave Corporal Randall's body behind.

When they get Angel to their lab, Adam draws her blood with what appears to be a plastic transfer pipette. This isn't a very sharp instrument. Why isn't he using a syringe???

We learn that the parents of the Children of Genomex didn't know everything about the experiments being done on the kids. So were their powers an unfortunate side effect of the experiment or the ultimate goal of the project?

The following seems almost like foreshadowing for season 3:
Emma: I promise you if anyone can help her, it's Adam.
Longstreet: I believed in my superior officers. Look where that got me.
Shalimar: Yeah, but it's not like that with Adam, Bo.
Longstreet: Is he one of you--one of us?
Shalimar: You mean a new mutant? Nope.
Emma: Adam made it possible for us to survive what had been done to us.

If they're going to break into the botanical company, shouldn't they bring Brennan? I mean it's his specialty, no?

If Jesse can't phase the plant out of the building, how come his clothes go with him?

It is strongly implied that Harrison is podded at the end of this episode, however we never actually see him in a pod.

Whiter Shade of Pale
Notable guest appearance: Christopher Bolton, who played Kirk on "My Secret Identity" --he played the in-the-dark best friend to the super hero. Now he's an evil Feral--has he moved up in the world? At least in MSI he was a main character.

Brennan is a caffeine addict and spends about $50 a week on coffee. If he needs that much, why doesn't he just get a coffee maker for Sanctuary? (Apparently he's so out of it pre-fix that he lets Jesse and Neil do the heavy lifting.)

Adam's description of Danielle's powers sounds eerily like Lexa's. Is it possible that Lexa and Leo are half siblings to Catherine--and Adam's children? (As good a theory as to the special relationship as anything.)

Shalimar gets protective of Adam and wants to check up on Danielle since Adam hasn't seen her in 16 years. This seems a bit much, but is very lucky for Catherine.

Adam and Eckhart were rivals for Danielle's affections. Catherine is not Adam's child, but her father was "really smart." Oh dear, is that poor girl carrying around half of Eckhart's DNA?

Also, Catherine's conversation with Emma appears to take place on that observation deck from the first couple of episodes. Go figure.

Danielle gets a much more comfortable bio bed than Brennan did in "Russian Roulette".

Emma gets the sequencer back single-handedly, and with style. She rocks, when she wants to. (She also orders an Amaretto Sour, but doesn't drink it. I'm presuming this is an alcoholic drink--just wait for it, for now. )

Danielle moved "upstate" after leaving Genomex. Has anyone heard this term applied to anywhere other than New York State?

During the fight to get Danielle away from Eckhart, Brennan accidentally hits massed out Jesse with an arc. This doesn't seem to phase him in the least, if you'll pardon the pun.

In the tag:
Brennan gets Catherine's bag--given the conversation that Adam and Danielle have after they leave the room, my guess is he's thinking "little sister." Catherine, however, is clearly thinking something else as she does the cute little fifteen year old flirting with a much older guy thing. (This is cute, and not creepy, because Brennan rather politely makes it clear that nothing's happening.)

Double Vision
Brennan wants a hug from Conlan, gets a smooch and then a backstab. Maybe he should stick to hugging members of Mutant X (not that scared!Emma lets him later in the episode.)

Conlan says something to the effect of having to settle for Brennan's girlfriend. Apparently she's a Brennan/Emma 'shipper. *snerk*

Why is scared!Emma afraid of the EDD scan? It's not like whole!Emma never had them before. (This seemed a bit much.)

Wait a second, Eckhart was gonna pod Harrison in the last episode. Why's he still there? (And the end of this episode, Eckhart implies he should be a research subject.)

Why does it take so long for Jesse and Shalimar to realize how weirdly Emma's acting? And for that matter, why is scared!Emma out in the real world trying to hunt down Brennan? Other than the plot device. (There's a missing scene fic if I ever saw one...)

If the split was some sort of cellular/genetic event, how come her clothes were copied too?

Adam is shocked that Emma's drinking--what about that Amaretto Sour in Whiter Shade of Pale? OK, she didn't exactly wait around for it, but if Emma doesn't drink, how does she know about the more obscure fancy drinks?

How come the security lockdown isn't Brennan proof? After all, we learn the dojo is in, what, "Altered Ego"?

Complete random weirdness: Shal kissing the bald guy during the brawl scene. WTF? (She and Jesse tag teaming it is a sight to behold, however.)

Where did the flat beds for reintigrating Emma come from?

In the tag, there's a new, shiny indoor garden in Sanctuary.

Why is Conlan resorting to baby talk with Brennan?

My god. There is one proposition in the series he turns down. ::boggles:: : )

Blood Ties
If this were a Whedon show, Jesse would've been referred to as "Schmucky the bait" in the script during the teaser. I just wanted to point that out.

How did Jesse not know that his dad slipped him the disk? That's a pretty odd place to touch your son whom you haven't seen in years.

In a similar note, why is Jesse shouting "Noah" at his father that he hasn't seen in years? He calls him "Dad" throughout the rest of the show, even after his betrayal. I know this makes his "My Dad showed up" more dramatic after Brennan comes, but geez.

Nicole Carter is played by Chick Reid, Tom McCamus's wife in real life. (Source: Victoria Pratt mentions this in the commentary)

Jesse and his dad were in father/son martial arts tournaments every year 'til his folks split up and his dad went undercover and overseas.

Brennan however, turns up that Jesse's Dad was working at Nexogen. Not a very good father Jesse has. Of course, we learn later that the divorce sounds kinda bitter, so it's possible there's other reasons for him not to have contacted Jesse.

Except that it's not true, poor guy.

Script stupidity: Why does the device Adam use for taking Shalimar and Emma's thumbprints hurt?

Also, why does it take so long for the team to tell Jesse their suspicions? And when they do, why aren't they showing him the proof instead of just telling him? They didn't think he'd actually believe it otherwise, did they?

How does Jesse's dad know about Mutant X? And why isn't Jesse suspicious at this point? I mean, sure, his Dad's covert ops and stuff, but then wouldn't he have heard something from him before now? Of course, given the nature of their relationship, that "I'm proud of you" probably went a good way towards Jesse not wanting to question anything. Noah's just a manipulating bastard. How'd Jesse turn out so trusting and innocent?

Moving on to the girls break in to Nexogen--they're stopped at the door. Why cause a scene by kicking ass right away? Couldn't Emma have done some psionic stuff first? And why does Brennan have to come to the rescue. Shouldn't he just be landing the helix so they can get away? Guh.

How come the GSA is so good at finding Mutant X "safe" houses? And shouldn't it be sound proof. I mean, dude, Sanctuary seems to be everyone-who-isn't-a-telecyber proof, wouldn't a few more safe house precautions be in order?

Jesse expected Shal to take his side, even if no one else would. Awwww.

"If anything happens to my son, the deal's off." OK, so Noah's only 99% manipulating bastard. Of course, Eckhart just orders Noah's death anyway.

A zip disk? All this technology and they have that thing on a zip disk. Didn't they have Jump drives four years ago? OK, probably not...

Why did Brennan change shirts to come after Jesse? Especially since Jesse was in the Helix with a head start, and the ground car *has* to be slower!

Why does Jesse know to grab Porter's audio filter? Dude. (He then masses to protect his dad from the bullets. Go figure.)

