TOS - The Enemy Within

Plot – It’s easy to forgot just how revolutionary transport technology was when this show started. The idea that you could beam somebody across vast distances in the blink of an eye. It’s something we talk about longingly now when we have to travel vast distances. It was only right that the writers should capitalise on the dramatic possibilities of such technology, and I’m impressed that they do so so early in the shows run. The notion of a man being split in two by the transporter process; one featuring all his virtues and the other featuring all his sin is a juicy one, ripe with dramatic possibilities.

Character – Thank goodness that Spock states, fifteen minutes in, that they have an imposter on board because the only other reasonable explanation is that Captain Kirk isn’t just a sex pest (which we all knew anyway) but has now become a rapist. There’s a very odd moment when Spock suggests that the Captain cannot be anything less than perfect in the eyes of the crew otherwise they will lose faith in him and he will lose command. I’d have no hesitation in suggesting that Kirk shows his vulnerability, his error of judgement and his overly emotional state about five times a week. Who wants a perfect boss? How would that garner any respect? For Kirk this is the ultimate embarrassment – who would want to have their every dark thought, their avaricious nature, their vicious sexual desires laid bare.

Spock takes the intellectual approach to this dilemma and studies the psychology of what makes a Captain tick when he is broken into two pieces. It is because of his investigation of the elements of a man in command that makes this more than a comic book episode about a big bad Captain Kirk. How wonderful is the scene where he talks about his two sides that are constantly at war with each other?

Performance – Shatner goes for it. It’s perhaps the ultimate expression of going for it. I doubt even Avery Brooks could go for it with this much gusto. It’s a really brave performance, and one that scores big because Shatner refuses to hold back in fear of embarrassment.

Production – Hooray for director Leo Penn who goes to extreme lengths to suggest that this is not the Captain Kirk we are used to from the start. The moody close ups, stark lighting and brilliantly overdone piano score all combine to make this dark shadow of Kirk a figure to fear. The Captain’s Log spells this out straight after the cold open but it really wasn’t needed, the director makes it perfectly clear what is happening. Apparently, director Leo Penn went a day over shooting and was never invited back to the show to direct again. A shame because perhaps every Trek episode could have done with an extra day shooting since this episode has some wonderfully atmospheric shots and terrific lighting. It feels like an episode that has been crafted rather than thrown together in a panic as a lot of TOS can.

The poor little dog that is put inside an animal skin and given a giant horn is something that has to be seen to be believed. It’s vital to the plot so it isn’t just a cute piece of apocrypha thrown in. The dog looks properly put out to be suffering such an indignity. It’s really very funny.

This is one time when it would have been a crime not to include the predictable Star Trek fight scene. Who wouldn’t want to see Kirk battling himself?

Worst moment – Let’s be perfectly clear about something that might have fallen into ambiguity over the years – evil Kirk is very much going to rape Yeoman Rand and I would say he gets halfway there in one of the most discomforting scenes I can remember seeing in Star Trek history. For a show this colourful featuring crazy space aliens and exciting explosions and fights it was extremely bold (and probably very foolish) to go down this route but since they do decide to do so then the only way to handle the material (without insulting the poor women and men that have been through such horror) is to show rape as nastily and uncompromisingly as it really is. I was on the edge of my seat because the director never shies away from the fear that Rand feels and the enjoyment on the face of the Kirk. It’s the point where from being a creepy alter ego to a real threat to the crew. It’s worrying that the director feels the need to use the smoky lens on Rand at this moment, which is usually reserved for the moments when women are being romanced. Is the inference supposed to be that she is enjoying this perverse invasion of her space and her body? Grace Lee Whitney had some serious complaints about the lack of fallback about Spock’s comment about how fascinating the duplicate was to Rand, after he has tried to rape her, and I have to agree that there is a massively uncomfortable edge to these scenes that hint at the idea that perhaps Rand might enjoy the abuse. This is an episode stepping into some murky waters and I’m not sure if it is entirely appropriate for any Star Trek show to mix comical strip science fiction ideas and sexual assault (it happens in the episode Violations with far less problems). I applaud their boldness and condemn their approach. He literally tries to bite her face and that is really nasty to watch.

