DVD, Star Trek: Voyager (Basics, Part II)
It really hit me how simply exciting and well laid out this episode is. It may be that I've been watching a lot of 'TNG' lately and that has made me forget how terrific the later series' were, but I didn't come to this with any expectations other than that this was a very good episode that I hadn't seen for a long time. But it really is a great episode full of archetypal heroic behaviour, uplifting self-sacrifice and understanding between peoples, all whipped up into a delicious frenzy of movement and plotting, confrontations and survival. Notably it is one resolution to a two-part episode that truly lives up to the first part, which doesn't always happen. The series had reached a point both creatively, behind the scenes, and story-wise, where they had decided to move on from the crutches they had leaned on in the first two seasons. The Kazon had served their purpose, maybe they hadn't been developed enough, and regardless, Voyager was always moving on so it could never stick in one area for too long. Seska, though she could have continued to be a threat, was tied to the Kazon so it was logical for her to die, and even for her there is a feeling of compassion when she uses her last strength to try to reach her baby. She may have been treacherous and two-faced (literally), but she did care for the child, and Maje Cullah showed, despite all their arguments, that he cared for her, showing great sadness at her death.
I can understand the Kazon/Seska plot being wrapped up, and they did wrap it up - even the baby was neatly explained away as actually being Cullah's child rather than Chakotay's; but I wished Suder's story hadn't been ended just as abruptly. Only in three episodes did he appear, but in that short time Brad Dourif created one of the series' best recurring characters that could have had so much more exploration. He goes through so much to save the ship, basically regressing all the good work he and Tuvok achieved in controlling the violent instincts that had made him a murderer. He still has those instincts and wants to fight them, but knows he must give up the peace of mind he's discovered for the sake of his crew. My favourite moment for him, even above his heroic death successfully disabling ship's systems so Paris' attack can beat the enemy, is when he finds the message the Doctor has left him, knowing that Seska might deactivate him at any time. At first Suder crumples down, only his eyes showing above the computer screen, then he gathers his resolve and stands upright, realising what he must do, his black Betazoid eyes staring into the future, and he chooses to do what it takes to regain the ship. That was the culmination of the character for me, and proves that even a murderer can find redemption.
I feel it was laziness and an inability to plot a course with the character that earned him an early demise, he deserved to live, though I was mollified somewhat by his hero's death. Poor Hogan, one of the minor recurring characters of the early episodes, was used as a redshirt - a meaningless death to shock us. But that worked so well at the other end of the spectrum because he was someone we knew, not an extra. Sometimes it's good for the audience's preconceptions to be shaken up and his early demise certainly drove home the true nature of the planet Janeway's crew had to call home. I love the way the scene was directed - we'd already seen a cave monster at the end of Part I, this time we don't see it, instead experiencing its own point of view in a fantastically fast and brutal rush through the tunnels charging towards Hogan, the walls rushing by and the daylight almost blinding in contrast. If nothing else it gets Janeway angry, and that's not a good sign for her enemies. At first, when she grabs some grubs from under a rock and ferociously orders everyone to partake, I noted how she didn't eat any herself. Not taking her own advice, I thought, but then I realised that actually it was her nobility shining through - she wouldn't eat before her crew had all been fed.
There's a lot of nobility in the episode and its one of the deciding factors in this being one of the best of the series, as well as its ability to juggle multiple stories adeptly, always keeping us wanting more. Chakotay is, I think, the best used character of the episode - if only the later episodes had had this depth of input for him. He shows his heroic side on several occasions and in several different ways: he backs up the captain, he leads his team of people, caring for Wildman's baby, he always makes sure that others are looked after - either running from the natives into the caves, or escaping the monster inside, he's always the last to leave the danger zone, making sure everyone else is safe. He takes on the iconic Captain's role, more suited to the male-dominated environs of the harsh world. Not to say Janeway isn't the captain, as her leadership is what keeps them together, but Chakotay just gets to do what he does best. And his best means walking boldly and bravely into the middle of an angry circle of warrior natives. His calm presence and unthreatening nature show that a lack of fear can be a huge asset. He rescues Neelix and Kes, and although the natives are only held back for a few moments, it gives them time to escape. Most importantly these moments are so well characterised - only Chakotay would do something like this, it's a unique aspect of his persona.
It did strike me that this is a very manly episode with little for the womenfolk to do but carry babies and maybe do a bit of running away (Torres volunteering to be one of the three that lure the natives into chasing them). I've mentioned that Chakotay seems more Captain-like than Janeway who, although her strong leadership keeps the crew together, is much more reliant on her First Officer to make the important moves, and Tuvok, who deals with the security matter of crafting weapons. Kes is also a victim, rather than a hero, while Paris is the one to retake the ship, also blowing up a pursuing Kazon vessel early on. Neelix only makes things worse by his contribution, becoming combative to his captors, undoing some of the good work of Chakotay, but that's his way, true to who he is, his diplomatic gene not in evidence when it comes to Kes, though I'd have thought his survival skills would have been more in evidence than we saw. Kes' role is helping to care baby Wildman, and there was a hint of her powers coming through when she seems to have a premonition of Neelix' danger after he leaves camp, but it could just as easily be seen as worrying for his safety.
Chakotay is instrumental in bringing the crew and the natives together peacefully when he rescues a girl from the lava flow, although I'd love to hear how they explained to the natives the appearance of the great Voyager swooping down at the end. I loved the look of the natives, their shocks of dark hair swept back, craggy, bony, jutting faces and ragtag sewn-together clothing, even their frenetic motion and bobbing stance - they worked really well and I can't remember many other instances when Trek crews have had dealings with such primitive beings. I didn't even think about the lack of Universal Translators for the crew to use. It could have been a lesson that stripping away the technology such as the UT could provide more drama, it certainly provokes a stronger reaction in their dealings with the unintelligible natives as they struggle to reach common ground. The struggles of the episode and the crew's triumphs are what make it such an uplifting story. The crew endured a lot in this and they always come up trumps: the beast of the underground is fended off, the natives become friends, the lava is escaped. It's safe to say that Janeway's crew lived up to Cullah's challenge, surviving against the odds with their Starfleet training a solid tool to rely on.
There's even time for jokes with Chakotay not being able to light the fire and Tuvok explaining that he made the bow for himself to use as he was an archery instructor at the Academy. I liked the symmetry of a baby on the planet and a baby on the ship, a good linking device. The Doctor shows what he's capable of and how far his program has come since the early days when he reverts to his Season 1 persona to lure Seska into a false sense of security, but he goes further and demonstrates how deep his program and understanding of humanoids is by later acting as if he was solely responsible for all the sabotage, not only lying to Seska, but also lying about lying - she may have been a master, but the Doctor won this battle. I wondered where the Kazon planned to take him as he's flanked by two soldiers and marched through sickbay until something else comes up and they have other things to attend to - they'd have got a surprise if they'd made him walk him out of the room! Earlier, when Seska leaves sickbay the first time, the Doc records his medical log right next to the doorway. He was fortunate no Kazon walked in on him just then as it would have blown his cover!
The third, and smallest storyline is Tom Paris' mission to gather Talaxian reinforcements. There was no surprise that he survived the cliffhanger as his name was in the titles, but people would have known if he'd left anyway. It's one of the few instances in the series when Voyager had someone close enough at hand to assist them, but like the Kazon, the Talaxian connection was to become mostly a thing of the past. I wasn't really sure why they would help anyway, except that Neelix was a member of the crew, but Paxim must have been impressed enough with the crew that he was willing to stick his neck out for them. Then again, the race was generally shown to be a goodhearted and stout one, ready to help, though they could also be very selfish. One of the few additions I'd have liked was to see Talaxian soldiers pounding the decks shooting at fleeing Kazon, but it wasn't their story so it's fair enough that we only see Paris and a couple of them beam to the bridge - the makeup probably didn't come cheap, in money or time. I wondered how the remaining Kazon were to escape Voyager, but in the next scene they mention some of the escape pods had ejected. Hopefully the crew can replicate new parts as they'd need them in the future.
There's really nothing I can fault this episode on. It weaves exciting action sequences with meaningful character development, witty lines and very assured direction with many dramatic moments and the kind of sequences previous Treks could only dream of - the eel-like cave-dweller was the first fully CG creature in it and worked really well (even though I remembered someone was going to get eaten and as soon as I saw someone that looked like Dennis Madalone, the famous stunt coordinator, I knew it would be him!), but effects certainly didn't overwhelm the story, everything working in concert to near perfection. They got around showing the size of the crew intelligently by having them split into smaller groups, but obviously it would have been an amazing sight if we could have seen all two hundred crew members together. And I was surprised the episode wasn't capped by a short speech from Janeway, but they'd crammed so much in they were just out of time. If only the later seasons had worked on all these levels as well as this one did. It promised the third season to be a romping action ride, that also took time with its characters, as we'll see, though Michael Piller was a real loss to Trek in general, this being his last episode.
*****
Monday, 16 April 2012
Last Stand
DVD, Stargate SG-1 S5 (Last Stand)
This conclusion to the previous episode has some surprises and some very unsurprising developments. It is also slow and ponderous in comparison, letting the side down a bit after a good first part. The fight between Osiris, Yu and Daniel, followed by Yu's death at the hands of Osiris and Daniel's escape in the pod, picked up by Jacob and his ship's subsequent crash into the tree-heavy planet of the Tok'ra base almost saved the episode. But for the first half at least, the story revolves around people in rooms standing and talking or sitting and talking. Whether we jump over to the System Lords meeting hall, or the hallways of that vast ship, or back to the remains of the Tok'ra's underground base, there's little going on. There's a bit of politics with Yu opposed to Anubis' request to join the other Lords, a bit of history, hinting that Yu is the only one of the Goa'uld still around from the days when Anubis was banished a thousand years ago, and the connection between Carter and Lantash in Elliot's body is addressed. Teal'c gets to play with the crystal walls to create a way out for the stranded SG team, and everyone talks. A lot.
Though the historical significance of Anubis is interesting and how he was cast out by his fellows for unspeakable crimes, it doesn't really progress the story. If the Goa'uld thought his crimes were that bad he really must have been a demented tyrant since they aren't above a spot of cannibalism when they're peckish. Daniel mentions that he now knows why the Goa'uld population hasn't risen recently and the only thing I got from it was that the System Lords were busy snacking on their own kind and that was why the numbers had reached a plateau. I'm not sure if that was what I was supposed to get from it, but that seemed to be the only explanation. It sets up Anubis to be this extremely dangerous entity, but whether that comes to fruition or not I can't remember - after all, Sokar was set to be the nastiest thing since sliced symbiote and he didn't last very long. One thing bugged me a little was the question of time. I thought Goa'uld lived for thousands of years so how can it be that Yu was the only one still around from the days when Anubis was banished?
It was good that they dealt with Carter and Lantash, but it did come out a little heavy-handed as if they just had to chuck that in and get it over with, and as I predicted Elliot/Lantash died so there were no repercussions which could have been explored, though I did like the way it was directed with Carter's face in shadow as Elliot talks to her. One thing that was simply, but very effectively achieved was a way out of the cliffhanger ending - like before, when I had forgotten all about Osiris coming to the summit, Daniel's magic ring had slipped my mind because of misdirection. I had only thought as far as it working on Yu, so when he jabs Osiris with it that was a great moment. It did leave me wondering if Osiris was just play acting, planning to play games with Daniel by pretending she didn't know who he was, especially if she found herself standing in a room holding a dagger and can't remember why she's there or what she'd planned to do, but it remained a good resolution. It was also a clever get-out clause for Daniel to need more information, so preventing him from activating the weapon and allowing the story to continue. It would have been much shorter if he'd successfully killed all the Goa'uld leaders.
He still makes a blundering error by talking truthfully to the servant of another Goa'uld. Whether he was trying to turn him to his side or find out more information it was pretty thoughtless of him. That wasn't the only moment which didn't ring entirely true. I felt the first words out of Jacob's lips when he arrives on the Tok'ra planet would be to ask if Sam was alive, but he seems unconcerned. Granted, he is a military man and had probably accepted the fact she could be dead, put it to the back of his mind and moved onto the next practical course of action, but it would have been a nice moment if he'd shown some concern. That's a problem with the series sometimes that it get too bogged down in getting from story point A to story point B that it can forget to play all the drama. They made up for it with Lieutenant Elliot/Lantash's brave decision to remain behind so the others could escape.
This didn't make sense. What happened to "We never leave a man behind," as O'Neill was saying recently. Elliot was a bit quick to give up on life, even assuming the symbiote knew exactly how likely it was for them to live. The main source of confusion was that the team needed to get to the gate, but there were too many Goa'uld around. So they wanted to set off Daniel's toxin device and kill them, but they couldn't do it near Teal'c, Jacob and Elliot because that would kill them. So Elliot volunteers to activate it when the others have hidden, to clear a path to the 'gate. But how would they know when the effect had dissipated? How did they know Elliot would be able to do it - his hands might be restrained? How long would they have to hide for and where could they hide to protect the joined among them? All of this made little sense and it felt like what it was - an opportunity to have a selfless act, get rid of Elliot and end on a more affecting note than if they just walked back through the 'gate. Then again we don't see Elliot die so it's possible he didn't carry out the plan, was captured and could come back again (maybe as an enemy).
The episode neatly ties up most of part one of the story and sorts out a few odds and ends - Yu, last of the naysayers against Anubis, is dead, Osiris had time to know it was Daniel after all, and Anubis plans to wipe out Earth (as well as the Tok'ra), because he considers himself outside of the Asgard's treaty. In the last episode I had the impression the unnamed Goa'uld that sends Osiris to the summit was a servant of Anubis, but in this one I wondered if he was the man himself since he's never named. As it is, the events leave room for further developments that could be entertaining, even though this episode was a bit formulaic, not dealing enough with the character's reactions to their assorted situations.
**
This conclusion to the previous episode has some surprises and some very unsurprising developments. It is also slow and ponderous in comparison, letting the side down a bit after a good first part. The fight between Osiris, Yu and Daniel, followed by Yu's death at the hands of Osiris and Daniel's escape in the pod, picked up by Jacob and his ship's subsequent crash into the tree-heavy planet of the Tok'ra base almost saved the episode. But for the first half at least, the story revolves around people in rooms standing and talking or sitting and talking. Whether we jump over to the System Lords meeting hall, or the hallways of that vast ship, or back to the remains of the Tok'ra's underground base, there's little going on. There's a bit of politics with Yu opposed to Anubis' request to join the other Lords, a bit of history, hinting that Yu is the only one of the Goa'uld still around from the days when Anubis was banished a thousand years ago, and the connection between Carter and Lantash in Elliot's body is addressed. Teal'c gets to play with the crystal walls to create a way out for the stranded SG team, and everyone talks. A lot.
Though the historical significance of Anubis is interesting and how he was cast out by his fellows for unspeakable crimes, it doesn't really progress the story. If the Goa'uld thought his crimes were that bad he really must have been a demented tyrant since they aren't above a spot of cannibalism when they're peckish. Daniel mentions that he now knows why the Goa'uld population hasn't risen recently and the only thing I got from it was that the System Lords were busy snacking on their own kind and that was why the numbers had reached a plateau. I'm not sure if that was what I was supposed to get from it, but that seemed to be the only explanation. It sets up Anubis to be this extremely dangerous entity, but whether that comes to fruition or not I can't remember - after all, Sokar was set to be the nastiest thing since sliced symbiote and he didn't last very long. One thing bugged me a little was the question of time. I thought Goa'uld lived for thousands of years so how can it be that Yu was the only one still around from the days when Anubis was banished?
It was good that they dealt with Carter and Lantash, but it did come out a little heavy-handed as if they just had to chuck that in and get it over with, and as I predicted Elliot/Lantash died so there were no repercussions which could have been explored, though I did like the way it was directed with Carter's face in shadow as Elliot talks to her. One thing that was simply, but very effectively achieved was a way out of the cliffhanger ending - like before, when I had forgotten all about Osiris coming to the summit, Daniel's magic ring had slipped my mind because of misdirection. I had only thought as far as it working on Yu, so when he jabs Osiris with it that was a great moment. It did leave me wondering if Osiris was just play acting, planning to play games with Daniel by pretending she didn't know who he was, especially if she found herself standing in a room holding a dagger and can't remember why she's there or what she'd planned to do, but it remained a good resolution. It was also a clever get-out clause for Daniel to need more information, so preventing him from activating the weapon and allowing the story to continue. It would have been much shorter if he'd successfully killed all the Goa'uld leaders.
He still makes a blundering error by talking truthfully to the servant of another Goa'uld. Whether he was trying to turn him to his side or find out more information it was pretty thoughtless of him. That wasn't the only moment which didn't ring entirely true. I felt the first words out of Jacob's lips when he arrives on the Tok'ra planet would be to ask if Sam was alive, but he seems unconcerned. Granted, he is a military man and had probably accepted the fact she could be dead, put it to the back of his mind and moved onto the next practical course of action, but it would have been a nice moment if he'd shown some concern. That's a problem with the series sometimes that it get too bogged down in getting from story point A to story point B that it can forget to play all the drama. They made up for it with Lieutenant Elliot/Lantash's brave decision to remain behind so the others could escape.
This didn't make sense. What happened to "We never leave a man behind," as O'Neill was saying recently. Elliot was a bit quick to give up on life, even assuming the symbiote knew exactly how likely it was for them to live. The main source of confusion was that the team needed to get to the gate, but there were too many Goa'uld around. So they wanted to set off Daniel's toxin device and kill them, but they couldn't do it near Teal'c, Jacob and Elliot because that would kill them. So Elliot volunteers to activate it when the others have hidden, to clear a path to the 'gate. But how would they know when the effect had dissipated? How did they know Elliot would be able to do it - his hands might be restrained? How long would they have to hide for and where could they hide to protect the joined among them? All of this made little sense and it felt like what it was - an opportunity to have a selfless act, get rid of Elliot and end on a more affecting note than if they just walked back through the 'gate. Then again we don't see Elliot die so it's possible he didn't carry out the plan, was captured and could come back again (maybe as an enemy).
The episode neatly ties up most of part one of the story and sorts out a few odds and ends - Yu, last of the naysayers against Anubis, is dead, Osiris had time to know it was Daniel after all, and Anubis plans to wipe out Earth (as well as the Tok'ra), because he considers himself outside of the Asgard's treaty. In the last episode I had the impression the unnamed Goa'uld that sends Osiris to the summit was a servant of Anubis, but in this one I wondered if he was the man himself since he's never named. As it is, the events leave room for further developments that could be entertaining, even though this episode was a bit formulaic, not dealing enough with the character's reactions to their assorted situations.
**
Summit
DVD, Stargate SG-1 S5 (Summit)
An episode of extremely large scale which covers many bases and really jolts the status quo as never before, even though it doesn't feel as special as it should, probably because we've seen most of the story elements before and this is just a new shuffle of the deck. But it's also more than that because it introduces and shows more System Lords than we've ever seen, let alone most of them in one place. This was one of the developments that stuck in my head when I originally saw the series, but seeing it now it's hard to believe these are the same warring leaders, proud and haughty, ambitious for power, that we've always been told about. Now that a 'mystery' enemy has been going at them they've finally agreed to at least talk about pooling their resources, but not having quite the insight into the inner workings of the series I felt like I was missing things. There were too many names to remember (and I thought the days of Cronus, Nierte, Apophis and Yu were difficult to keep track of!), too many allegiances and feuds and I didn't think they would come together so easily. Granted, the whole episode could have been about the Goa'uld summit alone, Daniel getting there, his experiences as Yu's servant and the plan to release the toxin. But that was only one small part of a multi-stranded story. I should have realised this was going to be a two-parter.
But that wasn't the only twist I stupidly failed to anticipate. The question of genocide, and Dr. Jackson's part in it, was enough to keep my mind occupied on that storyline so I didn't even consider the inevitable appearance of Osiris (or Sarah, as Daniel insists on thinking of her, having lost his wife to the enemy, he doesn't want to lose a former friend, too), but when it happened I realised I should have seen it a mile off. Jackson's quandary over using deadly means, which he's always been opposed to in general, was only briefly touched on, but it is ironic that he should be the chosen one to go undercover as Yu's servant and do the fatal deed (or at least agree to do that deed). O'Neill would have stood out like a sore thumb, but would have had no compunction in killing off a room full of Goa'uld (though he doesn't seem particularly accepting of Jacob's revelation that the Jaffa may also die from the plan). Carter would be perfect, but doesn't speak Goa'uld, and Teal'c would be easily recognised. Would Daniel have agreed had he known about the Jaffa side of the problem? I would suggest not, and neither would Teal'c - in fact it seems clear the Tok'ra didn't expect any of them to go along with the destruction of the Jaffa which is why they didn't mention that pertinent little fact at the briefing!
As it stands, Daniel chooses not to activate the toxin once Osiris/Sarah enters the room and from that moment on he's a compromised agent not acting in the best interests of the result he set out to accomplish. I imagine Jacob will be furious, but Daniel's failure to act will ultimately bring about good. If you think about it, killing off all the old leaders is a bad thing because if all their forces were united against a common enemy, they'd be fighting him (Anubis, I assume, mentioned by the unnamed Roman-looking Goa'uld with excellent teeth and a penchant for looking down his nose at people, and probably the guy hinted at by Tanith previously). Not that their plan makes a lot of sense - the Tok'ra talk about sweeping all the remaining Goa'uld forces into oblivion once their leaders are dead and they're in disarray, but then the Tok'ra woman (she died so I don't need to remember her name at least!), said they were not equipped to fight the Goa'uld, so how are they going to wipe out their forces? The Tok'ra would have more latitude to do what they do, but they've never really shown themselves to be as wise as they are advanced. They continue to protect the Zatarc technology at all costs. What is the Zatarc technology? I can't remember, but it sounds high-tech and Carter wanted in on it so it must be important. They have an odd way of looking at things - Lantash, Martouf's surviving symbiote can't be used to save a dying soldier because… we say so. Yet it makes it's own decision to jump inside Lieutenant Elliot (he of the 'Proving Ground' youngsters), for survival and Elliot's benefit.
I didn't see those cadets appearing again so that was… different. He wasn't in it too much so didn't have the chance to be annoying and the development of becoming a host, not just to any old snake, but one that used to be in Martouf (whom Major Carter cared about), and that suggests interesting things to come for him. Unless it was a one- (or two-) episode wonder and he dies next time, there's plenty to be mined. I've felt that Teal'c has been less well used this season and in this he remains in the background again, but there is a nice scene when he goes to see Daniel, though I'm not sure whether it was to persuade him to take the mission or to admit he knew no other way of achieving the result they were looking for. He also gets to run through fiery blasts with O'Neill again, though one thing didn't surprise me: the 'redshirt' Tok'ra who had a medium-sized speaking part gets killed as they run back. But if sensors couldn't penetrate the planet surely scurrying out to take a look at the landing of a Goa'uld army would immediately show up? How did they even get close to the Tok'ra base if there was a whole planet to search? Statistically they should have been pretty safe. Why do the Tok'ra build such badly designed bases that fall apart under bombardment? How could Daniel's magic ring completely change Yu's mind in less than a second? If they have that capability why don't they use it more often on the Goa'uld to fool them into altering their brains? Best not think too much…
For spectacle alone this is an episode worth watching, but it also has some important pieces that would play a role in many future episode, not the least the first appearance of Baal, the guy that would replace Apophis as the main recurring enemy. I was actually expecting Apophis to pop up because I thought I saw the actor's name in the credits, but he didn't.
***
An episode of extremely large scale which covers many bases and really jolts the status quo as never before, even though it doesn't feel as special as it should, probably because we've seen most of the story elements before and this is just a new shuffle of the deck. But it's also more than that because it introduces and shows more System Lords than we've ever seen, let alone most of them in one place. This was one of the developments that stuck in my head when I originally saw the series, but seeing it now it's hard to believe these are the same warring leaders, proud and haughty, ambitious for power, that we've always been told about. Now that a 'mystery' enemy has been going at them they've finally agreed to at least talk about pooling their resources, but not having quite the insight into the inner workings of the series I felt like I was missing things. There were too many names to remember (and I thought the days of Cronus, Nierte, Apophis and Yu were difficult to keep track of!), too many allegiances and feuds and I didn't think they would come together so easily. Granted, the whole episode could have been about the Goa'uld summit alone, Daniel getting there, his experiences as Yu's servant and the plan to release the toxin. But that was only one small part of a multi-stranded story. I should have realised this was going to be a two-parter.
But that wasn't the only twist I stupidly failed to anticipate. The question of genocide, and Dr. Jackson's part in it, was enough to keep my mind occupied on that storyline so I didn't even consider the inevitable appearance of Osiris (or Sarah, as Daniel insists on thinking of her, having lost his wife to the enemy, he doesn't want to lose a former friend, too), but when it happened I realised I should have seen it a mile off. Jackson's quandary over using deadly means, which he's always been opposed to in general, was only briefly touched on, but it is ironic that he should be the chosen one to go undercover as Yu's servant and do the fatal deed (or at least agree to do that deed). O'Neill would have stood out like a sore thumb, but would have had no compunction in killing off a room full of Goa'uld (though he doesn't seem particularly accepting of Jacob's revelation that the Jaffa may also die from the plan). Carter would be perfect, but doesn't speak Goa'uld, and Teal'c would be easily recognised. Would Daniel have agreed had he known about the Jaffa side of the problem? I would suggest not, and neither would Teal'c - in fact it seems clear the Tok'ra didn't expect any of them to go along with the destruction of the Jaffa which is why they didn't mention that pertinent little fact at the briefing!
As it stands, Daniel chooses not to activate the toxin once Osiris/Sarah enters the room and from that moment on he's a compromised agent not acting in the best interests of the result he set out to accomplish. I imagine Jacob will be furious, but Daniel's failure to act will ultimately bring about good. If you think about it, killing off all the old leaders is a bad thing because if all their forces were united against a common enemy, they'd be fighting him (Anubis, I assume, mentioned by the unnamed Roman-looking Goa'uld with excellent teeth and a penchant for looking down his nose at people, and probably the guy hinted at by Tanith previously). Not that their plan makes a lot of sense - the Tok'ra talk about sweeping all the remaining Goa'uld forces into oblivion once their leaders are dead and they're in disarray, but then the Tok'ra woman (she died so I don't need to remember her name at least!), said they were not equipped to fight the Goa'uld, so how are they going to wipe out their forces? The Tok'ra would have more latitude to do what they do, but they've never really shown themselves to be as wise as they are advanced. They continue to protect the Zatarc technology at all costs. What is the Zatarc technology? I can't remember, but it sounds high-tech and Carter wanted in on it so it must be important. They have an odd way of looking at things - Lantash, Martouf's surviving symbiote can't be used to save a dying soldier because… we say so. Yet it makes it's own decision to jump inside Lieutenant Elliot (he of the 'Proving Ground' youngsters), for survival and Elliot's benefit.
I didn't see those cadets appearing again so that was… different. He wasn't in it too much so didn't have the chance to be annoying and the development of becoming a host, not just to any old snake, but one that used to be in Martouf (whom Major Carter cared about), and that suggests interesting things to come for him. Unless it was a one- (or two-) episode wonder and he dies next time, there's plenty to be mined. I've felt that Teal'c has been less well used this season and in this he remains in the background again, but there is a nice scene when he goes to see Daniel, though I'm not sure whether it was to persuade him to take the mission or to admit he knew no other way of achieving the result they were looking for. He also gets to run through fiery blasts with O'Neill again, though one thing didn't surprise me: the 'redshirt' Tok'ra who had a medium-sized speaking part gets killed as they run back. But if sensors couldn't penetrate the planet surely scurrying out to take a look at the landing of a Goa'uld army would immediately show up? How did they even get close to the Tok'ra base if there was a whole planet to search? Statistically they should have been pretty safe. Why do the Tok'ra build such badly designed bases that fall apart under bombardment? How could Daniel's magic ring completely change Yu's mind in less than a second? If they have that capability why don't they use it more often on the Goa'uld to fool them into altering their brains? Best not think too much…
For spectacle alone this is an episode worth watching, but it also has some important pieces that would play a role in many future episode, not the least the first appearance of Baal, the guy that would replace Apophis as the main recurring enemy. I was actually expecting Apophis to pop up because I thought I saw the actor's name in the credits, but he didn't.
***
48 Hours
DVD, Stargate SG-1 S5 (48 Hours)
If you hadn't been keeping up to date with all the goings-on in 'Stargate'-land you'd probably have a hard time keeping up with this as it's all about the many plot threads that have been a-weaving this season, and well woven they are here. The episode begins in fine style full of spectacle that was so impressive much of it was used in the new credits sequence in future seasons. The effects really are quite tremendous with death gliders whipping by overhead (and still as terrible at aiming their blasts as ever), and an even bigger ship crashing, to the destruction of itself and a Stargate. As thrilling as the opening was it was somewhat lessened by inappropriately jaunty music. Sometimes the music on the series can be so affecting and well-judged, other times it sounds like a carnival band. I can't deny it has its own style, but for this and other action sequences it doesn't always work.
The problem with the teaser is that Tanith is killed off with so little ceremony. If we'd been part of the events on that planet and seen, rather than been told about what happened there, it would have made Teal'c's revenge more satisfying. As it is we have to depend on an excellently acted moment at the very end of the story when Teal'c returns, showing a small gleam of emotion over what he's just experienced, but after the ins and outs of the episode it's almost forgotten and doesn't provide the conclusion that was needed for such an important personal conflict. Personal conflicts are rife throughout the episode with every story having its hero and villain. The episode appears to go down the route of a techie problem episode, with Carter having to work out a solution in an imposed time limit, and it is very techie, but it also delves into the Russian/American treaty of the Stargate programme. I thought Colonel O'Neill was going to be reduced to a minor supporting role as worried friend that has neither technical knowledge or diplomatic skills, but even he plays an important role in the story and Teal'c's rescue.
Mayborn makes a surprise return, but perhaps the episode is too quick to give answers and resolve plots. I thought the captive Goa'uld storyline would run and run, as would Colonel Simmons' involvement, but both are captured and in a most satisfying conclusion, the Colonel is arrested at Hammond's order. I doubt he'll stay arrested for long however, he's too powerful. Mayborn continues to love popping up smugly to help his self-appointed friend O'Neill, who in a very funny initial meeting, just wants to take his head off. They could have dodged round that large vehicle all day, it was so comical to watch! It was kind of a relief to have Jack know that Mayborn wasn't the one who shot him in 'Desperate Measures,' and that Simmons was the real villain, but can we really trust Mayborn? This time Jack didn't even try to keep him on a leash, but it's interesting that he was becoming more like the man he loves to hate by threatening the Goa'uld.
Jack's mission to an NID 'safe house' to get the necessary information on how to get Teal'c's pattern out of the 'gate (it shut down prematurely when Teal'c disobeyed orders to stay behind and take out Tanith's ship, which then destroyed the 'gate), made him important to the story, but how did this Goa'uld know what to do and why was Simmons asking him such a question? Is that all Simmons had planned for the guy - to sit around in a cage and answer any questions that might come up so he could blackmail people into doing what he wanted as he did to Hammond? "I have the info you need, but you've got to give me the Goa'uld hand weapon." The situation does give rise to interesting questions about Sam's work on the Stargate, and I'd never considered the lack of a Dial Home Device (DHD), might be a liability to safety. Her interactions with the civilian Dr. McKay (who probably would have gotten on better with Dr. Jackson who would be on the same level), were entertaining as we so rarely see Carter's intelligence and procedures questioned. I may be wrong about this as I've never seen the spinoff series 'Stargate Atlantis,' but I think he became a main character on that.
I can understand why he would become a fully-fledged character as he was good fun to watch and came in at an interesting angle: a civilian who's studied the 'gate technology in detail (though he must have done it from a distance or we'd have met him sooner), has strong views on it and is clearly a very intelligent man, but also the slight social ticks you'd expect from a genius. Not massively, but the thing with the lemon, and the way he talked to Carter, stood out. There were a few good moments like that and some well written dialogue, and I imagine we'll see Dr. McKay again. Daniel and Major Davis' diplomatic efforts in Moscow (stock footage of the exterior I assume), were interesting to watch for different reasons. The whole issue of the US controlling the fate of Earth and the technology gleaned from their exclusive missions does make them seem rather selfish so it was good to have that point of view taken by Daniel who isn't a military man. He sees things from the Russian perspective and seemed to get on better with the Russian General than Davis who hotly refused any kind of compromise as if they were enemies. It remains to be seen how the Russians will be compensated for the loss of their DHD which was destroyed in the rescue of Teal'c, but I think it would be quite fair for them to have a Russian team at the SGC, just as there should be teams from every major nation. It's only fair!
It's amazing that Jackson and the Russian General showed no signs of jet lag, because all this happened over forty-eight hours (the name of the episode), yet Daniel's been there and back and shows no sign of fatigue at all! What worked well with this episode is how all the characters (bar Teal'c, but no change there), were used equally and effectively to reach the solution, even Siler and Walter were there; Davis, Mayborn, they've built up quite a nice little basket of recurring characters to play with. On original viewing I didn't think much of this episode, probably because it has so much continuity links and I didn't have quite the same connection to all the backstory as I do now, having watched from the beginning. Now I see that they pulled off something that never became slow or too talky, despite the nature of it being about a guy stuck inside technology and everyone has to put their heads together and get him out. Each person's strengths were used and that made it work.
***
If you hadn't been keeping up to date with all the goings-on in 'Stargate'-land you'd probably have a hard time keeping up with this as it's all about the many plot threads that have been a-weaving this season, and well woven they are here. The episode begins in fine style full of spectacle that was so impressive much of it was used in the new credits sequence in future seasons. The effects really are quite tremendous with death gliders whipping by overhead (and still as terrible at aiming their blasts as ever), and an even bigger ship crashing, to the destruction of itself and a Stargate. As thrilling as the opening was it was somewhat lessened by inappropriately jaunty music. Sometimes the music on the series can be so affecting and well-judged, other times it sounds like a carnival band. I can't deny it has its own style, but for this and other action sequences it doesn't always work.
The problem with the teaser is that Tanith is killed off with so little ceremony. If we'd been part of the events on that planet and seen, rather than been told about what happened there, it would have made Teal'c's revenge more satisfying. As it is we have to depend on an excellently acted moment at the very end of the story when Teal'c returns, showing a small gleam of emotion over what he's just experienced, but after the ins and outs of the episode it's almost forgotten and doesn't provide the conclusion that was needed for such an important personal conflict. Personal conflicts are rife throughout the episode with every story having its hero and villain. The episode appears to go down the route of a techie problem episode, with Carter having to work out a solution in an imposed time limit, and it is very techie, but it also delves into the Russian/American treaty of the Stargate programme. I thought Colonel O'Neill was going to be reduced to a minor supporting role as worried friend that has neither technical knowledge or diplomatic skills, but even he plays an important role in the story and Teal'c's rescue.
Mayborn makes a surprise return, but perhaps the episode is too quick to give answers and resolve plots. I thought the captive Goa'uld storyline would run and run, as would Colonel Simmons' involvement, but both are captured and in a most satisfying conclusion, the Colonel is arrested at Hammond's order. I doubt he'll stay arrested for long however, he's too powerful. Mayborn continues to love popping up smugly to help his self-appointed friend O'Neill, who in a very funny initial meeting, just wants to take his head off. They could have dodged round that large vehicle all day, it was so comical to watch! It was kind of a relief to have Jack know that Mayborn wasn't the one who shot him in 'Desperate Measures,' and that Simmons was the real villain, but can we really trust Mayborn? This time Jack didn't even try to keep him on a leash, but it's interesting that he was becoming more like the man he loves to hate by threatening the Goa'uld.
Jack's mission to an NID 'safe house' to get the necessary information on how to get Teal'c's pattern out of the 'gate (it shut down prematurely when Teal'c disobeyed orders to stay behind and take out Tanith's ship, which then destroyed the 'gate), made him important to the story, but how did this Goa'uld know what to do and why was Simmons asking him such a question? Is that all Simmons had planned for the guy - to sit around in a cage and answer any questions that might come up so he could blackmail people into doing what he wanted as he did to Hammond? "I have the info you need, but you've got to give me the Goa'uld hand weapon." The situation does give rise to interesting questions about Sam's work on the Stargate, and I'd never considered the lack of a Dial Home Device (DHD), might be a liability to safety. Her interactions with the civilian Dr. McKay (who probably would have gotten on better with Dr. Jackson who would be on the same level), were entertaining as we so rarely see Carter's intelligence and procedures questioned. I may be wrong about this as I've never seen the spinoff series 'Stargate Atlantis,' but I think he became a main character on that.
I can understand why he would become a fully-fledged character as he was good fun to watch and came in at an interesting angle: a civilian who's studied the 'gate technology in detail (though he must have done it from a distance or we'd have met him sooner), has strong views on it and is clearly a very intelligent man, but also the slight social ticks you'd expect from a genius. Not massively, but the thing with the lemon, and the way he talked to Carter, stood out. There were a few good moments like that and some well written dialogue, and I imagine we'll see Dr. McKay again. Daniel and Major Davis' diplomatic efforts in Moscow (stock footage of the exterior I assume), were interesting to watch for different reasons. The whole issue of the US controlling the fate of Earth and the technology gleaned from their exclusive missions does make them seem rather selfish so it was good to have that point of view taken by Daniel who isn't a military man. He sees things from the Russian perspective and seemed to get on better with the Russian General than Davis who hotly refused any kind of compromise as if they were enemies. It remains to be seen how the Russians will be compensated for the loss of their DHD which was destroyed in the rescue of Teal'c, but I think it would be quite fair for them to have a Russian team at the SGC, just as there should be teams from every major nation. It's only fair!
It's amazing that Jackson and the Russian General showed no signs of jet lag, because all this happened over forty-eight hours (the name of the episode), yet Daniel's been there and back and shows no sign of fatigue at all! What worked well with this episode is how all the characters (bar Teal'c, but no change there), were used equally and effectively to reach the solution, even Siler and Walter were there; Davis, Mayborn, they've built up quite a nice little basket of recurring characters to play with. On original viewing I didn't think much of this episode, probably because it has so much continuity links and I didn't have quite the same connection to all the backstory as I do now, having watched from the beginning. Now I see that they pulled off something that never became slow or too talky, despite the nature of it being about a guy stuck inside technology and everyone has to put their heads together and get him out. Each person's strengths were used and that made it work.
***
The Bait
DVD, Starsky & Hutch S1 (The Bait)
It's the first episode where S&H dress up to take on undercover roles, a strand that would become well established in later seasons, but one that means this isn't the most serious story of the season. It features some serious subjects: major drug dealing, female prostitution, violence against women, but it remains mostly frivolous and doesn't address these issues. I got the feeling this was a bit of fun for the main cast, getting to wear loud and garish clothes, drive around in the sun in a completely different car with a female sidekick, like a mid-season holiday for the leads. I just wish it was as enjoyable to watch as it looks like it was to act. Although drugs are at the heart of the story this would easily be defined in the positive category of stories with very little negativity or threat. S&H aren't cops caught on the mean streets of a gritty, downtrodden city, they experience more of the high-life than usual, dealing with extremely rare stamps, visiting lavish private residences full of expensive adornments, seeing life on the street from a business perspective: a shoeshine shop, a games arcade, far from the backstreet tramps and forgotten drug-users.
There are times when we see a back alley or two, but only at humorous moments, when they're running from police or having a fight with Connie and two goons - a minor inconvenience soon dealt with. The lack of any worries on the part of S&H is what turns the episode into the unremarkable tale it is. If only Connie had been shown as a worthy opponent - instead he flashes out a razor blade when he's crossed, then Starsky pulls a gun; he and his two heavies hardly get S&H out of breath in the fight behind Huggy's (a fight against a fence two episodes in a row!); and all it takes is a couple of moves from Hutch to subdue him before he can run away at the end of the episode. He was a despicable character, talking about women like cars to disguise their prostitution, and the way he sees them as his property. But he could also have been a memorable villain thanks to his flashy 70s clothes and weapon of choice if he'd been harder to beat.
The real villain of the piece is Danner, another big boss up in his ivory tower crowing about art and his eccentric hobbies while waving off right-hand man Billy to do his dirty work. Danner was in the same style as Stryker, a man of taste, seemingly only interested in crime for the wealth and ability to indulge his passions it brought. A little bit eccentric, but like Connie, nowhere near a match for S&H. Some degree of complexity was attempted by the addition of Cheryl, one of Connie's girls that wants to help the police after her friend disappeared, and a degree of tension with the addition of Shockley, another of Danner's men, who knows Hutch because he was busted by him in Hutch's uniform days. That once again begs the question: why aren't S&H known by all the criminals and how can they ever go undercover? At least they weren't using the Torino this time, but changing car and clothes is a bit like wearing a fake moustache or having a different hairstyle!
When there's no real danger in an episode it's hard to care too much and this episode just chugged slowly along, never getting too exciting, except perhaps at the end when Shockley returns to Danner's grand house in the middle of the deal S&H are using to bait Danner. There was even an attempt to add a bit of horror to the story when Billy turns out to be Cheryl's former boyfriend and sees S&H leave her house. He goes in and slaps her across the room. While S&H later repay him for his behaviour, the issue isn't addressed and it's 'righted' by Hutch giving Billy a slap in payment. The only moment when the episode shows a glimmer of something more is when S&H find Cheryl crying, distraught and bruised on the floor, so frightened and alone that she doesn't want to have anything to do with them. It's a compassionate moment, as is the scene when she talks about her friend who disappeared. I quite enjoyed having her along for most of the ride because it made a slightly different dynamic, adding to the holiday feel. This time S&H were too busy playing their roles and dealing with their job - other episodes would show them trying to outdo the other in front of a girl.
I believe it was Lynne Marta (Cheryl) who was married to David Soul, probably even at this time, so that added a bit of interest, and I think she also came back in another episode, although I could be wrong on both counts! Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat on 'DS9'), was in it briefly as a contact S&H meet as part of their drug-dealer cover, and I'm certain Shockley's lawyer played another character on the series (owner of a hotel or something seedier?). When I first saw Billy I wondered if it was the same actor who later played Starsky's brother in the episode of that name, but it wasn't. There was a slight return to the idea of rivalry among departments or organisations when S&H begin their famed cheating of other law powers - this time it's the Feds who give them the money necessary to set up the incriminating deal, and they give false details of where they're meeting Danner. That was something of a running theme that they never trusted authority (except Dobey), and wanted to do things their way without interference.
Although there's a lot of jokey humour, there aren't many running gags, though the most obvious is the one where their cover names keep getting confused - I think it happened three times ("I'm Rafferty, he's O'Brien"). The thing with Starsky's uncomfortable shoes looked like it was going to be one, but didn't resurface, although it was fun to see him doing the ape run with those hefty shoes in his hands. There were few stunts so I'm not surprised I didn't spot the usual stunt guy, and something that really stood out to me was the lack of crazy characters. I suppose S&H were being wacky enough for them not to include any, but I think it was a problem with the episode and helped reduce it to the status of unremarkable, though the scene near the beginning where S&H are laughing in their Texan garb was jolly enough to be used in the credits of later seasons. Another running joke seen again was Dobey shown either eating or drinking, as well as Starsky taking some of that food or drink (this time sipping the Captain's coffee!), and there was also a bit of fun in the Dobey/Huggy association when Hug successfully fools the Captain into thinking he sold Chinese soup, getting Diane (yes, she's definitely in this one), to go out and get some in an effort to impress his customer.
Most amazing to me was that a swimming pool featured in the episode and neither Starsky nor Hutch ended up in it - indeed, almost everyone else did, except them! I chuckled as soon as I saw it, but the usual drenching didn't happen. I was sure that prized stamp had gone in, though it turned out to be safe. So although certain marks were hit, and there was some amusement to be had, the fact that the episode rolled comfortably along without really going anywhere meant it was ultimately just another drugs-related story with S&H having a bit of fun and the occasional workout, never in any real danger that they couldn't handle easily. It wasn't terrible, but neither would it stand out if dropped into a pile of episodes rummaged through at random. Apart from setting up the much-loved alter ego episode type there was very little to watch.
**
It's the first episode where S&H dress up to take on undercover roles, a strand that would become well established in later seasons, but one that means this isn't the most serious story of the season. It features some serious subjects: major drug dealing, female prostitution, violence against women, but it remains mostly frivolous and doesn't address these issues. I got the feeling this was a bit of fun for the main cast, getting to wear loud and garish clothes, drive around in the sun in a completely different car with a female sidekick, like a mid-season holiday for the leads. I just wish it was as enjoyable to watch as it looks like it was to act. Although drugs are at the heart of the story this would easily be defined in the positive category of stories with very little negativity or threat. S&H aren't cops caught on the mean streets of a gritty, downtrodden city, they experience more of the high-life than usual, dealing with extremely rare stamps, visiting lavish private residences full of expensive adornments, seeing life on the street from a business perspective: a shoeshine shop, a games arcade, far from the backstreet tramps and forgotten drug-users.
There are times when we see a back alley or two, but only at humorous moments, when they're running from police or having a fight with Connie and two goons - a minor inconvenience soon dealt with. The lack of any worries on the part of S&H is what turns the episode into the unremarkable tale it is. If only Connie had been shown as a worthy opponent - instead he flashes out a razor blade when he's crossed, then Starsky pulls a gun; he and his two heavies hardly get S&H out of breath in the fight behind Huggy's (a fight against a fence two episodes in a row!); and all it takes is a couple of moves from Hutch to subdue him before he can run away at the end of the episode. He was a despicable character, talking about women like cars to disguise their prostitution, and the way he sees them as his property. But he could also have been a memorable villain thanks to his flashy 70s clothes and weapon of choice if he'd been harder to beat.
The real villain of the piece is Danner, another big boss up in his ivory tower crowing about art and his eccentric hobbies while waving off right-hand man Billy to do his dirty work. Danner was in the same style as Stryker, a man of taste, seemingly only interested in crime for the wealth and ability to indulge his passions it brought. A little bit eccentric, but like Connie, nowhere near a match for S&H. Some degree of complexity was attempted by the addition of Cheryl, one of Connie's girls that wants to help the police after her friend disappeared, and a degree of tension with the addition of Shockley, another of Danner's men, who knows Hutch because he was busted by him in Hutch's uniform days. That once again begs the question: why aren't S&H known by all the criminals and how can they ever go undercover? At least they weren't using the Torino this time, but changing car and clothes is a bit like wearing a fake moustache or having a different hairstyle!
When there's no real danger in an episode it's hard to care too much and this episode just chugged slowly along, never getting too exciting, except perhaps at the end when Shockley returns to Danner's grand house in the middle of the deal S&H are using to bait Danner. There was even an attempt to add a bit of horror to the story when Billy turns out to be Cheryl's former boyfriend and sees S&H leave her house. He goes in and slaps her across the room. While S&H later repay him for his behaviour, the issue isn't addressed and it's 'righted' by Hutch giving Billy a slap in payment. The only moment when the episode shows a glimmer of something more is when S&H find Cheryl crying, distraught and bruised on the floor, so frightened and alone that she doesn't want to have anything to do with them. It's a compassionate moment, as is the scene when she talks about her friend who disappeared. I quite enjoyed having her along for most of the ride because it made a slightly different dynamic, adding to the holiday feel. This time S&H were too busy playing their roles and dealing with their job - other episodes would show them trying to outdo the other in front of a girl.
I believe it was Lynne Marta (Cheryl) who was married to David Soul, probably even at this time, so that added a bit of interest, and I think she also came back in another episode, although I could be wrong on both counts! Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat on 'DS9'), was in it briefly as a contact S&H meet as part of their drug-dealer cover, and I'm certain Shockley's lawyer played another character on the series (owner of a hotel or something seedier?). When I first saw Billy I wondered if it was the same actor who later played Starsky's brother in the episode of that name, but it wasn't. There was a slight return to the idea of rivalry among departments or organisations when S&H begin their famed cheating of other law powers - this time it's the Feds who give them the money necessary to set up the incriminating deal, and they give false details of where they're meeting Danner. That was something of a running theme that they never trusted authority (except Dobey), and wanted to do things their way without interference.
Although there's a lot of jokey humour, there aren't many running gags, though the most obvious is the one where their cover names keep getting confused - I think it happened three times ("I'm Rafferty, he's O'Brien"). The thing with Starsky's uncomfortable shoes looked like it was going to be one, but didn't resurface, although it was fun to see him doing the ape run with those hefty shoes in his hands. There were few stunts so I'm not surprised I didn't spot the usual stunt guy, and something that really stood out to me was the lack of crazy characters. I suppose S&H were being wacky enough for them not to include any, but I think it was a problem with the episode and helped reduce it to the status of unremarkable, though the scene near the beginning where S&H are laughing in their Texan garb was jolly enough to be used in the credits of later seasons. Another running joke seen again was Dobey shown either eating or drinking, as well as Starsky taking some of that food or drink (this time sipping the Captain's coffee!), and there was also a bit of fun in the Dobey/Huggy association when Hug successfully fools the Captain into thinking he sold Chinese soup, getting Diane (yes, she's definitely in this one), to go out and get some in an effort to impress his customer.
Most amazing to me was that a swimming pool featured in the episode and neither Starsky nor Hutch ended up in it - indeed, almost everyone else did, except them! I chuckled as soon as I saw it, but the usual drenching didn't happen. I was sure that prized stamp had gone in, though it turned out to be safe. So although certain marks were hit, and there was some amusement to be had, the fact that the episode rolled comfortably along without really going anywhere meant it was ultimately just another drugs-related story with S&H having a bit of fun and the occasional workout, never in any real danger that they couldn't handle easily. It wasn't terrible, but neither would it stand out if dropped into a pile of episodes rummaged through at random. Apart from setting up the much-loved alter ego episode type there was very little to watch.
**
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