Adam is watching Shalimar comforting Jesse at the end. It seems rather creepy. I mean either go down there or give them some privacy. (Seriously, it's a good thing no one was doing the horizontal tango in Sanctuary during seasons one and two. Hey! Maybe that's why Brennan turned Matty Conlan down! He knew Adam was a perv!)

Altered Ego
Continuity for future reference:
Adam worked with Anthony Cooke at Stanford "13 years ago". (Remember this for Time Squared)

Emma dated an exchange student from Helsenki in high school.

Adam says when Brennan gets wet he gets "so weak". Remember this for "Power Play".

How old is Charlotte? Sometimes she acts like she's 20, sometimes she acts like she's 15.

In the scene in the lab following the Charlotte induced fight between Shalimar and Jesse, Shal has bruises on her left shoulder. She lands against massed Jesse on her hands, then he kicks her in the gut. Why is her shoulder bruised?

Fashion victim: You're Brennan. You're on a windy roof. Wouldn't you button your shirt so it didn't come undone?

When Charlotte demonstrates her powers on Lynch, he turns violent and evil. Shouldn't it have turned Lynch good too? It seems as though Adam's the only one who changed morality. The mutants all just seemed to become more violent for a minute, and then calm down. Skeet, for example, with the takeout food. He wasn't really evil, he was just physically expressing his anger at always having to eat takeout. Hee.

Also, I wonder who the poor sap that Charlotte tested her powers on before was. (The non-new mutant I mean.)

RE: Adam going alone to see Charlotte. Adam's an idiot. Why does he always go alone? He always gets burned!

How come Adam doesn't have the same physical reaction to the toxin that Lynch, Jesse, and Shalimar have? Since Charlotte touches Jesse first, why does the effect wear off on Shalimar first?

Hey, when Adam's menacing Emma in the lab, the lines they show in the opening are there. Wild.

Why would Eckhart tell Charlotte he's responsible for what happened to her father? She already wants out, why make it worse?

The dojo is apparently Mutant X proof. This seems like a bad idea. Someone could break in and contain them. Adam designed this when he was good. Why? Creepy guy! Creepy!

Also, when she wakes up, Emma seems slightly creeped out by the EDD. Or maybe it's just the scary laser beam she uses to escape and save the day! Yay Emma. Good thing she wasn't wearing sneakers!

The part where Shal and Jesse decide that Adam doesn't make mistakes like not knowing that Emma speaks Finnish is cute. They so want to believe that he's infallible and fighting being evil. It's cute! They're so innocent.

Lazarus Syndrome or In Which Everyone in Mutant X is very overprotective of Emma
At the very beginning why doesn't Emma just tell Brennan that the girl he's trying to hit on is there with her boyfriend?

Continuity: The good kind. Emma orders a virgin daiquiri. This ties in nicely with Bad!Emma describing Good!Emma as "the tea totaler" version in Double Vision. Now if we could just figure out that Amaretto Sour in Whiter Shade of Pale...

Continuity Points:
After Caleb has taken some of Emma's "life force" in the form of a pink gas that oddly resembles Lorna's pheremones (Deadly Desire), they are mentally joined somehow (similar to the way Shal and Ashlocke will be later on) and her psionic abilities don't work on him. Or so he says. A similar mental link will occur in Season 2's "Inferno" between Emma and another dead man. Apparently, lack of brain function doesn't preclude a mental connection with a psionic...

Some GS agents have tracking devices implanted in them.

Breach of manners:
Also? Brennan teases her mercilessly about her drink selection. And then Caleb buys her drink. Which, I gotta think is a little odd, given she's talking to Brennan. Unless he's been watching long enough to see Brennan trying to flirt. Now I see no reason Emma shouldn't have gone to dance with him, but really, would the two seconds for an "excuse us" to Brennan have killed her?

Very annoying plot point:
Of course, given he then spent as much time as possible keeping an eye on them a "buzz off" might've been more appropriate. Unless Brennan's powers include precognition--it was *lucky* he was being a chauvinistic jerk.

And then we know where Brennan gets this protectiveness from. It's very clear in the first scene in Sanctuary when Adam says, "I don't understand. Where were you when all this was happening?" Dude, he sounds like a parent bawling out a teenager for leaving their 10 year old sibling alone. Hello! Emma's a big girl. 19. Actually, given that Brennan's teasing her about not drinking, probably 21 (unless they're in Canada). Guh!

This trend extends as far as Shalimar acting like a frantic mother having lost a small child when she gets back to find Emma's commlink and no Emma. Guh.

OK, moving right along.

Pamela Fries (or Freeze, it's pronounced freeze) can lower and raise her body temperature. Oh the pun of it all.

After Jesse knocks Brennan out of the path of Ms. Fries's car, why doesn't he just move himself instead of phasing?

And again Emma is meditating in a darkened Sanctuary. Isn't that rather inconvenient for everyone? I mean... hey, maybe they treat her like a kid 'cause she acts like one. Also, is she sitting on an X?

Adam's very condescending when Emma tells him Mathias is alive, but has the boys do some hacking anyway.

How did Caleb get Emma to ditch her comlink? Did I miss something?

Really, what did Emma expect from a GS Agent? (This leads right into Interface doesn't it? Guh.)

Speaking of GS Agents, someone needs to make them watch Dr. Who. What's up with the freaking high heels. NOT appropriate footwear for that line of work. (You too, Emma. Oh dear. Emma, Jesse and a lot of tapes. Attack of the killer plot bunny. Help!!!)

My next question is there's a good three minutes where Mathias is busy with Fries. Why is Emma not unlocking her cuff and kicking ass? I mean, she doesn't have her psychic blasts yet, but she's not exactly helpless. Plus two against one are better odds.

Why do Jesse and Brennan keep pestering the bar tender? I thought Emma was the psychic one.

This is quite probably a chauvinistic episode, as once they realize that Mathias goes for beautiful, female new mutants, Adam makes Shalimar go back to Sanctuary. Not that our Intrepid Feral stays there for long. Then after she kills Mathias the first time, she's so busy crying over Emma that Brennan and Jesse have to take out Mathias. (Funny how Shal and Brennan end up killing people every time Emma dies.) And Adam's response, "get back to Sanctuary now." *strangled scream*

When Emma's life force comes back, I'm reminded of special effects of the voices from Hush. More proof that Mutant X should've been a Joss show?

So why do the guys just look at revived Emma and smiling? If there was ever an excuse for a group hug... Boys! (-8

The tag: Everyone overprotects Emma and she tries to fight it, but has to put up with it. And dude, who let Adam out of Sanctuary?

Interface
The opening in the mall: Given what went on last week, I'm kinda surprised Shalimar let Emma out of her sight.

Why isn't mall security busting Emma or the GS agents for running? Or something. It's sort of weird that everyone else just watches. And isn't Shal not supposed to use her powers in public.

Also, why don't they put the bags down while they're fighting. This is Mutant X, not Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers.

Either Mutant X is bigger than we think or there's simply a larger New Mutant underground than we've seen. Jenny Stackpole is the name of an underground operative.

Likely the bigger underground, as Jesse is worried about their credibility with the underground since the Mutant X safe houses keep getting broken into.

Eckhart subtly explains that Michele has been breaking in the safe houses in the opening scene at Genomex--that it's thanks to their new secret weapon, which is how he refers to Michele.

