Imperfection

DVD, Voyager S7 (Imperfection)

Where was Naomi Wildman in all this? She was always Seven's special friend, so why wasn't she visiting her or there to see off the Borg children, her friends? Maybe she had measles... or perhaps was in the brig for playing a practical joke on Neelix... or, surely it couldn't be... that the writers forgot about her? I never much liked the Borg children, or Icheb for that matter, but it was somehow a little sad to see the kids leave, because they were special to Seven. And Icheb was well used, risking his life for her.

I'm not sure it was advisable for them to do another Borg-centred story right after a two-parter featuring them, and the weakest part was in that attempt to take a dead Borg brain. The alien attackers look like Kazon who've had a haircut, and though the Flyer's escape was daring and fast, the sequence looked heavily CGI, as did that early shot of Voyager and the ship which came to take the Borg children, showing that the computer effects don't always hit the mark even with some amazing sequences in the past.

Thankfully the episode concentrates on what Trek does best: character studies. The interactions between various crewmembers as Seven prepares to die, has plenty of drama, and though you might expect a tragic outcome (set up by the other Borg moving on), it all ends happily, which, sometimes is a good thing. I'm probably forgetting something, but I had the feeling the Delta Flyer went boom-boom, but they must have mentioned a replacement at some time. It's too early to say how this season measures up to the last, as Janeway, the Doctor and Seven are characters the writers usually get right. At least they're getting the usual good stuff flowing, but let's see the other characters shine.

***

Within The Serpent's Grasp

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S1 (Within The Serpent's Grasp)

Now they're really trying too hard to be 'Star Trek', with warp speed ships and stun weapons, not to mention annoying cliffhanger ending. So why didn't I get excited by this? Somehow there's less of the charm and character that makes this series worth watching, and it's a bit basic. They hide, sneak, fight, sneak, hide. There's not much of a story and it feels more like an excuse to utilise this fancy (and no doubt expensive) new set.

I knew it was a ship so the surprise was lost on me, having seen aboard a ship like this before. You guess Sharra will die, but I was disappointed Daniel didn't find his wife as that seemed to be the arc of the season, so it left the ongoing plot in an unsatisfactory place. As a whole I have to say it's been more miss than hit, but in most of the episodes it's the characters that carry you through, because they're likeable. But they weren't used to their full in this final story, which is a shame. It's difficult to wonder what Season 2 will bring. Will they capitalise on the characters and mythology they've built up, or become too generic?

**

Sanctuary

DVD, DS9 S2 (Sanctuary)

Kira has been well used this season. Naturally, since Bajor is at the forefront and she's the Bajoran liaison officer to the station. She's also experienced a lot, and she's put through it again here, making friends with the Skreean leader, only to find herself in opposition. The story is one of those morality plays Trek does, and sometimes they come off, and others not so much. While not a standout (and not working as well as other displaced people episodes such as 'Past Tense'), it holds the attention.

This isn't a bad episode, but it is a little unfinished in certain areas (Jake and Nog's B-story), and has aliens that look almost as unflattering as the Dosi. In this, they are supposed to look bad, it adds to their negative image of refugees, their plight the point of the story. The arguments go unresolved, and because they're annoying, have stupid hair, wear ugly clothes, and the men are all dim-witted or violent (look out for Leland Orser before his star turn as the evil hologram on Voyager), we find it easier to accept Bajor's decision not to help them. It's quite rare to see a matriarchal society (but as always the men are portrayed as short and stupid!), and for the UT not to instantly recognise their language, so they do at least provoke interest.

We see both sides of the developing situation, and perhaps the Skreeans would have fulfilled their ancient texts and brought joy to Bajor, a world of sorrow, but it was too early for this planet to find solace, for where would the drama come? You might say, the Wormhole... And you'd be right. The second enigmatic reference to the Dominion is the Skreeans true purpose. Before, we only knew the Dominion as an important trade entity, but now we find they have might to drive a people from their planet. It was the first time in the series you get to see a massive number of ships, when the alien refugee fleet arrives, and must have been an impressive sight, even though we don't get a sense of size. The docked ships appear vaguely Klingon, with long, pointy hulls. They also look like they were cobbled together, so maybe, like their owners, they moult bits of ship wherever they go?

One thing you do appreciate when there are guest characters you don't really like, are the recurring characters we know. You could half expect Kira to get in touch with Bareil to try and throw his weight behind the Skreeans plight, except it would hurt his chances of becoming Kai, and Kira didn't believe it was the right solution anyway. Bareil would have been so much better compared to the half-baked, half-awake Vedek Sorad. He clearly wishes he was somewhere else, and wants them to hurry up, so he can get back to his nice, quiet monastery! Minister Rozahn (Shimerman's wife in her first DS9 role) is equally unsympathetic to our eyes, and to the refugee situation.

You can understand their views, and for most of the episode I don't warm to Haneek, but even so, doing good rarely brings bad; an alliance with them might have been highly benenficial in the long-term, but the Provisional Government is short-sighted. It was only the aftermath of the surprisingly tense ship battle, and the death of her son that I felt for Haneek. And by then she's turned cold to Kira, and leaves her guilty for her belief in Bajor's choice. The ship sequence might actually be better for not being seen. The escalation of the situation, from a misguided teen stealing a ship (as in that TNG episode from Season 1), to a bid to make the soldiers see sense, and the shock as a single dot blinks off the radar, is very effective. It's the characters reactions to events rather than the events themselves. Perhaps in modern storytelling, with the relative ease of CGI, this skill of the dramatic has been lost? Necessity, once again, the mother of invention.

As a B-story it's reassuring to have Jake and Nog hanging out together as it's something the season has lost. Nog gets to do some good stuff (such as sqealing like Rom when he's attacked), but you sense the two are a bit older, a little less childish (well, Jake is. He does his Starfleet Dad proud when he's willing to talk to Tumak, highlighting the differences in values of Federation citizens). Quark comes across quite badly, unfriendly views, and harsh business talk. He can be a bit cuddly sometimes, but you have to remember that at heart he is a Ferengi.

