DS9 – Image in the Sand

Character – Odo has become a right softie and optimism is the keyword of the day, even in the face of these bleak circumstances. Auberjonois is able to deliver his lines with a twinkle in his eye, given that Odo has found love after all these years and fate has handed him the thing he has most desired for so long. No wonder he’s happy.

On the other hand, Worf is suffering for the same reason; his love has been killed and he is mourning her loss. That leads him to lash out at people who don’t deserve it and to smash up holosuites. I like how rude he is to Vic, not because he is mourning but because he is a hologram that he has no connection to. Like most people who are hurting, he makes some poisonous decisions like indulging in the songs she loved and spending too much time alone thinking about his wife. I’m sure there is a contingent of the audience that are happy to see him smash up Vic’s (I’m not one of those people but it sure does make for a great scene). At least he’s getting it out of his system. The solution? Send in the Irishman with a bottle of Scotch.

The relationship between Admiral Ross and Sisko is established; personally, and professionally. His relationship with Kira is a completely unknown quantity and it introduces an element of authority and ruthlessness into the man that we haven’t seen before. Ross is often on the verge of being the beigest character on the show but put him in a room with Kira where he is using politics as a weapon to get what he wants and suddenly there is tension and rivalry afoot. That’s nothing compared to between Kira and Cretak, which looks to be a gentle co-operative one but soon kicks into high gear as the Romulans behave in a typically duplicitous way and get right under Kira’s skin. Before the episode is over, violence is being threatened. Whoever thought a Romulan presence on the station was a smart idea needs shooting but whichever of the writers thought the same thought is a genius. ‘Either you remove those weapons, or we will.’

The introduction of Sarah Sisko works a treat because it ties into the shows central narrative and makes sense of so many things that have happened over the years. Of course, Sisko has a greater connection to the Prophets than we previously realised but it is not until the final season that we are privy to the truth – his mother was a Prophet who had a relationship with his father to bring Sisko into being. What an extraordinary (in every meaning of the word) turn of events. So simple, so satisfying. It’s astonishing that this never devolves into the level of a soap opera because the twist is played so gently and so sensibly. It’s not a chance to create false drama (which many a Trek episode would do) but to pivot Sisko’s journey in a brand-new direction. And it is rooted in the very real performances of Brooks and Peters.

Bashir loved Jadzia and so he is going to go on the dangerous mission to get Jadzia into the Klingon afterlife. O’Brien loves Bashir and so he is going to go on the dangerous mission to get Jadzia into the Klingon afterlife. Quark refuses to be the odd man out and so he is going to go on the dangerous mission to get Jadzia into the Klingon afterlife. I really love this bunch.

Performance – I remember when they unveiled the Weyoun/Damar relationship in season six following Dukat’s downfall. It appeared that instead of having two strong vivid characters vying for attention that Weyoun was now dealing with a toady Cardassian slimeball who was completely under the thumb. I did not think it was a shift in the shows favour. Boy, how was I wrong. Combs and Biggs have a wonderful, dark chemistry when they are in a room together and it delivers great suspense because you are constantly waiting for the moment when Damar is going to snap the neck of the jeering, nasty little diplomat. When that moment comes later in the year it is one of the shows finest scenes. Here they are still working together; one is basking alcohol and strategic triumph and the other is looking down his nose at his Cardassian liaison and effectively controlling his every move. It’s a brilliant dynamic, and one of the highlights of the final season. Tell me another show that cosies up this much behind the lines with the villains of the piece to a point where we are practically watching Star Trek: Dominion.

The Sisko’s remain my favourite family unit on this show and on television in general. Some actors come together and pretend to be a family and you find yourself wondering who cast such a disparate and unconvincing bunch. With Brooks, Lofton and Peters it is an effortless chemistry. At times I have to remind myself that they are not a real family. When he comes down the stairs to see that his family are planning to come with him to Tyree to find his mother, Sisko is extremely touched. Even the new Dax wants to join in. I really, really love this bunch.

Production – If people thought that Kira’s spray on look was feminine in season four that is nothing compared to the new look she is touting in the final season. Here, though, it feels justified. She’s a woman who has found herself after battling with her inner demons, she has stumbled on true love and she is surrounded by family and friends on the station. She’s entitled to let her hair down. And truly, Nana Visitor looks absolutely stunning.

Once we move from DS9 to Earth and the urban location of Joe Sisko’s restaurant it reminds you of how antiseptic the aesthetic is on Star Trek.

Best moment – It’s strange because Star Trek dolls out scenes of people being stabbed all the time. I think I would lose count of the amount of Klingons and Jem H’adar who are greeted with a scythe to the gut. And yet when Sisko is attacked here it is a raw and powerful in a way that a lot of those other examples aren’t. Perhaps it is because he is wearing white which brings up the blood in a brilliant red. Perhaps it is because of years of history of the black man being hurt in the media. Perhaps it is because it such a quick, violent action.

