VOY - Warlord

Plot: Lisa Klink is a rare female name writing for 90s Trek and I realised whilst looking her up that I had no idea what episodes she had helmed, which surprised me when I saw that she had 12 instalments under her belt. It's an eclectic bunch of episodes too, with a couple of standouts (Resistance, Dreadnought, Remember) and just as many duds (this, Sacred Ground, Favourite Son) and some real vanilla shows in between (Displaced, Scientific Method, The Omega Directive). She's credited as writing the teleplays more often than not which means she is responsible for the dialogue rather than the story, which might explain why it is such a variable cluster of episodes. She might be able to put Shakespeare into the mouths of the characters but that doesn't mean she can turn premises such as 'Harry Kim discovers his long lost race in the Delta Quadrant' into art. 

Character: The worst excesses of Neelix's characterisation hit during his relationship with Kes where he turned out to be controlling, jealous and childish. We see glimpses of that here but because Kes is inhabited by Tieran for the majority of the episode and this is where she breaks up with him we don't get to see an actual conversation between the two characters where 'our' Kes gets to express that the way Neelix behaves in a relationship is unacceptable. Instead our sympathies are supposed to be with him because she appears to rather summarily dump him on a date. I really needed Neelix to understand that he wasn't cut adrift because of a random Star Trek plot but because he treated her unacceptably for two seasons. For the half season that Kex remains single on the ship what emerges is a rather sweet friendship between the two of them, which is probably what it should have been all along. It is certainly less icky. Ethan Phillips was under the impression that a scene filmed for Fair Trade later in the season that saw the break up of the two characters cemented had made it into the episode but was later corrected and he was left with the feeling their their separation in this episode is a bit muddy. He's not wrong. 

Performance: There is nothing subtle about Lien's performance as Tieran as Jennifer Lien chews the scenery with remarkable gusto and declares every line as if her life is dependant on it...but let's be honest it is far more entertaining then her usual flat delivery and she injecting some real gusto into an episode that is utterly predictably and obviously plotted. The joy of these possession episodes is to see the regular actors behaving out of character and Lien is going for Shatner high camp rather than Rosalind Chao sinister (The Assignment) but it is still a fun turn. She's completely uninhabited, which is rather refreshing, and makes me wonder if we have wasted Lien's potential as she played the good girl for three years. What's astonishing are the moments where Kes fights back in for control of her mind and we see her teeth as she takes him out. I would have loved to have seen a lot more of this Kes. 'I'll find every crack in your defences, you'll feel yourself crumbling from within, your sanity slipping away. I won't stop until you're broken, and helpless. There's nowhere you can go to get away from me. I'll be relentless and merciless...just like you. 

The Good: There's a great scuffle in the transporter pad where Mulgrew elbows Lien's into the wall violently and she retaliates by punching her in the face. It's so weird to see these two characters in combat that it really bites. 

There's some interesting sexuality on display because Kes is inhabited by man. Tieran is not above coming on strong to Ameron whilst he is in the body of Kes, which is close to a male/male flirting scene that you are going to see on Voyager and Lien plays the scenes where Tieran flirts with Tieran's girlfriend with an overt sense of wanting to get her into bed as soon as possible. Tieran is suggesting a polygamous relationship with Nori and Ameron, which he is clearly up for but she resists. There's plenty of cheating going on here (it takes possession for characters to express gay tendencies) but I appreciate the effort all the same. For Berman era Trek, this is erring on daring. The moment where Tieran uses Kes to force herself on Tuvok certainly made me sit up and pay attention. 

The Bad: Any episode that starts with a close up on Neelix's face as he experiences orgasmic joy whilst a woman in the hideous Talaxian male up massages his hideous webbed feet is asking for trouble. The Paxau resort on Talax is our holodeck locale of the season and it is every bit as tedious as Lord Burleigh's manor in the previous season. What baffles me is that this show is capable of getting this sort of thing right; Sandrine's and the Captain Proton programmes were fun and visually different but more often than not we are stuck with stuff like this and Fair Haven. There's nothing wrong with the idea of Voyager's crew hanging out on a beach resort but this clearly isn't a beach resort but the 90s Star Trek colony set redressed slightly (only slightly) and given some artificial sunbathing lighting. It's not a locale with any substance or any style. That's my problem. Add in Tom Paris' revisions, which is to add a bunch of women in skimpy leotards and some Caribbean music and you're in for a wonderful (I jest) time. According to my co-host on Untitled Star Trek Project, Nathan Bottomley, the pre-credits sequence usually indicates exactly what we are in for for the rest of the episode but there is no sign of that here. Just educating us on how revolting Neelix's feet are (as if we couldn't have guessed that already) as he dances with said women because the camera ensures that we get full disclosure before the end because the make up team have bothered to dress them up. 

No good ever comes of helping survivors of a wreckage in Star Trek. Remember when Bashir beamed aboard the Kobliad ship in The Passenger and the evil conscience of war criminal Rao Vantika is transferred into his body. You should, because this episode is ripping off the plot beat for beat. We should have been immediately suspicious of Kes' behaviour because it is pretty unusual of her to throw her arms around grieving patients in the Infirmary. Remember, when Star Trek characters act out of the ordinary it is always because they have a malicious conscience inside of them.

The same thing that makes this such an entertaining bit of old tosh (the fact that this society seems to be a bunch of corrupt turncoats) is exactly why it is impossible to give any kind of a fig about the planet of the week, or believe in them for a second. 

Five minutes from the end of the episode and Tieran is still in full control of the planet. That can only mean one thing. We're in for a shift and unsatisfactory resolution to the episode. 

Result: The joy of Warlord is that we get to spend most of the episode behind the lines with a bunch of backstabbing villainous types who are all trying to kill and betray each other, and in watching Jennifer Lien give the archest performance as the villain since side of season three of TOS. That means that this episode is essentially a massive comic strip that you can't take at all seriously and with some obvious plotting and insanely over the top lines it ends up being a bit too broad to get a handle on. Kes goes evil isn't the worst premise of the season and her extreme behaviour (murdering and coming on to anyone that comes in sight) means that at least we are seeing something novel. I just wonder if with a little more restraint that this might have been a lot more impactful, and potentially frightening. Instead it's hilarious, and not for all the right reasons. This is basically Game of Thrones as a theatrical comedy. Take of that what you will. 

**1/2 out of ***** 

TNG - Code of Honor

Character: Why does Patrick Stewart sound like a robot during the opening Captain's Log? There is a definite feeling of Stewart being at sea in the role at this point and slowly feeling his way into a part that he would eventually come to cherish. He's so stiff and awkward throughout, like he is suffering from imposter syndrome. 'She's a rather lovely female' he says of Tasha to Lutan in a moment of misogynistic diplomacy. 'With the power of the Enterprise we could overwhelm this planet easily and just take what we want...' 

This is essentially the Lieutenant Yar episode from season one and proves to be as over the top and as ridiculous as the character herself. She's such a liability that I fail to see the reason that Picard is so insistent on getting her back. He's willing to go to war in order regain his Security Officer who by her own confession (several times, agonisingly) is horny for her captor. Astonishingly at the climax it is clear that Yar still desires Lutan despite the fact that he has behaved like a sexist pig throughout. The only reason she doesn't want to keep him is because there would be complications with her career. How did Denise Crosby play any of this with a straight face? 

Terrible Dialogue: In a hilariously inept sequence where Troi informs the Captain that Yar was bowled over by being coveted by such a 'basic male image' such a Lutan, Tasha declares: 'Troi, you're my friend and you tricked me!' It might be the worst written scene in TNG's run and that is against some pretty stuff competition. 

'Lutan wants you to be his First One!' 'Impossible Yarena, I am a career Starfleet Officer!' 

The Good: Whilst this episode does feature the artificial TOS-style exterior planetary backdrop that is very popular in the early episodes, I did appreciate how they inserted the set into the matte painting of the planet. The nicest thing I can say about this episode is the quality of the handful of the visuals. 

The Bad: We should have known that we were going to be in trouble when Lutan beams upon the Enterprise in arrogant ceremony and declares a woman being Chief of Security an astonishing thing. It was a production choice to have the entire population of this planet being played by African actors because the script only specified that the guards were. Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner both go on record as saying that this episode is racist and the worst episode that TNG put out. I'd agree with the first part of that statement (it is certainly troubling that this society, entirely consisting of black actors, is seen as behaving in a primitive fashion in it's obvious sexism and love of violence and superstition) but I wouldn't say this is the worst episode of TNG. Top ten, for sure. But there are far less visually interesting episodes along the journey than this. Even the score is in on the racism, leaning on stereotypical themes. The Ligonians talk in a simple, broken English, seem astonished by the great technology of the Federation and have an unusual and creepy interest in the women. 

