Krypto

DVD, Smallville S4 (Krypto)

Pedestrian by 'ville standards, I suppose this would appeal ecstatically to dog-lovers. It does have a few nice character scenes with Clark and Lois or Clark and Chloe where she tries to cover for him without alerting him or Lois, but these moments are fleeting. The dogs smashing stuff up was mildly diverting, but the crooks were pretty dumb and unimaginative (apart from using meteor rock-infused dogs as partners in crime). As usual there's a bit of denying going on between Lex and Clark, or maybe a bit of verbal tennis, but it's kind of a lazy day in Smallville for the most part.

Jonathan and Martha don't seem to have any of the qualms they've previously shown at Lois coming to live with them. That's Lois, the wannabe investigator who is sharper than most. The solution is for Clark to do his chores at three in the morning. Does that not strike you as absurd? I know Lois fluttered her eyelashes and gave Clark a sob story last episode, but it doesn't feel right. The Lana/Jason story takes a further turn in its blink-and-you'll-miss-it part in the episode, but at least Lex shows he's not working for Genevieve Teague. Lionel shows up at last, his hair growing longer, but still seemingly exhibiting generous intentions to people.

So the story was okay, I'm not knocking it, and I appreciated the joke about Krypto the Superdog (even though I know absolutely nothing about that branch of the Superman mythos, beyond the name), but I am getting a sense that they're trying to fill up episodes, 'cunningly' inserting little clues and revelations one by one so that it appears to be a well-plotted arc for the season. The reality is it's not an arc that's feeling very natural and too few updates come along to make it substantial.

**

Show And Tell

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S2 (Show And Tell)

Right off the bat there was something, I can't quite explain it (maybe it was the invisible presence of the Ritu on the base!), but I sensed this was going to be a good one. The dialogue was comfortable, the way it was shot drew me in, and the mysterious opening all pointed to a strong episode, and thankfully it was sustained and is probably one of the best of the season.

There were some really good ideas, well executed, and for once, the constraints of the spare, military base and early CGI worked to the story's advantage as the aliens were so much more thanks to the glimpses we had of them and the reliance on our imagination: The Ritu were suitably alien and scary in their non-humanoid design, a bit like Species 8472 on 'Voyager', and their genuinely devastating weapons (both the threat of bombs and the shown effect of the shooters) increasing their threat level. The only aspect that didn't ring true was their agenda for wiping out Earth just so there'd be a few less potential Goa'uld hosts, but as that was really only an excuse to mount an attack on the base it served the story rather than ruining it.

Stargate Command hasn't had the greatest track record when it comes to children, and suitably this was referenced flippantly by Jack. Though the record of initial contact is bad, both Cassandra and Riach were successfully rehabilitated and the enemy plots that used them averted. This time the lad has been created for the express purpose of being a messenger with good intentions, the best concept of the episode, alongside the Ritu and the weapons that could reveal them hiding in any corner of a room.

Jack's experiences with his own son are poignantly brought into the story. Usually buried, here they were allowed to come to the surface which always adds so much to him. Carter's past is also important as we get the always enjoyable reappearance of Jacob, her Father. The Ritu threat is left open for the future, 'Charlie' has a chance of, I wouldn't say a new life, because he hasn't really experienced one yet, so just life, and once again the Tok'ra prove a worthy ally. I hope both the Ritu and Charlie do return at some point, and I only wish we had more episodes that reached this mix of heartfelt drama, great sci-fi concepts and the visual effects to back it up. Even the action was a notch better, with a Tok'ra lackey getting punched through the gate room's 'impenetrable' window by the force from a huge bug creature's blast before Teal'c rolls out of the way and blast's it right back!

***

Projections

DVD, Voyager S2 (Projections)

The nature of reality (or unreality) is always a fascinating topic for an episode and whenever it crops up I've always enjoyed the creepiness that at any moment something completely wrong can happen. In a way this type of episode is a commentary on all fictional TV as a kind of reality that is actually unreality is built up to become a new reality... Which then has its own rules that can only be broken in certain circumstances. Such as a reality within a reality. Which in reality is in another reality. Confused yet?

The way it begins as the Holo-Doctor is activated to a seemingly deserted ship isn't immediately out of the ordinary, particularly at this stage of the series when he's not afforded the same informed update as everyone else and often doesn't know what's going on. Equally, when he discovers a Kazon attack is responsible it fits our expectations for a traditional story (and one that would be repeated for 'real' later in the season). The weirdness takes a surprisingly long time to set in, the first sign being the tricorders apparently not working - a throwaway line that when you think about it, especially with hindsight, should be a warning sign: Tricorders always work as they have their own power source.

The Doc's encounter with Neelix is one of the first overt signs that things aren't right - would the Talaxian really be able to keep a gun-toting Kazon at bay by flinging pots, pans and paraphernalia at him (then again with Neelix' cooking...). The way he shouts out "Missed me!" after ducking a phaser blast, his teeth jutting out in a grimace, also points to something different. As an aside: Neelix can look really rather scary when he's going weird - the way Ethan Phillips can scrunch up his face and turn the kindly, bumbling of the familiar alien into a vicious, animal-like crazy is quite disturbing, especially with the sharp teeth and the voice changing to release the pent up jealousy and malice that Neelix tends to keep toned down.

The episode has great novelty value for a number of things - being able to see the Doc in areas of the ship he can't normally go is quite something, long before such mobility became common. The Doctor has been described as a break-out character, and he gets to prove this physically at last. Another moment is seeing Kes as human with normal ears when she's supposedly his wife (he shows his fondness for her has expanded - and that he is capable of day-dreaming, in a way, as such constructs come from his own 'mind').

Seeing the Holodeck walls is another memorable first, but the most important event is having Reginald Barclay on the series. It was an ingenious way of bringing a familiar character onto the fledgeling series, and not only was it great to see him, we also discover quite a few details about his connection to the Doc. He was on the team that helped create the EMH under Lewis Zimmerman, presumably in a leave of absence from the Enterprise (I'm not sure if this means he was aboard when the D crashed, or not, though he's obviously one of the crew that transfers to the E). They slipped in a bit of an in-joke about Barclay's involvement with the Doc's creation - he was in charge of testing his social interaction. That explains the Doc's behaviour!

The best moment, aside from the 'you think you've woken up and then...' nightmare scene, is the brilliant recreation of the Doc's activation in 'Caretaker' and the other moment he and Barclay go to a part of that episode, but change things. It wouldn't be the last time that episode was revisited, but it was so well done and unexpected, almost convincing the Doc that Voyager's time in the Delta Quadrant was all part of the program. The only good experience for him is to give Paris a taste of his own medicine and delete him!

The simulation, the waking up simulation and the real waking up are all subtly different, so that at the end when the real world appears we feel comfortable that this is the real world by the music and the way eveyone is back to normal - in the fake real world when he thinks things are back to normal there's no music, the characters stand stock still and it's as if there's still some residual tension. Very good, though putting in a ship shot was a bit of a cheat. The idea to put holo-projectors throughout the ship was a good one, but I can't remember if they really did or not. It was part of the Doc's 'dream' so maybe it was just another example of wishful thinking along the lines of Kes being his wife and him being 'a real boy'.

***

One False Step

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S2 (One False Step)

This was co-written by Michael Kaplan. Is that the same Michael Kaplan that is now a costume designer for films such as 'Star Trek XI'? At first I couldn't work out if the aliens were actually naked thanks to the tasteful shooting, but of course they weren't, thankfully. It's a bit puzzling as to what is going on, has a bit of a 'Prime Directive - should we or should we not have interfered' slant, and some rewarding little character moments. I love the understated, quite English scene with Jack and Daniel apologising to each other for getting shirty, without actually saying it, and the beautiful choral, but still very alien sounds the indigenous villagers emitted.

Very alien aliens aren't often attempted in modern sci-fi because of the difficulty in ensuring the audience understands what's happening, but once in a while a believable situation comes along. The aliens have no hostile, secret agenda, there isn't a guardian that comes back and gets annoyed with the SG team, and okay, the resolution isn't inspired or wonderful, but it does keep you guessing all the way, with the help of a few red herrings along the way - Daniel's sneezing, Carter's bleeding, the flying probe's fuel. But the setting is suitably different, without deep forests, sand dunes or rock quarries, and the people suitably odd, that it's more about the interference angle, and how some damage should probably have happened on other planets.

I'm not sure how well it would stand up to repeated viewings, but it does end happily, instead of the population decimation that seemed to be on the horizon. Have Stargate Command learned a lesson? I'm not sure, I have a feeling that there aren't many precautions that can be followed to prevent the introduction of viruses and such threats to alien worlds, but at least the writers have thought about it, at any rate.

***

Pursuit To Algiers

DVD, Pursuit To Algiers (1945) film

One of the few in the Sherlock Holmes series I hadn't seen before, and one that isn't based on any real story, it suffers a bit because of that, coming across as a bit bland and lacking in the opportunity for Holmes to pull off his remarkable skills. Not to say he doesn't prove a worthy adversary to those who want the foreign king dead, as he effectively foils their plots at every turn. The trouble is, after so many dark, mysterious adventures, a jolly cruise doesn't have the same possibility for danger and suspense. Watson's 'nephew' notes at the end that the voyage had been quite eventful, or something like that, and Holmes replies that it would have been boring otherwise, but I'd say the story suffers from too much inaction and does actually feel a tiny bit boring at times.

Nevertheless, as ever, Watson is there to cheer things up, and while the musical interludes were unnecessary, it was almost worth it to see the Dr. giving a rousing singing performance (not sure if it was actually Nigel Bruce - the singing was obviously mimed during the scene). I was suitably suspicious of the various characters, but it's only the three main suspects that I needed to worry about. Out of those I wanted to see more of the large man in glasses, clearly the leader, as he had a kind of Moriarty panache in the way he verbally jousted with Holmes (even if he was less effective in the action department).

Twice Holmes compliments Watson on his powers of observation, and I couldn't help wondering if he was just buttering him up as the fool is an incompetent wally most of the time, only useful as a decoy and a stooge to signpost the way to the plans Holmes isn't following! But to give him credit he did spot the poison in the tea. I would have thought if you were going to kidnap someone you'd make sure you knew what they looked like first, and the villain's incompetence proved a simple matter for Holmes to outsmart.

The final flourish was a neat twist, but through it all it was more of a waiting game than a good film. The joke Holmes makes at the end seemed full of double-meaning, stepping out of the fourth wall a little bit by telling Watson never to take up acting. Let's hope Rathbone didn't share those views about Bruce! For some reason there are no credits at the end (though I recognised a couple of familiar faces from the roster that have appeared in the series before).

**

The House of Fear

DVD, The House of Fear (1945) film

Apparently based on the story 'The Five Orange Pips' though as usual I can't remember that very clearly so I'm not sure how much of it was used as inspiration (probably not much going on how loose the previous adaptions have been!). This was the first of the Holmes films I saw, back when they were shown on TV in the summer of 2000, and the atmosphere of confusion and suspicion that lingered over each character, while mixing in the amusement of Dr. Watson's incompetent meddling was more than enough to make me want to see more. Even now, seeing it on this occasion I was fooled right up until the last moment about who was responsible. I did suspect that one of the murdered victims might have faked their death, but I was never sure until Holmes and Lestrade descend the stairs to the lair. A clever solution to a solidly-made story.

I noticed the direction was especially strong, the shadow and light used to great effect to produce tension and certainly proved enough to send Watson round the bend. The scene where he's chasing in and out of the house on a stormy, rain-soaked night, and gets to a state of near-hysteria was probably the most gripping moment, but I also enjoyed the unconventional beginning as we see events unfold to an unknown narrator's words, eventually dissolving to the insurance man telling his story in Baker Street. He'd been in at least one before, as had the actor's playing Dr. Merivale and Captain Simpson. Lestrade is at his most professional in this one, which isn't saying much, but he doesn't come across as idiotically as previous appearances! The sets are suitably grand and homely the one minute, then haunting and forbidding the next, depending on how many people are there and what they're doing. All around one of the better entries in the series.

***

Initiations

DVD, Voyager S2 (Initiations)

In light of the later seasons, episodes such as this are more precious - a Chakotay episode in which the good Commander takes centre stage and gets to prove the words he lives by are not hot air (or warp plasma, or whatever), when he stands facing the Kazon leader and his men as their captive you sense that he won't budge a millimetre if they try to intimidate him. He stands firm in his own space, not in the least fazed by the situation. We learn that he now cherishes the uniform that he cast off when he joined the Maquis, as representing what he's earned. If you were being pedantic you could balk at such words, since he learned to fight in the Maquis and was against the Federation.

It could also be pointed out that he hasn't necessarily earned his position on Voyager in purely career terms as it was more a case of necessity and symbolism that led Janeway to give him the post. But coming in the second season, he's had a year to show his mettle, as he does here, and he certainly has earned and is worthy of his position. His devotion to non-violent solutions, even though he's a big, powerful man, unafraid of conflict, must seem foolish to the Kazon, who have learned that to survive you must fight against others. Chakotay shows that there are alternatives, unless the only option is to strike, as he does when he uses Razik as a hostage to escape the ship. But his persona comes across as Vulcan-like in that he remains calm, is strong, but prefers not to use force, and is resigned to what happens if there's nothing he can do. All a positive advert for the first officer (we'll skirt around the mumbo-jumbo, though even there he shows great control by carefully wrapping his medicine bundle even while Kar is firing on him, perhaps too obsessively being disciplined?!).

The boy he comes across, Kar, ably played by Aron Eisenberg (who was Nog on 'DS9'), is fortunately less typical of his people than most we've encountered, or Chakotay would probably have been killed in his sleep (not that Kar would have gotten away with it). First Maje Razik, the current leader of the Kazon-Ogla sect is one of the strongest characters of the race we've met, with a believable hold over and respect from his people. The unstable nature of Kazon life is expressed eloquently by the their actions - Jabin, the leader of the Ogla in the first episode of the series has been replaced, in the course of the episode Razik is replaced, we hear that sect territory changes every day, as does the number of sects. Any progress that might have been made (ie: Voyager wasn't blown apart, but allowed on its way), would be impossible to keep hold of by the speedy changes in authority and alliances of Kazon society.

Though Razik claims he'd like to talk about an alliance with Janeway, that was probably just part of the ruse to get them to trust him, and it's surprising the crew fell for it. The Kazon also show their inherent stupidity, and why they are basically savages roaming the area, and nothing greater, by giving Chakotay a weapon and assuming he'd do what they wanted and kill Kar. If they'd learned more about the Starfleet ship they'd have realised he wouldn't do that, which shows what a sect is like without the pinpoint guidance of Seska. The seeds of future plots are laid by dropping the details that the Kazon once fought for independence from the Trabe, the race they shared a homeworld with and who wore uniforms (which is why they hate the symbols of regimented authority Chakotay's uniform represents).

The crew takes a back seat to their first officer, but we learn of Neelix' feelings of inadequacy (though he doesn't put it that strongly). Even though he serves many roles aboard the ship he wants more, perhaps a sign of where things would go with the character, of not having an 'essential' role once Voyager leaves the space he knows? Tom Paris is shown to be the fourth person in charge, after Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok, a position he shares with fellow helmsman Sulu in the Original Series (he'd be left in charge of the bridge when Kirk, Spock and Scotty were unavailable).

Neelix relishes his posting to the bridge and I couldn't quite see if it was the Commander's or the Captain's chair he settled into so smugly - it should have been Commander since Paris was in command... In any case Neelix and Kes are shown to be more valued members, joining in on the briefing when they wouldn't necessarily be there in Season One. And Mr. Ayala gets a mention (he's the guy in most episodes who is the most visible Maquis member as he originally beamed aboard with Chakotay), though he's not seen. But without doubt the episode belongs to Chakotay (the loop the loop in the shuttle would have done it alone!), and easily shows Beltran's ability to carry the story on his own.

**

Recruit

DVD, Smallville S4 (Recruit)

Lois' flamboyant character, willing to enage in things that Clark would consider a little out of the realms of correct behaviour (say, drinking some football lads under the table), is well known, but the drinking scenes still sat uncomfortably in a series aimed at teenagers - as usual the scenes are full of bravado and contemporary music, but although it does make the participants out to be foolish, the 'accident' on Cooper has nothing to do with alcohol and any message of the negative impact of drinking irresponsibly is lost in the ensuing plot. Just an observation.

The story played out quite conventionally and I guessed early on that the friendly guy that everyone thought was great was going to be the bad guy. The infrastructure pointed to Clark seeing underneath the sheen of wealth and adoration and discovering the evils of winning at all costs (something that was covered more effectively in Season One's 'Heat') and though I didn't see him giving up football entirely, I sensed he was going to uncover underhanded tactics and the 'reality' of such a commercial sport - fast cars, lots of girls and parties and stuff (if the creepy welcome was anything to go by - that was more like some kind of weird nightmare!), but at the expense of being true to himself.

So no surprises, but the other storylines moved along a bit too, Chloe finding it hard not to let on she knows about Clark's powers, but not being able to stop herself from letting slip the occasional odd comment! At least she now has the advantage of knowing who to turn to or where Clark might be in a given situation, and that must give her a great deal of satisfaction; being the one in the know, even if she can't share it with Clark. It seems like it will only be a matter of time before she lets slip something that will give it away to him. There are downsides to this knowledge because she may need something done or see something that happens that Clark didn't stop or won't get involved in for whatever reason, and I can see her getting upset with him for not being there. She sees him in his true light, but he doesn't know that so he'd become confused if she were dissatisfied with his conduct, while on the other hand she can't explain why she's so proud of him (as she was when he gave up the football scholarship), so she's in an unfortunate position that isn't going to be a bed of roses, I feel.

The other storyline of Lex' involvement in the affairs of Lana and Jason is incongruous with the rest of the episode, like a separate one or even one of another series! Can we trust Lex now? Photos can be doctored and it isn't clear whether he's doing all this to help Mrs. Teague or, as he claims, for Lana's protection, or (most likely) his own interests somewhere along the line. Another worrying uncertainty is that we haven't heard from Lionel for a few episodes now.

Halfway through the series and things have built up to something, but it's a hazy destination and I'm not sure where Chloe's knowledge will take her, what will happen to Jason (and if he is Doomsday or that's just my imagination), and what all this silly witch stuff is leading to. I have to say that the season so far has been significantly better than Season Three, but hasn't been consistent and still hasn't managed to hit the heights of One and Two. But I like the change of direction Clark's taken, being big enough to give up football and leaving himself open to take a more important role that others believe is his destiny.

**

The 37's

DVD, Voyager S2 (The 37's)

For the beginning of a season this isn't immediately obvious as a suitable way to start. It begins with the incongruous discovery of a 1930s pickup truck floating in space and encompasses the first ever landing of a Starship on a planet, a colony of humans abducted by aliens and some people from 1937 stored in cryostasis. Nothing is heavily reliant on previous knowledge, but at the same time you have to keep up rather than the characters and situation being gradually reintroduced as you might expect. It's not that strange when you realise it wasn't exactly meant to be the season opener. It and three other episodes were filmed at the end of Season One and kept over for Season Two, perhaps to save money. On the DVD it's used as the opener and actually it's a fine example of a 'Voyager' episode and by the end does reinforce the isolation they're in compared to the other Trek series'.

If it hadn't been for watching 'The Next Generation' episode 'The Neutral Zone' recently it probably would have played better, but immediate comparisons can't be helped as they both centre around a group of people in cryostasis that come from the 20th Century and must learn to live in their new surroudings. Similarities end there (and inter-series continuity is upheld as it's the same method used in both cases) and this one becomes as much about the other humans on the planet - those that came from other 37's who were not held in stasis and were used as slaves by unknown aliens. When Trek tidies up some plot holes from the past (alien abductions and the disappearance of Amelia Earhart) it helps to ground the series in our reality, just as the crew were grounded in their own reality of a home they've left behind thanks to the cities these humans have built.

I wonder if the 37's were never unfrozen because of the uprising by their fellow captives and the Briori were keeping a few people hidden away from contamination in case they needed breeding stock. Whatever the reason the other humans left them alone, although it's strange they managed to learn to use the alien technology, but never worked out the cryostasis units. It may be that they were venerated as being the only pure humans that had only ever known Earth and so the humans assumed they were dead and they were never disturbed. (as confirmed by Evansville - what a name! They should have called the planey that: "Welcome to Evansville, I'm Evansville"). Gene Roddenberry would have been pleased that the humans showed the same promise as his Earth people - they also are the architects of a thriving, positive civilisation without war and poverty and all done without Starfleet and the Federation.

The heart of the story is what the crew will do next, though it comes near the end of the episode. Much wistful talk of staying and building a new life on the planet ensues, almost enough to convince us that quite a few might stay. When Janeway and Chakotay walk into the cargo bay and there's no one there, it fires up the family spirit as every person aboard has decided to stick to their duty and their Captain, their mission to get home the highest priority. The episode also has novelty value in the ship landing (blue alert a logical progression from red and yellow), and seeing the monument to their travels perched majestically on the surface was quite a thrill the first time I ever saw it. Quite fun to see sky and clouds out of the windows where darkness and the pinpoint light of stars is the usual panorama.

In speculation I wonder if the series could have done something dramatic and actually stayed on the planet for a few episodes or a season. I've always thought a colony series could be fantastic as whenever we see Starfleet types surviving in the wilderness it shows off their skills and training better than ever. They could still have travelled around the system in the ship, gathering resources for the planet, and eventually going back to exploration and the journey home as would be inevitable. I expect such a detour would have been considered a waste of time, but look at the Klingons in 'DS9' Season Four - that was a detour from the way the series panned out, but it was great!

I would also have welcomed one or two of the 37's staying aboard Voyager, but again, it might have taken away from the main characters, although I think that adding recurring characters actually enhances the regulars and their environment, making it a more real place (plus it gives you someone to kill off dramatically without pulling the cast apart!). So a good start for the season, even if it really was only a continuation. You'll get the hang of that cliffhanger idea eventually, Mr. Voyager!

***

Shades of Gray

DVD, TNG S2 (Shades of Gray)

Commonly considered the worst episode of all 'Star Trek' I would have to agree for the most part. But even at its darkest hour I could find things to enjoy - there are a couple of nice scenes, such as O'Brien joking about Pulaski's fear of tranporters, or Deanna's approach to Riker's side in his time of need, but many more of the scenes come from other episodes, for, yes, this is the one and only clips show. I never understood the point of clips episodes, they are merely a waste of time - literally! We're seeing snatches of other stories, ripped from their context and expected to like it. Now once in a while (and this is rare) clips can be a good source for an episode (there was one in 'Starsky & Hutch' where the clips were used quite effectively and the in-between scenes gelled), but in general they are only produced because the series has to make another episode, but can't afford to ('Stargate SG-1' a prime offender).

Logic would dictate that one less episode is made, thereby retaining the sense of quality of a series, but most people would probably agree that TV companies don't work logically. Watching a barrage of clips, no matter how good they are, is like a reminder that we could be watching a new episode, a 45-minute trailer for the series, maybe even seen as a consolidation, a primer on where the series has come from. But in the main it's a bit dull and the linking material was mostly uninspired - Deanna and Pulaski wittering about what Riker might be dreaming about doesn't make for riveting viewing. So we're left with the only fun that can be eked out of the episode being to see how quickly we can guess the episode in which each clip comes from.

I was surprised to see the exploding head of 'Conspiracy' after the complaints it precipitated the first time around. And how come they could show clips of Tasha Yar after Denise Crosby had left, yet not in the final scenes of 'DS9' for a similar character in that situation? So the episode is not absolutely terrible, but its position as the end to the season magnifies its faults higher than ever. The writers hadn't yet discovered the cliffhanger ending, but to go out on a feeble little laugh when half the cast don't appear, or are only seen briefly would be unthinkable in modern TV.

Dr. Pulaski's last episode of the series at least uses her character (strangely, more than in some of the proper episodes!), but there's no sense of progression or finality. Maybe they hadn't decided she wasn't coming back at that stage? She was one of those one-season wonders that came onboard promising development in interactions with the crew and a rounded character, but it never really came to pass and instead she was hardly used in the last few episodes. She had a few good episodes scattered through the season, but the writers never really got hold of what her character was about. She was meant to have a Spock/McCoy thing going with Data, but it wasn't kept up, and though she could be a thorn in Picard's side, she wasn't for long. As for other members she never had much of a chance to interact with them. Perhaps the continued problems behind the scenes resulted in her casualty and many of the mistakes and dreariness of some episodes.

It can't be denied that Season Two took the series further than One, and at first seemed to have stabilised, but it proved an illusion and as much as so many good things were set in motion at the start of the season, they weren't as much in evidence by the end. The alliance with the Romulans against the Borg hinted at by the last episode of Season One never came to fruition, though we can be grateful at least that the deadly cyborgs did reach the screen. It had the potential to be a stunning season, but though the changes which shook it up at the start breathed new life into the characters, it wasn't quite sustained all the way through thanks to money and behind the scenes production problems. Thankfully it was as loved by viewers as before or it might have begun to decline. Season Three was around the corner and the fortunes of Trek rarely looked brighter, but that was in spite of the shades of grey in which this season hung up its phaser and certainly not because of it.

*

The Scarlet Claw

DVD, The Scarlet Claw (1944) film

The Scarlet Claw (1944) (approx. 71mins)

Not based on an existing story this was a complete fabrication combining a trip to Canada with scenes from an English country village. The first time I saw this I thought it was the best of the films, but tastes change and I found it less than thrilling this time, even though I'd forgotten who the murderer was. Amid the usual foggy scenes and undeniable black and white contrast that freezes the visuals with an artist's eye, there were moments of brilliance that impressed me - the false Nora, 'her' face in shadow, advancing on the victim was one and any film would be improved by a villain that leaps through a window into a river to escape.

The chilling and callous murders, enacted upon this maniac's personal stage of vengeance remained the work of a cunningly concealed malice. That the enemy is one so public and unexpected applauds his ingenuity of the acting profession, but awes us with a horror that such a man can inject such different personalities into his life. The story uses some of the tricks of 'The Hound of The Baskervilles' and is suitably namechecked by Dr. Watson along with the Sussex Vampire to get us into the correct mood, though we aren't going to be fooled twice so it's no surprise that phosphorus is the rational explanation of the monster. The dark and forbidding bog also pays homage to the Grimpen Mire, but this time the villain isn't destroyed by his own choice of hideout even if he is killed by his own weapon.

The weapon in question - a five-pronged garden fork - doesn't exactly strike fear into the viewer and looks to be a rather ineffective means of dispatch, but those kind of details aren't too important. The mood is different from some of the other films in that there are no other regular characters along with Holmes and Watson, but there are some familiar faces as several had been in other films in the series, true to it's tradition of recasting. The story isn't bad, and there are comforting signs of the affectionate partnership between Holmes and Watson (who is more a part of proceedings as opposed to the previous film), but did feel a little too drawn out, and while it is an engrossing tale, the sense of dread (which attempts to be evoked by mentions of the occult and monsters, are not appreciated) doesn't come through enough. And the speech at the end comes out sounding like an advert for Canada holidays!

**

The Pearl of Death

DVD, The Pearl of Death (1944) film

They went for a closer retelling of a proper story (The Six Napoleans) than they have in most films and successfully strung it out to an hour's length, although this did mean some scenes are noticeably there as padding and the pace is fairly pedestrian throughout. When the padding succeeds is when it's furthering certain characters, the main scene being Dr. Watson's height of bumbling charm as he convinces himself he's practically another Sherlock Holmes while playing the fool the whole time! Lestrade too is on fine form in his ridiculing persona and slow on the uptake sarcasm, gleefully mocking the great detective when Holmes makes an uncharacteristic blunder, setting off the foul play by his diligent attempts to prove the inadequacy of the pearl's security measures.

Dennis Hoey has really relaxed into the Lestrade role by this film and provides as much comedy as Bruce's Watson, who mutters himself in and out of rooms in his usual fashion. Watson doesn't have a lot to do with the plot, however, and he pretty much just follows his friend around and does what he's told. Perhaps he was feeling a bit under-used and that was what got him to thinking on his own deductive powers? Mr. Hodder and the sculptor of the Napolean busts had both been in previous films in the series, I'm sure, and as usual there are plenty of characters to keep track of. The Creeper was very creepy and sensibly only seen in shadow or silhouette until the moment he advances on Holmes. It was his attraction to the girl that made him more frightening as she clearly didn't even want to be in the same room, and the teasing of her associate on the subject showed his cruel streak plainly.

Holmes' disguises now make me wonder if anyone remotely of the same build and height could be him, and the early experiences with the clever ruse to save the pearl had me fooled for a while! Rathbone does the voices and mannerisms so well and in the monochrome half-light he can get away with a lot. The film ends on a less uplifting sentiment than usual, the pearl inspiring him to talk of the many deaths such avarice inspires.

**

Holiday

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S2 (Holiday)

Far from leaving me sad at Machello's death this unexpected story left me grinning thanks to the body-swapping escapades of Teal'c and O'Neill! Early on I thought I could see where the episode was going - they re-use the same sealed room seen a few episodes ago (it may not have been sealed this time, but it was the same set, I'm sure), and they give us a new perspective from the top of a gate as it opens, but as soon as I saw the old man I questioned the quality of the makeup as I could tell it was a younger man. In true Corporal Jones of 'Dad's Army' style I suspected this old man was going to get up to more physical exertions than a real old man would be capable of, and I was only half-wrong.

When it quickly became a body-swap story part of me groaned inwardly (the symbiont perhaps?), and part of me held out hope for an entertaining tale. Body-swapping may be a cliche in sci-fi, but more often than not it creates enjoyable scenes for the characters involved and I was not disappointed. Michael Shanks does a good 'confused, of alien world', but the plaudits must surely rain down on Christopher Judge who got to prove what an actor he is with such hilarious mimicry of Richard Dean Anderson's mannerisms. Anderson had the easier job of restraining all emotion, something his character tends towards anyway, except in outbursts of irritation or sarcasm that Judge got down pat. It must have been a joy to exercise their acting chops in different ways and it's only a shame Carter and Hammond didn't get in on the action (can you imagine?).

The title had already given away that this was likely to be a less serious type of installment, but there were good scenes throughout and the body-swapping wasn't over-used, indeed it left me wanting to see more of the Teal'c/O'Neill exchange for pure comedy's sake. I didn't buy the sudden illness of Teal'c and that avenue of 'suspense' didn't last long thankfully. Are we supposed to believe that if the big guy goes without sleep for a few hours he could die of any illness he happens to contract? We also didn't get to hear why he wanted a shaved head (I may have forgotten an earlier explanation).

Melodrama and poignancy were attempted, but it was the pure fun of the acting that made the episode. I suspected it was Shanks playing the role of Machello when he was lying on the hospital bed, talking to Carter, and from being critical of the makeup I took a U-turn and realised how successful it had been - although I had suspicions of the truth I wasn't really sure until right at the end when 'Daniel' talks to the old man and there's a slight change in the look of the shot that denotes a visual effect. I was glad of the credit at the end just to confirm it, even so.

I wondered if there was going to be a twist at the end that the 'new' Daniel would escape, but they could rejuvenate the real Daniel in that machine on the planet and it would turn him back into the Daniel we know with some techy explanation that the mind imprints the physical identity onto the technology, or something. But all around a jolly enjoyable episode and one worth seeing again when you know who's who! Twice in a row Dr. Frasier's medical rooms have played host to a dying victim on her beds - she might begin to get a bad reputation...

***

Pariah

DVD, Smallville S4 (Pariah)

One of a few that could be called two-parters, and that's because the episodes tend to be serialised with ongoing plots overlapping, but this was a direct continuation complete with 'previously' montage which hardly ever happens, except for season openers. My worst fears were realised in that Alicia is back again, and the story falls down in that she's a completely unsympathetic character so the conceit of the episode doesn't have a leg to stand on. The early scenes are marred by soapy-ness and it appears that the only note of interest to be sounded is Alicia's suggestion that Clark turn himself in, or at least reveal to Sheriff Adams (yes, she's back to get under everyone's skin again!) his powers.

That was a sufficiently thought-provoking idea, though it were impossible - why should she be the one to have all superpower blame laid at her door, and if Clark were to be revealed would people become more accepting of her? It seems more likely that Clark would have become an object of contempt (more than he already is with some people, such as Jason), and become a target for crazies more than usual. So, I was thinking, at least there's some root of an idea among the teenage moaning, but then a dramatic turn comes with Chloe being told of and witnessing Clark's powers at last!

It's happened before, but this time the unexpected result was that nothing occurred to dislodge this world-bending notion from her brain. She didn't hit her head and forget, she wasn't under the influence of Kryptonite and she wasn't going mad at the time: she genuinely learns of Clark's powers and accepts it pretty well, I'd say. You'd think she'd be going over every odd incident that she'd collected, witnessed or been a part of over the years and slot in the new information to make sense of it. In some ways she shouldn't have been all that surprised as she practically suspected there was something special about him already. Perhaps that was why she took it so well, and in an act of ultimate friendship doesn't intrude on his privacy or ask him questions, but lets him know she's around. What a good mate!

The tragedy is that Clark can never know she knows as it was Alicia who told him, and inevitably, she had to die. For someone that can teleport anywhere at a moment's thought I don't see how the sand boy, or dust boy, or whatever, was able to hold her long enough to drug her. Internal consistency has never been a strongly adhered to policy of the series and she was either going to be around forever or knocked off, so sandy-dusty-boy was merely the mechanism for bringing things back to a kind of normality. On the subject of consistency I was a little confused about Lex' dealings with Mrs. Teague. He claims the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but Jason doesn't ask why he considers his Mum to be an enemy, which would be the first question you'd expect him to ask!

The slimy woman convinces Lana that it wasn't by her doing that she and Jason met, so that trail is cold for the moment, but it's very strange the way she goes to Lex and why she should be so intent on pulling the couple apart or why she could imagine Lex would help her I don't know. Yes, she dangles the carrot of having some information on how Lionel got out of prison, but so what... The CGI was used well, especially for dusty-sand-boy, but as has become usual we don't get any history on him, how he got his powers, so he's only a vague moral vigilante who's got things twisted in his head a bit. To make an enemy worth having they've got to have a deeper imprint on the series or they end up seeming like a maguffin there to set the real story up.

I feel that the episode is one of those 'nearly there, but not quite'. With such a massively important development  as one of the regulars seeing Clark perform his extraterrestrial stunts and remembering it, it has an underwhelming sum total. I would have wished for such a brilliant moment to be a part of a brilliant episode rather than propping up a less than brilliant one, but as often this season it leaves you with a desire to see how things will transpire and how Chloe's knowledge will affect life. It didn't do Pete much good - he was written out a year after becoming the first man on the inside. Chloe will be around for a good while, I know, but it remains to be seen whether it will enrich or hinder her character. My bet's on a shouting match some time in the future where Clark moans she should understand and then she belts out that knows all about him, and then they'll be grumpy for an episode and then things will be fine. That's how things usually pan out, anyway.

Maybe Chloe took the revelations about Clark so well because she's a bit of a fan of heroes - she mentions both TJ Hooker and Captain Kirk in the same conversation... maybe Lois was wrong and she does have a secret - she's a lifelong fan of William Shatner?

**

Serpent's Song

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S2 (Serpent's Song)

Who would have guessed that we would feel compassion for the villain of the piece, the creature that stole Daniel's wife and has terrorised them on more than one occasion. Now we see him reduced to a weak, dying form, afraid and with only the prospect of eternal torture from Sokar to look forward to. And so Apophis passes from the series - I assume he's not coming back as I never saw his demise and he doesn't appear in later seasons. If it was the end for him it's a piece of the series that has been a recurrent theme throughout. But perhaps it's time to move on, and it's this Sokar, talked about, but not yet seen, who could prove a deadlier foe, especially if what is hinted at - that he may be another Unas - is true. Heruer is also mentioned in passing and the System Lords are beginning to be revealed at last.

A change of fortunes for Apophis, thanks to O'Neill and the team, means a change in the balance of power also, and changes for the Stargate teams too, perhaps. The style of the episode shows an assured hand in control and we're treated to some epic CGI work and an exciting teaser with something we've never seen before - a backwards gate journey when O'Neill enters in that way while still firing. There was also an especially fluid and impressive shot when the soldiers race to the gate room and the camera tracks them smoothly all the way!

The episode has more than the tangible excitement of action to recommend it, as the theme is about how you treat your enemy when he's in your power. Each member of SG-1 gets their time with Apophis, and each reacts to him in different ways, but by the end they've all come to realise that the suffering of another, no matter how much he deserves is not satisfying and doesn't get them anything - O'Neill doesn't learn Apophis' secrets, Daniel doesn't find out where Sharray is, and Teal'c gains no pleasure in his former master's death when the frightened host is revealed beneath the symbiont's grasp.

The aging makeup was very good, and the actor's gaunt, expressionless face provides much horror as pain wracks through it, the bones standing out like a skull. The Tok'ra too, make another appearance, though sadly not Jacob Carter, and Martufe's symbiont comes across as a harsh type, confused that his enemies should treat Apophis with such care and attention. O'Neill would tend to agree, but the results don't exactly go their way and things look to becoming more complicated, not less, with Apophis' death.

***

The Spider Woman

DVD, The Spider Woman (1944) film

By far the best film to this point in the Sherlock Holmes series, this may not be the most Holmesian tale, but it has enough familiar artistry among the visual humour, exciting exchanges and unfolding puzzle to successfully straddle both the original stories and this film series which is far from being a set of adaptations and more an of-the-time reinvention to appeal to the war audiences, which it succeeded in doing. There are elements of various stories such as the pygmy from 'The Sign of Four', the venomous means of death similar to 'The Speckled Band' and even a nod to Holmes' death at the Riechenbach Falls.

Every aspect of the production seems imbued with a freshness and dynamism that some of the previous films in the series lacked. The back-projection of the rushing river in Scotland that Holmes falls into looks especially real, the emotion of losing Holmes is played intelligently by Watson, Mrs. Hudson and Inspector Lestrade (Dennis Hoey back again in the role), so that his inevitable reappearance means more than a little sleight of hand, even if we knew he wasn't dead. There's visual continuity (the shots fired against the wall in a previous film are visible), Holmes gets to indulge his penchant for disguises as successfully as ever (and Rathbone his mannerisms), and even the way the suicides are presented in shocking montage denotes a pace not expected of such an old production.

There are no dull moments or hokey sets, and the tale is full of the kind of touches the stories were famous for - undercover, Holmes tricks the villainess into giving him her fingerprints, while she has her own ways of exposing his false identity. Not only are the production values at a peak, but the boldness of the action is stronger than before - a deadly shootout atop the city's rooftops, the crazy-looking imposter at the spider expert's house (his grimace as he slices open a gas tank and flings the axe at Holmes leaves a stronger impression of malignant enmity in that brief moment than a long scene could have evoked), and even the James Bond-type escape from a dastardly fairground shooting gallery shows Holmes logical brain in full flow as he uses the gears of the machinery to loosen his bonds.

The spider woman herself is a worthy adversary, a smiling, self-satisfied evil, half-concealed beneath a veil. The veil of death! Maybe they should have called it that. The scene when she openly visits Baker Street, both she and her enemy double-talking their way through the conversation, probing and playing their cards is the perfect example of her character. It's all a deception, with the strange little lad and his fly-catching tendencies, to leave a nasty taste in their mouths. All in all a jolly good watch, even though a couple of the villainess' accomplices were in it before (Vernon Downing as Norman was the posh, stuttering fellow in the previous film, and I think the guy with the case who got shot by Holmes was in another one too) and I haven't even mentioned the hilarious case of mistaken identity by Watson!

***

Peak Performance

DVD, TNG S2 (Peak Performance)

I found this to be a bit confused as a story and lacking in some way. It may be the punchlines which were telegraphed a sector away - Riker would prove himself to Kolrami, forcing the pompous Zakdorn to eat his words, and Data would beat the alien at his own game. Like the training situation there was nothing to be gained and nothing to be lost as Mr. Worf succinctly put it. The premise of a tactical battle was sound, especially in the light of the Borg threat, as mentioned by Picard, but I wasn't clear on who was being tested and how they would be judged.

How was the Hathaway (a re-use of the Stargazer model and set) taken to the rendezvous point and why have a battle in any old space when more controlled conditions could be achieved in Federation territory, then a safer and more internal exercise could have been carried out without danger of interference as happened in this case? Why was this Zakdorn involved - beyond his race's reputation as supposedly the best tactical minds he didn't appear to be a member of Starfleet, yet he was going to report to them. How did he get there? There must have been another starship which both brought him to the Enterprise and towed the Hathaway which leaves a question: wouldn't it have made more sense for Kolrami to have followed the battle from a neutral ship? It would also make sense to have another starship around to see that interference didn't happen and warn other ships in the area that a training exercise was taking place.

The challenge for Riker is as much about getting his ship together as actually fighting the battle, which leads me to wonder if this was all a ploy. Starfleet really want Riker to be captain and he keeps turning them down, so maybe this whole exercise was designed to invoke his pride and give him a taste of captaincy so that he'd accept next time they asked? It's a theory. Relations with the Ferengi seemed to be, if not cordial, certainly non-combative, but it appears there is no actual peace treaty between them and the Federation by their actions here, as they are free to swoop in and attack at any opportunity.

Their method of intervention was rather pitiful, I suppose in continuation of their previous erratic behaviour, but to warp in, firing, then stop dead right next to your enemy and wait for them to speak was the kind of example Kolrami should have been denigrating! Craziness! I didn't buy their interest in the old ship either. Daimon Bok may have searched out the same type but that was for an unprofitable personal vendetta against Picard. Once again the Ferengi aren't used in the best way. They've changed quite a lot from previous appearances now, having lost all signs of their jittery, ape-like crouching and waving arms. This time they had a menace to them that might have worked had it been adhered to from their first episode. We can thank Armin Shimerman for any positive Ferengi attributes and it's telling that even before his regular role as ambassador of the species in Trekdom he did what he could to redeem the species. I didn't remember the Ferengi were in this until I saw Shimerman's name in the opening credits which gave the game away.

There are other confused parts of the whole - Burke, the guy standing in for Worf is set up as someone who might be important, but apart from popping up all over the place (one minute he's on the bridge, the next he's escorting Wesley, then he's in Ten Forward watching Data and Kolrami's match!), he isn't important at all though he seems good mates with Data - after the Android wins by default he grabs him by the shoulders in praise of it.

Although the re-use of the Stargazer showed their lack of funds at this stage of the season it was good to see a different bridge to the one we see every week and fun to have Riker's fantasy crew (Mr. Worf as first officer was especially good value). We knew that he'd pull through though and we knew Data would get over his 'sulk' so the episode is a bit of a slow grind. I'm left with the thought that Pulaski has been seriously underused for a new character and has sort of blended into the background much like, but not as bad, Dr. Crusher did in Season One.

**

The Emissary

DVD, TNG S2 (The Emissary)

Having watched the 'Voyager' episode 'Prophecy' only recently I see it 'borrowed' quite a lot in its premise from this one. Strange then, that that should be a slightly better experience. It comes down to pacing and this series' predilection for taking its time over things. At first the teaser scene appears to be a fun, but pointless opening, and only at the end do we understand the importance of Worf's poker face, and that was an example of the episode working well. Unfortunately too many scenes don't have a twin that will later expose their necessity, and much of the first half is little more than an attempt to build anticipation for something that whimpers rather than bangs.

An argument could be made for Worf's personal experiences taking precedence, and so leaving any other denouement unimportant, but though his scenes with K'Ehleyr bring to the fore Klingon traditions and idiosyncracies, they don't lead anywhere very interesting, at least not at this stage of the series. If it were not for later events you would almost say this episode wasn't worth watching. Introducing a Klingon female onto the ship was a worthwhile plot to explore, and adding the subtlety of a connection with Worf and the half human, half Klingon angle was bold. The status of the episode isn't increased because of these things however, because we've seen so many strong Klingon episodes that were much more exciting than this, and B'Elanna Torres clearly explored every avenue of being a half-breed with a foot in two cultures (even forgetting Spock, Odo and assorted others!), so eclipsing the episode's USP.

The story isn't completely without merit, and marks the first proper female Klingon role on the series. The Holodeck fight sequence is surprisingly brutal for the time, but nonetheless enjoyable, and the fairly chaste references to mating don't bring down the tone of the episode, and indeed show Klingons to be more committed than humans. Once again, as with 'Prophecy' I was left with the hollow feeling that a ship full of Klingons from another era, back when the Federation was at war with them, should have provided the excuse for the series to go into full throttle. We've seen Klingons used intelligently in a contemplative, but also belligerent mode already in the series with Season One's 'Heart of Glory', so a quiet clash of cultures wasn't going to set the screen alight. On a side note, K'Ehleyr states Worf doesn't like people with a sense of humour. He responds grimly that he did not say that. His side of it would be proved very true in his interactions with Jadzia on DS9, who possessed the most flippant and playful sense of humour in all Trek!

**