Bugs - Fusion Patrol Reviews

In this week’s episode of Fusion Patrol, Simon and Eugene dissect the series finale of Bugs, focusing on the two-part episode “Money Spiders” and “The Enemy Within.” They argue over which of the many things Alex should have been fired for, they discuss whether the G5 is the chip Apple released five years after the ... Read more

This week Simon and Eugene look at the Bugs episode Twin Geeks, and discuss their disappointment at the size of this episodes’s explosions, whether lawyers are as scarce as police in Bugs Land, and they lament the lack of eccentric British gauge collectors in this episode. Next week: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Escape ... Read more

This week we look at “Bugs: Jewel Control” as Simon and Eugene discuss electricity billing, Beckett’s impressive Chinese reading capabilities, and whether Bugs is part of the same universe as Torchwood and whether it shares some of the same strengths and flaws. Jewel Control “Airdate: ” August 29, 1998 “Runtime:” 50 “Starring: ” Jaye Griffiths,...

Simon and Eugene look at Season 4, episode 6 of Bugs — Pandora’s Box. They discuss why you can’t fix a sixth century plague with modern technology, Beckett’s annoying, sexy upstairs neighbor, and why blowing things up is a much better solution to a contagion than containment. Pandora’s Box Airdate: April 8, 1995 Runtime: 50 ... 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

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, 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

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

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’s episode under review: Bugs S03E10 – Renegades. Simon and Eugene discuss whether this episode was always intended to be the finale of season 3, whether it’s another sequel to the Cybernauts, and Eugene gives us his interpretation of Australian Eric Idle.

This week’s episode under review is Bugs S03E09, Identity Crisis, which first aired September 20, 1997. Simon and Eugene discuss how a good episode can be diminished by the arc that sets it up, the emptiness of the Bugs universe, and they get nostalgic about Zip and Bernoulli Boxes.

This week’s episode under review is Bugs, Buried Treasure, which first aired September 13, 1997, and was written by Terry Borst and Frank De Palma. Simon and Eugene discuss the similarities of the visuals in late ’90s SciFi, the aesthetics of prison signage, and whether enough explosions, helicopters and sexy villainesses make up for Bugs’ ... Read more

This week, Simon and Eugene look at the Bugs episode Happy Ever After. John Stroud directed this Series Three episode, which first aired on August 30, 1997. They discuss marrying for love and marrying for control, the implications of a water grid and why this wasn’t explored in a show ostensibly about technology, and whether ... Read more

Under review this week is series 3, episode 6 of Bugs, entitled “Fugitive.” Matthew Evans wrote this episode, which first aired on August 23, 1997. Hosts Simon and Eugene discuss when giving our heroes vulnerabilities adds interest as opposed to destroying the character, how much the Sci-Fi and Tech dimension (or absence of it) matters ... Read more

This week’s episode for discussion is S03E05 of Bugs, entitled “Nuclear Family,” which initially aired in August of 1997 and was written by John Stroud. Hosts Simon and Eugene discuss whether a weapon might be developed to kill the second person in a conga line, why a writer might withdraw their name from their work, ... Read more

Simon and Eugene discuss the evolution of Bugs into a slicker but more standard thriller, whether ministers in Bugs are dealt with any more consistently than in Doomwatch, and we reminisce about LaserDiscs.

Simon and Eugene discuss the emerging love polygon within the Bureau of Weapons Technology, why Beckett is being written as a bit of a jerk as well as a bad boss, and they speculate on the identity of the mole within the agency.

Simon and Eugene discuss the difference between a sequel and the second of two parts, when heroes are allowed to commit manslaughter and how this differs on each side of The Pond, and the state of password security in the 1990s.

Simon and Eugene discuss what kind of government department builds a ridiculous deadly weapons store under London, whether secret agents ever genuinely expect that "when they're out, they're out," and when fictional spies become legends in their own fictional universe.

Simon and Eugene discuss what happens when the police finally appear at a crime scene in Bugs, the best way to deal with any inconvenient build-up of anti-matter, and whether the definition given of viruses adequately explains the infection of man by machine.  (Spoiler: it doesn’t) Episode Synopsis: The Bureau of Weapons Military types are mildly ... Read more

Simon and Eugene split hairs over whether the Spitznbergen Separatist are terrorists or extortionists, we discuss sending a remote-controlled dog to do a robot’s job, and the connections between the worlds of Bugs and Batman. Episode Synopsis Three evil motorcycle-riding Power Rangers stage a raid on the Austin Institute.  Inside, Dr. Siegal and his assistant, Dr. ... Read more

Simon and Eugene discuss explaining quantum mechanics badly, Simon explains quantum mechanics badly and we talk about a plot so convoluted it involves buying your way out of prison by buying the prison. Episode Synopsis Doctor Neumann and his daughter Cassandra visit, at gunpoint, an archaeological site in the country of Naobi(?) They are brought ... Read more

Simon and Eugene discuss how Ros has added biochemistry to her incredible and expanding skillset, the way that a show that is all about technology seems to portray innovation as having so little value beyond brute force criminal schemes, and TV music and how we used to tape theme music back in the days of ... Read more

Simon and Eugene discuss how efficient it is to rob a bank using a power station, how not to dress a set to look like a real building site, and isotope implosions and the difference between fusion and fission. Episode Synopsis Ros is getting a tour of the NRGen Split Isotope Fusion Power plant, arranged ... Read more

Simon and Eugene discuss memory and learning in SciFi shows in general and using scifi as a MacGuffin rather than a way to explore the human condition in Bugs in particular, and we’ll be talking about the physics of ejecting from a stealth jet, and how the Bugs vision of the 1990s is purely private ... Read more