There's a very funny moment when Yar is kidnapped by the Ligonians and Picard barely raises an eyebrow and turns to the camera in such a lackadaisical fashion that you would swear that he expected this move was always going to happen. The direction and performance are so lazy it feels like nobody is making any effort. Even funnier is the scene where Dr Bev demands to talk to Picard about her son and then drops that he is hiding in the turbolift the entire time because he isn't allowed on the Bridge. 

Isn't it hard to believe that the Federation cannot synthesize a vaccine that this bunch can conjure up. The script needs a reason for the Enterprise to stay and sort out this problem with Lutan and Yar otherwise Picard would be well within his right to send a couple of photon torpedoes at the planet and warp out of there. We're estimating deaths in the millions if the vaccine isn't obtained. 

Result: 'I fight for the vaccine!' I find it astonishing that anybody would show up to Star Trek to watch something as insulting as this. Insulting in terms of treating the audience with a complete lack of intelligence with storytelling as simple as this, that they would want to experience a culture that is made up out of racist and sexist clichés, and that they would be invested in regulars that are characterised this appallingly. How the show ever recovered from an episode quite this offensive is beyond me. This is the sort of backwards script that the writers of the Original Series would have rejected on the spot. Beyond the 'threat' of not obtaining the vaccine, there is no substance at all in this episode and given we have no interest in where this going even that is beyond caring about. So it is the fate of Tasha Yar, who is treated as both a sex object and a horny teenager in a script that damages the character beyond repair. I think this is going for an Arena style action sequence in the finale, but this time replacing Kirk and a Gorn for a couple of grunting women fighting over the chance to become a sex object of a man. The biggest insult is that I took the time to watch this and write this review. There is no end to Code of Honor's shame. 

DS9 - Chrysalis

Plot: I suppose the big question is did we need a return appearance of the Jack Pack after their memorable debut in Statistical Probabilities last year and your answers depends on how much mileage you think they have as characters. I often complain that Star Trek introduces one shot wonder characters that get their moment in the sun but no chance to further expand their characters (mostly in shows on the move like TNG and VOY) and DS9 has a better hit rate of bringing people back to further delve into the depths of their character. Sometimes it backfires because the characters are really dreary (Bariel, Shakaar) and other times it works beautifully because the characters continue to evolve and become part of this shows ongoing secondary cast (Kai Winn, Garak). The Jack Pack were memorable because they so far outside the norm of what Star Trek usually presents us; a group of socially inept, almost dangerously unpredictable genetically enhanced people who have been embarrassingly shuffled aside by the 'perfect' Federation society into an Institute. It was a fascinating comment on what a society does when it has square pegs trying to fit into its round holes and the answer is to study and control them. They were very likeable because of their extreme character traits and broad performances. So the question is does the show take them to the next level here...or calm them down a little? Is it DS9 increasing it's repertoire of recurring characters or flogging something again that has already been covered? They're essentially cartoon characters here, to provide comic relief whilst the sweet and tragic story of Serena unfolds around them. Jack's obsession with changing the cosmological constant is amusing, but I'd say that Lauren's vampish behaviour and Patrick's ability to cry at the drop of a hat verge on the side of caricature here. 

Character: Rene Echevarria manages to succinctly reveal just how alone Bashir is in about 30 seconds as all of his friends dash off to various social activities without him. Most of them are in relationships by now, which has continued to elude him. He's such a handsome, smart man that it is hard to imagine why that would be...until he opens his mouth. Instead he spends his evening in bed studying mutating viruses. Poor Bashir was considered a bit of a pariah in the first couple of seasons because he was characterised so irritatingly as a man who never knew when to shut up, close his legs and keep his opinion to himself. I'm of the opinion that the reveal of his genetic manipulation by his parents was a bold and brilliant move that reversed the fortunes of the character in the early years. Suddenly there was a reason why Bashir was so eager to impress, and achieved so highly at school, and tried so desperately to make friends. He was an outsider, he was different. And it meant that Siddig was able to measure his performance a great deal more and tackle way more exciting plotlines. So bringing in a series of characters who reveal how things could have (and probably should have) gone for him was a great idea. There but for the grace of God, go I. 

Sisko is such a thoughtful, considerate man but sometimes he has to tow the Starfleet line as the lead of this show. He's there to remind Bashir that this bunch of misfits once threatened to bring down the Federation in favour of the Dominion in their previous appearance, and shows appropriate horror at them turning up and posing as an Admiral and their staff. 

Hurrah for Ezri Dax for reminding Bashir of what an abject failure he is. What a counsellor she turned out to be. 

Performance: Salie silently stole the show in Statistical Probabilities and really gets to show off what she can do here. It's a warm and childlike turn, with moments of haunting silence when you realise she is always on the verge of withdrawing again when things get too overwhelming. 

Sparkling Dialogue: 'That's a stupid question' 'Will you stop saying that!' Turns out you can shove on an Admiral's uniform and stroll onto DS9 with a bad attitude and say this a few times and you're access all areas. Or at least you are if you happen to bump into Nog.  

'I have a new man in my life...that gorgeous little Ferengi.' 

'If I had to find someone to replace Atlas and hold up the world it'd be Miles. He'd do it with a smile too.' 

The Good: You might say that the Do-Re-Mi sequence is indulgent and unnecessary but I think it is a well choreographed and performed song that serves a genuinely plot purpose. Serena learns how to speak again the most beautiful fashion and Bashir sees that spark of life in her that really attracts her to him. It's one of my most played scenes in DS9's run because it is so damn catchy. You have been warned. Hurrah for O'Brien who is the only person who actually says the words 'Julian, she's your patient' and looks a little uncomfortable about the whole thing. Mind, I think the episode is suggesting he's unhappy because Serena has taken his boy toy away (especially given the lengths they go to to not say how much they love each other later in the season). 

The Bad: The only reason I cannot imagine that Julian Bashir's friends don't point out that his behaviour towards Serena is predatory is because they understand that he is a lonely guy who means well. But if you had a friend who was a Doctor who worked hard to get a patient out of a catatonic state but then emerged as essentially a child and then he tried to seduce that patient...wouldn't you have a few things to say? What helps is the sincere performances of Siddig and Faith Salie and their terrific chemistry but at the back of my head I couldn't help ask why this wasn't ethically forbidden. Or someone didn't just say 'oh yuck.' The weirdest moment comes when Julian makes the suggestion he takes this duckling to Risa for a frisky holiday. I would have excised that line completely. Almost as bad as him breaking into her quarters when she doesn't turn up on their date. 

Result: Julian Bashir. The only man a woman will fake a coma to prevent from going on a date with him. 90s Trek romance have a track record of being of unconvincing chemistry or being packed too densely into 40 minutes of screen time with no chance of the pairing to convince. Think Meridian, Unforgettable and any episode featuring Leah Brahms. Neither one of these is a problem with Chrysalis because the chemistry between the actors has been established in a previous episode and the episode takes it's time to establish the couple and why they might turn to each other. However it completely fails to approach the ethical issues of a man in a medical profession taking advantage of somebody in his care. That's the elephant in the room here and I find it very odd that it isn't addressed more thoughtfully, especially for a show that is willing to embrace thorny subjects like DS9. We know Bashir isn't that sort of man these days but if he was a one shot Doctor character and Serena was our regular in distress I wonder how this would play out. The episode ensures that our sympathies are with both characters and it is beautifully acted and scored. Bashir's salvation comes when he realises what a douche he is being and pulls back from could have been the relationship he has always longed for for her own good. This is sweet episode, with slightly icky undertones that stop it from being the best DS9 single episode romance (for my money that is still Rejoined). The Jack Pack provide some nice laughs along the way. Essentially this is paving the way for the Bashir/Ezri romance later in the season. 

*** out of ***** 

TNG - Peak Performance

Plot: One thing that the first couple of years of TNG could get very right is the fun premise. Planet of the super weapons. A planet with a creature made of pure hate and rage. Scorpions taking over Starfleet Academy. That sort of thing. Where they go wrong is in executing these ideas most of the time. Peak Performance scores a double win because it not only excites with its ideas - a war game featuring Picard and Riker going head to head - but it manages to drive a great deal of mileage and entertainment out of it too. I loved the motive behind this simulation too; Picard feeling that the Borg threat is strong enough that it is prudent that his officers undergo tactical exercises to ensure battle readiness. It feels like TNG is pulling itself in a particular direction for once, and all roads are leading to The Best of Both Worlds at the end of season three. 

