Fusion Patrol

John and Eugene talk about the time Buck Rogers met the Scream Queen, Jamie Lee Curtis, and they discuss the Tennessee delicacy, sand squid, as they look at the episode Unchained Woman. Unchained Woman Airdate: November 1, 1979 Runtime: 48 minutes Starring: Gil Gerard, Erin Gray, Tim O’Connor, Pamela Hensley, Felix Silla, Mel Blanc Guest ... Read more

This week, Ben and Eugene look at the 1956 Japanese Kaiju classic, Rodan! Or, as originally known, Sora no Daikaiju, Radon. Rodan Release Date: December 26, 1956 (Japan), August 6, 1957 (US) Runtime: 74 minutes Starring: Kenji Sahara, Yumi Shirakawa, Akihiko Hirata Director: Ishirô Honda Writer: Takeshi Kimura, Takeo Murata (screenplay), based on story by ... Read more

Simon and Eugene look Season 4, Episode 5 of Bugs, Hell and High Water. They discuss how this throws back to earlier Bugs episodes, whether Alex commits the most unethical act seen in the show so far, and if you work on defense contracts and give your computer to a museum, whether you should check ... Read more

Hello and welcome to this not-actually-an-episode of Fusion Patrol. I’m Eugene, and I’m all alone here today. Have you noticed that Fusion Patrol episode numbers just keep getting higher and higher? Here we are at over 750 episodes. Our first episode dropped in April of 2010. That’s over 15 years. That’s like 30 to 60 ... Read more

Kenneth and Eugene look at episodes 3 and 4 of Children of the Dog Star. Swamp Light Airdate: April 16, 1984 Runtime: 24 minutes Starring: Sarah Dunn, Jeison Wallace, Hamish Bartle, Roy Billing, Susan Wilson, Catherine Wilkin, David McKenzie, Raymond Hawthorne, Anzac Wallace Guest Stars: John Mellor, Whatanui Skipwith, Jim Hickey, Rodney Newman, Dennis Gubb ... Read more

Who’d have thunk it?  Buck Rogers in the 25th Century decides to tackle issues of ageism, the mental anguish of disabilities, and questions of identity as related to the concept of “fixing” a disability.   Or at least, it would have been if the production staff had given this episode much thought. John and Eugene, ... Read more

This week Ben and Eugene look at the 1960 movie, Village of the Damned, inspired by the 1957 John Wyndham novel, the Midwich Cuckoos.

This week, Simon and Eugene discuss ultrasonic weapons and whether they are as effective at punching holes in concrete as they are at cleaning dental guards, Ross’s suddenly discovered sensitivity to sexism and Alex being patronized for her age, and Eugene introduces his groundbreaking conception of the three eras of Britain. The Two Becketts Airdate: ... Read more

This week, Kenneth and Eugene begin their look at a new series here on Fusion Patrol — the 1984 New Zealand production, Children of the Dog Star. This time, the first two installments, The Brass Daisy and Power Stop. The Brass Daisy Airdate: April 2, 1984 Runtime: 24 minutes Starring: Sarah Dunn, Jeison Wallace, Hamish ... Read more

John and Eugene discuss the time Buck Rogers pits himself again the lamest group of assassins the galaxy can muster, and they ponder the riddle, “Why are they even a threat?” It’s the two-part episode, The Plot to Kill a City. The Plot to Kill a City Airdate: October 11–18, 1979 Runtime: 96 minutes (two-part ... Read more

It’s hard to keep a good Phibes down. Would it be as hard to keep a bad Phibes down? Ben and Eugene discuss the 1972 The Abominable Dr. Phibes sequel, Dr. Phibes Rises Again. Dr. Phibes Rises Again Release Date: July 5, 1972 Runtime: 89 minutes Starring: Vincent Price, Robert Quarry, Valli Kemp, Peter Cushing, ... Read more

This week, Simon and Eugene look at Bugs, Series 4, Episode 3, Girl Power. When they discuss child geniuses being given the idiot ball, how convincingly Ed and Beckett are at getting duped, and when the Intel Pentium 7 chip came out. Girl Power Airdate: July 25, 1998 Runtime: 48 minutes Starring: Jaye Griffiths, Jesse ... Read more

Kenneth and Eugene finally arrive at the final episode of Space Rangers with, the Trial.

