Go to: Synopsis	101	Freefall	Pluto: Part 1	* * *	top of page
Writers: Duane Capizzi & Marsha Griffin | Directors: Audu Paden & Christopher Berkeley			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: Pretty decent introduction to all the main characters, tensions between veterans and rookies well established without over-doing it. Interesting how it shifts the main viewpoint character to the loner / outsider, Higgins (Rico is the first-person viewpoint character in the novel), makes the entire series sound like a flashback from Higgins' point of view. Recruitment ad a nice touch carried over from the 1997 movie, STARSHIP TROOPERS, handy exposition device that works again here. Gotta love Doc's attitude, sort of sets the tone for the series: "Hey, we're fightin' giant bugs on freakin' Pluto, man, we're all insane!" Nitpick: I don't know who started this trend, but why can't they just embed the episode title in the opening credits like any sane person would? Sheesh. Geekpick: Pluto's moon / sister planet, Charon, looks awfully bright and awfully close. Sun would look more like a distant star and wouldn't shed that much light. Not enough atmosphere on Pluto for open flames or sounds of ammo-fire to carry well.			Animation Critique: What impressed me most was the whole "Drop" sequence with the drop suits and the jet-pack landings. In the novel, STARSHIP TROOPERS, a soldier's social status was highly dependent upon how many successful "drops" he made and whether or not he brought back his power-suit intact. Also liked the articulation of the Marauder suits. Awesome interior shots of the research outpost as the Roughnecks investigated it's deserted halls. Excellent choices on camera angles and mood lighting, more sophisticated than one usually expects from a half hour cartoon. A few "jitters" in some of the motion capture footage but most of the lip-syncing was dead on. Nice music pick during the slow motion shots of the Tanker Bug sequence. Nitpick: Number of helmet / shoulder-pad meshes: at least a couple on Brutto. When Dizzy and Carl fall down in front of the Tanker Bug's path, they don't seem to fall very far, but in later shots they seem to be far below the cliff where the other troopers are standing.
Go to: Synopsis	102	Plasma Bugs of Navarone	Pluto: Part 2	* * * *	top of page
Writers: Thomas Pugsley & Greg Klein | Director: David Hartman			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: This is one of the few stories where the Roughnecks actually get to rescue civilians. This episode also shows clearly how Fleet and the Mobile Infantry coordinate during campaigns. Fleet officers Ibanez and Barcalow are added to the cast of recurring characters. Rico shines in this episode, his breaking radio silence against orders at least seems to be motivated by genuine concern for Carmen's safety rather than an attempt to impress her. Geekpick: Again, there wouldn't be enough atmosphere on Pluto in order for Carmen's flame-thrower to continue working once she got outside the pressurized lock of the research facility.			Animation Critique: Wow! Lots of eye candy here. The moody interiors of the research station were even more impressive than the indoor shots of the previous episode. Lovely aerial shot of shadows cast on the ground as the door to the research station opened for Ibanez and Barcalow. Cool shot of the bug getting caught in the blast doors. Neat trooper-cam shots that let you see through walls. Good camera angles as the Marauder suit plummeted down the cliff face, nice explosion effects all around. Then there were the great lighting effects with the flame-thrower and the liquid gleam in Carmen's eyes. The skin textures / facial features of the main civilian scientist were even better than most of the troopers' faces. Excellent shot of Rico looking down into the valley as the ship takes off near the end. If this is any indication of things to come this show is going to set a new standard in CGI animation. Nitpick: It didn't look to me like Carmen or Zander were wearing seat belts or safety harnesses of any kind in the cockpit of the retrieval ship. They could have been splattered across the windshield during the crash landing.
Go to: Synopsis	103	Handle With Care	Pluto: Part 4	* * *	top of page
Writer: Marsha F.Griffin | Director: Sam Liu			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: I like the way the Roughnecks have been given slightly different missions in each episode. This prevents each show from becoming just another redundant "bug hunt." Having the directives of the top brass conflict with the common sense know-how of Lt. Razak and his troops also made for some good dramatic tension in this story. Nitpick: Barcalow's rank changes from Major to Lieutenant (a big demotion). Geekpick: At the temperatures indicated there would be no unfrozen gasses in the atmosphere to allow the Hopper Bugs to fly (let alone the SICON fighters to fly) on Pluto.			Animation Critique: The whole "bridge" sequence which ends with the bridge's destruction via one of Gossard's grenades after he slips on a patch of ice was pretty darn impressive. Incredible explosion effects in this one, including the dust cloud stirred up from the bridge collapsing, as well as the plasma fireworks of operation "Bug Drop." Good visualizations of weight and momentum as vehicles slipped and skidded across the ice fields of Pluto.
Go to: Synopsis	104	Basic Training	Pluto: Part 3*	* *	top of page
Writer: Marsha F.Griffin | Director: Jay Oliva			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: Good character development episode, interaction between Higgins, Rico, and Razak well scripted. The subplot with Zander and Carmen fighting the Hopper Bugs wasn't as well integrated into the story as previous efforts. The continuity glitch mentioned below is so obvious that you might actually want to try watching episodes 103 and 104 in reverse order. Nitpick: The Roughnecks act like they've never seen the Hopper Bugs before, even though they've dealt with them in the previous episode. Maybe they've just never seen them "swarm" before. Yeah, whatever. * The "Pluto Campaign" released on VHS and DVD actually switches episodes 3 and 4 around to avoid this continuity error. Higgins' initial reference to "Day 10" has been removed from this episode. Geekpick: A camera lens alone wouldn't really magnify a laser beam that much, also, some sort of mirror would have to be placed just-so to get it to point straight up into the sky.			Animation Critique: The character animation was pretty fluid in this episode, motion capture sequences were very smooth. The Hopper Bug swarms looked pretty good, as did the horde of Warrior Bugs being held off by the Vector Squad encampment. Nitpick: Number of helmet / shoulder-pad meshes: I lost count. I saw some on Razak, Dizzy, Rico, Higgins, and even Zander. Mercifully, most of the meshes go by so fast that you really have to be looking for them in order to catch them. While Rico and Higgins are chatting on the battlefield, Higgins' gun changes from the tripple barrelled grenade launcher to the Morita rifle and back again between shots.
