DVD, TNG S4 (The Loss)
I thought perhaps this episode might only be noteworthy for one of the (and probably the), earliest references to the Breen - apparently they, like Ferengi, are difficult to read empathically. Or for the 2D race of beings. Things go a bit technical, Deanna's throwing tantrums, but it's scientifically interesting for the fact that Roddenberry didn't want his characters in conflict. For once Deanna's ratty to everyone, shouting and screaming (about as much as she's ever likely to), and throwing her toys out of the Counsellor's office. At first I had no sympathy for Deanna at all, for exactly the reason Riker confronts her with later: she always had an advantage and now she's on a level footing with everyone else. But somewhere in the middle I suddenly found that actually I was sorry for her, and did feel her pain (maybe I was becoming Betazoid?). Guinan's simple, but unexpected words did wonders, as usual saying the unexpected, but Picard didn't even get a chance to tell his story!
We learn some things about the structure of the personnel on board, such as there aren't any other counsellors, when I assumed Troi had a team. She's also close to insubordination to various people, but they kindly let it pass. Also, news doesn't seem to travel around very quickly. Her patient didn't know that she'd lost her powers or about her resigning, while Guinan did, and Deanna was still worrying over people being like flat holo-projections in the midst of a crisis in which the ship is drawn inexorably towards a destructive force. She was about to become a 2D entity herself, yet she's still moping about her powers? I can only put it down to no one letting her know what danger the ship was in. Then again most people were probably keeping away from her! Her own plight was sure to lead to the inspiration which would release the ship, and her powers were sure to return, but even though it ends too easily I was happy with the resolution and the chance to see Deanna on the back foot. There's even a lovely musical outro as the ship majestically glides on its way, and I don't care that it was only there to make up time. Look out for Picard's wife from 'Star Trek: Generations' as Ensign Brooks, whom Troi is counselling.
***
Monday, 20 December 2010
Shakaar
DVD, DS9 S3 (Shakaar)
For once one of Quark's schemes goes right for him. It's only a charming little B-story, but it's worth pointing out. Usually he's jumped on by Starfleet or Odo, but this time, with the Chief 'in the zone', everyone's excited about his darts prowess. Until Quark messes up his own opportunity, and does so at the worst possible moment, too, in front of a Vulcan, the worst race to be shown up in front of. Vulcans are rarely seen on 'DS9', but they usually arrive in time to rub someone's nose in it! The real story is an excuse for a runaround on Bajor, Kai Winn's chance to grab even more power, and Kira to realise life is actually better now than when she was in the resistance, just in case she was developing romantic notions of that time. Not that she would, but sneaking around in the hills certainly cooled her ardour for the life.
We get to meet the man who formed the resistance cell Kira belonged to, and a couple of her close friends, though they can't be that close as she's hardly seen them in recent years. Shakaar wouldn't come into the series as much as he should have done - the friendly giant and his friends Furel and Lupaza were all great characters that could have really done with more exploration. A taste of William Lucking's ability comes in the story he tells of losing his arm. He's a stranger to us, but we instantly warm to him, the mark of a strong actor. Other members of the cell are mentioned, including Mobara (later to appear in 'The Darkness and The Light'). The lighting is so good in the planet scenes I'd forgotten some of the ones outside Shakaar's house were filmed on an indoor set! Visiting a farm on Bajor completes the set of visits to the main character's homeworlds this season, and recalled Season 1's 'Progress', another time Kira was put in the difficult position of having to convince someone to do what the authorities wanted. Winn should have realised that Kira's sympathies with these farmers would turn her to their way of thinking, but all she sees is Kira as a servant who happens to have a connection to Shakaar making the Major useful to her. Speaking as sweetly and as convincingly as she can, she gets Kira to do what she wants despite getting off a few barbs throughout the episode.
Winn has rarely looked more dangerous, seizing power, thinking it's all a test by the Prophets (and who's to say it wasn't - Bareil once said Winn's position as Kai would lead further than even she knew). Is there any likelihood that she induced the First Minister's heart attack somehow? There's no hint of suspicion from Sisko or Kira when discussing it, but when you think back to her plot to kill of Bareil to make sure she became Kai it fits the pattern and makes you think... Worse still, all the other times Winn has come through and won, getting what she wanted, and afterwards has proved relatively gracious, but this time things don't go her way, she's thwarted. Not only that, but Sisko refuses to help her (the Prime Directive proves useful for once!), and Kira, ever her arch-enemy is the one to deliver the news, leading to some payback for all the wrong Winn's done her. So Winn ain't gonna be happy. She looked like she was shaking with rage at the end there, and that isn't good for anyone.
Whether Kira found the honest, wholesome Shakaar appealing at this time is hard to say for certain, but her blowing out of the candle for Bareil is very symbolic, but so subtle that we wouldn't know what it really meant until later. If she wasn't in Winn's bad books she most certainly is now, and all semblance of potential for friendly relations are nixed. Winn was happy to bring Bajor to civil war as long as she crushed all opposition to her rule, but the people weren't quite ready for that kind of tyranny. Honourable mention should go to Super Bajoran - one of the soldiers chasing the Shakaar group flings himself from a hilltop to land on a gravelly hillside. Whether he was showing off or not he was clearly having fun. With Bajor being a peaceful planet the military must not get out much...
****
For once one of Quark's schemes goes right for him. It's only a charming little B-story, but it's worth pointing out. Usually he's jumped on by Starfleet or Odo, but this time, with the Chief 'in the zone', everyone's excited about his darts prowess. Until Quark messes up his own opportunity, and does so at the worst possible moment, too, in front of a Vulcan, the worst race to be shown up in front of. Vulcans are rarely seen on 'DS9', but they usually arrive in time to rub someone's nose in it! The real story is an excuse for a runaround on Bajor, Kai Winn's chance to grab even more power, and Kira to realise life is actually better now than when she was in the resistance, just in case she was developing romantic notions of that time. Not that she would, but sneaking around in the hills certainly cooled her ardour for the life.