I wish they hadn’t done that – The scenes on the planet are necessary because there is a dramatic reason for needing to get the transporter operational again but there is an element of humour when we keep cutting back to the (obviously fake) surface to see Sulu and crew getting ever closer as the cold gets worse. I’m sure a relationship or two must have arisen out of these circumstances.

A reason to watch this episode again – ‘It’s not really ugly, it’s human…’ First season Star Trek is pretty much entirely wonderful and The Enemy Within is in the upper echelons of the episodes. It takes a vivid concept and directs the hell out of it; giving us a duplicate Kirk that is a monster and completely irredeemable and allows up close and personal as he cuts a wave if terror throughout the Enterprise. William Shatner deserves a lot of credit for delivering such a monstrous alternative to his usual performance and the script earns some stripes for taking the premise to its ludicrous dramatic extremes. I truly had no idea how far that this was going to go, especially after the shocking attempted rape of Yeoman Rand. And that is clearly too far. Like most Original Trek it is about ten minutes too long and so it could do with a little tightening up but it seems to me that most 60s television could do with some judicious editing. Ultimately The Enemy Within is playing with a big idea, gets messy with it, considers it thoughtfully and has some fun with it. If this was a season three episode it would be the best of the best.

**** out of *****

Clue for tomorrow's episode: 

VOY - Hunters

Plot – Immediately my interest is piqued because this episode offers the enticing possibility of communication between Voyager and Earth, which means this is one of the rare times that the show is actually advancing their central premise and changing the nature of the show. The idea of the Hirogen being between the crew of Voyager and messages from their loved ones automatically makes them the biggest threat they have encountered.

Character – Chakotay states what a lot of people must be feeling and what some of the crew (including Janeway) have to come to terms with – what if their loved ones had gotten on with their lives and given them up for dead? What if there is no place for them in their lives now?

Most people are keeping their expectations at a reasonable level, simply expecting a message from somebody but you can imagine poor old Harry Kim longing for the news that Starfleet is going to get them home. He immediately leaps to the least likely conclusion and almost sets himself up for disappointment. He spends most of the episode moping about like a lost puppy whilst everybody else is getting letters from their family. So much so that it was a relief when his finally came through.

The look on Janeway’s face when she realises that the data stream is a series of letters for the crew is a great moment. They capitalise on her reaction to being able to give these moments of comfort to her crew perfectly. After all it was Janeway’s decision that trapped them in the Delta Quadrant in the first place. Then the look on her face when she reads a letter from Mark speaks volumes (a cheeky smile reaches her lips) and then turns very dark as she realises that he has gotten on with his life and fallen in love with another woman. Janeway has remained faithful to him whilst trapped in the Delta Quadrant (despite some interest from Chakotay) and so this much be particularly galling. When Janeway starts flirting outrageously with Chakotay over coffee (I love how she says she beat the Borg with it) seems to suggest that possibilities are opening up again. I think if Jeri Taylor had had her way that would have been the way forward (it’s one of the few things that she added to the show that I really liked) but the lack of cohesion within the Voyager writing room meant that other showrunners had other ideas. A shame.

Seven admits that the idea of hearing from Earth lacks any emotional resonance with her and her obsession with retrieving the messages is purely because it is something that Janeway wants so badly.

Tom doesn’t particularly care about getting a letter from home because all he expects to find in it is a wave of disappointment from his father. Did we know that Tom’s father was an Admiral before this episode? I don’t think so but it suddenly makes a lot of sense of his previous unlawful behaviour. If you have to try and live up to that legacy there is every chance you would fall to the wayside and react against it. His admission that what he has on Voyager is so much better than anything he had back home is a huge moment for his character. Halfway through the run and Paris realises that this is the best his life has ever been. Voyager has had a profound impact on him.

We have perhaps the best ever scene between Neelix and Tuvok and one that highlights their differences perfectly without having to smack us around the head with it. Tuvok has a message from his family that he will read once he has finished his work (because the content of the message isn’t going anywhere) and Neelix simply cannot understand why he doesn’t drop everything and read it right now. One of them is considered, the other impulsive. Neelix reading the news to him that he is now a grandfather is very sweet.

