Sabotage

 DVD, Stargate Universe S1 (Sabotage)

For all the disappointment over the easy resolution to the missing people, the musical montage that they love so much, and a rapid conclusion to the alien attack story, this one worked on most levels otherwise. They threw a lot into such a short running time and despite not being an action-packed episode it was, far more importantly, a character-based one. I would have liked to have seen the old adversary, those skinny aliens, board the ship and have a firefight with our brave people, but the real stuff was Dr. Amanda Perry's last moments away from her paralysed body. She's Dr. Rush's old colleague (not old really, 'past colleague' would be more accurate - being both a brilliant mind and a supermodel at the same time), whom it's necessary to bring in to solve the Destiny's latest problem: it ain't gonna reach the next galaxy before petering out, and while the ship itself can drift on and eventually reach it, that will be long after everyone aboard her is dead. The resolution to Scott, Eli and Chloe's predicament, stuck on a planet in the previous galaxy, is resolved all of a sudden: the ship breaks out of FTL for no known reason, the Stargate engages, and boom, they're back on board. I didn't remember how they were saved, and now I know why, since it was pretty unremarkable. It's more of an aside than anything, clearly we need to get three of our core cast back, but I wish a little more panache had been used.

Then it's onto the real issue of the episode, that of fixing, and eventually realising they need to break off, the damaged engine, thus giving them the efficiency across all the others which will in turn get them to where the ship wants to go. We didn't really need Dr. Perry after all since all they had to do was program the robot (which was found a while back), to go in and disengage the damaged part, but the real reason isn't for her technical expertise, it's to have a look from a sci-fi perspective at what it would be like if you were a paraplegic from a young age to suddenly have the opportunity to live like everyone else for a few weeks. That Rush respects her means he's the target for her temptations - there again we have the implications of using someone else's body that doesn't belong to you, for personal things, and surprisingly that wasn't touted as a reason for restraint, merely that Rush is in a fragile state where the personal is concerned since reliving his wife's death recently. Perry makes the most of her brief span of freedom, putting things into perspective for some: Lieutenant James, who thought she could do anything, especially when asked of her by Colonel Young, is unable to adjust to the radical lifestyle of living in a chair which can only be operated by breath; Eli, who wishes he wasn't there, while Perry would give anything to be; and Rush himself, who learns to relax and let his copious hair down - in Brody's home-brew still, as that appears to be the social spot of choice at the moment!

Camille is the brave soul who takes on Perry's body for the time she's required to help Rush fix Destiny's systems and learns what it's like to live like that, but Perry herself is the real draw of the episode, showing delight in every simple experience that everyone else has learnt to take for granted, so that her eventual farewell has so much more weight to it. There's also a parallel between Camille's experiences and Dr. Franklin who has come to a greater level of awareness than previously exhibited, to the extent that while Young decides the best thing for Destiny's safety when the aliens attack, is for him to jump in the Chair that will hopefully give him control, he ends up giving the job to Franklin. It was a hard decision for a military man like him to make, to pass over the risky role to someone who may not even be in a fit state of mind to do it, but on the very precipice of taking the Chair, Rush and James are able to persuade him Franklin wants to go back in, and can. We even end with a mystery, the disappearance of Franklin - has he been evaporated, inducted into the ship itself, blown up, or somehow wandered off (though Riley was guarding what I assume was the only door into the chamber)?

I haven't even mentioned the theme of the title, which is James' realisation she's being controlled by the aliens to sabotage the ship. A good wrinkle with the stones is they need to be put back properly - since James threw the board away from her in horror she kept open a doorway into her mind which the aliens exploited. There's a moral there somewhere. I think it was their sabotage that caused the stranded crew to return, so it was a blessing in disguise, and it was a nice symmetry with the season that they should have one more encounter with the enemy kind making it another good episode that shows they've got into their stride now. My one concern is that this could have made for a strong season finale and closed out the aliens of that galaxy (which don't appear to have the resources or technology to pursue them into the next galaxy, for all that they were able to follow them out of the one they inhabit). I don't recall the end of the season being particularly good, but maybe I'm misremembering. The important thing is that this precise moment the series works! And that's even with what I've come to see as going to Earth as holding back the characters a little. Mainly though, you feel for Perry and Rush and the difficulties of their different circumstances, and making us feel sympathy for the characters allows you to make good drama. Can they make it four in a row next time?

***

Riddles

 DVD, Voyager S6 (Riddles)

Who doesn't like a good riddle? One of the best parts of 'The Hobbit' is the riddle game (I guessed the dates, but I didn't get the 'Sundaes'). The real riddle is why they always want to change Vulcans! Back when this came out it was still a treat to see a Vulcan react emotionally - from the moment Spock cries "Jim!" at the end of 'Amok Time,' or Sybok throws back his head and lets out a hearty guffaw at the start of 'Star Trek V,' getting to see the stoic race behave so out of character has only cemented their... fascination for me as a species. I'm so fed up with them being portrayed as barely keeping their emotions in check in the 'Enterprise' and post-'Enterprise' productions that I could be forgiven for looking down on such a propaganda piece as this episode in which Tuvok unwisely goes on an Away Mission with Neelix (he always seems to come off badly when accompanying his Talaxian colleague: off the top of my head 'Tuvix' and 'Rise' both follow that rule!), and comes out of it losing his adult Vulcan sensibilities. But I can still separate out the wheat from the chaff in Trek terms, and watching 'Voyager' especially is always a help in my quest for Vulcan purity (the Kolinahr of Vulcan episodes, so to speak), featuring, as it does, the best example of the race in Trek history, so rather than be appalled at another seed being sown towards the Time of The Sundering (between how Vulcans were portrayed and how they are portrayed now - what did you think I meant?), I can still enjoy this as the 'rarity' it was at that time of giving us a glimpse of Vulcan's heart, Vulcan's forging a new path through the Fire Plains of feeling.

Neelix and Tuvok were the Spock and McCoy or the Quark and Odo of their series: whenever there was a chance to see them interact you knew it was going to be fun. And this is far from being a Tuvok-centric story, Neelix is at least equally as integral as we see the sweetness and generosity of spirit that has become the hallmarks of this gentle warthog-like creature. He's so very good with children as has been ably demonstrated before with Naomi Wildman and will be amply again with the coming Borg children. That Tuvok takes on very close to a childlike mentality means that Neelix' specific gifts of care and understanding are given full rein. Nothing shows his character more than when the Vulcan, in an uncharacteristic rage borne of frustration, pushes Neelix away, behaving more like an unruly teenager swallowed up by feelings he can't, or won't, control. Though Neelix is hurt and worried, he doesn't slink off alone to nurse his wounds, he ends up wandering into the Mess and discovers Seven in pensive mood, and rather than allow himself to wallow or complain, his resilient good humour shines through as he tries to make himself useful to her, undaunted by her naturally cold demeanour. In turn she assists him in coming to an understanding of Tuvok's condition not merely as tragedy, but a new beginning, reminding him of the Captain helping her not by restoring her to what she'd been in the Collective, but what she could become. It's a very hopeful message for anyone involved in an accident or that has experienced deep changes in their life, not to view it as the end, but a new beginning.

That kind of positive approach is what is at the core of what's missing in today's action-based Trek that cares more for special effects and over the top drama than in these simple feelings (a bit like V'Ger, it can't understand what it's missing, but unlike V'Ger I don't sense it feels it's missing anything, not being that self-aware!). That's far from the only optimistic message or moment in the episode, as every time Neelix works through Tuvok's latest experience in his childlike state, it's there. But more specifically there is that time when Janeway provides a bridge between the two races, the Kesat and their Bigfoot myth-like creatures, the Ba'Neth, a secretive race that prefer to keep themselves and their vessels cloaked in order to seek out new life and see if it's likely to be a threat to them. Okay, so she doesn't actually bridge the races, but she does provide that role between the Ba'Neth and the Kesat representative, Deputy Investigator Naroq, an enthusiast in this particular field of study, looked down on by his fellow Kesat as a bit of a crank it would seem, but a man excited and motivated by the prospect of proving his theories. Thanks to Voyager he succeeds in his goals, discovering these creatures are multipeds with tentacles (great design, you never quite see them fully which only adds to their mystery), and offering to hand over his technology that enables their cloak to be penetrated, in exchange for the details of the weapon that injured Tuvok.

It's a fair exchange and though it doesn't look likely to pave the way for positive relations between species, Naroq having to give up his dream in order to see it for himself, it's as close as Janeway was likely to come in the circumstances, and as always it's the welfare of her crewman that motivates her. If there was something missing from the story I'd have liked to have seen a little more of her concern over Tuvok, perhaps discussing with Chakotay on a practical level what it would be like to have to replace him permanently, but also on a personal one, too, where she displays more regret that this has happened to him. There is the sense of that in moments such as when Tuvok leaves her Ready Room, but it's not lingered on as Neelix is the focus for displaying the concern in the episode. Doing this to the usually dependable, solid Vulcan could also have backfired - I can imagine Tom and Harry having a great laugh about how Tuvok is coming across, but they sensibly and sensitively never show any humorous reactions from the crew such as them thinking they can relax on the job now he's not breathing down their necks, or that they can have some fun with him, none of which would have been professional or appropriate, so they knew what they were doing. I would have thought taking Tuvok around the ship to be seen by the crew during his rehabilitation, or adjustment, might have been unwise as it could lessen their morale to show the Second Officer in such a state, or reduce their respect for him, but I was forgetting what it means to be a Starfleet crew from all the levity and casualness I'm now used to seeing in modern Trek, so of course it wasn't going to be a bad course of action to take.

The closest thing we see to any negative response to Tuvok's condition is on the Bridge when he almost shoots some torpedoes off and some of the background crew look askance - clearly everyone is worried, but it doesn't reflect badly on anyone, it's merely the current state of things and encountering this new Tuvok for the first time. For Neelix it's actually the most positive time for him as he gets to encourage and enjoy his friend for the first time as an equal, relating to him emotionally and having reciprocity, that's the heart of the story, and a lovely chance for the Talaxian to explain his friendship to the Vulcan who would normally maintain a distinct distance for all the respect and appreciation of Neelix he's developed over the years of serving together on the ship. And it is joyful to see this reserved, confident person have to learn ordinary life with the guidance of someone so happy to give - Neelix has always been quick to guilt, though I didn't sense that was his reason for wanting to do something to help his friend at the start. It was amusing when he wants to do what he can, and the Doctor admits that comatose patients can respond to their senses being stimulated, so he wants to provoke a response and the Doc gently says if anyone can, it's him (you can never forget that great, though chilling scene in 'Meld' when Tuvok, in the throes of Suder's emotional explosion, tests himself on the Holodeck with a particularly irritating version of Neelix, eventually losing it and choking him to death!).

Neelix has always had that effect, though we've seen in recent seasons that the influence of people such as Tuvok, and their professionalism and self control has somewhat steadied Neelix' own personality - I think he was a lot more skittish and changeable, heart on sleeve and all that, because he'd had a hard life and was used to dealing with people he didn't trust, and being able to live among honourable people he can has provided a kind of sanctuary. The same for Seven: Voyager has been a nurturing place, perhaps more because Janeway is a woman and has those motherly instincts in her command style, and for the fact they are more like a family or a community than other Starfleet ships since they have no other source, no travelling home or visiting Federation colonies that might remind them of home. Most important of all is that Neelix can give up his new friend for that friend's, and the ship's, good. He would no doubt have loved having such a person to continue sharing with, to enjoy cooking with and talking on the same level, and in a very small way it's a tragic story because he loses the kind of friendship he wants when Tuvok goes back to normal, but there was always a remnant of that time between them even down to the last moment when Neelix would eventually leave the ship and Tuvok performs a little dance step as a parting gift. I wouldn't say they were on the same level as other great conflictual friendships, largely because they were both so distinct in who they were, there wasn't the room for much growth, though there is some, but this view of the pair was one of the best.

Everyone is once again on show, the series still hasn't lost that sense of ensemble that I watch for every week, with the exception of B'Elanna, though that was down to Roxann Dawson directing - I don't know whether it's because it's a known name, but when one of the actors directs I always seem to notice specific shots and inventiveness more, and this was the case again. That shot overhead of the Biobed, swooping down towards it with the vertical lines of the walls around creating this unique image I'm sure had never been done before. I also loved the arrangement of Seven standing in the Mess with the lights off, looking out at the stars, with Neelix at a table in the foreground, very artistically composed. And again, that evocation of mounting tension when Tuvok is sat in the Ready Room with Janeway in front, Naroq behind and Neelix to the side of his face, but all squeezed into the shot to emphasise the enclosing of personal space and the conflict inherent in needing to find the information Tuvok has in his mind (wonder why they never had Vorik or one of the other Vulcans do a mind meld: too dangerous in his condition?), and also the dramatic swoop over the cake he made which is revealed to have the frequency drawn in the icing, suitably definite and precise camerawork. But yet it never takes away from the story, only enhances the acting taking place, and for Tim Russ especially it's terrific. It must be so hard to play a character that is usually emotionless, but who is now unabashed, no barriers between thought and speech, without seeming like you're acting, but I totally believe what has happened to him.