Go to: Synopsis	105	Deep Trouble	Pluto: Part 5	* * * *	top of page
Writer: Michael Kramer | Director: Sam Liu			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: I thought the character development with Dizzy having claustrophobia and Carl trying to fix it under pressure was pretty impressive for a half hour cartoon. And who could forget the ending when the "Transport Bug" first appears? Great story pacing! Nitpick: Even though the only gun you ever see strapped to their backs it the standard Morita Smart Rifle, the troopers always seem to have the right gun for the right occasion. In this ep, for instance, Rico looses his Morita, but when the script calls for all the troopers to have grappling guns, they suddenly do. Maybe it's Higgins' job to lug around a huge case of spare weaponry whenever he's off camera :-)			Animation Critique: Lip-syncing and use of facial expressions for dramatic impact was superb. Even simple touches like the hair texture used during Dizzy's flashback scene managed to impress an old CGI buff like me. The whole Hopper / Hive / Nuke sequence was very well edited, as was the Transport Bug landing sequence. Consistently good choices on camera angles. Nitpick: When Dizzy turns to thank Carl for helping to dampen her claustrophobia, the bottom corner of her helmet meshes with her shoulder-pad pretty visibly. Rico's helmet light is on the wrong side of his head in one shot of that same scene.
Go to: Synopsis	106	Water, Water Everywhere	Hydora: Part 1	* * *	top of page
Writer: Steve Berman | Director: David Hartman			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: The main reason this episode gets a "cool" rating is because the Transport Bug is cool. In the STARSHIP TROOPERS Movie, they never really explained how the Bugs were able to move asteroids across the galaxy. The concept and visualization of the Transport Bug worked really well here. The only thing that could make it better is if they would show the Transport Bug going into "warp" or hyperspace somehow. I'm thinking something along the lines of the Borg "trans-warp" effect on ST: Voyager (which is also done by Foundation Imaging no doubt). Nitpick: Barcalow's rank changes from Major to Lieutenant (again).			Animation Critique: The best shots were of the Drop Ship hovering over the water and the Skimmer backing out of it. The water seemed a bit flat and life-less to me during most of the jet-ski shots. I guess I was expecting more "wake" from the jet-skis. All of the Transport Bug shots were very well done, particularly the "re-entry" and "take-off" sequences. Nice bubble-saturated underwater shots, good model design all around. Nitpick: Number of helmet / shoulder-pad meshes: just a few, mostly on Rico while sitting in the Drop Ship. Just before the second commercial break, Dizzy is stranded on a rock. After the commercial break, Dizzy is stranded on an altogether different rock (different shape, different color / texture). Rico, Jenkins, and Higgins appear to be missing the face plates on their helmets in some of the interior Bug shots. A few "jitters" in this ep as well, but nothing major.
Go to: Synopsis	107	Swarm	Hydora: Part 2	* * * *	top of page
Writer: Dan Gordon | Director: Vincent Edwards			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: One of the nice things about the way this show is written is that the battle tactics employed by both the SICON forces and the Bugs are always crystal clear. Here the Roughnecks' mission is to drive the "Kamikaze Ripplers" out of their underground lairs so they can be picked off by sniper teams awaiting them above ground. Simple as it sounds, this sort of clarity was sorely lacking in the 1997 movie version of STARSHIP TROOPERS.			Animation Critique: Lots of nice touches in this one. Waves undulate like waves should. Water reflections on cave walls. Rico hitting the ground hard, looking like it hurt. Zebra stripes painted on helmets and guns of Zebra squad. Good shots of aircraft skimming the water's surface. These Foundation Imaging folks are on the ball! Nitpick: Number of helmet / shoulder-pad meshes: at least three, one on Carmen, two on Zebra Squad leader. Carmen's tongue had a couple of "what the heck is that thing in her mouth!?" moments.
Go to: Synopsis	108	Search and Destroy	Hydora: Part 3	* * * *	top of page
Writer: Dave Clark | Director: David Hartman			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: Good play on the tensions between Rico and Bruto when Carl is wounded. Otherwise this is essentially another "bug hunt," complete with Momma Rippler. Just sit back and gape in awe at the animation.			Animation Critique: Easily the best animated Hydora episode. This time the jet skis, the skimmer and the raft left considerable "wake" as they trailed through the water. Low camera angles over the surface of the water highlighted near-far contrasts to convey the speed and momentum of the water craft. Momma Rippler was cool. Various shots of Rippler hatchlings were also a nice touch. Nitpick: Number of helmet / shoulder-pad meshes: saw some on Doc, Brutto, and Rico, but most noticeably on Carl shortly after he gets hit by the Rippler acid barb and Brutto inquires about his health. Dizzy's helmet light switches sides briefly during the firefight in the cavern.
Go to: Synopsis	109	Missing in Action	Hydora: Part 4	* * *	top of page
Writer: Andrew Robinson | Director: Andre Clavel			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: Less sci-fi and more horror flickish than previous episodes. Spooky, but not scary. Good thing they mentioned the power suits were insulated from the electrical charge of the shock sticks or there would be a huge Geekpick here.			Animation Critique: This episode is worth it just for the huge nuclear blast wave near the end of the episode, but there's some other eye candy along the way. Pay close attention to the light beams cast by the troopers' helmets while they're in the caves. You can even see motes of dust dancing in the light beams (a simple yet effective volumetric lighting effect). Impressive shots of water reflecting off the cave walls, still not sure how they do it. Well integrated splash effects too. Wonderfully fluid movements of Water Tigers swimming underwater. Nitpick: Not a single helmet / shoulder-pad mesh in sight! However, the water was a bit flat and choppy compared to episode 108. There's always something to nitpick ;-)
Go to: Synopsis	110	Sole Survivor	Hydora: Part 5	* * * *	top of page
Writer: Jules Dennis | Director: Sam Liu			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: This episode has the first confrontation with one of the Brain Bugs. Carl showcases his telepathic abilities in this episode, at no small risk to his own mental health. Great use of flashbacks, good dramatic build-up to the final showdown between Carl and the Brain Bug.			Animation Critique: The bugs were in fine from this episode, namely the Brain Bug and its minions wriggled and squirmed convincingly. But what impressed me most were the flashback sequences from Lt. Ross's point of view via Carl's telepathic promptings. Ross's retrieved "helmet-cam" memories were eerie, surreal, yet perfectly clear and never disorienting. The final shootout scene in the cave was also a noteworthy accomplishment. Consider that flame throwers, grenades, machine guns, and various explosions were all going off at the same time yet each gave off its own specific lighting effect. Pretty cool. Battle scenes like that also run the risk of visual disorientation, but the well planned camera choreography helped avoid that problem also. Foundation Imaging Rules! Nitpick: The shoulders of the human figures seemed a little stiff to me while they were out of their power suits aboard the Valley Forge. Don't these guys have shoulder blades?
