Fusion

DVD, Enterprise S1 (Fusion)

This was one of the very few episodes I'd never seen, although I knew details of it. I have to say I've never appreciated what 'Enterprise' did with the Vulcans, in making them more emotional, because it loses their uniqueness, their power and their cool factor. People argue that it's better they're that way because then humans can relate to them better, but the whole point has always been that they are very alien and different. While Roddenberry didn't have access to elaborate prosthetics, Spock was still the most interesting character of the original series because of the depths they went to in creating an alien race. So you can imagine how I feel about Vulcans that have rejected this.

On the other hand I'd freely admit that emotional Vulcans are excellent to watch (eg: Tuvok whenever he's stripped of control). But this is because the rest of the time they are so rigid. When that rigidity is lost the anomaly is less special. There were a lot of firsts for the series though, such as the mindmeld, mention of Shi-Kahr, Surak, seven year mating cycle, and Vulcan strength. It was the same with Season Three's 'Impulse' though - an idea that could have been dramatic, but ended less than it should have been due to the erosion here of the species seen in later series'. There was enough to like (the B-story with Trip), but it wasn't a strong episode.

**

Fury

DVD, Voyager S6 (Fury)

This was something of a disappointment. I was surprised that on this second viewing, after the shock impact of having Kes return, it didn't fulfil all the nuances that were needed to make it perfect. The first time round I loved it, but, probably because I'm also in the middle of Season One, with those performances fresh in mind, the old time seemed less real. There were other things too, that totted up, little things like the rather anticlimactic stumble back from Kes' powers instead of some visible shaking blast or a more impressive scene. The Vidiians were back, yet this incursion was nowhere near as impressive as 'Deadlock' for example, and for once Vaughn Armstrong's well known voice was used once too often. The characters did attempt to return to their earlier portrayals, and some were more successful than others, but I felt a deal of it was merely the old hairstyle or whatever, and not enough elements were there to really show their traits, and highlight how they'd changed in the six years.

It seemed like another opportunity episode that 'Voyager' had blown, to an extent. I mean it had to happen, Kes was so much a part of the crew they had to have a return episode (personally I think she should have stayed as the reintegration would have been absolutely fascinating), and the idea that Kes is now their enemy and wants them destroyed is a brilliant take on it. We find out that her 'evolution' into a higher state of being or whatever happened, was a negative step, that she went from being the kind and joy-filled girl into a bitter and confused old woman, alone and shunned. It was also great to have the little touches, such as Mrs. Wildman, who is still on the ship, but we never see her, and Carey, likewise. It would have been a perfect moment to bring back someone that had died in a meaningful way, but I suppose they didn't want to over egg the pudding.

The ending was another aspect that was heartrending, but logical, although it did seem too easy that she sees a hologram of herself and realises the error of her ways. And Neelix still doesn't have the proper closure he deserved, though it was the right thing to have him in the goodbye scene. Once again 'Voyager' chooses the frustrating route, the road less dangerous, afraid of denting the established set up too much, and because of their timidity Trek began to lose focus and the series never fully reached what it could have in story and character. But at least in part this is a good event to happen, and time travel is always welcome to me, and Kes was such a great character she needed at least this nod. So I can't rate it badly. It is a nostalgic return to a simpler time, and a better time, despite the quality episodes that have undeniably been created for this season. Kes is missed.

****

Move Along Home

DVD, DS9 S1 (Move Along Home)

For me this is one of the best episodes of the season, and an early favourite of mine I always enjoy watching. It's not hard to understand what makes it so great, because it's a mix of all the usual things, done especially well. It was directed by English director David Carson, who also helmed the pilot episode and the film 'Star Trek: Generations', both of which are some of the best-directed Trek ever made. The characters are all in on the action (except O'Brien, who we're told is still on his trip to Earth, although the real reason was that Colm Meaney was working on a film as he occasionally did throughout DS9's run. Ths fact of the Chief's absence isn't ignored, but comes up naturally when Jake says there's no school because Mrs. O'Brien's still away), with Sisko getting to lead his troops, and be the kind of Starfleet Captain... sorry, Commander, that we're used to seeing from the other series'.

And on the other end Quark gives his best performance so far. No I don't mean the actor (who performs brilliantly), but the Ferengi himself, who goes from intrigue in the Wadi game, to realisation of the four officers peril, to breaking down and pitifully whining in despair on the floor, to relieved when the decision to sacrifice one of the 'players' is lifted from him. So many emotional states flash over his face this episode, it gives us a chance to see the quick-change artist, the be all things to all people, the lightning brain of this character which initially seemed like a shady, unpleasant, unknown. Talking of emotional states, you have to wonder what the Vulcans made of their first contact with these aliens. "Yes, yes... now where are the games?" You can imagine a raised eyebrow and a reassurance that Quark's had what they wanted. You've got to hand it to the Ferengi, he's already got Vulcans plugging his establishment!

For such a mysterious and sometimes sinister episode (I'm thinking of my favourite scene here - the rather nightmarish Wadi party in the smoke-filled room where the solution is dangled in front of them, but done so in a sarcastic way so as not to lead them along), there's a good share of humour. Be it Sisko's bemusement with his son 'learning' about girls from Nog, to Bashir's embarrassment at losing his dress uniform (which look really good, and have elements of the original series film uniforms with their folded piece across the chest), or Odo's interactions with Primmin.

It struck me this viewing that the Lieutenant was there as a substitute for O'Brien. There's no similarity, except for the gold shirt, but he's an added element while the Chief's away. Odo always manages to make him look a fool and deflects his good natured, relaxed attitude. He plays him like an instrument, the best line being a subservient, sarcastic response to Primmin's suggestion that he can't just beam onto the alien ship. "Oh, is that Starfleet regulations?" He then puts the full force into reminding the security officer he's not in Starfleet. As Kira does, when she finds it hard to accept their predicament, while the others are typical professional Starfleet officers, prepared for the unknown. This is one of the strengths of her character (and which some other Trek series' lost), that she is an outsider the viewer can identify with and accompany on the journey more accessibly than the more blase Starfleeters.

Seeing them perform the 'Alamaraine' rhyme, while dancing along, is very funny, but even more so to see Kira who is the least accepting of silliness! Bashir is very much the eager puppy, almost enjoying the challenge this situation provides, which is perhaps why he is the first to be 'lost'. Watching the episode and knowing the outcome is obviously not quite as exciting as not knowing what will happen to them or how, but you still get the character's reactions pulling you in.