Production – The design of the Hirogen and their ship is impressive, even if there is nothing subtle about it at all. The designers are going for broke to make these nasties the creepiest race that Voyager has encountered in a while. They tower over the Voyager crew, have crude electronic voices and hang the skeletons of the victims they have hunted from the ceiling of their ship. It would take a particularly inept director to make this race seem formidable given they have been handed everything they need visually to do so.

Best moment and I wish they hadn’t done that – A huge moment comes when news of the Dominion and the war with them hits the Delta Quadrant and the Maquis have to come to terms with the idea that their terrorist organisation is no more. Torres says there are ‘thousands of us’, which means she still thinks of herself as Maquis and not a member of Starfleet. What a shame that there weren’t more crossovers from DS9 and Voyager because this feels like an important moment. It means that there is no longer any real need for the two crews to be at loggerheads (not that they have been for over two seasons now) and that an conflict is pointless. It fundamentally changes the nature of Voyager and it is confined to single character scene. This could have led to some interesting developments on the ship. What if the Maquis on Voyager made a last stand and took over and vowed to get home to re-ignite the conflict? Despite the excellent emotional resonance between Chakotay and Torres I feel there should be much more consequences than simply accepting their fate. The producers refuse to do that because it would effectively damage the standalone nature of the show, which is a great shame because (as ever) the possibilities are enticing.

A reason to watch this episode again – It is rare for me to fill up the character section of these reviews with so much substance for a Voyager episode but Hunters gets that side of the equation very right. The first half of Hunters is just about the finest character work you are likely to see on this show and it plays out at a relaxed pace so we can bask in the joy and distress of the crew receiving letters from home. It’s one of those times when the premise of the show yields impressive results and where you can see the nature of this hotchpotch crew of very distinct personalities has been very well thought through. Janeway is mortified to learn her boyfriend has moved on, Chakotay and Torres have to face up to the fact that the Maquis are gone, Tuvok learns exciting family news, Tom is praised by his father and Seven is contacted by family she never knew she had. This is such healthy development I’m surprised that they didn’t hand the entire running time of the episode over to these advances. The Hirogen are the unfortunate consequence of this episode, introduced as the latest Big Bad of the Delta Quadrant but taking up valuable time in an episode that needs the breathing space to deal with the shows regular characters. They just couldn’t resist adding an action subplot, which is the bane of this shows life. The Hirogen would be handled far more effectively in the next episode so my advice is to concentrate on all the character development instead of giving these lumbering heavies your time. What grates me is that none of these developments (except perhaps Tom’s) extends beyond this hour and that is a huge mistake within the show itself.

**** out of *****

Clue for tomorrow's episode: 

The Nimon Be Praised! Discuss Ace!

The Nimon Be Praised! Episode three is up. This week Jack and Joe tackle the apparently unstoppable companion known as Ace. Was she the secret weapon of the Sylvester McCoy era on television? Did anyone like this actually exist in the eighties? Should she have been locked up as a modern day vandal? Just how many stories HAS she featured in? And do her books and audios count? All this and more fabulous Nimon quotes, Joe battling with his phone alarm and Jack using his finest charm to consider how he would get on on a date with Ace. 

Plus a huge shout out to Kayla Ciceran for her stunning podcast art...rarely have the Nimon been rendered in such fabulous Technicolor glory! Now you can finally see what Jack and I look like. You can find Kayla at https://twitter.com/KJCiceran

Available on Google Podcasts and...

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DS9 - Through the Looking Glass

Plot – This is at a point where the writers were still trying to put some effort into the running storyline in the mirror universe and I appreciate the fact that they don’t feel the need to catch us up to speed with the history of this universe because that was all covered in Crossover. The Terrans have started a rebellion against the Klingon/Cardassian alliance and are fighting for their lives – that is basically all you need to know. I don’t think there is any point where Star Trek has felt more like Star Wars. The bad guys are obsessing over the rebellion, there is an emphasis on witty banter and action and sleaze.

