DVD, TNG S3 (Menage A Troi)
The B-story of Wesley managing to miss his ride to Starfleet Academy and the final exam that would get him in as a student was given short shrift, but the ending, in which Picard grants him a field commission and Wes getting to wear the uniform made up for that. The main story was Lwaxana's now-annual visit to the Enterprise, or in this case, the ship's visit to her homeworld, Betazed, the first time it was seen on TV. What we get to see of the planet is most appealing, with green grass, and tinkly flowers, all pleasant and happy. Of course Mrs. Troi isn't known for spreading happiness, and almost provokes the Ferengi to war. This indicates that the Federation isn't currently at war with the race, even though most encounters with them previously have been antagonistic.
The gathering of aliens frequenting Ten Forward gives them a chance to reuse some existing faces, such as the Selay (having already used an Antican as a background player earlier in the season), a Zakdorn and even one of the Mizarians, the race Picard first met in 'Allegiance'. There's also further fun with telepathy (Deanna storms out after her Mother's talked down to her one too many times, yet still hears a parting comment once she's out the door!), and some details filled in - Lwaxana always proclaims her pedigree with the speech about being heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed and holder of the sacred Chalice of Rixx. This time Deanna points out that the chalice is only an old clay pot with mould growing on it which deflates the fine words somewhat.
Ethan Phillips makes his debut, several years before his better known role of Neelix, although he doesn't get a lot to do, and neither does Mr. Homn, who does appear briefly. Troi and Riker are once again discussed, and further details emerge about Ferengi culture. It's not a clever episode (aside from the use of something heard early in the episode to effect escape from the greedy clutches of the Ferengi), but it is fun, mainly because it doesn't rely on the Ferengi for the laughs, and whenever Lwaxana Troi is involved she's bound to amuse. She finally got her wished for place in Picard's arms, and the Captain acquits himself well in his bid to win her back, however embarassing it might have been for him. You notice much more of Patrick Stewart coming out in the performance now, as much of the crotchety gruffness and reserve has fallen away in the natural growth of the character. I have the feeling Rudolph Willrich, who played the Betazoid director also appeared in the 'Enterprise' episode 'Oasis'.
***
Monday, 27 September 2010
The House of Quark
DVD, DS9 S3 (The House of Quark)
The Defiant isn't mentioned or discussed which puts the damper on some people's assumption that the series was going to become a ship show. The effect of the Dominion has become more personal for those on DS9, and that's explored a little in this episode, which, although it could be called a comedy, has a very serious side to it. What was once an exciting and bustling place full of the opportunity of the Wormhole, is becoming a deserted and uncertain setting because of the new danger, families moving away, no longer enough children to constitute a school and leading Keiko to realise she has no real purpose any more. The Dominion can also be blamed for the events that precipitate Quark's Klingon adventure. If it hadn't been for the lack of customers the bartender wouldn't have worked himself up into a foul mood and made the mistake of speaking roughly to a Klingon! Not a mistake that most people would make easily.
Although much of Klingon culture had already been laid out in the films and 'TNG', 'DS9' was able to use all that as a base and have fun with it. One of my favourite ever lines is Gowron's mispronunciation of Quark's name ("Quirk?"), but although he's so much weaker and of lesser stature Quark proves that in their own field Ferengi are unbeatable. Another race reconciled - doesn't it bring on a warm glow inside? The two species are about as far from each other on the spectrum of alien races as can be - the Klingons, tall, violent and putting honour above all else; the Ferengi, short, cowardly and putting the pursuit of wealth above all else.
The skill of the writers shows through in how Quark's qualities are used in face of violence. In a way he's met an ideal opponent, one who has used cunning monetary tactics to bring down an enemy, which is exactly what Quark knows about. This is one of the early indications that he's less traditional than he'd like to think. Rom, too, is beginning his transition, from snarly, harsh and rough-edged subordinate, to cuddly, funny, even likeable brother. He demonstrates his lack of Ferengi-ness by reassuring Quark that there's more to life than money, a spur of the moment admission that could pass almost unnoticed if you didn't know the kind of person he becomes.
One scene inspired me to want to paint it, it was so well observed: Odo standing, arms folded, an erect pillar of calm in a sea of patrons at the bar, talking, laughing drinking, while he stands looking suspiciously at Quark who cowers a little in surprise and guilt. I could just see the great masters using such a scene in the past!
Although it's sad to lose Keiko for six months, would it be better if we as viewers were happy because Keiko was still around, or if she were happy, and not around so much, but a fulfilled character? As much as I would miss the homely nature of her appearances it did give O'Brien and Bashir a greater friendship - though they are good mates by now, Bashir is still surprised when O'Brien asks his opinion and he proves quite wise for a man of his years. Has he been replaced by a shapeshifter, can this really be the Doctor we know?
It was the first time the Klingon homeworld had been seen on 'DS9', and though there have been Klingon-themed episode before, most notably 'Blood Oath', 'The Three Musketeers' in Klingon guise, this is the first to do a more traditional tale, showing us the Great Hall of the High Council as seen in 'TNG' and showcasing some of the well-known phrases (such as 'beam me up' which Kirk used famously in 'Star Trek III'). Grilka was a brilliant character, and much more sympathetic than most Klingons, she had an innocent naivete about her, while retaining the bearing of a warrioress, proud and noble. Putting her with Quark works incredibly well, mostly because once he's recovered his composure he becomes the natural leader and is able to prove to at least one Klingon that Ferengi have more to them than meets the eye. There were a lot of great lines, Quark shows he can be a hero, and though he tries to be a respectable, greedy Ferengi, his values show through when he comes up with a plan and shows up to battle D'Ghor. A great ending that would be hard to beat (but was bettered) when the situation arose again...
****
The Defiant isn't mentioned or discussed which puts the damper on some people's assumption that the series was going to become a ship show. The effect of the Dominion has become more personal for those on DS9, and that's explored a little in this episode, which, although it could be called a comedy, has a very serious side to it. What was once an exciting and bustling place full of the opportunity of the Wormhole, is becoming a deserted and uncertain setting because of the new danger, families moving away, no longer enough children to constitute a school and leading Keiko to realise she has no real purpose any more. The Dominion can also be blamed for the events that precipitate Quark's Klingon adventure. If it hadn't been for the lack of customers the bartender wouldn't have worked himself up into a foul mood and made the mistake of speaking roughly to a Klingon! Not a mistake that most people would make easily.
Although much of Klingon culture had already been laid out in the films and 'TNG', 'DS9' was able to use all that as a base and have fun with it. One of my favourite ever lines is Gowron's mispronunciation of Quark's name ("Quirk?"), but although he's so much weaker and of lesser stature Quark proves that in their own field Ferengi are unbeatable. Another race reconciled - doesn't it bring on a warm glow inside? The two species are about as far from each other on the spectrum of alien races as can be - the Klingons, tall, violent and putting honour above all else; the Ferengi, short, cowardly and putting the pursuit of wealth above all else.
The skill of the writers shows through in how Quark's qualities are used in face of violence. In a way he's met an ideal opponent, one who has used cunning monetary tactics to bring down an enemy, which is exactly what Quark knows about. This is one of the early indications that he's less traditional than he'd like to think. Rom, too, is beginning his transition, from snarly, harsh and rough-edged subordinate, to cuddly, funny, even likeable brother. He demonstrates his lack of Ferengi-ness by reassuring Quark that there's more to life than money, a spur of the moment admission that could pass almost unnoticed if you didn't know the kind of person he becomes.
One scene inspired me to want to paint it, it was so well observed: Odo standing, arms folded, an erect pillar of calm in a sea of patrons at the bar, talking, laughing drinking, while he stands looking suspiciously at Quark who cowers a little in surprise and guilt. I could just see the great masters using such a scene in the past!
Although it's sad to lose Keiko for six months, would it be better if we as viewers were happy because Keiko was still around, or if she were happy, and not around so much, but a fulfilled character? As much as I would miss the homely nature of her appearances it did give O'Brien and Bashir a greater friendship - though they are good mates by now, Bashir is still surprised when O'Brien asks his opinion and he proves quite wise for a man of his years. Has he been replaced by a shapeshifter, can this really be the Doctor we know?
It was the first time the Klingon homeworld had been seen on 'DS9', and though there have been Klingon-themed episode before, most notably 'Blood Oath', 'The Three Musketeers' in Klingon guise, this is the first to do a more traditional tale, showing us the Great Hall of the High Council as seen in 'TNG' and showcasing some of the well-known phrases (such as 'beam me up' which Kirk used famously in 'Star Trek III'). Grilka was a brilliant character, and much more sympathetic than most Klingons, she had an innocent naivete about her, while retaining the bearing of a warrioress, proud and noble. Putting her with Quark works incredibly well, mostly because once he's recovered his composure he becomes the natural leader and is able to prove to at least one Klingon that Ferengi have more to them than meets the eye. There were a lot of great lines, Quark shows he can be a hero, and though he tries to be a respectable, greedy Ferengi, his values show through when he comes up with a plan and shows up to battle D'Ghor. A great ending that would be hard to beat (but was bettered) when the situation arose again...
****
Sarek
DVD, TNG S3 (Sarek)
The series was so confident in its own style and contributions to the Trek universe that it could do such a wonderful thing as bring back a major character from The Original Series and films. Not since grand old Admiral McCoy's short cameo along the corridors of the Enterprise has a visitor meant so much, not only for the tapestry of the fictional universe, but also the reality of television. It was as if a rule had been lifted, and at last 'TNG' was happy to link firmly to the past. That past was still in motion, for Ambassador Sarek's final appearance in the 23rd Century was still a year away in 'Star Trek VI', and the regal second most known Vulcan would appear one last time in the series.
Mark Lenard had such presence, yet in keeping with the advanced age (202!) of the character he wasn't quite the same, and had visually diminished as well as mentally. At first it would be easy to fault the way he portrayed Sarek, as if he'd forgotten how, but when you see that he was just as capable in the sixth film as the earlier ones, it shows that this was a special performance, taking into account such a long time difference and the effects of the illness. Only once the mind meld has been accomplished do we see the recognisable Ambassador, who is probably the most influential recurring character in ratio to his few appearance than any other.
I like the fact that O'Brien is one of the people who gets to see Sarek in the flesh, even if he didn't get a chance to talk to him, and a nice thought that he would later see the Ambassador's son, Spock, in the past (at least I think he saw him, if not onscreen, we can imagine Spock would have been walking round the ship in 'Trials and Tribble-ations'). Though only passing references, we get a glimpse of the planet Vulcan from space, and Spock and Amanda are mentioned. It's so good, after seeing so many disappointing Vulcans in 'Enterprise' and the 11th film, to see real, bona fide unemotional members of the race (ironically some of the Vulcans in the productions I mentioned act like Sarek without the excuse of Bendii Syndrome!). Brilliant to see a mind meld too, and Picard was the ideal candidate. Patrick Stewart's skill shows through in the emotional outbursts as he struggles to contain the elderly Vulcan's overflowing feelings, and it was so right that it was Beverly who was there beside him, quite apart from her role as Doctor.
I'm surprised it took so long for the cause of the animosity between the crew to be suspected, as we've already had similar experiences with Lwaxana Troi (or at least a more overt outpouring would occur on DS9). The crewmates raising voices at each other is so rare that it does surprise, and the episode is improved further by a good old-fashioned barroom brawl, something that Ten Forward had survived without for almost two seasons until this point. O'Brien would take part in a similar fistfight in that visit to the past.
Sarek's legendary figure, if it hadn't already been, was concreted here in the way he is spoken of as modern Vulcan's greatest contributor, and only Surak himself, and perhaps Spock, to a lesser extent, could even now be considered more highly. A wedding of one of Sarek's sons was mentioned, although it isn't clear whether this was Spock or another child we don't know about - it wasn't going to be Sybok since he met his demise in 'Star Trek V', but in the few times Spock is spoken of or seen there is never any confirmation it was he. Sarek's tear has almost as much impact as Sybok's roar of laughter at the beginning of the fifth film, perhaps more so since we miss the gravity and strong control we are used to seeing Sarek possess.
An episode dealing with such an important character had to focus on that character, much as Spock was integral to the 11th film, which is a lesson that was generally followed: when someone was brought back they didn't just appear for a short scene and go again. Finally, Captain Picard's choice not to ignore what he knew to be wrong is a fine example of what to do when in a quandary with something that is bigger and higher up the chain than yourself - he deals with each person as diplomatically, but as forcefully as he can, risking his career and good name. Even though he is merely a Captain, and we've seen him stand up to Admirals before, this was different, as he truly respected and held the Ambassador in awe, and to confront him was a brave and noble decision, earning the respect of Sarek. Picard could never have expected to have such a deep connection as he now shares with his hero.
****
The series was so confident in its own style and contributions to the Trek universe that it could do such a wonderful thing as bring back a major character from The Original Series and films. Not since grand old Admiral McCoy's short cameo along the corridors of the Enterprise has a visitor meant so much, not only for the tapestry of the fictional universe, but also the reality of television. It was as if a rule had been lifted, and at last 'TNG' was happy to link firmly to the past. That past was still in motion, for Ambassador Sarek's final appearance in the 23rd Century was still a year away in 'Star Trek VI', and the regal second most known Vulcan would appear one last time in the series.
Mark Lenard had such presence, yet in keeping with the advanced age (202!) of the character he wasn't quite the same, and had visually diminished as well as mentally. At first it would be easy to fault the way he portrayed Sarek, as if he'd forgotten how, but when you see that he was just as capable in the sixth film as the earlier ones, it shows that this was a special performance, taking into account such a long time difference and the effects of the illness. Only once the mind meld has been accomplished do we see the recognisable Ambassador, who is probably the most influential recurring character in ratio to his few appearance than any other.
I like the fact that O'Brien is one of the people who gets to see Sarek in the flesh, even if he didn't get a chance to talk to him, and a nice thought that he would later see the Ambassador's son, Spock, in the past (at least I think he saw him, if not onscreen, we can imagine Spock would have been walking round the ship in 'Trials and Tribble-ations'). Though only passing references, we get a glimpse of the planet Vulcan from space, and Spock and Amanda are mentioned. It's so good, after seeing so many disappointing Vulcans in 'Enterprise' and the 11th film, to see real, bona fide unemotional members of the race (ironically some of the Vulcans in the productions I mentioned act like Sarek without the excuse of Bendii Syndrome!). Brilliant to see a mind meld too, and Picard was the ideal candidate. Patrick Stewart's skill shows through in the emotional outbursts as he struggles to contain the elderly Vulcan's overflowing feelings, and it was so right that it was Beverly who was there beside him, quite apart from her role as Doctor.
I'm surprised it took so long for the cause of the animosity between the crew to be suspected, as we've already had similar experiences with Lwaxana Troi (or at least a more overt outpouring would occur on DS9). The crewmates raising voices at each other is so rare that it does surprise, and the episode is improved further by a good old-fashioned barroom brawl, something that Ten Forward had survived without for almost two seasons until this point. O'Brien would take part in a similar fistfight in that visit to the past.
Sarek's legendary figure, if it hadn't already been, was concreted here in the way he is spoken of as modern Vulcan's greatest contributor, and only Surak himself, and perhaps Spock, to a lesser extent, could even now be considered more highly. A wedding of one of Sarek's sons was mentioned, although it isn't clear whether this was Spock or another child we don't know about - it wasn't going to be Sybok since he met his demise in 'Star Trek V', but in the few times Spock is spoken of or seen there is never any confirmation it was he. Sarek's tear has almost as much impact as Sybok's roar of laughter at the beginning of the fifth film, perhaps more so since we miss the gravity and strong control we are used to seeing Sarek possess.
An episode dealing with such an important character had to focus on that character, much as Spock was integral to the 11th film, which is a lesson that was generally followed: when someone was brought back they didn't just appear for a short scene and go again. Finally, Captain Picard's choice not to ignore what he knew to be wrong is a fine example of what to do when in a quandary with something that is bigger and higher up the chain than yourself - he deals with each person as diplomatically, but as forcefully as he can, risking his career and good name. Even though he is merely a Captain, and we've seen him stand up to Admirals before, this was different, as he truly respected and held the Ambassador in awe, and to confront him was a brave and noble decision, earning the respect of Sarek. Picard could never have expected to have such a deep connection as he now shares with his hero.
****
The Search, Part II
DVD, DS9 S3 (The Search, Part II)
It looked like Odo might be leaving the series by the end of Part I, now that he'd found his people, but trust the 'DS9' writers to turn things on their head - to discover his life's goal and then learn that his people are the most feared race of the Gamma Quadrant and actually at the heart of the recent troubles, was a shock, but one that Odo takes in his stride. His anger over Starfleet's lack of faith in him is forgotten and he comes to see that it is his own 'Link' with the 'solids', as his people call them, that he will maintain, rather than joining his 'rightful position in the Great Link, because they share his belief in justice and rightness, while his people only care about order at any cost. Kira's a good friend to Odo in the midst of these shifting grounds, tenderly accepting whatever course of action he appears to be taking, such as the desire to be with his people at first, or to change shape, something that she can't understand, and ultimately his decision to leave the Founders to return with her and the others. Perhaps the seeds of future stories were being sown here.
As with the possibility of Odo leaving to join his people, the first intimations that Commander Sisko might become a Captain and take command of the Defiant come through. It may have worried viewers at first that if these events came to pass the series might become a standard Trek series with a Captain and a ship, going from planet to planet, but they should have had more faith in the writers - almost always when something new was added, it was to broaden, expand, improve the series, and make it more exciting, not to lose what had already been gained. While some things did fall by the wayside, such as Bajoran politics and religion, they were always there to be tapped into in future stories and things never changed beyond recognition that this was Deep Space Nine. The best, and most intelligent Star Trek series of them all.
Having Admiral Nechayev, the ice queen, back as the superior that Sisko butts heads with (and how I wish that literally to have been the case!), was a move that added plausibility to Sisko's ousting from the centre of events. His best scene is when the volcano erupts and he barges into the meeting making demands and throwing his considerable presence around. He doesn't do so well against the Jem'Hadar here as he did in Part I, falling to only two, when he seemed to take on about six before! Mind you, these were 'dream' soldiers. His interaction with Garak is something more usually reserved for Bashir, and it might have been better had their positions been reversed - Bashir talking over the Replimat tables, and Sisko assisting O'Brien in the bar after the engineer gets walloped by a Jem'Hadar.
Even when Garak's not really there, he's great fun. The power of the Founders is shown clearly in their well-researched and highly accurate forced memories of the station and its inhabitants. Even Quark is suitably grasping, although one thing doesn't ring true: the Jem'Hadar were later to prove they defiantly didn't have the gambling gene. But as I say, these were 'dream' soldiers. The notion of Bajor signing a pact with another power is first suggested here, and though this time it was a false reality, the Dominion proved consistent, for though Bajor never joined the Romulans, they were to sign a pact with the Dominion itself! The genesis of creating tensions between Alpha Quadrant powers, something that would give success to many Dominion plots, began in this episode, which shows the test was a success for them in some ways. Perhaps they couldn't deal with Starfleet, but their were other powers available. The Romulans were ironically to become a major threat to the Dominion, both in this season and later.
Garak's death scene is a little too brief for such a great character, and though they were under attack you'd expect more feeling in Sisko's urging of Bashir to leave Garak's body instead of a slight pull of the arm and a 'come on'. And O'Brien must have left his family behind on a station that was in the clutches of the Dominion, which I don't believe he would do, though they aren't mentioned so perhaps they were on Bajor or somewhere else. If one hadn't already worked out that this was all happening too fast to be credible as reality then such scenes might have given the game away. Of course having seen the episode so many times it's difficult to judge, but watching it with someone who hadn't seen it before, it was believeable enough to fool the unsuspecting.
Odo, Kira and the others who were unaccounted for (as Dax informed Sisko earlier) would have been stranded, never to return to the Alpha Quadrant, had Sisko really collapsed the Wormhole, which highlights how much he was sacrificing by taking that course - it really was more than careers at stake, as Garak noted. Equally Borath and his Jem'Hadar minions would have been trapped 70,000 lightyears from home. They could have made a spinoff called 'Borath's Voyager's' about his long journey back home to the Gamma Quadrant!
The question is, what happened to Dax and O'Brien? Were they immediately drugged at the relay station, or did they experience some of the events in reality: meeting a 'Founder' (Borath), who agreed to peace talks, who then rendered them unconscious and put them in the test? At least we know the Karemma weren't spies as Quark must have got back safely to DS9 since he's not among the captives on the planet. But did all the other crewmembers of the Defiant die, or were they held elsewhere? If they did all die it must be considered an absolute disaster for the history books - a maiden voyage in which most of the crew succumb to an attack and the rest forced to play out a very real unreality. Odo's status should now be much increased, since he is the inside track on the most dangerous enemy of the Federation. And Eddington. He really is portrayed badly here - he has no links to any of the crew and so has no compunction in following orders and locking up officers or allowing the Jem'Hadar to do as they please. Kind of unfair since this isn't the real man, and the only scene he's been in so far he owned up to wanting to make friends! Perhaps his future was already being mapped out?
Jonathan Frakes does a good job of directing in his 'DS9' debut, I particularly liked the scene between Borath and Sisko when they first meet, the Vorta sidling round the Commander, the camera following, then focusing on Sisko's expression, in and out in one smooth shot. Or when he and Jake are having dinner and his preoccupation is shown by the camera's close proximity to his face until he responds to Jake's query and the camera pulls back to expands its view of the table as he comes into awareness. The garden set was one of the only flaws and something the makers were unhappy with, and I can understand why. It's too dark, and far too cluttered, but it works in some ways because it mirrors the Founders, and their dark corners, and Odo's mental state of confusion and bewilderment in the array of new possibilities. Plus there's a link to the Season 2 episode 'The Alternate' in the similar pillar that is the focus of the garden, one might even call it a Great Link...
You could argue that the 'be the rock' sentiments the Female Changeling endorses are a bit New Age, but in this case it's true - Odo literally can be the rock, but he still doesn't quite get what it means, so he's a bit of a sceptic. We learn he and his brethren weren't expected back for 300 years, which makes you wonder how long Odo can live for. We also don't know how long he was floating in space before he was found so who knows how old he is already! The reason we don't tend to see any of the 100 infants is probably because Odo was unique in going through the Wormhole - we hear occasionally about legends of shapeshifters from visits to the Gamma Quadrant, but not so much in the Alpha, and it wouldn't be until Season 7 that the storyline would be followed up.
There is a potentially massive oversight/plot hole with the look of the changelings. We know Odo based his appearance on Dr. Mora, the Bajoran scientist that studied him, and we've seen this to be the case, so why do all the changelings we see look like Dr. Mora/Odo? The simple explanation would be that since Odo was the first of the infants to return they took his form and kept it up whenever they chose to appear as a solid, unless of course they were in disguise - if you look at most episodes, changelings tend to have dialogue with Odo, and in some cases where they don't they're appearing as a human or other race in order to spy. It's also true that we rarely see a changeling speak, other than the Female. This episode we get one, but it's only in a handful of cases we see this (and usually changelings that are in disguise).
Their threat doesn't diminish by the end of the episode, but you get the idea that there's a bit of breathing room before any further attempts at invasion will commence, though ominously the Female Changeling does express interest in 'bringing order to the Alpha Quadrant'. Indeed, so much is put into motion with this episode, and so much is learnt about Odo and his people, that in some ways it's more satisfying than the first part, although that tended to be more exciting and have a greater action quotient.
****
It looked like Odo might be leaving the series by the end of Part I, now that he'd found his people, but trust the 'DS9' writers to turn things on their head - to discover his life's goal and then learn that his people are the most feared race of the Gamma Quadrant and actually at the heart of the recent troubles, was a shock, but one that Odo takes in his stride. His anger over Starfleet's lack of faith in him is forgotten and he comes to see that it is his own 'Link' with the 'solids', as his people call them, that he will maintain, rather than joining his 'rightful position in the Great Link, because they share his belief in justice and rightness, while his people only care about order at any cost. Kira's a good friend to Odo in the midst of these shifting grounds, tenderly accepting whatever course of action he appears to be taking, such as the desire to be with his people at first, or to change shape, something that she can't understand, and ultimately his decision to leave the Founders to return with her and the others. Perhaps the seeds of future stories were being sown here.
As with the possibility of Odo leaving to join his people, the first intimations that Commander Sisko might become a Captain and take command of the Defiant come through. It may have worried viewers at first that if these events came to pass the series might become a standard Trek series with a Captain and a ship, going from planet to planet, but they should have had more faith in the writers - almost always when something new was added, it was to broaden, expand, improve the series, and make it more exciting, not to lose what had already been gained. While some things did fall by the wayside, such as Bajoran politics and religion, they were always there to be tapped into in future stories and things never changed beyond recognition that this was Deep Space Nine. The best, and most intelligent Star Trek series of them all.
Having Admiral Nechayev, the ice queen, back as the superior that Sisko butts heads with (and how I wish that literally to have been the case!), was a move that added plausibility to Sisko's ousting from the centre of events. His best scene is when the volcano erupts and he barges into the meeting making demands and throwing his considerable presence around. He doesn't do so well against the Jem'Hadar here as he did in Part I, falling to only two, when he seemed to take on about six before! Mind you, these were 'dream' soldiers. His interaction with Garak is something more usually reserved for Bashir, and it might have been better had their positions been reversed - Bashir talking over the Replimat tables, and Sisko assisting O'Brien in the bar after the engineer gets walloped by a Jem'Hadar.
Even when Garak's not really there, he's great fun. The power of the Founders is shown clearly in their well-researched and highly accurate forced memories of the station and its inhabitants. Even Quark is suitably grasping, although one thing doesn't ring true: the Jem'Hadar were later to prove they defiantly didn't have the gambling gene. But as I say, these were 'dream' soldiers. The notion of Bajor signing a pact with another power is first suggested here, and though this time it was a false reality, the Dominion proved consistent, for though Bajor never joined the Romulans, they were to sign a pact with the Dominion itself! The genesis of creating tensions between Alpha Quadrant powers, something that would give success to many Dominion plots, began in this episode, which shows the test was a success for them in some ways. Perhaps they couldn't deal with Starfleet, but their were other powers available. The Romulans were ironically to become a major threat to the Dominion, both in this season and later.
Garak's death scene is a little too brief for such a great character, and though they were under attack you'd expect more feeling in Sisko's urging of Bashir to leave Garak's body instead of a slight pull of the arm and a 'come on'. And O'Brien must have left his family behind on a station that was in the clutches of the Dominion, which I don't believe he would do, though they aren't mentioned so perhaps they were on Bajor or somewhere else. If one hadn't already worked out that this was all happening too fast to be credible as reality then such scenes might have given the game away. Of course having seen the episode so many times it's difficult to judge, but watching it with someone who hadn't seen it before, it was believeable enough to fool the unsuspecting.
Odo, Kira and the others who were unaccounted for (as Dax informed Sisko earlier) would have been stranded, never to return to the Alpha Quadrant, had Sisko really collapsed the Wormhole, which highlights how much he was sacrificing by taking that course - it really was more than careers at stake, as Garak noted. Equally Borath and his Jem'Hadar minions would have been trapped 70,000 lightyears from home. They could have made a spinoff called 'Borath's Voyager's' about his long journey back home to the Gamma Quadrant!
The question is, what happened to Dax and O'Brien? Were they immediately drugged at the relay station, or did they experience some of the events in reality: meeting a 'Founder' (Borath), who agreed to peace talks, who then rendered them unconscious and put them in the test? At least we know the Karemma weren't spies as Quark must have got back safely to DS9 since he's not among the captives on the planet. But did all the other crewmembers of the Defiant die, or were they held elsewhere? If they did all die it must be considered an absolute disaster for the history books - a maiden voyage in which most of the crew succumb to an attack and the rest forced to play out a very real unreality. Odo's status should now be much increased, since he is the inside track on the most dangerous enemy of the Federation. And Eddington. He really is portrayed badly here - he has no links to any of the crew and so has no compunction in following orders and locking up officers or allowing the Jem'Hadar to do as they please. Kind of unfair since this isn't the real man, and the only scene he's been in so far he owned up to wanting to make friends! Perhaps his future was already being mapped out?
Jonathan Frakes does a good job of directing in his 'DS9' debut, I particularly liked the scene between Borath and Sisko when they first meet, the Vorta sidling round the Commander, the camera following, then focusing on Sisko's expression, in and out in one smooth shot. Or when he and Jake are having dinner and his preoccupation is shown by the camera's close proximity to his face until he responds to Jake's query and the camera pulls back to expands its view of the table as he comes into awareness. The garden set was one of the only flaws and something the makers were unhappy with, and I can understand why. It's too dark, and far too cluttered, but it works in some ways because it mirrors the Founders, and their dark corners, and Odo's mental state of confusion and bewilderment in the array of new possibilities. Plus there's a link to the Season 2 episode 'The Alternate' in the similar pillar that is the focus of the garden, one might even call it a Great Link...
You could argue that the 'be the rock' sentiments the Female Changeling endorses are a bit New Age, but in this case it's true - Odo literally can be the rock, but he still doesn't quite get what it means, so he's a bit of a sceptic. We learn he and his brethren weren't expected back for 300 years, which makes you wonder how long Odo can live for. We also don't know how long he was floating in space before he was found so who knows how old he is already! The reason we don't tend to see any of the 100 infants is probably because Odo was unique in going through the Wormhole - we hear occasionally about legends of shapeshifters from visits to the Gamma Quadrant, but not so much in the Alpha, and it wouldn't be until Season 7 that the storyline would be followed up.
There is a potentially massive oversight/plot hole with the look of the changelings. We know Odo based his appearance on Dr. Mora, the Bajoran scientist that studied him, and we've seen this to be the case, so why do all the changelings we see look like Dr. Mora/Odo? The simple explanation would be that since Odo was the first of the infants to return they took his form and kept it up whenever they chose to appear as a solid, unless of course they were in disguise - if you look at most episodes, changelings tend to have dialogue with Odo, and in some cases where they don't they're appearing as a human or other race in order to spy. It's also true that we rarely see a changeling speak, other than the Female. This episode we get one, but it's only in a handful of cases we see this (and usually changelings that are in disguise).
Their threat doesn't diminish by the end of the episode, but you get the idea that there's a bit of breathing room before any further attempts at invasion will commence, though ominously the Female Changeling does express interest in 'bringing order to the Alpha Quadrant'. Indeed, so much is put into motion with this episode, and so much is learnt about Odo and his people, that in some ways it's more satisfying than the first part, although that tended to be more exciting and have a greater action quotient.
****
Forever In A Day
DVD, Stargate SG-1 S3 (Forever In A Day)
With a title like that, and an opening that featured a mind-controlling device, this was never going to be straightforward. I wondered from the start if it was all happening in his mind, and while I got to the point during the episode that I assumed it was now true, I was proved wrong by the final scene in which Sharray dies. It's sad to see a character that appeared sporadically from the first episode written out (although that hasn't stopped Apophis yet!), and for Daniel's main quest to fail like that, but having seen later episodes with no reference to Sharray I should have expected a sad ending to the arc at some point, and Daniel now has a new purpose - to find the son of Sharray and Heruer (I think it was he who did the deed).
Knowing what was to come with Michael Shanks' departure and return in the middle seasons, this storyline pre-empts real events as Daniel leaves the Stargate programme, only to come back at the prompting of Sharray, though of course it never really happened in the first place! The opening battle was spectacular and CGI is increasingly being used for more than a focus for a creature or space ships - the number of troops signified its use here (along with the slightly altered look to those scenes) as was done in the previous episode, and colour manipulation was used at the end to produce the purple plant planet.
I really thought the episode was about to end with Jackson settling back into his role so the twist worked when suddenly we're back at the beginning again. I only wish the rubbish replacement for Daniel was real as he was quite funny! I also like the fact that Daniel's now played out the events and gone through some of the grief before the real death of his wife occurred, and so learned to forgive Teal'c, who knows from his own experience what Daniel must feel like. Kasuf also returns as Sharray's Father and it was most incongruous to see him in the real world (or so I thought) in Daniel's place. I like it when big plots are followed up so this made an effective conclusion to another of the dangling threads while setting up a new quest.
***
With a title like that, and an opening that featured a mind-controlling device, this was never going to be straightforward. I wondered from the start if it was all happening in his mind, and while I got to the point during the episode that I assumed it was now true, I was proved wrong by the final scene in which Sharray dies. It's sad to see a character that appeared sporadically from the first episode written out (although that hasn't stopped Apophis yet!), and for Daniel's main quest to fail like that, but having seen later episodes with no reference to Sharray I should have expected a sad ending to the arc at some point, and Daniel now has a new purpose - to find the son of Sharray and Heruer (I think it was he who did the deed).
Knowing what was to come with Michael Shanks' departure and return in the middle seasons, this storyline pre-empts real events as Daniel leaves the Stargate programme, only to come back at the prompting of Sharray, though of course it never really happened in the first place! The opening battle was spectacular and CGI is increasingly being used for more than a focus for a creature or space ships - the number of troops signified its use here (along with the slightly altered look to those scenes) as was done in the previous episode, and colour manipulation was used at the end to produce the purple plant planet.
I really thought the episode was about to end with Jackson settling back into his role so the twist worked when suddenly we're back at the beginning again. I only wish the rubbish replacement for Daniel was real as he was quite funny! I also like the fact that Daniel's now played out the events and gone through some of the grief before the real death of his wife occurred, and so learned to forgive Teal'c, who knows from his own experience what Daniel must feel like. Kasuf also returns as Sharray's Father and it was most incongruous to see him in the real world (or so I thought) in Daniel's place. I like it when big plots are followed up so this made an effective conclusion to another of the dangling threads while setting up a new quest.
***
Monday, 20 September 2010
The Most Toys
DVD, TNG S3 (The Most Toys)
Is it more worrying that Data was about to kill or that he pretended the discharge may have been a transporter malfunction? Is he also expressing satisfaction in Kivas Fajo's capture when he visits him in the holding cell, or would irony be a step too far and I'm putting my own impressions onto his actions? Certainly makes you think. Seeing the way Data's friends react to his apparent fate brings to mind 'Star Trek Nemesis' and so the sadness, and La Forge's thought that he assumed Data would outlive them all by centuries has much more meaning than it did at the time. Data's quarters appear to have another entrance unless Geordi and Wes were coming out of what would be the sleeping part of most quarters. Data's medals get another showing, as does his prized holographic display of Tasha Yar.
It is actually Worf's turn to show a new side when it comes to his dead former colleague - he explains that taking over from Yar he just tried to do the job as well as she did to the best of his ability, and does so again when he takes Data's station - seeing him on a forward console is a throwback to the first season in a good way, but it shows how the dynamics have changed, with everyone having found their proper place - Worf isn't quite right unless he's glowering over the horseshoe console at the back of the bridge.
Kivas was delightfully terrible, with the fluttery mannerisms of a large moth and a childlike enthusiasm and demanding nature. You could almost compare him to Harry Mudd, except Mudd was a little less evil, a little less successful and a little more varied in his responses to things. The pair might have got on well, though they would have been very competitive. Mudd's interest was in power and profit, while Fajo is much more about pride in collection and greed in acquisition, but he also relishes power over other people and things. The Andorians get a mention, so it's clear they're active on the galactic stage, but unlike 'Captain's Holiday' we don't get to see any. Another link to that episode is the tiered cave set which in the former was used as a dig site, and here is effective as an underground pool. It's also worth noticing the name of the shuttlecraft which blows up: Pike, after the first Captain of the USS Enterprise (unless you count the unconfirmed Robert April, or technically Captain Archer of the first ever starship Enterprise...).
***
Is it more worrying that Data was about to kill or that he pretended the discharge may have been a transporter malfunction? Is he also expressing satisfaction in Kivas Fajo's capture when he visits him in the holding cell, or would irony be a step too far and I'm putting my own impressions onto his actions? Certainly makes you think. Seeing the way Data's friends react to his apparent fate brings to mind 'Star Trek Nemesis' and so the sadness, and La Forge's thought that he assumed Data would outlive them all by centuries has much more meaning than it did at the time. Data's quarters appear to have another entrance unless Geordi and Wes were coming out of what would be the sleeping part of most quarters. Data's medals get another showing, as does his prized holographic display of Tasha Yar.
It is actually Worf's turn to show a new side when it comes to his dead former colleague - he explains that taking over from Yar he just tried to do the job as well as she did to the best of his ability, and does so again when he takes Data's station - seeing him on a forward console is a throwback to the first season in a good way, but it shows how the dynamics have changed, with everyone having found their proper place - Worf isn't quite right unless he's glowering over the horseshoe console at the back of the bridge.
Kivas was delightfully terrible, with the fluttery mannerisms of a large moth and a childlike enthusiasm and demanding nature. You could almost compare him to Harry Mudd, except Mudd was a little less evil, a little less successful and a little more varied in his responses to things. The pair might have got on well, though they would have been very competitive. Mudd's interest was in power and profit, while Fajo is much more about pride in collection and greed in acquisition, but he also relishes power over other people and things. The Andorians get a mention, so it's clear they're active on the galactic stage, but unlike 'Captain's Holiday' we don't get to see any. Another link to that episode is the tiered cave set which in the former was used as a dig site, and here is effective as an underground pool. It's also worth noticing the name of the shuttlecraft which blows up: Pike, after the first Captain of the USS Enterprise (unless you count the unconfirmed Robert April, or technically Captain Archer of the first ever starship Enterprise...).
***
Rules of Engagement
DVD, Stargate SG-1 S3 (Rules of Engagement)
Apophis may be dead, but the actor that played him was still getting work - the guy appears again, albeit as a pre-recorded message, plus his death scene gets the big screen treatment in front of many former troops. I didn't appreciate the way things ended so easily and without showing us the resolution. All these young men that had been bred to battle, were excited and fulfilled by service to Apophis in the false hope of going into battle wouldn't have given up their 'games' so meekly and agreed to go home. They never looked like they were missing home, and indeed, were happy with the way things were. The main quality of the story was in the surprise opening as we're left wondering what is going on, but the surprise soon evaporates and things turn into a more run of the mill sequence of events.
The SG-1 team are responsible for suggesting it's time for the false SG troops to fight to the death, so they go back and stop it happening. That's all, really, and I found the early part where they were assumed to come from Apophis much more interesting as there's the element of whether or not their true identities will be uncovered - they gave the enemy enough prompts, constantly questioning behaviour, breaking rules, showing ignorance. I imagined Captain Nelson was going to see through this apparent test and mount a revolt, but instead he looks a bit perplexed at the end and accepts that it's over without any fight. Again, the greenery looks attractive in all its widescreen woodery and O'Neill gets off a good few fun lines. I wonder if Daniel has been lost a little bit in recent episodes, however, and Carter hasn't had a lot to do either. Still, it wasn't a bad episode, and I always prefer off-base activity to the confines of the concrete warehouse.
***
Apophis may be dead, but the actor that played him was still getting work - the guy appears again, albeit as a pre-recorded message, plus his death scene gets the big screen treatment in front of many former troops. I didn't appreciate the way things ended so easily and without showing us the resolution. All these young men that had been bred to battle, were excited and fulfilled by service to Apophis in the false hope of going into battle wouldn't have given up their 'games' so meekly and agreed to go home. They never looked like they were missing home, and indeed, were happy with the way things were. The main quality of the story was in the surprise opening as we're left wondering what is going on, but the surprise soon evaporates and things turn into a more run of the mill sequence of events.
The SG-1 team are responsible for suggesting it's time for the false SG troops to fight to the death, so they go back and stop it happening. That's all, really, and I found the early part where they were assumed to come from Apophis much more interesting as there's the element of whether or not their true identities will be uncovered - they gave the enemy enough prompts, constantly questioning behaviour, breaking rules, showing ignorance. I imagined Captain Nelson was going to see through this apparent test and mount a revolt, but instead he looks a bit perplexed at the end and accepts that it's over without any fight. Again, the greenery looks attractive in all its widescreen woodery and O'Neill gets off a good few fun lines. I wonder if Daniel has been lost a little bit in recent episodes, however, and Carter hasn't had a lot to do either. Still, it wasn't a bad episode, and I always prefer off-base activity to the confines of the concrete warehouse.
***
Renaissance Man
DVD, Voyager S7 (Renaissance Man)
A quick-change, fast-paced extravaganza that only makes you wonder why, if they could pull off something that mixes comedy, threat and excellent effects so well, they didn't do it this way more often! Yes, there are holes to be picked in the Doctor's choice of actions, and the potato heads were never one of the greatest adversaries Voyager faced, so how come two miscreants of that species manage to pull off such a heist as stealing the warp core? Why the leader is so quick to give up on a dangerous, expensive and time-consuming plan when faced with one small shuttle and the Delta Flyer is a blatant inconsistency, the Doctor can usually walk right through forcefields, and I question whether the easiest message to leave behind was an altered musical score.
There are arguments to counter all of these points - the Doc often performs in a panicked way when under pressure and outside of his medical expertise, so capitulating to the enemy's demands wasn't out of character with the Captain's life supposedly at stake. The leader was probably a bit unhinged, and a villain, so he would make strange reversals of plan if spooked, and maybe the shuttle attack was just the start: others could be on the way. The forcefield must have been a special variation and he didn't know what hold they had over Janeway who could be killed at any second so even if he could go through it wasn't a good idea, and as for the musical message, this was all the Doc could think of without giving away his intentions.
The episode packs so much in, and being the last proper episode before the finale it excels in finding new things to throw at us and reminding us of the past in flashes of genius. Lieutenant Ayala, a background face from the first episode and often appearing, has some proper dialogue on the bridge; Vorik makes an unexpected (and a little underwhelming if I'm honest), appearance just to show his face before the end; we get to see the hitherto unseen and unknown ship's morgue; a good old shuttle; everything from Targ's to Mutara-class nebulas, and the Daystrom Institute is referenced; and we even get to see a little cupboard in sickbay that I've certainly never noticed before!
That's apart from all the Doctor's rushing around impersonating antics, in which we get to see a non-pregnant B'Elanna, some truly ground-breaking action scenes, including the Doctor leaping through a window, switching between solid and transparent, giving Tuvok the 'Matrix' treatment in terms of both wall-running and multiples, Agent Smith-style (long before 'The Matrix Reloaded'!), and you begin to get a picture of the breadth of what was crammed in, like a farewell to what Voyager was. The Doctor was one of the most popular characters so to give him one last shot, cleverly integrating the whole cast pretty well was a good move.
The Doc's final, over the top death speech was typical, but I wonder if such things as his love for Seven should have remained secret, and not trivialised as his display seems to do thanks to the bemusement of his friends. Should the Mobile Emitter be allowed to be studied in order to replicate it - isn't that going to mess with the timeline since it came from the 29th Century? Okay, so the Doc's done so much with it that he couldn't otherwise have done, that the timeline has been radically altered anyway! Nothing else matters except that this is a tour-de-force that shows what the series could do if it felt like it, and rather than sadly plodding to its conclusion, wiping away a tear, this episode instead injects a lively joie-de-vivre and tumbles excitedly towards the final episode, all creativity blazing.
****
A quick-change, fast-paced extravaganza that only makes you wonder why, if they could pull off something that mixes comedy, threat and excellent effects so well, they didn't do it this way more often! Yes, there are holes to be picked in the Doctor's choice of actions, and the potato heads were never one of the greatest adversaries Voyager faced, so how come two miscreants of that species manage to pull off such a heist as stealing the warp core? Why the leader is so quick to give up on a dangerous, expensive and time-consuming plan when faced with one small shuttle and the Delta Flyer is a blatant inconsistency, the Doctor can usually walk right through forcefields, and I question whether the easiest message to leave behind was an altered musical score.
There are arguments to counter all of these points - the Doc often performs in a panicked way when under pressure and outside of his medical expertise, so capitulating to the enemy's demands wasn't out of character with the Captain's life supposedly at stake. The leader was probably a bit unhinged, and a villain, so he would make strange reversals of plan if spooked, and maybe the shuttle attack was just the start: others could be on the way. The forcefield must have been a special variation and he didn't know what hold they had over Janeway who could be killed at any second so even if he could go through it wasn't a good idea, and as for the musical message, this was all the Doc could think of without giving away his intentions.
The episode packs so much in, and being the last proper episode before the finale it excels in finding new things to throw at us and reminding us of the past in flashes of genius. Lieutenant Ayala, a background face from the first episode and often appearing, has some proper dialogue on the bridge; Vorik makes an unexpected (and a little underwhelming if I'm honest), appearance just to show his face before the end; we get to see the hitherto unseen and unknown ship's morgue; a good old shuttle; everything from Targ's to Mutara-class nebulas, and the Daystrom Institute is referenced; and we even get to see a little cupboard in sickbay that I've certainly never noticed before!
That's apart from all the Doctor's rushing around impersonating antics, in which we get to see a non-pregnant B'Elanna, some truly ground-breaking action scenes, including the Doctor leaping through a window, switching between solid and transparent, giving Tuvok the 'Matrix' treatment in terms of both wall-running and multiples, Agent Smith-style (long before 'The Matrix Reloaded'!), and you begin to get a picture of the breadth of what was crammed in, like a farewell to what Voyager was. The Doctor was one of the most popular characters so to give him one last shot, cleverly integrating the whole cast pretty well was a good move.
The Doc's final, over the top death speech was typical, but I wonder if such things as his love for Seven should have remained secret, and not trivialised as his display seems to do thanks to the bemusement of his friends. Should the Mobile Emitter be allowed to be studied in order to replicate it - isn't that going to mess with the timeline since it came from the 29th Century? Okay, so the Doc's done so much with it that he couldn't otherwise have done, that the timeline has been radically altered anyway! Nothing else matters except that this is a tour-de-force that shows what the series could do if it felt like it, and rather than sadly plodding to its conclusion, wiping away a tear, this episode instead injects a lively joie-de-vivre and tumbles excitedly towards the final episode, all creativity blazing.
****
The Search, Part I
DVD, DS9 S3 (The Search, Part I)
Sisko is a complete bear! My over-riding impression after seeing this episode again is of the Commander wading through Jem'Hadar like there's no tomorrow. And perhaps there is no tomorrow, after all most of them have been captured or killed, and all have been separated. O'Brien and Dax at the relay station, Odo and Kira escaping in a tiny shuttle - maybe the only time we got to see the vehicles USS Defiant carried - and of course, the main crew, whose fate is uncertain. It's such a shame their shiny new warship got its nose dirty and its insides shot up, but it did get to make an entrance, and showed what kind of destructive power it was capable of in the vicious skirmish with the Jem'Hadar ships!
It's been described as the sportscar of starships, and it lives up to that evocation of sleek style, speediness and, yes, being over powered, that would sit equally well under the Ferrari name. You could say it put the Borg in Lamborghini, for its purpose was to combat the Borg threat, but it seems that's considered much less of a danger in these days of Gamma Quadrant incursion, though in a few short years that attitude would bite them in the back, as seen in 'Star Trek: First Contact'. The Defiant looks the part, its internal, compact nature is the closest, prior to 'Enterprise' that a starship comes to a submarine, even dimming the lights when the cloak is used and running silently.
That's the big surprise - the Romulans, clearly in a fit of curiosity and a show of goodwill are happy to loan Starfleet one of the ship-invisibilating devices, though on a tight leash with Sub-Commander T'Rul (a pre-Seska Martha Hackett, as the first of the species to appear in this series) coming along to oversee its proper treatment (and prevent anyone from taking too close a look at their proprietary technology). They never thought they'd live to see the day a Romulan would serve on the bridge of a Federation vessel. She's not the only new face, as ersatz security officer Commander Eddington arrives, ostensibly to 'make friends' in his one short introductory scene. Expect more from him (a lot more as it happens...).
This provokes Odo's ire to such an extent that we can almost believe his intention to depart his role, even more when we come to his realisation of his life's ambition: to meet more of his kind. It was a momentous occasion, but it resolves the strange mood he's in for the duration of the episode, at first taking Starfleet's lack of belief in him out on his fellow crewmates. Quark's timing as 'bunkmate' wasn't the best, but it's Odo's discovery of a location called the Omarion Nebula that sparks a homing urge that forces him to abandon all reason and his friends. The attack on the Defiant, with all its camera-erupting maelstrom is the highlight, with the aforementioned Sisko taking the brunt of the assault, while fighting breaks out throughout the ship.
Was it a trap, and if so how far back was this surprise laid. We know from the previous experience with the Dominion that they work deviously, and we could speculate that the Karemma were part of it, or it may have been contact with them was the catalyst. It could have been when the Defiant first ran into the two Jem'Hadar ships, and they actually were detected, and the ships had been instructed not to engage, but to report back immediately. Though it's unconfirmed in the episode it appears Dax (sporting her new 'do) and O'Brien were captured by the Dominion, and as soon as you see that camera view start to take on a life of its own you can see trouble.
The episode doesn't burden itself too much with explaining every facet of every character or even the identity of every faction involved, but enough is given away (or reminded from the recap of the season ender) that it's easy to follow. And all the cast play a part without obvious reintroductions. Things move fairly swiftly, and this is much more a direct continuation of events than other seasons attempted. The impression I was left with was that it was too short! This is thanks to so much happening so quickly, and I think the two-parter would have benefited from being shown as one feature-length episode as the fourth season later did. It succeeds in peaking our interest and there's so much revelation that more questions are uncovered. Those expecting an inevitable invasion attack as seemed to be indicated by the ending of 'The Jem'Hadar' were surprised by things panning out quite differently, but the observant ones would have understood that out and out attack wasn't quite in the Dominion's style. Much like the Romulans they played the long game.
****
Sisko is a complete bear! My over-riding impression after seeing this episode again is of the Commander wading through Jem'Hadar like there's no tomorrow. And perhaps there is no tomorrow, after all most of them have been captured or killed, and all have been separated. O'Brien and Dax at the relay station, Odo and Kira escaping in a tiny shuttle - maybe the only time we got to see the vehicles USS Defiant carried - and of course, the main crew, whose fate is uncertain. It's such a shame their shiny new warship got its nose dirty and its insides shot up, but it did get to make an entrance, and showed what kind of destructive power it was capable of in the vicious skirmish with the Jem'Hadar ships!
It's been described as the sportscar of starships, and it lives up to that evocation of sleek style, speediness and, yes, being over powered, that would sit equally well under the Ferrari name. You could say it put the Borg in Lamborghini, for its purpose was to combat the Borg threat, but it seems that's considered much less of a danger in these days of Gamma Quadrant incursion, though in a few short years that attitude would bite them in the back, as seen in 'Star Trek: First Contact'. The Defiant looks the part, its internal, compact nature is the closest, prior to 'Enterprise' that a starship comes to a submarine, even dimming the lights when the cloak is used and running silently.
That's the big surprise - the Romulans, clearly in a fit of curiosity and a show of goodwill are happy to loan Starfleet one of the ship-invisibilating devices, though on a tight leash with Sub-Commander T'Rul (a pre-Seska Martha Hackett, as the first of the species to appear in this series) coming along to oversee its proper treatment (and prevent anyone from taking too close a look at their proprietary technology). They never thought they'd live to see the day a Romulan would serve on the bridge of a Federation vessel. She's not the only new face, as ersatz security officer Commander Eddington arrives, ostensibly to 'make friends' in his one short introductory scene. Expect more from him (a lot more as it happens...).
This provokes Odo's ire to such an extent that we can almost believe his intention to depart his role, even more when we come to his realisation of his life's ambition: to meet more of his kind. It was a momentous occasion, but it resolves the strange mood he's in for the duration of the episode, at first taking Starfleet's lack of belief in him out on his fellow crewmates. Quark's timing as 'bunkmate' wasn't the best, but it's Odo's discovery of a location called the Omarion Nebula that sparks a homing urge that forces him to abandon all reason and his friends. The attack on the Defiant, with all its camera-erupting maelstrom is the highlight, with the aforementioned Sisko taking the brunt of the assault, while fighting breaks out throughout the ship.
Was it a trap, and if so how far back was this surprise laid. We know from the previous experience with the Dominion that they work deviously, and we could speculate that the Karemma were part of it, or it may have been contact with them was the catalyst. It could have been when the Defiant first ran into the two Jem'Hadar ships, and they actually were detected, and the ships had been instructed not to engage, but to report back immediately. Though it's unconfirmed in the episode it appears Dax (sporting her new 'do) and O'Brien were captured by the Dominion, and as soon as you see that camera view start to take on a life of its own you can see trouble.
The episode doesn't burden itself too much with explaining every facet of every character or even the identity of every faction involved, but enough is given away (or reminded from the recap of the season ender) that it's easy to follow. And all the cast play a part without obvious reintroductions. Things move fairly swiftly, and this is much more a direct continuation of events than other seasons attempted. The impression I was left with was that it was too short! This is thanks to so much happening so quickly, and I think the two-parter would have benefited from being shown as one feature-length episode as the fourth season later did. It succeeds in peaking our interest and there's so much revelation that more questions are uncovered. Those expecting an inevitable invasion attack as seemed to be indicated by the ending of 'The Jem'Hadar' were surprised by things panning out quite differently, but the observant ones would have understood that out and out attack wasn't quite in the Dominion's style. Much like the Romulans they played the long game.
****
Hollow Pursuits
DVD, TNG S3 (Hollow Pursuits)
Playing on Dwight Schultz's best known role from 'The A-Team' Mr. Barclay fools us at first into seeing him as he wants to be so it's even more of a surprise when we realise this isn't reality once the regular cast start acting irregularly, but it's an excellent device and a good start. Barclay became one of the more popular minor characters and it's not hard to see why - it's easy to empathise with someone that's made to feel bad or finds difficulty in relating to other's on a day-to-day basis and has trouble dealing with problems. Everyone feels like that sometimes so we're immediately on his side.
Much enjoyment comes from Barclay's recreation of the main cast as people moulded by his whims and even more as the real crew confront these holocharacters. It raises questions about privacy and the ability or legality of recreating living people, but from the dialogue it seems there are no such rules at that time. It would seem pertinent to have worked out such personal limits before the technology was perfected, and certainly later series' have a slightly stricter view. There's also the point of Barclay's own privacy - it doesn't seem right that anyone can waltz into the Holodeck even when it's in the middle of someone else's program, but in this case it may have been superior officers over-riding any lockouts as they were on the hunt for an errant officer.
It's difficult to pick a best moment from this one, but highlights include Picard's slip of the tongue and Data's thoughts on the matter, the sword-fighting crewmates and especially the short version of Riker! But Deanna's shock at seeing herself portrayed as the goddess of love after she's allowed for Barclay's right to express himself is very funny! The main plot of things going wrong on the ship doesn't really get going and or have enough focus to build the tension.
***
Playing on Dwight Schultz's best known role from 'The A-Team' Mr. Barclay fools us at first into seeing him as he wants to be so it's even more of a surprise when we realise this isn't reality once the regular cast start acting irregularly, but it's an excellent device and a good start. Barclay became one of the more popular minor characters and it's not hard to see why - it's easy to empathise with someone that's made to feel bad or finds difficulty in relating to other's on a day-to-day basis and has trouble dealing with problems. Everyone feels like that sometimes so we're immediately on his side.
Much enjoyment comes from Barclay's recreation of the main cast as people moulded by his whims and even more as the real crew confront these holocharacters. It raises questions about privacy and the ability or legality of recreating living people, but from the dialogue it seems there are no such rules at that time. It would seem pertinent to have worked out such personal limits before the technology was perfected, and certainly later series' have a slightly stricter view. There's also the point of Barclay's own privacy - it doesn't seem right that anyone can waltz into the Holodeck even when it's in the middle of someone else's program, but in this case it may have been superior officers over-riding any lockouts as they were on the hunt for an errant officer.
It's difficult to pick a best moment from this one, but highlights include Picard's slip of the tongue and Data's thoughts on the matter, the sword-fighting crewmates and especially the short version of Riker! But Deanna's shock at seeing herself portrayed as the goddess of love after she's allowed for Barclay's right to express himself is very funny! The main plot of things going wrong on the ship doesn't really get going and or have enough focus to build the tension.
***
Tin Man
DVD, TNG S3 (Tin Man)
For one of the first times in the series the Romulans are seen as a true threat. There have been several encounters, but it is the race to get to Gomtuu and its portentous and tentative music that underlines the danger of the pointy-eared ones. A well-placed reference to the Borg sneaks its way in, preparing the audience for their imminent return, and we get another Betazoid, this one a prodigy. We learn that Betazoids generally develop their abilities in adolescence, but Tam is one of the few who was born that way and so exhibits an eccentric personality, finishing other people's sentences, even pushing Captain Picard aside at one point!
There were no prizes for guessing what was likely to happen - you've got a man that wants to get away from it all, and you've got a living organism that needs people inside it to complete it so they were sure to get together. V'Ger is brought to mind with that destination, but not only in the desires of the participants - the resplendent burst that was the creature's weapon had visual ties to V'Ger's change at the end of 'The Motion Picture'. What wasn't so predictable was Data's identification with events and his realisation that his existence is tied to the Enterprise as Gomtuu was to its inhabitants. A lovely symmetry there. Harry Groener gives a great performance, in turns rude, impatient, and yet sympathetic, unpredictable, but with good intentions. He would return to the Trek universe as a different character in one of the final episodes of 'Enterprise'.
My only regret is not learning the fate of Gomtuu and Tam, or seeing their return in a sequel. I don't believe Gomtuu actually wanted to destroy itself from the time it had contact with Tam, or it would have allowed the Romulan vessel (a D'deridex-class apparently) to succeed in its attack. I like to think its 'still' out there somewhere, exploring, or doing whatever large, space-birthed organisms do. The interior, though arguably a generic representation of the inside of something living, reminded me strongly of the Nintendo game 'The Legend of Zelda' and more specifically the level inside Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly! And the score was noticeably more melodic than usual, thanks to new composer Jay Chattaway who would go on to write many Trek scores.
***
For one of the first times in the series the Romulans are seen as a true threat. There have been several encounters, but it is the race to get to Gomtuu and its portentous and tentative music that underlines the danger of the pointy-eared ones. A well-placed reference to the Borg sneaks its way in, preparing the audience for their imminent return, and we get another Betazoid, this one a prodigy. We learn that Betazoids generally develop their abilities in adolescence, but Tam is one of the few who was born that way and so exhibits an eccentric personality, finishing other people's sentences, even pushing Captain Picard aside at one point!
There were no prizes for guessing what was likely to happen - you've got a man that wants to get away from it all, and you've got a living organism that needs people inside it to complete it so they were sure to get together. V'Ger is brought to mind with that destination, but not only in the desires of the participants - the resplendent burst that was the creature's weapon had visual ties to V'Ger's change at the end of 'The Motion Picture'. What wasn't so predictable was Data's identification with events and his realisation that his existence is tied to the Enterprise as Gomtuu was to its inhabitants. A lovely symmetry there. Harry Groener gives a great performance, in turns rude, impatient, and yet sympathetic, unpredictable, but with good intentions. He would return to the Trek universe as a different character in one of the final episodes of 'Enterprise'.
My only regret is not learning the fate of Gomtuu and Tam, or seeing their return in a sequel. I don't believe Gomtuu actually wanted to destroy itself from the time it had contact with Tam, or it would have allowed the Romulan vessel (a D'deridex-class apparently) to succeed in its attack. I like to think its 'still' out there somewhere, exploring, or doing whatever large, space-birthed organisms do. The interior, though arguably a generic representation of the inside of something living, reminded me strongly of the Nintendo game 'The Legend of Zelda' and more specifically the level inside Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly! And the score was noticeably more melodic than usual, thanks to new composer Jay Chattaway who would go on to write many Trek scores.
***
Captain's Holiday
DVD, TNG S3 (Captain's Holiday)
The crew's gentle nagging of Picard gets this adventure of to a light start and it's obviously designed as a showcase for the Captain, to loosen him up a bit, something that began in the previous episode, though in that it wasn't the real Captain acting in that way. Ironically, though Picard is on holiday he's in almost every scene so it would have been the opposite for Patrick Stewart, having to work even longer hours. There are more similarities than merely a focus on Picard - it's another situation in which he's off the ship for the duration, and another in which dodgy and more advanced aliens (wearing very similar clothing to the aliens that were studying Picard in 'Allegiance') cause trouble. The parallels are only obvious because of the episodes proximity to each other, but you can definitely see an emphasis on making Picard seem less stuffy, more adventurous and a capable individual which isn't always shown in his duties aboard ship.
An Andorian makes her first appearance in the flesh as a background figure on Risa, and an Antican can also be glimpsed. The Daystrom Institute is mentioned again and gold is still seen as valuable here - in later episodes, particularly 'DS9' it was considered worthless. Max Grodenchik makes his Ferengi debut looking like a more inscrutable version of Rom. He seems to have the same teeth and practically the same head, though the face is much harsher. This was probably due to ease of using the same mould again rather than making a new one when he was cast again.
The story was most likely a success at the time, but now the sets look a bit small and the action minimal. Vash was never fooling anyone but herself, and though she has a charming interplay with Picard, unbounded by the usual strict discipline on a starship the events are fairly forgettable. The questionable morality of Risa also makes its debut, but the joke Riker plays was undeniably amusing. Ferengi never make good villains and the flaw was that Picard was never going to trust some aliens that appear out of nowhere so they're suspicious all the way through. More should have been made of their time-travelling, but I'll admit I did enjoy the incongruity of seeing a couple of 27th Century aliens watching regally from on high as Picard and Vash dig in a cave, only to be interrupted by an ugly Ferengi. Risa didn't need to be seen again (it was visited, or at least mentioned in all subsequent spinoffs), but Vash had a bit more life to her character and her other appearances were probably better.
**
The crew's gentle nagging of Picard gets this adventure of to a light start and it's obviously designed as a showcase for the Captain, to loosen him up a bit, something that began in the previous episode, though in that it wasn't the real Captain acting in that way. Ironically, though Picard is on holiday he's in almost every scene so it would have been the opposite for Patrick Stewart, having to work even longer hours. There are more similarities than merely a focus on Picard - it's another situation in which he's off the ship for the duration, and another in which dodgy and more advanced aliens (wearing very similar clothing to the aliens that were studying Picard in 'Allegiance') cause trouble. The parallels are only obvious because of the episodes proximity to each other, but you can definitely see an emphasis on making Picard seem less stuffy, more adventurous and a capable individual which isn't always shown in his duties aboard ship.
An Andorian makes her first appearance in the flesh as a background figure on Risa, and an Antican can also be glimpsed. The Daystrom Institute is mentioned again and gold is still seen as valuable here - in later episodes, particularly 'DS9' it was considered worthless. Max Grodenchik makes his Ferengi debut looking like a more inscrutable version of Rom. He seems to have the same teeth and practically the same head, though the face is much harsher. This was probably due to ease of using the same mould again rather than making a new one when he was cast again.
The story was most likely a success at the time, but now the sets look a bit small and the action minimal. Vash was never fooling anyone but herself, and though she has a charming interplay with Picard, unbounded by the usual strict discipline on a starship the events are fairly forgettable. The questionable morality of Risa also makes its debut, but the joke Riker plays was undeniably amusing. Ferengi never make good villains and the flaw was that Picard was never going to trust some aliens that appear out of nowhere so they're suspicious all the way through. More should have been made of their time-travelling, but I'll admit I did enjoy the incongruity of seeing a couple of 27th Century aliens watching regally from on high as Picard and Vash dig in a cave, only to be interrupted by an ugly Ferengi. Risa didn't need to be seen again (it was visited, or at least mentioned in all subsequent spinoffs), but Vash had a bit more life to her character and her other appearances were probably better.
**
Monday, 13 September 2010
Allegiance
DVD, TNG S3 (Allegiance)
Not a classic by any means, this nonetheless keeps the attention and provides some... different scenes from the usual. The four captives and their varied responses to authority were an interesting bunch, but at first I wasn't sure Cadet Haro was a Bolian, though she had the vertical split down the face since it's probably the only time a Bolian has been seen with hair. I'm not sure if that means the aliens got her wrong or if those from Bolarus IX, as she was, have hair, or whether it was simply a fashion item that some Bolians choose to wear a hair-like head covering - we know so little of the race that any of these could be true. Her appearance is also highly significant as being the first time the coloured shoulder style of uniform was seen, later to be adopted as fleet standard attire, first on DS9, then in 'Generations' and for the USS Voyager.
Esoqq, the lumbering Chalnoth is the other captive to have an interesting choice of wardrobe - the padded brown leather, thick shoulder pads and hulking boots became familiar as Morn's outfit on 'DS9'! Perhaps the Lurian was actually a Chalnoth in disguise, or more likely, had friends among the violent race.
The false Picard is so accurate, yet subtly off-key in certain moments that there is intrigue over his actions and whether the crew will realise his true nature. Beverly's status as very close friend is brought into the open, so it's sad that some of the things Picard says didn't come from the real man, and probably contributed to the smothering of that plot thread. It had gone from being an extra dimension for the characters to becoming a slight joke with which to tease the Captain. It's taken a while (most of the season) for the Doctor to integrate back in, and for her absence and subsequent return to be more than simply side-stepped, but at least she was being given her due by this episode.
The enjoyment is not in the small and boring set the aliens use to observe Picard and his fellow prisoners, but in the psychology of their interactions, Picard naturally coming to the fore, and even though I'd seen the episode before I didn't remember the identity of the enemy within. In some ways the false Picard acts and sounds more like his film counterpart, because by the time the cast moved into films Patrick Stewart had loosened the character up quite a bit to become more like himself.
***
Demons
DVD, Stargate SG-1 S3 (Demons)
It is an uneasy use of a real life faith in the sci-fi context that makes this episode less easy to recommend and enjoy than if it had been another ancient, little-known culture. A superstitious form of medieval Christianity is the basis for a story which isn't bad, but is rather slow. The set and setting are very well done, Jack even drawing attention to the greenery found on so many planets in self-referential fashion. Learning that the Unas is a race, and not the single, legendary figure the SG-1 team defeated in 'Thor's Hammer' does somewhat diminish it as it's turned into a mere foot soldier - far less terrifying a thing that works under orders for a master and is seen in the light of day. I'm all for such building up of continuity, but knowledge sometimes lessens the stature and power of myth.
In this case it was good for the poor people of the secluded village, for their superstitious and unbiblical way of life, ruled by the man who cared more about wielding power than caring for the community kept them in fear and dread. I'm not sure the message of the SG-1 team charging in and putting Christianity to rights is quite appropriate, but because this was such an old 'Dark Ages' way of life it isn't handled as self-righteously as sometimes, and in fact shows the faith Simon has in God as he selflessly stands before the Unas to shield the crooked canon, so could be said to be relatively balanced, including Teal'c assertion that the Bible is such a part of Western culture. In fact there isn't really stuff in it that ridicules the faith or obliquely puts science against it as such is often bandied about when the team visit other cultures.
The use of monks chanting in place of the usual guttural, Egyptian-style vocal quality in the score was a well-observed change that suited the mood and story. However, the team aren't at their best, mostly being held captive and powerless. There's very little grief and mourning for Teal'c as if the director and actors felt it wasn't necessary because we all knew the symbiont was going to save the guy and he'd be back from the 'dead' before long. Similarly the fact Teal'c is back with them is pretty much glossed over quickly so that the story can proceed. I was never convinced the leader was going to accept his loss of control over the villagers and would likely have continued his system even had the Goa'uld not taken him over, but it did make a nice last-minute twist when they're just about to return and they realise there's something still to do. Carter's a bit of a superhero since she got her ability to detect symbionts! As well as the Unas, I believe another link to the first season is the actor that played Simon - I'm pretty sure he was the accuser of Teal'c in 'Cor-ai'.
**
Homestead
DVD, Voyager S7 (Homestead)
Arguably, the most under-used and under-rated character, some saw Neelix as the Jar Jar Binks of the Star Trek universe: a kind of annoying excuse for comedy, but to those that understood him and his fears of not living up to the 'heroes' that he learned to call his friends, he was someone to identify with. His struggle with identity, if such a thread running through much of the series, can be described, gave him much greater depth than his surface personality of jovial good humour and try-anything attitude belied. He hadn't had Starfleet's rigorous training, but he had a good and stout heart which was brought to the fore thanks to his crewmates and friends on Voyager. He learned so much from Captain Janeway and from Tuvok, among others, yet he was also an essential part of the ship's unexpected transition into the Delta Quadrant, supplying local knowledge and advice which served Voyager well.
Once his knowledge ran out and he became as uncertain of the future as everyone else aboard he came into his own as someone to turn to if they were low and made the uncertainty more bearable. He experienced great sadness when his life's love, Kes, grew beyond him and there was often a loneliness about him from then on, staying up late into the night in the peaceful kitchen and mess that were his professional domain, but even at these times he was quick to put his own thoughts and problems aside for anyone that came in needing to talk.
He was an oddjob man, performing a multi-faceted role in which his considerable skills could be exercised, and which Starfleet would not have been able to quantify, and he made Voyager's journey far from home more pleasurable in any way he could. He understood what they were feeling because he felt the same - he was far from his own home and had little to his life but scavenging until he met Kes, but on Voyager he learned new skills, and though he was happy in many ways he had as much as turned his back on his own people, expecting never to see any of them again. He would always be one of a kind in the Alpha Quadrant, yet he had set himself with a will to do everything possible to help his crewmates in their quest to return to a home that was not his. Until this episode.
All Neelix' best qualities come to the fore - Tuvok shows confidence in him which helps to conquer his self-doubt; he was always a man of action, but his time on the ship has helped him to channel that in productive ways and he was exactly the person this group of Talaxians needed. At the same time Neelix fills an important gap in a family and everything comes right for him. It is terrifically sad when Neelix decides to stay with the asteroid colony, but it was a meaningful decision - no pointless Tasha Yar death or driven-by-need Kes exit, here. Instead a true swansong in which Neelix really is the only help, his ship once again useful, his bravery and selflessness endearing, but also a sense that he has carried out the course of a life on Voyager, contributed much, taken away stronger ethics and belief, his confidence solidified, and is at a mature point of leadership. He came a long way from the selfish, sly imp of the early episodes and his friends know it.
In production terms the reasons for losing Neelix were partly for story in that he didn't belong in the Alpha Quadrant, but also because of the pain Ethan Phillips was experiencing after long-term use of the prosthetics. I don't know whether it's makeup or not, but there was a raw redness that was showing through his skin in recent episodes. The saddest thing is that he never knew if Voyager made it home or not, but his happiness at finding members of his own kind and that important role finding him was perfect for the character.
The writers were good enough to give us the kind of scenes Neelix has been good for, for one last time: his friendly discussion with Tuvok, his late night at the cooking stove of the mess and subsequent talk with the wise Janeway who has understood his dilemma and makes it easy for him to do what he's come to realise he wants. Another chance to see his little ship in action, himself on an Away mission, his realisation that Naomi doesn't need him in the same way that she used to (the only minor omission was Ensign Wildman not being there to wish him well), and especially the warmth of his party host in the teaser, cheering the crew up with First Contact day, and having fun.
Neelix, though his role was less defined, performed admirably, but also made mistakes and showed himself to be more human than most. His presence is missed, and was the foreshadowing of the grief of parting that we as viewers were about to experience as the series wound up. If only each of the characters had received such a send-off as the little Talaxian man who could.
****
Sins of The Father
DVD, TNG S3 (Sins of The Father)
There had been tentative steps towards defining Klingon culture in the series, but none had laid out the Klingon politics and none had presented the viewer with an actual trip to the centre of Klingon society, as this did. In many ways it was a momentous decision to depict such things, as they had been wondered about for years. The episode begins as a sequel to Season Two's 'A Matter of Honor', with a Klingon arriving to take Riker's spot as first officer of the Enterprise, prompting some fun scenes as this stranger experiences human life, and especially food. Guess who's coming to dinner indeed! Burnt, replicated bird meat is as good a description as any for roast chicken, but something tells me Kurn was having a bit of a joke with his hosts, as I'm sure some Klingon food is cooked. The episode swerves radically from this first style when all of a sudden the plot twist hits and it's full steam ahead for Qro'nos, discarding Wesley's wimpy whining and becoming a man's tale!
Charles Cooper as K'mpec is possibly the most convincing Klingon so far, and lent huge gravitas to his part, helped by his natural girth. He'd already been a big Klingon in 'Star Trek V', with that distinctive gravelly voice. The traitor, Duras (as he's always officially known) is the equal and opposite, completely unimpressive as the plotting and scheming deviant whose house retains a lot of power on the High Council, and seeming to be a mere paper Klingon that if Worf chose to could be wiped out. He survives, ready to spread discord in the future in what would become a recurring arc through the series, of Worf's dishonour and wish to become less of an outcast.
That's more than can be said of Duras' hench-assassins, who are dispatched feebly by a weak human and an old woman! Credit must go to Picard for his brave and capable handling of the attack, and brings to mind his early brush with death against the Nausicaans as revealed in last season's 'Samaritan Snare'. I don't know, he goes around with those Klingons and discards all those warnings from Riker about beaming down to planets alone and takes on a dangerous journey he knows could turn nasty. If Riker ever heard tell of the escapade he'd be in the brig!
Kurn is the biggest draw in some ways because we learn more of Worf's personal history, and I never realised that Worf didn't know he had a brother. It always seems that Kurn is shipped off at at the end of his appearances for his own good or whatever, but at least he gets to retain some honour this time. Tony Todd is a great guest star, but he doesn't display quite the heavyweight strength of his later appearances as Kurn, or especially his greatest contribution to Trek as the older Jake Sisko in 'The Visitor'. But his role isn't the focus it at first appears, and this is really Worf's story. It's most affecting when he selects Picard as his back-up after Kurn has a run-in with Duras' troublemakers, and the Captain makes a strong advocate and someone you really would want on your side as much as Captain Kirk would have been for Spock. There are stronger parallels to be drawn with Worf and Spock, as both are outcasts to their people and both seek solace and refuge in the environment Starfleet provides.
The Council Chamber is as big and chunky as you'd hope for from a Klingon hall, the uniforms are bulky and imposing and the whole scenario has a Shakespearean grandeur to it, even in the sparse surroundings. You can't beat a good Klingon opera, and this was the very first one that could truly have that epithet applied.
***
The Offspring
DVD, TNG S3 (The Offspring)
Jonathan Frakes' first directorial attempt isn't bad, but I never believed in Data's ability to create a more human android than himself, one with the faculties to feel and grow and question incessantly. The early parts are funny as Lal struggles to grip basic tasks such as catching a ball, and sad when she learns she is different to the other children. Because of Data's personality the episode is overly analytical and cold until the sentimental ending, and I think this remoteness harms it for much of the episode, only becoming essential to the story at the end when Data cannot feel the loss of Lal as the crew do. The ending nevertheless works, and though we're being manipulated, and it was the obvious route to take, it ironically injects some feeling into an episode otherwise devoid. I can see a sequel in that positronic brain of his where he gets a split personality as Lal decides to find a way out, but that might have taken things too far!
The science lab that would later be so important to 'The Best of Both Worlds' makes its debut here, and there is a noteworthy appearance of the first Andorian female ever seen, and indeed, the first of the race since 'Star Trek IV' I believe, although it was only a holographic representation. It seemed unlikely that Lal, having narrowed down its choices of gender/appearance to four would have such varying options remaining. I expected four females with slight differences in a similar style. The Daystrom Institute scores another mention, though this time it isn't the Institute itself, rather an outpost which indicates the organisation is broader than one location as may have previously been suspected.
I wondered for a while if it might not have been more fun to stick with the scrunched up face of the first version of Lal for the episode instead of jumping to an all but human look, or at least the same gold-hued skin of Data. It was a visual reminder that his daughter was a step forward, as Admiral Haftel was happy to accept. Those in authority invariably come across as overbearing and meddlesome, and the Admiral in this possessed all those questionable qualities and more, only redeeming himself by his unhappiness at Lal's demise (and not, it seemed from the loss of a chance to study her), after he had tried to help save her. It seems to be a standard trait that officials in Starfleet refuse to accept the advice and wisdom of those under their command, and cause trouble by riding roughshod over all protest. Did 'The Measure of A Man' count for nothing? We could speculate that it's something that happens to all people when they become grumpy old men, but the females are just as bad (if not worse). Maybe even Picard will go that way if he ever makes it to the Admiralcy!
**
Jonathan Frakes' first directorial attempt isn't bad, but I never believed in Data's ability to create a more human android than himself, one with the faculties to feel and grow and question incessantly. The early parts are funny as Lal struggles to grip basic tasks such as catching a ball, and sad when she learns she is different to the other children. Because of Data's personality the episode is overly analytical and cold until the sentimental ending, and I think this remoteness harms it for much of the episode, only becoming essential to the story at the end when Data cannot feel the loss of Lal as the crew do. The ending nevertheless works, and though we're being manipulated, and it was the obvious route to take, it ironically injects some feeling into an episode otherwise devoid. I can see a sequel in that positronic brain of his where he gets a split personality as Lal decides to find a way out, but that might have taken things too far!
The science lab that would later be so important to 'The Best of Both Worlds' makes its debut here, and there is a noteworthy appearance of the first Andorian female ever seen, and indeed, the first of the race since 'Star Trek IV' I believe, although it was only a holographic representation. It seemed unlikely that Lal, having narrowed down its choices of gender/appearance to four would have such varying options remaining. I expected four females with slight differences in a similar style. The Daystrom Institute scores another mention, though this time it isn't the Institute itself, rather an outpost which indicates the organisation is broader than one location as may have previously been suspected.
I wondered for a while if it might not have been more fun to stick with the scrunched up face of the first version of Lal for the episode instead of jumping to an all but human look, or at least the same gold-hued skin of Data. It was a visual reminder that his daughter was a step forward, as Admiral Haftel was happy to accept. Those in authority invariably come across as overbearing and meddlesome, and the Admiral in this possessed all those questionable qualities and more, only redeeming himself by his unhappiness at Lal's demise (and not, it seemed from the loss of a chance to study her), after he had tried to help save her. It seems to be a standard trait that officials in Starfleet refuse to accept the advice and wisdom of those under their command, and cause trouble by riding roughshod over all protest. Did 'The Measure of A Man' count for nothing? We could speculate that it's something that happens to all people when they become grumpy old men, but the females are just as bad (if not worse). Maybe even Picard will go that way if he ever makes it to the Admiralcy!
**
Monday, 6 September 2010
Yesterday's Enterprise
DVD, TNG S3 (Yesterday's Enterprise)
There may be the introduction of the Enterprise-C, and it may feature a war-ravaged Enterprise-D crew in an alternate timeline in which the Klingons are the enemy, but we all know what this is really about. Denise Crosby didn't get a worthy death in Season 1, so they decided to right that by bringing her back and giving her the kind of send-off she deserved in the first place. And top marks for doing so! But I don't agree with popular opinion that this is an absolute classic and would even say in retrospect that it barely scrapes into that category at all. When you know what's going on and you watch it now it is far less impressive than when it was introduced. Usually the best Trek's are the ones that retain their power even on repeated viewings and while I still enjoy it, it isn't without problems or questions.
Why didn't Picard immediately recognise the 'C' or know who her captain would be? It seems like a sensible thing to know all about your predecessors when you take command of a ship as prestigious as the Enterprise. It can be argued that this is an alternate reality so Picard took command during a period of war and so didn't have the time or inclination to learn about such things. It's quite strange to think that there was a period of time in the real universe when there was no Enterprise out there. The 'C' went missing and the 'D' didn't appear until almost twenty years later, I think because it took so long to create and the designers wouldn't have been expecting to work on the next generation of ships when the 'C' was lost unexpectedly.
Another query would be about the status of Klingon/Federation relations. This was made before 'Star Trek VI' showed how peace came between the Federation and Klingon Empire and this episode suggests that that state was a relatively recent development. It's also been corroborated in some ways by other series' such as Curzon Dax being part of the peace talks according to 'DS9'. So what is the truth? Was there a rift between them at some time in the early 24th Century that was healed later or am I mixing up 'real' universe politics with the alternate timeline? These paradoxes, eh? Tsk.
Guinan's meeting of Tasha, and indeed, any scene with either of them in was gold, especially as she realises her fate was not to be on the 'D'. Maybe I saw a missed opportunity with the other characters - Data has shown great fondness for Yar, but only gets the one scene in the turbolift. The 'C' looks suitable as the previous design of ship and we get to see the old uniforms again, only this time there's evidence of the gap between them and Picard's lot, such as the old style badge on their uniform which acts as a combadge of the modern era. Archer IV is mentioned which is now assumed to be named for Captain Archer of 'Enterprise'.
What drags the episode down a few pegs now is that it's very talky without saying too much to excite beyond the Captain's rousing speech, and the battle scenes are woefully slow and lethargic after the incredible space battles of 'DS9'. That's the peril of reviewing old series' and the essence of the story still pushes and pulls us, mainly thanks to Tasha Yar's presence, and they do make the most of her. But just as important is Guinan's introducing of Worf to prune juice. After this they became inseparable (I mean Worf and prune juice, not Worf and Guinan).
The episode did pave the way for thinking differently about the Star Trek universe and so it deserves recognition for being fairly revolutionary, but maybe doesn't hold up quite as well as some others that are still rightly regarded as classics.
***
Natural Law
DVD, Voyager S7 (Natural Law)
I can't recall the last time Chakotay and Seven were on a mission together, so the main attraction of this story is this novelty pairing, though there's little else to recommend it as it's a fairly standard, uneventful time-filler for the most part. The natives are okay, the settings are a nice mixture of studio greens and location shoot (I'm guessing), but the Chakotay/Seven thing was wasted as a lot of the episode the two are apart and not working together or learning about each other. Also there's no follow-on from Seven's holographic romance with the Commander from 'Human Error' which seems like an oversight. The moral side of the story regarding a pre-warp civilization is important, but really this is only good-looking episode with the two officers in a bright, sunny, lush and natural setting, the weight of the issue not coming through sufficiently - it all looks very nice, but that's about the best that can be said.
There are some very good effects, but the space shots are so rare and offer only brief glimpses, that the Delta Flyer's weaving through space or the short skirmish with Voyager at the end is hardly enough. For a series that only had a limited few episodes before the end you'd expect more from the writers to make the most of every opportunity, and shows that it was perhaps the right time to be concluding the series. It doesn't really do anything new and the sub-plot of Tom being tested as a pilot after a minor local infraction never went anywhere except as an amusing aside.
Chell, the Bolian crewmember has been mentioned more this season than the rest of the series, with another reference here (but no appearance), but there are few things of note like that in this episode. How did Chakotay get the gash in his leg when beaming off the shuttle? They beam comfortably onto the planet, yet he has a neat slice out of his trouser-leg. The most unsatisfactory part of the episode however, is the final scene in which Seven wonders if the Ledosians will duplicate Voyager's technology and turn off the barrier again, disrupting the simple Ventu way of life. There's a bit of a mixed message there because Chakotay just fobs her off with 'at least we're back on Voyager'! That's not very heroic, is it? Surely as representatives of Starfleet they should have considered spending the rest of their days with the Ventu rather than giving the Ledosians the chance of getting through the shield. That would have been a worthy sacrifice, and Janeway would still have found a way to get them out.
**
A Matter of Perspective
DVD, TNG S3 (A Matter of Perspective)
'A Matter of Perspective' is a matter of taste. If you love that detective slant to a Trek story in the manner of the original's 'Court Martial' or the 'Voyager' episode 'Ex Post Facto', then you might enjoy this, but then again it's been done many times and therein lies its flaw. The story isn't bad, and has some reasonable visual effects, but neither is it a riveting watch and those same effects can sometimes look a bit poor - when Riker walks round his frozen holo-self it doesn't look quite right. We know that Riker will be found not guilty by the end, the enjoyment comes from seeing how Picard gets him off - rather like a Cardassian novel we get the same story over and over again and it isn't important what the outcome is, but how it's arrived at. Also like a Cardassian novel it's a bit boring.
Yes, seeing different points of view replayed is a good plot device, but the characters are so dull and about the only time something happens to pique the interest is in Riker getting beaten up by the little old man! Why Starfleet is willing for Dr. Apgar to have an entire starbase to himself is another matter, and if it was supposed to be the alien's own construction it should have been explained why it appeared so similar to the large starbases we're used to seeing in the films. There were three episodes that began with 'A Matter of' and both of the others were better than this.
**
Deja Q
DVD, TNG S3 (Deja Q)
Q is at his best when he's in control and causing trouble, and while I can see that this episode in which he loses his powers and has to cope without them, was inevitable, it doesn't work as well as it could have. The previous Q episode, 'Q Who' would have been very difficult to top, being the one in which he introduces the ship to the Borg. Instead this follows on from an idea in that episode where Q asks to join the crew. This time it's because he's been kicked out of the continuum (another thing foreshadowed by the former episode in which we get the impression he doesn't get on that well with his fellow Q), by another Q, the first time we see another of his race. His whining and difficulty in understanding simple human experiences such as sleep or hunger are quite fun, as are his usual barbed comments to each of the crew, even as far as recognising Dr. Crusher's return to the ship.
The main part of the story, the moon's collision with a planet of rather boring aliens just doesn't have enough weight to it and the seriousness of a global catastrophe never fully comes across. Q just isn't the same when he's not pulling the strings, and like the 'DS9' Q story 'Q-Less' he's nothing to do with the main danger. It's ironic that the only non-living crewmember on the ship, Data, is assigned to Q who is learning what it's like to be human. Perhaps Data learns a little more of life by experiencing Q's term as a human vicariously. The real reason he was sent to look after him was because he was the only one that could stand Q's superiority, inability to see others as equals and bad temper. Also from the previous Q episode is the thread of Guinan's history with him and her lack of compassion on him, sticking him with a fork at the first opportunity!
The effects were certainly special in this one, from the Enterprise falling into the atmosphere to the other Q popping through the bulkhead of the shuttle and especially Q's parting shot of appearing to pop a cigar into Picard's outstretched hand as he gives the usual order to 'Engage'. I never believed in his selfless act or his sentiments towards Data after the android saves his life, but then again both moments could have the edge of Q meaning something less than pleasant - calling Data a better human than himself was a back-handed compliment, and from the look on Q's face I got the impression he'd planned the 'selfless' act to get back into the Q's good graces, so the character didn't really change. For all the enjoyment of seeing Q in pain or in trouble the episode doesn't totally deliver on the opportunity of 'Q as mortal' and is merely enjoyable rather than being a classic like 'Q Who'.
**
Q is at his best when he's in control and causing trouble, and while I can see that this episode in which he loses his powers and has to cope without them, was inevitable, it doesn't work as well as it could have. The previous Q episode, 'Q Who' would have been very difficult to top, being the one in which he introduces the ship to the Borg. Instead this follows on from an idea in that episode where Q asks to join the crew. This time it's because he's been kicked out of the continuum (another thing foreshadowed by the former episode in which we get the impression he doesn't get on that well with his fellow Q), by another Q, the first time we see another of his race. His whining and difficulty in understanding simple human experiences such as sleep or hunger are quite fun, as are his usual barbed comments to each of the crew, even as far as recognising Dr. Crusher's return to the ship.
The main part of the story, the moon's collision with a planet of rather boring aliens just doesn't have enough weight to it and the seriousness of a global catastrophe never fully comes across. Q just isn't the same when he's not pulling the strings, and like the 'DS9' Q story 'Q-Less' he's nothing to do with the main danger. It's ironic that the only non-living crewmember on the ship, Data, is assigned to Q who is learning what it's like to be human. Perhaps Data learns a little more of life by experiencing Q's term as a human vicariously. The real reason he was sent to look after him was because he was the only one that could stand Q's superiority, inability to see others as equals and bad temper. Also from the previous Q episode is the thread of Guinan's history with him and her lack of compassion on him, sticking him with a fork at the first opportunity!
The effects were certainly special in this one, from the Enterprise falling into the atmosphere to the other Q popping through the bulkhead of the shuttle and especially Q's parting shot of appearing to pop a cigar into Picard's outstretched hand as he gives the usual order to 'Engage'. I never believed in his selfless act or his sentiments towards Data after the android saves his life, but then again both moments could have the edge of Q meaning something less than pleasant - calling Data a better human than himself was a back-handed compliment, and from the look on Q's face I got the impression he'd planned the 'selfless' act to get back into the Q's good graces, so the character didn't really change. For all the enjoyment of seeing Q in pain or in trouble the episode doesn't totally deliver on the opportunity of 'Q as mortal' and is merely enjoyable rather than being a classic like 'Q Who'.
**
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