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.

**