I wish they hadn’t done that – The cult of the Pah-Wraiths was worth exploring (especially for the involvement of Dukat later) but I do feel that it was a step that could have been explored more. Given how devotion to the darker side of the Prophets is explored in the latter half of the season it seems extraordinary that the inclusion of the cult should not extend to those developments.

A reason to watch this episode again – Season seven takes the least obvious route and refuses to kick start in wham bang fashion (like The Search, Way of the Warrior and A Time to Stand) but instead give focus to all of the characters in the wake of the extraordinary and dramatic events of the previous episode. This is the meaty filling of a delicious sandwich that gives it an extra kick because it takes the time to help us to understand why everybody is motivated and why they make the decisions they do. All ready for the fireworks next week. Sisko has a mission to undertake to find the Prophets and his mother, there is a new Dax in town, Worf needs to win a glorious battle in Jadzia’s name and Kira is going head to head with the Romulans. This is a quiet episode of Deep Space Nine.

**** out of *****

Clue for the next episode: 

VOY- Basics Part I

Plot – The first half of this episode plays out like your typical Voyager episode with the investigation into the baby and the story of the escaped Kazon but with his shock suicide it soon shifts into high gear and never looks back. I like the slow build up because when the fireworks start it has lulled you into a false sense of security and punches you in the gut with its developments. What’s great is how the Voyager crew are never written as a bunch of easily convinced monkeys – even when all the evidence points to the fact that the Kazon defector is telling the truth – they continue to investigate and be suspicious of him. Chakotay, who is often written as a mug, voices his doubt throughout.

Character – Can you believe that Voyager grappled with the idea of a serial killer for a crewmember and gave that part to an actor like Brad Dourif? This is ripe for drama and conflict and Dourif plays the part with such precision and awkwardness that I would have thought he would be a shoe-in for the rest of the series. It would take the work of somebody actually attempting to sabotage the potential of the show to remove this character from its core cast. The fact that they went there at all is one of the reasons why I would inch Voyager ahead of TNG when it comes to discussing them as TV series (rather than an exercise in nostalgia, in which case TNG often wins through entirely).

Seksa remains the best villain on Voyager (move over, the Borg Queen) because she is so good at manipulating our people, especially Chakotay and provoking a reaction from them. They are no longer a squeaky clean Starfleet crew when Seska is around because they all want to do terrible things to her for different reasons (Janeway for betraying her, Chakotay for seducing him, Torres for pretending to be her friend and the crew for pointing the finger at them with suspicion when she was behaving nefariously).

Production – If Janeway’s hair gets messy, things are serious. And it gets really messy here.

Best moment – Kate Mulgrew’s twitchy performance when Janeway goes to visit Suder’s quarters. By all accounts Jeri Taylor did not want Suder to continue on Voyager and how anybody could reach that conclusion after watching this scene is beyond me.

The suicide scene that sabotages Voyager remains one of the most striking scenes in Voyager’s run. It’s tensely directed and it kicks the narrative in a whole new direction. It’s the best kind of action because it answers some questions, provides a visceral thrill and guides the episode in a shocking direction.

I really enjoy the moment when Cullah walks onto the Bridge and relinquishes control from Janeway. Not because he is a particularly riveting character (he really isn’t) but because it feels like something momentous is happening. It’s the ultimate expression of ‘you really should have shared your technology with us’, which he makes sure Janeway knows before tossing her entire crew off the Ship. I love the image of them being rounded up like animals on the Bridge. Truly, we haven’t seen anything quite like this before in Trek. It feels serious and it feels real.

Hooray for the last ten minutes which sees things going from bad to worse for the Voyager crew. The Ship lands on a volcanic planet and they are left to rot on an inhospitable world with nothing but their wits about them whilst Cullah and Seska fly away into the sunset with Voyager. Scorpion managed to feel climactic and powerful but the show never had a cliff-hanger that felt this desolate and personal again. It’s one of those rare occasions that the show seems to suggest that Janeway’s ideology is wrong, that failing to negotiate with the species of the Delta Quadrant has backfired and her face as her crew are roughed up says it all. It’s not the look of an arrogant woman who is clinging on to what she thinks is right but the look of desperation for a situation that has spiralled out of control and perhaps never needed to have happened in the first place.

Worst moment – Neelix attempts to deliver Leola Root soup with a smile to a convicted and pissed off murderer. The fact that he lived to see another day is very unsatisfactory.

I wish they hadn’t done that – Chakotay’s bizarre native American traditions that were entirely made up by a hack who wanted work at Paramount. To have this element to the show suggests a forward-thinking attitude, but to fudge it so spectacularly is pretty offensive.

