Spotted: John Considine

We've no doubt blathered on before about what huge fans we are of the original "Twilight Zone" series. We'll sit there and rewatch those episodes over and over, every time Syfy deals up one of their three-day weekend "Twilight Zone" marathons, and we'll be just as happy as a pig in slop doing it. (Now this author's bro has lent her his "Twilight Zone" DVD set. Oh, the humanity.)

In truth, this author loves all things 1960s -- "Twilight Zone," "Mad Men," even "Pan Am," and definitely her mother's vintage clothing! In fact, BRB is about to move into a bona-fide "Mad Men" house -- but hey, that's another story. The topic today is not 1960s houses, or even "The Twilight Zone." The subject is another TV series of the same era, one we eagerly looked forward to viewing, since we had seen just one single episode of this show years ago, in all its one-hour, black-and-white, 1963 glory. The show is "The Outer Limits," another one that's been redone over the years, but we're talking original, beautiful, vintage, with every delightful, cringe-y special effect intact. All that.

We know John Considine as the commanding , shrewd Grant Capwell of "Santa Barbara." He was also David Prescott on "Dynasty" and Lt. Braden on "The Colbys." He even did a voice on "Batman: The Animated Series." On the "Outer Limits" episode "The Man Who Was Never Born," he is so very young, nary a distinctive line drawn on that fresh face, all of the Grant Capwell distinction clearly missing. He's handsome beyond belief, and we didn't even recognize him at first, his dark, wavy hair shining. It's a time-travel episode, and he portrays a young officer who ends up being the object of the time-traveling character's mission -- an astronaut has got to stop an apocalyptic disease from being unleashed on mankind by killing its creator, a scientist yet to be fathered by Considine's character.

With our "Twilight Zone" bias effectively ensconced in our sensibilities, maybe we've been expecting a bit too much out of "The Outer Limits" as we've been cruising through the first-season DVD set. But we can't help feeling that it seems like a clunkier version of its competitor Rod Serling show. And the writing and acting -- distant, is that the word we're looking for? Cold? Unfriendly? "The Man Who Was Never Born" is a better pick from the episodes we've viewed so far, with enough humanity to keep us interested. And, of course, we're watching for those '60s female fashions, being such an aficionado. Even in black and white they glimmer beyond belief.

Space aliens are a big, big theme in this show, much like "TZ." The ep we saw years ago was "The Sixth Finger," starring David McCallum as the subject of an experiment to evolve human brains eons into the future, his character becoming more and more drunk with the power as his head swells -- literally. We really enjoyed that one. And "The Man Who Was Never Born" -- that's another yes.

So we'll keep watching and see what we else come up with ...

BRB discusses "death in comic books" on latest episode of "Fantastic Forum"

The "Fantastic Forum" TV show has done it again, serving up a fun discussion on a burning topic so crucial to you today!!!! Well, OK, it's an interesting topic nonetheless ... death in comic books. Are dead comic book characters ever really dead? Is killing off a comic book character merely a stunt to sell issues? Listen up and weigh in as Billie Rae Bates of BRBTV serves as a panelist in the latest episode of the Washington, D.C.-based "Fantastic Forum" TV show (yes, on real TV, not just the Internet) ...

Keep your eye on the "Fantastic Forum" website for more great stuff, and remember you can catch the show in all kinds of places:

• Washington, D.C., on DCTV Comcast channels 95 and 96 and RCN channels 10 and 11 and Verizon FIOS 10.
• Montgomery County, MD, on Montgomery Community Media (MCM-TV) Comcast channel 21.
• Fairfax County, VA, on Fairfax Cable Access (FPA-TV) Cox channel 10.
• Arlington County, VA, on Arlington Independent Media (AIM) on Comcast channel 69 and Verizon FIOS 38.
• Prince George's County, MD, on Prince George's Community Television (CTV) Comcast channel 76 and Verizon FIOS 42.
• Baltimore City, MD, on Community Media of Baltimore (CMBC) Comcast channel 75. 
• YouTube, NCC1727 channel
• Vimeo, Ulysses Campbell's channel
• And the episodes are now even featured on Daily Motion!