This week, John and Eugene look at the Buck Rogers in the 25th century episode, Vegas in Space, where we ask the questions, do you see mirrors or a piano keyboard, and can Buck be a bigger SOB to Wilma than he was in the movie, we also reflect on Gil Gerard’s moment of acting. ... Read more

This week, on World Beyond movie Night, Ben and Eugene dip their toes into comedy/horror Diesel Punk with The Abominable Dr. Phibes. The Abominable Dr. Phibes Release Date: May 18, 1971 Runtime: 94 minutes Starring: Vincent Price, Joseph Cotten, Virginia North, Hugh Griffith, Terry-Thomas, Peter Jeffrey, Aubrey Woods, Susan Travers, David Hutcheson, John Cater, Maurice ... Read more

This week, Simon and Eugene look at Season 4, Episode 2 of Bugs, Sacrifice to Science.  They discuss the naming of government security departments, the difference between boathouses and houseboats, and whether you could be excused for not trusting scientists if you only ever meet the mad ones.  Sacrifice to Science Airdate: July 18, 1998 ... Read more

A washed-up comedian, Buddy Hackett, arrives for a show, and there’s a disaster… No, that description might just be a little too meta. A washed-up comedian, Lenny Hacker, is en route for a show, and there’s a disaster. The Space Rangers team has to rescue him from a notorious prison planet. Kenneth and Eugene discuss ... Read more

Investigating a mystery on the planet of the slave girls. Tough job, and only one man in the 25th century is up to it: Capt. Buck Rogers! John and Eugene discuss Planet of the Slave Girls. Planet of the Slave Girls Airdate: September 27–28, 1979 Runtime: ~95 minutes (as two-part episode) Starring: Gil Gerard, Erin ... Read more

Between seasons 1 and 2 of Space: 1999, Gerry Anderson took another stab at space opera, this time with an eye towards teachiing children about Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity. How well did that plan go? Find out as Ben and Eugene discuss The Day After Tomorrow. (AKA, Into Infinity) The Day After Tomorrow (Into ... Read more

Simon and Eugene pick up where they left off on their coverage of bugs, this time with the opening episode of series 4, Absent Friends. Where they rant… er… discuss recasting, retcons, recasting, cliffhangers, and recasting. Absent Friends Airdate: July 11, 1998 Runtime: 48 minutes Starring: Jaye Griffiths, Jesse Birdsall, Steven Houghton, Jan Harvey, Paula ... Read more

This week, Kenneth and Eugene watch as Capt. Boon makes mistake after mistake after mistake as they muddle their way through the Space Rangers episode, Death Before Dishonor.

At long last, John and Eugene begin the much-requested coverage of the epitome of 1970s space opera: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century! This week they look at the theatrical release and they spare some thoughts for the television re-edit. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Release Date: March 30, 1979 Runtime: 89 minutes Starring: ... Read more

This week, Simon and Eugene finally come to the end of the 2025 season of Doctor Who and the end of the Gatwa era, when they look at the final two episodes, Wish World and The Reality War. They discuss Ncuti Gatwa’s performance as the Doctor, compare the Deadly Assassin with the Reality War, whether ... Read more

“Barbarella, pychodella, there’s a kind of cockleshell about you…” It began as a scandalous comic book, then Dino De Laurentiis thought, “hey, they oughta make a movie about that.” …and now, Ben and Eugene have to watch it and discuss it. It’s the 1968 movie, Barbarella starring Jane Fonda.

This week on Fusion Patrol, Simon and Eugene look at the 2025 season of Doctor Who, episode number six, the Interstellar Song Contest. They discuss parallels between the ice in the Doctor’s heart and the Time Lord Victorious, the influence of Diamonds Are Forever on this episode, why Eugene’s local sports team is the New ... Read more