The possibilities that could have occurred following the end of this episode are endless. Enticing. What we actually got is abhorrent, but that’s for another day. Piller leaves Voyager in a striking position – that’s all that really matters.

A reason to watch this episode again – Unbelievably, this is one of the last times that Voyager would flirt with serialisation with all the elements of the first and second seasons (Seska, the Kazon, the baby, Suder, Chakotay’s father) all come together to create something ambitious in scale and arresting to watch. It feels like the successful application of serialisation here justifies that approach on Voyager and it is startling that from the very next episode the show would abandon pretty much all of the elements above and set course for one-hour no impact entertainment shows. It would gain more of a chance for the average Joe to switch on but lost its identity to become something TNG lite. Basics Part I is bold, dramatic, satisfying and full of terrific moments. It’s about as climactic as the show ever got and it’s at the end of the second season. It feels like it is reaching for a ‘how the hell are they going to get out of that?’ cliff-hanger and for the most part they succeed.

**** out of *****

Clue for the next episode: 

DS9 – The Darkness and the Light

Plot – As soon as Kira gets a message saying ‘that’s one’ you know exactly what we are in for. A Star Trek procedural drama with a hint of horror to add some excitement. CSI: DS9 anyone? You can add Field of Fire to that category too (I liked that one too). Ron Moore paces his story very well with some suspenseful and creepy opening acts as Kira begins to realise that her life is in danger, before introducing some old characters we know to make the deaths count. I like how Moore uses the old CSI plotting to spare those who don’t like the Bajoran religious and political episodes. Don’t like Bajoran episodes… here’s secret weapons hidden in candles, bombs going off in the station, transport malfunctions and a woman strapped in a chair having her baby surgically removed by a madman!

Kira makes a great point about how somebody can live through decades as a terrorist and countless deadly skirmishes only to be murdered years later. It’s a curious feeling of injustice that permeates the whole piece.

The argument between Prin and Kira really strikes home the atrocities that were committed on both sides of the conflict on Bajor. Like the best of Star Trek there are no easy answers here. The Cardassians were raping the planet and torturing and murdering the Bajoran people and the Bajoran terrorists were fighting back with attacks and murders of their own. People were dying on both sides and the unfortunate effect is that some people outside of the major decisions of the conflict were hurt. People like Prin. His motive is revenge but only because so many people he cared for her crippled and killed. It has unhinged him. It’s a muddy moral area of the sort that DS9 excels and Ron Moore in particular loves pushing the show towards.

All that waffle about herbs and sedatives might seem like inconsequential dialogue but cleverly it is setting up the get out clause at the climax. I’m not sure we needed Bashir to point that out in the last scene, however. Credit us with a little intelligence.

Character – Unlike most horror movies, the characters in this don’t make too many stupid moves. As soon as there is a possibility that the Shakaar resistance cell is in danger, Kira contacts the others and lets them know to keep on their guard. Odo puts appropriate security measures in place on the station. You feel Kira’s frustration at being pregnant because if she wasn’t, she would be on Bajor hunting this guy down. It’s another sensible decision that she doesn’t.

I like how Kira’s faith prevents her falling into histrionics early in the episode as others might if their former colleagues and friends were slaughtered. She is saddened by their loss but happy that they are now with their Gods. It’s not until almost 20 minutes in that she finally snaps and that is mostly because this kid inside her is murdering her back. If you ever needed to see an example of how the portrayal of women has changed in Trek since the sixties watch Kira beat the crap out of two security guards heavily pregnant as she rushes to try and save her friends. And how the baby doesn’t prevent her hunting down this psychopath at the climax for the deaths he has perpetrated.

Performance – How warm and wonderful are the performances of the actors who play Lupaza and Furel in just that single scene. It makes their deaths hurt.

If you ever want a perfect demonstration of how to perform Star Trek style of acting in a naturalistic and absorbing way then check out Nana Visitor’s scene where she recounts how she joined the Shakaar resistance cell. It’s a beautiful piece of acting and the camera is complicit, getting closer and closer and giving Visitor no choice but to emote. I swear they are real tears.

I get why people might object to the overly theatrical turn of Randy Oblesby as Prin but I was brought up in a household where countless programmes were watched featuring British actors of the stage giving it their all and so this is a style of acting that I am very much accustomed to. What I love is how much he goes for it, refusing to hold back the extremes of emotion that this man is feeling and pulling off a genuinely disturbing, unhinged personality. His dialogue is overdone at times but that doesn’t stop the actor, he just delivers it as richly as possible.

Production – We get to see what can go wrong if a transporter malfunction can occur and the result is a disturbingly charred corpse. Vejar isn’t shy in getting the camera up close and personal, if only for a moment. You’ve got to love how Bashir is examining the corpses as if there is something he can do about it. It’s burnt to a crisp and smoking.