Character: You can actually feel the gears shifting as the writers figure out how to make this cast of characters work in an ensemble script where everybody has plenty to do, everyone has their own opinion that they own, each of them brings their individual skills and everyone gets something to do. Data is impressed by Kolrami's Stratagema ability, Riker gets to be sly and cunning in the battle simulation, Geordi is salivating at the chance to take on the Enterprise in a battered old ship, Worf has his ego poked about until he gets involved in the game, Picard is wary but a little arrogant to be in charge of the superior ship in the fight, Pulaski wants to bring Kolrami down a peg or two...everyone gets their moment. And somehow you just know that Wesley is going to save the day. I think she's always pretty great but Pulaski is extra fun in this episode where she is determined to see Data best Kolrami at Stratgema and puncture his ego. It's a shame that she wasn't characterised as cheekily as this throughout because the wider audience might have warmed to her far more than they did (and I think I might only the only person who really loves this character and prefers her to Dr Bev). Picard calls Riker the finest officer that he has ever served with, a far cry from his brusque appraisal of him in Encounter at Farpoint. Maybe there is more character development in this series than I thought. It's more likely how Patrick Stewart's performance has softened over the two seasons.  

Ray Brocksmith gives an unforgettable turn as Kolrami, a character that is designed to be annoying and so given the fact that he achieves that in spades means it is an enormous success. He's rude, arrogant, opinionated and self obsessed. Star Trek could use a few more characters with those kind of flaws. It's a shame that Brocksmith is in high demand because I could see this impish irritant making fun re-appearances in the same vein as Lwaxana Troi. The second Kolrami suggests that Riker is wanting as a first officer you just know that he is going to win the battle and prove him wrong. The fun comes with watching how he does that, besting even a strategist of Kolrami's calibre. 

Somehow, and I'm convinced it is only because the other characters (Pulaski and Troi) prescribe him with emotions, they manage to pull off the 'Data has a crisis of confidence' episode. he's mostly in his quarters trying to find a malfunction because he was beaten by a humanoid at something (which rather suggests he arrogantly has been programmed to think that can never be the case) and refusing to take his place on the Bridge unless he gives unsound advice. Doesn't this sound trite? It's not, it's really fun, and it mostly works because Brent Spiner is so good at playing the emotions card whilst maintaining his robotic air and also because it once again allows us to see just how much his crewmates care about him. The scene where Pulaski bulldozes into his quarters and tells him he has had his ego knocked by defeat is pure Bones/Spock material, but it really works with these characters. 

Sparkling Dialogue: 'Because when someone is that smug you have to deflate them, just a little...' 

'We're less than one hour away from a battle simulation and I have to hand hold an android' 'The burdens of Command.' 

The Good: The irony is that whilst Worf is complaining that the bridge of the Hathaway is 'not good', it is far more exciting a space to shoot in than the Enterprise bridge. Cramped, underlit and strewn with wires and cobwebs, it makes for a great alternative to the Enterprise. Wesley teaches Riker the difference between cheating and improvising in what is probably his best written scene to date. Finally they have stopped writing this kid as a precocious child and started writing him as a smart young man with some wit about him. There's a wonderfully witty sequence where Data tries to second and even triple guess what Commander Riker's moves will be. The only conclusion he can draw is that he will be as cunning as a fox. The build up to the battle is so good that when it finally starts in the final fifteen minutes and Picard and Riker are smiling at each other as the flag is waved I was completely behind this premise. I was eager to see how this played out. It's so fun to see Patrick Stewart enjoying himself so much. I don't think he smiled convincingly once in the first season. Too busy calculating how much the flight back to Britain would be. Riker looks fantastic slouched on the bridge of the Hathaway. 

The Bad: Can you think of a more shocking space name than Sirna Kolrami. It has all the hallmarks of desperation; heavy consonants, an 'i' at the end and it is almost impossible to say without sounding like a total twat. And poor Patrick Stewart is tasked with the challenge. This also takes place in the Braslota system. Good grief. 