Falow Master Surchid was such a great character, never confirming or denying anything, but speaking sternly or forcefully when deemed necessary, providing enough threat to be uncertain of the stakes, but with every so often a gleam or a twinkle that betrayed his intelligent love of games and puzzles. The only thing missing is really the opportunity to get to know these people, but that would have lost some of their mystery. They do seem like a more interesting race than some aliens-of-the-week, and deserved at least one return I feel. And Sisko wasn't in the best of moods by the end. Indeed, he was veritably ashaking with rage. You could have boiled a kettle on his head. He does it so well, even more so because most of them time he's very calm and measured, almost Vulcan-like in his posture, and commanding presence. So when he loses it, or even begins to, it's far more dramatic.

The episode is kind of the reverse of a 'Star Trek' I saw recently called 'The Way To Eden'. In that (head-tattooed) aliens peacefully seek an idyllic planet, but everything turns foul by the end, whereas here events seem threatening, but finish up with the twist of it only being a game. The Wadi are, it turns out, merely playful than dangerous. I love the 'naughty, naughty' look Falow gives Odo after the Constable has been on their ship, but suddenly finds himself in Quark's bar. So much is said in the eyes or the tone, and that plays to a more intelligent audience that doesn't need everything explained. The only notable aspect of the Wadi is that Dax is clearly in pain. But it seems it's simulated pain as she's fine when the game ends. So their technology must be more advanced than a holosuite as in that you either feel nothing, with the safeties on, or it's deadly when they're off. This episode has all the points you want from it, showcases some great work from the performers, and I haven't even mentioned the impressive camera shots such as the pull back on the birds eye view. Oh, there you go, I have.

****

The Way To Eden

DVD, Star Trek S3 (The Way To Eden)

Get with it, man. This episode reaches. It don't cross, it reaches. And if you have no idea what I'm talking about then don't be a Herbert! To begin at the beginning, I enjoyed the teaser, as it had some proper danger, and a ship to look at. Even though it looks similar to the Tholian ships (because it was made from a Tholian ship!), you can argue it was based on their specifications, and you can't argue with heightened tension as the ship is about to blow.

Most people would probably never have guessed that a group of space hippies/pop group would ever walk off those hallowed transporter pads, but this episode proved them wrong. For one thing, the aliens among them, specifically Dr. Sevrin (he of the cauliflower ears) and that dude with long flowing purple and white hair (and check those groovy eyebrows!), are fascinating, as Mr. Spock didn't say as he was too busy 'reaching' them, and then jamming. I suppose it was logical that Trek would do hippy since it was made in the sixties, but it doesn't come as any less of a shock.

We've had Uhura serenading the rec room before, we've even seen the Vulcan twirling some strings, but I don't think we've ever experienced the amount of music and radical style that these totally un-Herberts perform, particularly Adam. I suppose if you hate lines like "Brain and brain. What is brain?" then this might similarly rub you up the wrong wave, but it's a chance to have some fun, yet still turns into a tragic tale, a tale looking at an opposing view to the Federation and our heroes, and something you would expect to hear in the future from some quarter. These are the self-styled outcasts of their worlds, who shun technology and long for the simple life. Spock even makes some validation of their viewpoint, though ultimately they are led astray by a mad leader, and he never fully forgets his place on the Enterprise or the logic of using technology. He's merely interested in their ideas.

Sevrin (with his intricate head paint) is a very good guest character, that raises the episode. His calm equanimity, which we later learn is actually the cover of insanity, makes him seem quite cool. The multicoloured cape helps! Adam too, with his futuristic guitar is rad, and fun to watch. It's interesting to note that the blond girl who sings, would have been McCoy's daughter, though this never made it into the script, perhaps for time.

So the makeup, the music, the character and fun, is all well played, but what stops this from becoming a silly episode is that these benign, peaceful people plan to take over the Enterprise, and we know it. There's some excellent camera work, with one shot in particular standing out for me: the group are going about their plan, and we cut back to Sevrin, framed by the brig's energy field, and zoom in towards his diabolical smile, which says everything - the plan is coming together.

Another positive is that most of the cast are well used, after several episode where they've been all but forgotten. Chekov even has the B-story as a Russian woman he loved back at the Academy is among the group. The only mistakes are the auxiliary control room, which I don't think we've ever heard of before (yet aliens have tried to take over several times, and never used it!), and the lack of a Romulan presence, with only mention of their threat as the ship speeds into their territory. It probably would have been too much for the story to have them as well, and the unseen threat works sufficiently. Everything else gels, with characters into it, fun guest cast, and most importantly an ending with an ironic and poignant twist. The 'Eden' Sevrin's followers thought they'd found turned out to be an acid-filled hell, leading to both Adam and the Dr.'s death. As Spock says over the dead body after he'd eaten the fruit of his Eden, his name was Adam. Little touches like the music they had played earlier is used over these scenes to give greater meaning.

It's very hard to fault such a fun, ensemble episode, which has measures of danger, whimsy and character... but it's a shame Uhura wasn't in it as she'd have been perfect to add her voice to the songs. Maybe that's why she was excluded, as she might have held up the plot with Spock being the one person they 'reached'. The guy who was Adam played another, very different character, about thirty years later in 'DS9'. And I believe the shot of Chapel falling to the floor (with great impact!) was a reuse from a previous episode this season. Worth an encore!

***

Cold Lazarus

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S1 (Cold Lazarus)

It must have been so confusing for Sarah. This is set in the real world, where clones or aliens or bizarre phenomena aren't the accepted norm as they are in Starfleet, so the opportunity to show an alien interacting with our world, and for an even greater touch: to be doing it to try and heal a person, but misunderstanding the state of the past and that person. For me it was very much the journey Commander Sisko goes through in the first episode of 'DS9', where aliens that live differently to humans show him that he is stuck in the past because of his wife's death. This episode is more focused on the other side; his wife, who is bewildered when Jack supposedly just turns up.

It was a special episode, because it went a different route to most stories this season, with a heartfelt narrative that tells us as much as we need filled in on the way O'Neill is, without resorting to a quick bit of filler, and the Colonel moping around. The alien is a magical creature, like ET or some other benevolent being, and this raises the episode. It's not about hunting down an imposter, which could have been action-packed, but have no further meaning for the characters. The alien planet is the most alien we've seen so far, and very nice on the eye. Much better this and its crystalline entities, than wooded area no. 17 and human tribe no. 24!