There’s a highly atmospheric sequence where Kira is hunted in the O’Brien’s quarters and when you turn the lights down completely you realise just how moody those DS9 sets are.

Best moment – Ron Moore is one of the shows best writers when it comes to the Dax and Worf relationship (You Are Cordially Invited, Change of Heart) and their small but very funny scene here perfectly encapsulates why he is so good at capturing their sexual chemistry and witty combativeness.

Worst moment – ‘You were all guilty and you were all legitimate targets!’ says Kira, contradicting the realisation she made in Duet.

I still don’t know why nobody asks Kira what on Earth she is talking about in the final scene. Perhaps the result of an overdose of sedative is that you end up talking in metaphor.

I wish they hadn’t done that – No Shakaar? Of all the episodes that he should be a given in, his absence here is keenly felt.

A reason to watch this episode again – This is probably one Trek’s better horror riffs and it still isn’t perfect so it probably goes to show how well they mastered that genre. Revulsion, Empok Nor, The Haunting of Deck Twelve, Genesis, Impulse…they are all shows with atmospheric productions and very few brain cells. The Darkness and the Light at least chooses to be an intense character study of Kira and has the extra boost of the fact that she is pregnant at this point, which gives the show a real edge. And the direction by Mike Vejar is out of this world. He knows the ambiance he is trying to achieve and her gets there with an excellent score, creepy, harsh lighting, the sight of some grisly corpses and tight final act that sees some strong close ups on horrific make up. So, on a production and a character level, this is top notch. As a piece of plotting it is fine, if a little predictable. One murder, then another, and another. Kira in danger. Kira hunting down the killer. Kira finding the killer. Kira arguing with the killer. Kira killing the killer. It’s following a set of rules diligently. Moore adds some spice with the heightened and brutal conversation between Pren and Kira – it contradicts previous episodes but who cares - Kira gives this guy a true blast Nerys venom and it is glorious to watch. The Darkness and the Light is very good meat and potatoes DS9, which is a testament to the level of quality in season five.

**** out of *****

Clue for tomorrow's episode: 

TNG – The High Ground

Plot – It says everything you need to know about TNG for a planet to be in the grip of terror attacks and to have Picard announce that so stoney-voiced whilst the camera pans over to Dr Crusher and Worf enjoying drinks in a café. The intention to be serious is there and to tackle real themes but these are characters who are simply unused to this kind of muckiness and they will throw caution to the wind because terror attacks are the sort of thing that happens to other people.

Huge kudos to writer Melinda M. Snodgrass for giving both sides of this conflict an equal amount of screen time to state their case. It means that the argument on either side of the bomb attacks are balanced and calls into question whether you find them the violent acts of cowards or the brave acts of heroes. It’s an easy line to fall either side of.

Interestingly the terror attack on the Enterprise is portrayed as exactly that. Bad people committing violence against good ones. When Riker and crew attack the terrorists it is portrayed as the opposite. Good guys committing acts of violence to rescue good guys. For an episode that is vaguely attempting to give the perpetuators of terrorism a voice, the nuts and bolts of the episode are handing out a verdict on precisely who is good and who is bad here. There’s no ambiguity here.

Next week the terror attacks on Rutia won’t even be on the Enterprise’s radar. Nobody will reference these events again and nobody has learnt anything that stays with them throughout the rest of this shows run. Is this an issue of the time or a problem inherent in the show? TNG can hold your attention for an hour but you know, two-parters aside, that very often the issues it is grappling in that hour will be sewn up and put away. The episodes themselves might be absolute classics, but the series damages itself by refusing to show consequences. That’s something Enterprise tried very hard to remedy.

Character – What The High Ground does so well is to shove Dr Bev’s face in the mud and to show her things aren’t so squeaky clean out in the universe and sometimes you have to get your hands filthy in order to survive. A shame she walks away with the same Federation idealism at the end of this episode as she did at the beginning because this could have been a vital education to her. How she rushes into action when the bomb goes off and refuses to leave shows the sort of arrogance and immunity that only as main character living the life of luxury could. I don’t think it is simply that she is a professional and wants to help people, there is nothing in McFadden’s performance that shows she is even slightly scared of stepping into such a dangerous environment.

Look at Picard’s face when he refuses the request for some of their military equipment to track down the terrorists. He could have simply said no but he does so in the most arrogant, ‘I’m looking down my nose at you’ way he possibly can. Some people suggest Picard is a diplomat and he certainly has skills in that department but there are times when the most important feature of diplomacy (tact) is lacking.

Unbelievably, at the moment when Dr Bev is about to say something that might have some relevance on the series itself (it’s her ‘in case we don’t get out of this’ scene), the lights go out and the Enterprise crew attacked. The script literally pulls us away from consequences with a sharp jolt.