Result: Can you imagine a more jolly premise than splitting the Enterprise crew in two and having them fight one another in a battle simulation? It means we get to see the best of all the characters (even Wesley) as they try and outfox one another. It's an particularly strong effort for Riker, who gets to be humble (taking on Kolrami at Stratagema despite the fact that he knows he will lose), arrogant (I don't think he ever thinks he is going to lose the simulation) and sly (his final gambit with Wesley is a stroke of genius). Frakes is clearly loving the chance to shine. Apparently the producers were wary of a story that featured a battle because space fights are an expensive affair (then forgive me why would you set your show in space?) but for once I am pleased that they went with the pricey option because this story just gets better and better as we head towards the climax. What I love is that it isn't a phaser or photon torpedo that wins the day but a moment of guile. This ridiculously entertaining and it's TNG emerging out of a sea of mediocrity at the tail end of season two proving that this cast can be a joy to watch when they are written this adroitly. Just when you think things can't get any better, Armin Shimmerman turns up as a really dodgy Ferengi. 

****1/2 out of ***** 

VOY - Prey

Plot: This is easily the best attempt to give the Hirogen a sense of identity in Voyager's run and it successfully paints them (hoho) as a hunting species with a unique culture. Since we learnt nothing of value about them in Hunters, which was primarily concerned with the letters from home from the Alpha Quadrant, this is our one real chance to develop a backstory before they are written out in the next story. Kudos for having a four episode run with a species, mind. Usually we end up with these one shot wonders that we forget about by the end of the credits. 

I loved the little surprises peppered throughout, but the best one comes during a commonplace technobabble exposition scene where B'lanna is suddenly interrupted when a Species 8472 falls on her head after climbing up the warp core. Artificial gravity suddenly disengaging and sending Tuvok flying is another uncommon moment.  

The best turn in the plot comes when we realise that the creature was just trying to get home, which makes the Hirogen the real monsters in this story and suddenly turns the whole story on its head. 

Character: It honestly doesn't matter what the writers give Robert Picardo and Jeri Ryan to do in a scene together on Voyager, you can guarantee that it is going to be doozy. And the nerve of the Doctor teaching Seven to improve her bedside manner! In a lovely touch, the Doctor tells Seven that Kes used to help him with this kind of modified behaviour which reminds the audience of the one in/one out swap that occurred at the start of the season that has been entirely successful and yielded much better results for the show. I'm not saying that those three years that we got to follow Kes and the Doctor were worthless (far from it, it provided excellent development for both characters) but I will happily endorse that the Doctor/Seven relationship is on another level and far more amusing and touching to observe. I love the fact that the Doctor describes his efforts to improve his bedside manner painful. 

Was Janeway mad to step on board the ship of a species that has been a threat until this point? Starfleet curiosity versus tactical efficiency seems to be the dilemma of the day and it gives a another terrific opportunity for Janeway and Seven to go head to head. I'm now convinced that these scenes, specifically those in series four and five before Seven was neutered a little, to be the best of the series of this episodes is one of the best examples of their fireworks. Janeway wants to extend compassion towards the Hirogen, something that would ultimately lead to a truce with the species at the end of The Killing Game. But Seven is convinced that they would attack and be a major threat to the ship, which also happens in The Killing Game so Prey puts the characters in a position where they are both ultimately right. What it affords is the sizzling Mulgrew/Ryan chemistry, leaning into the tension that was boiling behind the scenes, and allows for some real tension and character suspense. Not something that I would point at Voyager and compliment it for often. Janeway gets to show two opposing sides to her character; great compassion towards Species 8472 when they realise its real motive for seeking refuge on Voyager, and terrific fire in her belly when standing up to the Hirogen. It's this duality of character that makes her so fascinating to watch, and why I struggle with her at times too. Depending on the skill of the writing determines just how effective these traits are handled. Mulgrew excels here as she has a comfortably polished, confident script. Seven choosing to disobey her orders and beam the hunt onto one of the Hirogen ships where 8472 would undoubtedly be murdered is a shocking development. We're used to a predicable set of behaviour from the regulars on this show and Seven has come along to shake all that up and show how predictable they all are. The result is a brilliant confrontation between Janeway and Seven at the close of the episode where Seven still refuses to accept that she was in the wrong and she brazenly calls Janeway a hypocrite. I was cheering. It's exactly what I have been saying for three seasons at this point. 

Sparkling Dialogue: 'A single act of compassion can put you in touch with your own humanity.' 

'You will fail' 'And you have just crossed a line.' 

'I believe that you are punishing me because I do not think the way that you do, because I am not becoming more like you. You claim to respect my individuality but in fact you are frightened by it. 'As you were.' 

The Good: The pre-titles sequence gives them some space to have an adventure of their own before we catch up with Voyager and like Distant Origin before it, feels fresh and original for it. Hunting a member of Species 8472 into an asteroid and attempting to murder one for a trophy is a bold move, and it takes someone of Tony Todd's stature to convince that they will genuinely achieve it. Little touches like the war paint they finger onto their helmets before going into battle and disengaging the sensors so they can kill the prey with their own eyes goes a long way to convincing that these are seasoned hunters. Given we haven't seen them since the beginning of the season it is also a great surprise to see Species 8472 back in the show. Anybody who thought they were going to be the new big bad of Voyager must have been heartily disappointed but it is at least refreshing to see that by bringing together two reasonably successfully conceived but ill served alien species in one episode that highlights them both at their best does at least give them a single outing where their potential is realised. Tom Paris picking up what appears to be an abandoned helmet but turns out to be a decapitated head of a Hirogen is a great shock moment. There's nothing subtle about it at all and that is absolutely fine from time to time. There's also an especially dynamic shot of the Hirogen climbing the hull of Voyager. Sometimes this show really does put its money in the right places. 

The Bad: You've got a master tactician in Tuvok and an ex terrorist leader in Chakotay (used to improvising and going on the attack) and so you would think that an episode that is all about hunting would be custom made for their skillset and yet they are summarily ignored for most of the piece, much like the series at large. Instead of leaning on Chakotay, Tuvok drafts in Neelix. Perhaps not his soundest tactical move. Groan for the scene where Janeway tells us the story of the wounded Cardassian that she saved in the past to teach Seven the value of forgiveness and compassion. It's the only duff note in the script, and is brilliantly shattered by Seven's refusal to be moved. 

Result: It's easy to overlook the work of Allan Eastman given he only directed three episodes of Star Trek (Prey, Relativity and Honor Amongst Thieves) but its a trio of visually arresting, complex episodes that standout for their look, as well is their writing. I was aware throughout Prey of the unusually exciting visual flair on display from the well chosen special effects sequences, the genuinely dynamic action, the suspenseful scene setting and some very well shot dramatic scenes between the regulars. If Voyager looked like this week in/week out it would be something to really shout home about (actually it would probably be Battlestar Galactica) but what happens here is that we have something that turns out to be pretty unique; an episode of Voyager that hasn't aged a great deal. Brannon Braga is quoted as a saying that Eastman directed this 'like a movie' and for once I think he is right. Turning Voyager into the battleground between the Hirogen and Species 8472 is a fantastic idea and makes for tense and exciting scenes but what really impressed my was the soaring tension between Janeway and Seven, which I think is at its height here. Mulgrew might have felt like she had a lot to prove in the wake of Ryan's casting but I hope she realised that she did her best ever work against her. Add in some surprising twists, a great showing for both species and a star turn from Tony Todd and this show was rarely better than this. Soak it up. Clearly Brannon Braga has been inspired by the character shake up. 

***** out of ***** 

TNG - The Defector

Plot: This was such an exciting time to be a Star Trek fan because the series had hit the screens with uneven effect, brought to life by a production team that was unsure if a new crew would find its audience and with one foot still stuck in the past. Come season three TNG had gotten its act together, pulled in Michael Piller to ensure there was a uniformity of storytelling and a much higher bar of quality for everyone in the production to aspire to. The result was the show felt confident and willing to experiment in a way that played to its strengths and the season three of TNG is still one of the highest achieving single years of Star Trek you will find in the franchise. Watching The Defector I was hit with the same excitement I had at the time when you realised that not only was TNG working, but it was producing Star Trek of a quality that we hadn't yet seen.

This was a stage where the mere mention of the name Romulan could strike terror into the heart of any Star trek fan...until you see the terrible shoulder pads they are forced to wear. There is talk of war between the Romulans and the Federation and it is nice that TNG flirted with the idea, even if it took until DS9 to actually take the notion for a dance.