Ira Steven Behr suggests in the DS9 documentary What You Left Behind that DS9 doesn’t deserve full marks for LGBTQ representation and whilst they never took characters like Garak and Bashir as far as they could, they certainly did better than most of the other Trek shows. Indeed, you can read Garak as a bisexual character with absolute ease and Bashir happily admits how much he loves O’Brien in the final season (at least he says he loves Ezri passionately…but he likes O’Brien even more). Jadzia falling in love with Lenara is the best example, where their genders are irrelevant and the feelings are all important. The trips to the alternate universe might be troubling for some because that is where the show is at its most relaxed in exploring its gay side and it seems to suggest that comes hand in hand with a nasty, underhanded side. Kira wants to fuck herself or Jennifer or Ezri or any woman that might flatter her ego, it’s true and the entire alternate subplot is worth it for the scene where Garak attempts to suggest that he and Worf have some fun time together. However, you also have characters like Ezri who is portrayed very much on the side of good flirting with Leeta. It’s a shame that this kind of representation couldn’t have been as bold in the normal universe but I will still give them points for breaking what was still clearly quite a taboo in the mid-90s.

Character – Quark and Odo are the consummate double act on DS9. You’ll hear anecdotes from both Armin Shimmerman and Rene Auberjonois that they don’t actually spend much time together but the truth is if you watch DS9 from beginning to end there are far more moments between these two than they believe. They feature in a quick cameo in Through the Looking Glass because they were both murdered in the alternate universe, so their contractual obligation is made with a cute little scene where Odo brings in Quark for attempting to stage a vole fight.

There are so many things that could go horribly wrong with Sisko catching up with his deceased wife that if he were a sensible man he would get as far away from her as possible. How could you not treat this woman as a surrogate for the wife that you lost? How could you leave her behind? The second he realises that Jennifer is alive and in trouble, Sisko is sold on this mission but also compromised. Don’t get me started with the awkwardness of Sisko having sex with both Dax and Kira in this episode. He throws himself into that role with no regrets as well. Either he has had some latent attraction to both of them that we haven’t been made aware of before…or he just thought fuck it, let’s give it a try. It’s certainly a nice perk to his assignment as far as he is concerned. The emotional heart of this episode is the conversation between Sisko and Jennifer and hoe he tries to convince her he is a better man now and that she needs to switch sides and try and save her own people. Jennifer is angry, hurt and lost. Avery Brooks is just passionate enough with his delivery to win her around.

Performance – Nana Visitor once again plays the Intendant as a vainglorious, bisexual (or should that just be omnisexual because I don’t think she would turn down anyone that wants a piece of her) sadist who puts her own needs above the politics that she finds herself embroiled in. Every line is utter as a flirtatious remark or a sadistic retort with relatively little ambiguity in between. It’s not subtle but golly it is entertaining, especially when she gets lines as good as this (‘Let’s start with, uh, him, him and har’ ‘And do what?’ ‘Execute them! I think you’ll find that random and unprovoked executions will keep your workforce alert and motivated.’). In the Intendant’s eyes treating people like slaves but keeping a roof over their heads is giving them a good life.

Production – Sisko should point out that he is in the alternative universe simply because the aesthetic is so much darker and brooding than usual. It’s a telling giveaway for these kinds of episodes. And given DS9 is fairly dark and brooding anyway that means these episodes are visually very memorable.

This is a chance to portray all of the regulars characters in a new light and I love what they do with pretty much everybody. Sisko is in clothes that allow his character to breathe (those early DS9 uniforms can feel a little stiff), Dax looks practically edible with her hair down, Bashir is roughed up to great effect, Kira is squeezed into the most eye watering leather costume and even Rom (or should I say Rombo) looks great decked out in aggressive leather. I bet the production team had a lot of fun putting this episode together.

Best moment – Tuvok is an odd cameo, but a welcome one. Why wouldn’t characters from other Trek shows show up in this crazy universe? In fact, this would have been a great opportunity to stick in characters from all three shows that were being made at this time (well two shows an movies).

I really like the fact that the answer to getting Jennifer away and saving the other Terrans on the rescue mission is entirely down to the fact that Sisko is from another universe. It isn’t the firefight that saves her, it’s the fact that Sisko is a smart guy and trumps the Intendant by outthinking her.

I wish they hadn’t done that – Is it hugely unlikely that Sisko would end up married to Jennifer in this universe as well as ours? I am not au fait enough in quantum mechanics to judge. The sensible part of my brain says that all the variables that would need to make them meet and fall in love are unlikely, especially since things are so different in both universes. However, in terms of character development and exploration it is a completely different matter. Forcing Sisko to confront his dead wife is an enticing possibility and I can see precisely why the writers went for it.