Performance – Richard Cox is the given the impossible task of being the nice side of terrorism in an episode that is determined to prove that it is unjust. To his credit he does a good job because I warmed to him instantly. He had that Marc Alaimo/Andrew Robinson knack of being a very charismatic man so no matter what they show you of him being capable of performing monstrous acts, you still have a little sympathy for him.

Production – A massive round of applause for the woman who runs away from the terror attack on the Enterprise. She flaps her wrists and everything. We haven’t seen a true damsel in distress like this since the heyday of TOS.

Best moment – When the terror attacks shift to the Enterprise, that is when everybody wakes up and takes this threat really seriously. It leads to some suspenseful moments when it looks as though the ship might be a goner as the terrorist’s beam in and murder without breaking a sweat. For a second the action transfers to the Bridge and it feels terribly invasive in what is usually a safe space but the weapons used are so space age and ineffectual it threatens to gut the scene of its power.

Dr Bev starts to question the Enterprise’s role in these kinds of affairs and to empathise with the terrorists. That’s huge progress. What a shame then that she should be merrily complicit in every mission after this that is involving itself in the same way. You cannot raise objections and then collaborate in the very thing you are protesting to. That makes you a complete hypocrite.

Worst moment – ‘In a world where children blow up children, everyone is a threat’ is a little too on the nose, even for TNG. You can’t make generalisations like that; it smears everybody with the same brush.

‘I live in an ideal culture. There’s no need for your kind of violence’ says Crusher. Oh boy, it’s a good thing she isn’t still around when DS9 gets up and running. She must be weeping into her cushion every night during the Dominion War.

I wish they hadn’t done that – When she is threatened by a man who has already killed people, Dr Bev has the look of a manipulator trying to win over a good man by mentioning her son. McFadden should be terrified. She’s our identification character here. Instead I can see the wheels turning in her head as she tries to escape the situation. She finally tears up when it appears that her son is going to go boom boom. About damn time.

It would have been braver to have the kid shoot down everybody at the climax, and more realistic too. Instead a line from Dr Bev disarms him and they can head on their merry way.

The music swelling at the climax as everybody heads off to their next adventure and leaving these violent savages to fight amongst themselves made me growl out loud. Man, this show was naïve at times.

A reason to watch this episode again – It has some punch and some point and The High Ground marks new territory for TNG in that it is tackling some topical and doesn’t bash you over the head with it. What stops it from being an classic is that TNG is still presenting it’s alien civilisations and its action in a comic book way (the crazy over the top music does not help) and so this comes across as a show that wants to grip hold of terrorism and shake it until something thoughtful comes out but it can only do so when making the execution of the episode softer than it could be. The other hindrance is Gates McFadden, hardly the most gifted of performers and finally being given some challenging material and failing to take the intensity of her reaction to kidnapping, terror attacks and death all around her to the appropriate level. If it had been Patrick Stewart we might have been talking. There are quite a few episodes of TNG where they involve themselves in a seditious situation and warp away at the end having solved nothing. Life its solved in the wave of a hand or a speech from Picard and I appreciate them saying that but, in this case, where they were in a prime situation to do some good, I find myself asking what was the point? Still, points for injecting some blood into the veins of this show. All the creators of TNG thought this episode was worthless. I don’t think it’s as bad as all that but it does wind up having very little to say bar the obvious.

*** out of *****

Clue for the next episode:

ENT – Cold Station 12

Plot – The teaser is essential because it details Soong educating the Augments 12 years ago when they were only pups and reveals the true motive he had for bringing them to life – to uncover the true potential of humanity. This quick exchange shows a man who is emotionally involved with the Augments, who is bringing them up like his children. Already this has more dramatic potential than Borderland because it is always thinking of a motivation and trying to connect the characters in a more thoughtful way that just because the plot says so. It means that when Soong realises that one of his kids has killed another, it has a real emotional sting.

It’s nice to see that after the year long Xindi arc that this show isn’t just skipping back to the standalones of seasons one and two but tackling trilogies instead. As discussed in Borderland, this is perhaps a step too far with this particular story (there are plenty of diversions from the narrative which excising could have cut down an entire episode) but its refreshing that Enterprise refuses to cosy back up to its original, fairly tedious, approach and instead give its stories the time to explore the themes in detail.

The missing equipment turning out to be missing incubators is both obvious and still a shock because you realise that they are about to start propagating their species.

Character – I want to applaud Enterprise for taking the time to characterise a guest character and furnishing him with as much time as they do with Soong here but would that be the case if he wasn’t being played by Brent Spiner? Isn’t it true that Hoshi and Merriweather have vanished into the ether again for several weeks and couldn’t they do with some of this screen time to remind us that they are still alive? Soong wants to punish his children for turning on each other’s but the truth is he left them to fend for themselves at the more formative part of their lives, at the point where they most needed guidance. He is responsible for their lives and he didn’t direct them in a less aggressive manner and so much of this is his responsibility. Soong is such a fine character because at heart he is still a Doctor and one with a conscience and so whilst he might want to play rogue and threaten and cajole, he really isn’t up to it when his captives refuse to capitulate to his demands. He feels that he is doing all of this for a just reason, that is what drives him. But he refuses to get his hands dirty in order to do it.