Why doesn't Jesse know what a telecyber is? Doesn't he remember Kilohertz? And we certainly see a lot in the series (3) for something Adam did "limited experiments" in.

I wonder why the picture of Emma and Michelle actually looks fairly old. (Also, Emma's hair is so much better in that...)

Michele's timing logging into IM is fortuitous. It's smart of Emma to log in from a cybercafe to do that, but wouldn't an email for a later meeting date be less frustrating? (Though that would've given Michele even *more* time to set her up.)

For that matter, what's a web cam link? And since she doesn't go anywhere, why did Michele need 15 minutes? (Hello, Emma, smell that? That's a rat. Apparently you should've brought Brennan with you, he can smell one a mile away.)

The guys are a little arrogant during the simulation. And when they both get knocked on their butts, just where does Brennan swat Jesse? I think they like playing with the slashers sometimes.

Why are people on this show always tapping opponents on the shoulder before punching their lights out? Why not just attack from behind?

Also, is it just me or does Jesse have a bit of a New York/New Jersey accent in his "a's" sometimes?

Why are they talking about New Mutants in Jasper's? Hello, public?

Continuity: Emma's little trick with the bartender in Double Vision shows up again as she basically butts in line waiting on their drinks. And they don't pay.

How does Emma know what to look for in Eckhart's computer?

Also, why on Earth did she take her ring off? And what took her so long to put it back on?

I can't tell if Brennan's joking with her or serious when he says just wait 'til they get her home.

Funny how Emma's the only one who doesn't get blasted when Michele goes on her rampage. I thought her emotions were completely suppressed?

Why is Adam so worried about Michele's modesty after she passes out? I mean, really, just get her to the lab. Jesse's been engaged (season 3) and it ain't like it's anything Brennan ain't seen before.

How does Mr. Delay avoid getting podded after his failure? Or is he related to a certain senator?

At the end, why do they eat kneeling at the Japanese style table when there's a butt load of normal ones that look a little less cramped? (And is there food there for Emma or not? I can't tell!)

Presumed Guilty
That's really a dumb way for Megan to fall, I mean, how often do you lose your balance like that. And if there's a hole ahead of you, wouldn't you be more careful? Honestly, the teaser is one big Plot Device.

What's Adam doing out of Sanctuary alone? It was a bad idea in "Altered Ego," it's a worse idea now.

Continuity:
Jesse is not a morning person. Brennan is oddly awake enough to deal with sparring with Shalimar. Someone must've finally convinced him to buy that coffee maker. (c.f. "Whiter Shade of Pale") Either that or Brennan was taking the heat off Jesse for some reason...

Emma has a checkup, which is how the team knows something is wrong. How often does Adam administer these check ups anyway? (I suspect no one on that team needs to worry about their season 3 expiration dates.)

Jesse wonders if Adam did murder Megan, but Shalimar is positive he didn't. Does this seem backwards, characterwise, to anyone else?

Also the first use of yellow!feral!vision.

The team realizes that Griffin must have their security codes and changes them. Why doesn't LEXA get changed at this point? Also, this doesn't keep Griffin from getting Eckhart in. Adam must've left a back door for himself. It's likely this door that Lexa uses in season 3.

Plot questions and other nitpicks:
How does amnesiac!Adam know to ditch his commlink. And if he doesn't know that, why does he ditch it?

And while we're on the why's, I still don't get why Adam kidnaps Mark. All things considered, it doesn't make a lot of sense.

That's a very good artist's rendering of the subject. Almost photorealistic. Is it just me, or did they just use John Shea's head shot?

Shalimar can smell what blood is Adam's and what isn't (c.f. "The Hand of God").

Why doesn't Adam start grilling Brennan and Emma for answers the second he realizes that they know him? Generally someone looking for you is going to be more helpful than someone who's trying to set you up for murder.

Took them long enough to change the security codes. You'd think that would a no brainer thing to do. Also, why do the girls do it? You'd think Jesse would be much faster at such things.

Griffin can't process all of Adam's memories because he's not smart enough. I find this amusing.

Eckhart scamming Adam. Wild.

Adam gets an EDD scan and he doesn't have to wear spandex! This is probably a good thing, but still. What's the purpose of the spandex if it's not strictly necessary? (Besides ratings, I mean.)

Emma goes for the Jugular by making Griffin think she's Megan.

Confused!Eckhart is fun!

Ex Marks the Spot
Continuity:
Zack and group use a Mutant X safe house. We're later told this is the one by the bookstore. No wonder the GSA know where it is.

Jesse doesn't know Lockhart, so clearly he joined Mutant X sometime after Shal and the thief (the guest star one) broke up.

We're told that Shalimar hasn't seen him in six years, so clearly Jesse's been a team member for six years or less.

The safe house by the deli uses the same set as the one by the bookstore. Which is odd, because it was a very different set in "The Shock of the New" though I suppose they could have more than one safe house by a bookstore.

Proxy Blue has a search function. A very flirty one.

The security firm guarding the egg is using the GSA uniforms from "In the Presence of Mine Enemies"

The following quote should be considered with the conversation between Shalimar and Lexa in "Divided Loyalties":
Emma: Maybe [Zack]'s changed. People do ya know. Look at Brennan. Or me.
Shalimar: Okay, I'll give you that.

Script oddities:
Zack calls it "pop" not "soda" (or the Southern generic "coke"). I wonder where he's from.

Plot questions and general snarking:
Brennan's being protective of Shalimar. And so it begins. Not that she needs protection, she walks in and starts kicking ass.

Jesse is big on cutting things close. Dude, if Brennan tells you to get out of there, you listen.

Eckhart is evil! Surely the GSA could spring for a lawyer.
I think the security card that Brennan tosses Jesse through the laser web is really a credit card. Hope whoever it belonged to got a new number.

What precisely did they need Zack for? Couldn't Brennan have just zapped the safe open in the first place?

How did Zack open the egg to grab the chip during his butterfingers routine? It seemed slightly more complex than picking a pocket.

Why does Emma meet them at the safe house? Huh?

Why does Shalimar keep smooching Zack even when she knows he's a prick? She can so do better.

Dude, Eckhart could've sold the now not so scientifically valuable egg. There was no reason to smash it. (Well, drama, I guess.)

Nothing to Fear
Fashion victim: Brennan and that hat! Is it cold? Even in Sanctuary? Why is Brennan all bundled up?

Is just me or are both Henry and Shalimar calling him "Brendon" in the teaser for reasons unknown?

Shalimar is back in spandex for the EDD scan. I thought Adam fixed that thing. Or is there something about New Mutants that makes the EDD thrown off by normal cotton clothes.

Script weirdness:
Emma: You said Henry pressed his hand on your head?
Shalimar: Yeah. He's a psionic. He was reading me... the way you used to.

The delivery of that line is rather suggestive. So if they like messing with the slashers (see Interface), at least they mess with the femme slashers equally.

I still find it odd that Henry thinks the train car is homey.

Also, is it just me or does T.J. Scott seem to direct all the episodes where they make Victoria do the emotionally taxing stuff? (It's like, oh, we're being hard on you... we'll have your husband direct!)