Jake's girlfriend, Marta (Mardah?) is mentioned, we hear the station can hold 7000 people, and the sight of so many Skreeans bustling through the Promenade is quite a sight. The final, sad moment between Kira and Haneek, the occasional moment of humour, stops this from dropping into an average episode. But it's strange that Sisko is so reserved, and the episode could almost be watched in the first season (Sisko's mood, plus Jake and Nog doing stuff, and a ship plopping through the Wormhole). Except for that tantalising Dominion hint, that tells you to watch out.

***

Gone

DVD, Smallville S4 (Gone)

I think this just edges it as the better episode so far, thanks to the action, but not by much. While it does some of the things we want, it also frustrates in the usual ways too. For example, we get a thrilling helicopter attack on Lois & Clark (hmm, sounds like a good name for a TV series!), where black-suited ops thugs with taser rifles or something, come after them. This series isn't one where reality is ever that real, but Lois being a martial arts expert that can take on a trained soldier as easy as 1-2-3, then without getting short of breath tells Clark they better go... it's more unbelieveable than the metal man mutant Trent, and his 'Terminator 2' liquid metal body.

That's another thing I always found annoying. In the first couple of seasons they didn't bring freaks-of-the-week into it without explaining who they were, giving us something to relate to, but whenever they've done it since it's generally a comic-book excuse that they needed a fight scene. Trent is in and out of the story as fast as any baddie before him. Oh, and Lois must really be an easygoing sort, since she sees metal boy disintegrate into slops and burn away in the molten vat, and just makes a throwaway comment about this town being weird!

It can feel like you're picking holes for the sake of it, but maybe I'm just too old for 'Smallville' now. I can't accept these 'teens' (most of them are considerably older in reality), doing their amazing stuff. There's always suspension of disbelief, but I'm still clinging on to the old episodes that I really liked. The character interactions are awry too. Jonathan saying Lex isn't so bad because he helped save Chloe (which, by the way was a good bit, and I was glad old Gabe wasn't killed as I expected the result of the explosion to be that Chloe had somehow survived, but her Dad (one of the few original recurring characters left) would bite the dust). Clark's the one who notes Lex gets Luthercorp now. It also seemed a bit of a jump for him to suggest Lex is destined to be his enemy. On what basis? And aren't students supposed to be poor? Jason comes all the way back from France to find out why Lana left! He must really like her.

It was good to see the Talon again, although I wondered if it was just so they could use an existing set and didn't have to build somewhere new for Lana to live. You'd think it would bring back bad memories of liver-damaged Adam. The best moment is Chloe's rescue, after the fight. Her face lights up and it's so wonderful to have characters full of joy in each other's presence instead of being slightly miserable. Again, I felt the episode was scrappy, without a proper story to it. It had plenty of good bits, especially whenever Lionel was on screen, but I always will prefer the time when everything was subtle, undercurrents, and unspoken. Now everyone's cards are pretty much on the table, which loses dramatic tension.

What can I say? I hope Chloe get back to being chirpy and forthright, and we don't want Lois overshadowing her position, which I expect crossed Allison Mack's mind. Martha and Jonathan need to be used more. Apart from that I think they needed to get writers who understood how to craft a proper story with an arc, and a conclusion, instead of rushing from one scene to another to mask the fact they don't know how to tell stories coherently.

**

Second Sight

DVD, DS9 S2 (Second Sight)

Seyetik reminds me of those scientist guests who'd appear on the original series and TNG, who often had some secret or their work caused dangerous side-effects to happen (enhanced by the reference to the Daystrom Institute again). This one plays with those expectations and it's actually Nidell, his wife, who is behind Sisko's mystery. Also the TNG episode 'We'll Always Have Paris' has a similar concept with the scientist (bearded of course!) going into a coma and such. Terraformers on Trek are very rarely good news, it seems to me. Right from the start I found Gideon engaging and fun, with his booming laugh and heavy self-promotion with a twinkle in his eye as he self-deprecatingly admitted he was an egomaniac. Quite a character, contrasting strongly with the Sisko-centric majority of the episode, who is always so calm and reserved. We get to see a range of emotion play across him this time.

I love the way the story gives us hints of the type of episode to come before we understand what's happening - Jake has a bad dream which sets us up for a mood of thoughtfulness and unreality that you only get in late evening, and Sisko takes a walk along the top of the Promenade before the perplexing arrival and vanishing of the mysterious Fenna. Seyetik doesn't mention his wife until moments before she appears as you might guess she's Fenna, being the only other new female character. Odo has a scene where he's talking to a couple of deputies before Sisko comes to ask his help to find her, and he's warning them to be on the alert for a short-range telepath that's coming to the station, so that could be another clue for the very observant types. Almost every subsequent viewing you notice new things with this series!

There are some beautiful views of the station, not least the rare scene at the top of a pylon looking down on the station spread out below. But also, thanks to the docking of the USS Prometheus (no relation to the later, experimental vessel of the same name) we get to see more of the underside. They must have used a fair bit of budget on the episode as we get an actual starship with it's bridge, quarters and Gideon's dining area, which feels quite special - it's not often you see a Federation ship on the series, let alone get to go aboard. You notice the uniforms are still those of 'TNG' since this is a few months before 'Generations' when starship crew adopted the DS9 style.