Production – Is it my imagination or have they learnt how to light this show in HD in the third and fourth seasons as well, in a way that was severely lacking in the first two years? Everything feels more atmospheric and moodier. The Klingon ship is especially well done in that regard, before it would often be painted in fiery hues but now it is a gothic masterpiece of hidden spaces and picking out the people in shocking beams of light. The CG shot of Soong standing amongst the embryos though, that needs some more work. I’ve seen CSO in 70s Doctor Who that looks more convincing than that.

Watch as the Klingon ship sneaks up behind the Denobulan medical carrier. It’s not often you can the effects work menacing on this show but this surely qualifies. It’s better that it is done in complete silence. I was also impressed with the medical facility inside the moon. It has the wow factor that simply docking with a space station or landing on a planet wouldn’t. The effects work on Enterprise might not have the scale of the height of the Dominion War or the panache of some of Voyager’s clashes with the Borg but I find they pour their money into some very artistic and unusual shots that expose what you can do with CGI if you are thinking outside the box.

Best moment – What’s so gripping about the sequence where Dr is killed is how Soong contacts Enterprise all piss and vinegar pretending that he is going to hurt the good Doctor if Archer doesn’t do what he wants to do. That’s regular, vanilla old Enterprise from season one. That would be the tension, Archer would capitulate and the episode would be over. Cold Station 12 seems to know that and deliberately trips up the audience by having Malik choose this moment to step out of his father’s shadow, commit torture publicly and force us to watch a man die in horrific agony while he does so. It’s an unprecedented step on this show, brutal and uncomfortable to watch. It reminded me of DS9 when it stuck its fingers up at the Trek franchise and what fans expect of it. It’s the first, courageous indication that Enterprise is stepping out of the shadow of its former self (even the Xindi arc, as gripping as it could be, was bolstered mostly by comic book action) and emerging as a show to really pay attention to. A grisly murder where everybody is characterised brilliantly so you can see how this has spiralled out of control and people have made really poor judgement.

Worst moment – Enterprise still hasn’t got the nuts to torture one of their own in the same way. Phlox is put in the same chamber but is released Scott free as though he never expected to be hurt. Not quite as brave as DS9 then. They would have had Phlox bleeding from every orifice. I can remember in DS9’s first three parter they had Kira tortured and beaten in the second episode.

I wish they hadn’t done that – All the best scenes in this episode feature Soong and his children and yet the show cuts back to Enterprise and it is the literal version of ‘I wish they hadn’t done that.’ I’m not sure at what point the show is no longer the show and it abandons its crew entirely and focuses on a core group that is more captivating but at this point I certainly wouldn’t object.

A reason to watch this episode again – Violent, daring and uncompromising, Cold Station 12 is the highpoint of this trilogy of stories and the only one of the three to marry up an exciting plot with an equal amount of scintillating character work. I know I bang on about characters all the time but I maintain that without that we are just watching empty action, spaceships careening about and people spouting technobabble. It’s the very thing that sews all this together and adds a punch of genuine involvement. It feels more like ‘The Adventures of Soong’ than Enterprise at times but given he is far more compelling to watch than all but about two of our regular characters that isn’t really a bad thing. If Enterprise was delivering dramatic, well-acted, fiercely directed drama such as this in its final season then why on Earth did the axe fall? A shame it wasn’t being aired on HBO where ratings didn’t matter but the quality of the work did. The sad truth is that it is quite obvious where the Augments trilogy is going to end at this point in order for Enterprise to get back on track. It has to put all these toys back in the box in the third episode, which is a crying shame because the show is starting to swim about in dirty waters and is all the better for it. One of the shows best episodes and it barely features any of the regulars. Hmm.

****1/2 out of *****

Clue for the next episode: 

DS9 – Dax

Plot – This is the last script that D.C. Fontana was involved in for Star Trek and it was a striking one to go out on. I don’t know where Fontana ends and Fields begins but they are both top tier writers for their respective shows and bringing them together merges two thoughtful writers and the end result is a script that makes you think, and feel, and lingers in the memory.

The concept of the perfect Trill crime – commit a criminal act and then kill yourself and have your symbiont go from one body to another – is an idea well worth some consideration.

Is the symbiont a distinct personality in its own right capable of autonomous thought or is it always a blended personality with the host? If a crime is committed, who is guilty? The writers have found an effective and intelligent avenue to explore Trill society, one of many that they would tackle over the shows seven years. There are no easy answers, which makes the investigation much more exciting.