A reason to watch this episode again – Big bold comic book action sits side by side with gentle character work and the result is a big bundle of fun with a heart, a DS9 episode that gives the audience a lot of the goodies that make up great television. DS9 season three is such an odd beast; it is a pitched battle between the rather slow and ponderous character show the series started out as with a more dynamic political conflict it would become and it constantly feels like a hybrid of the two with the strengths of both bleeding into the episodes. Through the Looking Glass flaunts some delicious action (it’s one of the best ever firefights) and clever character work (Sisko is reunited with his dead wife) but for the most part it is simply trying to amuse you (‘at least once you hit Bashir’, ‘Pursuuuuuuuuue!’) Robust direction, great music and terrific design work all comes together to create a vivid looking episode.

**** out of ***** 

Clue for tomorrow's episode:

The Nimon Be Praised! Episode Two - Underworld

The Nimon Be Praised! Episode Two is up and this week Jack and I are discussing Underworld!

In this episode we are interrupted by the postman, discuss whether the enjoyment of special effects spoils or enhances our experience of watching Doctor Who, try and come to the conclusion of whether watching Underworld adds enjoyment to our week and figure who would play certain characters if this was a New Series episode today! You might think it is impossible to spend two hours talking about Underworld...but never underestimate The Nimon Be Praised!

Also it is the debut of our brand new, swanky, Dudley Simpson inspired theme tune...

Please forgive the audio quality at times - we are new at this and talking across the oceans!

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ENT - Shuttlepod One

Plot – It’s another one of those early Enterprise episodes that capitalises on the ‘first men in space’ dangers – this time it is Tucker and Reed trapped on a shuttlepod believing that Enterprise has been destroyed and with only 10 days’ worth of breathable air. That’s a solid premise for some good, old fashioned Trek character work. Two men, confined, desperate and fearing death.

Character – Wow, listen to how much of a pompous prig Reed sounds in the teaser. He’s a stickler for discipline and order and likes to keep his mind alert with literature, even in possible downtime. He has very stiff ideals about South Americans, figuring all they like to read is comic books and science fiction novels. He’s a dreadful pessimist in the circumstances and even signs off his ‘this how we died’ recording with ‘may God have mercy on our souls.’ Seriously, did anybody actually warm to this character? The final message he sends to his ex-lover is so coldly worded (and loaded with insults) that his request for her to think of him after he has died is a very odd request.

In a wonderful moment of rage, Trip orders Reed to stop being such an alarmist and to get on with doing something useful to try and get them out of this predicament. For such an amiable man he can sure lose his temper when he wants to.

It feels like they are going for am early O’Brien/Bashir feel with this episode with the two characters grating on each other’s nerves but coming to realise they have some things in common before forming a bromance to last the ages. The only problem is that that was done so spectacularly well with O’Brien and Bashir that this feels like a pale imitation in comparison. Early Bashir was annoying but pretty likable all the same (because Siddig was so charming despite the writing) but early Reed (and late Reed come to think of it) is just really annoying (i.e. it’s less the writing and more the performance).

Performance – When the two of them are pissed as houses, finally some comedy emerges from this scenario. I think what might hold a lot of people back from enjoying this instalment is how deathly it all is for so long. Once Trineer and Montgomery can relax and act like a pair of jocks at a party things lighten up considerably, which makes for fun viewing especially since this is where the situation is at its most dire. Montgomery is especially funny because he has been so buttoned up and stiff until this point. You could almost point at this scene and the obsession over T’Pol’s bum and say that Star trek hasn’t moved on in years when it comes to sexual politics or you could say this is brilliantly deconstructing Trek’s blatant sexism from the 60s by exposing it quite so boldly and humorously. I would have loved it if Reed had turned out to be gay and was obsessing over, say, Mayweather’s bum. Now that would have been revolutionary.

Worst moment – Reed repeating the word stinky to T’Pol in a scene that is meant to be both sexy and funny, and achieves neither. Actually, it is really awkward to watch. Is it ever suggested again that Reed has a latent attraction to T’Pol because that’s an avenue I am very pleased that the writers never decided to go down.

Can you really patch up a hull breach with mashed potato?

I wish they hadn’t done that – Archer asks the question of who is in charge of engineering whilst Trip is away. Shouldn’t the Captain of a vessel know that in case there is an emergency, which there frequently is.

If this were an episode of Blakes’ 7 then the equation of two men on the shuttle and only one days’ worth oxygen left and salvation two days away the answer would be simple, especially if Avon was aboard. But Trek goes down the honourable route, which is far less exciting. I wish Tucker had decided to kill Reed and take his oxygen. I wouldn’t have held it against him.

A reason to watch this episode again – I only have two problems with Shuttlepod One, which is a pretty decent episode of the first season of Enterprise (for those in the know that is called a minor miracle). The first one is I can think of about 20 other combinations of characters on other Trek shows that I wish were stuck in this situation (TOS – Spock and McCoy, TNG – Picard and Wesley, DS9 – Odo and Quark, VOY – Janeway and Kim to name but a few) that would have driven more interesting character work. Reed is just too dreary a character to generate any excitement and so Trip suffers as a result, despite what we learn about them both. Secondly, the direction is nowhere near as tight or as dramatic as it needed to be to show how dangerous the situation really is. It feels like they are only in danger because the characters tell us they are without any visual markers or help. Despite all this I found this fairly enjoyable because of the simplicity of the premise, and the willingness to focus on character (which, as I keep repeating, is primarily what brings me to Star Trek). We do learn quite a bit about the characters, even if one of the two is fairly unmemorable. Trip benefits from being highlighted against Reed and Trineer comes across as more charming than ever as a result. If I were Trip I would have committed suicide before death came just to get away from Reed. The drunk scenes are a highlight. Shuttlepod One is barely above average as far as Trek goes but is way above average as far as Enterprise season one comes. Take from that what you will.

*** out of *****

Clue for tomorrow's episode: 

New Podcast - The Nimon Be Praised!

Good morning folks!

Something that my friend, Jack Shannan, have been working on is a brand new Doctor Who podcast discussing all manner of Doctor Who nonsense in our own inimitable style. We met via this very blog 6 years ago and have become firm friends ever since, despite never having met in person (he lives in Australia and I am in the UK).

We have decided to avoid a formula for the first ten episodes and try all kinds of things to see what people like and what people don't. So we will be looking at classic and NuWho stories that we like, and ones that we don't, plus individual characters (week three we are highlighting a particular companion) and segments where we are going to set up a trial and defend stories that we loathe and find an argument to support stories that we love (just for the fun of it) and then look at guilty pleasure stories too.

We've been chatting away about Doctor Who for years now and have become past masters at it so I hope you enjoy our waffle. It's been a lot of fun to put together and we will be dropping an episode a week for the time being. Something fun to pass an hour in lock down.

We would appreciate any feedback and subscribers on any of the platforms we are available.

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TNG – Who Watches the Watchers

Plot – The idea of two societies coming into contact with each other that are -in evolutionary and technological terms – centuries apart is a brilliant one and watching the more primitive one try and rationalise what they are experiencing. Early TNG wrote its characters in a very assuming, arrogant way and they warped to worlds, bestowed their great wisdom and warped away again (look at something like Symbosis). It felt patronising and unjust. Here the role of Gods is thrust upon them and they are uncomfortable with it, and that is the main difference. They are written as being all powerful and all knowing and they are just as flawed and in the dark as the Mintakans when it comes to the mysteries of life (they just have superior technology). It’s the beginning of the grounding of the Enterprise crew and it is done in a very imaginative way.

When it comes to the fear of cultural contamination, this is the go-to episode and exactly what everybody is talking about. As our own society moves away from a belief in a divine entity (not entirely, of course, but society leaning on religion entirely has waned), can you imagine the impact it would have should beings far in advance of ourselves should appear and start manipulating society. For many it would be a confirmation of the old beliefs and it would cause religious affirmation. The same thing happens here with the Mintakans. They have abandoned spiritual beliefs for the most part and along comes the Enterprise crew with their ability to vanish into thin air, cure the sick and travel the heavens and it appears that all their old superstitions have been confirmed. It’s a story that you can easily mirror against our own society and imagine the consequences, which gives it a great deal more depth. And yet this is an entirely imaginative scenario that you can also get lost in. It is great writing. Just watch the sequence where Picard explains to Nuria the idea of looking at developing civilisations not as Gods, but merely as a people that have learnt to adapt more intelligently.

What’s wonderful is how the episode pivots in the second half and really starts to explore its theme. The gentle and magical scenes of Nuria exploring the Enterprise. The Mintakans trying to reach out to their God with a murder. ‘Even the walls obey your command!’

Character – Credit where it is due, Dr Bev is written with both sureness and ability in Who Watches the Watchers. She’s a Doctor first and foremost and shits all over the Prime Directive to help people who are hurting. I wish she had been that assured all the time.

How priceless is the look on Picard’s face when he realises that the Mintakans have chosen him as their God? One of his defining moments is the fantastic, angry rant he gives (‘You are asking me to sabotage that achievement and send them back into the dark ages of superstition and ignorance and fear…no!’) that not only drags the magnificent Patrick Stewart out of his shell (I’m not sure where he was hiding for the first two seasons) but also affirms Picard’s position in an intelligent and fierce way. It’s a performance that makes you sit up and pay attention. He’s trying to deal with a potentially disastrous situation and you can feel every beat of his frustration as he tries to get through to Nuria.

Production – TNG is still playing about with electronic music but it is grounding it in classic instruments now which makes the music so much more atmospheric. There is an ominous woodwind instrument that plays throughout this episode this is both beautiful and full of foreboding. Great job.

I am not joking when I say that I prefer both Troi and Riker dressed up as Mintakans. It’s a great look for them. Hidden behind make up, Marina Sirtis comes alive like never before. In fact, the design of Mintakan society really shows up just how little effort goes into depicting alien races on this show most of the time (aside from the makeup, which is often excellent). There is a terrific amount of detail on display from the sets to the costumes to simple things like jewellery and tools.

The location work feels like something out of a feature film, specifically a western with its wide angled expanses. TNG can feel stuffy and enclosed and so getting to run about outside is always a joy. On the back of The Survivors, which also has some memorable location work, it feels like TNG has had an injection of budget. The interiors have been designed to match the exteriors perfectly, going from one to the other is seamless.

Best moment – ‘Before you start quoting the Prime Directive at me, he had already seen us and the damage had been done. It was either treat him or let him die’ ‘Then why didn’t you let him die?’ This is a watershed exchange between Dr Bev and Picard, where somebody (finally) questions the ethics of the Prime Directive. Picard is still of the old school at the moment, still sure that sticking to the Prime Directive is the only way to proceed. What’s so good about this episode is how he comes to change his mind throughout and to understand that disobeying the rules doesn’t necessarily mean catastrophic consequences. That has huge implications for this series dramatically.

Worst moment – For a while it looks like Troi is in a bit of a spot when she is abandoned with the Mintakans. It’s a shame that they shoot Picard with an arrow and not her.

I wish they hadn’t done that – The only mention of Dr Pulaski after her departure. Dr Bev looks like she is swallowing down sick just to mention her name. I would have loved to have seen them have an episode or two together. Pulaski would have wiped the floor with her.

As Ira Steven Behr said in an interview, imagine if they had five years or so to play about with the idea of Picard as a divine being. And then Sisko arrived.

A reason to watch this episode again – Every time I watch TNG through it is around the point of the double whammy of The Survivors and Who Watches the Watchers that I feel the series has truly hit its stride. Suddenly all that awkwardness and cliché of the first two seasons has fallen away and it is replaced with confidence and the willingness to explore intelligent ideas in an engaging way. Where the show was mostly entirely predictable, now it takes some fascinating and impulsive turns. Beautifully written, visually stunning (featuring some great location work in THE Star trek canyon) and wonderfully scored as well, this is a near flawless episode that I could not judge where it was heading. It gives us a whole new angle on the regular characters and it presents a society that is termed primitive but actually proves to be a worthy challenge to the Enterprise crew. Simple doesn’t mean stupid, and the Mintakans beat the odds by not only adapting to such a huge change in their universe-view but also embracing it. This feels like classic TOS with a classic TNG shine. I think this features one of Patrick Stewart’s best ever performances and that is really saying something.

***** out of *****

Clue for the next episode: