DVD, Smallville S5 (Vengeance)
A nice way to end Jonathan Kent's role in the series, waving to camera and saying goodbye in an old home video, even if it was obviously made in the recent snowy weather they'd shown in the episode in which he dies. It was a tribute to Mr. Kent that Clark manages to stop himself from going over the line, the old refrain "we always have a choice, son" ringing in my memory as his most common saying. Clark proves himself, and comes to accept his Father's death, while Martha too is struggling with a whirlwind of circumstances - she's been offered Jonathan's seat as Governor, she's been physically attacked by those ruffians and she's had to listen to the honeyed words of Lionel, quick to step in after Lex threatens to tell her that he had a meeting with her husband just before he died.
I suspect he would have waited a bit longer before coming to see her as we knew he would, if it hadn't been for Lex. Unfortunately Lex has used the information in his own favour rather than coming to Clark or Martha with it, but then Clark's refusing to see him, he claims, so perhaps if Clark had been willing to speak to him he'd have found out. Not that it would change much, but at least it would stop Martha from being charmed by the monster. So often throughout the series and before, Lionel and the Kent's had bad blood between them, but as Lionel intimates, it was between him and Jonathan, Martha's a different case entirely! Trouble is she's always been a bit soft when it comes to him, being easily touched by his plights (such as going blind) and secretly flattered by his attentions.
The Angel of Vengeance, as christened by Chloe, may have been an actual comic book character (I wouldn't call her a hero, as she's not much of a good gal), but as I don't know about comics she was new to me. There were a few good gags about Clark one day pretending to be a mild-mannered reporter while leading a double life as crime-fighter, and the way they dealt with Jonathan's absence was appreciated, as I wouldn't have liked them to gloss over it and get back to whatever else they were going to do. The action wasn't that impressive, mostly people being chucked into fences, and Clark doesn't seem too squeamish about who sees his powers at the moment - he dashes forward to save Lionel who may not have realised how far he was away, or he may already know about Clark's specials, we don't know, and he whips that goon's phone out of his hand. Neither does he hide his powers or weakness to the Angel - never wise to let someone you've just met in on how to defeat you! And Lana does a grand thing for Clark, scouring the pawn shops for his Dad's watch, what a nice effort. She's drawn back to Clark thanks to the tragedy, taking on the role of looking after him, so the death may have helped Clark in some ways.
***
Monday, 31 January 2011
Carbon Creek
DVD, Enterprise S2 (Carbon Creek)
Any episode which starts with the refutation that Zefram Cochrane's groundbreaking first contact with the Vulcans was indeed the first, grabs the attention, and while the episode's story was a gentle, whimsical tale not perhaps fully exploiting the possibilities of the unique situation, it's fun and subversive and shows that T'Pol was not the first member of her family to bend the rules or have a connection with humanity. The sight of Vulcans operating in 1950s America and trying to blend in is great fun, especially when one of them wears a Spock-like beanie and goes to town on the eyebrow-lifting! The idea of T'Pol telling a story for the entertainment of Archer and Trip is a rich enough development alone, but to have it be so surprising and meaningful is even better, again displaying the new level of openness she's comfortable sharing with her crewmates.
This was actually the first episode shot for Season 2, though it aired second, which is probably why none of the other cast members appear - they may have decided to get a head start by only bringing back the big three. We don't often get to see a purely Vulcan cast interacting without other species, so that was special in itself, but three Vulcans sharing a house is like a twist on a 1950s soap. As usual the series delivers Vulcans who aren't quite restrained enough, and yet walk the line of being mostly unemotional. I can't quite identify with the style, but it's so close to the 'right' way Vulcans have been portrayed in the other series' that it only niggles a little, not enough to take away from the interactions between the trio.
There are some cunning references for those in the know, such as Mestral's interest in the 'I Love Lucy' show, which was made by the studio that would go on to make 'TOS'. T'Mir's solution to the young lad's plight (not being able to go to college due to lack of funds), by introducing the world to Velcro must be a sly nod and a wink towards Scotty's similar technological introduction in 'Star Trek IV'. J. Paul Boehmer gets his first role on the series as Mestral, and made a good job of being Vulcan, having already played a Nazi and a Borg on 'Voyager'. His character makes you wonder: he could have lived into the early 22nd Century - there could even be a whole line of Vulcan genes if he decided to have a family...
I did wonder why, if the Vulcans had gone without food for five days, they were still sitting around their crashed ship, only deciding to look for food when a couple of deer pass by. What have they been doing all week? Vulcan strength also seems to have diminished with their fall to Earth as the other male Vulcan can't wrench a pipe to stop a drip, having to resort to a Vulcan tool. This isn't a complaint, but an observation: it's almost a wonder that none of the Starfleet people or aliens of the future haven't run into each other as we've had so many trips to the 20th Century (no doubt thanks to most of the series' being made in that century!). We've had people in the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 80s and 90s!
I love the open ending that T'Pol teases her shipmates with, so as not to change their history with such startling revelations. This episode was the perfect example of the way 'Enterprise' could subvert the known facts and play with the detail-loving audience, and still produce heartwarming, enjoyable entertainment in a crowded universe.
***
Any episode which starts with the refutation that Zefram Cochrane's groundbreaking first contact with the Vulcans was indeed the first, grabs the attention, and while the episode's story was a gentle, whimsical tale not perhaps fully exploiting the possibilities of the unique situation, it's fun and subversive and shows that T'Pol was not the first member of her family to bend the rules or have a connection with humanity. The sight of Vulcans operating in 1950s America and trying to blend in is great fun, especially when one of them wears a Spock-like beanie and goes to town on the eyebrow-lifting! The idea of T'Pol telling a story for the entertainment of Archer and Trip is a rich enough development alone, but to have it be so surprising and meaningful is even better, again displaying the new level of openness she's comfortable sharing with her crewmates.
This was actually the first episode shot for Season 2, though it aired second, which is probably why none of the other cast members appear - they may have decided to get a head start by only bringing back the big three. We don't often get to see a purely Vulcan cast interacting without other species, so that was special in itself, but three Vulcans sharing a house is like a twist on a 1950s soap. As usual the series delivers Vulcans who aren't quite restrained enough, and yet walk the line of being mostly unemotional. I can't quite identify with the style, but it's so close to the 'right' way Vulcans have been portrayed in the other series' that it only niggles a little, not enough to take away from the interactions between the trio.
There are some cunning references for those in the know, such as Mestral's interest in the 'I Love Lucy' show, which was made by the studio that would go on to make 'TOS'. T'Mir's solution to the young lad's plight (not being able to go to college due to lack of funds), by introducing the world to Velcro must be a sly nod and a wink towards Scotty's similar technological introduction in 'Star Trek IV'. J. Paul Boehmer gets his first role on the series as Mestral, and made a good job of being Vulcan, having already played a Nazi and a Borg on 'Voyager'. His character makes you wonder: he could have lived into the early 22nd Century - there could even be a whole line of Vulcan genes if he decided to have a family...
I did wonder why, if the Vulcans had gone without food for five days, they were still sitting around their crashed ship, only deciding to look for food when a couple of deer pass by. What have they been doing all week? Vulcan strength also seems to have diminished with their fall to Earth as the other male Vulcan can't wrench a pipe to stop a drip, having to resort to a Vulcan tool. This isn't a complaint, but an observation: it's almost a wonder that none of the Starfleet people or aliens of the future haven't run into each other as we've had so many trips to the 20th Century (no doubt thanks to most of the series' being made in that century!). We've had people in the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 80s and 90s!
I love the open ending that T'Pol teases her shipmates with, so as not to change their history with such startling revelations. This episode was the perfect example of the way 'Enterprise' could subvert the known facts and play with the detail-loving audience, and still produce heartwarming, enjoyable entertainment in a crowded universe.
***
The Quiet Man
DVD, The Quiet Man (1952) film
A John Wayne film which isn't your typical John Wayne film. He rides a horse, wears a hat and indulges in fighting, but this isn't the wild west, it's the wilds of Ireland, he's wearing a cap, not a cowboy hat and it's not cowboys he's taming, but a fiery Irish maid and her brother. I can see why it won the Best Director and (especially) Best Cinematography Oscars of 1952 as it looks unreal, like the Hobbit lands of 'The Lord of The Rings', quaint, but solid, like the stone bridges or thatched cottages that feature so much. In fact the colours are almost too dazzling, but the beautifully designed shots of the landscape seen as they walk the hills or during the horse race are a delight for the eyes.
The only visual downside is that it's not in widescreen as that would have been so much better and would suit the photography so well, whether it's sheep being herded or the villagers charging after the fight. Also it seemed a little less sharp than usual, even for an old film, but that may have been the DVD transfer from Universal as it may not have been the best it could be. I wouldn't exactly place it as a comedy, but it's full of Irish charm and foibles, so it isn't exactly a drama either, and it made me chuckle several times. Towards the end it becomes much more lively, John Wayne does his usual good-humoured drawling in the prime of his career and Maureen O'Hara is good as the cause of much trouble! I must admit it was a bit drawn out, and very little really happens amid all the scenery, but there is a kick towards the end as we hear why Sean Thornton doesn't want to fight. If only there had been more of that kind of mastery it would have been a truly good film rather than an okay one that still leaves you with a smile on your face.