Lane Davies heads off to another web series: "Government Lies"

Our own original Mason Capwell of "Santa Barbara," as well as Craig Gurney of "Dallas," Mr. Lane Davies, continues to fill up his schedule, this time with the web series "Government Lies" from Outlook Productions.

The series, which launched last year, deals up a plot involving an affair and murder, according to its IMDb page. Deanna Meske has a lead role as Erica Weston. No word yet on what role Davies will play as the series shoots its second and third episodes in New Orleans next month, according to Meske's Facebook page.

Davies was seen recently as Mackenzie Johnson on the web soap "The Bay," and has "The Royal Killer" queued up on his schedule, as well.

Keep track of "Government Lies" on its Facebook page and thanks to Trish for the heads-up!

Spotted: Colleen Camp

OK, we knew she was the original Kristin Shepard on "Dallas." We knew she did that "Isis" episode where she played a cheerleader framed for cheating by another cheerleader (oh, those nasty '70s mean girls). But what else has she done? A whole lot more than we thought, actually. She's got some new 2013 projects going on, and she's kept the steady work going over the years. But the thing we spotted her in the other night was one of the "Mystery Woman" TV movies starring Kellie Martin, part of a three-spot DVD we indulged ourselves in, being "Mystery Woman" movie lovers almost as much as we love "Jesse Stone." But we do digress ...

Colleen Camp plays mystery writer Maura Hobbs in "Mystery Woman: Mystery Weekend," a 2005 installment of the movie series where Martin's lead character Samantha Kinsey investigates an attempted murder, then a real murder, over a special mystery weekend event at her bookstore. We had to love the inside jokes about the book "Christy" at the bookstore at the beginning -- Martin portrayed the character in the TV series based on Catherine Marshall's novel a few years back. And beyond that, we were delighted to see Deborah Van Valkenburgh from the old "Too Close for Comfort" sitcom -- really, where's she been? Beth Broderick of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," as charming and diva-like as ever, is the diva author of the bunch. So divine. And throw in Paul Satterfield, whom we remember from "General Hospital." Great bunch. Camp is on the sidelines, for the most part, providing some comic relief, but so fun to see nevertheless.

And seriously, Camp was even in a "Dukes of Hazzard" episode. Go girl!

BRB hosts special episode of "Fantastic Forum" from Baltimore Comic Con

Producer Ulysses Campbell continues to churn out great stuff for the Washington, D.C.-based "Fantastic Forum" TV show. In the latest episode, you'll see comics greats Stan Lee, John Romita Sr. and John Romita Jr., as well as voice actor Phil LaMarr (from our beloved "Justice League" animated series, among others) and comics talents Jerry Gaylord, David Mack and more. Billie Rae Bates of BRBTV interviews the latter two, as well as hosts this special Baltimore Comic Con episode ...

Keep your eye on the "Fantastic Forum" website for more goodies, and remember you can catch the show in all kinds of places:

• Washington, D.C., on DCTV Comcast channels 95 and 96 and RCN channels 10 and 11 and Verizon FIOS 10.
• Montgomery County, MD, on Montgomery Community Media (MCM-TV) Comcast channel 21.
• Fairfax County, VA, on Fairfax Cable Access (FPA-TV) Cox channel 10.
• Arlington County, VA, on Arlington Independent Media (AIM) on Comcast channel 69 and Verizon FIOS 38.
• Prince George's County, MD, on Prince George's Community Television (CTV) Comcast channel 76 and Verizon FIOS 42.
• Baltimore City, MD, on Community Media of Baltimore (CMBC) Comcast channel 75. 
• YouTube, NCC1727 channel
• Vimeo, Ulysses Campbell's channel
• And the episodes are even featured on Daily Motion!