Go to: Synopsis	111	Betrayal	Tophet: Part 1	* * * *	top of page
Writers: Thomas Pugsley & Greg Klein | Director: Jay Oliva			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: Not bad for an alien "first encounter" story. One of the things that really caught my attention was the way Gossard's "Talk Box" worked after he placed it on Colonel T'Phai. You could hear T'Phai's mumblings in Skinnie-speak and see his lips move out of sync with the English translation! Think of how many Sci-Fi shows fail to include this simple detail with their "universal translator" malarkey! Neat to see a cartoon show finally get it right. Nitpick: When Rico is trapped on the ledge of the balcony, he reaches down and grabs his grappling gun out of thin air. Same thing with the flares. Maybe he has a magical fanny pack or something :-) Actually, all the troopers act like they have bottomless fanny packs at times, but this time it was pretty noticeable.			Animation Critique: Whew! Eye candy galore! Let's see, there was a whole new Drop Suit sequence, cool watching Dizzy plunge to save Higgins from certain doom, nice alien-looking architecture in Skinnie-ville, cool dust and grime accumulated on the Power Suits, awesome interior design in the Skinnie throne room, a well choreographed Bug / Skinnie / Roughnecks shootout, near-far angles exploited really well during Rico's "climb," and to top it all off you've got the incredible "hook & ladder" rescue sequence at the end. Who could ask for more? Nitpick: Well, I suppose I could ask that Dizzy's helmet stop meshing with her shoulder pad :-) Ditto for Razak, Higgins, and especially Carl. T'Phai's white stripe over his eye is missing in a couple of shots. Rico and Dizzy's visors mesh very briefly before they dive off the tower. Nitty Gritty Pick: During the firefight when the Skinnies are firing constrictor goo at the troopers, there is a stray shadow on the ground in the bottom right corner of the screen (appears out of nowhere then vanishes). During the briefing aboard the Valley Forge, Carmen casts a shadow on Zander, but in the next shot the shadow disappears (body placement shifts between shots). "Talk Box" was way oversized on closeup of T'Phai's chest.
Go to: Synopsis	112	Stranded	Tophet: Part 2	* *	top of page
Writers: Thomas Pugsley & Greg Klein | Director: Jay Oliva			Animation Studio: Flat Earth Productions
Story Critique: Best part about this epidode is that it gives the backstory of how Razak lost his arm in a flashback. One of the few episodes in which Zander and Carmen seem to be at odds with one another. Nitpick: We glimpse a Tanker Bug in Razak's flashback, though in episode 101, Razak says SICON wasn't previously aware of the Tanker Bug threat.			Animation Critique: Walking movements tended to be rather stilted and jerky. Excellent air-lift rescue sequence toward the end. The camera placement choices, particularly inside and outside the landing platform as it was being swamped by Warrior Bugs from below, was fairly impressive. Again, nice camera angles as the Roughnecks jump off the platform onto the the ramp of the retrieval ship. Don't miss the way Carmen disposes of a Blister Bug clinging to the hull of the ship near the end.
Go to: Synopsis	113	Of Flesh and Steel	Tophet: Part 3	* * *	top of page
Writer: Steve Melching | Director: Alan Caldwell			Animation Studio: Flat Earth Productions
Story Critique: How many cheesy sci-fi shows have we seen where a robot is assigned to be a member of the regular cast, only to have the robot become "self aware" / go berserk and start killing people? Kudos to the writers for avoiding an obvious cliche on this one. I think this is one of the best written episodes.			Animation Critique: Lots of "jitters" in this ep, especially when there were more than five troopers walking around on screen, and Higgins' walking movements alongside CHAS were awfully stilted. Arm and head movements tended to come to a stop too abruptly. Lovely shots of CHAS' neck and arm hydraulics. CHAS' jumping and leaping shots were also very, very nice. Nitpick: A couple of the CHAS shots were flipped horizontally, making the eye piece and the chest lamp appear on the wrong side of the robot's body.
Go to: Synopsis	114	Captured	Tophet: Part 4	* * *	top of page
Writer: Geoff Miller | Director: Sean Song			Animation Studio:  Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: Some of the Roughnecks' behavior while they were in captivity (namely Rico and Brutto's) was a little over the top, but otherwise this is a pretty decent "prison bust" story. Watching the squad trying to cope while Carl freaks out is always fun. Nitpick: I hate squirrel monkeys. Just on general principle, squirrel monkeys are something one should always avoid when writing science-fiction. Never go there :-)			Animation Critique: Despite the consistently good lip-syncing and wonderfully articulated facial expressions of the human characters, the Skinnies are the stars of this show. Awesome costume designs for the Skinnies, plus good modeling design on their many environs. Great interior lighting effects both inside and outside the prison cell. Awesome motion capture footage when Brutto and the Skinnie guard are fighting each other with shock-staffs. Carl and Brutto jumping the Brain Bug was also pretty cool. Good camera choreography when the Roughnecks were trying to sneak though the heavily patrolled sections of the Skinnie settlement. Great camera angles for the Skinnie pacing on the balcony, etc. This episode would have gotten an "awesome" rating if it wasn't for that unbearably cutesy little squirrel monkey :-) Nitpick: Early in the episode, Brutto's arm-pad meshes with his shoulder pad. Later, in the interrogation chamber, Carl and Brutto's visors mesh briefly.
Go to: Synopsis	115	The Face of Truth	Tophet: Part 5	* * *	top of page
Writers: Thomas Pugsley & Greg Klein | Director: Sean Song			Animation Studio:  Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: One of the most crucial episodes to the overall story arc as Carl is severly injured and gets shipped off to a medical asteroid. Nitpick: If the Brain Bug which was killed (or perhaps merely incapacitated) in episode 114 was coordinating the Control Bugs telepathically, are the Control Bugs now operating independently of the Brain Bug in this episode?			Animation Critique: I thought the skate-boarding references with the kevlar shields were slightly overdone, but it was nice to see Rico and Brutto use the jets on their back packs for something more that just orbital deceleration. There were some nice shots of the Roughnecks while they were searching for the escaped Control Bug in the deserted hallways of the Skinnie outpost. Skinnie-ville modeling design was borrowed mostly from previous episodes, but the lighting and camera angle choices helped enhance the mood of suspense. The final sequence where Rico and Dizzy figure out a way to prevent the Transport Bug from reaching orbit also utilized some well thought out camera coreography. Nitpick: The Control Bug punches a hole through T'Phai's uniform, but later the uniform seems to have magically repaired itself.
Go to: Synopsis	116	No Substitute	Tesca Nemerosa: Part 1	* * *	top of page
Writer: Greg Weisman | Director: Alan Caldwell			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: Loved the "Skinnies are our friends now" Fed-Net promo, appropriately cheesy, plus gets loads of exposition out of the way before the episode begins. Nice to see Razak trying to cope with the stubbornness of his higher-ups (in this case General Redwing) on a more personal level. Lot's of good character interaction as T'Phai struggles to earn the Roughnecks' trust.			Animation Critique: Who could forget the lonely shot of T'Phai staring at his own reflection in the window of the starship? Great design for T'Phai's power suit, even had neat heads-up display distinctly different from the troopers' visors. Well done facial expressions all around, subtle yet effective emotions conveyed during the conversation between General Redwing and Lt. Razak. Awesome footage during the night drop, nice camera work on the skimmer dashing and crashing. Really liked the articulation of the burrow bombs launched by the Marauders. Nitpick: Razak's hand sank through the table a bit after he pounded his fist on it. Despite the fact that they were on a  "beach," none of the troopers left any footprints in the sand. Neither did the Bugs for that matter. When the Bug fortress finally fell, looked to me like a couple of dust clouds were imploding rather than exploding.
Go to: Synopsis	117	...And Then There Were Two	Tesca Nemerosa: Part 2	* * *	top of page
Writer: Cathy Bates | Director: Michael Chang			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: This ep was even more horror flickish than episode 109, and the title of the episode kind of gives the plot away. The ending may have been predictable, but the interaction between Rico and T'Phai was not. Forcing two characters who don't like each other to cooperate in order to survive is always fun to watch (ENEMY MINE was always one of my favorites).			Animation Critique: Two words: Jump Jets. This is much closer to how I imagined the troopers were capable of maneuvering while I was reading the novel. Incredibly lush and leafy jungle foliage. Cool how the troopers' ammo left impact craters on tree trunks, etc. Good filtering effects of sunlight through the leaves. Nice camouflage variation on the power suits. Giant spider leaping through the trees looked pretty good. Well done camera choreography on the final shoot-out with Rico, T'Phai and the spider. Nitpick: Toward the end of the episode, Rico gets sprayed with some spider web goo, but the web stuff magically disappears only a couple of shots later.
Go to: Synopsis	118	Marauder	Tesca Nemerosa: Part 3	* * * *	top of page
Writer: Michael Reaves | Director: Alan Caldwell			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: Best part of this episode was when the Roughnecks discovered the Nurser Bug spider nest. Thought the writers did a good job of conveying Doc's theory about the ability of the Bugs to genetically engineer new species. Might have been over the heads of younger viewers, but really glad they didn't totally water it down for kids. Scene makes an important point of just how unpleasant living in a Bug dominated galaxy would be.			Animation Critique: Great footage of the spider horde as the Marauders lobbed grenades at them. Awesome footage of the submersible, inside and out. Pretty impressive interior shots of the sub, nice roomy cockpit with great wall textures, neat monitor displays. Interior design of the lower level was also very nicely done, interesting lighting choices. Cool how the water seeped in from the sides when they opened the exit hatch. Footage of Rico accidentally flooding the tunnel was very well planned and executed. Oh, and Gossard looks good in an eyepatch too. Nitpick: Simply stating that the "ship's pumps can handle it" doesn't quite adequately explain the wide variations of water seepage levels portrayed inside the sub. Razak's helmet light appears on the wrong side of his head near the end of the episode.
Go to: Synopsis	119	Liquid Dreams	Tesca Nemerosa: Part 4	* * * *	top of page
Writer: Greg Weisman | Director: Jay Oliva			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: I thought this was one of the best edited episodes story-wise. Nice transitions between Rico's flashbacks to bootcamp and his dire health situation in the present. Made you wonder how much of Rico's flashbacks were true and which ones were being distorted through Rico's personal perspective. Nicely scripted confrontation between Dizzy and Carmen. Loved the scene where Razak tells the troopers they can evacuate if they want to and Brutto says, "Why's everybody looking at me?"			Animation Critique: One of the things that bothered me about the Hydora episodes was that no mater how many times the troopers got soaked, their suits never really looked "wet." In this ep during Rico's flashbacks to boot camp, rivulets of water streamed down the troopers helmets in the rain! Even Rico's skin glistened with "wetness" while he was being forced to do push-ups. Then there were all those great shots of Rico in the liquid healing chamber, water wafting through his hair, etc. Incredible lighting effects all around, lightning in the rain, lens flare effects inside the healing tank, moody interior lighting design in the hospital, flashback footage had nice hazy glow, etc. Shot of Dizzy's lipstick left on the glass surface of the healing tank was way cool. CGI animation at its finest! Nitpick: Toward the beginning of the ep, saw Razak's sleeve mesh with his shoulder pad slightly while he was in the medical bay. Dr. Sharaabi's pony tail looked kinda stiff and artificial. Pokkapick: While Carmen and Gossard are trying to repair Carmen's ship, Gossard is suddenly wearing a face-plated power suit helmet instead of the visor-less camouflage helmet he wears throughout the rest of the episode.
Go to: Synopsis	120	Heart	Tesca Nemerosa: Part 5	* * *	top of page
Writer: Lydia Morano | Director: Sean Song			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: I really liked this story, but is was a little too heavy on the soap-opera elements for my tastes. Having Zander and Dizzy trying to make Carmen jealous seemed, well, cliche. Probably the main reason it rubbed me the wrong way is because it reminded me of the cloying teen-soap moments I detested most during the STARSHIP TROOPERS movie. Otherwise the tensions between the main characters and Dr. Sharaabi over Rico's fate really helped the story along. Nitpick: Do you realize how hard Rico would have to swing his fist underwater in order to break the glass of the healing tank? Looked pretty cool, but still kinda hokey.			Animation Critique: Liked the scenes of Higgins trying to make his way through the tunnel while carrying the map generator. Rico's nightmarish visions really were creepy, maybe even too scary for younger audiences. Had to love the final scene where the Tanker Worm finally bursts through the floor and the creepy crawly control bugs have to be eliminated at all costs.