Ethan Philips, similarly, must be highly commended for his work - it may be more in his character, but he has to play off of someone who doesn't usually behave this way, without seeming condescending or ridiculous, but he makes Neelix the most sympathetic person you can imagine. I don't understand people that say they dislike the character, maybe they only remember him from the early episodes when he was so predictably erratic, though I loved the character just as much then, and he's undoubtedly settled down so much in these later seasons that it's a shame when he does get a little lost in the shuffle. At least in this episode both he and Tuvok are allowed full control, making it a second classic of the season. Not that I didn't have any notes on the story that I could have done with clarification on, though they're all technical details: Janeway ends up acting as nurse when Tuvok's first in Sickbay and it made me wonder why more crew haven't been trained up in that role, other than Tom Paris (whom, if I remember, only wanted to do that because Kes was there!), and then I wondered why they couldn't have provided the Doc with an ENH, Emergency Nurse Hologram? Also on the Doctor, you'd think rather than complain about the Vulcan chanting Neelix pipes in, he could deactivate his hearing sensors. He probably could do, but he wants to remind Neelix who's boss in Sickbay, I expect... Finally, while I love that the Deflector gets to be part of the story, I don't see why they couldn't simply rotate through all the frequencies to uncover the cloaked ships?

One terrific fact about the episode I didn't realise until after watching it, was that Mark Moses, who guest stars as Naroq, would go on to play a much more influential figure: he was Henry Archer in the pilot of 'Enterprise,' the Father of Jonathan Archer and creator of the Warp 5 engine which powers the NX-01, a colleague of Zefram Cochrane no less, and someone whom, though he only appeared in that one episode, was mentioned many times and was clearly a strong influence on his son! Practically Trek royalty. Here, he's merely an alien of the week, a genial fellow, though one that pushes his own agenda to track down these mythical creatures which happens to align with the crew's goal to do whatever they can to help Tuvok, but even when there was space for some biting drama, he always pulls back from pushing the Vulcan too hard thanks to Janeway and Neelix' force of personality. Another credit worth noting is that Andre Bormanis gets a 'Story By' credit - he was also the science advisor on Trek in those days. Certainly one of Tuvok's best episodes, and possibly Neelix, too, especially powerful when the former is afraid to effectively return to being an adult, and just wants to stay with Neelix and have fun. As they say in the episode, a good riddle can stimulate the mind (Neelix' way of using words to manipulate Tuvok into having 'fun' on the Flyer), but more than a riddle, a good episode can stimulate the mind and the emotions, and this does both very well, thank you.

****

Lotus Turbo Challenge 2

 

Amiga 1500, Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 (1991) game

I can see why I liked this back in the day - it must have been the first '3D' racing game I played, and while I was somewhat more impressed by the sequel, 'Lotus III,' since that had more variety and this one is limited to few courses, it was nevertheless a great entry into the genre for me. It still seems very fast and playable, the graphics are attractive, though obviously basic, but technically it works well, there's a good draw distance, the tracks undulate so you're not limited to flat courses where the only deviation is turning to left or right, and when you're hammering it downhill you get a terrific turn of speed. It remains limited, with no in-game music, just a few sound effects such as encounters with puddles of water or oil slicks (with occasional digitised speech), and you don't get a choice of cars to drive, only one view (from behind), and it's entirely time-based, requiring you to reach checkpoints before the timer runs down, rather than actively racing against opponents. But you still have those opponents, they're just obstacles to slow you down and force you into driving more skilfully (much like 'Top Gear Rally' on N64), as they often deliberately weave in front of your car, to frustrating effect. This isn't a problem on earlier levels but on the last couple where every second counts and slowing down from minor collisions will cost the race, it takes driving dexterity to win, helped by nuanced controls where despite only having a fire button and joystick, you can adjust how sharply you turn by taking your finger off the accelerator, making it your ability to react that decides success or failure.

The different tracks are set in unique environments with their own challenges - the variations of weather and location are appealing and show invention, and for a game dating back to 1991 it demonstrates a good understanding of the hardware and possibilities of the Amiga. I'd say I was most impressed by the Motorway Course which features two lanes of traffic (one of which is heading directly towards you, many years before 'Burnout' existed on GameCube!), barriers, lampposts, tunnels which alter the sound of your motor, and best of all, lorries crossing your path which you can slide between the wheels and under the flatbed to avoid. The majority of the levels are fairly easy to beat, taking a few attempts to learn their idiosyncrasies before earning you a password so you aren't required to begin at the beginning every time as was common in games of the time. The real skill is in starting from scratch and building a big score with consecutive wins, however, so if you're of the high score ilk that would appeal. I've never been much for that, preferring progress to scoring, but it's a way for the game to extend its otherwise limited lifespan (beyond the two-player option), which is wise.

The real challenge comes towards the end from penultimate track Marsh Course onwards proving very tricky - while earlier races had a few obstacles such as trackside objects (sometimes spilling onto the track), it's the mix of speed-sapping boggy areas which really impact your time if you don't memorise the layout of logs to give you a boost over them, and oil slicks that can send you sliding into the equally treacly water at the sides of the track. Not content with such punishment, later sections have the added pressure of requiring you to hit little green time addition bubbles that are necessary to boost the timer, and remembering their sequence is a trial! It didn't help my cause when I started out avoiding them on the assumption they'd sap my time rather than add to it... Storm Course is even more tough as you're really limited on time and have to have an almost perfect race to reach the end in time, memorising the places where rocks litter the road and where the red pods appear to give you a much needed speed boost. It took many attempts to beat both of these tracks, but as a consequence there was a strong feeling of achievement in beating the game. A real pleasure to revisit, especially as I never completed it in the Nineties, another thread crossed off the list of my gaming history. At first I did have qualms about rating it as I have, but since I gave 'F-1 Race' the same score, and that was on the Game Boy, I felt justified, and even more when I came up against the last two tracks, solidifying its place in my racing canon. It may not be the longest title (took about a week to beat), but for challenge and enjoyable racing it's a great example for the system.

***

 

Lost

 DVD, Stargate Universe S1 (Lost)

Lessons to learn from this episode:

- Never leave a man behind.
- When lost stay in one place.
- Don't try to dial someone when they're engaged.

That's it, you can go home now, nothing to see here. Well actually, there's quite a lot to see as we go planet-hopping. They haven't managed to fit in that many planetary locations in the series, being mainly concerned with space and the dark corridors of Destiny, so this episode is a sort of antidote to those Stargaters who were feeling a bit shortchanged. It's not proper 'gate travel when you just pop in for a few seconds, and they did appear to mostly be generic 'Star Wars' planets (the snowy planet, the sandy planet, the foggy planet, the crystal planet, and so on - there's even a Rancor at one point!), but there was a good sense of travel, that they were exploring the 'gate network if not the worlds themselves. I loved the idea that even at this late stage of travelling so far they could still go back to some distant place they'd left behind and retrieve Rush's glasses, go aboard that alien ship (even if I would have assumed those aliens would have salvaged it if it contained working parts), and use their brains to find a way out.

Except there was no way out. If only they hadn't given up on Greer so easily they'd have been safely aboard Destiny as it flew out of that galaxy for the last time. You can't get more left behind than that. Though Greer could tell them a thing or two about the concept of being lost. The story becomes a little soapy what with Johansen tentatively trying to tell Colonel Young she's pregnant, eventually just blurting it out, and he's reassuringly stable in response. Then there are the flashbacks Greer has about his abusive Father, a drunk whom, it appears was damaged by his time in the army, or that's what I read into it, and why his wife was so vehement on caring for him despite such violent temper and the terrible things he did to their son. It shows why Greer is the man he is today, and though he had tenacity from that young age, returning home in the middle of the night after his Father had driven him off to the nastiest part of the city and dropped him off to fend for himself with no money or help, he's been damaged by the experience himself. His Father clearly wasn't all there and it puts Greer's slightly unbalanced character in perspective, but also shows there's hope, as though he does have a temper and can be cold and hard, the fact that he does have things or people to care about shows he got through those horrible times, even going so far as to rescue his Father from the fire - I don't know why we didn't see that bit as we see him rescue his Mother, but if he hadn't then I don't see the guy getting out.

I did feel they should have kept trying Greer's radio when they went outside, they must have considered it possible he was merely unconscious, not necessarily dead, but they assume the worst and abandon him. It was the right thing to do - they all, including Greer, recognised it, like triage those that can survive need to take priority, but it took a toll on every one of them. I quite liked the fact that he was the one to be rescued out of the four, not that he had any choice in the matter because there was no way to activate the 'gate. That's something I don't understand: why don't they have the DHDs (Dial Home Device), which Stargates always used to have, I don't recall that ever being explained, though if they were only required to be activated by Ancient ships then perhaps the tech wasn't necessary. Still, you'd think safeguards would always be essential. It's a great moment when James comes through and Greer is saved, and it did surprise me that Destiny warps off while Scott, Eli and Chloe remain trapped in this galaxy. I don't remember how they get back to the ship - I wonder if those aliens hadn't come along and abducted Rush back when he was on the planet with the crashed ship, if he'd have still been there for the others to find when they returned themselves? Mind you, they wouldn't have known there was something that could give them a map if Rush hadn't told them, so it wouldn't work, but that would have been a very dramatic way to bring him back after a few episodes missing!

***

Alice

 DVD, Voyager S6 (Alice)

A case of low expectations improving the experience, as I went into this with the vague remembrance that it wasn't up to much, and the teaser only confirmed that impression, being a rather unexciting opening. I love all the banter about Tuvok's age (more on that later), but stumbling upon a junkyard and its genial host is hardly one of the most enthralling beginnings. It's also a bit of a cliched story of a character becoming obsessed with something to the exclusion of all else and the inevitable damage it does to him and those around him. It's not difficult to see where it's going, and while you don't always need mystery to draw you in, a pretty blatant outcome doesn't much make for compelling drama. Somehow, despite all that, it turns it around and, with the major assistance of B'Elanna fighting to reclaim her man from the machine mind, it has a touchingly tender conclusion. There is still a bit of a major problem, perhaps due to running out of time, and that is we never learn why 'Alice' wanted to get to this particle fountain, why she called it home, and how she left it. I felt it had set the stage for a typically warmhearted Trek finale, much like 'Encounter At Farpoint,' where a seemingly hostile alien is helped to find redemption and its true place in the universe, but they skimped out on such a joyful finish thanks to going too far down the 'evil influence' route. I was wracking my brain thinking something like this had been done before in Trek, but the closest I could come up with was 'Dramatis Personae' where Sisko, under alien influence, becomes obsessed with building a clock.

'Alice' is actually a mirror of another Sisko obsession episode, 'Explorers,' where he and Jake build a solar sailing ship. This could have been the same kind of thing for 'Voyager' where B'Elanna engages with her husband-to-be over a joint project, but they preferred the dark approach of alien mind control, which is fair enough, but it doesn't take the idea further, whereas the earlier episode had a beauty to it and succeeded in showing us another level to the characters. This isn't that, it's strictly an examination, as I saw it, of addiction, whatever kind you care to name: Tom starts out eager and focused on this beloved project, becomes intent, then gradually slides towards it being everything to him, uninterested in his real life, dispassionate to those around him, irritable when anything gets in his way, and finally violently confrontational towards any slight threat that might prevent him from continuing this path. He loses all sense of self in his absorption with this alien shuttle, stops caring about his professional appearance, changes his clothes to fit his new 'lifestyle' and is constantly led on by the alluring words of this maggot in his brain. Again, I think they really missed a trick by not giving Alice any kind of sympathetic nuances, she's wholly bad for Tom, there's no room for growth or sadness for her, that's why we needed to learn if she was actually some kind of entity that had been captured or trapped by mistake, which needed freeing from her prison, but we're not afforded anything that would make us care a jot for her, especially as she nearly succeeds in killing B'Elanna.

It's generally preferable to have villains with identifiable motives as we can somewhat understand them and see them as a warning for how not to go about getting what you want or need - look at Gul Dukat, for example, an atrocious man who, nonetheless, on occasion you actually feel sorry for or who you can enjoy a joke with, forgetting his atrocities for a few moments. In a word, a delight to watch (the same can be said for other Trek villains like Kai Winn or Weyoun, but we are talking about the cream of the crop with 'DS9' and 'Voyager' tends more towards the more simplistic model of 'TNG' and most other Trek examples). In this case Alice is merely a tool or a drug to push Tom into new realms of confusion and pain, and in that regard I'd say the story has more in common with 'Coda' or 'Bliss' (and even 'Star Trek V' has parallels), for being an evil creature appearing as 'an angel of light' in order to mislead the spotlight character, in both those cases a disgustingly creepy devourer of the living, regardless of their sentience. This setup doesn't have anywhere near the same level of horror, as there's something about enticement into being consumed that is just too horrible. Here, the villain is more of a mental figment playing on the memories of the host's brain to manipulate them, and in that regard I will say it was very well blocked, if that's the correct directorial word - the choreography and movement of the camera and the figures in front of it was expertly staged (always enjoy scenes where a fleeting figure disappears just round the bend, Voyager's corridors ideal for this oft-used tension device), as we move smoothly from one appearance of Alice, to absent space where she was, popping up again in a heartbeat, and especially when B'Elanna becomes a second voice in Tom's head to save him.

If anything I'd have loved the episode to have been even more like that, perhaps we never actually see Tom on Voyager and he's trapped in some alien world where drugs or atmosphere are slowly changing him and making him more and more subservient to the mental manipulation, and only B'Elanna showing up in his mind can bring him back to reality, like an undercover mission, one only he can see. Even then, that's been done very well in the past - I think of 'Warlord' from this series, and of course 'DS9' did it better with 'Waltz' where the aforementioned Dukat was seen to have multiple characters existing only in his mind. Poor old 'Voyager' can't seem to match the heights of its sister series, and I wonder if the little addition to Ferengi lore was one more way to be a little bit smug that the older series had now ended and they were free to add whatever they wanted to Trek lore. Not that the Ferengi were exclusive to 'DS9,' 'TNG' invented them, but 'DS9' was the series which fleshed them out, made them believable on their own terms, so making up a whole new addition to lore in the 'Five Stages of Acquisition,' which sounds quite central to their culture, does come across a little like stepping on the toes of the 'DS9' writers. I only wonder if this had a slight odour of nefarious purpose because of the rivalry between the two series' and the fact that they'd had one final negative brush with 'DS9' by hiring Ron Moore and then parting ways shortly after. It probably wasn't any slight, and the episode's writers had of course worked on that series and no doubt saw all Trek lore as fair game.

It was fair game, too, that's the thing with Trek, once a series is done and dusted it can stand as it does, but later Treks can come along and add to the canon, and that's as it should be, the living, growing expansion of Trek lore and continuity is one of the many things about it that kept it alive and fresh, even if now too much is taken for granted and rewritten by modern writers to detrimental effect. A small mention of new Ferengi information (however much it seems like the kind of thing we should have heard of before!), is hardly going to make a big difference (like, say, changing the date of the Eugenics Wars - not going to let that one go!), and at the time it was just lovely to hear any reference towards anything in the familiar Alpha Quadrant, and as I said, it was now their slate to do with as they willed. Not a blank slate, they still needed to keep within the rules, but the history of the future was in their hands exclusively with this season. One part of the episode deals with rules and protocol, something else that warmed me towards the story when, as I've mentioned too many times, modern Trek doesn't care too much about rigid protocol and familiar customs and expectations. Actually there were a couple of instances of reassuring behaviour that would be less common in today's world of 'anything goes, be yourself no matter what you think that means,' etc: the main incident was in how Paris and Chakotay interact when he's starting to go off the rails.

We've seen the pair clash over the years on occasion, Chakotay there to ensure the smooth running of the ship, taking his role very seriously, while Tom is laidback, casual, open to teasing his superiors when he can. He reminds us how he's only an Ensign (for all the difference its made materially to his position and standing on the ship, which is to say there doesn't seem to be any!), and if he disobeys orders he could be busted down to Cadet! (Surely Crewman would come first?). This time Tom listens to his First Officer's admonition, takes it on board and doesn't rebel, rant and rave, or let loose a sarcastic barb or two, and Chakotay isn't forced into being heavy-handed with him. He reminds him of his duties to wear Starfleet uniform, to shave - in other words there's an expected conformity of appearance quite removed from today's attitude where anyone can have tattoos (maybe not the best example since Chakotay has a facial tattoo, but in his case it shows a dedication to a specific belief system and tribe and took a lot of effort for him to come around to as we saw in the suitably named 'Tattoo'!), coloured hair, facial jewellery, and how long before it's actual mutilation, reversing into a time of primitivism, expression through bodily alteration... It's reassuring to see a certain standard of attire and behaviour, therefore, perhaps one reason why it's seemed so hard for modern Trek to make a series based on a standard crew on a standard ship, it's more often been a ragtag band, a disparate group or superheroes as that's easier to make vastly individualistic models that appeal to today's audience brought up on casualness and lack of respect for authority, I assume.

It's also pleasant on a character level to see these two being so congenial despite the circumstances, Tom not arguing, Chakotay not overbearing. Even if this may have been a further sign that Tom was becoming more and more duplicitous, and rather than openly doing what he was doing he continues what he wants to in spite of warning, going undercover to pretend things are normal, though he can't disguise it. It's another of those times when you'd think someone would realise what's going on. 'So there's this neurogenic interface... right... and it plugs directly into the brain... right... Why haven't we had the Doctor examine the device or monitor Paris while he's using it, we don't know what could go wrong with such an invasive mode of interaction.' But no, I suppose there are always other things going on aboard the ship, they can't be expected to anticipate every possible outcome, and if they did where would the drama be? Although, that could have been another angle through which to explore such a story, with everyone knowing quite early what was wrong and then you'd have to find a way to continue with Tom being even more sneaky. The other commentary on today's world I found was in the teaser where Harry and Tom are trying to guess Tuvok's age (something I don't think was ever tied down, though I was under the impression he was around a hundred years old), and he eventually responds in typical Vulcan manner that he sees no reason to 'enlighten' them.

The line between public, private and personal has very much been blurred this century in large part due to so much instant communication and access to knowledge, but especially the rise of social media, bringing people into an expectation they should share in anything of someone's life and when it comes to their own, appear to have very few qualms about privacy (a worrying trend when you consider the direction of one way of thinking, and anyone who disagrees should be excised from society, meaning harbouring personal views are almost becoming illegal in the desire to placate anyone that thinks differently to normal modes of behaviour). So it pleased me, and fit well within the Vulcan racial character that he would be so secretive and not succumb to their aimless curiosity. Of course there's always been a fun line of ribbing Tuvok, and Vulcans in general, since we all know, aside from their emotions, they are superior in almost every way to humans and as it's a franchise written by humans we have to needle them where we can, even while having set them up on this pedestal close to perfection (though again, we must puncture any Vulcanness by undermining the established culture and show them as actually quite emotional and irrational, as seen in 'Enterprise,' and 'Strange New Worlds' especially). At least Tuvok got to be the one sitting in the Captain's Chair this time - last week it was the EMH (sorry, ECH), and now it's him, while the Captain and First Officer appeared to be having a meeting in the Ready Room.

My belief that the cast weren't well integrated this season has so far taken a number of hits as this is yet another episode where I was pleasantly surprised by how they were handled - Tuvok, Chakotay, even Neelix have good little scenes peppered about to remind us this isn't the Janeway/Seven/Doctor show that I keep expecting it to become. Neelix stood out as he's instantly recognised by Abaddon, owner of the junkyard, by his bearing and attitude for being a fellow trader, and it's really nice to recall his days when Voyager first encountered him, and the kind of selfish, sly little man he used to be until the crew rubbed off some of his rough edges and he found a place to call home. I call attention especially to his moral core for musing on whether he should return what is discovered to be a valuable item among so many worthless artefacts Abaddon managed to palm off on them - even when they've been treated with less than honest goodwill Neelix still feels the pull not to take advantage, which was a lovely moment. It sounded like Alice had belonged to an Haakonian, the race that was at war with the Talaxians, but written down it was 'Harkonian,' unwise to use a name so close to an established race we know from this series. We also hear the name of his shuttle, the Baxial, the first time it had ever been mentioned (and a rare example of the shuttle even being referred to at all!), so they continue to build the characters and the details of their lives, and Neelix' discovery (with the aid of Seven), turns out to be crucial for reeling Abaddon in when he's keen on a fight if they try for anything remotely resembling a refund, so he's still integral to the crew despite no longer being the trader he was in another life.

The Baxial is supposed to still be down in the Shuttle Bay, but then I must ask how many Bays they actually have because the ship isn't that big, yet they have Baxial, they have Delta Flyer (neither of which is shown), and according to Chakotay in a most grievous example of lack of continuity, a 'full complement of shuttles'! I could believe it on the original 'Enterprise' or the D, but little Voyager can carry two sizeable vessels, plus several standard Starfleet shuttles and still have room for an empty Bay to contain Alice?! I can only imagine they have shuttle building days to keep the numbers up... I was pleased to get the best view we've yet had of the Shuttle Bay (or a Shuttle Bay as I should call it), since a chunk of the episode occurs in there and in the past they've just made do with keeping characters within the ship or at best showing CGI to enhance the set ('Counterpoint' for example), though I imagine it would have been a redress of either a Cargo Bay or the Holodeck. Interesting that Chakotay suggests Tom might be able to replicate the various components he needs in a few weeks if the ship can replenish its power reserves. It made me wonder how they do that (thinking of the Destiny swooping into stars' coronas in 'Stargate Universe'!). The fact that Paris starts swiping Voyager's internal components to get what he needs meant I'd have liked a scene with Neelix who similarly stole from the ship in 'Fair Trade,' as there were definite comparisons to be made.

Tom had become an addict, however, drawn into Alice's Wonderland and unable to escape her, going to the extent of becoming a much slower version of that woman being dragged into the machine in 'Superman III' (still one of the most chilling images I can remember!), and becoming assimilated, all these coloured wires wrapping themselves around him in a visual sympathy with the mental net he's become ensnared within. It's a warning that addiction can creep up on you from seemingly harmless sources and while it's not a deep episode or in any way shown to be an issues story, it does work on that level. I think what put me off in the past, aside from the romantic nature of his attraction to the humanoid mental creation of a girl he knew in the past, is that Alice is such a blandly written role. The fault may lie with Claire Rankin, I'm not sure (better known to me now as recurring character Dr. Heightmeyer in 'Stargate Atlantis' - she was a similarly unassuming presence in that), but it's also the fact she's contrasted by one of Trek's great guest stars in John Fleck (his one and only appearance in 'Voyager'). I felt his role was too small for his talents and that familiar voice brought back so many roles from 'DS9' and 'Enterprise' and even back to 'TNG' (bring him back in new Trek!), but also Abaddon was quite a flamboyant character that put Alice into the shade if she weren't already meant to be understated in her gradual and growing influence on Tom. I was glad when we got Abaddon back and when we learn he still suffers from the figment left behind from Alice, it adds a new dimension to his character that had been so jolly before.

I also have to say that the whole idea of Tom Paris wanting a new shuttlecraft to work on was rather redundant considering the Delta Flyer is still so new. I can see they came up with the story and wanted to run with it, but perhaps it would have been better to play it out with the Flyer being modified with technology rather than being an entirely new ship, as that would make more sense rather than Tom being so smitten with a newer model so soon - the Flyer was only built a year ago, don't forget! Pointing out flaws I have to say there was one tribute I could have done without: when Abaddon first comes aboard Voyager he's buzzing round the Transporter Room and stamps his foot on the upper platform housing the console, and you can hear a hollow rap which rather gives away the fact it's all built on wood rather than the solid metal structures we believe in. It instantly reminded me of many a similar moment in 'TOS' when someone would shift weight on the Bridge and the floor would creak, embarrassingly. Nowadays (or then-adays, I should say now - hard to believe it's almost as long since this episode as 'TOS' had been when this was made!), you'd think they'd have caught such an issue and replaced the sound with something more suitable, or removed it entirely! Though there were flaws, as with most episodes, the whole was surprisingly better than I'd thought, which I had in mind as one of the lowest points of the season. Yes, I wanted Tom to explain the nature of Alice at the end, since he was linked to 'her,' how she'd been taken against her will and consequently had reason to distrust humanoids, and tragically never gets past it, but even without modifications this is a good, solid, reliable instalment, and though it feels like the kind of story that could have been done in the early seasons, and the series isn't taking advantage of its longevity enough, I liked it.

***

Human

 DVD, Stargate Universe S1 (Human)

I was quite undecided about this one, but I think the ending just pushed it over the edge for me. Too much of it was meandering and self-absorbed as Rush is reliving the memory of the period leading up to his wife Gloria's death, complete with the usual excessive camera jigging about, closeups of worried faces and a washed out colour palette. Why those things should irritate I don't know, but I found myself thinking this was almost a parody of the kind of sci-fi reality stories that 'SG-1' used to do. And who should be along for the ride, none other than someone who was well used to such experiences, Dr. Daniel Jackson! That helped bump the episode up towards the better examples from this series, even if it's not really him, just a memory of when Rush met him, but it's nice to confirm they did meet and see some of that, and he somehow helps in a small way, I suppose. What I really wanted was for it to be a kind of leftover remnant of the 'ascended' version of Jackson from when he did that and was out of the series for a season, a bit like Guinan or Kirk in the Nexus in 'Generations': an echo of his real self. It's only a technicality, we still know the two docs met, and what does it really matter either way? I suppose connecting to the original cast of characters matters because it helps to legitimise what is a series quite far away from the typical 'Stargate' mould of stories, a little too ethereal and flighty, conflicted and moody, but that's 'modern' TV for you I suppose - why have simplicity when you can have complication and dance around a theme or story stylistically...

I'm starting to sound critical, and it is easy. There was plenty to like, from the big black door Rush needs to walk through and which keeps showing up (even if it reminded of 'The Matrix,' right down to bleeding in the real world when being injured in the fantasy), and the whole opening when you're not sure if this is a flashback and if so why is Rush acting so callous and unresponsive to his environment, or was he always like that? But: it was pretty stupid how Scott, Greer, Eli and Chloe end up trapped as the Destiny goes into FTL, stranding them on a planet of alien ruins (one of the characters says they've never seen evidence of civilisation on any planet so far, but what about the alien craft on the planet where Rush left for dead, or the obelisk from the previous episode!). It was just such a silly way to get caught out, because there's a creature Greer has to shoot which brings the ceiling down trapping them in a labyrinth. And don't they have any technology for lifting? What about the shuttle, couldn't they piton cords from that to the rubble and pull chunks out? I didn't see any inventive problem-solving and it all came together to make them look foolish. Again, I'm sounding quite negative, but the outcome, ending on a kind of cliffhanger with them trapped and Rush having the potential to unlock how to control Destiny, the enormity of being left behind on a seemingly one-way trip, was impressive, as was Rush finally acknowledging how his wife's death has made him the way he is.

Also, the planet looked good and I enjoyed the various references to 'Stargate' lore, even if Chloe calls it geeky, or whatever she said, as if they're afraid to even take their own franchise's history seriously without alienating audiences! If there was a casual audience then it's far more likely they'd have been drawn in enough to care about what went before, and since it only lasted two years, the lack of seriously dealing with much lore probably was a factor in it failing. But anyway, we hear about how so many races had ancient architecture and ruins and yet also superior technology, which is a good point, and we're reminded of the Lucian Alliance (in preparation...), which is how they decided on Icarus Base. Then there's the Ancients using genes as a way to control their tech, though Destiny doesn't work in that way, and obviously Dr. Jackson being the biggest throwback. I have the feeling this was the last time he played the role on the series, which would make it his last appearance in total, or do we still have the training videos to see, I can't remember? Maybe it's not the last time, but either way it was great to have him. He worked with his equivalent on 'Atlantis' (Dr. McKay), and now he's done the same with his equivalent here, sort of.

They didn't explain how the other guy that had sat in the chair was doing, presumably still in a coma, and speaking of injuries, Riley's back in the picture, and I thought he'd had a bad injury previously. Too many characters and not enough certainty over what's going on in the serial. But in its defence it was much more 'Stargate' with its story of a man living in a memory, while in the B-story people are trapped on an alien world. It doesn't end, we have to wait to find out what happens next, but it worked quite well for all that, and despite the many flaws I saw. The CGI wasn't always up to scratch (see the flock of pigeons rising up as Rush and Gloria sit on a park bench, or the long shots of the ruins), but those sorts of things don't tend to bother me if the story works and this pretty much did. Will we see a new, improved Rush from now on? Will the ship be taken under control? Will Eli and the others be saved, or will they have to live out their days living on dried spider meat in the dark? All this and more, hopefully, next time!

***

Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy

 DVD, Voyager S6 (Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy)

The surprise of this episode was that there are no commas in the title. I always thought there were, but there weren't. That may sound like a rather negative way to begin a review since it suggests there was nothing memorable or special about it if that's the kind of tiny detail that first comes to mind, but it actually points to a deeper situation with Trek of today that was reiterated here: they used to care about the tiny details in those days, and the tiny was one of the big aspects I loved about it. Take the instance of the Doctor's formal petition, filing a grievance about his role which Chakotay gives to the Captain to deal with. Tuvok reminds her that either Chakotay or himself (First and Second Officers), are allowed by protocol to deal with such a matter. That kind of little slip of information, built across the years into a vast, believable world is no longer the care of those that make Trek, and hasn't been since this modern era began in 2009/2017. Another instance of this was when the Doctor referred to Pon Farr in his comedic opera, making it quite clear that seven years is the space between, not that Vulcans reproduce on a more regular basis purely for enjoyment, and yet ever since 'Enterprise' we've been shown they're the same as any other race in that regard, no abstinence, they're just pointy-eared humans that don't require extreme levels of self-control just to get by. This has demeaned them as aliens, and it's only become worse in recent years with Spock and T'Pring in 'Strange New Worlds' - it's like they don't care about established biological facts, or indeed, any kind of facts (see Eugenics Wars date alteration).

I'm already going off on a tangent away from 'Voyager,' and I don't mean to, but the point is that details matter, and one of the delights of this episode is its use of them. In this case the Doc is allowed to kick back and have some fun exploring a new aspect of his makeup, and so we see him live out his daydream fantasies, a little addition he's made to his program. Anything the Doc does has been done before with Data, you can pretty much be sure, and of course Starfleet's famous android dabbled with actual dreaming in 'Birthright' and nightmares in 'Phantasms,' but there is some difference here: for one, this is a mostly comedic approach while Data's explorations were most serious and mysterious. And two, Data's experiences came as a gift from his 'Father,' Dr. Noonien Soong, whereas the Doctor's 'Father' wouldn't have cared a jot about whether his creation could dream, or indeed exceed his programming at all, something that would be later explored in this very season. So it's up to the Doc himself to unravel the nature of his existence and true potential (Please state the nature of my existence). Where Data was more interested in becoming human, to a greater degree resembling the goodness of his Starfleet family's virtues, the Doctor has always been a less 'restricted' personality due to the template of Dr. Zimmerman, his creator, and so we can laugh at his egotism and failure to see his own pomposity or absurdities.

While this had been played out in full on the series to this point, it had by no means been exhausted, as the proliferation of Doctor episodes in these last couple of seasons can testify, but laughing at a character's eccentricities can only go so far before it stunts growth and lessens believability in him as a person, which is why this episode is the first classic of the season: it has the comedy, but it builds on beyond that a great sympathy for the Doctor's state of being and his desires that mean he could do, and be, so much more than he is. In one sense he's vastly constrained by his position on the ship, but then he's also a unique being that requires maintenance from these people. If anything you'd think he'd have wanted to become an Engineer in order to 'physician, heal thyself,' which he's not in a position to do in the series since he concerns himself with frivolous creative pursuits such as holo-photography, or holography, or whatever. If he truly wished to become independent then he should be able to fix himself without help, but that's by the by. The real issue is that he can imagine himself exceeding his medical limits, perhaps in a similar way that Kes left the ship, pursuing a new existence beyond what she knew (something else that would be explored again this season). If they do (I don't know if they already have), bring him back in modern Trek then he's probably the character with the greatest potential to be in any avenue of life because he could do anything, but that breadth of possibility is also the means to destroy the character (I used to think it would be fascinating to explore the idea of a holographic Captain if we ever got new 'future' Trek again, but I'm wiser now...).

At least while he's on Voyager the Doctor has a set role which he is essential to. Everyone aboard is needed in their roles, but the Doctor is feeling that he could and should have the opportunity for advancement. And typical of him he shoots straight for the top with the ECH, the Emergency Command Hologram! Obviously it's his fantasy so he doesn't need to think about the practicalities, he just goes for the ultimate prize, and on the face of it, it's a sensible suggestion for a starship to have a replacement Captain. Only, what does that do for the command hierarchy? Before they had holograms they already knew who would be next in command: the First Officer, then the Second Officer, then... etc, working down the ranks - indeed, the 'TNG' episode, 'Disaster' is a great example of what could happen if communication breaks down and someone on the Bridge must step up (in that case Deanna Troi as the highest ranking officer). That's one reason that is such a great story because it shows people out of their comfort zone dealing with an unexpected and undesirable outcome - not that Deanna was a disaster herself, she eventually acquits herself well, if I remember, but if they'd had an ECH to turn to then the drama would have been lost. Of course there's always malfunction to turn to, they could wipe out the ECH temporarily, but the concept is worrying when you think about it: to take it a stage further, why not have Emergency Holograms for every role, and then why not have a ship crewed by them permanently?

I never really thought about the implications of the Doctor himself on the series. If they hadn't had him then someone would have had to learn to become a doctor and that could have been a fascinating journey (seen to some degree with TJ in 'Stargate Universe,' someone who had experience as a basic medic, but is forced to become much more). Not that I'd have wanted to excise the Doc, he's one of the best characters of the series in the classic Spock/Data/Odo mould, and has been a joy, but the trouble with holograms is that they throw up far too many thorny issues over how they should live, whether they should be allowed to expand, if they are slaves, at what point do they become sentient, should they have preventive measures to make sure that doesn't happen...? The issues are endless, which is why the Doc had so many episodes written about, and for him, I understand that. He could be a little too cartoony on occasion, but in this context he was great fun as he acts out all kinds of outlandish scenarios (through which we learn B'Elanna doesn't have the Klingon ridges on her feet - it may have been a daydream, but I'm sure the Doctor would have imagined in biologically accurate terms!). There is a little turn towards the danger of fantasy taking over your reality, a theme seen in multiple Treks (ironic, or perhaps useful, in a franchise aimed at people that take it very seriously, even religiously for the misguided few), such as 'Generations' for example (I wonder if the similarity with that film's music in the piece at the end when the Doc's been successful was deliberate or not?), but this isn't the episode to explore that on top of everything else.

It's more about the Doctor having the right to grow beyond his role, which he's already been given much latitude in, but as Tom Paris says, is it their fault if being Chief Medical Officer isn't enough for him! He's in a unique position, as all on the crew are, which is that they aren't in a traditional Starfleet career, they didn't sign on for a deep space mission, it was only supposed to be short range science missions after the effort to extract Tuvok from the Maquis. Consequently, while the Doc may well dream of days when he can rise up the ranks, explore new roles and generally live life even fuller than he already does, he is constrained by duty and circumstance to being what he is, and he should be trying to improve in that area. Which, with Kes' help in particular, he did, when you consider how he went from being a snappy curmudgeon to the joyful, happy man he is at this point. The series is definitely going backwards to try and eke out new ways to uncover things about the characters, as we saw in the previous episode when B'Elanna was more like her old combative self of the early episodes. It's true that, as the Doctor says, he doesn't have any limits, but that's because he's a product of technology rather than biology. He could be in danger of becoming a threat in the same way as artificial intelligence is gearing up to exceed our whimsical plans for it (not that it's likely to rise up as genuine intelligence, but that unscrupulous powers will be able to track and control all people through its ability to use or manipulate data), so he does have imposed limits through the structure of Starfleet and human morality, etc.

That's the thing, and can be seen in today's world of belief that you can be or do anything you imagine in your fantasy, even if it's not reality: if you truly accept anything as possible, then there is no morality, which is a chilling deduction of where we're heading in society. But again, I'm sidestepping away from the episode - it does show that even the most lighthearted Trek story can provoke deeper philosophical questions (unlike nowadays, when it's all basic action fare). You can have the laughs, but it's the sympathy for the Doctor, and surprisingly, for the alien who has been watching him, that lifts the episode beyond farce. They could easily have kept it going with increasingly bizarre or ridiculous scenarios for the Doc's daydreams to play out, but instead it goes to his sadness, and then humiliation at being seen in his fantasy worlds. That's the toughest thing for him, as someone with such a high opinion of himself, and is a violation of his privacy, but it was done to help him out of his predicament as he was sliding into fantasy becoming permanent reality, as we later learn due to the Hierarchy's interference. Is that what they're called? Because the pudgy potato-heads we see on their pudgy spud ship, was always checking with the Hierarchy for orders, so we never heard the name of their race or if they were part of this Hierarchy or only took orders from them.

That was another win for the episode, a terrific new alien race, perfectly suited to a comedy: they're like tortoises or turtles, their bald, fat heads sticking out of their military uniforms like it's a shell, and with an endearing enthusiasm that certainly made the main alien someone you sympathise with, despite being the villain. It was farfetched that Janeway would go through with his and the Doctor's plan to present the latter as the ECH, just to stop the former from being in trouble with his superiors, but he had turned to treason and given them all the details he could, and it was a dangerous situation if they'd had to fight it out, so maybe not so hard to believe after all? It was lovely that this underling sees some kind of freedom and inspiration in the Doctor, despite realising he's witnessing imagination rather than reality, and so you care about the potato-head and whether he gets in trouble or not. It's close to being a Ferengi type of episode in that the aliens wouldn't work in a more sinister or serious scenario, but in this form fit just right, like potatoes in a balanced dinner. There are hints of 'Cyrano de Bergerac,' with Janeway giving the Doc words to say when he's playing the Captain role, and perhaps even something of Captain Proton since the Doc is quite overblown in his acting, but is also being a superhero (the four pips phasing into being on his collar was a masterstroke!), and the whole thing was very well directed by a name I didn't recognise, John Bruno.

Apparently the main alien was called Phlox, though I didn't notice it in the dialogue, obviously taking on new resonance once 'Enterprise' gave one of its main cast the same name (though in that case my theory has always been they called him Dr. Phlox because it sounded like Dr. Spock, which so many casual viewers of Trek confused as Spock's title, in turn being confused by the famous child psychologist (I think), of the same name!). While on the subject of names, I loved the actor's who played the boss alien: Googy Gress. If they'd told me that was the alien's name I'd have accepted it without comment, so what a great one! Even Majel Barrett gets in on the fun in her usual role as the voice of the computer - as far as I recall, not since 'TOS' was she able to cut loose and muck about with the computer's personality (I don't recall the episode, but she was behaving all kittenish to the Captain), with lines like 'warp core breach, sooner than you think' instead of the usual countdown, or 'last chance to be a hero, Doctor.' Again, another aspect of classic Trek that you don't get any more: a consistent voice for the computer that ran from the original all the way up to 'Enterprise' (in the few times they had a computer voice). I felt they should have had one consistent person in the new era, ideally someone who sounded like Majel (Judi Durand, the voice of the DS9 station, would have been perfect!).

All this and the Doctor gets to sing yet again, for the second time this season, or third (he was singing in 'Equinox, Part II,' and I think he sang in B'Elanna's episode, 'Barge of The Dead'), only this time it was a proper performance. They really have some fun with Tuvok, (going wild twice in as many episodes!), he suddenly comes under the influence of Pon Farr and is crying and laughing for the first time this season (but not the last - see 'Riddles'), and then in the greatest indignity he gets taken down by a nerve pinch when he's rampaging as a Borg! So it wasn't a good episode for Vulcan dignity, but at least it was all in the imagination! All the characters feel a part of the story, which is important - even someone like Kim gets a bit of continuity relevant to the Doctor's jitters, sharing his feelings of when he started sitting in the Captain's Chair when leading the night shift. There was one perplexing moment, which was when they incarcerate the Doc in Sickbay behind a forcefield while they try to work out what to do. Surely he can walk through energy fields? Maybe he was too caught up in his daydreams and so didn't have the mental capacity to phase out in order to walk through? I thought it could have been the Mobile Emitter which obviously couldn't go through a field, but he wasn't wearing it then... One of the most gratifying moments of the entire episode for me was when the Doctor is believed. To all experience he comes on the Bridge with the ravings of someone still caught up in his daydreams, and at first that's what Janeway thinks, but she doesn't shut him down and when he gives Kim a way to prove what he says he's shown to be in the right. It was something that stood out, that even though it could be the boy who cried wolf, he is given a chance and is proven instead of being dismissed. Janeway shows what a great Captain she can, at times, be.

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