Spotted: Robin Mattson

It was before Delia on "Ryan's Hope." It was before Heather Webber on "General Hospital." Gosh, it was even before she did that sweet little guest spot on "The Dukes of Hazzard." And it was certainly quite a few years before we knew her so well as the second Gina Capwell on "Santa Barbara." It was "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" (the former of the two, actually), in the first of her two appearances on that show. A November 1977 episode called "The Strange Fate of Flight 608."

Robin Mattson is oh-so-gloriously young, as pert and round-faced as ever, her trademark blond tresses long and flowing, as she hops aboard a doomed flight headed for the Bermuda Triangle -- and a huge hurricane. With Parker Stevenson as Frank Hardy at the helm, the plane must emergency land near a deserted island. Everyone survives -- a whole plane full of stewardesses, actually, but for the Hardy Boys -- and washes up to shore, hiding out in a cave from the storm overnight. As the boys unravel a new mystery, it's clear Mattson's suspiciously behaving Carla is at the heart of it. She's got a secret, and it has to do with smuggled diamonds. Are they real or fake? Does she even know?

Mattson scoops out her role with a good measure of fear and apprehension, and we're thinking this is the in-over-her-head character, not the actress, as this is a gal who's been in firm command of a lot of roles over the years. We viewed the first season of "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" last year, so delighted to see our original Fallon Carrington of "Dynasty" in this signature role again, since we hadn't seen these eps since they originally aired. Now we're rolling along the second-season DVD set, happy as a pig in slop, so we're thinking there'll be some more classic-star-spottin' along the way ...

Catch the latest for Robin Wright, Jon Lindstrom, new "Dallas"

Robin Wright, our original Kelly Capwell of "Santa Barbara" is about to debut as the wife of a shrewd, powerful politician played by Kevin Spacey in "House of Cards." This Friday you'll get your chance to catch the premiere of the series' on Netflix.

Wright's "SB" castmate Jon Lindstrom portrayed the creepy rapist doctor, Mark McCormick. Lindstrom has a couple movie projects kicking around this year, "How He Got Away With It" and "The Redeemer," but if you watch "General Hospital" this Wednesday, you'll see him make his grand return to the Kevin Collins character. (Or is it the evil twin Ryan Chamberlain?) It's part of the 50th anniversary celebration for "GH."

And if you're eagerly awaiting today's start of the second season of the new "Dallas" like the rest of us are, particularly in the wake of the death of the show's patriarch, you can read more about what the season has in store in this week's TV Guide. Cathy Podewell is back as Cally, which is big enough news, and us diehard fans are getting some other great classic "Dallas" stars back for the funeral of J.R., which will follow a storyline to rival "Who Shot J.R." back in the early '80s, a fitting tribute to the king, Larry Hagman.

Spotted: Pamela Sue Martin, Al Corley, Ian McShane

Bro and sis in the same movie, right after their time on "Dynasty"? Well, yes, though they don't really interact with each other during the film (they do share scenes, however).

The movie is 1985's "Torchlight," and Pamela Sue Martin did the writing for this one, as well as starring in it as Lillian Weller. Her "Dynasty" brother, Al Corley, plays an actor (ironically) named Al (well, that's an "ironically," too). The story focuses on a young couple, from the moment when they meet and marry through turbulent times together as he gets caught in the downward spiral of cocaine addiction. Steve Railsback is Martin's very interesting husband Jake in this one, while Corley plays Jake's friend.

Ian McShane, whom we know as Don Lockwood on original "Dallas," is almost unrecognizable as Sidney (really -- how on earth did they change his color like that?), the "consultant" who hooks Jake into the drug scene. He's grimy and sleazy but suave. Martin, meanwhile, is rather the victim. No Fallon Carrington bite here -- just a young wife becoming increasingly disillusioned and frustrated by the change in her husband.

There's a message amid the action here, and we appreciate it, having been students for many years of the nature of addiction and its grip on our society as a whole. Overall, though we can't quite figure out what Railsback was hoping to accomplish with his approach, we appreciated this viewing overall. Thanks to our bud Tracy for the VHS copy! Yes, we still use a VCR! At times!