I wasn't sure what rank Piersall was, because Sisko didn't particularly acknowledge him, and if he were Captain it would seem polite to ask permission to enter the bridge, and that kind of thing (but maybe Sisko's used to slacker regulations - Odo's deputies walk right out of the security office without waiting for him to enter or standing aside like a crewmember did for Captain Robau in 'Star Trek XI'). My take is that he was a lower ranked officer for a ship that was at Seyetik's disposal for his scientific work, just a science vessel (Oberth-class is it? Nope, Nebula), that wouldn't need a full crew complement. Even so it does seem a bit casual the way Sisko invites himself aboard and wanders onto the bridge, but if Piersall had been a higher ranked officer he'd have been invited to the meal. Unless he was, but had had enough of Gideon's self-indulgent lip!

The dining sequence is a chance to gather most of the regulars together, and the only failing of the episode (most likely because it was still early in the series and all the interpersonal situations hadn't been explored), is that we don't see them all chipping in in a witty and engaging way (think of that scene in 'The Circle' where they all come to see Kira off) which seemed a perfect opportunity for their talents. But then Seyetik was holding court and the meal was seen, as was the episode, from Sisko's perspective, and his confusion over seeing 'Fenna' again is the point.

The episode shows the series has found a measure of confidence, that it can make a personal, almost psychological story focused heavily on a quieter character, away from all the hanging plot threads of Bajor and The Quest For The Kai, or reaching into the pot of aliens that is the wormhole for Who and What The Dominion Are. It's a pleasure for Sisko to be the sole focus, as he hasn't had an episode just about him since the pilot. Jennifer's death and Wolf 359 are mentioned, and I love that Jake and his Dad know exactly what the other is thinking about without having to say it.

Other mentions are the Andorians, who crop up twice (they've been referenced so many times, even this season, you'd think they were gearing up to bring them back, yet it would be eight years and two series' later that they were finally shown! Maybe some writers hoped if they put in enough nudges fan clamour would instigate a return?), and good old Kang also gains a namecheck in Klingon poem 'The Fall of Kang'. That wouldn't be the Kang that arrives at DS9 a few weeks later would it? No, I guess not (unless it was a really convoluted hint as to what was coming, if they even knew it then). And Sisko plays 3D chess in his quarters just like Kirk used to!

Another enjoyable part is that Dax is the main supporting character, as she's still the most underused of the adults, and her role as Sisko's friend and confidant is natural. Amusement comes when she thinks Benjamin won't tell her about Fenna because she's a woman, showing she still expects to be treated like Curzon (long before she begins to be a part time Klingon Warrioress!). Seyetik has a good line (well he would, wouldn't he), when he complains about having to wait for her by noting that not all of us have several lifetimes to waste. But is she telepathic now? It's the old gag that always happens. People sit down with some food or drink, take a bite or a sip, have the Important Plot Conversation, then jump up to go leaving their meal mostly untouched. I only mention it because Dax draws attention to the phenomenon by asking Sisko for part of his meal then without eating a bite suddenly jumps up saying O'Brien wants her! Talking of, it's good to see the Chief more involved, as he's been out of it for a bit.

It's important for the series to have an 'enclosed' episode once in a while, that doesn't need to link to ongoing plots (Odo and Kira aren't seen together so we don't know if they resolved their differences from last episode or were giving each other space), and is a showcase for one person, as although Sisko has been integral he hasn't been as defined as some of the commanding officers at the same stage of their series'. A good story, very pleasing. But what do Nidell's people, the Halanans, call their home planet? Halanana? (It's actually New Halana for those with an Encylopedic interest and a copy of that great book).

***

Crusade

DVD, Smallville S4 (Crusade)

A new season, a new 'Smallville'. Except, aside from the introduction of a couple of new characters, it relies heavily on the audience remembering every detail of last season's cliffhanger, resulting in a patchy episode which is no good for new viewers and which doesn't have a solid, self-contained story. It's still as bright and colourful as it used to be, and as always with the season opener's, it's fast-paced and introduces some good things, even if there aren't many surprises.

It couldn't be worse than Season Three, let's face it, but it sets up the season to be a 'search for the key' plot - it will be about finding the other two stones to complete the set. They've turned it into Crystal Maze! While the series hasn't got back to 'normal' (and I use the term loosely), with Lana and Chloe back in town, Lionel out of jail, and the Kent family down on the farm, it resolves some of these items on the checklist, even if a little easily. Such as Jonathan waking up because the Kal-El part of Clark has been subdued (Black Kryptonite? Come on! We've had Green, Red and Blue, so do we get a new colour each season? I look forward to the deadly combination of rainbow Kryptonite!).

I'm not complaining too much, because Lois Lane and Jason, the two new characters, are introduced reasonably well, with charm and interest, but there's a lot to take in. You aren't bored as you were with some Season Three episodes, but they don't concentrate on any storyline for very long, and there's a lot to take in. Also, I wasn't really surprised at any point - Lana having a symbol on her and Clark looking into Chloe's coffin and seeing nothing there were both moments I twigged before they happened.

But he flies! And they did the 'Superman III' thing where he fights himself, so the effects were good. And the odd chucklesome line referencing future destinies was welcome (and fun to see original Lois Lane, Margot Kidder, as Dr. Swann's emissary - I think Christopher Reeve must have died by this time or they'd have brought him back), it was just a shame they showed all the dramatic moments in the new credits sequence, which still isn't well matched compared with the excellent pacing of images and theme music of Seasons One and Two.

The job of tidying up the ends of last season, bringing in a new set-up, and keeping you watching, was achieved, but this episode on it's own wasn't particularly good, on aggregate. I'm sure things will improve once they work out where they're going with all this.

**

Necessary Evil

DVD, DS9 S2 (Necessary Evil)

This is considered to be one of the best episodes, and it certainly shines as a standout of the season. Odo as investigator has been done before, but never to this extent, and this is far more than a 'Crime Scene: DS9', even if the constable makes some Sherlock Holmes-style observations! On a side note, I made observations of my own: in 'Melora' the reason she can't use her standard anti-grav chair is because Cardassian systems aren't compatible with that technology, yet here we see Quark moved to sickbay on an anti-grav platform and named in the episode. (Presumably an emergency site-to-site transport would be dangerous because of the way he fell). Either this was a massive oversight (okay, an obsessive oversight for those that care), or the station has since upgraded to allow for these devices (forgetting that they were used in Season One, before 'Melora').

The standout feature is the flashing back to the station's past, and not just that, but several characters of that past. Although it's only five years ago, it feels like much longer because the atmosphere is so different. Uneducated viewers may moan the station is always too dark and dreary, but after experiencing Odo's memories, returning to the present feels like stepping into the multi-coloured world of the Original Series! It really is that much of a jolt. Yet the look of station past is certainly not dreary, but has a dream-like visual mood as if moonlight is the source of all illumination. The visuals work as metaphor for the darkness of the occupation and the lack of perception possible to see what all these people get up to on any dark part of the station.

There is added enjoyment for the episode when you feel you know these earlier versions of Dukat, Odo, Kira and Quark, if you've read the rather good 'Terok Nor' trilogy of books. Who'd have guessed Odo's career in which he has proved a force for good, would be instigated by Dukat - that his security office came about because the Prefect decided off-hand it would be his space. Or that Kira and Odo, Quark and Odo ('we haven't got off to the best start'), Dukat and Kira, etc, would meet in these ways. Both recurring characters of Dukat and Rom have probably their most substantial roles here, separated by five years. Much humour comes from Rom's stupidity, but also for the first time we get the sense there's more to him than we know, and that other's suspect that too. Similarly with Dukat, although we learn he put Odo on the case to keep in with his Bajoran contacts, for the first time you realise there're more levels to this Cardassian than we see when he doesn't want murder to go unresolved. The wheels of the series have definitely turned, have expanded again, and have moved the characters along.

The most surprising moment is reserved for the end - a main character gets away with murder, unpunished - but for Odo it's more about his friendship, and that Kira lied and never told him the truth, than the deed itself. We know she's committed acts she's not proud of as a terrorist, and it seems likely she would have killed in a struggle rather than cold blood, and how often did Kirk kill aliens... whatever justification we need is pretty easy to find, but it doesn't hide the depth to which her character has gone. A theory that holds up about why Odo was so lenient to her, comes with the revelations in Season Five of his own dark deeds of the time. Perhaps he thinks of those and finds it easier to forgive Kira's act, although still hard to accept her lying to him. I thought this was the one where she touches his hand and is the big first moment for the unrequited stuff, but no.

One thing that is dropped in again is Odo referring to his people. Last episode he was wondering about having a brother (and talking to Rom, a good dynamic fully exploited this time), and here he believes his innate sense of justice comes from his own people. We also learn he left Bajor to leave his scientist observers and ironically becomes an observer of others, judging people generally quite accurately, a skill that has served him well. We hear of the fabled Cardassian Neck Trick (sadly never seen except in the imagination), and his standing among the Bajorans, and it's all just dropped in quietly without fanfare. Another less common mention is when Rom mentions last week's episode - how he broke into Quark's vault when he was away in the Gamma Quadrant. This kind of continuity would become the norm on DS9, though shunned on the other series'.

Directorially the visuals are as impressive as we've become accustomed to, the cuts between past and present smoothly achieved. Perhaps the only criticism is that past Odo looks like his face from this season rather than the more lined version of Season One, but with a shapeshifter anything's possible! And some characters are sidelined again as usually happens. O'Brien doesn't appear, and last episode he only had one line, so maybe he was off making a film as he did the previous season? That said the way people do appear (such as Dax and Sisko sharing a drink in the bar) is logical and believable - so the writers managed to craft such a story and still include the majority of the characters in a realistic way, nobody seeming shoehorned in.

A landmark episode, as 'Duet' was, giving us new character info, a great story, full of great lines, atmosphere, ideas, humour, flashbacks. Go and clean your teeth before they spoil on all this tasty good stuff!

****

The Neutral Zone

DVD, TNG S1 (The Neutral Zone)

I really like this one as a good cap to the season. It ends rather abruptly with no resolution of either of the two plots, but it doesn't seem to matter too much. Nor do the many, many mistakes and odd behaviour from the crew. So Data beams these people from (what? the 20th, the 21st century?), onto the ship and no one bothers to tell the captain when he comes back? Riker doesn't seem all that impressed that they've discovered people from a distant time, and is more concerned about having the ship ready to go as soon as Picard arrives! Later in the episode he muses it's a shame they couldn't take these people back to Earth on the Enterprise because it's like having a piece of history on board, so his character hasn't been all that consistent (something you notice in earlier episodes also).

The biggest suspension of disbelief is that the people died and were then frozen and shot into space... TO MAKE SURE THE POWER DOESN'T BREAK DOWN! What's safer: an underground complex with it's own generator, or a small capsule orbiting Earth, in the path of any stray meteor and where no technician can fix any problem that might come up...? And yet Dr. Crusher only needs to thaw out the bodies and magically they come back to life! That's as realistic as melting a snowman then having it turn into a real person. On later series' they'd be emphasising the remains of neural energy so you'd at least believe they had some kind of life in there somewhere, but they're clearly and utterly dead in this one.

Then there's the completely tactless way Picard allows these 'relics' to be woken up into a century several hundred years in their future. Let's get the biggest, scariest alien we can find (alright Worf, you'll do), to stand at the end of the bed and give them the fright of their lives! It gave his crew some amusement so maybe Picard was just trying to get a bit of morale-boosting in before a dangerous mission (Worf's morale didn't look boosted!). You can't complain that it's a cookie-cutter episode as it doesn't go the way you might expect. For instance, it's the end of the season, and although they started out with the decision to shy away from as much of the original series as they could, it's time to inject some interest by bringing back the third most famous race of that series (behind the Vulcans and Klingons). As Marc Alaimo, in his first ever appearance on Trek says, the Romulans "are back".

In fact the back of them is pretty much all we see. After all the build-up there's a gorgeous ship, a short glowering match, and then they're off, leaving only the mystery of who or what has been at the Federation bases along the Neutral Zone. Of course Picard is happy to believe them, and lets them go on their way happily having averted an incident or provoked a war, and looking forward to exploring again. You'd think he'd be more concerned about uncovering the real attackers (which would turn out to be one of the best races created for TNG)...

Despite the lack of satisfactory answers the episode has a lot of charm and 'what if?' interest. How would people from our time react in the 24th Century (see the reverse in 'Star Trek IV')? The answer is not that well, but it does create some amusement and sympathy. The only sad point of the episode is that it was to be Beverly Crusher's last episode for a while, yet there's no indication this will be the case. Likewise there's no Wesley, who has been forgotten in these last stories, and I've already mentioned the odd way some people react. It mirrors the season as a whole in many respects - the unfinished feel, the erratic character scripting, the sense of wonder and danger, and importantly the feeling that the flaws haven't eclipsed what is an exciting future for Trek, and overall, a great season to watch.

***

Rules of Acquisition

DVD, DS9 S2 (Rules of Acquisition)

We've had green ones. We've had blue ones. It was only a matter of time before we had a red one (even if it's taken a while - Mr. Spock was originally going to be red!). The Dosi were an odd decision for a Gamma Quadrant race, and unsurprisingly they never appeared again - the mix of silver swim caps and tribal face paints made these butch aliens seem a bit stupid, like they didn't realise how silly they looked. Then again, maybe that's why they were so angry all the time! Aliens that were to make a more lasting contribution to the series were both the Karemma and, most importantly the Dominion, a mysterious trading organisation of the Gamma Quadrant. Neither were seen, and this added to their mystique, leaving them unknowns, and among the first facts we learned of space beyond the Wormhole.

It's strange that in over a season we haven't really delved deep into the other quadrant, and it also shows the writers had enough intelligent ideas that they didn't need to use up the potential they had early. And so it is that the Ferengi make the first steps towards something that will define life in the Alpha Quadrant over the course of the series, though I don't suppose they had an inkling of what would happen beyond this season. Closer to home the Ferengi episode is further consolidated as a sub-genre, the ingredients being Grand Nagus Zek and other Ferengi characters being central to the story, and indeed the plot rests upon them; a good dollop of humour, most commonly from Ferengi etiquette and their reaction to problems; and Quark getting into difficulty. While this didn't reach the height of comic potential as 'The Nagus' did in Season One, it had a different slant in the form of a love story for Quark. Not only that, but we get to see a female Ferengi for the first time in Trek history!

Pel came across really well, seeming male when she needed to be and revealing a feminine voice when unmasked. Dax' perceptive nature sees through her, and the Trill has several scenes which promote her openness to other cultures - she appears to be a Ferengiophile, even enjoying their game of Tongo, first seen in this episode. While she would later show just as much love for Klingon culture, her alternative point of view of the 'little trolls' as Major Kira would call them, is as much talking to the audience, saying that even in the seemingly worst people you can find goodness if you look. Kira definitely stands for the typical viewer when she says what could be construed as racist views if it weren't for the fact they're true!

We see Quark in a different light again in this episode. At first he was a typical harsh Ferengi, but over the course of the first two seasons we occasionally see glimpses of a more honourable man underneath the Ferengi customs. He gives Pel ten bars of latinum to help her start a new life, and yes, he was trying to get rid of her in case it looked bad for him, but it was also a kindly gesture. Even Zek can be generous, if pushed (as Sisko does to allow him the business talks on the station), but Rom still comes across as the most unpleasant. Last season he was trying to kill Quark, this time he wants to unmask Pel, but we've also seen him caring for his son, Nog, so we know him a bit better now. It doesn't help that he's pursuing the wrong career move by setting his sights on the lowly bar, but at this stage he seems mostly an idiot.

It was surprising that Quark doesn't have any scenes with Odo, instead Rom gets the changeling to open up out of nowhere, on the subject of having a brother. Out of the blue he has a deep opinion, and it's ironic that he should say what he says in the same episode the Dominion is mentioned... The Andorians are mentioned, in fact a ship of their's is leaving the station, so it's a shame we never saw them, but they did have the Pakleds wandering in the background. Once again I noticed how good the music was, even to the point where I'd like to hear it separately, especially the bit in the Ferengi ship (first time we've seen one of those in this series), when Pel is trying to tell Quark he's a she, and all Quark's thinking about is profit!

***

Unimatrix Zero, part II

DVD, Voyager S7 (Unimatrix Zero, part II)

There's no hanging about with part two, and the episode is mostly action, though there is also time for some quieter, reflective moments, such as the conversations between Seven and Axum, and the Borg Queen talking to the young boy, and of course Janeway and Seven's little talk at the end (I wonder if all the Doc had to do was put a steaming mug of coffee in front of the Captain for her to turn back into her normal self!).

As usual, the Borg's usage in the series throws up the issue of whether they were de-fanged a bit more each time. I think this is so, mainly for Janeway, Tuvok and Torres' escapades on the cube, but the story is really not about the Borg in the traditional villainous sense, as it is about the real people held captive in their cybernetic bondage. The 'dream' world created was an outgrowing of the concept of freedom, and it's with crushing disappointment that Unimatrix Zero is destroyed at the end. Just think what it would mean to enemies of the Borg to have access to spies within every ship that could report back each regeneration period, not to mention the wrench of Axum and Seven's distance - the entire galaxy between them. In that world they missed a trick because although we get General Kurok, the Klingon leader, we don't really get any other famous Alpha Quadrant races that otherwise wouldn't be likely to appear. Imagine an Andorian, an Orion and a Ferengi (on the other hand, maybe don't - it sounds like the beginning of a joke...).