Character – Bashir is such a godawful sleazebag in these early episodes of DS9 it is astonishing that they managed to salvage anything from his character, let alone turn him into one of the most empathetic and interesting of the main cast. Let me assure you that some major retooling was needed. At this point he is an egotistical, womanizing bighead whose mouth simply does not stop. There’s an earnestness to all of this. You can tell he is straight out of the Academy where he has been fed the same old nonsense that the Federation is the be all and end all and that humanity is the pinnacle of life in the universe. A prolonged spell on DS9 is just what he needs to disabuse him of all of those ideals. I’m not suggesting that he deserved to have the shit kicked out of him for letching after Dax through the corridors of DS9 but I’m sure it didn’t do his ego any harm.

Early Jadzia is a fascinating prospect because she is a far cry from the highly competent and fun loving professional that she will become in later seasons. She’s not long had the Dax symbiont and has chosen a serene, almost ancient approach to her manner. I think perhaps there was a chance that she might have been the Spock on this show – the wise old observer of humanoid behaviour – but the producers already has a ready made candidate in Odo (and a far better one in that respect) and realised that Terry Farrell was at her best when the charisma, sex appeal and humour shone through. So, these initial episodes are interesting to watch where everything is a little muted. She’s given some wonderful advice by the widow of General Tandro ‘Live Jadzia Dax. Live a long, fresh and wonderful life.’ She certainly does (maybe not the long part), and we are lucky enough to chart that life.

We learn far more about Curzon Dax than we do Jadzia, which makes this a substantial affair because Sisko had a hell of a relationship with him by all accounts. The personal stake is twofold; Dax’s life but also Sisko’s memory of his dear friend. A shame that Curzon didn’t have the chance to appear on the show (Facets aside) – he sounds like quite a character.

Performance – Avery Brooks can be such a passionate performer and so it is crazy that he was written in such muted way for the early part of this show. Dax sees him let off the leash emotionally and he gets to run the entire spectrum; anger, shrewdness, directness, a fierce intelligence and a love for his friend that probably isn’t earned at this point but is justified because of Sisko’s relationship with Curzon. When Brooks gets to show his very human side he is the most compelling of all the Captain’s and that is spotlighted here by the director. He gets a sparkle in his eyes that is hard to resist. The scene he shares with Jadzia once Curzon’s secret is out is beautifully played by both Brooks and Farrell.

Ann Haney gives one of the best ever guest performances on this show as the sly and commanding Bajoran judge, Renora. Courtroom scenes can drag interminably on Trek shows but Haney makes sure that they remain sharp and to the point. If she is unsatisfied with the direction things are going or thinks that they are being dragged out she will have no qualms and telling the consul to get a shift on and stop boring her. The way she says to Tandro ‘Fine. Sit’ makes me howl with laughter every time. She’s 100 years old and she doesn’t have any time (figuratively and literally) for unnecessary emotional outbursts.

Production – DS9 was hardly a show that flaunted much action in its first two years (Ron Moore turned up in series and suddenly there was an element of dynamism to the show) but it had a few moments where it pushed the boat out and the opening act of Dax was one of the better examples. I like it because it gives everybody something to do to try and rescue Dax and sees a cat and mouse game between Ops and her kidnappers where everybody is making smart moves. It’s not your usual throwaway Trek action (see Voyager and Enterprise for countless examples), it has actually had some thought put into it. Plus, by getting the action out of the way early, it means we have lots of time to get on with the smart stuff.

Best moment – Kira finally displaying some humour but with that added fire that raged in her in the first season. ‘Which not only compromises Bajoran security but also…annoys us.’

The twist that Curzon was having an affair with Tandro’s wife is a zinger because it is the most obvious answer but only when it is revealed and it comes as a shock to Sisko and an even greater shock to Tandro himself when his mother turns up at the hearing and publicly announces it. This is terrific drama, uncompromising in its reveal.

A reason to watch this episode again – One of the most promising early episodes of DS9 turns out to be a fresh take on a Trek cliché; the courtroom drama. It takes hold of a character that we know very little about and gives her depth and substance without having her utter very many lines of dialogue. It uses all of the regulars in creative ways (it’s really the first time they all work together for a very personal reason) and introduces some brilliant guest characters. It’s smart viewing, that’s what I like about it. It doesn’t assume that the audience is lobotomised. And it reaches an intellectually and emotionally satisfying conclusion. I remember thinking this was a little talky when I first viewed DS9 at 14 but as an adult this is precisely why I turn to this show more than the others. Beautifully acted, smartly written, tightly directed drama.