Character: I think it is fascinating that they should give Patrick Stewart the line of advice to Data that by embracing your own performance and not imitating others that he should discover his own worth as an actor given that Stewart could so easily have aped Shatner instead of finding his own way as the head of a Star Trek show. Picard is presented as a thoughtful man, a strategist, a thinker. Kirk would have headed into this situation guns blazing and made things ten times worse. How refreshing to watch a man who weighs up all the options, considers the facts and agonises over a move that could have devastating consequences for the Quadrant. There's a wonderful moment when Picard admits that he doesn't have any children and Jarok accuses him of sacrificing too much to his career. I don't know if they had this scene in mind during season two of Picard but the personal sacrifices that Jean-Luc has made are highlighted and agonised over 20 years later. The man is married to Starfleet. 

There's a superb scene where Jorak states that he likes Worf and that he is exactly the sort of person that will get them all killed if they aren't careful. We're pushing away from that Roddenberry ideal that everybody on this ship has got to be a perfect, and it's about time.   

Production: The teaser is extraordinary in that it feels like we have wandered into the wrong show with Stewart playing Shakespeare but actually when you strip away the florid dialogue and riveting performances it is just the same actors in the same stock Trek forest sets. There is a deliberate attempt to tie the frivolity of playing Shakespeare into the main theme of the episode, where Picard admits that unlike King Henry he cannot disguise himself and walk amongst the crew. Actually with Data as his eyes and ears, he kind of can. 

We're still in the period of the show before Berman decided that all music should be like the blandest of wallpaper and the Romulan theme is genuinely dynamic.

Performance: James Sloyan is the go to 90s Trek actor for a handful of character parts from this to Dr Mora to Jetrel and for a very good reason: he's incredibly good in every part they give him. Jarok is a difficult part to pull off because Sloyan has to convince that he could be telling the truth (so if they episode decides that he is a genuine defector that the previous 40 minutes doesn't ring false) or that he could be a Romulan plant (just in case the script twists into a cautionary tale for the Enterprise crew about Romulan duplicity). Sloyan walks that fine line brilliantly. He's spiky, but also has moments of likability and warmth. I was uncertain about him throughout, which is exactly where the episode wants you to be as it plays its games with you. The only time I think this sort of thing has been bested is with Waris Hulin in Duet, and that is because the entire episode is squarely focussed on the mystery of identity. This is a superlative performance and The Defector would have bombed had it been handed to a lesser, or less convincing, actor.

Sparkling Dialogue: 'It's always a game of chess with them, isn't it?' Picard says about the Romulans potentially setting up a base in the Neutral Zone and poking them into responding with force.

'It's a bitter thing to be exiled from your own home.'   

'One worlds butcher is another worlds hero.' 

'Shall we die together?' 

Best Moment: As with the majority of TNG, the best moments are acting moments rather than action and the confrontation between Picard and Jarok is extremely well written and played. Picard pointedly tells his collaborator that he has made his choices, and now he can never go home again. 

Worst Moment: You know those people that sit on the conn and wait for one of the regulars to take the station and just seem to wander off when that is happening? I would be really annoyed if that was my job. Just filling in until somebody more important comes a long.

A reason to watch this episode again: 'I will not risk my crew because you think you can dance at the edge of the Neutral Zone...' Superb, and an episode that its still spoken about today all these years later. The Defector poses the very simple question of can the Romulan defector be trusted and wrings every drop of intrigue out of it. It's one of those rare TNG episodes that uses the entire regular cast to their individual strengths; Picard is the thinker, Riker and Troi interrogate Jarok as good cop/bad cop, Data and Geordi have a scientific mystery to unravel and Worf is the muscle. The script is sharp and keeps the audience on the back foot throughout, playing games with Jarok's integrity and I was uncertain about his honesty until the very end. Patrick Stewart is finally being given opportunities to show the audience what he is made of and the show is embracing his past in the theatre and bringing that to the show. The climax, that shows that the Romulans are as labyrinthine in their deception as ever, and exposes Jarok as an honest man, prove extremely satisfying. The Defector turns from a mystery to a character tale, and Jarok is somebody I wish the show had kept around if the final suicidal sting hadn't been played. It feels like the Alpha Quadrant is sitting on the edge of a precipice with the major powers all being superbly characterised and it would take just one wrong move to plunge into war. 

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