Scare

DVD, Smallville S4 (Scare)

Tell her! Tell her! Tell her! That's what my head was shouting in the last scene. It's been over two years since Clark's shared his secret with someone, and that didn't work out. In fact it led to the breaking of a long friendship with Pete, and his leaving Smallville. Everything at the end of this story pushes us into wanting Clark to tell Chloe, and actually it's come out of the blue. It isn't like he's been thinking hard about telling her, on the contrary, it's Lana he wants to tell. But that little sequence when she brings out the whereabouts, or more aptly, the condition of her Mum, that she becomes more honest and open than we've seen her before, makes it seem like the perfect time.

She admits she knows some big secret is a burden to Clark, which hasn't been addressed since the time she was investigating him, causing a rift for a while. Thankfully that was patched up, much better than the one with Lana, but that's probably because she's fonder of Clark than Lana now is, and can forgive him anything as long as he remains on friendly terms. She couldn't bear not seeing the guy at all, whereas Lana has moved on, grown up quite a lot, and thought she'd got what she wanted. Only Jason has suddenly gone weird, and it has to be something to do with his Mum, and some dark secret that would cause him to leave.

The horror aspect of the series has always been there, from the freaks-of-the-week to town-wide disaster, though the latter has been rare. It's been a while since the Smallville Medical Centre has been inundated with townsfolk, and seeing it like that brought back memories of the twisters. People's greatest fears are always compelling, and I only wish we could have seen the Kent's and Lionel's. It's easy to guess that their fear would be losing Clark or each other, but Lionel Luthor's? He's such a shadowy character, even now, that I'm not sure a fear could be pinned down pat, unless it was failure of everything he instigated, or defeat by adversaries, or Lex bringing him down - but that fear has already come true. Until he's let out here!

We knew he'd be getting out at some point - if he could recover his sight from blindness, getting out of prison's a comparatively easy achievement! But who is the mystery benefactor, this someone who mut be more powerful than him? It wouldn't be Lex, he put him there, rightfully in the first place. It wouldn't be the villains he's come up against over the years, so it's either the lady in charge of finding the stones, or someone we don't know yet.

Clark's almost-sacrifice, where he goes to give himself up as a guinea-pig for Lex' testing was one of his most heroic moments, and the use of heat vision to speed up the antidote was inspired, and a good effect. There were a lot of strong visuals, partly from the makeup (the horror sequences as Chloe finds her weird Mother, and Lana gets grabbed by a zombie version of herself!), but also from some stunning CGI. While I'm pretty sure they reused Lex' vision of being President of a doomed world from Season One's 'Hourglass' the new meteor storm destroying the SMC, and Jason's fall from the upper level of the Talon were most impressive for a TV show. It was obvious this wasn't reality early on - we've had so many scenes of Clark being subject to a lurid visit from some female with amorous or evil intention in his loft, that this was a play on the familiar. When Clark so easily succumbs to Lana, and Jason hits him about like an ordinary mortal it's quite clear this is either virtual reality, a dream, or in this case a nightmare.

The intentions of the various characters and there challenges in the episode are well-played. Lex shows some spark of his old concern for people when he worries about the experiment that's gone wrong, but as ever we're not sure if he really cares about the little people, his employees, and Clark's associates, or whether it's his reputation and that of Luthercorp that motivates him. It reminded me so much of past stories in which Luthercorp has committed some terrible act by mistake or design, and Lex gets extremely agitated, apologising profusely to Clark, while trying to sort the situation out privately. Chalk another one up to British Director David Carson for all that, as well as the writers for trying a bit harder. The actors had something to do with it too, I'm sure! The nastiness in this episode isn't the visual horror, as that's pretty standard and uncreative by 'Smallville' standards. No, it's the way it keeps us in suspense about so many things, but especially whether Clark will tell Chloe his secret, and who sprung Lionel. One of the best episodes of the season.

***

Secrets

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S2 (Secrets)

This moves the story on apace. In the space of one episode we find a Sharray in her normal mind (I was waiting for the parallel version, time paradox or other explanation for her presence!), meet Carter's Dad, Jacob, find out there's a leak in the Stargate programme, prevent Sharray's newly-born child from falling into Heruer's captivity, discover Jacob has cancer, and see Sharray and Apophis reunited while she deliberately doesn't reveal SG-1 hiding in the shadows. That's not to mention the possible murder of a journalist who knew too much - they don't usually fit this much plot into half a season!

Knowing Jacob from other episodes it's brilliant to see his first appearance, and tragic that Sam can't tell him about her secret work, even though he's dying. After the familial turmoil that Teal'c suffered in the previous episode you'd think he'd be more supportive of Daniel's strong feelings. But then he does have a sense of duty that puts the means of defeating the Goa'uld ahead of all other priorities. The second season so far hasn't scrimped on the ongoing plot details that took a back seat through much of the first, and episodes like this serve to further our interest as much as furthering knowledge - expanding the mythology and the characters. The scenes set on everyday Earth worked well against the familiar but alien setting of Abbydos, and the confidence of the series is starting to show through.

***

Shattered

DVD, Voyager S7 (Shattered)

Much more than a clips episode converted into one with new footage, this is a greatest hits package that gives them a chance to remember the good and bad times, where they started out and how far they've come in both personal and spatial terms. It also flags up the best excuse a Starfleet officer could ever need: if ever you're caught doing something you don't want to explain just tell your superior "can't tell yer - Temporal Prime Directive" in the most smug and superior voice you can muster mister. Then all your problems will go away. I expect.

Taking some inspiration from 'Relativity' this has a less serious side to it, perhaps Chakotay and the Captain even treat the situation a little too lightly. Between each encounter they walk down corridors wryly musing on the other's knowledge/lack thereof, letting slip little questions or answers. It doesn't detract from the episode, and the twinkle in Chakotay's eye reminds us of way back in Season Two's 'Resolutions', and there's a little bit of regret that things never worked out between them, while pointing to the deep friendship that developed.

Chakotay has been another of the main characters to be underused and underdeveloped, so a an episode for him to revisit moments from the past and help save the ship are appreciated. Linking him with Janeway, one from before they first met, and having him support the decision she made originally, and pointing to the important life-changing events that so many have had, gave him an opportunity to tell the viewers what the series has meant to the characters, as much as those viewing. It makes you wonder if any of the events will be recalled by those who were inoculated, or whether Chakotay was a special case.

Bringing Seska back, and Chaotica, and seeing different versions of Seven, Icheb, Naomi and others was a great idea, and even better when we get to see them all work together. The effect of the time shift looked good, as did the colour part of the monochrome holodeck scene. As usual, time changes make for an inventive story and one which plays to the series' strengths, reminding us why we've stayed with it for seven years.

****

The Icarus Factor

DVD, TNG S2 (The Icarus Factor)

That was a nice shot to end with: all the bridge officers in view, the status of family reaffirmed thanks to two personal stories carrying the episode. I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Roddenberry's ideas of 'perfect' humanity throughout most of this episode. It seems fathers and sons still have the same problems of relating even in the 24th Century. Not that it mattered - the perfection was never a reality as much as Gene wanted, it was just that the characters tend to be more altruistic and selfless in their daily lives. Sometimes they can seem a touch arrogant and self-satisfied when driving home the point, but that's necessary, or it was at that time, because people weren't as familiar with the style of Trek as they would be now that so many episodes have passed under the bridge.

The pace hasn't changed in recent episodes - Season Two has been slower even than Season One in many episodes - so I can't say I welcomed this as a change of pace. I did enjoy seeing the shipboard people problems that must occur all the time, except we don't always know about them because we're dealing with more interesting things, like aliens or planets. The Tholians did score a mention, but they weren't involved in a story until almost fifteen years later, so it was no good pricking up your ears if you were watching back in 1988!

Something that does get addressed, if only in passing, is the bond between Troi and Riker. It hasn't really been important since last season's 'Haven', but it shows they still care. In Riker's illustrious career he passed up on many captaincies, and I'm not sure if this one was the first or second. Either way, he eventually got the girl, and then had the centre seat, so he got the best of both worlds. Worf's crazy, pain-loving antics are further explored with was a humourous line to that B-story to balance the serious A, and O'Brien is again coming to the fore as a friendly face everyone talks to. In his own small way, he's a bit like an Irish Guinan, only without the advice. Guinan herself hasn't appeared as much in the last few episodes, and it's safe to say that O'Brien has taken the crown for most recurring character so far.

The Anbo-Jitsu looked like fun, and had a lightsaber-baiting impression. I'm not sure it surpasses all martial arts as seemed to be implied, as the armour was quite cumbersome, and if anything, it recalled the lirpa battle from 'Amok Time' more than the precision of hand to hand combat. Always interesting to meet family of main characters, and it's only a shame Kyle wasn't used again. He gave us a window into Riker's past and some reconciliation to cheer us up.

**

Sherlock Holmes and The Voice of Terror

DVD, Sherlock Holmes and The Voice of Terror (1942) film

What might be called the first proper film, or the one where Rathbone and Bruce's style comes to the fore. The stark contrast of the lighting in this black and white world provides an artful visual aesthetic, enhanced by the claustrophobic outdoor sets, and the brightly lit interiors. These also provide a more realistic setting compared with 'The Hound of The Baskervilles'. The incidental music improves the film, after 'Baskervilles' did without.

An interesting facet of the story; the mysterious voice of terror, has an inadvertent extra twist to its identity, beyond the confines of the story, for those that happen to have viewed some of the other films in the series before this one - suspicion for such a viewer must inevitably fall on Lloyd, played by the pale Henry Daniell, better known for the recurring role of Moriarty, Holmes' most dangerous adversary. I remember seeing this and thinking Lloyd was the definite traitor, and waiting for Moriarty to be unmasked! They must have been impressed enough with his role here to give him arguably the third most important in the other films.