We get to meet the man who formed the resistance cell Kira belonged to, and a couple of her close friends, though they can't be that close as she's hardly seen them in recent years. Shakaar wouldn't come into the series as much as he should have done - the friendly giant and his friends Furel and Lupaza were all great characters that could have really done with more exploration. A taste of William Lucking's ability comes in the story he tells of losing his arm. He's a stranger to us, but we instantly warm to him, the mark of a strong actor. Other members of the cell are mentioned, including Mobara (later to appear in 'The Darkness and The Light'). The lighting is so good in the planet scenes I'd forgotten some of the ones outside Shakaar's house were filmed on an indoor set! Visiting a farm on Bajor completes the set of visits to the main character's homeworlds this season, and recalled Season 1's 'Progress', another time Kira was put in the difficult position of having to convince someone to do what the authorities wanted. Winn should have realised that Kira's sympathies with these farmers would turn her to their way of thinking, but all she sees is Kira as a servant who happens to have a connection to Shakaar making the Major useful to her. Speaking as sweetly and as convincingly as she can, she gets Kira to do what she wants despite getting off a few barbs throughout the episode.
Winn has rarely looked more dangerous, seizing power, thinking it's all a test by the Prophets (and who's to say it wasn't - Bareil once said Winn's position as Kai would lead further than even she knew). Is there any likelihood that she induced the First Minister's heart attack somehow? There's no hint of suspicion from Sisko or Kira when discussing it, but when you think back to her plot to kill of Bareil to make sure she became Kai it fits the pattern and makes you think... Worse still, all the other times Winn has come through and won, getting what she wanted, and afterwards has proved relatively gracious, but this time things don't go her way, she's thwarted. Not only that, but Sisko refuses to help her (the Prime Directive proves useful for once!), and Kira, ever her arch-enemy is the one to deliver the news, leading to some payback for all the wrong Winn's done her. So Winn ain't gonna be happy. She looked like she was shaking with rage at the end there, and that isn't good for anyone.
Whether Kira found the honest, wholesome Shakaar appealing at this time is hard to say for certain, but her blowing out of the candle for Bareil is very symbolic, but so subtle that we wouldn't know what it really meant until later. If she wasn't in Winn's bad books she most certainly is now, and all semblance of potential for friendly relations are nixed. Winn was happy to bring Bajor to civil war as long as she crushed all opposition to her rule, but the people weren't quite ready for that kind of tyranny. Honourable mention should go to Super Bajoran - one of the soldiers chasing the Shakaar group flings himself from a hilltop to land on a gravelly hillside. Whether he was showing off or not he was clearly having fun. With Bajor being a peaceful planet the military must not get out much...
****
Monday, 13 December 2010
Lexmas
DVD, Smallville S5 (Lexmas)
I can't decide if I like this or not. Maybe I can talk myself round one way or the other. A Christmas episode was completely unexpected and something I could never have foreseen - the series just isn't that type of show, it doesn't do 'special' themed episodes like that. Not that that's a bad thing, but it was a bit jarring at first, and I have to say that as far as the twinkling lights and sparkling glows went I found them rather garish, a strange admission to make watching it in the run up to Christmas time! Lex' fall into a coma wasn't the sort of thing to impress, but a standard writer's device for carrying off an 'It's A Wonderful Life' or 'A Christmas Carol' style of story (both of which are referenced, Clark says Lex has a wonderful life, and Lex mentions Ebeneezer Scrooge). Again, it doesn't matter that it's not inventive because of the way it shows an alternate future, one we know will never happen, in which Lex finds love and happiness by turning his back on money and power, only for it to blow up in his face and become the lynchpin in his turn to the dark side.
I don't get what the intentions were with this story, beyond having some fun with the 'what if?' scenario. Is it telling us that Lex has no prospect for a happy life whatever he does? Is he destined to self-destruct whatever happens? It's a bleak message wrapped up in a big, red ribbon, which is the hardest thing to swallow in the story. It isn't hard to accept that Lex has realised what he wants and slowly is letting his grip on real life slip away as he moves towards the evil figure he should become, but it is hard to accept that he would dream of his Mother telling him that this was the only way he could go - short-lived happiness was all he could get in exchange for riches and status. Or is it all just something conjured up in his mind, and he's so bent towards his own wants that he came up with this scenario to convince himself he should stop at nothing to protect himself in life? Or did it all mean nothing and it was just a dream he's decided to take seriously?
The sad thing is that the need to control everything, even for good intentions such as the protection of loved ones, is what real people aspire to, and what can make people evil in real life. Yet they, and Lex, aren't seeming to see the truth of living - no matter how much money, how much control, you can never control everything. It's surely better to be happy in obscurity than trying to take hold of 'destiny' or the environment around you to the detriment of all else. Put it down to the madness Lex experienced in Season 3. He never went back to the totally friendly, true guy he had been and his own dark childhood has twisted him almost completely.
The other side of the story, the 'real world' as you might call it, features some fun little moments, such as Clark saving an old man from jumping off a building, and for the fact that Clark actually becomes Father Christmas for a bit, dashing round to deliver presents. I wonder if he left a trail of smashed in locks in his wake?! I wasn't quite so keen on the old guy turning out to really be Father Christmas, and, maybe this was a comment on the 'magic' of Christmas, but I found at times I almost wasn't sure if we were in Lex' head or in reality, so surreal was the episode, and so bright and twinkly were both settings! It pushes the envelope out even further, to suggest FC really was there, and that was one thing I thought might be explained away - he had special powers from meteorite-laced Vodka, or whatever. The other bit was why the girl shot Lex. He'd already handed the keys over to her boyfriend, and she actually seemed taken aback when he pulled a gun. I was sure there was going to be some explanation, some clever reason why she had been the one to shoot him instead of her boyfriend, beyond the immediate surprise of where the shot came from.
Dr. Scanlan is back again in the SMC, and I think the name Dr. Litvack had been mentioned in other stories, or seen. I still don't buy Lex' obsession with Lana, which came out of nowhere, even if he says he always loved her, and Mr. Kent's running for office seems more and more like it was only created to get rid of him, even though Jonathan being interested in political office is about as far from the character as you can go. No wonder John Schneider wanted out. Most of what I've written has been negative, mainly because those are the easier things to notice and remember, but I think I did edge towards thinking favourably overall - seeing Lex struggle with a baby seat, or driving some cramped old car, wearing jeans, was so far from his usual slick image adding moments of joyful oddness to the story.
Whether it would have been better to make the episode from the point of view of the coma as reality until we find out otherwise may not have worked as well, since we'd know it wasn't real and he was going to wake up at some point, and also would have negated the option for Clark Claus to show up. He'd better watch out - already Chloe's using emotional blackmail to take advantage of his skills! So I can't give any points for originality, or even style, but whether it's the Christmas spirit coming through or the smaller elements that popped up here and there, I'm going to be generous and officially mark it as a good episode. Up until the totally unhappy ending.
***
I can't decide if I like this or not. Maybe I can talk myself round one way or the other. A Christmas episode was completely unexpected and something I could never have foreseen - the series just isn't that type of show, it doesn't do 'special' themed episodes like that. Not that that's a bad thing, but it was a bit jarring at first, and I have to say that as far as the twinkling lights and sparkling glows went I found them rather garish, a strange admission to make watching it in the run up to Christmas time! Lex' fall into a coma wasn't the sort of thing to impress, but a standard writer's device for carrying off an 'It's A Wonderful Life' or 'A Christmas Carol' style of story (both of which are referenced, Clark says Lex has a wonderful life, and Lex mentions Ebeneezer Scrooge). Again, it doesn't matter that it's not inventive because of the way it shows an alternate future, one we know will never happen, in which Lex finds love and happiness by turning his back on money and power, only for it to blow up in his face and become the lynchpin in his turn to the dark side.
I don't get what the intentions were with this story, beyond having some fun with the 'what if?' scenario. Is it telling us that Lex has no prospect for a happy life whatever he does? Is he destined to self-destruct whatever happens? It's a bleak message wrapped up in a big, red ribbon, which is the hardest thing to swallow in the story. It isn't hard to accept that Lex has realised what he wants and slowly is letting his grip on real life slip away as he moves towards the evil figure he should become, but it is hard to accept that he would dream of his Mother telling him that this was the only way he could go - short-lived happiness was all he could get in exchange for riches and status. Or is it all just something conjured up in his mind, and he's so bent towards his own wants that he came up with this scenario to convince himself he should stop at nothing to protect himself in life? Or did it all mean nothing and it was just a dream he's decided to take seriously?
The sad thing is that the need to control everything, even for good intentions such as the protection of loved ones, is what real people aspire to, and what can make people evil in real life. Yet they, and Lex, aren't seeming to see the truth of living - no matter how much money, how much control, you can never control everything. It's surely better to be happy in obscurity than trying to take hold of 'destiny' or the environment around you to the detriment of all else. Put it down to the madness Lex experienced in Season 3. He never went back to the totally friendly, true guy he had been and his own dark childhood has twisted him almost completely.
The other side of the story, the 'real world' as you might call it, features some fun little moments, such as Clark saving an old man from jumping off a building, and for the fact that Clark actually becomes Father Christmas for a bit, dashing round to deliver presents. I wonder if he left a trail of smashed in locks in his wake?! I wasn't quite so keen on the old guy turning out to really be Father Christmas, and, maybe this was a comment on the 'magic' of Christmas, but I found at times I almost wasn't sure if we were in Lex' head or in reality, so surreal was the episode, and so bright and twinkly were both settings! It pushes the envelope out even further, to suggest FC really was there, and that was one thing I thought might be explained away - he had special powers from meteorite-laced Vodka, or whatever. The other bit was why the girl shot Lex. He'd already handed the keys over to her boyfriend, and she actually seemed taken aback when he pulled a gun. I was sure there was going to be some explanation, some clever reason why she had been the one to shoot him instead of her boyfriend, beyond the immediate surprise of where the shot came from.
Dr. Scanlan is back again in the SMC, and I think the name Dr. Litvack had been mentioned in other stories, or seen. I still don't buy Lex' obsession with Lana, which came out of nowhere, even if he says he always loved her, and Mr. Kent's running for office seems more and more like it was only created to get rid of him, even though Jonathan being interested in political office is about as far from the character as you can go. No wonder John Schneider wanted out. Most of what I've written has been negative, mainly because those are the easier things to notice and remember, but I think I did edge towards thinking favourably overall - seeing Lex struggle with a baby seat, or driving some cramped old car, wearing jeans, was so far from his usual slick image adding moments of joyful oddness to the story.
Whether it would have been better to make the episode from the point of view of the coma as reality until we find out otherwise may not have worked as well, since we'd know it wasn't real and he was going to wake up at some point, and also would have negated the option for Clark Claus to show up. He'd better watch out - already Chloe's using emotional blackmail to take advantage of his skills! So I can't give any points for originality, or even style, but whether it's the Christmas spirit coming through or the smaller elements that popped up here and there, I'm going to be generous and officially mark it as a good episode. Up until the totally unhappy ending.
***
Final Mission
DVD, TNG S4 (Final Mission)
Having the episodes on DVD, the slip-in-and-out format, where you can watch all the stories in order at your own convenience, has been an affordable way to get in touch with the 'Star Trek' series' like never before. It's given me the chance to reappraise the episodes, stories and characters, particularly ones that I didn't much like on original viewing. One of those who reversed my opinions was Kes on 'Voyager', the other was Wesley Crusher. I never much cared for him, with his experiments and his bland behaviour and his lack of development, but becoming reacquainted with the 'TNG' characters on a regular basis has shown the young man in a new light.
His reputation as the child genius that's always saving the ship is undeserved - such an occurrence rarely happened. The development I thought was missing has woven itself subtly through the first four seasons, from barely being acknowledged by Picard, through to gradual acceptance, earning his position on the ship and eventually following the footsteps of his deceased Father, with Captain Picard becoming almost a mentor. What I took for blandness I see as restraint, uprightness and a hard-working temperament learning to live with his own high expectations, yet being presented with the special brand of the Traveller to mark him out as exceptional. He also represents youth, 'at the beginning of the adventure' as Picard puts it, the Captain's envy of such a time in his life that will never come again is more powerful and affecting even than Wesley's admission that all he ever wanted to do was make Picard proud of him.