**
A John Wayne film which isn't your typical John Wayne film. He rides a horse, wears a hat and indulges in fighting, but this isn't the wild west, it's the wilds of Ireland, he's wearing a cap, not a cowboy hat and it's not cowboys he's taming, but a fiery Irish maid and her brother. I can see why it won the Best Director and (especially) Best Cinematography Oscars of 1952 as it looks unreal, like the Hobbit lands of 'The Lord of The Rings', quaint, but solid, like the stone bridges or thatched cottages that feature so much. In fact the colours are almost too dazzling, but the beautifully designed shots of the landscape seen as they walk the hills or during the horse race are a delight for the eyes.
The only visual downside is that it's not in widescreen as that would have been so much better and would suit the photography so well, whether it's sheep being herded or the villagers charging after the fight. Also it seemed a little less sharp than usual, even for an old film, but that may have been the DVD transfer from Universal as it may not have been the best it could be. I wouldn't exactly place it as a comedy, but it's full of Irish charm and foibles, so it isn't exactly a drama either, and it made me chuckle several times. Towards the end it becomes much more lively, John Wayne does his usual good-humoured drawling in the prime of his career and Maureen O'Hara is good as the cause of much trouble! I must admit it was a bit drawn out, and very little really happens amid all the scenery, but there is a kick towards the end as we hear why Sean Thornton doesn't want to fight. If only there had been more of that kind of mastery it would have been a truly good film rather than an okay one that still leaves you with a smile on your face.
**
Reckoning
DVD, Smallville S5 (Reckoning)
A big episode. The big episode, in fact. I knew for a long time that Jonathan Kent was going to be killed off, the impression I had that it was because John Schneider was dissatisfied with the role, and if so who can blame him, but that's something else, the production side, and I'm still too encompassed in the reality of the series' world to be concerned about that now. Though the episode title gave away that this was probably the key moment, after much speculation from myself during the last few episodes I had been lulled into a forgetfulness of the impending unfortunate event and the episode could equally have been about the fascinating conflict between Clark and Lana.
That was almost a blind to the real purpose of the episode - to kill off Jonathan. But what a blind! We've had so many close calls and half-moments when Lana has found out or was knocked unconscious or suspected something, that I expected things to break apart and for it all to be a dream or some such disappointing device. But no, they went for it all the way and it seemed to be a massive turning point in the series. On later reflection it would have concluded the plots that had been sown since the first episode. Indeed, Clark being able to tell Lana his secret and for her to react could be said to be the last major storyline still to be run (even Lex has 'discovered' Clark's powers, if only for the course of an episode). It was almost perfect as he takes her up to the Fortress of Solitude, wisely not telling her anything until after she's experienced the warp technology in the cave, that way he's not going to sound like a nutcase when he's says he's from another planet!
It was one of the best teasers the series has ever produced, not since last season's high-octane ski chase in 'Lucy' has a teaser engaged me as much, though this time for different reasons. It seemed to be going in the direction of being one of the best episodes ever as the writers firmly grasped the nettle and pulled for all they were worth. And it worked out, but then I should have realised that Superman never married Lana Lang, and despite the acknowledged differences between the established mythology and the 'Smallville' take on it, they weren't likely to shake things up that much after all. It was still a shocking result that Lana should end up dead, Clark should be so overwhelmed that he doesn't even hide his powers from Lex as he whooshes in in full view to see her bloodied form. There's a clue as to where the story would end up in Mr. Kent's surprisingly quick appearance on the scene, but your brain is whirling so fast with the implications of the accident that you just give it the passing thought that Clark must have told him and he sped at top speed after his son in the truck. In reality he left his party early to meet Lionel and teach him some rough justice.
Usually I'd have a big problem with Clark having a go at Jor-el and then his Kryptonian Dad giving him what is the last crystal he has so he can turn back time and save Lana, but although it was a major deus ex machina it also adds resonance to Jonathan's death and gives Clark even more reason to grieve - if he hadn't saved Lana he could have used the power to save his Dad. Now he could absolutely never have a happy ever after with Lana because even if he told her, not only might she be upset that he was indirectly responsible for her parents death when his ship arrived in the meteor shower, but she also prevented him from saving his Father instead of her. Of course, wise Martha points out that he could never have chosen between their lives, but it's all grist to the mill.
And so he does go back, and that adds a dimension of enjoyment amid all the distressing events, as Clark proves to Chloe what's going to happen, and the odd sequence of events we watch suddenly gain a context. Chloe even gets in a crack about Clark turning the Earth back on its axis in a funny reference to the 'Superman' film. So Lana's life is saved, but everything goes sour as a result - she realises Clark's never going to confide in her, and Lex, devastated at the loss of the election, his one chance to prove himself to his Father, takes a liberty setting off the chain of events that led to her accident, only this time Clark's there to secretly save her while his Dad has a confrontation with Lionel in the barn. It looked like it was going to be a real crowd-pleaser as Jonathan rolls up his sleeves in an 'I mean business' way. Sadly, though he gets to deck the evil mogul, Lionel doesn't fight back so we can't really blame him for the onset of the fatal heart attack. What surprised me was that Lex had nothing to do with it as it always seemed like the kind of thing that was going to turn him irretrievably to the dark side and hammer the wedge forever between Clark and he. But it was Lionel's leering face that Mr. Kent saw and put a fist into, his own temper getting the better of him one last time.
Strangely, during the whole sequence from Lionel and Jonathan meeting, to the stylised funeral scenes I felt detached from what was happening. There was no great outpouring of sadness, there was no big fanfare and look back at Mr. Kent's input into the series, just the absence of him. Shots of the snow-covered farm and fields, the legacy he left behind, then the dialogue-free funeral with obligatory slow-motion heads looking round. It wasn't bad, just a strange choice, quite removed from reality and distancing rather than deeply affecting. A sign perhaps of Mr. Kent's diminution as an important role on the series. I wouldn't agree that Clark had outlived his need for his Dad's advice, and neither did Clark.
Maybe my own foreknowledge of the death coloured it for me, I don't know, but I was left neither satisfied nor unhappy with the way it was handled. It simply was. Where this leaves the series I don't know. Lana could well turn to Lex for good, Clark will be full of self-doubt and Lionel could easily try to take advantage of Martha's grief. The most annoying thing is that no one knows that Lionel was there at the end and was the provocation that inflamed Jonathan. In most versions of the myth Mr. Kent does die, so it wasn't a complete diversion, but he was one of my favourite characters in the early seasons when he was given great scenes, the character fading a bit in recent years as they struggled to use him. For being such a provocative and dense episode with such grand events I have to say it is the best of this season. Four main characters down, but a few still to go...
****
A big episode. The big episode, in fact. I knew for a long time that Jonathan Kent was going to be killed off, the impression I had that it was because John Schneider was dissatisfied with the role, and if so who can blame him, but that's something else, the production side, and I'm still too encompassed in the reality of the series' world to be concerned about that now. Though the episode title gave away that this was probably the key moment, after much speculation from myself during the last few episodes I had been lulled into a forgetfulness of the impending unfortunate event and the episode could equally have been about the fascinating conflict between Clark and Lana.
That was almost a blind to the real purpose of the episode - to kill off Jonathan. But what a blind! We've had so many close calls and half-moments when Lana has found out or was knocked unconscious or suspected something, that I expected things to break apart and for it all to be a dream or some such disappointing device. But no, they went for it all the way and it seemed to be a massive turning point in the series. On later reflection it would have concluded the plots that had been sown since the first episode. Indeed, Clark being able to tell Lana his secret and for her to react could be said to be the last major storyline still to be run (even Lex has 'discovered' Clark's powers, if only for the course of an episode). It was almost perfect as he takes her up to the Fortress of Solitude, wisely not telling her anything until after she's experienced the warp technology in the cave, that way he's not going to sound like a nutcase when he's says he's from another planet!
It was one of the best teasers the series has ever produced, not since last season's high-octane ski chase in 'Lucy' has a teaser engaged me as much, though this time for different reasons. It seemed to be going in the direction of being one of the best episodes ever as the writers firmly grasped the nettle and pulled for all they were worth. And it worked out, but then I should have realised that Superman never married Lana Lang, and despite the acknowledged differences between the established mythology and the 'Smallville' take on it, they weren't likely to shake things up that much after all. It was still a shocking result that Lana should end up dead, Clark should be so overwhelmed that he doesn't even hide his powers from Lex as he whooshes in in full view to see her bloodied form. There's a clue as to where the story would end up in Mr. Kent's surprisingly quick appearance on the scene, but your brain is whirling so fast with the implications of the accident that you just give it the passing thought that Clark must have told him and he sped at top speed after his son in the truck. In reality he left his party early to meet Lionel and teach him some rough justice.
Usually I'd have a big problem with Clark having a go at Jor-el and then his Kryptonian Dad giving him what is the last crystal he has so he can turn back time and save Lana, but although it was a major deus ex machina it also adds resonance to Jonathan's death and gives Clark even more reason to grieve - if he hadn't saved Lana he could have used the power to save his Dad. Now he could absolutely never have a happy ever after with Lana because even if he told her, not only might she be upset that he was indirectly responsible for her parents death when his ship arrived in the meteor shower, but she also prevented him from saving his Father instead of her. Of course, wise Martha points out that he could never have chosen between their lives, but it's all grist to the mill.
And so he does go back, and that adds a dimension of enjoyment amid all the distressing events, as Clark proves to Chloe what's going to happen, and the odd sequence of events we watch suddenly gain a context. Chloe even gets in a crack about Clark turning the Earth back on its axis in a funny reference to the 'Superman' film. So Lana's life is saved, but everything goes sour as a result - she realises Clark's never going to confide in her, and Lex, devastated at the loss of the election, his one chance to prove himself to his Father, takes a liberty setting off the chain of events that led to her accident, only this time Clark's there to secretly save her while his Dad has a confrontation with Lionel in the barn. It looked like it was going to be a real crowd-pleaser as Jonathan rolls up his sleeves in an 'I mean business' way. Sadly, though he gets to deck the evil mogul, Lionel doesn't fight back so we can't really blame him for the onset of the fatal heart attack. What surprised me was that Lex had nothing to do with it as it always seemed like the kind of thing that was going to turn him irretrievably to the dark side and hammer the wedge forever between Clark and he. But it was Lionel's leering face that Mr. Kent saw and put a fist into, his own temper getting the better of him one last time.
Strangely, during the whole sequence from Lionel and Jonathan meeting, to the stylised funeral scenes I felt detached from what was happening. There was no great outpouring of sadness, there was no big fanfare and look back at Mr. Kent's input into the series, just the absence of him. Shots of the snow-covered farm and fields, the legacy he left behind, then the dialogue-free funeral with obligatory slow-motion heads looking round. It wasn't bad, just a strange choice, quite removed from reality and distancing rather than deeply affecting. A sign perhaps of Mr. Kent's diminution as an important role on the series. I wouldn't agree that Clark had outlived his need for his Dad's advice, and neither did Clark.
Maybe my own foreknowledge of the death coloured it for me, I don't know, but I was left neither satisfied nor unhappy with the way it was handled. It simply was. Where this leaves the series I don't know. Lana could well turn to Lex for good, Clark will be full of self-doubt and Lionel could easily try to take advantage of Martha's grief. The most annoying thing is that no one knows that Lionel was there at the end and was the provocation that inflamed Jonathan. In most versions of the myth Mr. Kent does die, so it wasn't a complete diversion, but he was one of my favourite characters in the early seasons when he was given great scenes, the character fading a bit in recent years as they struggled to use him. For being such a provocative and dense episode with such grand events I have to say it is the best of this season. Four main characters down, but a few still to go...
****
Shockwave, Part II
DVD, Enterprise S2 (Shockwave, Part II)
After having an extended break from this series before coming to Season 2, and in the meantime watching many of the earlier Treks, the differences of this most recent slice of the canon seem so much more pronounced. After so many Vulcans who remain restrained and dignified even under pressure it's quite a shakeup to return to Ambassador Soval and his barely contained display of indignation and annoyance. He remains a voice against Archer, and humans' in general calling to space. The brutality seemed more noticeable, as did the swear level, Reed getting a nasty knockabout at Suliban hands. For a race that seem so bendy and rubbery they pack quite a punch!
Not all aspects of the season-opener are negative - it's great to come back to a widescreen, clean, sharp image and fantastic sound quality, with pinpoint effects such as Archer's head hovering in T'Pol's quarters, or the background imagery of the massive library. But though everything looks pristine and impressive I was reminded that this was a disappointment back in the day and hasn't improved since then. It's a shame to begin the season with negative comments, but sadly this was the over-riding mood I remember from Season 2 and as such have always considered it the worst season of Star Trek's long history (yes, I even prefer Season 1 and 2 of 'TNG'!).
The continuity level, as is often the case with the second part beginning a season, is high and, just like in 'Stargate SG-1' I found myself struggling to keep track of all the data points. I'm usually the first to enjoy references to other episodes, but the falling ratings of this season show that casual viewers weren't willing to keep up with the happenings for their own sake, needing to be bought with high-octane adventures and likeable characters. I enjoyed the references to the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire (that bit always stuck in my mind as Archer could so easily have uncovered the secrets about the Romulans which we don't know even after so many episodes about them), the revelation that Future Guy (who doesn't show for this episode, except in the recap), and his people are calling from 300 years in the past when Daniels and Archer are in the 31st Century (so they're from the 28th then, right?), because they can't do time travel. We see Daniel's quarters again, featuring a Tardis-like locker and the Helix of the Suliban. And the main recurring faces are back: Admiral Forrest on hand to hold the fort back at Starfleet HQ and Silik the Suliban and Crewman Daniels naturally return as part of the ongoing Temporal Cold War saga.
Most of the characters are featured reasonably well, although there were a few niggles - T'Pol's quick recovery from her torture for example. After Silik's finished with her she collapses on her bed, but when Archer makes contact she's up and about with no sign of injury or exhaustion. Similarly, Hoshi's big moment as the only person small enough to crawl through the conduits is lessened somewhat by their being a bit too spacious. One other little thing I noticed was the large number of Suliban that took over Enterprise (impressive as it is to see so many) who seemed to have come over on only three little pods. I thought these vessels were known to be one-man craft?
The important thing is T'Pol shows her support for Archer, having learned to trust him and his crew in Season 1 she's no longer aloof and apart which is a nice development. There's no time for character studies however, as mostly it's a question of returning the status to quo - Daniels is who knows where, but presumably fine, Silik was apparently going to be left somewhere as Archer says they'll be long gone by the time he awakes (which seems like a mistake - surely better to take him prisoner?), and Enterprise has been vindicated from the colony's destruction and can continue its mission. Archer's importance to history and specifically the Federation is also confirmed, though sadly the full extent and logical unfolding of such things never fully came to pass thanks to the life of the series being cut short. A happy ending then, but nothing very special, merely a conclusion. I'd love to re-evaluate this season, though I fear the number of plain average episodes won't be changing my mind, but even so I look forward to going on some more vintage adventures in the 22nd Century.
**
After having an extended break from this series before coming to Season 2, and in the meantime watching many of the earlier Treks, the differences of this most recent slice of the canon seem so much more pronounced. After so many Vulcans who remain restrained and dignified even under pressure it's quite a shakeup to return to Ambassador Soval and his barely contained display of indignation and annoyance. He remains a voice against Archer, and humans' in general calling to space. The brutality seemed more noticeable, as did the swear level, Reed getting a nasty knockabout at Suliban hands. For a race that seem so bendy and rubbery they pack quite a punch!
Not all aspects of the season-opener are negative - it's great to come back to a widescreen, clean, sharp image and fantastic sound quality, with pinpoint effects such as Archer's head hovering in T'Pol's quarters, or the background imagery of the massive library. But though everything looks pristine and impressive I was reminded that this was a disappointment back in the day and hasn't improved since then. It's a shame to begin the season with negative comments, but sadly this was the over-riding mood I remember from Season 2 and as such have always considered it the worst season of Star Trek's long history (yes, I even prefer Season 1 and 2 of 'TNG'!).
The continuity level, as is often the case with the second part beginning a season, is high and, just like in 'Stargate SG-1' I found myself struggling to keep track of all the data points. I'm usually the first to enjoy references to other episodes, but the falling ratings of this season show that casual viewers weren't willing to keep up with the happenings for their own sake, needing to be bought with high-octane adventures and likeable characters. I enjoyed the references to the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire (that bit always stuck in my mind as Archer could so easily have uncovered the secrets about the Romulans which we don't know even after so many episodes about them), the revelation that Future Guy (who doesn't show for this episode, except in the recap), and his people are calling from 300 years in the past when Daniels and Archer are in the 31st Century (so they're from the 28th then, right?), because they can't do time travel. We see Daniel's quarters again, featuring a Tardis-like locker and the Helix of the Suliban. And the main recurring faces are back: Admiral Forrest on hand to hold the fort back at Starfleet HQ and Silik the Suliban and Crewman Daniels naturally return as part of the ongoing Temporal Cold War saga.
Most of the characters are featured reasonably well, although there were a few niggles - T'Pol's quick recovery from her torture for example. After Silik's finished with her she collapses on her bed, but when Archer makes contact she's up and about with no sign of injury or exhaustion. Similarly, Hoshi's big moment as the only person small enough to crawl through the conduits is lessened somewhat by their being a bit too spacious. One other little thing I noticed was the large number of Suliban that took over Enterprise (impressive as it is to see so many) who seemed to have come over on only three little pods. I thought these vessels were known to be one-man craft?
The important thing is T'Pol shows her support for Archer, having learned to trust him and his crew in Season 1 she's no longer aloof and apart which is a nice development. There's no time for character studies however, as mostly it's a question of returning the status to quo - Daniels is who knows where, but presumably fine, Silik was apparently going to be left somewhere as Archer says they'll be long gone by the time he awakes (which seems like a mistake - surely better to take him prisoner?), and Enterprise has been vindicated from the colony's destruction and can continue its mission. Archer's importance to history and specifically the Federation is also confirmed, though sadly the full extent and logical unfolding of such things never fully came to pass thanks to the life of the series being cut short. A happy ending then, but nothing very special, merely a conclusion. I'd love to re-evaluate this season, though I fear the number of plain average episodes won't be changing my mind, but even so I look forward to going on some more vintage adventures in the 22nd Century.
**
Monday, 17 January 2011
Lockdown
DVD, Smallville S5 (Lockdown)
Not the cat and mouse hunt through the Luthor mansion I anticipated from the title and teaser, but it wasn't bad. A mish-mash of plots with little action, but enough to provide some thrills and spills, most notably in Sheriff Adams' last stand. And her last fall, slumping to the ground with a bullet wound to the heart. I didn't see her exit coming, I thought she was invulnerable and the crusty old hag was going to outlast everyone, but sadly she had to go the way of pretty much all recurring characters on 'Smallville'. I can't say I ever really liked her as such - she was spiky, venomous, overly suspicious (though correct to be so!), and generally an obstacle for the kids to overcome, but she'd mellowed in her appreciation of Clark, even going as far as wanting him on her team, which says a lot! Perhaps she mellowed too much? A season or two back she'd have arrested Clark under suspicion of having something to do with Lana's disappearance, so she was much improved in some ways, but she let her guard down on this episode and it turned out to be the vital moment, shot in the back by one of her own deputies. Not a good way to go. I wonder if they'll bother with a new recurring sheriff as the emphasis has turned a little more towards Metropolis in the overall makeup of the series. Do they need a sheriff any more?
Clark's angst about restraining himself from Lana and not telling her the secret, and then finding she's been investigating the black ship with Lex is just one of many negative emotions doing the rounds in the story. Clark confides in Chloe, Lana's in with Lex, then Lex admits to lying to Lana, and add to that Jonathan finding out who his campaign money is coming from and you get a crossroads of deceit and unhappiness. Unusually, on this occasion there's little of the gloom that has messed up other stories, and things are pretty bright and cheerful all told. Mr. Kent takes the news about Lionel Luthor's contribution quite well considering, but only when he thinks it was Lois who accepted it. He's almost as furious as you'd expect when Martha owns up to the decision herself, but even then he softens relatively quickly.
It seemed a bit out of character for him to so easily accept what had happened, but it may be because he found a way out of it, and realised he could do something to counteract the damage. The flaw is that if he really was able to bring a pot of money out of the hat like that, why didn't he sell the land he 'never uses' in those times of trouble they've experienced before. If it was because of pride as he says, why is he so easygoing about giving it up now? Does he not expect to live much longer? It just felt like a device to soothe the troubled waters a little, an action which I applaud because I hate it when it's so negative, but unfortunately it is another example of the way the writers will make anything up on the spur of the moment to treat a story problem. I wonder if that course of action could bite him back as Lionel could buy up the land and develop on it. He's leaving himself open to all kinds of things! There are bound to be repercussions in some form when Lionel's involved...
Clark's a bit confused. He questions Lana over why she didn't tell him about studying the ship with Lex, and when she mentions the way he always changed the subject when she tried to talk about such things he said it was best to move on from it, or something like that. So he wants to talk about it, but doesn't want... to talk about it. Right. Martha does something similar when she reminds Clark how Chloe and Pete accepted him, completely forgetting to mention the way Pete's life was ruined and his friendship with Clark destroyed! Chloe hasn't known long enough to have problems, but Clark is probably right to be concerned, especially as Lex is now pledging not to keep any secrets from Lana ever again. I believe he has that intention, but I don't believe he can keep it!
Lastly, it was a strange ending, hovering over the question of whether Clark will tell Lana his secret. Is it supposed to make us think he's about to do so? It ends with an odd few seconds of slow motion on Clark's face - was that for effect or did they need it for the timing of the scene? Odd all round, that scene. Not a bad episode all together, with some good heroic or fun moments for Clark to do some showcasing of the old superpowers, and enough going on that it rattled along nicely. We've probably seen enough evil police officers now though, eh?
***
Not the cat and mouse hunt through the Luthor mansion I anticipated from the title and teaser, but it wasn't bad. A mish-mash of plots with little action, but enough to provide some thrills and spills, most notably in Sheriff Adams' last stand. And her last fall, slumping to the ground with a bullet wound to the heart. I didn't see her exit coming, I thought she was invulnerable and the crusty old hag was going to outlast everyone, but sadly she had to go the way of pretty much all recurring characters on 'Smallville'. I can't say I ever really liked her as such - she was spiky, venomous, overly suspicious (though correct to be so!), and generally an obstacle for the kids to overcome, but she'd mellowed in her appreciation of Clark, even going as far as wanting him on her team, which says a lot! Perhaps she mellowed too much? A season or two back she'd have arrested Clark under suspicion of having something to do with Lana's disappearance, so she was much improved in some ways, but she let her guard down on this episode and it turned out to be the vital moment, shot in the back by one of her own deputies. Not a good way to go. I wonder if they'll bother with a new recurring sheriff as the emphasis has turned a little more towards Metropolis in the overall makeup of the series. Do they need a sheriff any more?
Clark's angst about restraining himself from Lana and not telling her the secret, and then finding she's been investigating the black ship with Lex is just one of many negative emotions doing the rounds in the story. Clark confides in Chloe, Lana's in with Lex, then Lex admits to lying to Lana, and add to that Jonathan finding out who his campaign money is coming from and you get a crossroads of deceit and unhappiness. Unusually, on this occasion there's little of the gloom that has messed up other stories, and things are pretty bright and cheerful all told. Mr. Kent takes the news about Lionel Luthor's contribution quite well considering, but only when he thinks it was Lois who accepted it. He's almost as furious as you'd expect when Martha owns up to the decision herself, but even then he softens relatively quickly.
It seemed a bit out of character for him to so easily accept what had happened, but it may be because he found a way out of it, and realised he could do something to counteract the damage. The flaw is that if he really was able to bring a pot of money out of the hat like that, why didn't he sell the land he 'never uses' in those times of trouble they've experienced before. If it was because of pride as he says, why is he so easygoing about giving it up now? Does he not expect to live much longer? It just felt like a device to soothe the troubled waters a little, an action which I applaud because I hate it when it's so negative, but unfortunately it is another example of the way the writers will make anything up on the spur of the moment to treat a story problem. I wonder if that course of action could bite him back as Lionel could buy up the land and develop on it. He's leaving himself open to all kinds of things! There are bound to be repercussions in some form when Lionel's involved...
Clark's a bit confused. He questions Lana over why she didn't tell him about studying the ship with Lex, and when she mentions the way he always changed the subject when she tried to talk about such things he said it was best to move on from it, or something like that. So he wants to talk about it, but doesn't want... to talk about it. Right. Martha does something similar when she reminds Clark how Chloe and Pete accepted him, completely forgetting to mention the way Pete's life was ruined and his friendship with Clark destroyed! Chloe hasn't known long enough to have problems, but Clark is probably right to be concerned, especially as Lex is now pledging not to keep any secrets from Lana ever again. I believe he has that intention, but I don't believe he can keep it!
Lastly, it was a strange ending, hovering over the question of whether Clark will tell Lana his secret. Is it supposed to make us think he's about to do so? It ends with an odd few seconds of slow motion on Clark's face - was that for effect or did they need it for the timing of the scene? Odd all round, that scene. Not a bad episode all together, with some good heroic or fun moments for Clark to do some showcasing of the old superpowers, and enough going on that it rattled along nicely. We've probably seen enough evil police officers now though, eh?
***
Nemesis
DVD, Stargate SG-1 S3 (Nemesis)
Another season ender I found not bad, but not great. I don't know why Daniel was left behind as the team isn't complete without the four of them together, but it did give Hammond the chance to gain some sympathy when he tells Daniel that now he knows how Hammond feels every time they're away! The Replicators make their debut, talked up as the greatest threat the Asgaard have encountered. In most respects they are the 'Stargate' equivalent of 'Star Trek's Borg - they exist to expand, they're a practically unstoppable force and they operate independently while being part of a greater collective, only the Borg weren't made out of Meccano. They don't have the physical presence of the Borg, but they do have superior numbers as you can fit more of them onscreen than actors in suits. The CGI looks good, pretty much totally real, and they explode into little Lego bricks, pleasingly! The shot at the end as Carter, Teal'c and O'Neill fend off the Stargate from an overwhelming horde of the blighters is impressive, and although they never gave me the shivers or had enough personality to their substance they were reasonably threatening.
Thor's back again, this time about to die, and Major Davis also returns. Jack gets off some good baffled humour, and the internal sets of Thor's ship were pretty good - I half expected Daleks to glide into view! For some reason the title sequence is the original close-up of a sarcophagus from the pilot episode. Not sure why they brought it back at this stage of the series, but it always had an air of quality, more so than the slightly cheesy (or maybe just over-traditional) clips title sequence. I remember the sarcophagus sequence much more so I think I started watching regularly with Season 4.
Nothing much jumps out about this episode - I just knew they were going to cut to 'To Be Continued...' at that moment, and I look forward to joining the team again for further adventures. The episode could have been a very different prospect if Carter or Daniel had taken up Jack's offer of joining him on leave. I almost expected such a radically different premise, but I'm probably remembering future episodes where they do that sort of thing. The friendships of the team are what holds the series solidly together. I don't care too much about the Goa'uld, the Asgaard or the reams of lore that has already built up - it's those four main characters that I want to spend time with and, in my view, what made the series last as long as it did: Teal'c's solid warrior bravery, Carter's pleasant boffinishness, Daniel's eternal curiosity and excitement and Jack's wry, half-bemused attitude makes for a brilliant mix whether an episode is a good one or not.
Season 3 hasn't really lived up to it's billing on the internet as a brave new era or one that was much better than previous seasons. I liked it okay, there were a number of good episodes, though no single stand-out one as each of the previous seasons had. Much more has been filled in, recurring characters have become almost prevalent, and the series seems confident with itself. I sometimes found myself a tiny bit on the back foot with all the lingo which required a good memory of previous episodes, yet most stories didn't have much that I would want to revisit. Still, the series is fine, I still enjoy the characters and the CGI and production side only gets better. 'Stargate' of the 21st Century is what I know best, but I leave behind the 20th Century version with mixed feelings.
**
Another season ender I found not bad, but not great. I don't know why Daniel was left behind as the team isn't complete without the four of them together, but it did give Hammond the chance to gain some sympathy when he tells Daniel that now he knows how Hammond feels every time they're away! The Replicators make their debut, talked up as the greatest threat the Asgaard have encountered. In most respects they are the 'Stargate' equivalent of 'Star Trek's Borg - they exist to expand, they're a practically unstoppable force and they operate independently while being part of a greater collective, only the Borg weren't made out of Meccano. They don't have the physical presence of the Borg, but they do have superior numbers as you can fit more of them onscreen than actors in suits. The CGI looks good, pretty much totally real, and they explode into little Lego bricks, pleasingly! The shot at the end as Carter, Teal'c and O'Neill fend off the Stargate from an overwhelming horde of the blighters is impressive, and although they never gave me the shivers or had enough personality to their substance they were reasonably threatening.
Thor's back again, this time about to die, and Major Davis also returns. Jack gets off some good baffled humour, and the internal sets of Thor's ship were pretty good - I half expected Daleks to glide into view! For some reason the title sequence is the original close-up of a sarcophagus from the pilot episode. Not sure why they brought it back at this stage of the series, but it always had an air of quality, more so than the slightly cheesy (or maybe just over-traditional) clips title sequence. I remember the sarcophagus sequence much more so I think I started watching regularly with Season 4.
Nothing much jumps out about this episode - I just knew they were going to cut to 'To Be Continued...' at that moment, and I look forward to joining the team again for further adventures. The episode could have been a very different prospect if Carter or Daniel had taken up Jack's offer of joining him on leave. I almost expected such a radically different premise, but I'm probably remembering future episodes where they do that sort of thing. The friendships of the team are what holds the series solidly together. I don't care too much about the Goa'uld, the Asgaard or the reams of lore that has already built up - it's those four main characters that I want to spend time with and, in my view, what made the series last as long as it did: Teal'c's solid warrior bravery, Carter's pleasant boffinishness, Daniel's eternal curiosity and excitement and Jack's wry, half-bemused attitude makes for a brilliant mix whether an episode is a good one or not.
Season 3 hasn't really lived up to it's billing on the internet as a brave new era or one that was much better than previous seasons. I liked it okay, there were a number of good episodes, though no single stand-out one as each of the previous seasons had. Much more has been filled in, recurring characters have become almost prevalent, and the series seems confident with itself. I sometimes found myself a tiny bit on the back foot with all the lingo which required a good memory of previous episodes, yet most stories didn't have much that I would want to revisit. Still, the series is fine, I still enjoy the characters and the CGI and production side only gets better. 'Stargate' of the 21st Century is what I know best, but I leave behind the 20th Century version with mixed feelings.
**
Fanatic
DVD, Smallville S5 (Fanatic)
After all that Lionel Luthor's done Martha would still take his money? Jonathan Kent still doesn't let his family in on being threatened or ill? Clark still doesn't tell Lana his big secret even though now would be the perfect time when she's all into the notion of a spacecraft in the first meteor shower? Somehow the episode won me over, despite not being clever, aside from the misdirection with Lois apparently firing the gun in the teaser. So much happens in the space of an episode in 'Smallville' that there's no shortage of things to think about, that's for sure!
One thing I was prepared for was Mr. Kent's death. It's been leading up to that for a while, I knew it was coming anyway, so a bullet in the head seemed likely, even though I know he's got the heart condition. So although I wasn't exactly surprised that he didn't get shot, I was kept on the edge as I know he hasn't got long. Just when Lex seems to be himself - the old Lex, I'm talking about. His dark talk in 'Lexmas' forgotten as he once again affirms his care for the Kents, argues with his Dad and gives a good, honest reason for wanting to ascend the political ladder: it's something he finally has that he can work hard for. It's no wonder that Lex has been a bit crazy throughout the series, because throughout the series he keeps getting knocked on the head and without the useful padding of hair to cushion the blows they must have taken more of a toll than for the average person. It's a theory. To add to the nature/nurture, the twisted way he's been forced to live and myriad other problems.
Trouble is, the big showdown building up between Kent and Luthor hasn't worked itself up naturally. To begin with Jonathan hated all Luthors and over the episodes, as Lex, puppy-like did all he could to prove himself different Mr. Kent thawed. From then on (like most aspects of the series, such as Lana and Clark's lovin' and hatin', or Martha's worries), things yo-yo-ed between happy, jolly acceptance and deepest, darkest distrust and anger. It's difficult to believe Jonathan's actually angry at Lex, and vice versa so the aggression is automatically pulled out of the battle leaving it seeming limp and artificial. I'm with Martha - she doesn't like what she sees. It's like a parallel universe with no progression from what's gone before. If comics are like this, then I'm glad I never got into them! Martha's husband has become so different, and just at that moment of weakness, along comes Lionel, like a devil on her shoulder to offer her a way out. But she must know he never gives anything for nothing. I'd cite other occasions when he's offered to help in the past, only the episodes are all blending together through being so samey so I can't pick out specific ones.
So it's back to being the dishonest Kent's again. Martha hid the key to Clark's spaceship, Clark's hidden many things and now Jonathan is hiding the extent of the threats to him and more importantly, his own health. If they could only learn from their past mistakes (not even long past!), and work together as the family they were, maybe that would have prevented many of the problems, and if not they could have faced them more stolidly.
It was a good start and a good end, but I guessed immediately that it was going to go back before the event of the teaser. Although the image of Lois pulling the trigger was enough to draw me in, I could only entertain her as a killer for a short while. Either she was made to do it under duress, or we were being fooled with and she was actually shooting the attacker, or it was some brainwashing Kryptonite (yellow maybe?) that had turned her head. Those solutions came to me in reverse order, but only because of the way crazy-zealot-girl became crazier as the minutes passed, and worse, she didn't even have the excuse of meteorite infection. The one time Lex is actually talking sanely she comes along and knocks him on the head, doing crazy things in his name, maybe showing him a bit of a mirror of himself. Such an experience could have been a wake-up call for him, but with these writers, I doubt it. While Mr. Kent faces death threats and the toil of the campaign, Martha sees her husband changing and the cracks spreading underneath them all, and Clark's worrying about the romantic side of life. Makes him seem a lot less heroic.
***
After all that Lionel Luthor's done Martha would still take his money? Jonathan Kent still doesn't let his family in on being threatened or ill? Clark still doesn't tell Lana his big secret even though now would be the perfect time when she's all into the notion of a spacecraft in the first meteor shower? Somehow the episode won me over, despite not being clever, aside from the misdirection with Lois apparently firing the gun in the teaser. So much happens in the space of an episode in 'Smallville' that there's no shortage of things to think about, that's for sure!
One thing I was prepared for was Mr. Kent's death. It's been leading up to that for a while, I knew it was coming anyway, so a bullet in the head seemed likely, even though I know he's got the heart condition. So although I wasn't exactly surprised that he didn't get shot, I was kept on the edge as I know he hasn't got long. Just when Lex seems to be himself - the old Lex, I'm talking about. His dark talk in 'Lexmas' forgotten as he once again affirms his care for the Kents, argues with his Dad and gives a good, honest reason for wanting to ascend the political ladder: it's something he finally has that he can work hard for. It's no wonder that Lex has been a bit crazy throughout the series, because throughout the series he keeps getting knocked on the head and without the useful padding of hair to cushion the blows they must have taken more of a toll than for the average person. It's a theory. To add to the nature/nurture, the twisted way he's been forced to live and myriad other problems.
Trouble is, the big showdown building up between Kent and Luthor hasn't worked itself up naturally. To begin with Jonathan hated all Luthors and over the episodes, as Lex, puppy-like did all he could to prove himself different Mr. Kent thawed. From then on (like most aspects of the series, such as Lana and Clark's lovin' and hatin', or Martha's worries), things yo-yo-ed between happy, jolly acceptance and deepest, darkest distrust and anger. It's difficult to believe Jonathan's actually angry at Lex, and vice versa so the aggression is automatically pulled out of the battle leaving it seeming limp and artificial. I'm with Martha - she doesn't like what she sees. It's like a parallel universe with no progression from what's gone before. If comics are like this, then I'm glad I never got into them! Martha's husband has become so different, and just at that moment of weakness, along comes Lionel, like a devil on her shoulder to offer her a way out. But she must know he never gives anything for nothing. I'd cite other occasions when he's offered to help in the past, only the episodes are all blending together through being so samey so I can't pick out specific ones.
So it's back to being the dishonest Kent's again. Martha hid the key to Clark's spaceship, Clark's hidden many things and now Jonathan is hiding the extent of the threats to him and more importantly, his own health. If they could only learn from their past mistakes (not even long past!), and work together as the family they were, maybe that would have prevented many of the problems, and if not they could have faced them more stolidly.
It was a good start and a good end, but I guessed immediately that it was going to go back before the event of the teaser. Although the image of Lois pulling the trigger was enough to draw me in, I could only entertain her as a killer for a short while. Either she was made to do it under duress, or we were being fooled with and she was actually shooting the attacker, or it was some brainwashing Kryptonite (yellow maybe?) that had turned her head. Those solutions came to me in reverse order, but only because of the way crazy-zealot-girl became crazier as the minutes passed, and worse, she didn't even have the excuse of meteorite infection. The one time Lex is actually talking sanely she comes along and knocks him on the head, doing crazy things in his name, maybe showing him a bit of a mirror of himself. Such an experience could have been a wake-up call for him, but with these writers, I doubt it. While Mr. Kent faces death threats and the toil of the campaign, Martha sees her husband changing and the cracks spreading underneath them all, and Clark's worrying about the romantic side of life. Makes him seem a lot less heroic.
***
First Contact
DVD, TNG S4 (First Contact)
A series of complex issues that chart the reality of alien interaction, the kind of cerebral story this series could get away with. The issues that confront the Federation when it comes to making first contact, a romantic notion in itself, are varied and risky. Here we are shown the way different people react, whether they are extremists against change, full of distrust, or odd people with slightly distorted imaginings of alien life, or even those ready to make the leap into the shock of the new. In the end there's a great sense of the leader of the Malcorians making the right decision, though it would put his race back in development. He was a wise leader and his position showed that the race had enough sense to elect someone of his thoughtfulness and would suggest they will be ready for the wider universe in the near future. A return to the planet would have been a good idea, but sadly we never heard what happened. You can only reprise so many storylines even with a series that lasted as long as this one.
Carolyn Seymour is the only thing to make a return. In Season 2 she played the first female Romulan of the series, but this time she's a much more sympathetic character (for one time only!), though I can't help wondering if things would have worked out better if Picard had made his own decision and been completely open about the surveillance teams. A similar story had already appeared the previous season, Riker again wearing the rubber forehead. Those people were more primitive, this was about a people being ready to learn of alien life in the eyes of the Federation's, but not in the Malcorian's view.
It's all Riker's fault - if he hadn't got mixed up in a riot none of this would have happened. I wonder what he was doing there as the Enterprise's mission isn't to spy on aliens, and Starfleet already had teams there. They must have been a bit sore about Riker strolling in and ruining the carefully observed plans they'd played out over several years! The sets were good, though not as attractive as the outdoors of 'Who Watches The Watchers', but the single most interesting fact is Picard's statement about how first contact with the Klingons was disastrous and led to decades of war. You mean the bit where a Klingon crashes into a 22nd Century farmer's field and the farmer shoots him? Captain Archer rescued the big guy and helped the Klingons so there shouldn't have been all that hostility. Must be down to the Klingon way - they'd rather fight than make peace. That or 22nd Century history isn't Picard's strong point...
***
A series of complex issues that chart the reality of alien interaction, the kind of cerebral story this series could get away with. The issues that confront the Federation when it comes to making first contact, a romantic notion in itself, are varied and risky. Here we are shown the way different people react, whether they are extremists against change, full of distrust, or odd people with slightly distorted imaginings of alien life, or even those ready to make the leap into the shock of the new. In the end there's a great sense of the leader of the Malcorians making the right decision, though it would put his race back in development. He was a wise leader and his position showed that the race had enough sense to elect someone of his thoughtfulness and would suggest they will be ready for the wider universe in the near future. A return to the planet would have been a good idea, but sadly we never heard what happened. You can only reprise so many storylines even with a series that lasted as long as this one.
Carolyn Seymour is the only thing to make a return. In Season 2 she played the first female Romulan of the series, but this time she's a much more sympathetic character (for one time only!), though I can't help wondering if things would have worked out better if Picard had made his own decision and been completely open about the surveillance teams. A similar story had already appeared the previous season, Riker again wearing the rubber forehead. Those people were more primitive, this was about a people being ready to learn of alien life in the eyes of the Federation's, but not in the Malcorian's view.
It's all Riker's fault - if he hadn't got mixed up in a riot none of this would have happened. I wonder what he was doing there as the Enterprise's mission isn't to spy on aliens, and Starfleet already had teams there. They must have been a bit sore about Riker strolling in and ruining the carefully observed plans they'd played out over several years! The sets were good, though not as attractive as the outdoors of 'Who Watches The Watchers', but the single most interesting fact is Picard's statement about how first contact with the Klingons was disastrous and led to decades of war. You mean the bit where a Klingon crashes into a 22nd Century farmer's field and the farmer shoots him? Captain Archer rescued the big guy and helped the Klingons so there shouldn't have been all that hostility. Must be down to the Klingon way - they'd rather fight than make peace. That or 22nd Century history isn't Picard's strong point...
***
Monday, 3 January 2011
Crystal Skull
DVD, Stargate SG-1 S3 (Crystal Skull)
Having just watched 'Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull' I feel I've gone from complete ignorance of such phenomena to an expert on the subject. Okay, maybe an exaggeration, but it is ironic that I should watch that film one day and then see this episode the next! It was nothing special for most of the time, with a duff CGI cavern and nothing spectacular going on. Daniel always seems to be the one to get trapped or go missing alone, perhaps that's why he adjusts so easily to such situations, and I always love the way he's not too surprised either getting into or out of such scrapes!
There's a bit more interest when Grandpa Jackson (aka Nick Ballard) shows up, and this is when the story takes off. You get a sense that he can see Daniel from the first moment, but he's soon concentrating on the 'flesh and blood' members of SG-1 so Danny boy doesn't get a look-in until the fabulous moment when they're alone in his guest room and he talks to him. A great moment, and great fun, though not as funny as 'Urgo' in a similar vein.
We also get Sergeant Siler and the hilariously inept and worried Rothman returning, but there doesn't seem to be much of a conclusion to the story. They're aliens who transported via the skull? Anything else? It doesn't appear so. I don't remember seeing Ballard in future episodes so it could be another case of Ernest, except this is a guy that wants to be there so it was a happy ending. I thought the voice of the alien was familiar, and then the credits said it was Chris Judge. But how did they return to our 'phase' of vision or whatever? The same way I suppose, but it ends before they get back so they could be invisible forever. Maybe not.
***
Having just watched 'Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull' I feel I've gone from complete ignorance of such phenomena to an expert on the subject. Okay, maybe an exaggeration, but it is ironic that I should watch that film one day and then see this episode the next! It was nothing special for most of the time, with a duff CGI cavern and nothing spectacular going on. Daniel always seems to be the one to get trapped or go missing alone, perhaps that's why he adjusts so easily to such situations, and I always love the way he's not too surprised either getting into or out of such scrapes!
There's a bit more interest when Grandpa Jackson (aka Nick Ballard) shows up, and this is when the story takes off. You get a sense that he can see Daniel from the first moment, but he's soon concentrating on the 'flesh and blood' members of SG-1 so Danny boy doesn't get a look-in until the fabulous moment when they're alone in his guest room and he talks to him. A great moment, and great fun, though not as funny as 'Urgo' in a similar vein.
We also get Sergeant Siler and the hilariously inept and worried Rothman returning, but there doesn't seem to be much of a conclusion to the story. They're aliens who transported via the skull? Anything else? It doesn't appear so. I don't remember seeing Ballard in future episodes so it could be another case of Ernest, except this is a guy that wants to be there so it was a happy ending. I thought the voice of the alien was familiar, and then the credits said it was Chris Judge. But how did they return to our 'phase' of vision or whatever? The same way I suppose, but it ends before they get back so they could be invisible forever. Maybe not.
***
Clues
DVD, TNG S4 (Clues)
A truer title there could not be. The clues are all there and it becomes a bit of a loop, or could have turned into one. I'd love to know how they sorted things out so there would be no suspicion - what about Dr. Crusher's moss? They couldn't kill it off without her noticing. Admittedly she mentioned she had more samples, so those could have been supplanted for the fully grown specimens, but what about Counsellor Troi? She would still have seen herself in the mirror and had a bad feeling like she was a mask through which something else was staring... That was a great creepy bit, a really chilling line of dialogue, adding to the general paranoia. It's an episode that is absolutely brilliant the first time round because it gets into your head and all kinds of theories spin out, screaming the question that is at the centre of it all: is Data lying?
It's all so well thought out, and although that first time impact is lost on repeated viewings it still has something, especially when you hear Data gladly accept his fate, willing to be 'stripped to his wires' in Picard's words, to find the cause of his deception. He would die to save the ship and crew just as we always thought he would, but here his actions speak louder than words! It does get tricky to explain the crew's eventual acceptance of the facts, when, added to the points mentioned above, it must be two days out of their memories now, which is even harder to disguise. Still, it was accepted and that's the important thing, and there's something heroic and sad about Data carrying the secret to his grave however far into the future that might be. Even Nurse Alyssa Ogawa gets a moment, and O'Brien's newly married life comes into it again. All this and Guinan experiencing the Dixon Hill program too? Season 4 was truly a break out season!
***
A truer title there could not be. The clues are all there and it becomes a bit of a loop, or could have turned into one. I'd love to know how they sorted things out so there would be no suspicion - what about Dr. Crusher's moss? They couldn't kill it off without her noticing. Admittedly she mentioned she had more samples, so those could have been supplanted for the fully grown specimens, but what about Counsellor Troi? She would still have seen herself in the mirror and had a bad feeling like she was a mask through which something else was staring... That was a great creepy bit, a really chilling line of dialogue, adding to the general paranoia. It's an episode that is absolutely brilliant the first time round because it gets into your head and all kinds of theories spin out, screaming the question that is at the centre of it all: is Data lying?
It's all so well thought out, and although that first time impact is lost on repeated viewings it still has something, especially when you hear Data gladly accept his fate, willing to be 'stripped to his wires' in Picard's words, to find the cause of his deception. He would die to save the ship and crew just as we always thought he would, but here his actions speak louder than words! It does get tricky to explain the crew's eventual acceptance of the facts, when, added to the points mentioned above, it must be two days out of their memories now, which is even harder to disguise. Still, it was accepted and that's the important thing, and there's something heroic and sad about Data carrying the secret to his grave however far into the future that might be. Even Nurse Alyssa Ogawa gets a moment, and O'Brien's newly married life comes into it again. All this and Guinan experiencing the Dixon Hill program too? Season 4 was truly a break out season!
***
Devil's Due
DVD, TNG S4 (Devil's Due)
In the vein of 'The Original Series' story 'Catspaw' this is another tale of superstition manipulated by nefarious aliens for their gain, only this time it's Captain Picard as the great disprover. There isn't much tension because Picard never believes the legend even for a moment, and relatively early we're seen an example of Ardra's lack of knowledge - she tempts Picard with Deanna Troi, when everyone knows it's Dr. Crusher he likes! The story wasn't good enough for a sequel even though 'Ardra' sounds like she'd be up for a rematch, and I expected her to have another trick up her sleeve and disappear, escaping punishment, but not even that small level of mystery is added.
There are interesting similarities with Picard and Data's interactions with the Borg Queen - she's infatuated with the Captain, Data works for her (or at least, not for Picard) for a period, and they both are happy to prove her a fraud and an enemy. But the danger and power of the Borg Queen isn't conveyed in this con artist. In my opinion the first episode to really fall short of the season's level of quality, even if I did watch it the day before Christmas Eve and enjoyed Data's timely performance of 'A Christmas Carol' and the planetary visuals were a sight to behold!
**
In the vein of 'The Original Series' story 'Catspaw' this is another tale of superstition manipulated by nefarious aliens for their gain, only this time it's Captain Picard as the great disprover. There isn't much tension because Picard never believes the legend even for a moment, and relatively early we're seen an example of Ardra's lack of knowledge - she tempts Picard with Deanna Troi, when everyone knows it's Dr. Crusher he likes! The story wasn't good enough for a sequel even though 'Ardra' sounds like she'd be up for a rematch, and I expected her to have another trick up her sleeve and disappear, escaping punishment, but not even that small level of mystery is added.
There are interesting similarities with Picard and Data's interactions with the Borg Queen - she's infatuated with the Captain, Data works for her (or at least, not for Picard) for a period, and they both are happy to prove her a fraud and an enemy. But the danger and power of the Borg Queen isn't conveyed in this con artist. In my opinion the first episode to really fall short of the season's level of quality, even if I did watch it the day before Christmas Eve and enjoyed Data's timely performance of 'A Christmas Carol' and the planetary visuals were a sight to behold!
**
The Wounded
DVD, TNG S4 (The Wounded)
Some of the vital pieces of the construction of 'Deep Space Nine' came with this introduction of the Cardassian race. As he did with the updated Romulans, Marc Alaimo is honoured as the first to play one of the race, even if those whiskers draw attention away from his performance a bit! Kanar is mispronounced as 'kay-nar', and we learn that peace has only existed for a year. We even get a blonde Cardassian, not to mention that 'special' armour and the bizarre headsets they sport. A bit of tweaking made the race look a lot more convincing later, but as a first stab they are just as revolutionary as any of the major creations of the series, with their yellowed complexion and bony, ridged faces. Equally important is O'Brien's active co-starring role. Not only do we get an insight into his new marriage with Keiko, but we hear of his past, see his feelings on Cardassians and learn he was held in high esteem by his former captain.
Picard is placed in a difficult decision and comes up, once again, smelling of roses thanks to the trust he places in his crew and his diplomatic skill. The Cardassians, far from being painted as one-note, warmongers, are given a sympathetic side through the scientist aide of Gul Macet. Their danger to the Federation and uneasy peace would become key elements of future encounters in 'DS9'. Though Macet has the beginnings of silky-voiced Dukat, he is much softer and much more restrained, but it would all be good grounding for the spinoff series. In the teaser Troi expresses surprise at Picard running away from a fight, but that's just what he did last episode, high-tailing it out of a confrontation with the Romulans!
***
Some of the vital pieces of the construction of 'Deep Space Nine' came with this introduction of the Cardassian race. As he did with the updated Romulans, Marc Alaimo is honoured as the first to play one of the race, even if those whiskers draw attention away from his performance a bit! Kanar is mispronounced as 'kay-nar', and we learn that peace has only existed for a year. We even get a blonde Cardassian, not to mention that 'special' armour and the bizarre headsets they sport. A bit of tweaking made the race look a lot more convincing later, but as a first stab they are just as revolutionary as any of the major creations of the series, with their yellowed complexion and bony, ridged faces. Equally important is O'Brien's active co-starring role. Not only do we get an insight into his new marriage with Keiko, but we hear of his past, see his feelings on Cardassians and learn he was held in high esteem by his former captain.
Picard is placed in a difficult decision and comes up, once again, smelling of roses thanks to the trust he places in his crew and his diplomatic skill. The Cardassians, far from being painted as one-note, warmongers, are given a sympathetic side through the scientist aide of Gul Macet. Their danger to the Federation and uneasy peace would become key elements of future encounters in 'DS9'. Though Macet has the beginnings of silky-voiced Dukat, he is much softer and much more restrained, but it would all be good grounding for the spinoff series. In the teaser Troi expresses surprise at Picard running away from a fight, but that's just what he did last episode, high-tailing it out of a confrontation with the Romulans!
***
The Adversary
DVD, DS9 S3 (The Adversary)
Season 3, it could be said, was the season in which the series took off. The introduction of the Founders, Odo's long-lost people, meeting new friends, and losing old ones. The series expanded to new and unexplored frontiers, both sides of the Wormhole, and visited every main character's homeworld at least once, as well as some of the other major races'. There was more action in general, the stories were often more powerful and the introduction of the best-looking starship ever into the mix benefited everyone - well, maybe not the Runabouts, forced to take a back seat for much of the year, but Sisko still managed to lose one, true to form. He got promoted anyway, though, and I would echo both O'Brien and Eddington's sentiments that it was not before time.
The beauty of 'Deep Space Nine' the series (as opposed to DS9, the station - the Breen and their supposedly organic vessels were yet to be seen) was the potential woven into the genesis for growth and change. The characters may have started off angry, agressive (Major Kira), inexperienced, even overly exuberant (Dr. Bashir), but by Season 3, and certainly by its finale (not a cliffhanger, in keeping with the previous two seasons), they had gone through huge, yet natural alteration. Sisko, who'd started as a damaged man that didn't want his position as Commander, finished as a Captain, the extra pip seemingly not making a difference, but legitimising his exploits and making him an equal of his contemporaries. There would not have been the opportunity to reward him if he'd started out as Captain. It was like the series had reached its major turning point. In preparation for all that the Dominion could throw at them, Sisko becomes the authority figure, Starfleet's faith shown in him through the captaincy.
Just as Season 2 had ended with the threat of Dominion attack, 3 ends with the promise of further conflict, but by now viewers shouldn't have expected sudden war with the changelings and their Jem'Hadar soldiers - their established methods of manipulation and long planning had already weakened two major powers in the Alpha Quadrant and put the Romulans to shame for deviousness and puppetry. In some ways we're left in the exact same position as at the end of Season 2, that of a coming threat. Words that will herald great deeds and that would make the station and its occupants participants in legend.
Sisko wasn't the only occupant to have changed. Kira went from an angry, Cardassian-hating bigot who distrusted Starfleet's motives, to Sisko's right-hand woman. She learnt about her friend Odo and lost another, Vedek Bareil. She rediscovered her terrorist past, but also learnt some degree of diplomacy. She'd become more than a soldier. Dax confronted her past, learning to come to terms with the hidden doubts of previous hosts. Bashir and O'Brien's friendship took off, enhanced by Keiko taking off. Rom started to speak up for his son, if not for himself, and Nog made his Father proud by walking the path to joining Starfleet. Jake, an unknown quantity, showed his creative flair and ambitions, Odo found his people and became further from them than ever, and Quark... he stayed Quark. I didn't notice before how much he took on the serving drinks role that he was trapped in during Seasons 6 and 7, but he also continued the great tradition of Ferengi episodes.
'The Adversary' is a mixture of the Defiant doing 'Speed' and any claustrophobic monster film. Setting it on the Defiant, the closest thing to a sub we've seen, heightened the tension, even more so when they're crawling around in Jefferies tubes, a confined space in a confined space... in space. The good thing about running around on the Defiant is we get to see more of it - the compact, but attractive engine room, with it's blue, pulsating warpcore; the mess hall where Sisko can sit sipping his "I love being Captain" mug; and a greater sense of scope and scale with weapons being fired down, up and across in the hunt for the changeling. Let's hope Krajensky wasn't the man who gave Sisko his promotion or it would all have been for naught! These shapeshifters, they get everywhere - all that time we thought he was Cardassian Legate Tekeny Ghemor, and now he's posing as a human ambassador! Lawrence Pressman does a fine job, but I never trusted him for a moment as the ambassador - easy to say when I've seen it so many times, I know.
The only disappointment is in the fight between Odo and the changeling. Nowadays it would have been a much more elaborate affair, but the story isn't harmed by lack of action thanks to the fateful message left behind to underline the episode. At least now Starfleet has a new weapon, however small, against the shapeshifters - blood screening. Odo would have done well to mention it earlier rather than waiting for such a life and death moment! Certain parts of the episode may have given some inspiration to 'Star Trek: First Contact', such as the creeping around in dark passages, or at least, darker than most ships. This only increases the brightness of the displays and blinkies. The writhing, interfering technology, too, looked very Borg-like. One other point you might label a misstep was in not bothering to create the Tzenkethi further than a name and a war-like reputation. They were a one-episode wonder (recently resurrected in the books), but it would have been good to find out the whos, whats and whys. Not that they were important, the drama was all internal.
The writers have a bit of fun with the opening as it sounds like the Sisko is leaving, but it turns out he's finishing as a Commander. He gets to say his first ever Captain's Log, and while he doesn't have much to say, there's still a certain thrill about it. There are plenty of nice scenes littered through the episode, such as Eddington and Sisko, or Jake and his Dad, and the best thing is that most of the characters share the limelight, it's much more an ensemble piece. It would have been a sad end to the series had the Defiant and its command crew self-destructed as planned! It would have had to become the Jake and Nog show, with Quark causing trouble on a regular basis. Much like the series as it was then! Some recurring themes crop up again - Kasidy's mentioned, making more episodes in which her name features than she herself. Bolians are once again shown to be extreme types. This one, like the Andorians, was extremely paranoid, whereas others have been shown to be excessively lazy or very jolly. Maybe it's something about blue blood? He added some nice primary colour to the grey backdrops at least. We're left with the knowledge that Odo's probably in big trouble since "no changeling has ever harmed another". There was always the sense before that it was concern for his well-being that stopped open attacks on the station or overt hostility. This isn't necessarily true, but the Dominion's plans were about to be put into motion again. If you thought Season 3 was good, you haven't seen anything... yet.
****
Season 3, it could be said, was the season in which the series took off. The introduction of the Founders, Odo's long-lost people, meeting new friends, and losing old ones. The series expanded to new and unexplored frontiers, both sides of the Wormhole, and visited every main character's homeworld at least once, as well as some of the other major races'. There was more action in general, the stories were often more powerful and the introduction of the best-looking starship ever into the mix benefited everyone - well, maybe not the Runabouts, forced to take a back seat for much of the year, but Sisko still managed to lose one, true to form. He got promoted anyway, though, and I would echo both O'Brien and Eddington's sentiments that it was not before time.
The beauty of 'Deep Space Nine' the series (as opposed to DS9, the station - the Breen and their supposedly organic vessels were yet to be seen) was the potential woven into the genesis for growth and change. The characters may have started off angry, agressive (Major Kira), inexperienced, even overly exuberant (Dr. Bashir), but by Season 3, and certainly by its finale (not a cliffhanger, in keeping with the previous two seasons), they had gone through huge, yet natural alteration. Sisko, who'd started as a damaged man that didn't want his position as Commander, finished as a Captain, the extra pip seemingly not making a difference, but legitimising his exploits and making him an equal of his contemporaries. There would not have been the opportunity to reward him if he'd started out as Captain. It was like the series had reached its major turning point. In preparation for all that the Dominion could throw at them, Sisko becomes the authority figure, Starfleet's faith shown in him through the captaincy.
Just as Season 2 had ended with the threat of Dominion attack, 3 ends with the promise of further conflict, but by now viewers shouldn't have expected sudden war with the changelings and their Jem'Hadar soldiers - their established methods of manipulation and long planning had already weakened two major powers in the Alpha Quadrant and put the Romulans to shame for deviousness and puppetry. In some ways we're left in the exact same position as at the end of Season 2, that of a coming threat. Words that will herald great deeds and that would make the station and its occupants participants in legend.
Sisko wasn't the only occupant to have changed. Kira went from an angry, Cardassian-hating bigot who distrusted Starfleet's motives, to Sisko's right-hand woman. She learnt about her friend Odo and lost another, Vedek Bareil. She rediscovered her terrorist past, but also learnt some degree of diplomacy. She'd become more than a soldier. Dax confronted her past, learning to come to terms with the hidden doubts of previous hosts. Bashir and O'Brien's friendship took off, enhanced by Keiko taking off. Rom started to speak up for his son, if not for himself, and Nog made his Father proud by walking the path to joining Starfleet. Jake, an unknown quantity, showed his creative flair and ambitions, Odo found his people and became further from them than ever, and Quark... he stayed Quark. I didn't notice before how much he took on the serving drinks role that he was trapped in during Seasons 6 and 7, but he also continued the great tradition of Ferengi episodes.
'The Adversary' is a mixture of the Defiant doing 'Speed' and any claustrophobic monster film. Setting it on the Defiant, the closest thing to a sub we've seen, heightened the tension, even more so when they're crawling around in Jefferies tubes, a confined space in a confined space... in space. The good thing about running around on the Defiant is we get to see more of it - the compact, but attractive engine room, with it's blue, pulsating warpcore; the mess hall where Sisko can sit sipping his "I love being Captain" mug; and a greater sense of scope and scale with weapons being fired down, up and across in the hunt for the changeling. Let's hope Krajensky wasn't the man who gave Sisko his promotion or it would all have been for naught! These shapeshifters, they get everywhere - all that time we thought he was Cardassian Legate Tekeny Ghemor, and now he's posing as a human ambassador! Lawrence Pressman does a fine job, but I never trusted him for a moment as the ambassador - easy to say when I've seen it so many times, I know.
The only disappointment is in the fight between Odo and the changeling. Nowadays it would have been a much more elaborate affair, but the story isn't harmed by lack of action thanks to the fateful message left behind to underline the episode. At least now Starfleet has a new weapon, however small, against the shapeshifters - blood screening. Odo would have done well to mention it earlier rather than waiting for such a life and death moment! Certain parts of the episode may have given some inspiration to 'Star Trek: First Contact', such as the creeping around in dark passages, or at least, darker than most ships. This only increases the brightness of the displays and blinkies. The writhing, interfering technology, too, looked very Borg-like. One other point you might label a misstep was in not bothering to create the Tzenkethi further than a name and a war-like reputation. They were a one-episode wonder (recently resurrected in the books), but it would have been good to find out the whos, whats and whys. Not that they were important, the drama was all internal.
The writers have a bit of fun with the opening as it sounds like the Sisko is leaving, but it turns out he's finishing as a Commander. He gets to say his first ever Captain's Log, and while he doesn't have much to say, there's still a certain thrill about it. There are plenty of nice scenes littered through the episode, such as Eddington and Sisko, or Jake and his Dad, and the best thing is that most of the characters share the limelight, it's much more an ensemble piece. It would have been a sad end to the series had the Defiant and its command crew self-destructed as planned! It would have had to become the Jake and Nog show, with Quark causing trouble on a regular basis. Much like the series as it was then! Some recurring themes crop up again - Kasidy's mentioned, making more episodes in which her name features than she herself. Bolians are once again shown to be extreme types. This one, like the Andorians, was extremely paranoid, whereas others have been shown to be excessively lazy or very jolly. Maybe it's something about blue blood? He added some nice primary colour to the grey backdrops at least. We're left with the knowledge that Odo's probably in big trouble since "no changeling has ever harmed another". There was always the sense before that it was concern for his well-being that stopped open attacks on the station or overt hostility. This isn't necessarily true, but the Dominion's plans were about to be put into motion again. If you thought Season 3 was good, you haven't seen anything... yet.
****
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