The story is inspired by 'His Last Bow' rather than following it closely, which would have been difficult to make into a film thanks to it being mostly set in one room. The reworking of the situation for the Second World War, already three years long at the time, instead of the build up to the First, probably helped the film series to get off to a strong start, and cleverly a note at the beginning explains Holmes is a hero for any time. I imagine if a film were made now, perhaps set during the Iraq war, it would be a lot more difficult to see the character in the same way, but the World Wars were close enough together and within a not too distant timeframe to the true life of the character so it doesn't seem as strange. To us, the early part of the 20th Century all seems so distant that giving or taking fifty years is less obvious anyway.

Holmes' speech is typical of the films made during the war period, and the pulling together of the British people and the backing of one of the best literary creations must have swelled with pride cinemagoers of the time. It was also the year America joined the war, so perhaps a film about Holmes, crossed with the reality of the war was a big hit. The story has more humour, and little asides that play with the stereotypes gently, such as the moment Watson makes Holmes wear a more contemporary hat instead of a deerstalker. Slightly more accomplished than 'Baskervilles' many of the elements that would become familiar to the film series began here, even if they aren't quite as compelling as some in the series.

**

Family

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S2 (Family)

A tough one for Teal'c and no mistake. A bit of the old rageful Teal'c from his time under Apophis shows himself at his wife and friend's betrayal, but his anger soon turns to concern, and thankfully there's a happy ending, with his family safely off to make a new life on the light and dark world. This episode looks especially fine, with luscious woodland, buildings of rich colour and depth, and even a scene with pinsharp rain. It also features the great Master Bre'tak and the return of Teal'c's family, so there's very little not to like.

As the story played out I thought that either Frotak would be a recurring character and Teal'c would have to get used to the idea that his wife belonged to another man, or, as happened, he'd turn traitor and be killed. It would have been too much soap to have continued that story into other episodes, so it just fits nicely into one. Riach grows taller each episode, and the young actor gives a mature performance of a child taken over by Apophis' control. His scene with Teal'c in the cell is really sad, but the one where his Father heals him by zapping the boy with a zat gun was a bit of an easy escape. Apophis reminds us that he escaped the destruction of his ship, and it could be interesting to see him and the other System Lord that was introduced, reacting to each other. In all, a good episode.

***

Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of The Baskervilles

DVD, Sherlock Holmes and The Hound of The Baskervilles (1939) film

This black and white version of what is probably Holmes' most famous story is both visually stark and aurally spare. The lack of any incidental music makes it a very strange experience and certainly lessens the atmosphere as the tension is generated purely from dialogue or sound effects, and the rustling and bumping of the soundtrack doesn't help. It is most interesting viewed as Basil Rathbone's first turn as the popular detective, and the character comes across very well, his verve and ingenuity well represented. Watson, on the other hand, is not true to the character of the books in anything more than his devotion to his friend, but Nigel Bruce's bumbling, put-upon version lightens a dark tale, with his mutterings and ineptitudes.

The other characters vary, and none live up to their literary equivalent. Richard Greene's American accent doesn't come across very well, and Dr. Mortimer is portrayed as a much more sinister man, presented as a possible early suspect. I don't remember any seances in the book, yet Mortimer's wife gets them together for one anyway, which serves no purpose. The howling on the moors is as spine-tingling as it should be, and the hound is ferocious, but the ending of the book with Holmes chasing Stapleton and the man falling prey to the Grimpen Mire were oddly altered so that Stapleton actually goes back and tries to poison Sir Henry!

The hound not being kept on an island in the Mire means Holmes gets stuck in the 'cage' and it all goes a bit wrong. The attack on Sir Henry was well played, although he did seem to survive it for quite a long time! I did like the way Hugo Baskerville's story was told, showing the events superimposed over the turning pages of the manuscript. In this version he didn't come across as the evil and cruel kidnapper and fiend of the book, and seemed a rather jolly sort, but I suppose the censorship of the time couldn't go into too much detail.

On the whole I liked the look of the production, the sets were pretty good, and Holmes' costume as the wandering pedlar was fun, though you can't disguise that regal nose, however, I didn't feel it was one of the better versions, taking a few too many liberties with what was a very strong story in its own right. The later films tended to have their own narratives, so there was less to complain about when the writing differed from the books, so perhaps this suffers because of its source.

*

Tribunal

DVD, DS9 S2 (Tribunal)

Not as brutal as it seemed back in the day, O'Brien's kidnap and rough treatment by the Cardassians is still stark and unpleasant. In a season which has seen a variety of Cardassian persons, we get to visit the homeworld and get more insights into the alien mindset. This time the negative aspects of their society are more to the fore, with the show trial apparently the norm. Kovat, who acts as O'Brien's lawyer, but is actually more of an apologist for his client who does everything he can to encourage him to confess, is actually quite a comic persona. The tragedy that accompanies this comedy is that the man actually believes what he's saying about how uplifting it will be for the populace to see a guilty criminal punished yet again, and it's only his final line where he says 'they' will kill him that shows his fear and slavery to the state-controlled system, and actually inspires some sympathy. Are 'they' the Obsidian Order?

There isn't a lot of humour, although the antics of O'Brien and his concerns about leaving the station for a week, and preoccupation with technical manuals when he's supposed to be relaxing, recall Scotty in the Original Series, who shared such sentiments! The comic timing in the teaser as O'Brien pops his head up in the Ops lift to say one more thing was perfect and Avery Brooks makes a good job of his first directorial assignment - usually when you see an actor's name with the Director credit it means their character won't feature much, but this time Sisko was as much a part of things as normal. Brooks doesn't do anything flashy or stylish, except in the courtroom with it's different levels and lighting, and seems more concerned with telling the story, which is a sensible attitude to take. He proved himself a strong director in later episodes and the first one is always about doing it right, and not letting flamboyant or over-imaginative gimmicks overtake the house style.

As well as mention of the Enterprise, which has been ordered to patrol the DMZ, we also hear a bit about O'Brien's past, including the Rutledge and Setlik III. A precedent for Seska, a year later on 'Voyager' is created here, as Raymond Boone turns out to be a surgically altered sleeper agent of Cardassia. The Maquis also feature, albeit facelessly, and Gul Evek's run of being in any story related to them is continued here. Kovat and his old man's cardigan and white hair is quite different to the harsh, bat-like Makbar, whose hairstyle pushes her sharp face to the fore, helping the court scenes evoke a nightmarish, Tim Burton-esque gothic look. It was interesting that Kira had an open mind about O'Brien's guilt, especially where the Cardassians are concerned, as she'd usually be the first to pour scorn on their side of things. Perhaps because she's committed criminal acts herself in the past, she realises that anyone could be capable.

But the Chief's got the most open, honest face, probably in the history of Starfleet, and only his well-known anti-Cardassian views could convict him. Even then he's made it clear he doesn't hate the race, even if he distrusts them, and has got over his experiences in the border wars. And so the tradition of torturing O'Brien gets consolidated, as it would even more in subsequent seasons. He does 'wronged everyman' so well!

***

Time Squared

DVD, TNG S2 (Time Squared)

A little less conferencing, a little more action. That might have benefitted what was an extraordinary occurrence. In some ways it's the perfect example for someone to hold up as proof of the series' overly cerebral and dull style. This isn't quite the case, and certainly most episodes are more kinetic than this one, but the high number of scenes of characters discussing, pensively and passively, the appearance of a double, the prospect of destruction and what to do to prevent it, does detract.

The episode begins in an unfocused manner, with the whimsical scene in Riker's quarters. It's odd that he's cooking dinner for some of the senior staff, odd that Deanna isn't among them, and odd that the scene exists at all, as before it goes anywhere Riker's called to the bridge, and most of his dinner guests follow him, though they weren't instructed to. It would have made more sense if it were the teaser for the following episode, and not having seen this one before, I wondered if it was going to be Riker's Father in the shuttle. People turning up unexpectedly, becomes a recurrent theme of this episode, with various people going somewhere they weren't asked to, or appearing in a room, like O'Brien did at the end, with the sole purpose to look confused. Deanna even manages to follow Picard to sickbay when he leaves the bridge, then already be there when he gets there! Either she knew where he was going and he had to pop into his quarters or somewhere first, or there was more than one double on that shuttle!

These little out of place moments don't serve the already strange story, and the whole affair comes across as a bit disjointed and lacking a strong direction, paralleling Picard's worry of lacking resolve. The mystery keeps us guessing, but in the end nothing is determined of the situation except for the inevitable aversion of destruction. The other plot point of Picard's discomfort with having to deal with a duplicate isn't investigated enough for it to carry the story. The episode isn't without merit, as beyond the mystery of time travel and doubles, we are treated to some of the most vibrant spatial vistas seen so far in the series. The unexplained phenomena looked very 'wormhole' to me, and brought to mind the images of V'GER from the first feature film. The score sounded better in some way, too, or perhaps it was only more noticeable.

The scenes where Picard follows himself, talking to... himself, and trying to work out what's going on, are inventive and technically impressive for the time. I should have guessed the only reason Picard would abandon ship was to save it, but this time he realises to escape the loop he needs to do the opposite of perceived wisdom. We even had references to the Traveller and Dr. Manheim, but they only served to remind us of better sci-fi tales than this one: an attempt to do a complex tale, part psychological, part mystery, part disaster which doesn't exceed its reach in any direction.

**

Bound

DVD, Smallville S4 (Bound)

It had me going there for a while. At first I thought this was going to be another example of the tired 'Lex falls for a femme fatale' story. And slowly as things unfolded I began to think there was more to it. It wasn't as strikingly presented as 'Suspect', but it had a certain edgy quality to the way things were playing out. I couldn't help but think Clark was exceedingly dumb to relax his guard with Lionel Luthor - the criminal's appearance was welcome after a few episodes without him, but even the healing of his liver, and his new outlook on life couldn't convince me for a second he was genuine. Too often we've seen his machinations and his cunning.

I sensed there was a change in his power level. When he was convicted of the murder of his parents his hair was shorn off in an almost biblical display of being cast down, as if it represented the great wealth and resources he held, and with it went his strength, and he was at the bottom of the pile surrounded by equals. In his first scene since the miraculous healing he started from above, on an upper level, coming down a staircase, and that picture was so vividly a throwback of his previous entrances that it immediately gave me pause for thought. Then we see his hair is growing back, and you have to wonder if this signifies the return of his authority and power? Jonathan Kent was always right not to trust him, and it could be the purpose of this episode was to give Lionel the chance to help Lex, and appear to begin reconciliation that will lead to getting out of prison. Because they obviously aren't going to keep him in there for a life sentence. I know 'Smallville' is set for a tenth season, but I doubt it will last to twenty!

Which brings me back to my first statement. It had me going, and I really was fooled into thinking this was going to be a complex and clever multi-layered tale to keep us guessing to the end... but once Lex' lawyer was shown with her back to camera I knew she was dead, and it wasn't long before what I would generously call a tried and tested resolution came about, and I saw the episode for being just another 'Lex tied to a chair and Clark saves him at the last moment, but Lex doesn't know it' scenario. Admittedly the effects were as excellent as the action was unique, I only wish my expectations hadn't been raised.

The sleazy subject matter didn't help the case, so while much of the episode had a compelling mystery that made up for that, the story degenerated into little of worth. It wasn't the only mystery of the episode however, as it's clear Jason and his Mother have their own secrets, with an indication the witchy plot is to continue. With a bleak ending against the grain, there's ultimately little to recommend. Clark asks how long is this going to happen, referring to the trust between Lex and he. I appreciated that things didn't go soft and fuzzy yet again, and that even the direction of the music and visuals reflected that fatigue in repetition of this friendship/enmity. But again, the episode wasn't much better for it. It seems the ground has been staked out once more, and Lex wants yet another chance. And Lionel wants another chance. And Clark doesn't know who to believe.

**

Flesh and Blood

DVD, Voyager S7 (Flesh and Blood)

There's something about seeing Jem'Hadar, Cardassians, Bajorans, Borg, Romulans, Breen and Vulcans, all together in an episode, even when they are 'only' holograms, and the visual excitement does much to strengthen the weaker moments. Because while there are plenty of frenetic action scenes, be they personal (the Doctor's experience of being hunted) or spatial (various ship to ship skirmishes) there's a feeling of emptiness and disappointment through a lot of it, especially the early scenes. The locales are too bright and sunny, the aliens too stereotypical (even as it's brought to our attention in dialogue), and the decisions too easily reached. The progression of the story doesn't inspire confidence, and poses questions in your mind about whether they thought of a load of cool stuff and flung it together for an 'event' episode. But gradually throughout the story as we're torn in various directions, for the Hirogen, for the holograms, for Janeway, for the Doctor, and as personal histories are shown to influence characters, a transformation occurs.

By the end I was impressed with more than the 'cool stuff' - the Hall of Fame collection of Trek's best aliens; people charging through foliage; ships speeding away - and became aware of the Doctor especially, but also B'Elanna and some of the holograms points of view and changing circumstances. Because Iden does at first appear a trustworthy, if misguided man. His desire for the liberation and peaceful settlement of his 'race' inspires sympathy, and his words to the Doctor on servitude are true in a manner of speaking: he is Voyager's EMH and so can't do whatever he wants, but that is as much true for the 'organic' crew. The Doctor could cite that his crewmates are on the ship by choice, but even that isn't so for all of them. The Maquis had to make the best of things, and became integral members of the crew, and so has the Doctor.

At the same time, and this is something that's come to the fore previously and would again, his rights and those of sentient holograms are in question, and what would he do once the ship returned home? If it weren't for the portable emitter he'd be stuck in the same confined existence as most holograms, and though Trek has addressed the issue in many ways, a definitive answer on the position of holograms as equals, because of their relative ease of creation and necessary uses, is uncertain and has unlocked a pandora's box of possibilities. If further episodes occurred in the timeline then this should surely be worked out, and perhaps, like warp speed was curtailed for a while to protect the fabric of space, holotechnology should be revised? As was shown, some are purely mechanical without the ability to learn, and are clearly not on the same level as the EMH, but then should they be given sentience? It's all thought-provoking stuff, that has gone deeper than the android question posed by Data's existence.

I was so pleased that Donik and Kejal were free to continue an existence and perhaps there is hope for holo/organic armistice. I was originally significantly less impressed by the episode because I was annoyed how the Hirogen had become less dimensional, and less special. When first seen they were about eight foot tall and deadlier than Klingons. Since then they were lessened in stature, and now we have weak, weedy versions too. As always, Trek sees fit to water down their baddies, from one point of view, or make them a more realistically complex society from another. The Hirogen were never likely to be a rich and varied race such as Klingons, Vulcans or Bajorans, but this time I wasn't put off by the attempt. Rather I felt the pull of the views of each player, and while in the first half I thought the crew were just that: merely players on the stage, in the second part it was their character and experiences that drove the narrative.

I wouldn't say the two-parter was one of the best featurelength episodes, but seeing it as one did improve it and made me wish there were more of these! The Hirogen were a Voyager creation and were used sparingly. Maybe they didn't retain the status they first had, and their ships didn't look that impressive from the outside, but they weren't rendered toothless like the Borg and showed their own form of quality in never giving up, even without weapons and in a Y-class environment (another great idea: propose a holographic settlement on a planet inhospitable for organics!). Vaughn Armstrong got to inhabit another of his many roles, but against expectation he's killed off rather quickly. Only his distinctive voice showed through the total prosthetics this time!

We're familiar with the ticking off scene at the end of many previous stories, and we expected the Doc to be punished, so it's a joy that Janeway demonstrates her wisdom. In much of the episode she came across as blind, stubborn and unsympathetic, but her reconciliation with the 'enemy' at the end elevated the episode. There was an intelligence that seeped through beyond the shaky camera and phaser blasts, something that hasn't always come across this season. A success then, and I think I mentioned the kick it was to again see Jem'Hadar, Cardassians, Bajorans...

****

Message In A Bottle

Stargate SG-1 S2 (Message In A Bottle)

Another unremarkable, but adequate bottle show. The only events worth viewing were the initial shock of Colonel O'Neill pinioned to a concrete wall, and Teal'c's joke. Otherwise it was a standard, by-the-numbers virus-taking-over-the-base story. With a virus. That was sentient. And all it wants is to surv... yawn... Admittedly the scenes with Jack and Teal'c, and Daniel and Carter were fine, and once again the characters hold up what is uninspired storytelling. Certainly this is the least enjoyable episode of the season so far. There isn't even anything to rant about or praise, it simply happened, and not very much of it, at that.

**

The Collaborator

DVD, DS9 S2 (The Collaborator)

'I win!' says Kai Winn. Of all the strands running through this season (and also the series), the outcome of the back-stabbing, power-hungry Winn becoming Kai was a surprise, to say the least. Even the writers admitted they'd expected Bareil to take that noble post, but it was the Vedek's nobility that led him to sacrifice all for the reputation of another respected prominent figure. He was better than any of them thought, especially Kira, whose estimation in him would surely have greatly increased, even if she isn't happy about the result. Indeed, the new Kai was so pleased with herself she seemed to have no ulterior meaning in her words of friendship. Whether that feeling would last is another matter.

As always we see Winn as the ambitious and cunning adversary she proved from her first appearance, to be, but her dealings with Sisko don't flow as easily for her. He's not going to be over-awed or fooled by her honey-poison words, and himself uses a bit of manoeuvring to test her in asking her to speak for the alliance with the Federation. Shrewd, but she wasn't going to be taken in either. A draw this time, then, though Winn wins a personal battle by gaining the position of Kai. I'm always impressed and excited by Orb visions, and trying to interpret them is like working out the clues in a detective show. Actually I'm never very good at deduction, but I enjoy the metaphors and striking imagery. Bareil's visions lead to interesting questions - do they mean that the Prophets wanted Winn to be Kai? Bareil seems to believe so. The snake in the basket made me think of Captain Janeway's test in 'Sacred Ground'.

This is also the first time we see Winn with her hair down, a very rare occurrence, but one for pop quizzes: who is the first person she kisses on screen? Why Bareil of course! Loooong before the simple Bajoran farmer Anjohl Tenan... Any connection that we later find out Bareil's first name also begins with A, as in Antos? No, that's just staggering drunkenly in circles of trivia. Back to more sensible matters: Odo shows his first sign of... what? Certainly not love, but it was more than embarrassment in his reaction to Kira's admittance of love for Bareil. With hindsight, his look of surprise says a lot more. The tragic future's of all four of those characters; Kira, Odo, Winn and Bareil, were a long way off (in most cases anyway), but knowing the future adds layers of meaning to 'current' events.

It was clever to lead the audience to the early conclusion that the collaborator of the title was Kubus Oak (another character effectively utilised in the Terok Nor books, in which the Kendra Valley Massacre also features), then to pull out the rug and appear to be Bareil, only for us to lose footing again at the revelation of Kai Opaka. It was a bit like that famous story of the railwayman whose son stumbled into the machinery and he had to make a choice between rescuing the boy or activating the bridge which will crush him so that the people in the approaching train will survive. Like him, Opaka made the difficult choice to save lives in exchange for the death of her son and other resistance fighters. Sad and difficult.