Why does Shalimar crash out in the main part of Sanctuary? We know from "Double Vision" that they have rooms. Well, you know, other than the really cute Brennan/Shalimar moment. This is probably about the time they start leaning towards something a little more romantic towards the two of them. (Ever notice that no matter how tough a girl is on these shows their male friends always start getting protective whenever they show a romantic interest in someone.)

Emma is concerned because Shalimar is silencing the alarms "on an open channel that anyone can pick up." This doesn't seem to make sense, even with Shalimar's "I'm running a test" excuse.

The GSA shows up very fast. Do they have a Double Helix too? This is interesting, as they drag Jesse and Brennan from their beds--which are located in a very different place from where they're located in season 2. Also, the rooms are darkened and the camera shoots over their shoulders, towards the door. Conveniently preventing them from having to dress the set. So how come Brennan gets the mysterious room full of natural light at the end of Deadly Desire (the very next episode!).

The lab is shot at a weird angle when they're examining Shalimar the first time. Is this the same lab set we see elsewhere? Something just seemed off.

FedRail = Train company. I guess there's no Amtrak in the Mutant X 'verse.

On checking out the station:
Jesse: His wife was killed in action, right?
Brennan: Yeah, apparently.
Jesse: I wonder who she was fighting.
Brennan: Well, it wasn't us, I'd remember.

This is interesting, as I don't remember Mutant X ever killing GSA agents. This could be Brennan's point. Or it could be that they kill so few, he remembers everyone's face. It's hard to tell. (Although perhaps it would've been better if these lines were reversed--Mutant X was around a good, long while before Brennan joined up.)

Why did Brennan wait so long to tell Adam about the mark on his arm? You'd think he'd have noticed something like that!

Why doesn't Jesse just phase through the pod in the dreamscape? Doesn't he know about directed dreaming? Isn't he supposed to be a geek? Shouldn't he have seen Star Trek Voyager?

Normally there's only the EDD chair in Sanctuary. Then there are four beds around it. Why four? Adam's quite the pessimist, isn't he? I mean, Emma wasn't infected until Henry possessed Brennan. (Hmm. Force? Weak minded?)

The pods are in section 9.

Can't someone else outsmart the bad guy for a change? Why does it always have to be Adam?

Deadly Desire
Could this be considered the first "Isn't Brennan hot?" episode?

Apparently part of the scorpion DNA afforded Lorna the ability to walk in high heels. Also do the pheromone effects remind anyone else of Cocoon for some reason?

Adam: We never found out her name. Now she's more grist for Eckhart's genetic mill.

What? Eckhart has a genetic mill? I thought he just either podded new mutants or dragged them to join the GSA? Huh? Of course, two episodes later, it's a moot point. But still. Either this sets something up that was dropped like a hot potato or they're just crazy.

Oh no, Brennan's a fashion victim two weeks in a row! The ugly hat's back...oh. It's a different ugly hat. Why does Brennan like ugly hats?

Shal and Brennan play pool and Brennan cheats--then spies his friend Tony from "The Shock of the New." Good continuity.

Brennan zaps the anomite case to get it away from Dr. Tork and the GSA. (Too bad that didn't destroy it.) When he tries to keep Emma from getting it, he zaps *Emma*. I get that the pheromones make him want to protect Lorna, but why not zap the case instead of Emma? Worst case, Lorna drops it too and has to scramble. If Emma gets it first, he can always make her drop it again.

The observation deck is referenced again in this episode, although we can't see it. Brennan clearly looks through the glass at Emma and Shal's progress while Adam praises him for getting Shalimar in for treatment.

When Brennan first walks into the apartment, he wants nothing to do with Lorna's flirting. This continues until she hits him with the pheromones. This isn't really in character behavior for Brennan, who really flirts with everything with a pulse. Except Jesse tells Adam that, "We both know Brennan's not the one night stand type of guy." So this is either a big, honking discontinuity, or Adam's anti-venom isn't perfect and left Brennan permanently changed. (This is in addition to Brennan's, "You know, there's something inside of me that's screaming how wrong this is on so many levels." There's some seriously conflicting characterization in season 2--Shalimar's convinced that Brennan is shacked up with some small town waitress when he's late in "Crossroads of the Soul".)

I like plan A, personally. (I think this might be mini-essay material.)

I find it odd that Lorna hops right into bed with Brennan when she clearly never slept with Tony. ("You've never invited me in there." Huh.)

Why does Eckhart have so much trouble finding Ames. Didn't Ms. Fries have a tracer chip? I mean, this isn't just a GSA being protective of women thing, is it? (Adam seems to remember, as they bring Ames to a safe house, and not Sanctuary.)

This episode nearly has the first appearance of the butt on the counter move. Except that there wasn't a convenient counter.

Just before smooching him (on the cheek, shush, 'shippers) to administer the anti-venom, Shalimar tells Brennan, "I know what you're going through. I've been there myself." This is a reference to "Fool for Love." Someone on this show clearly knew what they were doing. Why weren't they in charge? Oh, right. Icky plots.

Why didn't Brennan die instantly like everyone else?

And knowing Lorna was so dangerous, why did Halloran wait so long for the subdermal governor?

Also, I think this may be the first time we see GS agents (and not bounty hunters) that aren't new mutants.

Dancing on the Razor

Fashion victim: Brennan has Harry Potter hair.

Continuity: Adam set up a web site for new mutants looking for protection. Which explains how they know how to contact Mutant X, but not how everyone knows their phone number.

When they get back to Sanctuary, Jesse says the new mutant who sent them the e-mail "suddenly doesn't exist". Dude, how'd that hoser Minhouse hack Sanctuary's New Mutant database???

Lanchester says someone's been calling Proxy Blue on the company dime. Either Proxy Blue has a long distance phone number, or he's just really against personal phone calls at work.

Lanchester may have Emma!blasts, but I still don't see how a psionic would be able to really start fires. You know, outside of the Stephen King universe.

Minhause is brought to a safe house. Why is it that they seem to have suddenly wised up against bringing guest stars to Sanctuary? There was certainly no reason to bring Josh and his family there in "The Crime of the New Century."

And while we're on the subject of safe houses, why are they apparently equipped with dishwashers? (I thought that's what Jesse was for. )

So, given the psycho babble, would Minhouse be having the same reaction to Brennan if Shalimar had gone to stake out his apartment.

*blinks* Now Adam's being overprotective of Brennan? That's new.

Would Brennan be so protective if it were Emma trying to leave the safe house. Wait, given his attitude when she can't find "Rebecca Minhouse," he'd be worse. Um, Emma, he needs another lesson in "Emma isn't helpless."

Is it just me, or does Minhause bring Shal to his own building when looking for his "sister's apartment." And if so, why can't his door be opened from the inside? I mean surely there's another way to get out if you're not a really pissed off feral.

Why is Adam so insistent that they run and hide from Lanchester? Surely Mutant X can take him! And then Adam doesn't want the girls going after Minhause. This is getting ridiculous. Especially as they *both* prove they can kick GSA ass, yet alone handle one intrepid reporter who's no Clark Kent. Emma kicks so much ass when she's given half a chance.

And she wants to.

Why does one of Lanchester's stray heat balls cause sparks?

And is it just me or is the tag at Sanctuary because they had three minutes to burn? The conversation between the guys is at least character development--it does help to set up the sudden attraction between Brennan and Shalimar a bit. (There is some jealousy there in "Ex Marks the Spot", "Deadly Desire" and this episode. Excuse me. Protectiveness.)

Also, the guys are talking about Shal and Minhause. Shal and Emma are talking about clothes. And just how Junior high is this ending?

A Breed Apart

Why does The Strand take so much time and energy to get Kelly back? What's the motivation? It's not like fire walls are that huge of a skill set.

What good is caging Kelly with the pipes when you can see doors behind her? Why isn't she running instead of screaming?

It's funny how when Shalimar's hurt she wants to chase after the bad guys. When Brennan's hurt, all she wants to do is get him back to Sanctuary.

If springing Ashlocke is that easy, what took the Strand so long?

Mutant X has a secure web site for mutants in the underground to check in on.

Towards the beginning of the episode, Ashlocke says he was in a Genomex induced coma his entire adult life. He later tells Kelly he was aware the whole time. Which is it?

Why is Shal jogging through Sanctuary barefoot? You'd think that would be hard on her feet? Also, does sneaking up on a Feral mutant, eyes in the back of her head or not, seem like a bad idea to anyone else?

Do New Mutants exude some kind of pheromone that causes them to all have growth spurts at the same time? Much like women who live together cycle together.

During his little heart to heart with Adam, Brennan seems pretty upset with himself about zapping Emma. He should be, it's the second time in three weeks!

Did Shal have to straddle Brennan after knocking him on his back in the dojo? Way to mess with the 'shippers. (This whole episode does that.)

Kelly calls the strand an alternative to Mutant X. This ties Mutant X more tightly with the underground than previous episodes. So a big season one mystery: is Mutant X affiliated with the underground or the sole organizer?

Is it just me or does Emma's room change dramatically between seasons one and two? Also, I think it's dimensionally transcendental--it shouldn't fit in the space that's provided on the more familiar parts of the set.

Adam says Ashlocke was born without a conscience and thinks he's a god. Emma then says he told her something about this when they first met. I think a reviewing of "The Shock of the New" and "I Scream the Body Electric" is in order.

We learn that Adam designed the subdermal governors and the pods. The rest of Mutant X seem awfully calm about this revelation.

(Emma telling Jesse he's being boring when she's got the psychic ball thingy going on is just so cute. I can't decide why.)

OK, so apparently Jesse was in charge of restocking the safe houses. Or at least the safe house where Brennan and Shalimar were practicing. And just what did young Jesse put in that water bottle, aphrodisiacs?

Why does Shalimar grab her coat when Ashlocke shows up? Wouldn't it be easier to fight you know, without it?

That scene, incidentally, reeks of a cliffhanger. Bad guy shows up, kidnaps Shal and the database. However, it goes on for fifteen minutes for a gentler cliffhanger. Trying to be nice to the fans in case they don't come back?

Shalimar gets carried twice in this episode, first by Ashlocke, then by Brennan.

How did Kelly find, yet alone copy the database if it was, in fact, encrypted?

Harrison finally turns on Eckhart after all that torture and the attempted podding. No wonder he was Teflon coated, Morgan was protecting him so she'd have her man in place when the grand master plan went into effect.

So Shalimar gets a hug after a near death experience? Why doesn't Emma after she dies for a whole five minutes? Perhaps that's the real reason she interrupts Brennan and Shalimar? Also, in the last scene, it looks like they're coming from Emma calling them, what did she want them to look at? And finally, what on Earth is Brennan apologizing for?

CONTINUED...

The Relative Importance of Continuity

2005-09-16T20:56:59Z

http://www.livejournal.com/community/fanthropology/131370.html
"Soap people are just happy to be there. Sci-fi people want to know why in episode 2221 the molecular dithigium didn't split the atoms in half."
- Forbes March, actor (Mutant X, All my Children)

This is an interesting observation. Science fiction fans are indeed notorious for obsessively picking apart minutiae. And yet...I've watched incredibly detailed diatribes about continuity (or the lack thereof) in other genres as well--even in the seemingly permissive world of daytime television, where a character long dead can be effortlessly resurrected for the next season. Nitpicking isn't limited to the geeks; it just takes on a different form and focus in each fandom.

Bid to Be a Zombie

2005-09-05T11:50:39Z

It's true. You really can buy anything on eBay.

Stephen King

What he's offering: "One (and only one) character name in a novel called CELL, which is now in work and which will appear in either 2006 or 2007. Buyer should be aware that CELL is a violent piece of work, which comes complete with zombies set in motion by bad cell phone signals that destroy the human brain. Like cheap whiskey, it's very nasty and extremely satisfying. Character can be male or female, but a buyer who wants to die must in this case be female. In any case, I'll require physical description of auction winner, including any nickname (can be made up, I don't give a rip)."
When you can bid: September 8-18

Michael Chabon
What he's offering: "Your name or the name of your choosing will appear at least once in the next novel I write. I reserve the right not to use the name if it is offensive, mischievous, ill-intentioned or inappropriate."
When you can bid: September 1-10

Amy Tan
What she's offering: "Your name or the name of your choosing will appear at least once in my next novel (to be published in 2007-2008, but subject to date change)."
When you can bid: September 1-10

Peter Straub
What he's offering: "The name of a minor character who will appear in my next full-length work of fiction, which will probably be published in 2007. Bidders are asked to submit their own names only, preferably without middle name or initial, and should be advised that the fictional person who winds up bearing his or her name may be of dubious moral character."
When you can bid: September 1-10

Andrew Sean Greer

What he's offering: "The main character in my novel currently, in a pivotal scene, confronts her rival in a soda shop in 1952 -- want your name on that soda shop sign? Due to the vagaries of the editorial process, the name might be shifted to a restaurant, coffee shop, bar, corset company or other business in another scene, should it suit the author; also, your entire full name is unlikely to be used, more like "Kleinhart's Creamery" or "Emily's Bakery," but your name will indeed be in lights!"
When you can bid: September 1-10

Karen Joy Fowler
What she's offering: "The name of a secondary character in my next novel. The novel is due to be published in 2007, but, as it is not written yet, that can change. The name must belong to a real person who is happy or at least willing to let me use it."
When you can bid: September 1-10

Lemony Snicket
What he's offering: "An utterance by Sunny Baudelaire in Book the Thirteenth. Pronunciation and/or spelling may be slightly 'mutilated.' An example of this is in The Grim Grotto when Sunny utters 'Bushcheney.' Target publication date is Fall 2006."
When you can bid: September 8-18

Dorothy Allison
What she's offering: "Your name or the name of your choosing will appear at least once in my next novel (to be published in 2006-2007). This project is a contemporary literary novel set, mostly, in Northern California, but with some scenes set in El Salvador in the 1970s and references to a farm family from the Midwest in the 1960s. I ask that the name chosen not be one from any of my previous works."

Jonathan Lethem
What he's offering: "I need the name of a Columbia University professor for a comic book I'm writing for Marvel. It can be your name or the name of a friend -- but if it's a friend, I need to hear from them with their permission."
When you can bid: September 8-18

Ayelet Waldman
What she's offering: "Your name or the name of your choosing will appear at least once in the next Mommy Track Mystery featuring Juliet Appelbaum."
When you can bid: September 8-18

John Grisham
What he's offering: "Your name or a name of your choosing will appear as a fictional character in my next novel. The character will be portrayed in a good light. My next novel should be published either in 2007 or 2008. The name you choose cannot be that of a real person other than yourself."
When you can bid: September 15-25

Nora Roberts
What she's offering: "Your name or the name you choose will be used for a character in my novel to be published in 2006."
When you can bid: September 15-25

Neil Gaiman
What he's offering: "My next novel will be called THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. It's a children's novel, and will be published, er, when it's published. Maybe in 2007 or failing that, 2008. It will have lots of gravestones in it. Your name, or the name of someone you love (who won't mind) can be on a gravestone."
When you can bid: September 15-25

Dave Eggers
What he's offering: "The winner will be featured in a strange illustrated story I'm working on called The Journey of the Fishes Overland. The winner, or someone of her/his choosing, will be encountered by the traveling fish in question, as they travel over land. It could also be a family, a house, an address, whatever. I get to decide why the fishes see this person/place, and what's said by/to or done by/to the person/place. This story will be finished and published in the fall. The name/s have to be tasteful and be undisruptive to the narrative. I reserve the right to refuse using a name I find offensive."
When you can bid: September 15-25

Rick Moody
What he's offering: "I am starting a new novel in January of 2006. The target publication date would be 2008 or early 2009. It's a literary novel having to do with stem cell research and chimeras, probably with a comic feel. I promise to give the name to a minor character who appears more than once in the book. Since I don't know who the characters are yet, I can't promise that it's a 'good character' or a 'bad character,' but since I generally have no "bad characters," it will probably be someone reasonably sympathetic."
When you can bid: September 15-25

ZZ Packer
What she's offering: "The name you choose will appear at least once in a novel or short story to be published in 2007-08."
When you can bid: September 15-25

Une entrèe en français

2005-08-28T22:16:31Z

[I am repeatedly saying I should practice my French, then repeatedly putting it off. The recent embarrassing fiasco at Lana Kilmartin's site delivered the swift kick in the butt I needed. If nothing else, this post should amuse those watching my attempts at re-learning a language I haven't used in over 10 years. :p]

*deep breath*

Pour milmiss, coloradospace, et les autres qui parlent cette langue un peu:

Heureusement, maintenant il y a quelques personnes qui parlent français dans ma amis-liste. Ainsi, je voudrais essayer cet entry seulement en français, avec france, francophiles, et le dictionnaire sous la main. Quand (je ne dis pas "si") je fais des erreurs, dites-le moi, s’il vous plaît.

Je regrettes que j’ai oublié français. Quand j’avais sept ans, j’ai commencé étudier le français à l'école. J'ai continué cette langue pendant dix ans. Chaque Noël, nous chantions "Il est né, le divin enfant." J’ai rêvé en français, mais je parle avec un accent terrible. Maintenant, c’est risible. Je comprends les autres aussi bien. Les mots sonnent correctement à mon orielle, mais quand je les écris, j’oublie l’orthographe et le temps des verbes.

Ginger (Stubby) 1/7/87 ~ 8/24/05

2005-08-24T20:36:21Z

"And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."

The little bitty pretty kitty died in my arms this afternoon. She lived a long life; I'm so glad I had the chance to say goodbye. Thank you all for sending your thoughts and kind words.

My Phone Line Ate My Homework

2005-08-22T23:44:16Z

Scientific observation: The amount of work I have to accomplish online is inversely proportional to the amount of time I have available online.

Had spotty internet access over the weekend, since the home phone line is on the fritz and won't be fixed until Thursday. I promise proper updation and further work on various projects after this miracle takes place. In the meantime, read the following. Yes, I am still and ever shall be a tricorder-carrying fan of ST:TNG, but this was too funny to pass up.

A Day with the Star Trek Writers

"Gee, guys, it's time we come up with a new script."

"Aw, do we have to already? I haven't gotten over last week's script yet."

"Yes, it's time. That's what we're getting the big bucks for."

"Oh, all right. Did Research come up with anything yet? Patricia?"

"Well, we did conduct the study suggested in last week's script meeting. The study suggests that our audience is not what we originally anticipated, and that we should adjust our scripts and content accordingly."

"That's fascinating, Patricia. You mean to tell us that our audience is NOT 12-year-old prepubescent American males that have never watched a millisecond of educational television, don't remember a lick of what they've learned in school, and do nothing but fantasize about middle-aged women in 'feety' pajamas?"

"I hate to say it, Richard, but it's true."

"Hmmm. That means that the first 12 scripts were all wrong."

"Yep. The first 9 of those are in the can, too."

"So, it's too late to change them. Rats. Well, we now have a monumental decision facing us. Do we go with the 'consistency' theme, or do we adjust our scripts to conform to the expectations of our audience survey."

"Well, Richard, I'm not so sure that would be wise. You see, the audience survey says that our current fans are 32-year-old postpubescent American male couch potatoes that have never watched a millesecond of educational television, don't remember a lick of what they've learned in school, own all three 'Star Wars' films on video cassette, and do nothing but fantasize about middle-aged women in 'feety' pajamas."

"That's even worse! That means that instead of Mattel sponsoring the show, we'll have to solicit advertising from Budweiser!"

"Spuds Mackenzie in space? Ack!"

"Never mind that now. Advertising is the responsibility of the individual station. Let's get down to what we're supposed to be doing...coming up with script ideas."

"Do they have to be original ones this week?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Alan, the new writer."

"Like we needed another writer. Well, Alan, didn't you read the writer's guide? All we need is SINGLE original ideas, then we flesh them out with stuff from the original series, Buck Rogers (the Pamela Hensley one), Space: 1999, and Fireball XL5. Heck, if we can disguise it enough, we can convince Berman that the scripts are totally original. Plus, we gotta give all the regulars something 'regularish' to do. Wotta job!"

"Uh. Oh. Okay."

"Maybe you'd better sit quietly and watch this first time. Anyone have an idea? Jeannie?"

"Uh, well, Richard, I've got an idea."

"Let's hear it."

"Okay, it goes like this. The Enterprise is trapped in a wierd region of space that makes everyone hallucinate. Suddenly, some latex-faced aliens with stupid oral appliances appear and threaten them."

"You're not thinking about anything violent, are you?"

"Of course not. I remember rule 12-b of the writer's guide. 'Threats are more palatable than true confrontations...and cheaper.'"

"Okay, proceed."

"Well, the alien ship hovers out in front of the Enterprise while the captain decisively calls an on-bridge meeting.

"'I welcome opinions', he says.

"The Klingon says, 'I respectfully suggest that we blast them out of the sky, sir'.

"The security person says, 'I don't know why you're asking me, sir, but I agree with the Klingon.'

"Geordi says, 'Maybe they're bluffing.'

"The first officer says nothing, of course.

"The captain pivots to the Advisor. 'Well, Advisor,' he says, 'What's your opinion?'

"The Advisor says, 'I feel a strange sense of deja vu, Captain.'

"The Captain turns back to the screen, his hand on his chin. 'Hmmm. Well, it seems we have no choice. Anyone at a control panel, open hailing frequencies!'"

"Wait, wait, wait. This is absurd. We don't need this level of detail at a brainstorming session. Patty, simply note that we'll include the 'Captain of 600-meter Warp 10 Starship Gets Indecisive and Holds Pointless Meeting in'.... was that meeting on the bridge or in the stupid little room right off the bridge?"

"On the Bridge."

"Sorry, Patty, '...Meeting on the Bridge Scene'."

"Well, the Captain, of course, gets no comprehensible response to his hail of the alien vessel. So, he decides to send a bunch of people who never go down to Engineering until there's a crisis all down to Engineering because there's a crisis.

"What they find is that somehow the warp drive has been disabled, stranding the Enterprise in this particularly dangerous part of space."

"Aha! So, we get the misfit kid genius to repair it!"

"Far too simple. We get the misfit kid genius to figure out how it got disabled. Then we get Data to do some of that omniscient robot stuff and fix it."

"Got it. Okay, let's go over the checklist:

Yar: Said something violent.

Klingon: Said something violent.

Whiz kid: Did something brilliant.

Data: Did something robot-like.

Captain: Did something indecisive.

Advisor: Did something confusing.

First officer: Acted as set decoration."

"Gee that leaves the doctor out."

"Yah, can't anyone get hurt or something?"

"I know! We'll have her work on an antidote for the hallucinogenic effects found in this strange region of space!"

"Great! checklist:

Doctor: Does something pointless."

"What's left on the checklist?"

"Hmmmm. 'Violate commonly-held 20th century scientific knowledge'. That's always been a tough one."

"Well, what have we done so far?"

"Well, there's the single flaming meteoroid chunk of exploding star convenienly headed toward the Enterprise. Then there's the thing we threw in about Geordi being in constant pain. How about when the ship got really cold and the captain forgot how to face it toward the sun? There was the time Data fell into a holographic stream and ended up wet. One of the best was when we got all the women drunk on altered water and they jumped the bones of the nearest male."

"Oooh. Those were good ones. But I just can't think of any really stupid ones right now. "

"Okay, we'll have Research look something up in either 'Science Made Stupid' or one of Doug Adams's books."

"Yeah. Okay, how about the next item on the checklist. 'Violate commonly-held Trek lore'."

"Hmm. That's a tough one, too. We've already done the 'beam half the crew down to do something they should have taken a tricorder to do'."

"Yeah. And the transporter's worked nearly perfectly for four or five shows in a row. And, we've got families and kids on board, headed nowhere, while we continue to encounter unknown, possibly hostile, species. We could spend some time creating meaningless stress about that. Or we could have Yar punch out an alien dignitary."

"I dunno. We've already worked those to death."

"So?"

"Okay, I'll roll the dice when I get back to my office. So, Patricia, how do we resolve this little difficulty?"

"Huh? You want me to do EVERYTHING? Okay, how about the whiz kid transforms some of Mom's expensive medical tools into a communications device that knows how to talk to the alien ship, an amazing feat, because the Captain locked him in the closet in Act I. Anyway, he convinces the alien ship to tow them out of the hallucinogenic region of space, where they find out that a fuse was blown in the warp drive that they couldn't have seen because they were all tripping. Then the whiz kid gets a pat on the head as the captain lets him out of the closet, and all we've wasted is an hour!"

Kitty

2005-08-10T10:43:12Z

Sometime yesterday, Ginger suddenly went blind.

Last night I was wondering whether her pupils looked more dilated than usual--this morning, it's obvious. They barely constrict with direct light. I watched in disbelief as my normally far-sighted kitty walked straight into my bedroom wall on her way to the door. I will have to take her to the vet today to find out what--if anything--is going on. She's very old, so I would expect her vision to be decreased, but this seems like a rather sudden loss.
----
Edit: Update 8/11
The vet believes it might have been a bilateral stroke due to increased blood pressure. He's completing more bloodwork and x-rays, and keeping her overnight for observation. He is hopeful that her vision may clear a little over the next few weeks, once the immediate damage has settled. Crossing my fingers!

One Step Closer to 3 Decades on the Planet

2005-08-08T09:37:26Z

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on a carousel of time

Have some cake.

I got a gloriously FAST new computer for my birthday! Happy hallelujah and pass the bananas, some good has come of this day after all. :)

R.I.P. Peter Jennings. Aug. 8th in history

Disturbance

2005-08-06T09:44:20Z

Interesting quote:

...all life is only a set of pictures in the brain, among which there is no difference betwixt those born of real things and those born of inward dreamings, and (there is) no cause to value one above the other.
H. P. Lovecraft

Am currently reading Sigmund Freud's early lectures on psychoanalysis and Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. It's difficult to determine which is more disturbing.
-------------------------

The University of Blogging

Presents to
firstmutant

An Honorary
Bachelor of
Survey Science

Majoring in
Psychotic Ranting

Signed
Dr. GoQuiz.com

Blogging Degree
From Go-Quiz.com

Done!

2005-07-23T20:20:22Z

Voila!

And completed a few days before the deadline; this is utterly unlike me. I must be developing yet another alternate personality... :p

firstmutant @ 2005-07-09T03:00:00

2005-07-09T07:03:12Z

Sincere condolences to those who lost loved ones in London and elsewhere.

josiemonkey, don't worry. Unlike Ivan, Dennis only side-swiped Jamaica. Our family lost power and had some property damage--again--but no one was hurt this time. I wish I could say the same for Cuba and Haiti.

Happy birthday, psionicferal. :)
------------------
From dinogrrl

Good News

2005-06-22T23:12:57Z

Perhaps I had a wicked childhood
Perhaps I had a miserable youth
But somewhere in that wicked, miserable past
There must have been a moment of truth

This has been such a wonderful day that it warrants annoying caps and irritating exclamation points.

Both Ginger and Insomnia allowed me to sleep until 5 am this morning. Miraculous!

I completed the book on EKGs and retained enough of the information to pass the online exam. Imagine that.

frickangel successfully exorcised the multitude of demons in the bewitched computer. I'm back!

A patient brought me two pink roses from his garden, just because. :)

I received a lovely CD with my song from toomuchfandom. Thank you, dear!

tribeofroses has FINALLY resurfaced. Welcome back!

AND MY SISTER'S COMING HOME TOMORROW! *grin* Let the games begin.

Email update: For those having trouble with ncw2@hotmail.com, it has been temporarily clogged with MX Directory replies. A more effective option for sending important private messages is ncw1@cornell.edu.

Website of the Day

2005-06-08T11:04:11Z

Klingons for Christ

Unexpected.

Poltergeist

2005-06-05T16:40:06Z

The demonic laptop revealed its true paranormal nature last night. As my mother was writing, the computer let out a high pitched beep and proceeded to type by itself. I kid you not. Right in the middle of her document about spiders was the alien phrase:

101..................10003...............Clinton...........by the branch.........1001................is not the..............

We stared in amazement as seemingly nonsensical word combinations continued to appear, then I shut the thing down and unplugged it. The computer we used to have was cantankerous and annoying, but this one is just freaky.

Word to the wise: Never get a Dell.

For Lonelywalker

2005-05-30T11:53:51Z

Greg Cox's The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh Volume I.

Wonderful. I started it late yesterday afternoon and couldn't put the book down until I had finished it--happily, just in time to catch Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country last night. One of the nice things about babysitting is that you have access to other people's cable. :)

Chang: "I am constant as the northern star..."
McCoy: "I'd give real money if he'd shut up."

Ha-ha. But I digress. Without giving away the plot....

Khan's origins.
Noonien, "Noon" for short, was born in India in 1970, the son of the brilliant Indian geneticist Dr. Sarina Kaur. Khan actually shares quite a few of his mother's traits. A megalomaniac herself, the 30 year old Kaur believed that natural selection was progressing too slowly to produce humans who could responsibly handle modern technology. In an attempt to create a race of superhumans who could better represent humanity in the future, she spearheaded her secret Chrysalis Project. Kaur improved methods for safely cloning more than two copies of a single egg, thereby increasing the probability of obtaining a genetically stable embryo. After inducing superovulation in female volunteers, including herself, she cloned multiple copies of each surviving egg, and injected them with bacterial plasmids spliced with specialized DNA. Cox mentions that there are 7 distinct improvements bred into Khan's race, but only specifically describes 5:
1. accelerated neural pathway formation leading to superintelligence
2. Improved lung efficiency
3. DNA from African gorillas to increase muscular density and resilience. Almost like a feral mutant?
4. Increased heart capacity
5. Enhanced immune function
After in vitro fertilization, the resulting embryos were implanted into "human incubators," female Chrysalis employees like herself.

Ominously, Khan is the most neuropsychologically stable of the first batch of 250 children produced by Project Chrysalis--before the process of genetic pruning has been completely perfected. Some of the children in this group, though obviously incredibly intelligent, develop serious psychological and neurological defects early in life. By the age of four, he is reading Milton, Dante's Inferno and The Life of Alexander the Great, speaks 8 languages, and is already the recognized leader among his classmates. He and his fellow child geniuses are taught from birth that other humans are genetically flawed and therefore inferior.

Khan's name:
Sorry, no new insights from what you already know. He was known at Chrysalis as Noonien, or Noon. When he is later adopted by the Singhs, he does use Singh as his surname. After witnessing a preventable disaster at 14, he chooses Khan because it sounds more like a man who could take over the world in order to rid it of incompetent human fools. He reminds me a bit of Magneto.

Musicals!

2005-05-28T16:15:25Z

How many musical/musical movie soundtracks do you own, and what are your top ten favorites? Disney doesn't count.
La! I'm ever so glad you asked. Though I think Disney should count. :p

Aida, Annie, Annie Get Your Gun, Anyone Can Whistle, Anything Goes, Aspects of Love, Barnum, Big River, The Boys from Syracuse, Brigadoon, Bring in the Noise Bring in the Funk, The Buddy Holly Story, Bye Bye Birdie, Cabaret, Call Me Madame, Camelot, Candide, Cats, Carousel, Chess, Chicago, Chorus Line, Closer than Ever, Company, Crazy for You, Damn Yankees, Do I Hear a Waltz, Do Re Mi, Dreamgirls, EFX, Evita, Falsettoland, Fame, The Fantasticks, Fiddler on the Roof, Finian's Rainbow, Flower Jung Song, Follies, 42nd Street, Funny Girl, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, George M., Gigi, Grease, Grease II, Guys and Dolls, Gypsy, Hair, Hello Dolly, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, I Do I Do, Into the Woods, Jekyll and Hyde, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The King and I, Kiss Me Kate, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, La Cage Aux Folles, Les Miserables, Little Mary Sunshine, A Little Night Music, Little Shop of Horrors, Lunch, Mame, Man of La Mancha, March of the Falsettos, Meet Me in St. Louis, Merrily We Roll Along, Miss Saigon, The Most Happy Fella, Moulin Rouge, The Music Man, My Fair Lady, Nunsense, Nunsense II, Oklahoma, Oliver, On this Island, On the Town, The Pajama Game, Pal Joey, Phantom of the Opera, Pippin, Porgy and Bess, The Producers, Ragtime, Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Rothchilds, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Secret Garden, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, 1776, Shampoo, She Loves Me, Showboat, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Singing in the Rain, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Song and Dance, The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Sunday in the Park with George, Sunset Boulevard, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Titanic, Tommy, Two by Two, Victor/Victoria, West Side Story, Will Rogers Follies, Wings, The Wiz, Yentl, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Zorba

Top Ten (this week). Yep, there's at least one meaningful story associated with every musical I own, but I won't bore you with them all. Not enough room here for them anyway.

1. Phantom of the Opera. "Did I not instruct that Box Five was to be kept EMPTY?!" Ah, the Phantom tantrums. Phantom will always hold a special place in my heart for being the first musical I ever saw live. It was such a magical night that I was hooked on musicals for life. Now that I think of it, The Phantom should be added to my list of favorite villains.

2. Secret Garden. When I first borrowed the tape from the library, I popped it into my car's tape player, intending to listen on the way home. Instead, I sat spellbound in the parking lot for an hour.

3. Kiss of the Spiderwoman
4. Rent
5. Porgy and Bess
6. Miss Saigon
7. Chess
8. West Side Story
9. Jekyll and Hyde
10. Two by Two (tee-hee)

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More proof of my dubious taste in movies: I have only seen half the movies on Time's 100 Best Movies List, and half of those wouldn't be on my top 100 list. Someday I really will have to rent Blade Runner again, to discover what all the hype is supposed to be about.

Aguirre: the Wrath of God (1972) The Apu Trilogy (1955, 1956, 1959) The Awful Truth (1937) Baby Face (1933) Bande à part (1964) Barry Lyndon (1975) Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) Blade Runner (1982) Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Brazil (1985) Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Camille (1936) Casablanca (1942) Charade (1963) Children of Paradise (1945) Chinatown (1974) Chungking Express (1994) Citizen Kane (1941) City Lights (1931) City of God (2002) Closely Watched Trains (1966) The Crime of Monsieur Lange (1936) The Crowd (1928) Day for Night (1973) The Decalogue (1989) Detour (1945) The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) Dodsworth (1936) Double Indemnity (1944) Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) Drunken Master II (1994) E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) 8 1/2 (1963) The 400 Blows (1959) Farewell My Concubine (1993) Finding Nemo (2003) The Fly (1986) The Godfather, Parts I and II (1972, 1974) The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966) Goodfellas (1990) A Hard Day's Night (1964) His Girl Friday (1940) Ikiru (1952) In A Lonely Place (1950) Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) It's A Gift (1934) It's A Wonderful Life (1946) Kandahar (2001) Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) King Kong (1933) The Lady Eve (1941) The Last Command (1928) Lawrence of Arabia (1962) Léolo (1992) The Lord of the Rings (2001-03) The Man With a Camera (1929) The Manchurian Candidate (1962) Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) Metropolis (1927) Miller's Crossing (1990) Mon oncle d'Amérique (1980) Mouchette (1967) Nayakan (1987) Ninotchka (1939) Notorious (1946) Olympia, Parts 1 and 2 (1938) On the Waterfront (1954) Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) Out of the Past (1947) Persona (1966) Pinocchio (1940) Psycho (1960) Pulp Fiction (1994) The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) Pyaasa (1957) Raging Bull (1980) Schindler's List (1993) The Searchers (1956) Sherlock, Jr. (1924) The Shop Around the Corner (1940) Singin' in the Rain (1952) The Singing Detective (1986) Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) Some Like It Hot (1959) Star Wars (1977) A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) Sunrise (1927) Sweet Smell of Success (1957) Swing Time (1936) Talk to Her (2002) Taxi Driver (1976) Tokyo Story (1953) A Touch of Zen (1971) Ugetsu (1953) Ulysses' Gaze (1995) Umberto D (1952) Unforgiven (1992) White Heat (1949) Wings of Desire (1987) Yojimbo (1961)