He had a strong episode to finish with, and one that showcased his growing up, taking charge, to an extent, from the rumpled Captain Dirgo, a no-good type who deserved his fate through ignorance. Wes' courage is shown strongly in the way he tries to defeat the sentry technology even after seeing the gruesome fate of Dirgo. Nick Tate doesn't do a bad job, but the character wasn't as compelling as his other role, mob member Bilby in 'DS9' episode 'Honour Among Thieves'. He's played as a lowly, scruffy drifter who doesn't take authority well and only looks out for himself. Having recently got into the old Amiga game 'Frontier - Elite II' I can vouch firsthand for the difficulty of landing a shuttle from space manually. The music in this sequence was very 'Star Wars' and it made for a good scene, even if the jiggling motion of the set didn't fit the rotating, floaty inertia of the model's trajectory. The visuals throughout are attractively bathed in golden light and although the shuttle crash is a downer there's a sense of a proper adventure with the three of them tramping off into the barren surround. They should have moved in a straight line from the arrow, I would point out, instead of veering off to the right, but perhaps they made up for the veer later! I also felt the neatly chiselled steps in the cave were a little too convenient, though for the most part the set looked good, and differed well from the familiar cave set.
The Enterprise is coincidentally called away at the crucial moment (like that 'TOS' one which I can't remember the name of right now), and I always thought the Malon in 'Voyager' were quite an original concept. Here we see the Enterprise having to deal with a radioactive waste scow, so maybe it drifted out of a wormhole in the Delta Quadrant? The aliens on the planet (they're always a peaceful, non-violent people without any form of weapon or defence - so not too intelligent either, or did they not consider the need for a contingency plan in case large objects collided with their planet?) actually looked like they'd already been contaminated with extreme radiation poisoning, or is that a racist slur?
The episode could have been stronger or more heartfelt or given Wes a bigger send-off, but for a messy, dirty alternative to the sparkling halls and ambassadorial dinners more familiar to Picard, it worked a treat. It's always sad when a character leaves a series, even though in 'Star Trek' there are always possibilities, as a famous pointy-eared legend once said. The adventures of young Crusher would be occasionally dipped into, but never mapped out properly which is a great shame. The series lost something when Tasha, then Beverly, then Wesley left, but at the same time the series was tightened up and I think Season Four is the next stretch of an upward curve, with a great start. Strangely, watching through the series again, Wesley will indeed be missed.
***
Having the episodes on DVD, the slip-in-and-out format, where you can watch all the stories in order at your own convenience, has been an affordable way to get in touch with the 'Star Trek' series' like never before. It's given me the chance to reappraise the episodes, stories and characters, particularly ones that I didn't much like on original viewing. One of those who reversed my opinions was Kes on 'Voyager', the other was Wesley Crusher. I never much cared for him, with his experiments and his bland behaviour and his lack of development, but becoming reacquainted with the 'TNG' characters on a regular basis has shown the young man in a new light.
His reputation as the child genius that's always saving the ship is undeserved - such an occurrence rarely happened. The development I thought was missing has woven itself subtly through the first four seasons, from barely being acknowledged by Picard, through to gradual acceptance, earning his position on the ship and eventually following the footsteps of his deceased Father, with Captain Picard becoming almost a mentor. What I took for blandness I see as restraint, uprightness and a hard-working temperament learning to live with his own high expectations, yet being presented with the special brand of the Traveller to mark him out as exceptional. He also represents youth, 'at the beginning of the adventure' as Picard puts it, the Captain's envy of such a time in his life that will never come again is more powerful and affecting even than Wesley's admission that all he ever wanted to do was make Picard proud of him.
He had a strong episode to finish with, and one that showcased his growing up, taking charge, to an extent, from the rumpled Captain Dirgo, a no-good type who deserved his fate through ignorance. Wes' courage is shown strongly in the way he tries to defeat the sentry technology even after seeing the gruesome fate of Dirgo. Nick Tate doesn't do a bad job, but the character wasn't as compelling as his other role, mob member Bilby in 'DS9' episode 'Honour Among Thieves'. He's played as a lowly, scruffy drifter who doesn't take authority well and only looks out for himself. Having recently got into the old Amiga game 'Frontier - Elite II' I can vouch firsthand for the difficulty of landing a shuttle from space manually. The music in this sequence was very 'Star Wars' and it made for a good scene, even if the jiggling motion of the set didn't fit the rotating, floaty inertia of the model's trajectory. The visuals throughout are attractively bathed in golden light and although the shuttle crash is a downer there's a sense of a proper adventure with the three of them tramping off into the barren surround. They should have moved in a straight line from the arrow, I would point out, instead of veering off to the right, but perhaps they made up for the veer later! I also felt the neatly chiselled steps in the cave were a little too convenient, though for the most part the set looked good, and differed well from the familiar cave set.
The Enterprise is coincidentally called away at the crucial moment (like that 'TOS' one which I can't remember the name of right now), and I always thought the Malon in 'Voyager' were quite an original concept. Here we see the Enterprise having to deal with a radioactive waste scow, so maybe it drifted out of a wormhole in the Delta Quadrant? The aliens on the planet (they're always a peaceful, non-violent people without any form of weapon or defence - so not too intelligent either, or did they not consider the need for a contingency plan in case large objects collided with their planet?) actually looked like they'd already been contaminated with extreme radiation poisoning, or is that a racist slur?
The episode could have been stronger or more heartfelt or given Wes a bigger send-off, but for a messy, dirty alternative to the sparkling halls and ambassadorial dinners more familiar to Picard, it worked a treat. It's always sad when a character leaves a series, even though in 'Star Trek' there are always possibilities, as a famous pointy-eared legend once said. The adventures of young Crusher would be occasionally dipped into, but never mapped out properly which is a great shame. The series lost something when Tasha, then Beverly, then Wesley left, but at the same time the series was tightened up and I think Season Four is the next stretch of an upward curve, with a great start. Strangely, watching through the series again, Wesley will indeed be missed.
***
Future Imperfect
DVD, TNG S4 (Future Imperfect)
Another fake reality story, not that I'm complaining, but it's been done better. The reality within a reality was much more real in 'Inquisition' ('DS9'), but the set-up here is certainly succeeds in misleading us, as the Romulans close proximity and the likelihood of their kidnapping Riker making us quick to suspect them. Tomalak makes his third appearance, though only from out of Riker's memories, but I must say the key to unravelling the mystery was very well placed for regular viewers. His 'wife' is given the name Min, and that might not spark off suspicions, but once you see her in the home recording, as Riker, you can put the clues together and recognise Minuet from the first season's '11001001'. Clever to make a part of his past that was so real to him, yet leaving the flaw that would reveal the deception, and something that must have been like the flourish of a magician's trick when viewed for the first time. A very nice touch to bring back such a character, if only we'd seen more of her.
As ever with these kinds of episodes it's great fun spotting all the differences, and to be fair some weren't far off the mark - Geordi would lose the VISOR, Data would age and Riker would sport a grey-flecked beard as Captain, though not, sadly, of the Enterprise. This time of course it isn't an alternate reality or a possible future, but an alien boy's manifestation of a feasible way to make Riker accept the situation, and the reality in a reality of the Romulan Holodeck made it a touch more convoluted. The young actor that plays Barash accomplishes the precociousness of being a Riker, with the well-meaning of a misguided and lonely alien, keeping the balance between being sympathetic, yet knowing more than he lets on. A good performance.
Nurse Ogawa is seen for the first time, a female Klingon walks the corridors of the Enterprise, and long before Nog we have a Ferengi crewmember on the bridge of a starship! There are also some nice little moments as Riker comes to terms with fatherhood, takes his son to heart, or when he realises the falsity of his surroundings and tells Admiral Picard to shut his mouth. A long way from being a classic, but an enjoyable adventure all the same.
***
Another fake reality story, not that I'm complaining, but it's been done better. The reality within a reality was much more real in 'Inquisition' ('DS9'), but the set-up here is certainly succeeds in misleading us, as the Romulans close proximity and the likelihood of their kidnapping Riker making us quick to suspect them. Tomalak makes his third appearance, though only from out of Riker's memories, but I must say the key to unravelling the mystery was very well placed for regular viewers. His 'wife' is given the name Min, and that might not spark off suspicions, but once you see her in the home recording, as Riker, you can put the clues together and recognise Minuet from the first season's '11001001'. Clever to make a part of his past that was so real to him, yet leaving the flaw that would reveal the deception, and something that must have been like the flourish of a magician's trick when viewed for the first time. A very nice touch to bring back such a character, if only we'd seen more of her.
As ever with these kinds of episodes it's great fun spotting all the differences, and to be fair some weren't far off the mark - Geordi would lose the VISOR, Data would age and Riker would sport a grey-flecked beard as Captain, though not, sadly, of the Enterprise. This time of course it isn't an alternate reality or a possible future, but an alien boy's manifestation of a feasible way to make Riker accept the situation, and the reality in a reality of the Romulan Holodeck made it a touch more convoluted. The young actor that plays Barash accomplishes the precociousness of being a Riker, with the well-meaning of a misguided and lonely alien, keeping the balance between being sympathetic, yet knowing more than he lets on. A good performance.
Nurse Ogawa is seen for the first time, a female Klingon walks the corridors of the Enterprise, and long before Nog we have a Ferengi crewmember on the bridge of a starship! There are also some nice little moments as Riker comes to terms with fatherhood, takes his son to heart, or when he realises the falsity of his surroundings and tells Admiral Picard to shut his mouth. A long way from being a classic, but an enjoyable adventure all the same.
***
Family Business
DVD, DS9 S3 (Family Business)
Quark's family is the unlikely source of the narrative, but it's as much about Jake's hopes to get Sisko and Kasidy Yates together. The freighter captain has been built up a lot, or to be precise, Sisko's meeting with her has been, as everyone seems to know about it, much like Bashir's impending encounter with Dr. Lense in the last episode. In that, his colleagues were happy to tease him, but a more professional tone is taken with their Commander, they're more embarrassed to confess they know about it. Sisko immediately sees Kasidy's not what he was expecting, but to be fair he had low expectations. It isn't until the magic words "sliding into second base" that things take off unexpectedly with a joint love of the ancient and forgotten sport of baseball providing instant connection - the funniest moment is not the Ferengi frivolities as might be anticipated, but Commander Sisko's reaction to Kasidy's interest in the sport. Up to that point they've been a little embarrassed about Jake's obvious match-making, but this, the single most important revelation for Sisko turns things around. You wonder if Jake knew of this trump card and tactically kept quiet about it... And thus, something is born that would, like Leeta's introduction in the previous story, and Brunt and Ishka's in this one, endure to the end of the series, though none of those characters could be said to be obvious contenders for recurrence from their first appearances.
Brunt, played by Jeffrey Combs, back after appearing in the disgustingly rich and self-absorbed role of alien Tiron, is seen as business-like, a little officious perhaps, but only interested in getting the job done as quickly as possible before he's off to the next infraction. You don't even get a sense that he enjoys the power he holds from his brisk manner, but there's no animosity between him and Quark at this stage as the barkeep appears to be compliant at every step. The full 'brunt' of of the FCA Liquidator's authority isn't felt this time, he's in and out as quick as possible, though his parting comment about hoping never to see them again would not come true. Quark even agrees with Brunt and traditional Ferengi's views on the subject of women not being allowed to earn profit, wear clothes, travel or speak to strangers, but it becomes evident his values aren't as important as profit - his greed is greater than his shame when it comes to Ishka sharing her acquisitions 50-50!
We soon get to know Ishka, or Moogie, her affectionate nickname, as a contrary, self-willed female that has always been untraditional even when her boys were young. Quark's always been ashamed and was taunted by the other Ferengi children that his mother wouldn't chew his food for him or would talk to strangers. Details such as these add greatly to both Quark and Rom's character, and explain a few things, such as the way Quark treats Rom - he always took Moogie's side, and Quark knows what she says about their Father, Keldar is true, that he didn't have a business head, though he doesn't want to admit it. It also explains the way Rom has grown up to be less of a Ferengi than his brother, besides the fact he's not very quick or confident - he spent another ten years at home after Quark left, no doubt Moogie's influence grew stronger, but little did she know what her ways would lead to, indirectly planting the seed of change to Ferengi society through her son.
Rom comes out of his shell and into his own, cowing Quark and Ishka into submission from surprise at his outburst and impassioned speech about the state of the family. He's not as stupid as he seems. Almost as stupid, but not quite. Moogie must have been a big influence on the way he believed, though she is as interested in Ferengi values of profit-making as anything else. Rom is more interested in the happiness of people, it seems, after his unsuccessful attempts to be devious or grasping. Ironically he carries it off for once, lying to get Quark and Moogie together. It's possible to make an estimate of Quark's age from the facts in this episode. We know he left home twenty years ago, at his Age of Ascension. Nog's just completed that rite in his mid-teens so Quark must be in his mid-thirties now. When Quark leaves for Ferenginar a number of Ferengi seem to be going off at the same time - my theory is that it's the waiters and other Ferengi operators of the bar, taking advantage of its closure to visit home just like their boss. Maybe they saved money by all chartering the same shuttle - that would have made for an episode in its own right!
Many aspects of Ferengi tradition and life are explored. We don't see much of the homeworld, but it lives up to the food they like to eat, being a perfect, moist climate for bugs and grubs. We see the famous Tower of Commerce reaching majestically into the sky, and Quark even climbs its stairways (off-camera). Every little thing must be paid for so I can't imagine there are many poor people in Ferengi society. If everyone charges even to admit visitors or to sit in a chair or use basic amenities then money must constantly be changing hands and even the weakest entrepreneur could get by if they put some effort into profit-making. The architecture, spheres abounding, continues the design first established way back in the race's first appearance in 'TNG', but enhances it. The snail-shell design of the chair, the low doorways, the lighting balls in the ceiling in the same style as their ship's consoles, even the hint of a huge version in the dome of the house, all fit with the Ferengi look and style. It's such a pleasure just to visit such an alien culture, yet we also get to meet Quark's mother and hear about his family life growing up (including other relatives being mentioned to add to the list, in Adred, Quark's Grandad, and Cousin Stol who was spoken of in 'Q-Less').
The other characters on the station aren't featured as much, but Sisko and Kira discuss the new Runabout (replacing the Mekong) which he names Rubicon. Kira even makes a joke of the number of Runabouts they get through, and that it's a good job Earth has a lot of rivers! Like the previous episode an example of the Napean species can be seen in the background, this time as one of Kasidy's crew. The reality is probably they needed to reuse the makeup, but it is funny that you never see them and then two turn up in quick succession. Sisko's cooking is again featured, and Mai'Hardu's race are shown to be more than just servants when we hear Moogie made money on Hupyrian beetle snuff, so perhaps the race exports it? Visiting Ferenginar has just about completed the set of homeworlds for the season. We've been to Earth, Trill, Odo's chunk of rock, even Kronos, in fact the only relevant world we haven't been to this season is the one on their doorstep: Bajor. That would very shortly be remedied.
****
Quark's family is the unlikely source of the narrative, but it's as much about Jake's hopes to get Sisko and Kasidy Yates together. The freighter captain has been built up a lot, or to be precise, Sisko's meeting with her has been, as everyone seems to know about it, much like Bashir's impending encounter with Dr. Lense in the last episode. In that, his colleagues were happy to tease him, but a more professional tone is taken with their Commander, they're more embarrassed to confess they know about it. Sisko immediately sees Kasidy's not what he was expecting, but to be fair he had low expectations. It isn't until the magic words "sliding into second base" that things take off unexpectedly with a joint love of the ancient and forgotten sport of baseball providing instant connection - the funniest moment is not the Ferengi frivolities as might be anticipated, but Commander Sisko's reaction to Kasidy's interest in the sport. Up to that point they've been a little embarrassed about Jake's obvious match-making, but this, the single most important revelation for Sisko turns things around. You wonder if Jake knew of this trump card and tactically kept quiet about it... And thus, something is born that would, like Leeta's introduction in the previous story, and Brunt and Ishka's in this one, endure to the end of the series, though none of those characters could be said to be obvious contenders for recurrence from their first appearances.
Brunt, played by Jeffrey Combs, back after appearing in the disgustingly rich and self-absorbed role of alien Tiron, is seen as business-like, a little officious perhaps, but only interested in getting the job done as quickly as possible before he's off to the next infraction. You don't even get a sense that he enjoys the power he holds from his brisk manner, but there's no animosity between him and Quark at this stage as the barkeep appears to be compliant at every step. The full 'brunt' of of the FCA Liquidator's authority isn't felt this time, he's in and out as quick as possible, though his parting comment about hoping never to see them again would not come true. Quark even agrees with Brunt and traditional Ferengi's views on the subject of women not being allowed to earn profit, wear clothes, travel or speak to strangers, but it becomes evident his values aren't as important as profit - his greed is greater than his shame when it comes to Ishka sharing her acquisitions 50-50!
We soon get to know Ishka, or Moogie, her affectionate nickname, as a contrary, self-willed female that has always been untraditional even when her boys were young. Quark's always been ashamed and was taunted by the other Ferengi children that his mother wouldn't chew his food for him or would talk to strangers. Details such as these add greatly to both Quark and Rom's character, and explain a few things, such as the way Quark treats Rom - he always took Moogie's side, and Quark knows what she says about their Father, Keldar is true, that he didn't have a business head, though he doesn't want to admit it. It also explains the way Rom has grown up to be less of a Ferengi than his brother, besides the fact he's not very quick or confident - he spent another ten years at home after Quark left, no doubt Moogie's influence grew stronger, but little did she know what her ways would lead to, indirectly planting the seed of change to Ferengi society through her son.
Rom comes out of his shell and into his own, cowing Quark and Ishka into submission from surprise at his outburst and impassioned speech about the state of the family. He's not as stupid as he seems. Almost as stupid, but not quite. Moogie must have been a big influence on the way he believed, though she is as interested in Ferengi values of profit-making as anything else. Rom is more interested in the happiness of people, it seems, after his unsuccessful attempts to be devious or grasping. Ironically he carries it off for once, lying to get Quark and Moogie together. It's possible to make an estimate of Quark's age from the facts in this episode. We know he left home twenty years ago, at his Age of Ascension. Nog's just completed that rite in his mid-teens so Quark must be in his mid-thirties now. When Quark leaves for Ferenginar a number of Ferengi seem to be going off at the same time - my theory is that it's the waiters and other Ferengi operators of the bar, taking advantage of its closure to visit home just like their boss. Maybe they saved money by all chartering the same shuttle - that would have made for an episode in its own right!
Many aspects of Ferengi tradition and life are explored. We don't see much of the homeworld, but it lives up to the food they like to eat, being a perfect, moist climate for bugs and grubs. We see the famous Tower of Commerce reaching majestically into the sky, and Quark even climbs its stairways (off-camera). Every little thing must be paid for so I can't imagine there are many poor people in Ferengi society. If everyone charges even to admit visitors or to sit in a chair or use basic amenities then money must constantly be changing hands and even the weakest entrepreneur could get by if they put some effort into profit-making. The architecture, spheres abounding, continues the design first established way back in the race's first appearance in 'TNG', but enhances it. The snail-shell design of the chair, the low doorways, the lighting balls in the ceiling in the same style as their ship's consoles, even the hint of a huge version in the dome of the house, all fit with the Ferengi look and style. It's such a pleasure just to visit such an alien culture, yet we also get to meet Quark's mother and hear about his family life growing up (including other relatives being mentioned to add to the list, in Adred, Quark's Grandad, and Cousin Stol who was spoken of in 'Q-Less').
The other characters on the station aren't featured as much, but Sisko and Kira discuss the new Runabout (replacing the Mekong) which he names Rubicon. Kira even makes a joke of the number of Runabouts they get through, and that it's a good job Earth has a lot of rivers! Like the previous episode an example of the Napean species can be seen in the background, this time as one of Kasidy's crew. The reality is probably they needed to reuse the makeup, but it is funny that you never see them and then two turn up in quick succession. Sisko's cooking is again featured, and Mai'Hardu's race are shown to be more than just servants when we hear Moogie made money on Hupyrian beetle snuff, so perhaps the race exports it? Visiting Ferenginar has just about completed the set of homeworlds for the season. We've been to Earth, Trill, Odo's chunk of rock, even Kronos, in fact the only relevant world we haven't been to this season is the one on their doorstep: Bajor. That would very shortly be remedied.
****
Explorers
DVD, DS9 S3 (Explorers)
There are few episodes in the pantheon of Trek adventures in which nothing bad happens, threat being the main motivator in science fiction or space action stories. Threats are not always necessary to craft a genuinely enjoyable tale as proved by this entry, late in Season 3. Detractors might claim it veers too close to soap opera with the introduction, brief as it was, of Dabo girl Leeta (difficult from that scene to imagine the growing prominence such a tiny cameo would lead to), and Bashir's personal life, revolving around his old feelings of inadequacy, and Jake's decisions about his future, but there's far too much warm-hearted pleasantness to care about the style.
Bashir's worries about former classmate Dr. Lense (who would go on to play a starring role in Trek fiction) may stem from his constant fear of being discovered as a fraud, the old excuse about the pre-ganglionic fibre being mistaken for a post-ganglionic nerve sounding thinner each time it's mentioned! At this stage in the series we don't know about his secret, so the competitive nature of the classmates is seen as the cause. Lense may not be quite as intelligent as she's made out to be if she thinks an Andorian would have a name like Julian Bashir, but it made a plausible excuse for the way he's ignored.
It's one of the most English episodes ever, thanks to O'Brien and Bashir's rousing drunk rendition of 'Jerusalem', as well as the fact that the CG creation (the first full-CG ship in Trek?) of the Bajoran solar sailing ship was made in England! The friendship between the two British Isles crewmates came out of nowhere, like in real life - there was no sudden realisation that the two were friends, just a gradual understanding between them as the Doctor wore the Chief down. Since Keiko's absence they've become closer than ever and all this is laid out straight in a way that isn't often attempted thanks to the subtle style of the series: "People either love you or hate you. When I first met you I hated you, but now... I don't." A similar funny moment would occur in one of the last episodes of the final season when the two are in Sloan's mind.
Jake's uncertain career gets a boost with the discovery of his writing talent as revealed by Mardah earlier in the season. She may have left, but Jake's aspirations have continued, culminating in an offer of a writing fellowship from the prestigious Pennington School in New Zealand - so we now know the Kiwi islands have more uses than the penal colony Tom Paris was incarcerated in! Jake's friendship with Leanne has been repaired after the disastrous double-date he and Nog went on, as he's looking forward to her return from Bajor. He's happy to put his career on hold for at least a year, partly because the station is such a good place for experience, partly because he doesn't want to leave the old man alone, and partly because, with Nog likely to be leaving for Starfleet Academy, it would be a bit too much to take Jake out of the series too. They could have had Jake and Nog involved in regular adventures on Earth, but that might have pushed the envelope beyond the series' remit further than they were ready to do at that time.
As well as Leeta's fleeting introduction we're also introduced to Sisko's beard and the possibility of a freighter captain that would turn into the solid form of Kasidy Yates. The beard could be a sign of Sisko's leave - he certainly behaves as if he's on holiday, taking a few weeks off to build the ship and then going off on the trip. Dax behaves quite motherly towards him, bringing him food and talking about his son. Amid the murky and dangerous future she's pleased to see the Commander enjoy himself. His enthusiasm and utter absorption recall 'Dramatis Personae' in Season 1 when he spent most of his time crafting a clock. The happy distraction displayed here is a far cry from the sinister obsession of that Sisko! He would later wish to build a cabin on Bajor, so his reputation as 'the Builder' was more than just a metaphor for the building up of Bajor. They could easily have nixed the beard after this episode when he's returned from his break, but it worked, so they didn't.
There is a multi-cultural side running through the episode with lots of races mentioned. Bashir being mistaken for an Andorian is the best (though I was sure his friend's name was spoken as Erit, yet the Encyclopedia has it down as Erib), but there's also room for Kira to call O'Brien a Cardassian for his doubt at the space-worthiness of the ancient ship. Funny to think how different things would be between them in the space of a year and a bit. He calls her a Romulan for claiming invention of everything first (like the old rivalry between Scotty and Chekov, both always claiming things for their respective nations!). A less noticeable race are the Napeans, as represented by Daniel Kwan in the 'TNG' episode 'Eye of The Beholder'. In one scene in Quark's bar what looks like a Napean crewman is seen among the group with Dr. Lense.
Those medical students must have been very focused on their work. Apart from the party where Bashir was mistaken for an Andorian they must not have socialised at all or she'd have known the Doctor! It's another nice piece of the puzzle that Bashir's assignment, the one he wanted and was given has turned out to be as good as he hoped, while Lense's experience hasn't been as positive. Our Doctor has the best post and is still as happy there as ever. Lense's ship the USS Lexington is not to be confused with the 'TNG' Excelsior-class Lexington of 'Thine Own Self' or 'TOS' Constitution-class Lexington of 'The Ultimate Computer'!
Sisko's connection to the Bajorans must have moved even closer as he proves their claims that ships travelled all the way to Cardassia. The Cardassians are forced, grudgingly to congratulate the successful attempt and in the interests of the alliance (and not to save face at all, oh no) announce the discovery of an ancient crash site. Dukat is the 'fortunate' one, having to eat his words after the feigned 'concern' for Sisko's safety. But it ends in one of the happiest and unexpected ways imaginable - the Cardassians throwing an impromptu space firework display. I expect they were relieved it was a human who proved the legend, rather than an actual Bajoran. The ancient craft gives rise to dialogue about things that are usually taken for granted, such as the gravity net and the bathroom and is a ripplingly beautiful design that would return again. Also notable is the best put-down Sisko ever fired at Dukat, wondering if he was the new Head of the Ministry for the Refutation of Bajoran Fairy-tales. A mouthful, but it has the charm of finesse.
****
There are few episodes in the pantheon of Trek adventures in which nothing bad happens, threat being the main motivator in science fiction or space action stories. Threats are not always necessary to craft a genuinely enjoyable tale as proved by this entry, late in Season 3. Detractors might claim it veers too close to soap opera with the introduction, brief as it was, of Dabo girl Leeta (difficult from that scene to imagine the growing prominence such a tiny cameo would lead to), and Bashir's personal life, revolving around his old feelings of inadequacy, and Jake's decisions about his future, but there's far too much warm-hearted pleasantness to care about the style.
Bashir's worries about former classmate Dr. Lense (who would go on to play a starring role in Trek fiction) may stem from his constant fear of being discovered as a fraud, the old excuse about the pre-ganglionic fibre being mistaken for a post-ganglionic nerve sounding thinner each time it's mentioned! At this stage in the series we don't know about his secret, so the competitive nature of the classmates is seen as the cause. Lense may not be quite as intelligent as she's made out to be if she thinks an Andorian would have a name like Julian Bashir, but it made a plausible excuse for the way he's ignored.
It's one of the most English episodes ever, thanks to O'Brien and Bashir's rousing drunk rendition of 'Jerusalem', as well as the fact that the CG creation (the first full-CG ship in Trek?) of the Bajoran solar sailing ship was made in England! The friendship between the two British Isles crewmates came out of nowhere, like in real life - there was no sudden realisation that the two were friends, just a gradual understanding between them as the Doctor wore the Chief down. Since Keiko's absence they've become closer than ever and all this is laid out straight in a way that isn't often attempted thanks to the subtle style of the series: "People either love you or hate you. When I first met you I hated you, but now... I don't." A similar funny moment would occur in one of the last episodes of the final season when the two are in Sloan's mind.
Jake's uncertain career gets a boost with the discovery of his writing talent as revealed by Mardah earlier in the season. She may have left, but Jake's aspirations have continued, culminating in an offer of a writing fellowship from the prestigious Pennington School in New Zealand - so we now know the Kiwi islands have more uses than the penal colony Tom Paris was incarcerated in! Jake's friendship with Leanne has been repaired after the disastrous double-date he and Nog went on, as he's looking forward to her return from Bajor. He's happy to put his career on hold for at least a year, partly because the station is such a good place for experience, partly because he doesn't want to leave the old man alone, and partly because, with Nog likely to be leaving for Starfleet Academy, it would be a bit too much to take Jake out of the series too. They could have had Jake and Nog involved in regular adventures on Earth, but that might have pushed the envelope beyond the series' remit further than they were ready to do at that time.
As well as Leeta's fleeting introduction we're also introduced to Sisko's beard and the possibility of a freighter captain that would turn into the solid form of Kasidy Yates. The beard could be a sign of Sisko's leave - he certainly behaves as if he's on holiday, taking a few weeks off to build the ship and then going off on the trip. Dax behaves quite motherly towards him, bringing him food and talking about his son. Amid the murky and dangerous future she's pleased to see the Commander enjoy himself. His enthusiasm and utter absorption recall 'Dramatis Personae' in Season 1 when he spent most of his time crafting a clock. The happy distraction displayed here is a far cry from the sinister obsession of that Sisko! He would later wish to build a cabin on Bajor, so his reputation as 'the Builder' was more than just a metaphor for the building up of Bajor. They could easily have nixed the beard after this episode when he's returned from his break, but it worked, so they didn't.
There is a multi-cultural side running through the episode with lots of races mentioned. Bashir being mistaken for an Andorian is the best (though I was sure his friend's name was spoken as Erit, yet the Encyclopedia has it down as Erib), but there's also room for Kira to call O'Brien a Cardassian for his doubt at the space-worthiness of the ancient ship. Funny to think how different things would be between them in the space of a year and a bit. He calls her a Romulan for claiming invention of everything first (like the old rivalry between Scotty and Chekov, both always claiming things for their respective nations!). A less noticeable race are the Napeans, as represented by Daniel Kwan in the 'TNG' episode 'Eye of The Beholder'. In one scene in Quark's bar what looks like a Napean crewman is seen among the group with Dr. Lense.
Those medical students must have been very focused on their work. Apart from the party where Bashir was mistaken for an Andorian they must not have socialised at all or she'd have known the Doctor! It's another nice piece of the puzzle that Bashir's assignment, the one he wanted and was given has turned out to be as good as he hoped, while Lense's experience hasn't been as positive. Our Doctor has the best post and is still as happy there as ever. Lense's ship the USS Lexington is not to be confused with the 'TNG' Excelsior-class Lexington of 'Thine Own Self' or 'TOS' Constitution-class Lexington of 'The Ultimate Computer'!
Sisko's connection to the Bajorans must have moved even closer as he proves their claims that ships travelled all the way to Cardassia. The Cardassians are forced, grudgingly to congratulate the successful attempt and in the interests of the alliance (and not to save face at all, oh no) announce the discovery of an ancient crash site. Dukat is the 'fortunate' one, having to eat his words after the feigned 'concern' for Sisko's safety. But it ends in one of the happiest and unexpected ways imaginable - the Cardassians throwing an impromptu space firework display. I expect they were relieved it was a human who proved the legend, rather than an actual Bajoran. The ancient craft gives rise to dialogue about things that are usually taken for granted, such as the gravity net and the bathroom and is a ripplingly beautiful design that would return again. Also notable is the best put-down Sisko ever fired at Dukat, wondering if he was the new Head of the Ministry for the Refutation of Bajoran Fairy-tales. A mouthful, but it has the charm of finesse.
****
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