So another aspect of the Borg is weakened - now it doesn't matter if you're assimiliated, and Janeway makes Picard look like a wimp for having all those problems after his assimilation, but in fact he was violated against his will, and Janeway and co. did it deliberately, so there are significant differences. They managed to throw up a new threat even so, when Tuvok caves in and becomes an enemy agent, so it showed the process was not without risk. I suppose it just doesn't help that people seem to beam on and off Borg ships, outwit them and all that each time, without much consequence. So it was a good thing the 'dream' world bit the dust after all, as it's something bad that came out of dealing with the Borg. We were almost thinking there were no dangers to poking your finger in a hornet's nest now...

Love the bit where the Queen gets angry and on impulse reaches for Janeway only to remember she's a hologram - it shows the Borg are far from perfect in that little gesture. In a way they were a lot more menacing when they were cold, efficient and never spoke. In some ways the Queen has been useful, by giving the Borg a voice, but in others it's another weakness as they seem mere playthings in her hands. It was a nice touch to leave Kurok as a roving mercenary kitted out in a Borg sphere, as you can imagine the adventures he had, but maybe they could have had the two ships travel together for a few episodes and share the adventures. But that would have been too frightening for the writers no doubt!

At first I though Chakotay trusted the hologram of Janeway too easily. This is the hologram sent BY THE BORG. It would have been easy for them to fake it, and okay, so Chakotay twigs the real message, but even so it seemed he accepted her for the real thing without question. I noticed the Doctor seemed to have gotten over his interest in Seven from back in Season Five, but there was still an air of wistful sadness as he spoke to her. And Tom Paris got to sit in the big chair! As an opener for the last season it's pretty good, if not awe-inspiring these days. It tidies up the events of part one as any good two-parter should, while leaving a few things dangling so they could come back to them if need be (but I don't think they did).

***

Conspiracy

DVD, TNG S1 (Conspiracy)

One of the few plots set up with as near as possible a sequel in mind that was never followed up on in the 600 or so episodes that followed it, was this chilling tale of an invasion at the heart of Starfleet. The signal sent out by the defeated invaders is echoed the following season by the Borg, and is an almost surefire way of guaranteeing a follow-up, so it's strange that it never happened. If anything the scope of the episode was deserving of more than one episode - I know the roots of it were sown in 'Coming of Age', but the story needed room to grow, just like the Mother creature in Remmick! It should have been either a two-parter or maybe an ongoing plotline that could have finished the season on a cliffhanger about the future of the Federation, but I suppose it was too dark a tale for that at the time, and cliffhangers hadn't been invented yet as far as Trek went.

It probably has the distinction for being the single most gory episode ever done in any of the series', and has a real Original Series feel of never knowing what's round the next corner, coupled with the greater effects of 'Star Trek II' and could have been influenced by Khan's Ceti eel. That's an example of the unpredictability of a first season, where a style hasn't been tied down fully, and there are less rules than when a series becomes established. There would be other gruesome creatures and paranoid situations to come, but nothing as blatant as a man's head exploded by phaser fire, and a slimy beast erupting from his burnt-out stomach! But the animation was quite good with the mini-creatures scuttling on the floor, the only way it could be done effectively in those heady pre-CGI days.

As a story the tension and suspicion are well implemented, beginning with the against-regs meeting on a lifeless planet. I always wondered if Captain Rixx was a Bolian or some off-shoot race (much like Romulans and Vulcans), although he's a much paler variation, and Bolians hadn't been created at that point. It's interesting that one of the other most obvious horror episodes, 'Empok Nor' also featured a Bolian. If Rixx were a Bolian, it wouldn't be the only first for the series. We get to see Earth of the 24th Century (even if the Starfleet HQ shots are taken from 'The Motion Picture'!); Andorian tea is drunk, and most significantly Riker looks like he's about to eat grubs... no, I mean we get to see what could be our first Vulcan, as the main Admiral at Starfleet HQ.

He does the hand salute, but his neck pinch leaves a lot to be desired since Riker is barely affected by the attack. Chalk it up to the alien in control of the Vulcan's body who must have put his hand in the wrong place - the Vulcan part inside must have been most embarrassed at the mistake! That's not the only mistake of the episode however. Worf doesn't fare well in the critical appraisal of his conduct during the Quinn encounter. Instead of informing security that the Admiral has beaten up Riker and chucked Geordi through a door (and why didn't the Klingon come with a security team instead of only the diminutive Geordi?), he allows himself to be goaded into fighting the old man, and then appears to hide behind a table until Crusher finishes his enemy off with a phaser, only popping up once the work's done! And I didn't even mention that he drops the unconcious Riker's head back onto the smashed glass he was lying on.

All told it's a bit of a barnstormer, and one of the best of the season, showing how the writers could do if they tried to add a bit of zest. The only confusing thing is why some people seemed to have a gill protrusion when taken over, and some didn't. As well as Riker's rather stationary false gill. I demand a follow up.

****

Politics

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S1 (Politics)

On the one hand you have the dreaded clips show, an excuse to save money and repeat parts of previous episodes. On the other it's an opportunity to recap events from the season, and put everyone on the same page ready for the last episode, while adding some pre-finale tension about the future of the series itself. I find myself pulled in both ways, but although I usually find clips episodes a real drag, I did enjoy the verbal sparring around the edges, as SG-1 unite against Senator Kinsey. It makes sense to remind viewers of some main points and characters of the season, but as proof for and against the Stargate program it seemed there wasn't really enough material to definitively decide, which was a weakness of the central idea.

I feel it would have worked better if they'd done such a story later in the series' run when there were more pertinent points to include. As it is, the clips aren't too long and arduous, and we're nicely set for the final episode, but it pretty much is just people talking in a room, and you kind of sense the idea could have been improved. I expect at the time, not knowing if the series would survive, it could have been an effective cliffhanger, and maybe the series would have ended with this kind of threat, had Season One been a failure, but knowing that all the characters will be around for some years does lesson the impact quite a bit.

**

Sherlock Holmes

cinema, Sherlock Holmes (2009) film

The great detective himself would probably have no trouble or compunction in tumbling this film like a house of cards with a few well-spoken barbs, but I have neither the wit or desire to point up all the film's faults in as few and precise words as he. The main point for me is, as always, how arrogant Hollywood writers are to believe they can write a better story than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (or many other great authors, in fact). Time and again we see adaptations that don't simply fall short of the original concepts, but deliberately take a different tack, contemporising, simplifying, draining the magic. It must be as simple as "we're not writing a book, we're making a film, so we know better. We make films, we know how to make films, and if we desire to use a legend or an icon, we'll use it as we see fit."

It's not quite fact that they haven't stayed true to aspects of the characters. They have the main protagonists: Holmes, Watson, Watson's wife to be, Mary, Irene Adler... and Gladstone the bulldog. Who could forget him? Watson did get married, and Holmes wasn't happy about it. He did come to admire Irene, but as for romantic inclinations, I'm not so sure about that. Holmes was always a cold character, for the most part, and one who kept his cards close to his chest, amazing those around him when he finally revealed the results of his observations. Robert Downey Jr.'s version is a mad-eyed eccentric, owing more to Doctor Who than Sherlock. He scurries around on all fours, his rooms an absolute tip, no sign of the ordered, meticulous Holmes we know. He's short and lumpen, not the precise, thin figure he should be. There have been many variations, and always something to grouse at, but there seemed to be more than most in this version.

Okay, so they wanted to popularise the characters by dropping some details and concentrating on others. I understand that, but do they not think the books were popular as they were? Do people not still come to adore the detective, the ins and outs of his character? Were there no other candidates for a Disney-fied 21st century makeover? Tarzan, say, or Flash Gordon - less real characters. No, they wanted to make Sherlock Holmes because he is a fascinating persona, and the stories are clever, forming at the very roots of crime fiction. I went in expecting exactly what I got, which was a slapstick, parody version, one that lost much of the charm of the interplay between characters, and filled it in with loud setpieces, as if the audience wasn't intelligent enough to watch a film without such noises and flashes, bangs and crashes.

Look at Lestrade. Eddie Marsan isn't bad, but he doesn't fit the character. Lestrade is there to scoff at Holmes and his methods, before having to eat his words when they prove true, injecting some witty comedy. Not the kind of tongue-twisting or bickering that is supposed to make us chortle - the kind of humour where we're laughing at Holmes, rather than at those around him when he proves his eccentricities were worthwhile. Watson wasn't too bad, but I don't recall quite as much hand to hand combat as there is here. We know Holmes for being a stiff competitor in the realm of physical endurance and attack, but more often than not he uses his brain muscles. Admittedly this is a difficult avenue to put on camera, but one of the best uses of the medium was in this regard: they cleverly show Holmes thinking about a course of action he will take, in slow motion, then at normal speed. It left me wishing the device had been utilised more.

They do the obvious in setting up the sequel by introducing the threat of Moriarty, the most famous villain of Holmes' career, in the same way 'Batman Begins' left us wondering about Batman's best-known villain, The Joker. Unlike that, this film didn't leave me with the desire to see more. I knew what I was watching, and I didn't hate it, but it simply seems that over and over again the same film with the same template of characters and situations, is released. This time it was set in the past. I know it's nitpicking, but words that I felt wouldn't have been invented then, were used, and the production reminded me more of Indiana Jones than The Lord of The Rings. That film showed how to adapt iconic characters and tales in a satisfying way that played to the medium's strengths. This film didn't.

I was waiting for Blackwood to start talking about Holmes' ancestry in the same voiceover Mark Strong does for 'Who Do You Think You Are?'. He wasn't a bad villain, but as most aficionados would probably have guessed, many of the clever plot twists were obvious, such as the fact he wasn't hanged properly, or that it was Holmes as the beggar man who appears at Moriarty's carriage. So they got many aspects right, I suppose, but it didn't stop the film from going on too long, and although it's such an obvious cliche to have the villain and hero take part in a thumping match at the end, I was relieved to have something to wake me up by that point.

It was always going to be a film for those who have a vague cultural knowledge of Holmes, than for people who actually like the stories (much the same as with 'Star Trek' the same year), but these productions always give rise to questions about why they need to take something we like and turn it into something we don't, to give ignorant people something to see. Why didn't you have the skill to go with the characters and situations the way they should be, improving only in visual terms and using the tricks of film to present a new way of seeing this classic, instead of fighting against the qualities, and forcing a Holmes block into a Downey Jr. hole. Why? Because films are made for money, just as books are. The difference is that modern authors seem to find less of their own work worthy of a film, than the authors of the past.

**

Paradox

TV, Paradox (5 episodes)

The central concept of this BBC drama is solid, and really it's what kept me watching. As a series it was disappointing. Actually it wasn't even that, because I didn't have high expectations in the first place, but it was greatly lacking in cohesion. First, the characters. They weren't bad, and they were another reason to stick with the programme. You had the police detective, her gruff, graceless male sidekick, a black Christian with two young children to support, and the most intriguing of all, the man at the centre of it all: Dr. Christian King (was the name supposed to give something away there?).

They all had something to make them interesting, whether it was Ben's blunt, belligerent approach to any problem, causing trouble and smirks in equal measure. Callum, with his strong faith, was a rarity, although it seemed to push the storyline towards supernatural intervention, and sending a few grainy photos didn't seem like much help. It was obvious they were trying to go for a science versus faith argument going, but the intellectual side of the writing was almost non-existent so the promise of all these ingredients never came to fruition. Main character DI Rebecca Flint came across quite badly - either she was acting with no regard for the law, or she was complaining that the others were doing just that. Or she was moaning that they weren't doing what she told them. Or... well, she seemed to moan a lot. I also didn't quite believe in her as a real person because of Tamzin Outhwaite's over-acting, and her rough voice grated on my ear a bit, especially when contrasted with the rich Scottish or northern tones of the others, and Callum's soft, but expressive voice.

So the main characters were up and down, but that was mostly the fault of the writers, and it's also their fault that there wasn't much progression. We meet a couple of recurring characters who don't serve much purpose except to increase the mystery, which unsatisfyingly was never explained by the end. The woman from the government: do they trust her? The balding man who's in charge of King's facility: does he know more than he lets on? They are only ever mysterious background characters that are chucked into the mix. The series is a classic case of being less than the sum of its parts. Some good ideas, especially the central paradox lose some of their power. To see how a series with the remit to use information from the future to stop catastrophes in the present, actually works, watch the American series 'Seven Days'. That came out ten years ago, but was full of the pumping action and impossible situations that 'Paradox' would love to feature.

I understand that there's less money to go round, and TV drama is affected like everything else, as evidenced by this series only having five episodes. No wonder we didn't fully get to know the characters, or for a coherent ongoing storyline to develop - there just wasn't time! Unfortunately a lot of each episode seems to be spent wandering the streets or grousing with each other. Admittedly the last ten minutes tend to be more exciting, but it always feels like the events are on a small scale, not really played to their full potential. Even the big climax to the first episode took place on a little country bridge, and the catastrophe was smaller each time.

So much was unresolved - the woman in the nail salon that Callum wants to protect, dies and that's it. It does influence his next move, but there's a lack of substance to events as if they struggled to fit things together and keep the audience guessing. It probably worked best in the first episode because we don't know the format, and the disparate pieces seem completely unrelated. The final episode seemed to promise to tie the first four episodes together, but only succeeded in giving us no ending at all. It's not even a cliffhanger where we're left with an idea of what might happen, but the episode just stops, leaving the characters in bizarre limbo.

It's obvious they hoped to make more of this series and wanted plenty of details to tie up later, but when we've taken time to follow it, we're not being given much to work with, or reward for sticking with it. Callum ends up murdering someone. I guess 'Thou shalt not kill' doesn't apply to rapists, then... Oh, and let's kill the central character, the most interesting one. Dr. King lies dying on the floor. I'm guessing if they continue he won't die or that would remove the central pillar of stability and a unique window on the intrigue (unless his death was all part of the plan, and he's sending photos from beyond the grave!).

I suppose they've succeeded in some ways - I did watch all the episodes, because there was something there, and I'd like more of this escalating danger stuff (done best in 90s series 'BUGS'), but I'm not holding out hopes for it to suddenly become the British 'Seven Days'!

**

The Day of The Triffids

TV, The Day of The Triffids (2009) miniseries

This is one of those classic science fiction tales that I've never encountered, while having some basic knowledge of that has seeped into general culture, much like 'War of The Worlds' and '1984'. Going on most BBC dramas in the modern era I wasn't expecting all that much, but since one of my favourite films is 'Mission: Impossible 2' with Dougray Scott as a superb villain, I was interested to see him in another role. And it was a story I've had on my radar to see/read at some point.

It was a pleasant surprise to see this miniseries (two hour and a half episodes over two consecutive nights), was sensitively directed, had good music and sound, and characters that were believable and worth watching, when so much TV drama these days feels half-finished (case in point: 'Paradox'). I obviously don't know how close to the original story this adaptation was, and it's clearly been contemporised, not in the direction of gratuitous language, sex and gore, but in the setting and message of global warming.

Scott did a completely believable, restrained performance as Dr. Bill Masen. It's all in the eyes. If you watch 'M:I2' you see the evil in his eyes, but in this it's the concern and intelligence that comes through. I enjoyed the way characters met, and the blind masses, terrified and terrifying in their grasping at any stranger was creepy in a way that other, much-lauded programmes such as 'Dr. Who' can only reach once in a while. All the characters were interesting, well-played and I found myself wishing this was an ongoing series in the vein of 'Survivors', so we could see what happened to these communities. I wanted to know what and who Torrence was before he took destiny by the collar and decided he was boss. I wanted to see how the communities banded together on the Isle of Wight. But mostly I just wanted to spend more time with the people we were introduced to.

The performances were almost without fault, apart from the occasional bit of hammy, evil-villain craziness from Eddie Izzard's Torrence, and the fact that Jo Playton, the radio presenter seemed to accept Bill's death quite easily. It was great to see Brian Cox as Bill's Dad (though I sensed his fate as soon as we knew he was messing around with a Triffid), and Vanessa Redgrave still going strong as an evil or misguided Mother Superior of a Convent. The Triffids themselves had a starring role, appearing out of the mist or dark corners, to good effect. They were so effective in look that I wasn't sure if they were real or CGI which is the highest compliment to the effects.

The direction was nicely done, having none of the Bourne-inspired quick cuts that seem to be every director's favourite now, but allowing lingering camera shots where we see people move, and action unfold. The flashbacks to the mask and the tribesman, and the solution to evade the plants was clever, no doubt all credit should go to John Wyndham's original book for things like that.

'Dr. Who' and other popular TV series' often seem to be full of cartoon characters, illogical plot developments and no real tension or reason to care about those involved, leaving me with a feeling of disappointment that I didn't have when I'd finished watching this. It's not perfect, perhaps I would have injected some more dramatic moments or revealed more about some of the characters, but I'm just being picky, and that proves how good it was - if I'm not making any big observations about flaws then it's because there weren't any, and I'm only trying to wish it perfect. A thoroughly good job done.

***