Go to: Synopsis	121	Ice-Olation	Ice Asteroid: Part 1	*	top of page
Writer: Peter Gaffney | Director: Vincent Edwards			Animation Studio: Hyper Image
Story Critique: The main reason this ep gets a "lame" rating is because the quality of the writing took a nose-dive. Having the baby Firefries erupt from Zander's neck was just plain hokey. I think the reason it seemed so jarring and silly to me was that there was no fore-shadowing whatsoever, no hints during previous campaigns that the Bugs could reproduce in such a manner. Razak asking Zander out of the blue if he has a rash just made it seem even more contrived. And the tiny Firefries which escaped from the cockpit grew to adulthood in a matter of minutes on a barren asteroid with nothing to eat? Whatever. I'm usually not one to complain about people acting "out of character," but the first thing Doc thinks to do when he's swamped by giant leeches is to try to offing himself with a grenade? I don't think so. And since when did Rico and Carmen get so chatty? Having Razak team Carmen and Rico together when Carmen is the only pilot in good enough condition to fly the ship is either a dumb move on Razak's part or another obviously contrived plot device. Also, the writers decided to blatantly ignore elementary physics. The whole concept of an Asteroid with enough gravity to have "trace amounts" of atmosphere is hokey enough, but to have enough unfrozen gasses in the air for the Firefries to spout open flames? Not at the temperatures quoted. (Of course, Pluto had an overly dense atmosphere with Earth-like gravity and they had jump jets on Nemerosa which allowed the troopers bounce around like they were on Earth's moon, but I digress.)			Animation Critique: The lighting on the faces of the human characters aboard the Valley Forge seemed a bit harsh. Crash landing sequence of the Zephyr was OK. Colors on the backs of the troopers' helmets were a little too gray compared to previous episodes. Nice water movement / wave articulation where Rico and Carmen were trapped. The chunks of snow falling into the paths of the light beams coming from their helmets looked pretty good. When Dizzy finally notices Carmen and Rico's laser signal, the light beam is off in the distance and the screen composition does little to draw attention to it. Took me a while to figure out what Dizzy was so excited about, might have helped if the beam was a deeper shade of red or something. Nitpick: As the troopers go their separate ways, there is a hideous flicker thingy on Carmen's arm and back. Right after Rico is trapped, his hands sink into the snow, but leave no impressions. Likewise, the troopers cast drop shadows on the snow, but leave no footprints or ski trails.
Go to: Synopsis	122	Mixed Signals	Ice Asteroid: Part 2	* *	top of page
Writer: Lisa Latham | Director: Michael Chang			Animation Studio: Hyper Image
Story Critique: The only important story element worth remembering from this episode is that the leeches turn out to be the source of Toxin B-3 (an agent for biochemical warfare against the Bugs which comes in handy later on in the series). Cutting back and forth between the various subplots seemed unusually choppy to me, story transitions came at akward moments rather than suspensful ones. Not clear to me why Firefries felt obligated to attack the Zephyr, Roughnecks didn't seem like much of a threat to them at the time.			Animation Critique: Best thing I have to say about this episode animation-wise is that the walk cyles and limb articulation of the grown Firefry Bugs was top notch work. Interiors of the Zephyr were OK, some decent explosion effects here and there. Nitpick: Inconsitent use of heads up display on the faceplate of Doc's helmet (without the visor flipped down). Helmet mesh on Higgins, no black neck covering. Helmet meshes on Razak and Rico as well. (Hey, at least Foundation Imaging isn't the only studio that had problems with the jutting corners on those helmets :-)
Go to: Synopsis	123	Hot Ice	Ice Asteroid: Part 3	* *	top of page
Writer: Steve Cuden | Director: Andre Clavel			Animation Studio: Rainbow Studios
Story Critique: I thought this story lacked focus. I didn't find myself too worried about whether or not the troopers from the Zephyr would ever reach the Sequoia science vessel. Maybe if we were shown scenes of a panicky Sequoia crew surrounded by Firefries moments before the Roughnecks started searching for them there could have been more suspense. I dunno, the Roughnecks just didn't seem in too much of a hurry to get anywhere even though they were in desperate need of a fuel cell. Having Zander disappear upped the stakes and got the story rolling, but over-all the pacing was a bit slow. Nitpick: When Razak asks Carmen if she's all right after the crash landing, what she *should* have said was: "Don't mind me, I'm used to banging my head against the dashboard. While you were snug and secure back there underneath the swivel-down safety bar, pilots like myself risk serious injury each time we land since there are NO SEAT BELTS in the cockpit!"			Animation Critique: Cool shot of the huge eye stalk taking a peek at the troopers in the fore-ground. The most impressive shots took place aboard the virtually deserted science vessel. Good model design, good interior lighting, nice dust particles drifting down in the light. Nice eerie shots of the troopers' helmet beams lighting the way. Some of the rope bridge footage was pretty good. "Bug's eye view" of Zander's head toward the end was appropriately freaky. Nitpick: Saw two or three helmet meshes on Brutto. Still no foot prints in the snow.
Go to: Synopsis	124	The Inside Story	Ice Asteroid: Part 4	* * *	top of page
Writer: Paul Diamond | Director: Sam Liu			Animation Studio: Rainbow Studios
Story Critique: This is one of the first stories where the Roughnecks really seem to be in dire straits with little or no hope of success. Significant story arc episode since Razak promotes Rico to Corporal. Conflict resolution with Zander playing the Pied Piper seemed a little far-fetched to me. The notion that the entire asteroid might be a gigantic living creature was a little cliche, but cool none-the-less.			Animation Critique: Firefry hordes storming the hill looked like formidable foes, nice bug pile-up when Rico, Dizzy and T'Phai were forced to fend for themselves. The "journey to the center of the asteroid" when the ground collapsed beneath the Zephyr was pretty cool. Excellent footage of the Marauders submerged in the digestive goop. Swarms of the tiny Firefries infiltrating the ship weren't too shabby-looking either. Nitpick: Some slight helmet meshes on Razak. We see Zander wandering up a slope from Brutto's point of view with targeting assessment filters in the fore-ground even though Brutto has not flipped his visor down. Dizzy's helmet meshes pretty badly with her Morita rifle shortly after she, Rico and T'Phai are cornered. Gossard's left hand and Carmen's fingers blend in with their legs while they're sitting in chairs aboard the Zephyr. Dizzy's head meshes with Zander's shoulder a bit when she tries to give him a hug.
Go to: Synopsis	125	The Ice Men Goeth	Ice Asteroid: Part 5	* *	top of page
Writer: Dan Corsun | Director: Vincent Edwards			Animation Studio: Rainbow Studios
Story Critique: Okay, I'm confused. Are the leeches part of the Ice Bug's life support system or are they merely parasites? If the Firefries have a symbiotic relationship with the Ice Bug, then why do the leeches attack the Firefries? The Ice Bug just sits there for thousands of years and waits for a "chance encounter" with Firefry spore to stock up on fuel? And this asteroid field is how far away from planet Karvok exactly? Not a very efficient "symbiotic" relationship if you ask me. Maybe this was just a case of "too many writers spoils the stew," but they should have gotten together and discussed the particulars of the overall story arc before introducing so many sub-plot variations in the Ice Asteroid campaign. On the plus side, Higgins goes a little nuts due to oxygen deprevation and has some great lines.			Animation Critique: Probably the best animated Ice Asteroid episode as much of it happens inside the Ice Bug instead of on the bland snowy surface. The only episode done by Rainbow Studios which flows seamlessly with the quality and style of Foundation Imaging's product. Floating blood globules looked cool, but didn't make sense gravity-wise (why would the globules float when the troopers don't?). About the only thing that could explain it away is if the atmosphere inside the bug was very dense, but again, not enough gravity to begin with. Another episode in the  "looks cool but still hokey" category. Final explosion inside the asteriod field looked stellar though.
Go to: Synopsis	126	Metamorphosis	Klendathu: Part 1	* * *	top of page
Writers: Thomas Pugsley & Greg Klein | Director: David Hartman			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: Not a particularly original story, but the high quality of the animation kept my attention. Or, if you prefer, you could think of this episode as "homage" to FRANKENSTEIN - and the first ALIEN movie - and the "Space Seed" episode of the original STAR TREK - and every other episode of DR. WHO... Nitpick: My main complaint about this episode is the utter lack of "warp drive" or "hyperspace" effects. The Valley Forge is shown several times just sort of floating through "deep space," but most of these establishing shots are obviously orbital views of Tesca Nemerosa. Just before Carmen announces that the hyperdrive engines have been shut down, we are simply shown the ship's main exhaust ports going dim. What I wanted to see were breaking thrusters in the *front* of the ship being turned *on*. Or at least some sort of star-streaking effect coming to a standstill, or maybe the backwash of hyperspace receeding to infinity or - *something* - not just flicking off the main engines like a switch. That was lame. Or maybe I'm just spoiled by how much attention the Foundation Imaging crew paid to real physics on the BABYLON 5 series. Geekpick: "Major" Barcalow refers to himself as "Lieutenant Barcalow, reporting for duty," but hey, he's half Bug now so let's cut the poor guy some slack :-)			Animation Critique: Really liked the scene where the spinklers come on the lab, everybody looked soaked. Extremely impressive interior design onboard the Valley Forge (even though some of it was borrowed from the Pluto research stations). Nice little details crammed into every coner of the screen, metal grates, water pipes, ventilaton covers, cryo-tubes, corroded railings, metal deck plating, angled door frames, tricky lighting situations in the elevator shaft handled well, etc. Zander Bug mutation also well designed and articulated with the squirmy mandibles and the extra eyes. Great exterior shots of the Valley Forge, nice escape pod sequence.
Go to: Synopsis	127	D-Day	Klendathu: Part 2	* * * *	top of page
Writer: Tony Somo | Director: Alan Caldwell			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: The first story where Rico is promoted to Sergeant. Having to decide whether or not to nix Dizzy from the squad was an excellent way of showing the new burdens of responsibility on Rico. A climactic episode in the over all story arc since this is the first story where the humans take the war to the Bugs' home turf. D-Day invasion tactics seem way more planned in advance than they did in the STARSHIP TROOPERS movie.			Animation Critique: Good slime design when Dizzy's suit got mucked up. Nice shots of Giant Rhino Bugs clinging to the hull of the drop ship. Excellent camera work and screen composition when Carmen and Gossard finally got the drop ship off the ground. Some cool explosion effects involving Plasma Bugs meeting their untimely demise. One lovely shot in particular of a Warrior Bug being engulfed by flames. Fun watching the Warrior Bugs go splat as huge rocks landed on them. Cool design work on Lt. Rockford's cybernetic graft. Great final shot of retrieval boats filling the sky. Nitpick: Some of the fighters were too small or too blurry to be seen in the opening shot, higher contrast color scheme might have helped. What happened to T'Phai's propriatary heads-up display? Final helmet mesh score: Razak 1, Rico 1, Dizzy 3.
Go to: Synopsis	128	The Mission	Klendathu: Part 3	* * *	top of page
Writer: Cade Chilcoat | Director: Jay Oliva			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: I think this episode suffered from overkill, too many Sci-Fi cliches crammed into one episode. But the story pacing didn't drag for a moment, I'll give it that. We also learn the tragic fate of Trooper Albert :-) Nitpick: The Imposter Bug took out a couple of CHAS units like they weren't even there? The CHAS unit introduced in episode 113 took out a whole swarm of Warrior Bugs and a Blaster Bug in a matter of seconds!			Animation Critique: My favorite part was at the beginning of the ep when Higgins is fleeing for his life, trying to get everybody's attention. Nice camera work as the Imposter Bug wreaked havoc inside the base. The shots inside in the autopsy bay were cool too. Liked the articulation of the Imposters as they tore through the power suits from the inside out. Neat visor P.O.V. shot when Doc gives us a "see-thru" view of Trooper Kimmel. Intense "doom and gloom" look achieved mostly through lighting and color choices helped highten the suspense and drama of the story. Nitpick: There was a shot where three troopers were lined up and firing at the enemy, but as the enemy drew closer and the troopers adjusted their line of fire, it looked like they were shooting at the backs of each others' feet. The final sequence where Rico flounders and gets cut off from the rest of the sqaud was visually disorienting. Final helmet mesh score: Higgins 1, Rico 1, Dizzy 2.
Go to: Synopsis	129	Letters Home	Klendathu: Part 4	* * * *	top of page
Writers: Lara Runneis & Patti Carr | Director: Sean Song			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: A genuinely touching story, determination in the face of hopelessness is always a good foundation to build dramatic tension on. Each "letter" home was well thought out and none of them were sappy. I was particularly impressed with T'Phai and Gossard's letters, both sequences gave additional insight into their characters. Carmen's letter helped flesh out her character too. Loved how it looked like Razak was going to knock the camera out of Higgins' hands before he points out his "family." Music Pick: Try this: First you have to have a CD of classical music by Carl Orff called Carmina Burana (plays during lots of movie trailers). Then fast-forward your VHS tape up to the point near the end of the episode where Gossard is setting up the missiles to blow the trench and press the stop button on your VCR. Turn down the sound on your TV (but not quite all the way), pump up the volume on your CD player and set it on pause to play the first song, "O Fortuna." Now let your VCR play, and as soon as you see Gossard set down the plasma charge on the shelf next to the missiles, un-pause your CD player. Your eyes and ears will thank you :-)			Animation Critique: This episode made the STARSHIP TROOPERS movie seem lame in comparison! An episode of truly epic proportions, the Bug hordes were out in full force, their teeming multitudes gave new meaning to the word "out-numbered." Considering how many times it's been done, the animators keep coming up with new ways to make the Retrieval Ship crashes look cool. The shots of the Warrior and Blister Bugs storming the trenches were really well done, but the air strike sequence at the end was truly awe inspiring - Hopper swarms filling the sky, attack bombers blasting the bug hordes below, the camera view being overtaken by the blast wave from the nukes, the list goes on and on...Now THIS is "Must See TV!" Nitpick: Saw three helmet meshes on Dizzy, a slight one on Rico. Jittery camera movement in the cockpit shortly after Carmen's crash only drew attention to itself, wasn't necessary. I know I keep harping about the lack of seat belts in the retrieval boats, but wouldn't Carmen have been thrown clear of the cockpit during the crash?
Go to: Synopsis	130	Checkmate	Klendathu: Part 5	* * *	top of page
Writer: Tony Schillaci | Director: David Hartman			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: Carl is back! Writers finally gave Carl some lines I'd been waiting for him to say since the series began, loved it when he told Doc off for something Doc was merely thinking instead of something he actually said. Nitpick: The troopers were supposedly on a covert attack mission, but even so, the Queen Bug didn't seem very well guarded or protected. The rank insignia on the shoulder pad of Echo Squad's Lt. kept changing for no reason.			Animation Critique: The way the falling rocks moved out of Carl's way was one of my favorite shots. Bug Queen design was good, but somehow I was expecting something more..."evil looking" perhaps? A closer rip off of the Bug Queen from the second ALIENS movie? A cross between Godzilla and the Shadows from BABYLON 5? I don't know, maybe just something bigger and more vicious in appearence, but something with more screen time in any case. There wasn't a very suspenseful build-up to the Queen Bug being revealed for the first time. Nitpick: The pulse rife rounds made the Bug Queen bleed, but a direct grenade hit had no effect?
Go to: Synopsis	131	Trackers	Earth: Part 1	* * *	top of page
Writer: Jules Dennis | Director: Michael Chang			Animation Studio: Hyper Image
Story Critique: At least in this episode they had a Star Trek type star-streaking effect to indicate when the Valley Forge was in engaged in Hyperdrive. Otherwise just a standard formula "chase" story that holds up fairly well (if you fast forward through most of the dialogue). Felt to me like the whole sub-plot with Higgins having a girlfriend just slowed the story down.			Animation Critique: Two words: Space Battle! Really enjoyed the way the Plasma Bugs lined up on the "hull" of the Transport Bug and acted like ship to ship missile launchers. Escape from the exploding Trasnport Bug at the end was reminicent of the RETURN OF THE JEDI Death Star explosion sequence. Main strength of this episode is the various exterior shots, human running movements inside the starship corridors were to either too stiff or too exagerated. Lip movements of human characters were also a little on the stiff and wooden side. Nitpick: Tri-lateral hanger bay doors slid open vertically on the exterior view of the Valley Forge.
Go to: Synopsis	132	Among Us	Earth: Part 2	* * *	top of page
Writer: Jules Dennis | Director: Andre Clavel			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: Liked the ending where Carl tries to act as a telepathic conduit for an unconcious Gossard. Kind of lame that it took the troopers such a long time to figure out that the North Dakotans were acting so strangely (I lived right across the river from Fargo for five and a half years, and yeah, they do obsess about the weather over there, but you would too if there was a blizzard every other week :-) Geekpick: The "scientific" explanation for how the Hybrid Clone Bugs could switch between such drastically different genetic forms was laughable at best.			Animation Critique: Little Butte, North Dakota had decent textures on the buildings and on the pavement, but the civilian vehicles could have used some more weathering. Nice skid marks left by the pickup on the landing strip, interiors of the nulcear reactor were pretty cool. Facial expressions exchanged between Razak, Redwing and Carl at the beginning of the ep were subtle yet effective. Liked the way Carl slung his pack over his shoulder and the mean look he gave Rico.
Go to: Synopsis	134	Hide N' Seek	Earth: Part 3	* * * *	top of page
Writer: Tim Schlattermann | Director: Vincent Edwards			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: This is the first episode where it looks as though Humanity might be losing its war against the Bugs. The first real battle we see fought on Earth's home turf. Nice to see the trio of Rico, Carl and Dizzy finally working together again, just like old times. Rico finally delcares his love for Dizzy. Part of you wants to slap him for waiting so long, another part of you wants to slap him for his lousy timing. Lets face it, the boy just needs to be slapped. I nominate Dizzy :-)			Animation Critique: Nice modeling work in the war-torn alley-ways of Buenos Aries. My favorite part of the episode was when the the Roughnecks were trying to hide out in their camouflaged tents as the Warrior Bugs advanced. Realistic light filtering / shadow effects, nice leafy-yet-artifical camouflage nets. Good up-close-and-personal shots of the Warrior Bugs. Excellent terrain modeling all around.
Go to: Synopsis	135	Requiem	Earth: Part 4	* * * *	top of page
Writer: Marsha Griffin | Directors: Vincent Edwards & Alan Caldwell & Sean Song			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: This is the climax toward which the entire series has been building. All of the story elements flow together smoothy, no sluggishness, no beating around the bush, just non-stop action and intense drama. Civilians about to be nuked if the Roughnecks don't pull through, things going wrong at the last minute, Razak's last stand. It doesn't get much better than this, folks!			Animation Critique: Now this is an episode everyone should be able to sink their teeth into. Every single shot stocked full of creamy goodness! Not a single image wasted! Superbly crafted and executed Kamakaze Rippler ambush on the retrieval boat. Underwater skirmishes with both bugs and troopers moving about in a plausible fashion. The Bugs being flushed out of their underground tunnels on to the surface with Toxin B-3. The drama of losing Razak and the looks of defeat on the faces of the Roughnecks. Not to mention the unforgettable shot of Razak's artificial arm on the bottom of the sea bed at the end, the list goes on and on! The cream of the crop!
Go to: Synopsis	136	Funeral For a Friend	Earth: Part 5	* * * *	top of page
Writer: Greg Weisman | Director: Sam Liu			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: OK, I can admit it, the first time I saw this episode I choked up, maybe even shed a tear or two. That last shot of the photo sinking into the water at the end of this episode gets to me every time. On top of that you've got Brutto finally realizing his true worth, Rico making some tough descisions regarding the fate of General Redwing, and a bunch of troopers trying to lay a good man to rest. Yet another example of why this series is worth watching from start to finish!			Animation Critique: Gotta love the scene where Brutto uses his hoover chair to rescue Higgins and Redwing. Great terrain design again, good looking pine trees, grasses, fallen logs, sunrise over Luna lake, etc. Neat rock pile on top of the Brain Bug too. Final shots of scattering the ashes will go down in animation history as some of the most compelling CGI ever done for TV.
Go to: Synopsis	137	Spirits of the Departed	Earth: Part 6	* * *	top of page
Writer: Greg Weisman | Director: Vincent Edwards			Animation Studio: Foundation Imaging
Story Critique: This episode is cruelest of all cliffhangers if the series is never completed! It almost plays like the first episode of a second season, a worthy transition from Razak's leadership to "Rico's" Roughnecks. Characters of Max Brutto and Charlie Zim show lots of potential. Rico finally comes into his own and grows up a little, something we've been waiting to see for a long time. My main complaint: not clear if Carl is still part of the squad or not, certainly hope we haven't seen the last of him.			Animation Critique: Don't know if Hawaii really looks like that, but it looked good to me. Grasses waving in the wind was very cool. Lovely vertical pan of sumberged Transport Bug with Plasma Bug stomping across the sea bed. Liked both the exterior and interior design of the communications outpost, one of the few times where room design had to be absolutely consistent with exterior of the building. Nice tidal wave effects when the base goes kaplooie. Some really nice vehicle shots in this one too, especially toward the end. Not particulary clear that the Warrior Bug in the very last shot is standing atop a Transport Bug, but an awesome pull-back shot none-the-less. Nitpick: Dizzy's armband changes from the black "J.R" band to the old grey "C.J." band a couple of times, most noticeably as she is helped out of what remains of the bomb shelter near the end.
Go to: Synopsis	CS1	Pluto and Beyond	Clip Show #1	*	top of page
Written and Directed by: Various Artists			Animation Studios: Various
Story Critique: Clip Shows may be an inevitability in the TV biz, but I've seen shows that manage to weave a beautiful tapestry utilizing clips from previous episodes. This is NOT one of those shows. Introduces mondo continuity problems with Tophet clips sandwiched in-between Pluto clips. Might be an OK episode to show newbies in order to generate interest, but otherwise avoidance-worthy.			Animation Critique: See, I can't even comment on the animation because it would be redundant, and if I tried to squeeze all of the previous episode information into this space it would just look silly. I'm telling you, Clip Shows suck - period :-)
Go to: Synopsis	CS2	Propaganda Machine	Clip Show #2	* *	top of page
Written and Directed by: Various Artists			Animation Studios: Various
Story Critique: The second Clip Show was much more tolerable than the first. This time the framing device of Higgins trying to put a "positive spin" on archival Roughnecks footage softened the pain of the continuity glitches considerably. Putting the campaign titles and voice-over credits in the bottom corner of the screen was also a tremendous help. In fact, if you watch the first and second Clip Shows in reverse order and pretend that the first Clip Show is the program which Higgins eventually completed in order to prevent himself from getting fired, the first Clip Show's continuity problems are also much easier to tolerate.			Animation Critique: At least this Clip Show has enough additional footage to comment on. There were some nice noise filter effects to smooth the transitions between the archival footage and Higgins' editing screen. Neat fast-forward and rewind effects. Otherwise I thought it would have been better if all of the archival footage had been reframed from the point of view of  Higgins' camera (with the blue cross hairs and whatnot). But I suppose that's too much to ask of a narrative structure which is designed to avoid extra work for the animators :-)
Go to: Synopsis	CS3	Marooned	Clip Show #3	*	top of page
Written and Directed by: Various Artists			Animation Studios: Various
Story Critique: Sorry, but Clip Shows just aren't my thing. This one was better than the first, but not as good as the second. I'm additionally biased against this show because it had several clips from "Ice-Olation," one of my least favorite episodes. I suppose they made the ending ambiguous on purpose, but I would have appreciated a bit more closure to the story. It was unclear (at least to me) if Rico actually chooses Carmen over Dizzy at the end. Otherwise this Clip Show probably fits in with the overall story arc more smoothly than the others.			Animation Critique: The additional footage of Rico's Drop Suit malfuncioning was actually pretty good. Unfortunately, that's about all this Clip Show has going for it.
Go to: Synopsis	CS4	Court-martial of Lt. Razak	Clip Show #4	* * *	top of page
Written and Directed by: Various Artists			Animation Studios: Various
Story Critique: This is much closer to my ideal of what a Clip Show should be. The writers don't just rumage through old clips but invite the viewer to consider past segments from a fresh perspective. Here we are given a skewed view of Razak's actions and attitudes through Lt. Walker's egocentric point of view. Nice to see the tables turned on Walker at the end. The only Clip Show really worthy of your time.			Animation Critique: The additional footage in this Clip Show was top notch. Nice shots of Warrior Bugs storming the compound. Cool to see General Redwing suited up and out in the field.
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