Time's Arrow Part II written by Jeri Taylor and directed by
Les Landau
To Baldly Go: Picard proves to be quite a charming rogue
when it comes to seducing battleaxe hoteliers with promises of fame and acting
glory. Look at his face when he first lays on Guinan, there is an unspoken love
for this woman that crossing the centuries.
Alien Empath: Listening to Troi mouthing the usual
platitudes of the Federation is as dreary as you can imagine. I just don't buy
into Gene Roddenberry's human condition of the future...and anybody who
understands the human condition as well as Troi professes to should have their
doubts too.
Brilliant Bartender: Any focus on Guinan is welcome, not
just because she is a fascinating character in her own right (we never quite
learn everything about her in the series which kept her mysterious and
interesting right up until the point where her appearances fizzled out) but
because Whoopi Goldberg is such an assured actress. I wonder if Steven Moffat
of Doctor Who fame was paying attention to this episode and the temporal
jiggery pokery that allows Guinan in the 24th Century to know what was going to
happen in this episode and for Picard to meet her for the first time in the
past whilst having already had a relationship with her. It screams of River
Song and I wonder if this was his inspiration. It is certainly handled more
warmly, less smugly and much more simply than Dr Song's scattered timeline.
Sparkling Dialogue: 'I've heard you silver tongued devils
before. I'll have my rent tomorrow by one o'clock or you'll be out performing
on the street!'
'I just want you to know that I have the utmost respect for
the law...'
'A werewolf!'
The Good: Mrs Carmichael is exactly the sort of local colour
that is needed to make a trip back in time more bearable. It does say something
about the quality of this debut episode that she is practically the best thing
about it, very funny when she is on screen and great antidote to all the sober
material elsewhere. She should team up with Judge Renora, Mullibok and Solbor
for their own Trek spin off series. The Irish housekeeper brings the best out
in the crew too, forcing them into some improvisational humour. Jack London is
another character who is irrelevant to the pot but sweetens the overall
experience. I've heard some pretty harsh criticisms of Jerry Hardin's portrayal
of Mark Twain, saying that it lacks any subtlety and depth and instead he hams
it up. These aren't entirely unjustified claims but I still found the character
pretty amusing and certainly more enjoyable to spend time with than the over
earnest TNG crew (which he highlights against wonderfully when he ends up in
the future). There is a wonderful (and rare) moment of criticism about the
Federation, it's lifestyle and principles when Twain walks around the Enterprise
and is distinctly unimpressed by the future. Conquering this corner of the
galaxy with politeness, luxury to the point of indolence, no personality and a
lack of any vices...he declares the future a very bland place to be. Perhaps on
TNG, had he wound up on DS9 it would have been a very different prospect.
The Bad: After climaxing on the least exciting cliff-hanger
on record (effectively keeping the audience on tenterhooks by having the crew
walk through a door), this episode had very little to live up to. Opening a new
season of TNG with a historical character delivering a nonsensical lecture not
only gives a false indication of what this series is about...but it's also
pretty dull. Reducing the villains of the piece to a non-speaking upper class
couple taking in the town was also a mistake. They hardly pose the sort of
threat of the Borg or a Klingon civil war, the two powerhouse hazards at the
beginning of seasons four and five. What was needed was a villain that the crew
could interact with, so we could understand their methods and motives a little
better. Even the snake cane doesn't snap and snarl as much as it should to
really frighten. Whilst I buy into the idea of aliens coming to a planet where
their appetites can be sated and use the local plagues as a cover for their
developing pile of corpses (it is almost exactly the same premise as Doctor
Who's The Mark of the Rani), I don't see how this connects to anything in the
Star Trek universe. It is a random implausibility (Data's head) that brings
these characters centuries back in time to deal with these creatures. It is far
to disconnected from the rest of TNG's oeuvre to be anything other than a mild
diversion. It comes as a great disappointment that the mystery that kick
started this whole affair, Data losing his head in the past, is resolved in
such a cack handed and inconsequential way. The aliens show up in a middle of
the scene, Data makes a grab for them, his body is surrounded by energy and he
explodes. It is as simple as that. Here was me thinking his incapacitation
would be at the end of some brilliant plot to save the world. I suppose the
thought of losing Data is supposed to be vital enough for this to make an
impact but I never thought the explanation would come in such a throwaway
sequence. Plus we've reached a stage on our TNG journey now where we know that
the status quo will be maintained by the end of the episode. I had no doubt that
Mister Data would be back to his old self thanks to a quirk of technobabble
before the episode was out. Whilst the climax is quite neat (Twain returning
home, Guinan meeting Picard, Data's head waiting in the cavern), it also takes
place entirely without incident or drama. Everything just sort slots into place
like an especially plain puzzle. Right up until the climax the aliens simply
stand around doing nothing, lacking menace.
Moment to Watch Out For: Mrs Carmichael reading Shakespeare.
Just about the funniest thing in TNG's entire run. The pained look on Patrick
Stewart's face (famed for his work with the RSC) whilst trying to convince the
woman that she is some kind of undiscovered thespian is just hilarious. Sign
her up.
Fashion Statement: Gates McFadden looks wonderful dressed up
in Victorian medical garb. Perhaps she should transfer that look to the 24th
Century. Marina Sirtis has either been in sun during the holidays or has been
slapping on a bit too much fake tan.
Moral of the Week: The future is a place of smiley happy
people who have abandoned prejudice and all vices. How dull. Can't wait for the
Dominion War to come along and remind us of our base instincts again.
Realm of Fear written by Brannon Braga and directed by Cliff Bole
What's it about: Reg Barclay has a paralysing fear of the
transporter...
Alien Empath: I just knew as soon as any member of the crew
exhibited behvaiour that was out of the norm that the next scene would open in
Troi's therapy boudoir. If that isn't a reason to pretend you are sane I don't
know what is. To be fair Troi does sympathise with Barclay's condition and
offers a form CBT.
Maladjusted: Reg genuinely believes that his career in
Starfleet would be over because he has a psychological disability. Frankly I
can understand why he might think that given the sheer perfection that the
confederacy seems to strive for. Confidence after one therapy session isn't
unheard of and Reg acts as if he is cured after one chat with Troi. I was
counting the seconds until he realised that he was wrong.
Sparkling Dialogue: 'What about transporter psychosis?' - I
love the fact that something like that could even exist.
The Good: The opening FX shot is gorgeous. TNG was at a
stage now where CGI and model effects blended seamlessly to create some
striking visuals. Are the creatures inside the transporter beam a manifestation
of Reg's fear or a genuinely malign presence within the system? I had a real
problem when certain members of the crew gave Barclay such a hard time in his
debut episode (particularly Riker, whose behaviour went beyond a superiors
expectations into outright abuse) and it pleases me to see that they try and
work with him as much as possible now (Troi, O'Brien and Geordi are all very
gentle with Reg's anxiety). The resolution to both plots dovetail in a very
neat way (much like Time's Arrow) but it is hardly a thrill minute in doing so
(just like Time's Arrow).
The Bad: O'Brien offers a few supportive words to Barclay
before he has to face the transporter but I still feel that he is wasted in
this role. On DS9 he would be at the centre of the entire operation and his
personality would be able to shine at every turn. On TNG he stands in the
transporter beam and is only of use if somebody is visiting or returning to the
ship. It must be the most boring job in the universe. 'Although I am loathed
to believe the Ferengi about anything' - blatant racism from a Starfleet
Admiral. There's nothing worse than a society that supposes they are above such
xenophobia and put such a winning smile on their propaganda about such
things...and yet stab over races in the back behind closed doors. No matter how
perfidious that race has proven to be in the past. Whilst it is nice to see his
crew mates discussing the technology of the transporter system with Reg to calm
his nerves, it doesn't make for the most riveting of dialogue. We've entered
Technobabble City. This episode is nowhere near as psychologically probing as
it should be. Reg's anxiety is clearly affecting his work but I have witnessed
people suffering anxiety to a point where it cripples them from living their
lives. TNG tentatively touches on the subject when it should have jumped in
with both feet and explored it much more intensely. The creatures in the
transporter beam seem to be a direct relation from the Bandrils in Doctor Who. And
just as convincing. What the hell happened to O'Brien's pet spider?
Teaser-tastic: Poor Reg, the magnet for every neuroses and
anxiety you can imagine. Dwight Schultz plays the creeping dread at having to
use the transporter very well, getting snappy with his colleagues, the nervous
energy and the paralysing fear of having to confront something that you aren't
comfortable with.
Moment to Watch Out For: Seeing the transportation sequence
from the POV of somebody going through it is novel and goes some way to
explaining why Reg has such a morbid fear of the device and what it is doing to
his body.
Moral of the Week: Sometimes people aren't crazy, sometimes
they are talking a lot of good sense.
Result: An adequate exploration of a sci-fi inspired phobia,
my one serious complaint is that they chose Reg to be the victim of this
particular fear. He seems to be the attraction for every neuroses going and it
is starting to feel like he is the go to guy every time the writers want to
explore an uncomfortable aspect of the human condition. It is okay for the
holier-than-thou rest of the crew to have personality flaws too, you know. It
works anyway because Dwight Schultz is such a good actor and he brings anxiety
to life with consummate skill. What doesn't work is the b plot featuring the Yosemite
and it's dead crew. It fails as either a decent mystery or a dynamic narrative
in it's own right. Coming off the back of the relatively placid Times Arrow two
parter what was really needed in this slot was a vibrant action adventure that
got the pulse racing once again. Bear in mind the opening episodes of DS9 were
airing at this stage and provoking far more drama and excitement out of the
Alpha Quadrant. Had she stuck around (and I wish to God she had) I think this
episode would have belonged to Pulaski (who has a similar phobia about the
transporter) and it would have been a much different beast. She would have torn
off Troi's head and strangled the beast within the transporter beam single
handedly. Reasonable viewing, but TNG needs to re-discover its pulse: 5/10
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What's it about: Why are some members of the Enterprise crew
not able to sleep?
Man of the People written by Frank Abatemarco and directed
by Winrich Kolbe
What's it about: Troi fondles Alkar's rocks and undergoes a
terrifying transformation...
Number One: Riker is the one who spots the differences in
Troi first, although given she is dressed like her mother, her hair has gone
grey and she is preying on every man on the ship it is hardly a blinding
revelation. However he cannot resist a kiss with her even though he knows there
is something deeply wrong. It's shockingly unprofessional as her superior
officer and appalling behaviour by a friend (even if he does have the hots for
her).
Alien Empath: I don't buy that Troi would be so easily
worked by Alkar. This is a woman who is usually cautious to a fault and sees
hidden layers in the simplest of actions. For him to so readily convince her to
perform the 'funeral rite' after the death of his 'mother' without any warning
signs going off means one of two things. Either Troi has taking leave of her
senses or this is written by a scribe who has little familiarity with the
series. Either that or she is willing to give him a pass because she wants to
let him get his leg over. She is curious about his serene qualities and the
fact that she doesn't sense any negative emotion in him but not enough to do
anything about it. Obviously she thinks Alkar's mother has dementia, which is
why he is trying to warn off prospective partners...when she is offering a
genuine warning. There is perhaps a message in there about not giving the
elderly a chance to speak. Like in The Loss, it is interesting that when Troi
is thrown into a situation where she is out of control with her emotions that
she turns into somebody who is deeply unlikable. That might not be a fair comment
to make about this episode, given that Alkar imbues her with his worse
qualities...but it is astonishing how like the snappy, unreasonable and
unpredictable whiner from The Loss she becomes. I think Troi is secretly only a
few steps away from being this person anyway and she has managed to convince
herself otherwise. She slips far too comfortably into it whenever it is
required.
Dancing Doctor: Crusher is supposedly a competent medical
Doctor and yet she doesn't associate Deanna's remarkable transformation with
her relationship with Alkar but instead her proximity to her mother. It takes
an autopsy for them to realise that something is afoot with the mediator.
Dreadful Dialogue: 'Have you mated with him yet?'
'I will go with you! Take me with you! Please Alkar! Don't
leave me! Don't do this! Noooooo!' - yep, things get that desperate.
'Don't try and stop me....let goooooooo!'
The Good: I like the idea of Worf's exercise class on board
the Enterprise, especially when you see people like Maggie from the
Bridge taking part. It really feels that they are part of a community and not
just work mates on a ship. Within his spiritually advanced state of mind Alkar
unapologetically explains how he leeches on the woman who are drawn to him. I
thought that was quite a nice touch, calmly explaining how he does so much good
at the expense of a few individuals.
The Bad: We get a chance to spy on one of Troi's typical
counselling sessions. My word they are boring. No wonder she has to turn to
chocolate if that is the sort of drivel she has to listen to all day. When Troi
mentions that she is tired of listening to everybody complaining, I couldn't
help but agree with her. I've seen ageing make up that has subtly added years
to characters and layers of prosthetics that looks unconvincingly like a mask.
Unfortunately Man of the People displays the latter with Troi's accelerated
ageing getting more unpersuasive as the episode progresses. By the end it
literally looks as if Troi has been through a supernova and her entire face has
melted about two inches downwards. Since when has anybody within the Trek
universe been dead for 30 minutes and then been able to be revived through a
quirk of medical-babble? I can think of dozens of time when that time frame of
survival might have been achievable. It's the laziest of climaxes, one that
revolves around somebody waving a magic wand and achieving the impossible.
After a slothenly last fifteen minutes the climax feels rushed with Alkar
desperately reaching out to his next victim and completely unaware that he is
being set up. Somehow his latest mug is even more wet and gullible than Troi,
exhibiting no autonomy outside of what the script requires her to do. Killing
Alkar off lets him off Scot free for his crimes. It's too simple a solution in
a too simple episode.
Teaser-tastic: As soon as Alkar's wrinkled 'mother' started
acting jealously around Troi my warning signs started going off. Enter here
only if you can stomach b movie Trek.
Fashion Statement: After Troi is under Alkar's spell and
starts fingering her body seductively in the middle of one of Worf's exercise
programmes I thought that had wandered in on a very different type of
programme.
Moment to Watch Out For: The truly hilarious moment when
Troi, looking like somebody has made silly putty with her face, brandishes a
knife and attacks Picard in the transporter room. Up there as one of the most
unintentionally uproarious moments in Trek.
Moral of the Week: Beware aliens bearing glowing rocks.
Result: Camp tosh of the highest order that turns Deanna
Troi into a sex obsessed wizened old harridan. In what universe was this a
script that was considered filmable? An emotional vampire that sucks the life
out of people to conduct peace talks? Killing off a character for ten minutes
and bringing them back to life again? Season six is a year of TNG that I have
always rated highly but on the evidence of the first three episodes it might
have to come in for some major re-evaluation. Plenty of people might find the
vampish, sexually frustrated and argumentative Counsellor Troi a revelation but
I think she is only a few steps removed from this person anyway, hiding away
under a cloak of respectability that the Federation demands. To her credit
Marina Sirtis doesn't hold back and despite some seriously dodgy make up she
embraces the chance to play a right bitch without a shred of restraint. It is
the writing that is at fault, the situation isn't remotely believable and
utterly predictable and it takes far too long for her ship mates to cotton on
to the fact that something is wrong. Everything plays out so evidently, in easy
to digest stages without a single challenging moment and the climax is written
around an absurd medical miracle that lacks sincerity. The peace talks are a side
issue compared to Troi's transformation so there isn't the chance to get
involved with the overall situation either. If Man of the People was dragged
out of the bin as a lat minute replacement it might just be justifiable but if
this was a script that had been nurtured by a script committee at the top of
their game (with Ronald D. Moore, Brannon Braga and Rene Echeverria amongst
them) then they should all be ashamed of themselves: 3/10
Relics written by Ronald D. Moore and directed by Alexander Singer
Relics written by Ronald D. Moore and directed by Alexander Singer
What's it about: There is a special surprise waiting in the
transporter buffer of a ship that has crashed into a Dyson Sphere...Mr Scott!
To Baldly Go: Whilst acknowledging that the Enterprise
is by far the superior ship, Picard would give anything to command the Stargazer
again. There is something very seductive about looking back on your first love.
Mr Data: 'It is...it is...it is green.' The only
person who seems to be able to give Scotty the time of day is Data and they
strike up a rather wonderful relationship, the engineer is awe of Mr Data and
Data able to have the appropriate patience with the old timer.
Mr Wolf: Given their predilection for being portrayed as the
bogeymen of the Original Series it isn't surprising that Scotty is shocked to
see a Klingon serving in Starfleet. Doonan's reaction to Worf is a scream.
Blind Engineer: He's just so...Starfleet. Duty bound,
wrapped up in technobabble and no fun to be around. Comparing him to Scotty
does LaForge a massive disservice because he comes across as more serious and
rule bound than ever. It's very telling that Geordi doesn't even realise off
his own back how appallingly he has treated Scotty, he has to be gently
reminded by Picard. Given how this show goes to great lengths to push that its crew
displays the finest of qualities, it seems like a shocking aberration that one
of it number should need to be reminded how to behave like a human being.
Drunk Scotsman: It's really hard to not like Scotty. Like
O'Brien from DS9 he displays all the vices of a 20th Century human being albeit
planted in the hyper politically correct world of the 24th Century. James
Doonan wears his heart on his sleeve in every scene he films and it is
impossible not be drawn to the warmth of such a performance. As soon as Scotty
wakes up and is beamed onto the Enterprise he wants to start taking the ship
apart piece by piece to see what advancements in technology have been made. He
is an engineer through and through. He's a bit overwhelmed by it all and he
calls the Enterprise a fine ship, personalising her in a way that LaForge never
has done (and perhaps should have done). Scotty wants to talk about old times,
to reminiscence about the highlights of his career and the fun capers they got
up to. I think the young of the current Enterprise could do well to remember
that the elderly have the experience and the knowledge to help in a crisis.
Scotty has a reputation amongst his peers as a miracle worker because he always
adds extra time to his completion of any engineering job. What a guy. Scotty
does not know what Guinan's mysterious green drink is but he swigs it down all
the same. Imagine the stories that a man has to tell who has served aboard 11
Starships? You could spend weeks with him and never get bored. He might be a Captain
by rank but he never wanted to be anything but an engineer.
Sparkling Dialogue: 'Starfleet Captains are like children.
They want everything now and they want it their way but the secret is to give
them only what they need, not what they want.'
'Oh laddie! You've got a lot to learn if you want people to
think of you as a miracle worker!'
Listen to the glorious way that Doonan says 'diapers.'
'Synthetic Scotch. Synthetic people.'
'There comes a time when a man finds that he can't fall in
love again' - what a poignant sentiment.
The Good: TNG has reached a stage in its gestation now where
it has built up its own mythology of planets and cultures that it (rightly so)
feels the need to explore them wherever possible. That leaves little room in
the later seasons for the exploration of the wonders of the universe that the
ship originally set out to explore. The Nth Degree looked to redress the
balance in season four and they have followed that up reasonably quickly with
the discovery of a Dyson Sphere in Relics. It is a fantastic idea and one that
is rooted in reality and the model on display truly manages to capture the
ambitious nature of the structure, literally dwarfing the Enterprise and
dragging it inside. There is a stirring score as the Ship approaches the
technology that was originally postulated in the 20th Century, a real effort to
suggest that stumbling across this kind of find doesn't happen every week.
Hearing the Original Series sound effects brings with it all kinds of
nostalgia. The theme of obsolescence is a vivid one because it is one we can al
empathise with. Scotty is something of a relic in the 24th Century, not at the
hub of where it was all happening like he was in the 23rd. He slaps a smile on
his face and medicates with Whisky but he cannot escape the fact that he is of
no use here and that's painful to endure. Perhaps it is a little too convenient
that the solution to the problem in this episode relies on technology from
Scotty's time but I will let that pass for once because it allows Mr Scott the
chance to show what a wizard he is under pressure. He shows Geordi that
sometimes you have to think outside the box and go for the most insane notion.
The Bad: Wrong series, I know but it would have been great
to have paired up Scotty and O'Brien. Their scenes together would have been an
absolute riot of un-PC dialogue, Scotch and technobabble. Instead we get the
Geordi/Scotty pairing which because he is such a goodie two shoes just consists
of technobabble. In fact Geordi is highly intolerant of the old timer with
about as much passion as O'Brien would have embrace his archaic methods. With
Scotty in Engineering he just exposes how cold and clinical the place is,
completely devoid of personality. In one wonderful scene Mr Scott manages to
capture everything that is wrong with the 24th Century with his reaction to a
synthesised Scotch. It is a century without bite, without a kick...without
character and flaws. The conclusion might give Scotty a chance to strut his
stuff but it is essentially just the Enterprise driving through a pair of cargo
bay doors. Hardly the most thrilling of set pieces. What is the point of Troi
turning up in the last scene for one line (one word, actually).
Moment to Watch Out For: Scotty visiting his Enterprise on
the holodeck. Lovingly recreated, beautifully score and you just want him to
somehow be able to get back there and have some jolly adventures again. It is
achingly nostalgic.
Moral of the Week: A good engineer is always conservative on
paper...but far more liberal with their imagination in reality.
Result: 'NCC-1701. No bloody A, B, C or D...' Glorious for the most part but worrying in what it says about the current state of the 24th Century, Relics re-introduces the wonderful James Doonan as Mr Scott back to the Trek universe. There is a real nostalgia rush for the time that he came from, not only because he is eager to get back where he feels useful but because he comes from a TV show where all the characters are as colourful and engaging as he is. The truth of the matter is that spending an episode with Scotty is far more appealing than spending an episode when any of the lifeless TNG crew. Contrasting him to Geordi is a particular cardinal error because the dull as dishwater engineer comes across as intolerant, ageist and too engrossed in his work to see the stories and assistance this man has to offer. Scotty's colourful presence only serves to remind the audience just how sanitised the Trek universe has become. Fortunately this plot is tethered to an intriguing technology of the week narrative featuring an impressively realised Dyson Sphere. It has been a while since TNG really pushed the boat out and wowed us with something alien and unknowable and the fact that this is a technological find gives Scotty a fine excuse to be on hand and sort everything out. The scene on the Original Enterprise bridge is possibly my favourite in TNG's entire run. Relics is massively enjoyable but I have to knocked it down a few points because it pales in comparison to DS9's kiss to the Original Series, Trials and Tribbe-ations. They might be completely different beasts (one brings the past to the future, the other brings the current to the past) but they are both trying to achieve the same thing. To get you aching for more Original Trek and the DS9 episode does it with far more panache (and a better crew). Overall though, strong stuff: 8/10
Schisms written by Brannon Braga and directed by Robert Wiemer
Result: 'NCC-1701. No bloody A, B, C or D...' Glorious for the most part but worrying in what it says about the current state of the 24th Century, Relics re-introduces the wonderful James Doonan as Mr Scott back to the Trek universe. There is a real nostalgia rush for the time that he came from, not only because he is eager to get back where he feels useful but because he comes from a TV show where all the characters are as colourful and engaging as he is. The truth of the matter is that spending an episode with Scotty is far more appealing than spending an episode when any of the lifeless TNG crew. Contrasting him to Geordi is a particular cardinal error because the dull as dishwater engineer comes across as intolerant, ageist and too engrossed in his work to see the stories and assistance this man has to offer. Scotty's colourful presence only serves to remind the audience just how sanitised the Trek universe has become. Fortunately this plot is tethered to an intriguing technology of the week narrative featuring an impressively realised Dyson Sphere. It has been a while since TNG really pushed the boat out and wowed us with something alien and unknowable and the fact that this is a technological find gives Scotty a fine excuse to be on hand and sort everything out. The scene on the Original Enterprise bridge is possibly my favourite in TNG's entire run. Relics is massively enjoyable but I have to knocked it down a few points because it pales in comparison to DS9's kiss to the Original Series, Trials and Tribbe-ations. They might be completely different beasts (one brings the past to the future, the other brings the current to the past) but they are both trying to achieve the same thing. To get you aching for more Original Trek and the DS9 episode does it with far more panache (and a better crew). Overall though, strong stuff: 8/10
Schisms written by Brannon Braga and directed by Robert Wiemer
Number One: The only thing that I can envisage being more
boring than a Counsellor Troi therapy session is a poetry reading by Mister
Data. Functional, rigidly structured and read without emotion, I can empathise
with Riker who can barely keep his eyes open.
Sparkling Dialogue: 'Think more about what you are trying to
say rather than how you are trying to say it' - LaForge has pinned down the
secret of poetry.
'Whoever sent that thing was more than simply curious...' -
it feels like this should have been followed up on somehow.
The Good: Whilst there are some of the usual suspects
suffering the disturbing effects of bad dreams (Riker, Worf, Geordi), it is
nice that some of the people in Troi's dream session are complete strangers
that we have never met before. There is no reason to say that horrific things
occurring on the Enterprise would happen solely to the regulars. The
creeping terror that sets in as the crewmembers slowly start to build the
picture of their nightmares is excellently handled. Like the episode it starts
off slowly, changing the specifications of a table but as soon as they lower
the light levels and start adding clicking, unknowable aliens to the picture it
becomes something genuinely skin crawling. For a show that is always so over
lit and atmosphere draining it is nice to have a sequence that is really trying
to be moody as hell. The idea of being alone in the dark, held down and
experimented on by some alien, unknowable presence. It is a stifling,
claustrophobic scene, preying on fears. How disturbing is the notion that
Riker's arm has been severed and re-attached?
The Bad: There is an ungodly amount of technobabble in this
episode that really turns me off. Listen out for the scene between Picard, Data
and Geordi in the cargo bay about halfway through the episode. The conversation
is so saturated with technical jargon I'm not sure that it even counts as
dialogue. Between the time travel goofiness of Time's Arrow, the phobia
exploration of Realm of Fear and Schisms and the nostalgia fest that is Relics
there doesn't seem to be anything going on in the Alpha Quadrant at all. With
DS9 I always got the sense that the universe was ticking over in the
background, that what was going on on the station somehow affected the wider
universe. And yet in seasons five and six of TNG the show is utterly insular,
just concerned with the efforts of a group of characters trapped inside a tin
can flying about in space. There's nothing wrong with that...but TNG has proven
to be particularly adept at exploring the wider universe it has built up (The
Best of Both Worlds, Redemption, Chain of Command coming up...) and it seems a
shame that the standalone episodes should be in the majority when the ones that
juggle empires are so much more interesting. I have a nagging feeling when I am
watching ship bound episodes that there are far more engaging things going on
outside. There is a dreary technobabble solution to the episode, of course. I
wish the climaxes to TNG episodes were more rooted in character. Waving a
technical magic wand fails to satisfy me.
Moment to Watch Out For: The scene where we finally get to
visit the ship. Stunning camerawork and atmospherics.
Teaser-tastic: There is no tension and no real interest in
the open scenes of Schisms. The tensest moment comes when we sit on the edge of
our seats waiting to see if Riker can stay awake through one of Data's poetry
recitals. Hardly the stuff that great drama is made out of.
Fashion Statement: Riker is having the ultimate bad hair day
at the beginning of this episode. Has he not heard of a brush?
Moral of the Week: Picard's Aunts insomnia remedy doesn't
always work. Especially when there are big fingered nasties committing
experiments on you when you are sleeping.
Result: 'I've been in this room before...' Schisms is
a slow burn mini horror movie without a resolution that takes ages to get
going. It's not Brannon Braga's finest work, if I'm honest. Most of the
effective scenes comes from a director who is working overtime to ensure that
the holodeck scenes are seriously creepy. The first ten minutes are a day in
the life of a Starfleet Commander who hasn't had any sleep...vital to the plot
but hardly the most stirring of material. The second half of the episode is
much better than the first and I can't help but wonder if we should have gotten
there a little quicker rather than experiencing such an unhurried escalation of
dread. It might make the dawning realisation of the crew being experimented on
more realistic but it stunts the progress of the episode too. The best of
Schisms is the moody sequence in the holodeck where the crew recreate their
nightmares in reality, one of the most memorably discomforting scenes that TNG
ever put out. Most TNG episodes I can hardly remember anything about but this
dark sequence of twitching, clicking aliens and their clinical experimentation
device really sticks in the mind. Horror doesn't always provide a satisfying
resolution because it would only be a let down after the premise has conjured up
all manner of nasty reasons in your mind. Fixing on one and providing an out
only serves to make the horror safe. I'm in two minds as to whether that is
effectively handled in Schisms. Is Braga trying to suggest that the horror is
still out there...or that he just couldn't be arsed to think up a reason behind
all this? A few haunting scenes aside though, I did struggle a bit with this
episode. Braga would have another go at perfecting the mini horror movie in
Frame of Mind (again centring around Riker) to much more disturbing effect: 6/10
True Q written by Rene Echeverria and directed by Robert Scheerer
What's it about: A student on an internship to the
Enterprise has some surprising abilities...
Result: 'It's just so ridiculous...' Be careful what
you ask for...check out the last line of the review of the previous episode.
What can you say about Rascals? A handful of the Enterprise crew are turned
into spotty little herberts, the Ferengi manage to take over the Ship and said
children take it back off them using toys and comm badges. It jettisons
believability in the first five minutes and things get less credible with each
passing scene. It's such a melding of two utterly outrageous concepts that the
only thing to do is go with it and have some fun otherwise you will be tearing
your hair out at the painful idiocy of it all. At least there is some action
involved after the lethargy of the previous run of episodes, even if it is of
the most baffling kind. Ferengi's with Klingon Birds of Prey attacking the
Enterprise? I still can't help but wonder what is going on in the rest of the
universe so that this madness takes priority. The truth of the matter is that
Rascals is slight but entertaining but make no mistake, it is Trek for
pre-schoolers. It's the sort of material that makes The Game look demanding.
Despite its inanities, quite pleasurable. I just know that challenging episode
is coming up next: 7/10
A Fistful of Datas written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe & Brannon Braga and directed by Patrick Stewart
What's it about: Worf gets some downtime with his son...in
the (not so) Wild West!
True Q written by Rene Echeverria and directed by Robert Scheerer
To Baldly Go: Patrick Stewart makes the most of the few opportunities
he gets to be the moral centre of this episode. He makes the scenes discussing
Amanda's parents worth watching.
Number One: Remember when Troi declared Riker 'seasoned' in
The Best of Both Worlds? There was a time when the thought of conquering a
beautiful young lady like Amanda would had him puffing his chest out and
cocking his leg up. Maybe the fact that Amanda is calling the shot is what
upsets him. Perhaps he feels emasculated.
Dancing Doctor: Q could do with being on hand in every episode
to puncture the pomposity of this crew. He whisks Crusher away with a parting
comment that she gets more shrill every year. Turning Dr Bev into a barking red
setting gained this episode a whole extra point. This is another glazed over
performance from Gates McFadden. Somebody teach this woman how to emote.
The Good: Amanda as written is a tech geek, a child genius
and shamelessly naive...she should be unbearable to spend any length of time
with. Thanks to a warm performance from Olivia D'abo the character transcends
these irritating qualities and is somehow immediately likeable. That's some
acting talent given the weight of writing faults against her. With her
Bewitched style hand movements that can prevent a crisis in a moment, it would
have been handy to have had Amanda hang around on the Enterprise. She even
manages to have a couple of tantrums, teen style, and still stay on the right
side of annoying. Mind you each episode would have been over with in about five
minutes giving nobody a chance to show off their technobabble prowess or learn
something about the human condition. To be fair to the Echeverria it is an
original take on the Q and it is nice to see them trying something a little
different, taking the focus away from DeLancie for a change. Pleasingly he is
the only character that walks around with any kind of attitude, treating Amanda
like a raw young cadet at Starfleet Academy that isn't performing well. The
question of having these powers and questioning whether you should use the to
impose your will on events is well addressed in a conversation with Dr Crusher.
I wish we could have seen it in the flesh in some dramatically satisfying
scenario but I'll take a gentle chat if that is all that is going. The two Qs
playing hide and seek throughout the ship is worth a giggle but given they can
go anywhere it might have been fun to stretch to some exotic backdrops and had
Amanda chase Q throughout the galaxy. It would have driven home their ability
more effectively. Interestingly, Q has been going along with this charade in
the full knowledge that Amanda doesn't have a choice. She'll either return with
him as a Q or be elimated as some kind of human/Q hybrid. This isn't driven him
in an especially dramatic fashion (it is a casual chat between Picard and Q)
but I appreciate the black and white nature of the situation. I'm always
complaining that this series concludes episodes with a wave of the hand
resolution. True Q is the ultimate expression of that but in this case it is
the point of the episode. It might not be remotely exciting but at least it
forces Amanda to make a decision.
The Bad: Unfortunately the tone is so sugar sweet it might
rot your teeth whilst watching. If you were having a particularly awful day and
were looking to watch something completely unchallenging and luxuriatingly twee
then this would be the perfect remedy. My problem is that I expect far more
than this level of predictability and congenial viewing, I want to see
something that really pushes the boundaries and makes the actors work. In a few
episodes time we will reach Chain of Command, a genuinely innovative, dramatic,
thought provoking piece of work. That shouldn't be the exception in the first
half of season six, it should be the rule. Looking at True Q objectively it had
the chance to be a really probing examination of the Q and their nature,
however obscurely, in the same way that Death Wish managed so beautifully over
on Voyager (that's me praising Voyager...make a note of this day). But it
fudges it by going for the melodrama angle. It's not searching, it's reducing
the most interesting species in the Trek universe to the level of a daytime
soap opera. Surely to goodness there is a more absorbing way of showing how
tempting Amanda's powers are than speeding up some dreary medical experiment
that Dr Bev has cooked up. There is something seriously wrong with the
dimensions of Qs head and body when he is superimposed on the exterior of the
Enterprise. He looks like that creature from Beetlejuice hanging out in the
waiting room, a tiny head and enormous body!
Moment to Watch Out For: Amanda being able to bring her
parents before her eyes. In an episode that is so saccharine, it is nice to
have a moment of poignancy.
Moral of the Week: Be careful what you wish for...especially
if you have omnipotent powers.
Result: Not terrible but hardly a riveting watch, I find
myself wondering once again if TNG has completely lost its bite. Whilst
Amanda's coming of age story was passable enough filler, it was also a little
too cute and gentle to make any real kind of impact. The dilemma that faces
both Amanda and the crew whether to allow her to embrace her true nature is
rendered irrelevant by the fact that nobody has much of a choice in the matter.
They are arguing for a hopeless outcome. The episode itself misses out on
pretty much every possible dramatic beat, presenting this situation in a series
of informal conversations with nobody getting even slightly passionate about
any of it (except perhaps Dr Bev and her ruined medical experiment). Amanada is
well cast but the script presents her in as mundane a way as possible and
despite DeLancie's efforts this is hardly the most stirring use of Q either.
After Q-Pid and True Q it appears that the character might have exhausted his
worth. The less said about the disaster of the week the better...did anybody
give a damn about this uncharacterised planet and its ecological calamity?
Surely it wasn't my imagination that in season three there were an awful lot of
shows that dug deep psychologically and provided some really punchy action?
Remember The Survivors, The Enemy, The Defector, The Hunted, The High Ground,
Yesterday's Enterprise, Sins of the Father, Sarek...all within arms reach of
each other. Since mid season five TNG feels cleansed of anything truly
challenging and dynamic, aside from a few rare examples. True Q is another
tolerable episode but I'm still waiting for something spectacular. Maybe that's
coming up next: 5/10
Rascals written by Alison Hock and directed by Adam Nimoy
What's it about: Picard, Ro, Guinan and Keiko get turned
into kiddiewinks. Yep, that made it past the script stage.
Rascals written by Alison Hock and directed by Adam Nimoy
To Baldly Go: 'And be Wesley Crusher's roommate?' Picard
is boring everybody rigid in the shuttle with his archaeological finds from the
planet they have just visited. I swear I saw Keiko check out the airlock to see
if she could activate it from where she is sitting. If this really is what
Picard was like when he was younger then it would appear that he was always a
snobbish, pretentious old swot. I mean that in the most affectionate of ways.
David Tristan-Birkin gives a rousing performance, uncannily capturing Patrick
Stewarts physical mannerisms and encapsulating that haughty tone of his. I
can't help but smirk every time he opens his mouth. Mini Picard's ranting has
to be seen to be believed ('I need to see me father! Now! Now! Now! Now!').
This stuff is gold.
The Kids: Young Guinan is a wonderful character and I feel
we should have found a way for her to stick around and get the older version
back too. I hope Isis Carmen Jones went on to do some good things because she
has all of Goldberg's charm and charisma in that wonderfully underplayed way of
hers. Mini Ro is slightly less fun but more complex. She's torn between being
able to re-live her childhood in a slightly more fun way (she spent most of
hers in a labour camp) and staying true to the fact that she is a right grumpy
mare. Heaven forbid she should enjoy herself. I jump on the bed as an adult so
if I was transformed into a child heaven knows where my immaturity would take
me. Ro considers her makeover a violation and needs a damn good prodding from
Guinan to get her to have some fun. As for the awkward conversations between
O'Brien and his new teenage wife...perhaps that was better left to the
imagination. What on Earth would have happened had Keiko been trapped in the
body of a child forever? Imagine those domestic scenes on DS9 with mini Keiko
in the mix? At least Colm Meaney knows that anything he experiences on the new
show he has signed up cannot be any more ridiculous than this. And that
includes Our Man Bashir. Mini Keiko even moans 'Meowyllles!' in exactly
the same way as our Keiko.
Sparkling Dialogue: 'Tactical advantage? Jean-Luc, look at
your team for a minute...we're children!'
'He's my Number One Dad!'
I wont quote it because I can't get my head around all of
the words but Rascals features some of my favourite technobabble in Star Trek.
Riker makes up a load of impressive sounding nonsense words to confuse his
Ferengi friend and somehow makes it sound plausible. Check it out.
'That's the wonderful thing about crayons. They can take you
to more places than a Starship.'
Dreadful Dialogue: 'I assure you I am Captain PEE-card' -
try again, Birkin-Smith.
The Good: You have to give the casting crew some real
credit, the child actors all look exactly like younger versions of their
characters and do a reasonable impression of the older actors too. Even more
essential is that they can all act and the average with child actors and acting
ability is not great. Chances were that this bunch should have been dreadful
but they all acquit themselves well. And I thought it couldn't get any more
twee than True Q. The idea of exploring a second childhood without the pain of
growing up again is an intriguing one but the idea is mooted in one scene and
then dropped in favour of Ferengi shenanigans. Mike Gomez gives a wonderful
performance as Damon Lurin, he's pure panto villain but has been given
permission by the script. If anybody was going to storm the Enterprise in such
a ludicrous way you would want it to be somebody as nutty as this.
The Bad: There is absolutely no way that Picard would be
able to pick up his post as Captain of the ship looking like a 14 year old kid.
It just wouldn't happen under any circumstances. The fact that the writers
bother to go through with the charade is rather sweet and completely
humiliating for the show. I don't like to take the mickey out of child actors
that have to live up to actors of the stature of Patrick Stewart but just
watching Birkin-Smith when he walks off the Bridge. That couldn't be a more
swottish walk if it tried. Ickle wickle Molly O'Brien asking her mum who has
recently been transformed into a fresh faced pre-teen practically redefines twee.
All we need to do now is add Alexander into the mix...oh wait. How patronising
is that childhood computer programme? 'Would you like to some pictures of
interesting plants and animals?' It's any wonder the kids of the future
aren't stunted of growth if this is the level of engagement they receive.
Fortunately wily Guinan is on board to manipulate her way around the
denigrating curriculum. Alexander shows up to aid with his remote controlled
toy. Isn't that kid annoying? Can't we keep one of these new kids instead? You
know, the ones who can actually act? Watch the Ferengi when they are all
gathered up in the transporter room and are puzzled by the force field and keep
bumping into it. This bunch managed to take the Enterprise? How embarrassing.
The take over and take back are so slight that it may as well have not happened
at all. And then by a magical quirk of medical and technobabble the kids are
transformed back into adults. It's so unreasonably tidy but you have to let it
slide because it is so goofy.
Teaser-tastic: What a wonderfully random bunch of characters
to share a shuttle. What on Earth could be happening in the universe to bring
together Picard, Ensign Ro, Guinan and Keiko O'Brien in one place? 'There's
a forty percent drop in mass...I may have lost one of them!' says O'Brien
as he beams them aboard. Fortunately only one character on that shuttle is
essential to the continuation of the series. The moment when the four children
materialised on the transporter pad it was one of the few moments when my jaw
literally dropped. My residing thought? Surely their not going to do this?
Fashion Statement: What is up with Troi's hair this year? It
looks like somebody has dropped a soggy mop head on her head.
Moment to Watch Out For: The whole episode. Sheer insanity.
Isn't it extraordinary that this can exist within the same series (let alone
the same season) as Chain of Command? I never said TNG wasn't versatile...
Moral of the Week: Being young isn't quite as bad as you
remember. Oh and too much tweeness is a very bad thing. After watching this I
want to go and do something very unpleasant to somebody.
A Fistful of Datas written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe & Brannon Braga and directed by Patrick Stewart
Mr Wolf: What do you think Worf is more upset about, having
to spend time in Alexander's holodeck programme or simply having to spend time
with Alexander? Worf begins to understand the appeal of this programme when he
can start cracking heads together although he has more trouble with the buxom
babes that want to slide him between the sheets. Michael Dorn seems to
appreciate the chance to have some fun, I just wish he had had a better vehicle
than A Fistful of Datas.
Alien Empath: What's this? Counsellor Troi is letting her
hair down? Whilst I question the authenticity of her cowboy accent (she sounds
a bit like somebody who has had a stroke), it is great to see her out of the
therapists office and engaging in something a little frivolous that doesn't
consist of a chocolate sundae.
The Good: Aside from a cigarette chomping Troi, Annie is my
favourite character in this episode. Where Patrick Stewart fails to conjure up
the atmosphere of a western, he at least manages to drag a sincere performance
out of Joy Garrett and she has great fun flirting with Michael Dorn. The
western back lot that Stewart has to play about on looks highly
authentic...it's just a shame that he forgot to play. How wonderful for Brent
Spiner to have the opportunity to stretch his acting muscles and play several
parts within the episode. It adds an element of tension to think that all of
these characters have Data's strength and agility. Watch out for the stunning
final effects shot, the Enterprise heading off into the sun.
The Bad: The crew are enjoying a chance to have some time
off. Are you kidding me? Surely that is all they have done throughout the first
eight episodes of the season. Nothing seems to be happening in the slightest in
the Alpha Quadrant and we have had time for time travel romps, nostalgia romps
and even child bearing romps! What exactly this crew needs a rest from baffles
me. Having studied the western genre (one which I am not particularly enamoured
with and never have been) in great depth during my media studies course with
the Open University I have to say that Patrick Stewart misses the mark on
several conventions in his direction. Whilst he has found a realistic looking
western town to play in he never once stresses the sense of wide open spaces,
the riotous activity on the streets or the sense that every vice is up for
sale. In both of Doctor Who's attempts at a western (The Gunfighters and A Town
Called Mercy) I would say that they hit these points far more effectively. I
would even say the set up on DS9, a western in space if ever I saw one,
promoted the stronger aspects of the genre better than A Fistful of Datas. It's
a bit too quiet for my tastes. Even the score is a little too subtle. Spending
an entire episode in the company of Alexander is something to be feared, not
because he is written for badly but because Brian Bosnell comes from the
Matthew Waterhouse school of acting. He finds talking to the computer a
difficult task to sound natural. Seriously, did they screen this kid for his
acting ability?
Teaser-tastic: All Picard wants is a little peace and quiet
to learn to play his whistle and every man and his dog comes to visit him. It
is an enjoyable sequence, watching Picard getting more and more exasperated by
the interruptions, if not as riotously funny as it could be. That description
pretty much describes the episode as a whole. I was especially amused by Dr
Bev's reaction to Picard's suggestion that he would be playing one of the leads
in her play.
Fashion Statement: Remember when Rory in Doctor Who thought
he was more interesting because he had grown one of those horrid rats tail
ponytails in Amy's Choice? Probably the most interesting thing Geordi does in
his entire tenure is grow a beard and that really says something profound about
the long term viability of his character.
Moment to Watch Out For: The final showdown set piece is
well shot on location but still a little too ponderous for its own good. Check
out the violent, quick cut shoot out that Doctor Who managed to pull off in the
1960s. Why a western pulled off in a creaky BBC studio should be more pacy and
dramatic than one pulled off in a genuine western town on location baffles me.
The music works a treat here, though.
Moral of the Week: Don't spend time with Alexander, it only
leads to pain and suffering. And don't plug your head into the Enterprise
computer.
Result: 'Shooting someone as ugly as you couldn't be
considered a crime, could it?' A
sanitised TNG version of a western, never as thrilling, funny or dramatic as it
could have been. Who wants to watch that? Add in more Alexander than I can
stomach and another episode in a long line of romps that drives home the sheer
indolence in the Alpha Quadrant in the latter seasons of TNG and you have an
episode is far more weary than it has any right to be. What really sabotages A
Fistful of Datas is a leaden pace, a sense of talkiness and a lack of
action...all of which epitomise TNG in the 24th Century but are absolutely
deadly when transferred into the Wild West. When the best thing you can say
about a western production is that the lighting is atmospheric then you have
missed the point by several miles. I've never known a western town to feel so
devoid of life as the one Patrick Stewart brings to life here (or barely raises
a pulse is more accurate). The biggest pluses are Brent Spiner's multiple
performances (is there nothing that that man cannot do?), the appearance of
Counsellor Durango the mysterious stranger and Miss Annie the love struck
bartender. What should have been a riotous experience turns out to be a
plodding exercise. Proof, if it was needed, that TNG needed to pull its socks
up in its sixth season, stop arsing about and get on with something a bit more
demanding: 5/10
The Quality of Life written by Naren Shankar and directed by Jonathan Frakes
The Quality of Life written by Naren Shankar and directed by Jonathan Frakes
What's it about: A new form of technological life?
Dancing Doctor: Would a Doctor really want to learn the art
of the Bat'leth? Surely somebody who has devoted their life to healing would
want nothing to do with a weapon whose very existence is to hack and slash
people to pieces. Maybe things are so quiet on the Enterprise that she is
trying to drum up some business by causing a few minor flesh wounds. As Dr Bev
says, trying to determine the meaning of life is a big question. Data should no
better than to ask a philosophical question on this ship. We could be here for
years. She gives the medical response, which very cold but doesn't factor in
the soul. Gates McFadden seems very comfortable in The Quality of Life, she
always does when she is directed by Jonathan Frakes. Dr Bev suggests that is
how we struggle through life that defines our place in the universe. That seems
like a fair statement to me.
Blind Engineer: It is nice to see Geordi get passionate
about something. A shame it should be about some innovative technology, but the
point still stands. He does have a pulse. Geordi is left carrying the equipment
whilst Data and Dr Farallon talk business. I guess she finds him as interesting
as I do.
Sparkling Dialogue: 'I have reason to believe the Exocomps
are alive.'
The Good: The design of the Exocomps epitomises everything
about this episode. They are innocuous and sweet. It genuinely looks as though
they are being operating as puppets on strings rather than by remote control
(they wobble a little) but that just adds to their appeal. The scene where one
of them thinks 'bugger that' and turns away from a task that has been assigned
that would get it damaged, possibly fatally, always makes me smirk. Recognising
new life is the principle mission of the Enterprise. I'm pleased to see that
being explored again, in however an safe way. Sweetly, Data reasons with the
Exocomps rather than ordering them into danger.
The Bad: Data is brought up, albeit briefly in the defence
of considering the Exocomps a life form but the content of A Measure of a Man
isn't referenced in any way. That is a shocking oversight given that it was the
definitive treatise on the topic. They are trying to test whether a piece of
technology is alive and to do so they choose to threaten its survival to see
how it reacts. I see that there is a massive gulf between the treatment of
technological and biological life because this kind of test would never be
considered with the latter. But it is just a simulation, I hear you say...but
the Exocomp doesn't know that. Or rather it does, which quite cleverly
sabotages the test. There is an attempt to brew up some drama in the last ten
minutes when the particle fountain is sabotaged and Picard and Geordi have to
try and bring it back under control. Since we are not that invested in the
technology (it has no impact on the show whatsoever) and we know that two of
the regulars aren't going to be wiped out in such an quiet episode it is
delivering little more than false tension. Interestingly, because Data is such
an emotionally unreceptive character the director calls upon the other actors
to emote in his place and so Picard and Riker seem more forceful in their
commands than usual. It doesn't work because they are banging their heads
against an emotionless brick wall. They can't reason with him emotionally, they
have to try and reason with him logically. When it comes to the Captain and the
Exocomps, the ethical argument is thrown out the window. Is this ship really
about exploring new life then? Farallon seems completely unfazed about the fact
that her project has been set back a couple of years because of Data redefining
the Exocomps as a life form. Why does everybody have to be so damn amiable on
this show? Picard declares Data's choice to save the Exocomps over his life the
most human decision he has ever made. It is an old argument of mine but why is
it that every character on TNG has to be defined by human terms. Why can't they
be judged on their own merits as an alien, android, omnipotent entity or
whatever?
Teaser-tastic: See below. Hardly a rousing introduction to
the episode. That and the introduction of the Exocomp, the stubbiest little
robot since Doctor Who unveiled the Quarks.
Fashion Statement: Geordi's beard continues to be the
hottest conversation on the Ship, which goes to show just how exciting things
are around here at the moment. Beverley's point about beards being an
affectation are valid, I feel (I have one myself). And I would really like to
see Dr Bev as a brunette.
Moment to Watch Out For: Data making the insubordinate
decision to save the Exocomps at the risk of losing his Captain and best
friend. Alas he does not have to deal with the emotions of that decision and so
it is gutted of drama but it is still a momentary shock.
Moral of the Week: Life comes in all shapes, sizes and
component parts. Never judge by appearances.
Result: Nice. Cute. Inoffensive. Does this sound familiar?
That is because it is the same review I have written eight times already since
the beginning of season six. I'm starting to sound like a broken record. In
some ways The Quality of Life is an improvement on the previous episodes
because it is exploring themes that are inherent to Star Trek - what makes
something truly alive? However in others it is inferior because it lacks the
humour and quirks of the episodes that surround it. It's no fun to be lectured
without a knowing wink. It's also true that this subject was covered far more
effectively in A Measure of Man and really wasn't going to be bettered. Whilst
Data's defence of the Exocomps is sweet, it isn't a patch on Picard's
passionate defence of his android Lieutenant Commander in the season two
classic. As you can imagine a story that examines whether technology can be
considered a life form it would have to come with plenty of the ultimate Star
Trek curse...technobabble. Once again Brent Spiner delivers a superb
performance and whilst the material might highlight Data at his most
thoughtful, the rest of the crew are barely given any consideration (except for
perhaps their beards). Unfortunately Data cannot drive his argument home with
any kind of passion which makes The Quality of Life a remarkably passive piece
of drama. It presents a case clinically rather than emotionally. I would have
preferred something a little more racy, perhaps dealing with a biological life
form and a member of the crew that could really engage with the dispute. This
is alright but let's not pretend that in terms of content and tone that this
anything more than a filler episode in the grand scheme of things. The trouble
is it is the last in a long line of filler episodes. It's time for some real
meat: 6/10
Chain of Command Part I written by Ronald D. Moore and directed by Robert Scheerer
Result: One of the most disturbing hours of Trek, the second half of Chain of Command is in a league of its own when it comes to examining emotional and bodily torture. The humiliation and pain that Picard is put through in this episode highlights his strength of character like no other. It confirms that old adage of mine - put two strong actors together in a room with a good script and you can produce absolute magic at relatively no cost. It goes to show that the flashes and bangs of a regular Star Trek episode mean very little when compared with real human drama. Patrick Stewart gives a television career best (which, in TNG terms, is very, very good indeed) and David Warner must take the crown as the most impressive guest star that this series has ever featured. Together they produce electrifying moments of drama, pathos and discomfort. The Enterprise half of this episode doesn't slough either, with Jellico continuing to be a whirlwind presence on the Ship. It's such a shame that he and Guinan didn't get together as I could imagine some real sparks flying but aside from that I cannot fault this ship bound section. Riker is a passionate character again and Jellico is such a wonderful bastard I wish he could have stuck around longer (oh my...imagine a scene between him and Pulaski? The King and Queen of bastard!). Chain of Command has compelling drama running through it like a stick of rock, it is as good as Star Trek comes in any of the shows and proves that this particular branch can be as hard hitting as DS9 when it wants to be. I was floored by the quality of the script, the powerful performances and the intimate direction by Les Landau. It holds up all these years later as if it were being transmitted today: 10/10
Ship in a Bottle written by Rene Echevarria and directed by Alexander Singer
To Baldly Go: Picard has clearly been dragged out of bed, his uniform is open and he looks ready to fire a torpedo at Moriarty, as he is summoned to the holodeck. I really love how Patrick Stewart plays his scenes with Davis; refusing to let Picard patronise or talk down to him, accepting him as an individual with his own rights and decisions to make. It’s funny how awkward Stewart was in the first couple of seasons and how he is the most effortlessly comfortable actor on this show now, delivering one sublime performance after another.
Dancing Doctor: Why is it left to Dr Bev to point how romantic this situation is? Is she good for nothing but to provide a feminine perspective?
Maladjusted: Nobody does bafflement and nervousness quite like Barclay? So leave it to him to entertainingly stammer and frown his way through the first appearance of both Moriarty and the Countess. Barclay is crippled with enough anxieties, let alone Picard adding a further one to his armoury of them at the climax.
Teaser-tastic: Brent Spiner is so good at these moments where he steps into the shoes of Jeremy Brett and takes on Sherlock Holmes. Mind you, at this stage I think Spiner might take on any role in TNG and do it justice. In contrast, Levar Burton is completely at sea with his hybrid English/American accent. I think that’s why Spiner does most of the talking. It’s a full five-minute teaser, recalling the fun of Elementary Dear Data and promising more holodeck chicanery to come. This was at a time where holodeck malfunctions had started to get a little tiresome, so it was with guarded caution that I proceeded into the episode.
Fashion Statement: The Countesses get-up has to be seen to be believed. How did women sit and walk comfortably in so many layers of chiffon?
Moment to Watch Out For: I can still remember the first time I saw the scene where Moriarty ‘thinks’ himself off the holodeck, walking onto the Enterprise through his sheer force of will. I physically recoiled at such a notion.
Moral of the Week: You’re as real as you think you are. Don’t except the confines of your reality.
Result: ‘Computer end programme…’ Utterly beguiling, a script that is loaded with charming ideas, wonderful characters and enjoyable dialogue. Ship in a Bottle plays out in an unpredictable fashion, where it’s twists are only obvious in hindsight because the presentation of the surprises is so enjoyable. I love how the title works so magnificently once the big twist is revealed, twice over. As this is early 90s Star Trek there is an awful lot of talk but I prefer that to the action-packed madness it has become of late. Could the dialogue be a little more probing than it is here focussing on the nature of existence and self-awareness? Probably, but this is still a Star Trek episode so instead of turning this into a psychological exercise we enjoy a labyrinthine plot that involves multiple layers of duplicity. There are little clues littered about as to the nature of what is reality and what isn’t (the lack of cuts to the exterior of Enterprise is telling) but what makes this work so well is the characters of Moriarty and the Countess, how engagingly they are played and the fact that you are rooting for them throughout. This really isn’t the character that Arthur Conan Doyle envisioned, and he’s all the more interesting for having broken free of his writer’s vision and evolving into a man who can exist in the 24th Century. This is exactly the sort of thing that TNG did best; quirky, offbeat, one off episodes that commit to their premise and deliver entertainment in spades. The final scene always leaves me with a smile on my face: 9/10
Chain of Command Part I written by Ronald D. Moore and directed by Robert Scheerer
What's it about: Are the Cardassians developing devastating
biological weapons?
To Baldly Go: I have to say I rather like the way that
Admiral Nechaev keeps Picard on his toes. He can be relaxed to the point of
indolence at times at it is nice that there is someone there to remind him to
straighten his uniform and take things as deadly seriously as she does. He is
genuinely uncomfortable around her because she is constantly scrutinizing him.
He's also not used to watching his crew being perturbed and not being able to do
anything about it. When he does approach Jellico on the subject the man as good
as tells him to piss off on his mission and that he doesn't have a say anymore.
You cannot help but feel sorry for Picard, pushed into a physically demanding
mission and stripped of everything that makes him feel important. He's impotent
on his own ship now.
Number One: I think Riker assumed that he would be in
command of the Enterprise if Picard was ever re-assigned. The look on his face
when he realises he is going t be supplanted by Jellico is priceless. Remember
when he gave Barclay such a hard time when he didn't come up to scratch? Well
it is payback time and with Jellico on board comes a whole new ethos and set of
rules. Do it my way or get out. Riker doesn't take kindly to this approach and
can barely keep up with the demands of his new Captain. I hate to say it is
amusing to watch him flounder like this but I think everybody needs pushing
from time to time so they raise their game. Things have been so quiet around here
lately I am not surprised that this sudden call to attention is such a shock.
In a wonderful moment of 'asking the other parent', Riker turns to Picard
rather than having it out with Jellico.
Alien Empath: One of the most satisfying scenes in the entire
run of TNG is in this episode. I just knew as soon as the crew started moaning
about Jellico's no-nonsense approach that Troi would duck in his door to let
him know about their feelings. Wonderfully, he doesn't give a shit and tells
her as much and sends her out with a flea in her ear whilst also commenting
that she is dressed unprofessionally for her job. What a joyous moment, she is
so thrown by the comments that she literally does not know how to react.
Dancing Doctor: Apparently Dr Bev was brought along for her
medical expertise but her feminine wiles come in pretty handy too. Against my
better judgement I found myself concerned for Dr Bev as she was swallowed up by
a rock fall. Perhaps it was Picard's panicked distress that I was mirroring.
Blind Engineer: Remember when Geordi was impatient with
Scotty who was trying to cope with technology far beyond his understanding in
Relics? How amusing to watch him bitch and gripe about Jellico because he is
expecting great things of the Engineering crew. They could potentially be going
into a battle scenario and all systems need to be at peak efficiency in order
for them to enter with absolute confidence. Geordi is a good Engineer but he is
also used to his creature comforts on this ship and when Jellico suggests the
Engineering team works around the clock for two days to get the job done he
objects.
Sparkling Dialogue: 'Oh...and get that fish out of the Ready
Room.'
'Forgive me for being blunt but the Enterprise is mine now.'
'I'll say one thing...he's sure of himself' 'No, he's not.'
The Good: How wonderful to see TNG and DS9 working together
to create a joint mythology whilst they are both on screen together. Frankly
ever since DS9 came on the scene (Emissary and Times Arrow Part II would have
aired around the same time) it feels as though the responsibility for dealing
with the overall mythology that powers these shows has fallen on them, whilst
TNG has been free to take a back seat and play out some filler episodes. We
should have been in this position a lot sooner, both shows working together to
strength a joint mythology. Since Voyager would be hurled into the Delta
Quadrant, seasons six and seven of TNG and seasons one and two of DS9 are the
only time when this has been able to happen. It was quite an exciting time to
witness the events of one show impacting on another. A unique time for Trek.
Jellico beams onto the Enterprise and it is like chucking a bucket of ice cold
water over the crew. They are used to Picard's softly softly approach and Jellico
is a very different of fish, demanding, expecting maximum efficiency without
pleasantries and not making allowances for mistakes. Whilst his approach is
ultra professional and impersonal, it is exactly what this crew needs in order
to pull its socks up. Do things his way or get out of the way. Isn't it
interesting to see that this crew doesn't respond well to being put through
physical and psychologically punishing work. Perhaps they are only the best
crew in the quadrant if their bellies are full, their holosuites are working
and everybody is being nice to one another? The department heads and personnel
are bitching and whining about changing to a four shift rotation and Jellico
cuts through all that mothering and demands that they do as he requests, No ifs
or buts. Jellico is asking a lot but I thought this crew was supposed to be the
best? Would you put the Cardassians above creating a metagenic weapon that
could destroy an entire eco system? I can see why Starfleet is taking this
intelligence so seriously because I could absolutely see them grubbying their
fingers with such technology. The Ferengi that Picard extorts the shuttle from
is played by one of the actors who appeared in DS9's The Nagus - some nice
exchange of characters too. For a while it seems like Jellico is only there to
put peoples noses out of joint (which he does spectacularly) but once
negotiations with the Cardassians start you can understand precisely why
Starfleet wanted him in command. There is no way that Picard would have approached
these negotiations at such a psychological angle, willing to get the
participants riled up to the point of potentially kick starting war. This job
needed somebody who behaves like a blunt instrument but is thinking like a
grand chess master. The rock climbing sequence is complete superfluous but it
looks incredible. I like the inference that underneath all that arrogance and
bluster, Jellico is a desperately unsure man. Underground tunnels are tenapenny
in modern Trek but the efforts of the set designers are a cut above the rest in
Chain of Command. This network of tunnels feels vast and cavernous and they are
atmospherically lit to highlight the oppressive nature of the setting. The
cliffhanger is not your typical moment of jeopardy but the realisation that
Picard is in a terrible situation that will no doubt get much worse. Trapped at
the hands of a sadistic interrogator, he is going to be put through the
psychological wringer.
The Bad: The one aspect of Chain of Command that is lacking
is the score which, as is the norm for this period of Trek, is desperately
unexciting. The music perks up for a moment just before Picard and his team
reach their objective but on the whole it is like some terribly bland wallpaper
hanging up around the episode.
Teaser-tastic: No time for pleasantries, Picard is being
stripped of the Enterprise. Now that is how you open an episode of TNG to get
the audiences attention. No cat poetry or eclectic crewmembers being turned
into children. Shocking, straight to the point and sharp in its delivery. Great
stuff.
Moment to Watch Out For: The moment that you realise that
the whole set up has been a trapped to kidnap Picard. TNG doesn't often go for
big bold shocks like this and it is genuinely fantastic example. Heart in mouth
time.
Result: Bold, intense and dramatic, Chain of Command Part I
is exactly what I have been asking for. It almost feels like the past nine
episodes have been deliberately gentle to give this piece of drama the impact
it has. After watching The Quality of Life, Chain of Command is like a slap
around the face and a reminder of what this show can do when it focuses on its
greatest strengths; brave storytelling, uncompromising dialogue and razor sharp
character interaction. Ronald D. Moore later commented that he found it tricky
to write for this perfect, goody-two-shoes crew and Chain of Command almost
feels like his reaction to having to write for such a pleasant bunch for so
long. I get the impression that he would Jellico to hang around permanently, to
inject some real drama and tension into this show. If he cannot do it long term
he can at least do it for this 45 minutes and the resulting drama is more
gripping and attention grabbing than anything TNG has thrown up since The Best
of Both Worlds. The crew of the Enterprise are exposed as mere children when it
comes to truly physical and psychologically demanding situations and I feel
like that is something that should have been addressed once the dramatic events
of this two parter are dealt with. You know from experience that things will
just go back to normal again but I do appreciate the effort to show them
floundering in the lead up to a potential war. TNG has well and truly pulled
its socks up and reminds us that at its best it is one of the greatest shows on
TV, this would have been a much better bridge between the seasons than Time's
Arrow. Just when you think it can't get any better, David Warner turns up at
the climax: 10/10
Chain of Command Part II written by Frank Abatemarco and
directed by Les Landau
What's it about: Picard is trapped in the tender mercies of
a Cardassian interrogator...
To Baldly Go: Perhaps I should watch what I say in the
future. I have always been rather hard on Picard for throwing the rule book in
peoples faces when they have had difficult situations to face, even when the
Prime Directive does not allow them to take the moral stance. He has often been
dictatorial and unflinching in his support for an idealism that preaches a
humane attitude but often forgets to put it into practice. I have often wished
that somebody would take that rulebook off him and shove it down his throat.
Well that is exactly what happens in Chain of Command and the resulting scenes
are extremely uncomfortable to watch. To see such a proud, man of robust character
reduced to a naked, pathetic victim in the space of 45 minutes is almost as
torturous for the viewer as it is for Picard. Nobody is coming to help him, the
rules have gone out of the window and he is going to suffer pain and
humiliation that would test the soul of the strongest of men. It's unjust,
uncompromising and gripping to watch. It is in episodes like this (and Tapestry
later in the season) that Patrick Stewart comes into his own and outshines any
of his contemporaries (I couldn't see Shatner, Brooks, Mulgrew or Bakula
pulling off an episode of this magnitude as convincingly). As far as I
understand he did his homework before embarking on such a challenging
assignment, studying the treatment and psychological consequences of prisoners
of war. The result is one of the most pain examinations of torture that I have
ever watched on television made all the more affecting because Stewart usually
adopts such a pompous tone on this show. When Picard thinks that Dr Bev is
going to be tortured in his place he surrenders to his treatment to spare her,
a cruel trick that preys on his feelings for her. In one of the most revealing
moments of his tenure, Picard admits to Troi that not only would he have said
anything to make the torture end but for a moment he could have sworn that he
genuinely saw five lights. Such was the extent of his persecution. Stirring
stuff.
Number One: Wonderful, we haven't seen Riker this riled up
in ages. This is the sort of tension I would like to see in TNG in every other
episode, some real juicy drama. He and Jellico might wind up respecting each
other grudgingly but they are never going to like each other or their styles of
command. Riker cannot believe that any plan that involves Picard being
forgotten as a Cardassian prisoner of war is being considered and he is
relieved of command for saying so. Jellico sums him up as arrogant,
insubordinate, wilful and not a particularly good First Officer. It's an unfair
assessment for somebody who has only been around for five minutes and has seen
what this guy is like during the lax periods of the show (about 90% of the time
then). Riker only displays these (I would call them admirable) qualities when
things heat up. Frankly I wish we could see more of this side of him. Had he
transferred to DS9 with O'Brien we might just have given the greater proportion
of character conflict on that show. Riker's assessment of Jellico is equally
harsh but probably much more justified. Mind you the qualities he states are
ones I quite admire too. What is it about this show that I just want everyone
to behave more like a bastard?
Sparkling Dialogue: 'There are four lights!'
The Good: David Warner gives an extraordinary performance in
this episode. He's an actor I have long admired and as a jobbing actor has
turned up in so many cult programmes that I have enjoyed over the years. This
is easily his most accomplished role in science fiction though, a powerhouse
performance of intensity and terror. Les Landau is one of the less appreciated
Star Trek directors and yet he is one of the mot prolific and the episodes that
he did helm are often some of the very best. The Survivors, Deja Q, Family,
Ensign Ro, Tapestry, Progress, Whispers, Second Skin, Accession and
Counterpoint are all his. He was known
as a director who could deliver great results on time and on budget. He might
not produce the more dynamic efforts like David Livingston, Allan Kroeker and
Mike Vejar but give him a strong character study and he will direct the hell
out of it, often coaxing some of the strongest performances out of the actors.
Chain of Command Part II is one of his finest instalments in that respect as he
is given the chance to give real focus on two very strong actors delivering
challenging material. The resulting drama is astonishing to watch unfold. Let's
not even pretend that the allusions to the treatment of prisoners during the
Second World War is even slightly disguised. Picard is put through the physical
and psychological hell in this episode, including sensory deprivation, sensory
bombardment, forced nakedness, stress positions, dehydration, starvation,
physical pain and cultural humiliation. He has always been shown to be the
stalwartiest of Starfleet Captains, only breaking once before the last time he
was physically and psychologically stripped of his identity (when he was turned
into Locutus of Borg). This time the Cardassian interrogator almost finishes
the job up for them. The thought that prisoners of war were put through this
kind of ritual humiliation and torture is discomforting to acknowledge and it
exemplifies Trek at its best, holding up a mirror to the worst excesses of
humanity (where TNG normally focuses on the more pleasing side of our nature).
Like all Cardassians (except Marritza of DS9's Duet) Madred is extremely proud
of his culture and their attempts to educate the Bajoran people. The arrogance
of this race in their efforts to excuse the raping of a planet and its people
as an education is jaw dropping. What a shame that we didn't see more of John
Durbin's slimy Gul Lemec, the very picture of Cardassian arrogance. I love the
aesthetic of this race on TNG. For a show that often promotes very bland aliens
and pretty imagery it provides an unsightly counterbalance. The contrast
between Madred the family man and Madred the torturer really drives home the
complexity of this race, how a man can go to work and torture a man and then
come home and play with his children that he loves a great deal. The fact that
he doesn't hide his work from his children, that he exposes her to the sort of
horror he inflicts is appalling but it drives home their xenophobic attitude,
showing humanity at their weakest. He can push aside all the horror that
Cardassian military has inflicted on other races because it has made them a strong
force in the quadrant and has provided a superior social, intellectual and
creative infrastructure for their society. It's a passionate argument, not one
that I agree with because it forgets all the suffering, but a persuasive one
from his point of view. I have a feeling that Jellico would be the perfect
Captain to helm a ship in the Dominion War, like Sisko he simply knows what has
to be done to protect the Quadrant and damn the consequences and whining of his
crew. What a shame we couldn't have caught up with him during the conflict.
Madred shows his real character when he knows he has to release Picard and he
uses his last opportunity to twist the knife in one last time, to try and
convince Picard to admit that there are five lights instead of four just he can
score the victory of breaking him. You can tell he likes to achieve results and
for Picard to be taking away from him with his dignity intact despite
everything he has put him through would irritate like a permanent itch under
the skin. Jellico is so wonderfully arrogant that he hands the Enterprise over
to Picard with the little observation that it is exactly as he left it, perhaps
a little better.
The Bad: This is exactly the sort of work that Garak would
have been performing back in his days with the Obsidian Order. It is such a
shame that we didn't get to see more of his interrogative side like this
(although what we did see in The Die is Cast is quite terrifying enough).
Fashion Statement: Data in a red uniform. Just no. Troi in
the blue uniform? Should have been done years ago. She's looks fantastic.
Moment to Watch Out For: The moment that most took my breath
away was when Madred reveals a little about his childhood and Picard uses that
to build a pitiable version of his Cardassian torturer. Madred is appalled
changes his tactics, going from somebody who is manipulating Picard to somebody
who simply wants to hurt him. Patrick Stewart's agonised reaction to the
pain is extraordinary.
Moral of the Week: There are four lights.
Ship in a Bottle written by Rene Echevarria and directed by Alexander Singer
What’s it about: A self-aware hologram that wants to leave his fantasy prison?
To Baldly Go: Picard has clearly been dragged out of bed, his uniform is open and he looks ready to fire a torpedo at Moriarty, as he is summoned to the holodeck. I really love how Patrick Stewart plays his scenes with Davis; refusing to let Picard patronise or talk down to him, accepting him as an individual with his own rights and decisions to make. It’s funny how awkward Stewart was in the first couple of seasons and how he is the most effortlessly comfortable actor on this show now, delivering one sublime performance after another.
Dancing Doctor: Why is it left to Dr Bev to point how romantic this situation is? Is she good for nothing but to provide a feminine perspective?
Maladjusted: Nobody does bafflement and nervousness quite like Barclay? So leave it to him to entertainingly stammer and frown his way through the first appearance of both Moriarty and the Countess. Barclay is crippled with enough anxieties, let alone Picard adding a further one to his armoury of them at the climax.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘If my will is strong enough, perhaps I can exist outside this room.’
‘Policemen, I’d recognise them in any Century.’
‘My God! We’re adrift in the heavens!’
‘He’s also an arch criminal’ ‘Only because he was written like that.’
‘All this might be an elaborate simulation running inside a little device sitting on someone’s table.’
The Good: This does rather dismiss my feeling that TNG forgets continuity past for continuing adventures…but who would have ever thought that they would have picked up the thread of Elementary Dear Data from season two? Just wait, season seven gets even more arbitrary with it’s follow up episodes. This works mostly because Daniel Davis gives such a star turn as Moriarty; one-part silky menace, two parts charm machine and because the script allows the character to surprise the audience as well as the regulars, constantly defying expectation. After the artificially designed Enterprise and the wealth of futuristic worlds that the ship visits, it must be the ultimate nourishment for the designers of this show to head back in time and bring to life a Victorian study. It’s a beautiful set, packed with detail. Can you imagine being a self-aware holodeck character who is aware of the passage of time when the device is switched off? That sounds like purgatory, and gives Moriarty’s desires to escape some credence. In the future, Voyager would introduce the mobile emitter which would make an episode like this moot but it just goes to show how the holo-technology evolved in across the three series (on DS9 it was essentially a knocking shop). Gosh, the idea of a fictional character choosing to walk away from the ‘scribblings’ of his author and choose his own path is an inspirational idea. Do characters have a life beyond that which the people that bring to fruition give them? Stephanie Beecham gives a delightfully warm and amiable performance. She’s quite stunning, but it’s her charm that that radiates the most. The idea that had Data not figured out the illusion that he, Picard and Barclay would have continued to live inside this charade appeals to me. It’s not something the writers would ever consider but imagine taking this across several episodes, having all kinds of odd developments happen in the series and THEN reveal the twist? I guess DS9 tried that in The Search Part II and the second you try and shake things up too fast it becomes instantly obvious that the scenario itself is a ploy. The concept of these two characters from Victorian literature heading off into the great unknown in a shuttlecraft to explore the universe is so delightful, how can you fail to love this episode? The Countesses’ reaction to the stars all around her captures that feeling of wonder that Star Trek prides itself on better than any episode in an age. I guess its easy to feel commonplace this late in the shows life. It takes a character that is a fish out of water to remind you of how wondrous this all is. That this isn’t a cheat and they get to go an a genuine series of adventures from within the holodeck is beguiling.
‘Policemen, I’d recognise them in any Century.’
‘My God! We’re adrift in the heavens!’
‘He’s also an arch criminal’ ‘Only because he was written like that.’
‘All this might be an elaborate simulation running inside a little device sitting on someone’s table.’
The Good: This does rather dismiss my feeling that TNG forgets continuity past for continuing adventures…but who would have ever thought that they would have picked up the thread of Elementary Dear Data from season two? Just wait, season seven gets even more arbitrary with it’s follow up episodes. This works mostly because Daniel Davis gives such a star turn as Moriarty; one-part silky menace, two parts charm machine and because the script allows the character to surprise the audience as well as the regulars, constantly defying expectation. After the artificially designed Enterprise and the wealth of futuristic worlds that the ship visits, it must be the ultimate nourishment for the designers of this show to head back in time and bring to life a Victorian study. It’s a beautiful set, packed with detail. Can you imagine being a self-aware holodeck character who is aware of the passage of time when the device is switched off? That sounds like purgatory, and gives Moriarty’s desires to escape some credence. In the future, Voyager would introduce the mobile emitter which would make an episode like this moot but it just goes to show how the holo-technology evolved in across the three series (on DS9 it was essentially a knocking shop). Gosh, the idea of a fictional character choosing to walk away from the ‘scribblings’ of his author and choose his own path is an inspirational idea. Do characters have a life beyond that which the people that bring to fruition give them? Stephanie Beecham gives a delightfully warm and amiable performance. She’s quite stunning, but it’s her charm that that radiates the most. The idea that had Data not figured out the illusion that he, Picard and Barclay would have continued to live inside this charade appeals to me. It’s not something the writers would ever consider but imagine taking this across several episodes, having all kinds of odd developments happen in the series and THEN reveal the twist? I guess DS9 tried that in The Search Part II and the second you try and shake things up too fast it becomes instantly obvious that the scenario itself is a ploy. The concept of these two characters from Victorian literature heading off into the great unknown in a shuttlecraft to explore the universe is so delightful, how can you fail to love this episode? The Countesses’ reaction to the stars all around her captures that feeling of wonder that Star Trek prides itself on better than any episode in an age. I guess its easy to feel commonplace this late in the shows life. It takes a character that is a fish out of water to remind you of how wondrous this all is. That this isn’t a cheat and they get to go an a genuine series of adventures from within the holodeck is beguiling.
The Bad: In hindsight it does make you wonder why the crew don’t ponder the possibility that they are still on the holodeck because that is the easiest explanation for why Moriarty can exist on the Enterprise. However, when I first watched it the idea never entered my head until it was presented much later in the episode, so compelling was the case made for his existence in ‘our’ world. Imagine if this had been real and Picard had had to write up the fact that Moriarty took control of his ship? And just a few weeks after the Ferengi managed it too! Held to ransom by a holodeck character? This wouldn’t have happened in the days when Wesley Crusher saved the ship on a bi-weekly basis. It’s bizarre how English-speaking actors sound their most ‘good golly gosh’ British in American shows. Somebody should do a study on the effect. It might have nice to have seen some of the crew having an identity crisis once learning that they aren’t real. I love the look Geordi gives Picard when the idea is mooted that they are still on the holodeck and he isn’t real.
Teaser-tastic: Brent Spiner is so good at these moments where he steps into the shoes of Jeremy Brett and takes on Sherlock Holmes. Mind you, at this stage I think Spiner might take on any role in TNG and do it justice. In contrast, Levar Burton is completely at sea with his hybrid English/American accent. I think that’s why Spiner does most of the talking. It’s a full five-minute teaser, recalling the fun of Elementary Dear Data and promising more holodeck chicanery to come. This was at a time where holodeck malfunctions had started to get a little tiresome, so it was with guarded caution that I proceeded into the episode.
Fashion Statement: The Countesses get-up has to be seen to be believed. How did women sit and walk comfortably in so many layers of chiffon?
Moment to Watch Out For: I can still remember the first time I saw the scene where Moriarty ‘thinks’ himself off the holodeck, walking onto the Enterprise through his sheer force of will. I physically recoiled at such a notion.
Moral of the Week: You’re as real as you think you are. Don’t except the confines of your reality.
Result: ‘Computer end programme…’ Utterly beguiling, a script that is loaded with charming ideas, wonderful characters and enjoyable dialogue. Ship in a Bottle plays out in an unpredictable fashion, where it’s twists are only obvious in hindsight because the presentation of the surprises is so enjoyable. I love how the title works so magnificently once the big twist is revealed, twice over. As this is early 90s Star Trek there is an awful lot of talk but I prefer that to the action-packed madness it has become of late. Could the dialogue be a little more probing than it is here focussing on the nature of existence and self-awareness? Probably, but this is still a Star Trek episode so instead of turning this into a psychological exercise we enjoy a labyrinthine plot that involves multiple layers of duplicity. There are little clues littered about as to the nature of what is reality and what isn’t (the lack of cuts to the exterior of Enterprise is telling) but what makes this work so well is the characters of Moriarty and the Countess, how engagingly they are played and the fact that you are rooting for them throughout. This really isn’t the character that Arthur Conan Doyle envisioned, and he’s all the more interesting for having broken free of his writer’s vision and evolving into a man who can exist in the 24th Century. This is exactly the sort of thing that TNG did best; quirky, offbeat, one off episodes that commit to their premise and deliver entertainment in spades. The final scene always leaves me with a smile on my face: 9/10
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Chain of Command the ONLY 2-parter in TNG you gave back-to-back 10/10s?
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