The religious and political tapestry is well spun in this series, and it was satisfying to have a resolution in the form of the Kai's election, although as usual, we are left with more questions to be answered. That's what keeps an audience watching (unless they missed some important episodes, which is why consistent viewing is rewarded, and how the series has come to be regarded in much better light with the DVDs available).

I recognised the Kubus actor as a guy who'd been in the only 'Starsky & Hutch' three-parter. He used a cane in that one too, so I wonder if he really had a bad leg and needed it? Kai Opaka's presence in Bareil's Orb experiences was very welcome, but it doesn't signify the reappearance she promised, as that was made to Sisko, so her role in the series hasn't quite finished. I like the last words Bareil says to Kira in answer to her question about where the Kai will lead them: down paths that even Winn doesn't know, and though she doesn't realise it, she'll need their help. How true that was to be.

***

Thor's Chariot

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S2 (Thor's Chariot)

A sequel to one of the more enjoyable episodes of Season One; 'Thor's Hammer'. Unfortunately it doesn't feature a great beast for them to avoid down in the dark, but there is a similar test of wits to reach Thor's Might, or, in other words, the reality of Thor as a member of the long-anticipated Asgard race. At last we get to see one, even if it is a familiar 'grey' alien from folklore, and one that doesn't see fit to meet with humans as they are still 'too young'. I guessed the test of the narrow beam crossing was actually a holographic representation, but that didn't stop me from wondering - Garewin was an expendable character after all. It was sad to see Kendra had been killed, but in general it's great when they go back to a previously visited world, and in this case, one in which they had altered things.

My one problem was with Thor himself. How come he could be available to pop up as soon as he became aware the Cimmerians had activated the 'hall', yet never realised the Hammer was destroyed last season, or that the people were under attack? If he got a message from one piece of equipment you'd expect the same technology would have informed him of the presence of enemies. A small quibble in an otherwise reasonable story, and featuring some good action shots (how they love blowing up Goa'ulds and flinging them through the air!).

It ends without ceremony, but I suppose there wasn't anything left to do but return through the Stargate. A new System Lord arrives on the radar (can't remember his name - Harea, or something like that), strikingly thuggish-looking. It's always a good idea to broaden the mythology, so let's hope this new guy proves more of a threat than Apophis has. The return of old characters and places is something to celebrate, as is the addition of new pieces to play with on the chessboard. But. I still didn't feel it was quite substantial enough to be called a good episode, even if it had quite a few good scenes.

**

Need

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S2 (Need)

A spoiled princess falling in love... another old sci-fi cliche, I'm afraid, and it doesn't get much better than that this time. The lush greenery of forests is soothing, as ever, but apart from that there's little to recommend this episode. Michael Shanks gets to show his acting chops, as both a fully healed, but slightly uppity user of the Sarcophagus, and the alternative, becoming a crazed and violent victim in the grip of cold turkey.

Actually the discoveries of the Sarcophagus' flaws was one of the interesting moments - Carter theorises that the technology's degenerate effect on the mind could be the reason for the Goa'uld's behaviour, and also puts a spanner in the works of anyone thinking they could get their hands on one to prevent any risk in the series. They might well be able to bring people back from the dead and heal all wounds, but at the cost of good judgement. A little tidying of ideas never goes amiss. Another item of interest was Carter's new-found ability to sense the presence of Goa'ulds (leading to one of the best lines: Carter says she gets a funny feeling around Teal'c, and Jack rejoins that they all feel that way sometimes!), which is a good side-effect of her posession by the Tokra. They get a mention, as does Sharray, and I like the threads running through the series, only I wish they had better stories in general upon which to hang the characters as they deserve better, and often don't get it.

A couple of things that always happen, which don't exactly annoy me, but I can't help noticing whenever they occur: in any situation, on whatever planet, in whatever series, when people are mining they never look as if they're doing anything! Half-heartedly whacking rocks in the hope that it will lead to anything is so common because to get it to look real the actor's would actually have to mine for real, and put all their effort into it. Take after take. Which isn't feasible, so you get these kind of scenes. Doesn't matter what TV series it is, it always seems to be the case. Another thing is when people sit down to eat a huge meal, take a few bites and leave because the dialogue is said! Almost always happens. And just a little nitpick for this particular series - how come the Sarcophagus only needs one hit to destroy it, as in previous episodes we've seen them use it for cover under fire. And didn't it threaten to self-destruct in one episode and take out the whole area?

**

The Royale

DVD, TNG S2 (The Royale)

A runaround with no point to it, is how I felt after watching this. It sounds harsh, and I admit there are moments of interest, such as when the Away Team first sees the revolving doors, or the body of the astronaut. But for the purpose to be limited to trying to escape from a casino, and for Picard to explain it away at the end as an unsolveable puzzle like Fermat's, makes the story's lightweight nature even more apparent.

Much of the story features Riker, Worf and Data wandering the establishment looking confused, or trying to understand the locals, but being all based on a cheap novel none of it is particularly compelling and later episodes from this and other series' did the 'trapped in a construct reality' thing much better. So there's nothing much noteworthy, except perhaps how O'Brien has become something of a regular in the Transporter Room. And that the Holodeck wasn't the answer!

**

Crossover

DVD, DS9 S2 (Crossover)

Having successfully brought back three Original Series Klingons this season you might expect the writers to feel satisfied with those nods to their origins, but not so! Another staple of that series was the creation of the Mirror Universe, something that continues in books to this day. There's something about seeing familiar faces in a distorted way, and the violence and unsettling nature of the universe portrayed in 'Mirror, Mirror' gets added 'DS9' bleakness.

At first the conversation in the Runabout between Bashir and Kira reminds us of last season when she could barely tolerate him, and also flags up the friendship between the Doctor and O'Brien again, which has occurred more off screen than on in the last few episodes. We've seen key events that crafted the grudging respect into appreciation, but not so much of the smaller scenes like this one with Kira. Bashir clearly thinks he and everyone are getting on great now, and his connection to O'Brien leads to changes. Just as Kirk influenced Spock towards peaceful ways, Bashir's status as a free born Terran eventually gets through to the weakened spirit of O'Brien, who gives a great, but humble speech and helps the unpredictable Mirror Sisko to 'change his mind' against the Intendant.

If the story never moved on from there, we could at least be left with the parallels to the original story, but the playground of alternates was too big a chance to turn down, and we still hadn't seen all the Mirror versions of regular crewmembers. Out of those that we do, two; Quark and Odo (ironically the two with a connection in our universe, who don't have anything to do with each other's deaths!), bite the dust in what would become a recurring theme. But while Odo was 'one of a kind' there were plenty Ferengi left to be tortured!

There haven't been many heavy sci-fi episodes this season as the political intrigue with the Bajorans and Cardassians, and the growing hints of the Dominion in the Gamma Quadrant held centre-stage, even to the detriment of more family scenes such as Jake and Nog, or the O'Brien's. To be thrust into a wildly confusing place was as big a jolt for the audience as for the characters - the use of extreme angles when the Klingons beam aboard the Runabout increases the tension and claustrophobia. Klingons are always fun, but to have them allying themselves with Cardassians could only happen in an alternate reality! Then again, the combined logo looks so cool the alliance should be an inevitability.

Among many surprises is the return of Garak, in his fourth appearance this season, though this Mirror version is much less subtle than his double and seems of lower intelligence as a result. His eagerness to torture may be an offshoot of our Garak (though we didn't know it then), but his loud, confrontational manner belies an obvious and tactless thug, probably created for himself as the only persona that would make him stand out among Klingons. His place in our estimation doesn't rise when we hear how he's often unsuccessfully tried to assassinate the Intendant. She is a little less vicious than who she later became, perhaps because, although anticipated, Kira's appeance in her realm was unexpected, and her selfish whims are tickled by having a mirror image. There's no deep moralising in the vein of Picard and Shinzon here, however, as this is purely in the style of the Original Series classic, with personalities abhorrent compared to their 'real' counterparts.

The exception is Quark who is shown to be uninterested in profit (hadn't even heard of Latinum!), and something of an undercover hero, and man of action who tries in his own small way to fight against his captors when he's arrested. It's actually a shame he was killed off as he would certainly be one of the most interesting Mirror personalities, though his spirit lived on in Mirror Brunt...

It's fascinating to note the connections that spring up. Apart from the obvious (and brilliant) direct mention of the Kirk and Spock history, with the realisation Kirk's intervention actually swayed things for the worse as far as Terrans were concerned, the fascinating fact is that Worf was planned for inclusion in Mirror guise. Long before his transference to the series he was already in the writer's minds. Then there's the Klingon presence on the station, something that would feature heavily later in both enemy and ally capacities. There's even mention of the Duras sisters, Lursa and B'Etor, or at least the Mirror versions (maybe they're nice people there), which could be the last reference to them before 'Generations' sorted them out for good.

Of all the creations I would cite Sisko as the best, proving once again that that Avery Brooks fellow sure can act. Here he's a slightly cowardly (when the Intendant summons him his face shows fear), jack-the-lad, whose only goal is to have fun and keep himself alive by making the Intendant laugh. A pitiful existence compared to our Sisko, but he fights in the end. Stunt Co-ordinator gets a little role as the Marauder, a guy with one eye who shows up in the Mirror episodes from hereon. His claim to fame in this episode was being spat in the face by a Klingon. And it looked like real spit, though it appeared to be aimed at his prosthetic eye gouge, so hopefully it wasn't too gross for him. The things some actors do for their craft...

It's tough, but this is probably the best of the Mirror Universe tales of 'DS9', though they all had their moments. No Gorn or Tholians, disappointingly.

***

Spell

DVD, Smallville S4 (Spell)

Worst episode of 'Smallville' ever? I, for one, can't recall any as ridiculous as this one. It really bugs me, and it's not a new thing, but when these radical events occur the teens of Smallville mooch around at the end, apologising and shrugging as if it was an everyday occurrence, and anyone else just sort of says 'oh well'. Now this is the town of weird stuff, but when weirdness becomes the norm, it's not weird any more and each time they've done this, it becomes harder to believe in the characters as real people in a real world. I know it's supposed to be like a comic book, and I always come back to these arguments which shows I've fallen out of the sphere of acceptance, that suspension of disbelief that we tend to engage to enjoy these things. But the sphere gets smaller each time something as absolutely stupid as this happens.

Of course they can always just have them suffer from amnesia... AGAIN! I wondered if this was how Lana would find out about Clark's powers, but as usual she forgot. Sorry Lex. Hey, no worries, these things happen. As for having the supernatural in the series, you can tell they're trying to be 'Buffy' or 'Charmed', and such things are completely out of place in this series. And now this 'magic' can harm Clark? It's all so much scraping the bottom of the barrel. They can't think of an intelligent way of using Lana so they make her possessed by a witch. How low can they go?

The only saving grace of the episode was that they didn't drag the idea on, as I had a feeling they might foolishly do. The last few minutes feel more like proper 'Smallville' even with the belief-beggaring reset button. I'd rather that than have witchery and that kind of stuff a regular part of the series. As is now the norm, the season's unfolding seems random and directionless, apart from the core storyline of finding the three stones. You'd think this would leave the writers open for experimentation and clever stories, but instead all the good feelings I had towards the season have almost evaporated. I have to keep reminding myself of the good run we had with 'Facade', 'Devoted', 'Run' and 'Transference'. Certainly Season Four has kept its neck above water much better than Three, so far. Let's hope the good outweighs the bad. And I didn't even go off on one about how the cave always has a convenient symbol whenever they run out of ideas... Oh.

*

Nightingale

DVD, Voyager S7 (Nightingale)

Kim in command! Tired of being the sidekick and the lowest ranked officer on the ship, Ensign Kim gets to find out what being Captain is all about! One of the last episodes I never saw, this turned out well, and succeeded in impressing me, despite watching it almost ten years after it was made - not always the case when you watch an episode you've not seen before. I think what made it were the way events showed Harry as the guy who is now experienced, and one who yearns for the respect that he feels would be his if it weren't for the unique set of circumstances Voyager finds itself in - being in a place where there are no replacement crew, and aside from death, very little is going to change the command structure as the senior positions are permanently filled.

It made me wonder about long-term missions on other ships, that might be going off on a decade-long mission into the Beta Quadrant or some such. The same problem would exist for those crews, but in their case they would sign up for it beforehand, and know when they were scheduled to return, likely gaining promotion for completing such a long mission. With Kim and Voyager they don't know when they'll get back, so the hope of advancement must be curtailed in the need for simply surviving. Surviving is the rationale of the aliens Kim helps, trying to keep their people alive through a blockade.

The alien ships and faces were better than some alien-of-the-week's, and reminded me of the Vorta, as their enemies, the Annari, did the Cardassians, purely in aesthetic terms. At first their similarity crossed my mind, as I wondered if there was a connection, but in the Trek universe many races appear alike without actually being connected. The CGI was good, especially the ships battling over the planetary shots, and Voyager's stopover on a rocky planet looked good and provided a rare sight of people walking on the hull (sadly not in closeup). Levar Burton is a good Trek director, and I noted one impressive camera move which began at conn, moved over Paris, to Janeway and Chakotay, who then move round to Tuvok, the camera moving in close to his station, all in one seamless movement.

Kim has generally been on the bottom of the episode list as well as the rank, and shares this dubious honour with Chakotay and Neelix, so to see him star in something that saw him go through change made a difference. He does kind of come full circle, in that he wants to prove himself, shows the flaws in his approach to command, ending the episode knowing he's not ready for captaincy, but adding the 'yet' to show that he still believes himself capable. One of the few essentials the episode lacked was that of a scene with Janeway in the mess hall where he discusses the experience. He could have appreciated the stamina needed as a Captain, while she could have given him encouragement that he showed promise. In the event it ends with these sentiments unsaid.

For Harry to get to challenge himself in a new way, coming up against a mirror of himself in the young soldier he recruits for conn, having his mistakes noted by Seven, and feeling duped by the nature of the mission, he learns a lot, and it's a pleasure seeing that, instead of the occasional 'scanning, Captain...' he so often gets relegated to. The B-story, with Icheb getting completely the wrong end of the stick with B'Elanna was gently amusing, even if it has been done before, and the poor young man should watch out now that he's alerted the Doctor that he would be open to social tutoring - it's easy to get the Doc to start giving advice, near impossible to get him to stop!

***

The Wire

DVD, DS9 S2 (The Wire)

As Garak is fond of reminding the good doctor, appearances can be deceptive. You would think, this being an episode all about a drug-addicted Garak that we would learn something about the enigmatic Cardassian tailor. You would think. The truth is (and I use that word loosely when dealing with everyone's favourite recurring character), amid all the lies, half-truths and downright maybe's, we find out one fact about him: Elim is his first name. To go through so much anguish and twisting tales we might expect to uncover quite a lot about most people, but with Garak, letting slip one solid-gold true fact is the reward and the point of the episode. Yes, it's Enabran Tain, another enigmatic Cardassian, who spills the beans, and his presence leaves viewers guessing even further. That is Garak's way, to eke out some detail and reveal the existence of many more that we're not going to find out easily. That is also what makes his character so appealing, added to his seemingly open and gracious outward appearance.

Ah, that word again. The same could be said for Tain, the head of the Obsidian Order, both of which are first mentioned here. When Bashir goes to him for help he projects an image of a retired old man in a cardigan, affable and mildly amused by the doctor's presence. But he can switch at a moment's notice to total authority, or drop anvils such as the knowledge he has of every facet of station life. Information is indeed his business. It would be easy to label this a Garak episode, but the important role of the ongoing characters was to throw light on the regulars, at least until they grew to become extra regulars themselves. At first, Bashir, (middle name Subatoi - thanks Tain!), doesn't think too much about his acquaintance with Garak, it's not as if they're friends. Through the course of events however, a bond is strengthened between them, and he proves what a true doctor (standing up to Odo who wants to question the Cardassian), and friend (his brash mission to Tain) he is.

Garak too, realises something: without the good doctor, he would be dead. Speaking of Bashir's visit to Tain, we're immediately given clues to the power of this unassuming, portly alien. If you think about it, a man who was head of the Order would have many enemies, yet Bashir locates his residence and pops down to see him with hardly any bother. Tain himself notes that he let the military know the human was coming. That's the key - he knows everything going on around him, near and far. No one he didn't wish to meet would find him, and even if he allowed them to get near, they wouldn't leave... His role was an aside to the main plot, but the nasty sentiments he wishes for Garak to live a long, miserable life, surrounded by those who hate him bring us up suddenly, with a start! With Cardassians we can get along fine, finding similarities, intelligence and appreciation of life. But, (as shown with Dukat in the recent Maquis two-parter), we can only carry on parallel with them for a while, until their incredibly harsh views explode in our face, stated so calmly and rationally. Nazi's are the best analogy I can think of.

They can also be quite terrifying, and Garak demonstates this in his seething disgust and rage while going cold turkey. The bitterness forces itself out of his face, as if his whole body is merely a podium to anger, surprising even Bashir. The moment he goes crazy, stalking his room and smashing things, while spitting out insults is actor Andrew Robinson's best scene to that point in the series, and like a Vulcan, makes so much more impact coming from a man who holds so much of himself back. It is a glimpse into a Garak unhindered by his own will, which would later come to the fore in 'Empok Nor'. The impression that Garak's time has come is quite strong, and with this series you never know what they'll do. They could have decided Garak had served his purpose and killed him off, but thankfully he lives to return many times in the future.

Quark gets to show himself equal to Garak's evasiveness in the scene where Bashir collars the Ferengi after overhearing Garak and he discussing something. The way he twists subtly and openly around on the spur of the moment, spinning plausible stories by the second, is a joy to behold. Odo later advises Bashir that the direct approach seldom works with Quark's kind! On top of the two-man drama dominating the episode, there are a number of references to keep us counting, often with food (Idanian spice pudding; Tarkalean tea; kanar, as always), but also with another Romulan nod: the Tal-Shiar get a mention, which is interesting in an episode where the Obsidian Order (even the name sounds deadly) are introduced, seeing as the two forces were destined to unite the following season.

While that had probably not even entered the writer's minds at this stage, what about the book Garak gives Bashir at the end? It's all about the Cardassian and Klingon Empires at war (and hinted that the former are victorious) - could this be a hint as to where they thought things might go in the future? Unlikely, as that state of affairs didn't crop up until Season Four, but it's fun to speculate, especially as both this and the Season Four opener were written or co-written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe... Another enjoyable note is the title of the first book the two friends discuss. It is 'The Never Ending Sacrifice', which was used in 2009 as the fitting title of a book about Rugal, the Cardassian boy seen earlier this season.

***

Contagion

DVD, TNG S2 (Contagion)

Good bits, slow bits, clever bits, boring bits. This is an uneven experience more akin to the first season, and shows they haven't completely ironed out the wrinkles in the yet, even with the increased slickness of Season Two. The Iconian civilization was, in Mr. Spock's words, most fascinating, and presents a concept of world-hopping years before 'Stargate' wrapped a film and a series around it. In fact, the long dead race's technology was revisited in a Season Four episode of 'DS9' with Klingons after the Iconian tech.

One of the best things about the episode is the reintroduction of the Romulans. This time we get to see the whole bridge, but we still aren't afforded the chance to get to know them, one of the missing pieces what might have been a stronger episode. The story could have gone in any number of ways to various degrees - if the Romulans had been integral, or if the chance had been taken to look on them more than simply enemies. The Iconian gateway into other worlds might have proved fertile ground for a chase, with Worf and Picard trying to get Data away from Romulan pursuers, hopping to various environments. The Yamato and Enterprise computer problems could have reached climaxes such as that seen in Geordi's wild ride in a turbolift, which was the action highlight. None of these ideas was fully explored, and we're supposed to feel sorry for the Starfleet dead, simply due to the fact there were a lot of them instead of giving us some investment in them as people.

If only the ideas had been expanded this could have been a classic, but as it stands it's too slow and a little directionless. Something with this many interesting elements should have been more than a curious filler. It was not explained why the gateway went to the Enterprise and the Romulan ship (though I enjoyed Picard's escape option), and while I can imagine it was something like 'the technology shoots out tendrils to connect with places both near and far' and was perhaps attracted by the contagion of the title from which both ships were suffering, it would be better to have a theory voiced on screen. Riker seemed more subdued than usual as if he was fighting illness. It must have been something Pulaski couldn't help with!

**

Jinx

DVD, Smallville S4 (Jinx)

Quite a frustrating ending! Through most of the episode I was thinking how much of a nothing episode this was: another one of those where nothing much really happens, that plagued Season Three. Thankfully we haven't had much in the way of that this season, and I was proved wrong by the end. Certainly things moved on, and in confusing ways. For instance, what did Lex take the freak-of-the-week to? Was it a room like he used to have with the crashed car and details on Clark, or maybe it was a collection of the many 'freaks' that he's beaten over the years. Either way it leaves us hanging, anxious for what might happen next.

I was a bit confused that Clark was back on the football team since he quit last episode at an inopportune time. It seems a bit easy for them to skip over having to explain himself to the coach, and I wondered for a while if I'd missed an episode. It could be that Jason felt Clark's knowledge about him and Lana still hung over them, as he mentioned, and so let him back on the team without question. The football moments were quite good, although they'd probably mean something more to those interested in the sport. What meant more to me was the talk Jonathan had with Clark before he goes onto the field, showing how he's grown up a bit. I've missed those talks, so it was good to continue the tradition.

I'd say the episode picked up a bit from the moment Clark's strapping on his gear, and the use of his powers to zip into the radio room and save Chloe in the middle of the game was excellent. I couldn't help getting a niggling feeling about it, even though I loved it, because he was moving so fast that time had basically stopped, whereas before he's always moved fast, but you could still see things happening in slow motion around him. They've changed a fundamental thing about him, and I wonder if they'll be consistent with that level of speed in the future - they weren't so consistent with the meteor fragment. Previously he'd always get green veins if he touched it, yet here he grips it in his hand and apart from feeling shaky there's no visible change. And why should he be affected by Mikhail's 'power'? Usually he's pretty much immune or far less affected by enemies attacks.

I wonder if they've written themselves into a corner with the football career. As he says himself, it's a massive struggle to keep his strength to a believeable level, and who is he to decide what's fair? Coach Tigue tellingly warns him about doing anything to make the balance unfair. He's referring to drugs, but Clark himself is playing with an unfair advantage, so it's a difficult subject. Seeing Lana angry with Clark yet again, before he has a chance to explain was unpleasant, but what's worse is that Lex did the deed to fire the coach. What seemed to be a return to the older friendship can surely not continue now that Lex has taken another step, as if trying to force Clark and Lana back together, which won't work.

Lex is seeming more and more unstable, doing favours occasionally, helping people in need, yet also conforming to his own agendas as if the power of his Father's business has corrupted the last vestiges of goodness inside him. I wasn't all that interested in Mikhail, but it looks like he might be someone who'll be a recurring character. As long as he's not as annoying as Adam was last season. Could it be that Lex is putting together a group of people? I don't know, his motives are no longer clear cut, and I still think there are patches of madness inside his head. He's never quite returned to the suave and likeable guy who's being pushed towards evil, and now it's more like what he wants to do. Sad.

**

The Gamekeeper

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S2 (The Gamekeeper)

Star Trek: 'Shore Leave'; The Next Generation: 'Future Imperfect'; Deep Space Nine: 'Inquisition'; Voyager: 'The Thaw' among others - this type of story has been done countless times before, and I know I've said it several times: this series keeps feeling like a rip-off of Trek. At no point was it surprising that SG-1 were still in the machine - I knew it all along! It was funny when Jack starts patting the fake General Hammond on his bald head, and there were occasional snorts of amusement to be had. Having Kowalsky back, even in fake form, was something else to make you smile, and Dr. Frasier also gets the odd scene. Except it wasn't really her.

There was something quite artistic about the veiled watchers standing in the field like ancient ghosts. In a way they had become that, basically being eternal captives to the deranged and annoying Gamekeeper. You'd think with such well-trodden story ground they'd be trying to keep away from any Trek connections, but having Dwight Schultz, one of that franchise's best known guest stars didn't help. I wondered if they were going to go post-ironic and make a final twist that surprises the jaded sci-fi viewer, but it never came and played out as usual - the people are set free and our heroes escape.

Something of a disappointment, because the individual pieces (Kowalsky and Jack on a 1982 mission; Daniel's parents; virtual reality; the mysterious watchers) were all good. I didn't buy the reason they couldn't show Teal'c and Carter's thoughts. Surely that would mean they were useless as 'software', so why were they kept around? The setting was certainly different, even if it did look like an American version of The Eden Project, and the CGI tubules (very Borg!) were okay. Teal'c with hair made for some sort of difference, but it was too easy to have a crazy keeper to interact with. The story would have benefitted from a bit more mystery and horror, like the characters returning home to see the veiled apparitions dogging their steps. But SG-1 isn't the most subtle show, it is based on the military after all. I think they should have gone one way or the other: more of the soldier raids and less of the tech speak and arguing with the idiot keeper; or more mystery. It ends up predictable and a bit of a mish-mash.

**

Body and Soul

DVD, Voyager S7 (Body and Soul)

The startling mimicry of Jeri Ryan as the Doctor takes over Seven's body is the draw of this episode. She really nails the mannerisms and speech patterns of the egotistical Doc, yet can also slip into her familiar persona equally well. An accomplished performance. Kim serves no real purpose except to whine a bit, Neelix has the one pointless scene (is it supposed to make us wonder if Tuvok will snap?), and Torres doesn't even appear! Chakotay gets about one line, and Janeway seems to throw regulations out of the window: whatever happened to non-interference in other cultures? One minute she's apologising for breaking the rules, the next she's shooting and running! And as for the important Pon Farr of Tuvok, that's treated like a C-story!

As you can tell I had a few problems with the episode, but there are enough humourous moments in Seven/the Doctor's plot, to keep it running along nicely. I suppose we should be grateful they acknowledged the Pon Farr at all, as the subject had already been addressed by Vorik and B'Elanna in Season Three. At the time it seemed quite a twist that they didn't do the obvious and make it a Tuvok episode, but it left the event unmentioned until now. Apart from his experiences in 'Blood Fever' Paris wasn't the best person to be given responsibility for the Vulcan's condition. Even though it's an intensely private affair he can't help but retain some of his sense of playfulness and fun about it, keeping a twinkle in his eye. I would have thought Janeway would have been Tuvok's choice to talk to, but their friendship isn't what it was (or portrayed to be at the start of the series).

I know he states the 'illness' is in the early stages, but a huge loss of power comes from the almost blase reaction to the situation. Tuvok says he can get through it, yet in other episodes it's been shown as the life and death struggle that means a Vulcan must mate, while losing control and confusing those around him. Tuvok has gone through it many times and is very experienced at controlling his emotions, but what might have been a tense time is too easily resolved. I'm sure it's been previously established that the Holodeck can't work as a substitute. Saying that, there was a Vulcan female shown as part of the Maquis a few episodes ago so as a last resport...

I quite liked the alien characters, with the Captain coming across as a slightly befuddled man, no wonder with all that happened! Megan Gallagher who played the female doctor had previously played two characters on 'DS9', and never has much makeup, perhaps because they don't want to hide her bone structure! One effort I appreciated was that they got the same actress back as Tuvok's wife T'Pel, last seen in Season Two's 'Persistence of Vision'. Attention to detail! I wonder if the photonic insurgence was tied up with the Hirogen story that was coming shortly after? In that case it's kind of Voyager's own fault they had all this trouble!

***

The Maquis, part II

DVD, DS9 S2 (The Maquis, part II)

Of the two (or more)-part episodes so far in the series, 'The Maquis' comes across as the weakest. That's not to say there weren't plenty of things to enjoy, but, particularly with this second part, the fact that it's purely created as a set-up for another series, means there's a lot of exposition and posturing, and little in the way of action or paying off the characters and events depicted so far. Sisko says he'll deal with the Maquis threat, and claims that he has, only it's the all-out war that's been averted rather than an end to terrorism in the region. Cardassia makes Dukat the scapegoat, but when the embarrassing truth surfaces he's free to return home to Cardassia. It leaves everything feeling a little uneven, and doesn't fulfil the promise of the first half.

Part I had it's problems, but mostly they were deferred to this half, and the various conversations don't go very far. There are notable exceptions, with Quark giving a delightful lecture on logic to the captured Vulcan, in a way that only he could - seeing peace as a commodity. Most of the time is spent with Sisko trying to give Cal chance to return to Starfleet as if nothing had happened, which was never a likelihood. There was a moment of unintentional amusement that came to me when Ben enters the colonist's meeting room and slings a bag on the table which contains his friend's uniform. Whenever I see an alien object being carried or used by someone I immediately start to wonder if it's Odo in disguise, designed so that Cal will take the bag with him and Odo will do a bit of infiltration. This time the bag's vaporised by phaser so that put a definitive end to my theory! I've seen these episodes several times before, but over time I forget the little details. Odo does get to showcase a morph, this time using his arm as a tendril to stretch over and pull a fleeing Maquis from a ladder.

What there is to like, among the serious discussions, is Dukat who becomes almost a friend over the course of these episodes. For a change we see an honest reaction: his sadness and surprise over Central Command's willingness to ditch him as a scapegoat for the weapons. He and Sisko get on quite well, finding another commonality in their appreciation of a good meal. But Dukat returns to his low rank in the estimation of the Commander when he wants to blow apart the escaping Maquis raider, which Sisko allows to go free, hoping that Hudson will change his mind at some time. Dukat sees this as sentimentality and their brief alliance is ended. We don't know what the Cardassian returns to however, which is a bit of a loose end. The final shot of Sisko in his office, with the weight and lonely thought enhanced by the large oval window and the space around him, is one of the only great scenes of the episode.

I also enjoyed Dukat's earning a bit more respect from Kira - his Cardassian efficiency and personal authority forcing the Xepolite trader to comply with Sisko's demands. After that little display he allows himself a satisfied smile at Kira's surprise. The episode has another of the few, small skirmishes of these early seasons. We haven't really had one since Dax and Kira's dogfight in the atmosphere over Bajor at the start of the season. The battle between Maquis raiders and Starfleet Runabouts isn't as impressive, but there are nice shots showing the view from a Maquis ship as it weaves in and out. It seems most paltry compared with later, much more elaborate battles, but it gives us the chance to see all three current Runabouts (Orinoco, Rio Grande and Mekong) fighting together for the first time. Seeing more than one Runabout at a time is a rarity, so three was quite something, even if they turned out to be pretty weak, all so that Sisko could have his last conversation with Cal!

On top of Dukat's increased prominence (and getting to be the first to resist a Vulcan mindmeld, giving him more power as a character, something that was lacking for the regulars in this episode), we also have the first appearance of Admiral Nechayev from 'TNG' in this series, and another actor who'd already played a Bajoran this season, Michael Bell, was also the Xepolite - a good visual alien, with green reptilian skin, and black, scaly 'hair'. He is also known for the role of Groppler Zorn in 'TNG's first episode.

Where does the episode leave our characters? Not really anywhere, I would argue. Sisko's angry at Cal's betrayal of Starfleet principles, perhaps setting the seeds for his rage against Eddington. Apart from that nothing significant moves anyone forward, and in hindsight I think they really should have concentrated on hitting the marks for this series, rather than filling in some blanks for 'Voyager'. As great as a crossover storyline is, this didn't fulfil it's potential, leaving all that for another day, which is unselfish, and later episodes certainly run with the Maquis storyline, so perhaps we should see this as a primer for better things.

**

The Last of The Mohicans

video, The Last of The Mohicans (1992) film

I understood the historical side of things better on my second viewing, and consequently enjoyed it more. I never got into the book, and perhaps I had certain expectations when I first saw it, but when you're not expecting much you tend to notice the good things more. The officer's brave sacrifice and Hawkeye's merciful parting shot were probably the best moment, but the slow-motion attack on the bitter Magua and his men on the cliff path was also a high, though the ending has little joy thanks to the tragedy.

It seems quite strange that this was rated 15, as there's nothing to really give it that. A film made now would probably show Magua actually cutting Munro wide open and eating his heart, or much more vicious battle scenes than were depicted here. Yes, it was violent, but more in a 'Lord of The Rings' way, and there was very little swearing and no romantically induced acrobatics. There is the occasional bit of blood or torture, but even the burning to death of one character is only shocking thanks to his reaction rather than any visual aid.

The landscape is well presented, and the lush forests and waterfalls invite you in, before you realise the scores of indians waiting there. The music had a strong theme, perhaps overused, and the majority of scenes were well-directed, though there with few flourishes. It made me want to have another read of the book to see if I could identify better with it, so it succeeded on enough levels to be a good film. Still didn't spot Colm Meaney though!

***

Highlander

video, Highlander (1986) film

I first saw this film back in around 1997 at a sleepover with a few other boys. It was probably the first '15' rated film I saw, and several things about it stuck vividly in my mind, and I can understand why, seeing it again about thirteen years later! I remembered seeing a fight in an underground carpark where a guy gets his head sliced clean off (and it is clean - it may be considered violent, but it's not really gory); of scenes in the past such as MacLeod rolling in the grass with a maiden; of Kurgan, though I forgot his name, causing trouble in a church; and of MacLeod battling ghosty things at the end. I just didn't remember the frame of the story, and how he got to all these events. I vaguely remembered Ramirez, but probably more from the cartoon series than the film.

That's another reason I never forgot this film, because it kind of permeated popular culture for a while, and I used to enjoy the animated series (though it was toned down - no slicing heads off bodies, I think he just had to learn something from each of the immortals), and I believe they even did a straight to DVD film a couple of years ago. The concept definitely had legs, being a legendary construct that strongly fuels the imagination. Come on: a group of immortal beings destined to fight through the ages, and remember centuries past, and all so they can come together at the end for The Gathering and fight to the death - how could it not be inspiring? There can be only one!

The Gathering idea was one of the few things that seemed like a letdown to me now. We were promised these immortals would be drawn to the specified place, but only three turn up! I wanted a group of them, each challenging others. Maybe that's what they did in the sequels, I have no idea. Kurgan was a great villain, played superbly by Clancy Brown. A seven-foot monster that has a sense of cruel humour (the terrible ride he takes the policewoman on as he drives towards oncoming vehicles in a dangerous game of chicken, has even more horror when it dawns on you that he won't be killed and can take whatever happens, but she would be dead. His mocking imitation of her screams is both funny and sickening), but even he obeys the strict tradition of not fighting in church, which gives that scene where he meets MacLeod, a great tension.

One thing I noticed however: Connor says he'll be waiting outside, and I took that to mean outside the church, but it's a while later that they fight and it's nowhere near the church. One thing that really stood out to me this time, was that despite being made in the mid-eighties, most of it holds up, because (apart from the inevitably lacking ending with the animated attack - hand-drawn animation in live action was never going to be the answer), it's all Scottish moors, dark city streets or luxurious apartments. The environments, much like 'The Lord of The Rings', are a character in themselves, and the beauty and grandeur of some of those shots is still as effective as ever. It was also directed extremely well, with some amazing camera moves - spinning round and about an environment such as the wrestling stadium or the hillside training he partakes with Ramirez. One shot stood out for me from memory: when we transition from Connor's fishtank up out of the water of a Scottish Loch. Stunning.

The mundane police story enhances the more extraordinary moments, and it struck me that 'The Matrix' must have got a huge level of inspiration from this film, with real life carrying on for most people, yet a life and death struggle happening all around them. I wanted to know why these few were born as immortals, and why MacLeod seemed to be the 'youngest', only being around for a few hundred years. I hoped Ramirez would explain more, but his role was cut surprisingly short. I thought he was there at the end to help MacLeod in a battle in the dark, but it was obviously the duel in the crumbling tower that was what I remembered, and I'm pretty sure I was surprised he died so early back then, too! I wish Connor's wife Heather had been played by an old woman in the scene where she's supposed to be dying of old age, because she looks slightly older than she was before, with a few wrinkles - it seems like she's dying from having grey hair!

The music was fine, although I could have done with a strong orchestral theme, but the Queen music wasn't intrusive for the most part. I'm not surprised that so much came off the back of this film (four sequels, a five-season long TV series, plus the animated one), as it has such possibility and depth. MacLeod has a good line in frowns, and his eyes really look like they've seen ancient times. There were some quite humourous moments for such a dark film (the English country duel where MacLeod keeps getting up after being stabbed through the heart was quite odd, but amusing), and there were so many iconic shots, be they natural beauty or Jedi-like sword-wielding. It may be a little clunky in places, but generally it was a fine mythical adventure, spanning the centuries in epic grand scale.

***

The Maquis, part I

DVD, DS9 S2 (The Maquis, part I)

Existing merely to set up a new series isn't enough to ensure a solid story and strong character scenes (which, by the way, are present and correct), but the chance to help create a new faction in the Trek universe, and one that would have more repercussions for DS9 than for the series they were created for, is certainly a worthy goal. Seeing the teaser for the first time with no knowledge of the Maquis must have been a shock moment as we see a Starfleet man perform some task on a docked ship which proceeds into a shattering explosion when leaving the station (starting an episode by destroying a ship in a fiery blast is always a fine opening, and was done a few times on the series).

Knowing all about the Maquis is one of the few times that pre-knowledge of a storyline detracts from the experience as it's all old hat, but the episode stands up, not only for the cliffhanger ending (though calling it 'The Maquis, Part I' was a giveaway!), but for many enjoyable conversations and interplay between characters. Saying that, the episode is full of anger! You've got the minor characters of the human and Cardassian colonists at each other's throats (literally, at one point when Amaros leaps over a table to attack Gul Evek); Dukat isn't too happy with his own people; Sisko is furious about the whole situation (and again, isn't too happy with Cal Hudson there at the end!), especially when Kira vents (it's the only suitable word) her opinion about the Federation not standing up for their colonists; Odo and O'Brien have it out over security (oddly mimicking the state of play in 'Dramatis Personae'), and Cal is bitter towards the Federation.

You'd think this would make for a grumpy, negative episode, but there are also some lighter moments mainly from the sub-plot of Quark becoming involved in business dealings with the Vulcan, Sakonna. That's a little odd, as we learn in Season Five that Quark doesn't agree with dealing in weapons, but he's quite happy to act as go-between for a supplier this time. Maybe it was the Vulcan's 'charms' that made him do this, or perhaps this was the incident that put him off weapon sales? She's not the first Vulcan in the series, not even the first female, but she does get to do the first nerve pinch, and she adds texture to the less sympathetic aspects of the story, which strangely is the Maquis itself. Only Kira, in an impassioned speech against the Cardassians, understands what these people can be going through, and identitifes with their terrorism, if she can't sanction it.

The other voice that speaks well of them is Cal Hudson, an old friend of Sisko's. Unsurprising as we learn he's one of the leaders! There was something about him right from the start - he's a huge, imposing granite slab of a man, whose head appears to have been chiselled out of his body, and he has a deeper look behind his eyes than Sisko notices. It's all hidden behind friendly charm, and it's fun seeing him meet his old friend Dax for the first time as Jadzia, and good to hear him and Sisko discussing old times with their wives, Jennifer and Gretchen, together. The image he paints of Sisko in lederhosen drinking beer and eating sausages is hilarious and quite out of the blue!

All the negativity seems to point to the Maquis, and although we hear about the Cardassian side of things, we don't see it. All we see are colonists getting angry, committing terrorist acts, and Dukat, previously a bit of a villain, is all helpful advice and smiles. I guess this means they were painting the Maquis as villains, but it's also possible to identify with their plight from Hudson's talk. But they definitely come off in a bad light, which must have been so that Chakotay and co. would find it harder to integrate into the USS Voyager. It would have been a bold move to include a character that would later be in the cast of that series, but it probably wouldn't have made business sense as they wanted to have the impact of all the new characters in the first episode.

At least Gul Evek is in all three Maquis strands from TNG, DS9 and Voyager, to provide a continuity. The only problems that I can see are with the lack of ship visuals, as a space battle was just what was needed to add the extra spice to the cerebral side of the episode needed to balance it out into a full piece. Usually the graphical computer representation of a conflict are all we need for the flavour, and the actor's reactions fill in the blanks, but on this occasion it lessened the impact considerably, perhaps because we'd already seen a ship explode early on. In the same way, they mention the Badlands, but we don't see it in all its swirly glory, which lessens the 'texture' of the episode. It was a blast having Sisko and Dukat go off on a mission together, especially considering the way things panned out in the series. At this stage we don't know quite what to make of the wily Cardassian, and he's as interesting as Garak in that regard.

That security guard that gets nerve pinched: how did he know a Vulcan was with the false security officer because he certainly doesn't have time to see her? Maybe he recognised the neck pain when he woke up. Dukat was a little helpful to his captors, walking up the steps they drag him up after he's knocked out! I almost lost count of the throwaway connections - we have mention of Vulcans, Romulans, Bolians (again I noticed that female Bolian in the background who's supposedly fond of Odo!), Yridians, even Lissepians (seen in 'Progress' and mentioned in 'The Homecoming' - the 'Star Trek Encyclopedia' is a wonderful thing!), but the best is the introduction of the running gag of Captain Boday, the Gallamite with the transparent skull!

***

The Dauphin

DVD, TNG S2 (The Dauphin)

One of the few I still hadn't seen, this was the first time I watched it, and I was impressed. Often when you see an old episode, because you don't have any connection to it, it won't be as enjoyable, but this must have been good because I found it humourous, sad, beautiful and a nicely put together show for several characters. The spotlight's on Wesley for a change, with the age-old boy meets girl thing. Wes isn't the obvious choice for such a tale, being boy scout-like, polite and generally all-round good, but he meets someone who has a similar level of intelligence and interest and it's a pleasure to see the guy hit it off with someone.

He also gets something of a raw deal, with Geordi getting impatient at his lack of concentration, Riker and Guinan forgetting about his lesson in speaking to the opposite sex because they're enjoying the exchange so much, then Picard angrily barking at him to stay away from Salia, and Anya, her governess, turns into a massive beast to frighten him. Yet in all these travails you know it will be the old broken heart that'll upset him! It's interesting to see another side to him, one that isn't focused on work and career, and some of the funnier scenes are his attempt to gain understanding from several of the crew, with their varied suggestions on approaching Salia. In the end it's Guinan, as usual, who gets the best scenes, and caps the episode with some useful advice that never patronises.

So far they've used her really well. Sparingly, to be sure, but with drips of wisdom and the ability to say things in unexpected ways, she really has been a standout of the season. O'Brien appears again, though he's not pivotal in any way, but it's always nice to have him there. Worf is the other character to get the best stuff - his feud with Anya, including a dramatic sickbay battle (short though it were), culminates in the burly Klingon professing it would be honourable to fight alongside this tiny old woman, which certainly makes for an unusual moment. Her standard form looked decidedly fish-like, with bulging eyes, defined and grimacing teeth, and the green fin-like garb around her head reinforcing an image of a Pike. She was as entertaining a character as Salia, and her mission to protect the girl makes her seem almost legendary, and widens the canvas - clearly other events are occurring in the galaxy around our heroes, even when they don't know about it.

According to Wesley they've charted about 17% of the galaxy, so there must be a lot more out there (not sure where he gets the figure from, since the universe is expanding, so surely the galaxy is too, and how can you measure part of something you don't know the full extent of anyway?). The shapeshifting (or maybe Allasomorphing in this case), predates the better known Odo by a few years, but don't forget changing shape was something first encountered in the Original Series. A little surprise is how Picard uses the main viewscreen to communicate with Salia's quarters, as I don't think that's ever been done before, unless Kirk did it in his quarters, but I can't remember...

The episode name's a bit of a mystery. It can't be Salia's title since she said we didn't have a word for it. Apparently it's from the French king's son, originally from the word 'dolphin', but I guess 'The Allasomorph' doesn't work that well either.

***

Transference

DVD, Smallville S4 (Transference)

Wow, what a great episode! The best since Season Two, I'd say, and that's taking into account that I knew what was going to happen as this was one of the only Season Four episodes I'd seen on TV, which says something for the high quality of it. Normally I'd be bemoaning the upset in relations that's been caused YET AGAIN by Clark acting out of character and having to explain it without revealing his powers, but they wrapped it up neatly, and to be honest, there's very little of the cosy, friendly atmosphere left between most of them, so angry words and sad reactions aren't as jarring as they once were. They also made something of it, with Chloe's logical progression that Clark needs psychological help of some kind, which is what someone would be saying after the number of times he's 'gone crazy' or at least, as it seems.

Lana isn't exactly his best friend at the moment either, and ironically it was Lex who provided the most reassuring reaction (after threatening him with a gun, I mean!), with the warmest scene between them in a long time. It was also something of a release valve, that at least one person understood what had happened, and saw through Lionel's facade. Then again that brings up the question: why didn't Clark share the story of the stone with Chloe, since they used to investigate Wall of Weird material all the time, yet now he refuses to talk about it. Must be too close to his own secrets to risk the revelations.

Not only were the impersonations spot on, from both Welling and Glover, but we got to see more of the Kents, and I can't help wishing every episode could be as accomplished and all-inclusive for the cast. It leaves interesting question marks dangling - why is the assistant of Dr. Swann picking up the inmate that helped Clark? Does that mean she's actually working for Lex, or is it that she got to him before Lex could? And does this spell the end for Clark's football career? It hardly got started, but I doubt Coach Tigue will look kindly on someone who not only quit the team just before a bigshot was coming to see him play, but also has a bargaining card in terms of possible blackmail over knowing about him and Lana.

The transference sequence was very well done, as were several other scenes when Clark or Lionel interfere, or the absolute chaos of the prison rampage! Brilliant. It's also a bit of a draw to see Clark forced to fight for his life against a two-ton wrestling giant in the (well-honed, granted), body of an older man. Even the shock that Lionel could now know all about Clark's powers is feasibly misdirected by his loss of memory, though ironically Clark's presence has healed him, and the Kents don't know that he doesn't know about Clark. Interesting times.

****

Prisoners

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S2 (Prisoners)

I sensed this would be either a two-parter or an unresolved plotline, because of the main story finishing 'early' there had to be something still to happen. Usually a story like that takes place in the one location, so a fairly easy escape (thanks to plant power - far-fetched even by 'Stargate' standards!), pointed to a twist. I don't remember the Destroyer of Worlds, so either I never saw any episodes with her in or she wasn't a very useable or strong villain. I'll reserve judgement on that for now.

As a story, in the mould of 'alien prison' (see Voyager's 'The Chute' or DS9's 'Hard Time' for truly great ones) it was good. You get your prison bully, a hellish locale, and ugly food. I wanted more of Teal'c fighting the hordes, but that side of it was enjoyable enough, from the simmering atmosphere of the inmates, although they looked less threatening than they should have. A couple of boxes were satisfactorily ticked: a view of people standing in the way of an opening Stargate is something I wanted to see from the start (not to be grisly, just out of curiosity, it being something that's been discussed a few times), and then General Hammond's first away mission– sorry, gate travel. I can't believe it was the first time he'd been through the wormhole! The SG teams are beginning to be fleshed out a bit too, with SG-9 apparently the go-to guys for diplomatic missions (it was never going to be SG-1 with Jack in charge now was it?), and Lynaya's cool root-inspired attire is worthy of note also. And who were the mysterious aliens in charge of the justice system? Could it be the little grey dudes at last...

***