The episode showcases the potential sci-fi can hold, and attains more value than a more complicated, political or action oriented episode would have, as most Earth-based episode seemed to be about. Most importantly it shows that the series doesn't have to be formulaic to create great stories and develop characters, making it one of the best of the season. My only regret is that it seems to tie off that side of Jack's personality, so that there's no need for Sarah and his history to be part of it again.

***

The Cloud Minders

DVD, Star Trek S3 (The Cloud Minders)

The Trouble With Cloudminders is that David Gerrold co-wrote it and after the Tribbles episode you expect a lot. The other trouble is that both sides in this stereotypical tale of the rich, high-living intellectuals and the violent, downtrodden poor workers were both unsympathetic. Kirk is caught in the middle, but he and Spock are about the only characters from the ship that play a significant part, which is sad, considering we're so close to the end of the season.

There are other little problems, like in one early scene Kirk speaks without moving his lips! Maybe it was a line dubbed in afterwards, but the scene cuts away to another angle, then cuts back and he says something else only this time you can see him speak. Technical details like that add to the dissatisfied sense over all. The story being a typical one, too, doesn't help, nor does the fact that you can't identify with any of the guest characters.

Spock is uncharacteristically drawn to the vacuous and stupid Droxine who swans around in her elaborate, but impractical dress, not really understanding what's happening. Some things that give you expectations from the start, such as interesting camera moves, or the pleasantness of Plasus, the leader, are turned around by the end. The directing becomes no more special (indeed has bizarre fill-in scenes such as Spock retreading what's happened so far, with montages of things we've just seen), and Plasus becomes most unpleasant and never learns his lesson. I don't see why Kirk didn't impose sanctions on the planet or threaten to report all that had happened to the Federation since Ardana was a member, and therefore should be living by the laws and statutes laid down!

While I did like the inside of Stratos with its cloud views in the background, the representation of the ground was very unrealistic. This extended to some of the action too, such as when a miner leaps to his doom for no real reason, other than he's a captive. It was surprising and could have shocked if the script had used the moment better, and had the effects either not shown it or worked out a better way to present it.

Vanna goes from overalls, to bathing costume, to sixties miniskirt, and her character is uneven. Valiantly fighting Kirk one moment (and the Captain must have been a bit poorly as he finds it difficult to fight the girl, then later the old man!), the next she's worried that he and Plasus will kill each other. The miner's don't get a good innings, and generally the story isn't played out well, despite such good ideas as a floating city of the clouds (ten years before 'Star Wars' and on a TV budget!), and the face masks that would protect from the harmful gas. The drop-off in quality that most agree happened with this season, has come true. Let's hope there are at least some good episodes left.

**

Truth

DVD, Smallville S3 (Truth)

The first impression it left me with was the strange selection of music in the last scene, but maybe if I was plugged into music culture it would mean something?

It's a good idea, done well, something that Season Three was not rife with: Chloe becomes a kind of villain, seeing firsthand the negative impact uncontrolled journalism can have, unable to use her newly-acquired power selectively, she uncovers deep secrets, unearths things that should have stayed buried, and generally causes havoc with people's inner selves. The tension of what she will find out, is coupled with unbridled longing for her to speak to every character she can!

Every time a new opportunity arises we're dreading what will happen, yet also egging her on. But there's something shameful about hearing Lex' core being, or Pete's, because a line has been crossed. Though we may suspect certain things (or know, in Lionel's case), to have characters forced into giving up themselves, is disturbing, in a more intense way than if they had been beaten up or troubled by some other, more physical power. Chloe shows once again, that Clark is the exception that proves the rule: power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely. Once again we realise what his upbringing saved himself and the world from.

We keep hearing about Gabe, her Father, but the series has been remiss in it's depiction (or lack of), Chloe's home life. It would have been better to take a more Season Two approach and have scenes with Gabe and Lana, to show both Chloe's changing situation, and Lana's. Instead these things are simply spoken of, and we are expected to accept things like Lana planning to move away. Like much of the season we once again get the impression the writers haven't got a handle on the series. They may have storyboarded where the arcs are going, but generally the plot hasn't fallen neatly into place, but seemed a little forced.

As a single episode there isn't much wrong though. It was so good to hear Chloe given information by Lionel, for example, even though it puts an even heavier burden on her, rather than giving her some footing to fight back. She still doesn't let others in on her plights, despite her contrite speech to Clark, and the events she's just been through! Pete is thankfully a reasonable part of the story, as though he belongs, but this time it's Jonathan who's 'missing presumed unscripted'.

The bridge Chloe almost goes over looked like the very same that Clark saved Lex under, but I'm not sure if it was intentional. Unfortunately it brought back a much more elaborate stunt to mind, and left the heaving of the car back onto the road looking a bit of a weak way out. I was expecting the car to topple over and Clark to pull her out in slow-motion. I enjoyed the teaser, which seemed quite 'BUGS'-like, what with unauthorised entry into high-tech facilities, and dodging guards, etc! I was wondering if Chloe's voice mail would be the evidence to convict Lionel, until he somehow deleted it, but it shows things are coming to a head. Only a few episodes for them to wrap up the season now...

***

The Passenger

DVD, DS9 S1 (The Passenger)

One thing I was unsure of was whether the ship at the beginning on which Kajada and Vantika are, was Kajada's ship after capturing Rao Vantika, or Rao's ship which she's stowed aboard and taken over. I think it was Kajada's ship, but I'm not sure where she was taking her prisoner (and I'm not sure why she didn't kill him as she has no qualms about destroying his remains at the end!). It makes sense the more I think about it because he wanted to go DS9 and started the fire to achieve that goal (presumably he'd have transferred to someone else if Bashir hadn't arrived).

We get to see Loo-tenant George Primmin, Odo's favourite Starfleeter, not, for the first time, his southern good ol' boy confidence and lack of finesse annoying our good Constable into blazing about resigning. Not for the first time, as he's sparked with Sisko before. This time the commander throws him off guard a little by saying how much he likes Odo. They've come a long way from the first episode, and now trust each other as equals both good at their respective jobs. It's these slowly changing conversations that make the unfolding saga so absorbing. The characters are still not fully formed, the recurring nature of faces is yet to get going, and the stories still feel a bit 'TNG'-ish, but with a slowly broadening uniqueness.

It's fun to see any two character combinations, such as Kira and Bashir in the teaser, or Odo and Quark insulting each other. Sisko is very diplomatic and in control of his staff, Dax shows off her intelligent scientist side, and Bashir gets to act menacingly. Knowing the episode well, I found the whispered voice easily distinguishable, but I think the first time I was fooled (and so was the first-timer I watched it with). This time I noticed a flash of face as Quark is pushed away, that if you know the figure, you can tell who it is!

In retrospect, and comparing it to later episodes, the fear factor and tension levels aren't as high as they could have got. The first scene where Rao grabs Bashir and orders him to "Make... me... live" should have set the tone. There are moments when this chilly atmosphere is applied again, whenever Rao appears, but the dark corners and after hours feel are offset by bright science labs and medical rooms. It was still quite creepy, but I would have liked them to leave it open for a sequel, that maybe Kajada decides to take the remains back to her home planet, and the last shot could be the container moving behind her... The idea was taken to more extremes by 'Voyager' episode 'Warlord'.

A running theme in some of these early episodes has been the fish-like guys always being baddies. I can't remember their race's name, but there was one in the pilot who Odo arrests, and another who makes Quark eat some stew he doesn't like. They seem to be regular villains in this part of the galaxy! Also Rigel VII is mentioned (the place where Pike made a mistake, and made to relive by the Talosians in the first ever episode!). No O'Brien again, but it's a long trip to Earth and back - it was mentioned he was gone there last episode. And no Jake again, but it was an adult story that didn't require civilian parts.

The thing is, the story shows promise and the dawning reality that these kinds of high concept tales are more than possible on the space station. The series hasn't quite found its feet yet, but it's heading that way.

***

Dax

DVD, DS9 S1 (Dax)

Reminiscent of the later 'Voyager' episode 'Ex Post Facto' (in that it has Odo going off to do some detecting (although that isn't the focus of the story), and classic courtroom dramas such as the original's 'Court Martial', it is most interesting for being Trek's first foray into Trill culture, and the questions about individuality that throws up. You'd think that there would be rather a lot of precedent in Trill law about crimes and guilt, but they do turn out to be quite a secretive race (just as the Vulcans don't candidly discuss Pon Farr and such), so the episode retains the benefit of the doubt.

O'Brien's absence is explained as a trip to Earth with Keiko, whose Mother has turned 100. I mention it because you hardly ever hear of a centenarian, then two come up in the same episode (Judge Renora played by the great Anne Haney is also that age). It's wise that the writers chose to wait a few episodes before giving us so much information on Dax, as it is a lot to take in amongst battle scenes, and this episode did the concepts justice, even filling the episode, rather than cutting to a B-story.

As usual there are some good scenes between characters, particularly Ben and Jadzia, as he shows his frustration and care, and she keeps her equanimity and composure despite the stakes. The episode reveals Dax' quarters, with her glass shelves partitions, used effectively to illustrate the distance she is keeping from her friends, most notably Sisko, who stands partially obscured by it, not allowed into her thoughts and memories. Bashir gets to be a hero as he claimed he wanted to be (in so many words), and you can see him trying to rescue Jadzia with almost a sense of gusto, though you can believe he would throw himself into any rescue attempt if he saw the need.

The action makes for a great teaser, and gets the brawn out of the way ready for the brains; the battle of wits between Sisko and Ilon (especially well observed by Gregory Itzin who would return later as different characters in Trek). Kira gets to be smug and bureaucratically unhelpful to Ilon, a fun scene, and Quark and Odo get to spar too. Not sure why Quark's bar was so necessary though, as scenes like the inquiry usually occur in the wardroom. Perhaps it wasn't invented yet... The only things really missing from the season so far would be a Quark-focused episode and one with a good proportion set on Bajor.

***

Legacy

DVD, Smallville S3 (Legacy)

Some big things happen in this, issues arise, and more questions are left unanswered. There are crowd-pleasers, missing characters and some shocks. But although it starts with a good action sequence, it is the issues that are being worked through that are the focus, with huge plot moments, that revel in the broad canvas. There are elements that span the series, most notably the key, which has caused nothing but trouble since it first appeared in Season One, and has had such a convoluted ownership that you're sometimes left bewildered. He's got it... no she has... no he has... no they have... no, wait, he has got it.

The obvious should be mentioned: not only is Pete completely absent, but Chloe too. But somehow that doesn't matter because events are too twining as they are, that it's almost a relief not to have extra scenes or stories running - it shows that maybe we don't need those characters, unfortunately, in the new kind of series it has become. There was no time for extraneous scenes, as it seems like they're packing in stuff before the season finishes. It is like time travel back to Season Two, with the key a central focus again, Dr. Virgil Swann ably played by the returning Christopher Reeve, Lana and Clark going all honest...

I don't usually appreciate the way those two so often come together to argue, forget, love, argue, forget, get angry, forget, move on, move back, make up, break up, all a lot of shake up– this time their interactions were more real, with Lana's last straw of confusion, Clark still not really getting it, and once again making a promise he can never keep! Does this boy never learn? At least Lana has woken up from the fairytale/nightmare, into the real world. Not to say it's nice, but it does feel a true reaction from her. And it isn't the tag scene at the end to leave you in the blues/ cosy/ confused. Much bigger fish are frying.

Now there were things that didn't seem right for characters, or true to their history. Lionel is about to kill himself, only to stop because someone phones him. Jonathan fobs Martha and Clark off that the sound wasn't really what made him fall. Martha says the only thing taken after the faux-FBI raid on the farm was the key (I don't think she had time to check every belonging the way they were strewn everywhere!). Of course there were some huge surprises, such as the way Jonathan takes on Lionel (it's rare nowadays to see the magnate doing something physical, when in the first season he tended more to that sort of thing, with fencing and such). The point is that Jonathan is revealed as the keyholder (wouldn't it have been simpler for Lionel to have him killed then tell the police the half-truth that he came in rampaging with a gun and was shot by bodyguards. "Probably liquor, if I know these farmhands. And I seem to recall he's been involved in violence several times, plus he doesn't exactly like me..." I can imagine him saying. But then Clark would have shown his power to save his Dad.

What did happen to the key? How did Swann get it? And just what is his game? And is this Reeve's last ever performance? If he'd lived I'm sure he'd still be recurring in it now. As usual Martha's helplessness sells the destruction of the farm even more than the damage done, and that was a shame to see their lovely, tidy place get ransacked, even if it's not something we haven't seen before. Very interesting that Lana now seems to trust Lex more than she does Clark, and it's great to see a more Season Two Lex who is pushed to reveal his plans to Clark to protect their friendship in a gush of info. The plot to catch Lionel moves closer, Mr. Kent's life expectancy seems to grow shorter, and things happen. It's almost as exciting, though Swann's presence had little ceremony and a lot less of the magic of his first appearance. The characters are in a swirl of discomfort, plotlines are heading for somewhere, and best of all Adam's not in it. Perhaps the season is looking up?

***

The Lights of Zetar

DVD, Star Trek S3 (The Lights of Zetar)

Another one that doesn't quite make it. I'm talking of the episode here, not the love interest, Mira Romaine, since amazingly she survives. But then she was 'only' in love with Mr. Scott, not Kirk, so maybe that gave her a better chance. I realised what it is I really like about Scotty. In the recent, eleventh, film they played him completely for laughs, but James Doohan imbibed him with a real sureness in himself, and the ability to give reassurance to others that makes him so much more than a parody of a Scot.

While Mira was a little spiky to begin with, flaring up at authority early on, she became more likeable, and the actress did an accomplished job on being the Zetarians inhabiting her, as well as being Mira. The episode was improved by small appearances by Chapel (doing a Scotty impression!), and Lt. Kyle who hasn't been in it for a while. The main bulk of the episode, however, was a slow... I can't call it a runaround because that would imply more urgency and action than was on show. It was a slow walkaround, and that's about it. Most characters were pretty passive, and the scene in the middle where Mira and the aliens are compared was ill-judged and over-long - I found myself zoning out a bit!

In many ways the episode felt like a rehash of things we'd already seen, and only the gravity vacuum was to buck this trend. It almost seemed as if it was too good an effect for the rest of the episode's level, although it was such a great moment when Mira's been purged and as she floats she looks over at Scotty through the glass and smiles. At least Scotty gets thrown across the room, as he has so often been! And the weird burbling as the victims are taken over by the Zetarians, with rapid skin colour changes worked well in an eerie way. And another Andorian pops up onscreen albeit dead. I never realised the blue guys were in so many episodes!

As another Trek segment it just doesn't hold up to others. Perhaps the curse of Season Three has finally come true? Top marks for the ending though, as Mira survives and Kirk jokes that Scotty, Spock and McCoy finally agree on something! One more thing - Sulu was left in charge, we even see him leap out of the captain's chair, but then in another shot when Kirk talks to him it's from his usual seat.

**

The First Commandment

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S1 (The First Commandment)

The production values are high and we get some more info on the mythos (that the Goa'uld terraformed many of the planets leading them to look similar - a reasonable explanation for the forest locales, although they could probably do with a bit more variety sometimes). But. The episode still isn't that good, mainly because the villain isn't very believable, and not that much really happens, leaving the episode to trundle along until it ends, which isn't the best thing you would hope for. Yes, the humour's still there, and we get a nice campfire scene and all, but we're constantly reminded that this is a series from a military perspective (even if the planet should have been called 'Planet of Insubordination'!), which can be a burden to the story.

Where 'Star Trek' could branch off into various avenues, here we know it's pretty much going to be a variation on a theme time after time. Trek would use the opportunity to learn more about the characters too, rather than being a straight action/recon mission, which is why this series suffers. I did like the Biblical reference, and especially how Jack gets it wrong! Not sure how the Abraham analogy fit though... It's good to have a bit of variety, and at least we had no sign of the base, as the last episode featured it a lot. But they gotta find something more to show than the low contrast military establishment/ tree-lined woods, or things get too samey.

**

Q-Less

DVD, DS9 S1 (Q-Less)

It seems almost heresy to say a Q episode is bad, but I have to say this is probably the least successful episode of Season One. It has more to do with it being 'The Vash Show', than for any fault of Q's. The fun interjections of the superbeing are frequently amusing, but as a whole, in the grimier, more realistic environment and peoples of the station he comes across as a little bit too silly. If it wasn't for the occasional ironic eyebrow raise or tone of delivery, and De Lancie's skill, Q would have made a mockery of his character. Thankfully he is reined in enough... most of the time. His quick change routines and insults aimed at the crew feel too clownish and forced as if the writers were handicapped with him, trying to make him work as he did with the Enterprise crew.

The other thing is that I never liked Vash. She was always so charmless, manipulative and annoying, and I could never see Picard admiring her in any way. De Lancie has said this was his least favourite episode, because Q's banter didn't suit Sisko and crew, and Robert Hewitt Wolfe, the writer, said he would have focused more on the regulars if he'd had his time again. So the blatant crawling to the TNG viewers is what does the episode in. Having said that, there are a lot of little bits thrown in which make for a fun viewing experience, if nothing more.

There are way too many references and mentions of planets and races, made up or established, enough to make your head spin, but some are interesting. We hear of the Daystrom Institute again, that revered establishment named for Dr. Richard of M5 fame. The Miradon or Miradorn, are mentioned, who would later be seen in 'Vortex'. The Assay office is seen for the first time (with it's rather acerbic proprieter), so another piece of the station unfolds. The most surprising little tidbit is the revelation of Quark's cousin Stol! It's an off camera mention from Quark, and I'd never noticed it before, but it proves that DS9 keeps on giving even after several viewings!

The aliens in the auction were a little undeveloped. They looked like they might have backstory, but they aren't filled in, another case of window dressing. And the denoument of the episode, while beautiful, is an anticlimax which is over very fast, and reminiscent of 'Encounter at Farpoint' - it isn't given the chance to be as strong a moment as it could be because the episode doesn't have a strong narrative, more like sketches, which are fine in their own way, but as a whole don't make a good story. And Q can't help but evaporate tension.

De Lancie's complaint that he just kind of sat back, or was simply there to chase after Vash, instead of being a means to teach something, is valid. Some of the characters are used well. We get another great scene from Odo and Quark, and the joke with Bashir having slept through the crisis thanks to Q is a good ending, but generally the crew and Sisko are sidelined. Seeing the station move so fast also makes the events of 'Emissary' less dangerous. In that, they made a big thing of the station's movement being dangerous. Okay, so they would have shored up the structural integrity and improved systems by now, but it was moving way too fast.

**

The Broca Divide

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S1 (The Broca Divide)

Every TV series has to have a plague which rips through the main cast. Every TV series has to have an episode where the main cast act out of character because of an outside influence/plague/whatever. This episode kills two cliches with one stone, but it still makes for a fun episode. Maybe fun is the wrong word, as there's a bit less humour than previous episodes, but a bit more action, or at least physical violence...

Each character gets to play a part, with Teal'c getting the chance to show his warrior skills, RD Anderson getting to show his prosthetic acting skills, and the others... well they're there too. I couldn't help thinking that General Hammond looks a lot like a penguin when they wheel him in! Dr. Frasier makes her debut adequately - like the Trek series' they quickly realised having a doctor in the cast was essential.

I'm not quite sure how a planet would work with a light side and a dark side, especially as those trees looked quite leafy. They must be alien trees. That survive on... darkness... Okay, the science isn't up to much, but the situation gave us some creeping around in dark undergrowth and that's the important thing. Not to mention the first sign of Carter's secret crush on O'Neill!

***

Emancipation

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S1 (Emancipation)

The tents were a good bet for saving on sets, the horseback riding in lush woodland was a nice visual for a sci-fi series, and there was a good mix of morals, humour and danger. The other characters came across as seeming a bit weak, as they didn't really initiate anything, and were mostly reactive to the events.

But at least Carter got to show some fighting flair. Even so, it seems unlikely she'd have been able to beat a warrior used to fighting, when she had only trained a bit. Maybe he underestimated her and she'd been practicing? It made up for the degrading moments in the rest of the episode. I suppose it was the first episode not to be really interesting, but it did come after a couple of good ones, to be fair.

**

The Mark of Gideon

DVD, Star Trek S3 (The Mark of Gideon)

What is wrong with this picture? For a start, Kirk is fooled by the Enterprise recreation, and for another, the Gideons were able to somehow build such a perfect replica, yet they are a paranoid race who don't venture off their planet (hence their overpopulation). Also, why did they not simply petition aid from the Federation to resettle some of their people on other planets rather than taking such a drastic option as introducing illness to kill people off!

There were effective parts of the episode, the best moment being the ghostly appearance of many slient, watching faces on the viewscreen or the (rather cool) viewing port. I hoped they would become a a part of the episode, but they were only background. They did work very well in illustrating the extreme overpopulation of the world by showing a few behind Kirk, pushing past a corridor. They achieved the impression of many through a simple effect. And yes, they saved a bit of money reusing the Enterprise in empty form. This can work very well, but it does seem a little over used this season.

Kirk didn't react how you'd think when he beamed down to the planet only to find himself back on the ship. What did he think had happened, Spock had skipped off to have fun playing the lute as soon as his captain was off the ship? At first the episode seemed like it would be split into two storylines, one with Kirk and one with Spock, and I found Spock's careful arguing with the council more interesting! The stories soon merged, and sadly the crew were pretty much ignored, apart from Scotty getting all upset at someone suggesting his transporter wasn't working!

Ultimately the logic of the story was a bit suspect (Odona agrees to be cured so she can spend her life with Kirk, then both of them are quick to point out their duties which keep them apart, once she's well!), and parts of it fell flat, but again, it had some good ideas, but maybe not the will to master them.

**

The Enemy Within

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S1 (The Enemy Within)

In many ways this is a triumphal episode. Often the first episode to follow the pilot tends to be relatively weak, after the first burst of creativity, much is left to be established as ongoing development. While the episode doesn't have location shooting, or big action sequences it is probably the finest of the first season due to it's expert use of the characters and in particular Major Kowalski. The fact he was such an everyman, likeable and ready for action, makes his loss a lot harder than most characters whom you've only seen in a couple of episodes. That he managed to make you care when he's to be operated on, aghast at the goa'uld's actions through him, and ultimately sad that he was defeated, is great praise on the actor. Perhaps he was too much representative of O'Neill's past and they wanted to move forward and create bonds within the team which would seem lessened if he had another, older friend to talk to. I think it would have been better to have him as a recurring character.

His sacrifice is not in vain, as it leads to a tightly directed, wittily scripted, excitingly dangerous story, that also concerns Teal'c's status of serving on the SG team. Those scenes are a superb exhibition of that character that he wasn't given in his first appearance, and in a way this was the third part of the pilot rather than being the first standalone, and that is why it doesn't suffer the usual fate. The title sequence, however is different, with the montage they used for the whole of the first season, rather than the much more mysterious and less typical closeup of the sarcophagus seen in the pilot, and used in later seasons, and which I preferred, especially as this new one can't help but give away moments from upcoming episodes.

Let's face it, you can't be a sci-fi TV series to be taken seriously unless you have an episode with this title! They've all done it; 'Star Trek', 'BUGS', etc, it's only a surprise they got it in this early!

Sometimes the series could be a bit ponderous, with the military base giving the visuals a dullness, but this episode proves you don't need vibrant sets and colours to make a great episode, and the way it's shot making full use of widescreen, with wide-angle lenses, and smooth, fluid shots and an energy that was sometimes lacking, is what achieves this. O'Neill is on fine form, and the only downside is that Daniel spends the episode looking concerned in reaction to the previous episode, and with Carter only a background player. These are minor objections for what is a fine piece of TV.

****

Crisis

DVD, Smallville S3 (Crisis)

The moral of the story, I suppose, is don't be afraid of the future. They don't often go in for morals, but since they were doing the other 'Star Trek' staples such as time travel and wormholes, they might as well go the whole hog!

I have to say that this was not the classic it could have been. The culmination of the Adam arc, the revival of the Luthor feud, and a story including time travelling phone calls and moody, nightmarish attacks in a storm. Somehow the episode is too clean. We see a few lab assistants strewn around Metron's dark underbelly, and we see Adam smack a few of our characters around, even fire the gun at the end, but with all that's happened he doesn't make the most believeable villain. They were too good at making him the handsome teen in the early episodes, and he was never going to bring dread horror on the audience, even if he could on Lana.

While the phone call was one of the best teaser sequences this season, the episode felt a bit too artificial, like it was written backwards and shoehorned into this sequence of events. It wasn't quite the spine-tingling conclusion it should have been, and I felt we learnt too early what it was all about. Perhaps if the mystery had been maintained a bit longer, the build up would have been to a higher pitch, but we still needed something more from the end, beyond the attempt to make Adam sympathetic.

Though classic status is not reached, it was a good episode, and retained, or brought back some of the Season One-style ensemble. While Pete is completely passive in story terms, we at least get the other characters banding together in small town trouble, which most of these later episodes have sacrificed for a grand scale. They managed to keep the scale going too, with the surprise that Lionel's claim about liver disease wasn't a ploy to get his new project manager to work faster. Unfortunately, one of the few episodes I had tuned in to that occurred after these events, was the resolution to Lionel's plight, so the dramatic impact was rather less pronounced. His despicable nature, and this time if he were to claim he was just trying to do Lex a favour by making him stronger really wouldn't wash, gets the better of the two Luthors.

Would Lex have been so quick to challenge if he hadn't been dropped in hot water, was his bid to become head of his Father's experiment really for good, or was he genuinely interested for his own evil reasons? We don't know. With a little more thought, and a little more style, this could have edged it in the classic stakes, but I say again, at least the friends aren't bickering at the moment, but working together. More of that should ensure continued quality.

***

Whom gods Destroy

DVD, Star Trek S3 (Whom gods Destroy)

One thing that stands out about this one is the continuity of bringing back several aliens. We get an Orion slave girl, an Andorian, and a Tellarite (though sadly, without the inset eyes that made the race so distinctive), but aside from Marta they were more like wallpaper than contributors to the story. Garth is a fun character to watch, as you never know quite what he'll do at any moment (and he has a good costume, with one yellow boot, and one turqoise), although he does seem a bit over the top sometimes.

The only major criticism of the story (and like any problems in the episode it can easily be put down to insanity), is Garth's claim he's invented the most powerful explosive ever. Where would he get the materials, or have the opportunity to research it? He does have the tendency to exaggerate and arrogantly proclaims himself Lord of The Universe, so what he says may not be entirely true, but it's Governor Cory who validates the claim by believing such an impossibility is true! You can make the point that the Governor was under a bit of strain at the time after his mistreatment, but even so...

It strikes me as being a rather dicey prospect to leave one man in charge of an asylum full of dangerous inmates. We do hear of a guard who let Garth out when he was in Cory's shape, so there were supposedly other staff members. I don't remember ever hearing about them. It stands to reason they'd be there, for with only the insane denizens of the facility, and a planet-wide shield to prevent beaming in or out, it would be enough to drive a man... well, mad.

The environment of the planet was well devised, as we really only see a small portion of it out of a window. The green, gaseous atmosphere looks more real than some recent episode's planets. The shock comes with Marta, the Orion actually being executed for no apparent reason by being blown apart. I didn't see that coming (though I appreciated the environmental suits being used again!), nor did I guess that Cory was in fact Garth. I did twig Mr. Spock before the giveaway. Maybe it was the way he stood behind Kirk, and the suggestion that Kirk would be about to give away the very detail that the madman needed if they were to beam up, that was enough for me to entertain the possibility of Mr. Spock not being who he seemed, a little bit before it became obvious, which was most gratifying. But I had been tricked before they entered the control room, so I can't feel too smug.

Kirk gets to fight himself again (is that the fourth time we've had two Kirk's so far?), and I noted how close the double appeared. So you don't get a good view, but usually you can easily tell it's not Kirk. It was good to get off the Enterprise, but not so good that none of the other characters played much of a part. Scotty always has the hard decisions thrust onto him in the absence of Kirk, I bet he wishes he could just get back to tinkering with his 'wee bairns'!

I think the ending helped to bring the episode up to the standard of most episodes. The glimpse of the real Captain Garth, and his last turn back to ask Kirk if he should know him, hit the right note, for some resolution and a happier ending than you'd expect. Perhaps it was a bit unlikely that the asylum held the last ever mental health issues in the galaxy, as was claimed, since later series' dealt with such problems, but it helps to give the place a more remote feel. The solution to Spock's quandary, was a kind of reverse of a famous decision made by Soloman (of Bible fame), and was well done (false Kirk says don't shoot, real Kirk says shoot them both, so Spock realises who's who), Kirk referencing that to Spock's bemusement at the end.

***

Children of The gods

DVD, Stargate SG-1 (Children of The gods)

First thing I thought was 'oh, it's in widescreen right from the beginning, that's good', and something that gives it a modern quality. I noticed mention of 'McGuyver' (Richard Dean Anderson's previous starring role), and a nod to 'Star Trek' with the Vulcan hand salute, too. There was probably enough exposition of various things, though it was surprising that it was aimed at people that had seen the film - backstory was touched on without overmuch explanation - but I suppose there wasn't all that much to know and the overall story was pretty well structured, even if some lines seemed a bit forced, or cliched. But that's to be expected from a pilot episode. The sets and locations were quite impressive, and with the widescreen, and feature length it seemed more film-like than the most episodes. The effects weren't bad (apart from the unreal looking bodies where the symbionts came out of), and indeed the glider attack looked very good, with a strong level of realism. 

I should explain where I stand on Stargate. I saw some of the early episodes sporadically, and watched regularly when Channel 4 started showing it on Sunday afternoons, I think with Season Four, possibly the one where Daniel leaves the series, up until Season Seven I think, which is when they stopped showing it. So I know the middle of the series well, and know enough to rate the first season. This is the second time I've watched this season, and to be honest, I felt it was generally lacking. I've always considered the series to be 'inspired' by the Star Trek spinoffs, and the success they were having in the mid-to-late nineties. Inspired in that they nicked most of the Trek ideas - phasers and phaser rifles become staff weapons and zat guns with stun settings; instead of transporters we have 'ring' transporters, and their mission is to go boldly and seek out new life and... weapons.

The 18 certificate was just about earned with about three horror moments and one very strong as the symbiont burrows into Sharray's back. The full nudity was not expected or needed and generally it seems strange that a pilot episode should go for that when it's going to shrink it's audience potential. I get the feeling they wanted to market it as 'adult' sci-fi so they could get away with more violence, etc, and might draw more attention for a shocking start. But it is even more bizarre when it soon settled down into a family friendly series in the same mould as 'Star Trek'.

The fact it was set in the present day made it easier for some to relate to, but for me it was far too militarised, with the dull, functional underground base, not a patch on glitzy starships (or an architectural materpiece of a space station). The plots were borrowed too, and the effects didn't live up to those seen in 'DS9' or 'Voyager'. Often the deeper side of stories, that made those series so strong was not included, or was watered down. So why did I watch the series at all if it was substandard Trek? The characters. They were as good as some of the Trek characters, and that's saying a lot.

You can see it in the first episode: once Carter has got her defensive spikes retracted after the initial introduction (and this is something I'm really not used to, since in Trek the women's credentials aren't even questioned when in command!), we see her fascination with science and the world(s) around her. Daniel is scatty, but so dedicated to his people, and constantly skittering off at a tangent. Teal'c isn't fully realised in this episode and seemed a bit quick to join some strangers for no particular reason, but he does his roaring and shouting well, and the line where he tells O'Neill he has no where to go shows his acting power. The response is for O'Neill to just invite him along, in that way he always has of making light of emotive moments - that sums up his character. There are several moments that allow for what makes the story personal, and that is what carries the series, and makes it worth watching.

Having seen the first season I was frustrated that the main questions initiated in the pilot were not answered, left for Season Two, and were really nothing more than a carrot to keep you watching without giving a satisfying conclusion, which is a bit of a crime in my book. If you ask an audience to stay with you over 20-odd episodes, you need to reward them more. And yes, some things were a bit clunky (the Jaffa suits, literally), although there were few problems with the story. Mainly because it was pretty straightforward, though clearly they set up a lot of precedents, such as travel to multiple worlds and such, which takes the concept on from the film admirably.

Admittedly any series that lasts ten seasons is going to change hugely, but for me, I don't think enough change occurred during Season One, and we were treated to far too many weak Trek rip-off's instead of playing to the concept's unique qualities. Still there were good episodes, and the semi-cliffhanger ending gives you great impetus to tune in again!

I should also mention the excellent music, which was, in a way, birthed from 'Star Trek' also, since Joel Goldsmith is Trek composer Jerry's son!

***

Let That Be Your Last Battlefield

DVD, Star Trek S3 (Let That Be Your Last Battlefield)

As memorable as this episode is, for it's iconic half-black, half-white people, it is more memorable, at least to me, for being a bit of a snore, and hard work. The racism message is pretty unsubtle, and does show the absurdity of hate, and a warning of what can happen to such a society, and the irony is that Bele and Lokai are exact mirror images of each other. They are kind of like the opposite of DS9's Miradorn, which were pairs of beings that need each other to survive.

The biggest problem with the episode is that it's far too slow, talky, and says not a lot. Control of the ship flits back and forth between Bele and Kirk, and that's the main meat of it. But this is far from the only problem. There are quite a lot of inconsistencies, and the ending ends on a downer, with the triumphant closing music out of place. But there were things to like.

The makeup was vibrant (if monotones can be vibrant), though the usual problem of pink around the eyeball, and in the mouth, something that affects even modern productions, lessened the impact somewhat. It's good to see the shuttlebay again, though a shame we still didn't get to go inside it. The reuse of a Starfleet shuttle was a clear budgetary decision, but like the best, it worked, and was something the episode hinged on.

A Trek staple was shown, with the ever-useful, alien-baiting ultimatum of the Self Destruct, a concept used by all series! The effect of the two Cheronians battling, with the heat rising from them, and even some burning smoke, made their fights better than the usual. The scene with the running is one that stuck in my mind from years ago, because it always looked so fake. Probably because they didn't have enough set to show a proper chase. I'm sure they could have done it, but time constraints, and such would have prevented.

What was good about that scene were the montage shots of buildings on their planet burning (whether they were supposed to be in realtime, that the aliens could see, or imagined, is a point for debate. It would be pretty ludicrous for the buildings still to be burning after however many thousands of years). The other positive point is the bridge crew are all together, and all have lines, which doesn't happen that often. I noticed Scotty's hair seemed to be greyer than usual. I wonder if the actor was going through a difficult time...

So to the problems in consistency, if I can remember them all! Bele's ship is more of a disappointment than a flaw, but (although I liked the mention of Romulans), that scene didn't make a lot of sense. They say his ship's invisible (the budget strikes again), but Spock and others know exactly where it is, what configuration it is and how many are aboard. Obviously this works differently to a cloaking device (what would be the point of invisibility if people can track you), in which case Kirk's question of Romulan origin is pointless, because clearly if it was Romulan they wouldn't know where it was, etc.

Likewise Bele's control of the engines. Aren't the engines controlled by the computer, yet Kirk says he controls the computer. Later Bele makes sure he messes up the self-destruct also, so it's a bit of an illogical tennis match for control of the ship. Near the end Spock is following the chase between the two aliens, corridor by corridor, yet when Lokai gets in the transporter room (a very rare shot from the transporter pad angle!), Spock doesn't know who's in there, and Kirk even asks if there's anyone there! The same with Bele. Logically Spock should guess where they were heading.

An annoyance, rather than a mistake, is the way the red alert beacon has the camera jiggling in and out. Unnecessary, since the red alert flashes, so we don't need any more movement. It was different the way the camera pulled back from the various beacons to show a different set, such as engineering and sickbay. The distance between the Federation and Cheron, is a mystery, since they make it there in the course of one episode, but it's said to be in the southern part of the galaxy (if that's even possible! Do the aliens there speak with a twang?), and the UFP haven't heard of these people, and neither have Bele's people heard of them.

Also Bele has been chasing Lokai for 50,000 years. A slightly incredible amount, better to have said fifty or five hundred. In all that time they never got back to Cheron to see how the race struggle was going? Didn't they expect quite a bit of change if they'd been gone that long? So many holes even Polyfila wouldn't help, and the biggest crime is that it is a bit boring! Even now, when I can understand the intellectual side of the story.

Trek lore: in Trek history the Battle of Cheron is a major event between the Romulans and Federation, which many have speculated was the same Cheron as in this episode... Is the dreaded Season Three Syndrome finally upon us? Have we turned a corner, after these last three episodes have been a bit lacklustre? Only the remaining episodes will tell! I would say this is the worst episode of the season so far.

**