****1/2 out of *****

Clue for tomorrow's episode: 

ENT – Borderland

Plot – Archer is still on Earth following on from the events of Home, which is a nice piece of continuity. From what I have gleamed from season four it feels like it is pulling the show in precisely the right direction. We’ve had some time travel nonsense, a chance to have a breather from the Xindi arc and now it is time to tackle some powerful material.

In a season that makes exploring Star Trek continuity its goal, season four kicks off with one of the most famous threads throughout the franchise thanks to Khan and Julian Bashir; genetically enhanced humans. I like that the Eugenics War is frequently referred to but no real details are given – it led me to believe that one of these shows would dare to pop back and take a look at just how disturbing that conflict was. Khan was bad enough, a wily and seductive man with incredible strength and tactical genius. He proved to be Kirk’s ultimate nemesis. Julian Bashir was the flip side of the coin. A sweet, occasionally arrogant but loving man who poured his life into medicine and saving lives. Enterprise pitches for a group of ragtag Augments from the war having escaped a facility where they were being held and out for vengeance against a society that would rather forget that they existed.

A gripping opening featuring two Augments taken prisoner on a Klingon ship and effectively wiping out the crew and taking over. The Klingons are considered the big bad on this show so staging a coup on one of their ships without breaking a sweat is kind of a big deal.

Character – I’m not really invested in the conflict amongst the Augments. The characters are a little too dry and po-faced to get involved with. When Khan was introduced I couldn’t take my eyes off him such was his magnetism. My eyes fell off the screen when it was populated with this bunch. The tension between Raakin and Malik is just two schoolboys thumping their chests and trying to prove which of them is the better man. I hope there isn’t two more episodes of this sort of thing.

Performance – Dave Power gives a sweet turn as Ensign Pierce, a rookie officer who is unprepared for the dangers ahead and falls apart as a slave of the Orion’s. He’s of the Reg Barclay stock, flawed and likable because of it and I feel sad to read on Memory Alpha that this was his only appearance. If I compare how drawn I was to him in his scant few scenes compared to how long it took me to even tolerate someone like Malcolm Reed, I feel the attention is being given to the wrong people.

Production – It’s always a pleasure to see Brent Spiner in Star Trek in whatever guise he happens to be playing and he gives this episode of Enterprise a particular sparkle with his star turn as Dr Soong. It does make me wonder if he was wasted all of these years playing such an emotionless character when this is the level of intensity, he can bring to the franchise but then I remember all the times that Data broke my heart and I tell myself to shut up. ‘Looks like you saved Earth for nothing’ he says with a cheeky look in his eye. Enterprise needs more of this kind of ironic humour. He’s basically like Garak; a complicated, intelligent and extremely sarcastic man with a penchant for one liners. ‘Your crew could use a sense of humour’ he says at one point and never was a truer word spoken.

When Khan showed up on the Enterprise he was dressed in the finest of clothes that made his eyes sparkle. Why then are these Augments dressed up like barbarians that have just escaped from the jungle? It feels like an attempt to link their look with the unclean savagery of Khan from the second movie…but that takes place in the future and was borne out of circumstances. There is no reason for them to be decked out in hole-ridden leather other than to think it looks cool. And it looks faintly ridiculous.

Best moment – The Orion slave auction – which has nothing to do with the episode itself – is dazzlingly well realised. I loved the image of T’Pol being lifted up like a rag doll to a flurry of excited bidders who don’t say a word but tap furiously at their padds. She refuses to give the affair any of her dignity and looks down on them as though they are beneath her. We’ve heard so much about the Orion Syndicate in DS9 that it is nice that we finally get to see what they get up to in their seedy joints.

Worst moment – Another episode where Hoshi and Merriweather have absolutely nothing to do. They must really hate these characters. I think they get a single line each.

I wish they hadn’t done that – Because this is a trilogy of episodes it means they have far more breathing room than usual. As a result this episode winds up feeling like it is going nowhere fast and that it gets to the good stuff right towards the end. This feels like a prologue to a two-part story rather than a vital instalment in its own right. The Augments story would have made a tight two-parter but at three parts it feels…unhurried.

A reason to watch this episode again – A number of good scenes and real sense that the series is delving back into the franchise continuity in a big way, however Borderland is a frustrating prologue to real meat of this story rather than an episode in its own right. Its purpose is to get us from A to B with Soong so the fireworks can really take off in the next episode. It is enlivened by Brent Spiner’s appearance as the witty and weird Dr Soong. I love the way he so effortlessly manages to wind up the Enterprise crew just by gently poking fun at them. The peek at the Orion’s is great fun too. It is a shame that the Augments themselves are such a pack of dullards. Compared to Khan (or even Bashir) this bunch are your tenapenny thugs spitting at each other and vying for command. I’m sure they could have been characterised more thoughtfully than this. This is watchable stuff, but much of it is inessential for the story ahead.

*** out of *****

Clue for the next episode: