"The Body In Question" Yields A Mediocre Episode Of Northern Exposure.

The Good: Good concept, Good debate over consequences, Moments of acting, Holling's character
The Bad: Very simple plot stretched a bit far, Forced character elements
The Basics: When Chris finds a frozen body whose personal effects indicate a different version of the end of Napoleon's life, the citizens of Cicely are torn as to what to do.


For those who follow my reviews of Northern Exposure, it's no surprise to learn that I was not a huge fan (or a fan at all) of the first two seasons of the series. Indeed, with the first season (reviewed here!), I found the show to be not at all as good as others had suggested, specifically not as quirky as many had made the series out to be, and the second season (reviewed here!) was merely a poor repetition of the first. With the third season, I found it to be much of what I had been promised when I began watching the series. It is rare, then, for me to find a third season episode of Northern Exposure that I would have trouble recommending.

And yet, "The Body In Question" is just one such episode. "The Body In Question" has a wonderful concept and makes a wonderful case about the debate between history and culture, but some of the character elements are forced and overdone. Unlike many episodes of the series that are clever or eccentric that develop the characters well, here it feels like writer Henry Bromell did not have a firm grasp on the characters, which is odd because this is not Bromell's first episode of the series and his others are rather good.

Chris is out doing his thing in the local river when garbage begins to wash past him. He is surprised by the nature of some of it and is even more surprised when nearby he finds the frozen corpse of a man. Bringing the frozen man Pierre Le Moulin back to Cicely, Chris inadvertently sparks a series of events that challenge the citizens of the small Alaskan city.

Maurice Minnifield, in his usual way, looks for a way to exploit the corpse for tourism, which looks likely when Pierre's journals indicate he was a friend of Napoleon and that Napoleon may not have lived his life out the way history records it. Maggie is thrilled by the prospect of Pierre helping to rewrite history, as is most of Cicely. On the other side of the argument - as usual - is Dr. Fleischman, who fears that if Pierre is telling the truth, it will undo most of the written history of Western Civilizations.

The basic premise is a clever one: dead body is found which challenges the history most everyone in the world takes for granted. The debate that ensues as a result is a remarkably highbrowed and intriguing one: if one major historical figure's life is rewritten, what are the consequences of that? Who gets to make the choice over what is determined to be "historically correct?" The debate takes the polarizing notions of the value of the absolute truth vs. the importance of myth in history and society. It's rare that an hour of television attempts to wrestle with such big notions, but "The Body In Question" does.

And it generally does it well. "Generally" applies here because the argument is kept pretty simple and as a result, there is a great deal of repetition and because Joel is the only one making the strong argument for the value of keeping history intact, the episode begins to grate on the viewer some. Fleischman has not been doing so much complaining in the third season and that has been a welcome changed for viewers. Yet in "The Body In Question," he seems less like a principled debater and more like a whining, immature guy, like he was in much of the first two seasons.

As a result, much of the episode is driven by the plot, which motivates the characters to simply weigh in on their perspectives of history and the collective unconscious. And herein lies the problem: because someone needs to represent the view that "history is what is already written and to challenge that could unravel everything" and because the character chosen to do that is Joel (the only other reasonable person to do it would have been Minnifield, but Maurice always trumps his conservative nature with profit margins), the audience is asked to overlook how illogical that choice is. Joel has a great deal to gain from proving that Pierre is exactly who he says he is and challenging the history as it has been written. Such a role brings notariety, speaking engagements, profit, everything Joel lacks in his tenure in Cicely and has coveted from the first episode. If it did not get him out of Cicely, it would at least increase tourism and potentially allow him to either have more contact with people like himself or treat more people. Either way, he would be more stimulated than he is when the episode begins.

So, because the episode is stretched pretty thin, there are b-plots added in, or more precisely one b-plot involving Shelly and Holling. The problem is, the two interact so little in the b-plot, it feels almost like they are two separate stories. Shelly begins to freak out and believe that she may be infertile. She becomes obsessed with the idea that because she and Holling do not have children together - even though she's never exhibited any desire to have any - that their love will not last. She becomes convinced she is barren and that drains her (on the DVD version of this episode, there are deleted scenes that are much more explicit and obvious with this, though the aired cut on this tape is at least as good with the more subtle approach).

This is an interesting enough character dilemma, but it feels tacked on in this episode. Somehow, it just does not fit into "The Body In Question." And that is where Holling Vincoeur's story comes in. Holling is agitated from the moment Pierre's body arrives in Cicely. He becomes moody and withdrawn and avoids Shelly some, which sparks her fears about their relationship lasting.

Holling's story is much more interesting than what it appears and the explanation is brilliant. His actions throughout the episode make perfect sense in light of the - admittedly farfetched - character revelations that come out at almost the very end of the episode (which I shall not ruin!). Holling contributes the one genuine piece of actual character development to an episode that is otherwise seriously bogged down with plot points and thematic debates.

John Cullum, who plays Holling gives a wonderful performance and is able to completely sell the audience on his character's sudden left turn with the backstory revelations. Cullum is convincing because he has a quiet dignity and because he is not outlandish, he can make even the extraordinary seem plausible. It is Cullum's ability to play quietly emotional that gives his performance in this episode real weight and satisfies the viewer.

Close behind is actress Cynthia Geary, who gives a much more manic performance than Cullum as Shelly. Geary, whose work on the show often goes underappreciated gives a great performance as a young woman seriously worried about the future and the future of her relationships and the ability to have a family when she wants one. Even though the b-plot with her worries does not seem to fit this particular episode, she pulls the character aspects off well with a very considerate performance. Here she portrays a sense a maturity that her character seldom has and she is wonderful bringing that to the role.

"The Body In Question" has a resolution that is funny and quirky and seems like it might have been more appropriate on Twin Peaks, but it works for this odd show. Were it not so monolithic and repetitive in the debates and focused some more on the characters debating and why they have such an emotional stake in the whole "are Pierre's journals real or are the history books telling the truth" debate, then "The Body In Question" might have been a winner. As it is, it is an above average concept with a below average execution.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Northern Exposure - The Complete Third Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the third season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

5/10

For other television reviews, please check out my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Ultimate Tale Of Hating One's Father: "The Alternate"

The Good: Character development, Acting
The Bad: Occasionally unfulfilling plot
The Basics: Recommended for fans of DS9 and parental dramas, more than fans of science fiction as it truly is a father/son drama about the consequences of parenting.


"The Alternate" is another one of those episodes of Star Trek Deep Space Nine that is oft-neglected on lists of favorite Trek episodes. Why? Most fans of science fiction and Star Trek in particular are intimidated by the fact that this episode glosses over the scientific element and instead focuses strongly on the character aspects.

"The Alternate" focuses on Odo and a journey he never thought he'd take or at least not so soon in the series. A hint to Odo's origins are revealed in both the biological and psychological levels. The latter comes to light when Dr. Mora Pol, the Bajoran scientist who studied Odo before he was sentient, arrives on the station to see Odo. In simplest terms, Dr. Mora is analogous to Odo's father. He reveals that a planet has been discovered in the Gamma Quadrant that contains DNA similar to Odo's. They predict it is a distant cousin to Odo. Mora and Odo go to the planet, take a biological sample and return to the station. Rather quickly, there are outbreaks on the station of violence from an unknown source and it becomes clear that the sample is not the only thing that returned from the Gamma Quadrant with the pair.

The episode glosses over the scientific problem, which is almost completely neglected. In fact, it's easy to miss the resolution to the action part of the plot.

Instead "The Alternate" instead focuses on the character aspects. Dr. Mora, who always believed that Odo would return to his laboratory, broken by his experiences, is forced to acknowledge that Odo has done far better than he predicted the shapeshifter would. In conversations with Odo, Quark and Dax, he comes to see that Odo has become a valued, efficient, expert law enforcement officer.

Odo, for his part, is forced by Mora to make a journey of his own. His notion of his colleagues is challenged when Mora suggests they can become friends. Odo is further challenged by Mora's insistence that a lot of what he did in raising Odo was necessary, not just keeping Odo prisoner.

The strength of the characters is brought out by the power of the acting. Rene Auberjonois plays Odo with great anger and wrenching pain. The omnipresent Star Trek guest star James Sloyan is introduced in Deep Space Nine as Dr. Mora. He's incredible. His performance lends depth and breathes life into an occasionally listless script. His determination and heartbreak balance well with the feelings of parental necessity clearly overshadowing the scientific incidents.

The episode, while largely unsatisfying in the resolution, is a character study about the tribulations of parenting and the eventual point where the parent must evaluate how they parented. It's a good episode and excellent for continuing the character arc of Odo.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Second Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the sophomore season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

7/10

For other Star Trek reviews, please visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007, 2001 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Moving Along On Deep Space Nine With "Move Along Home."

The Good: Consistent Characterization, Amusing, Good Acting
The Bad: Unoriginal Plot
The Basics: A retrospectively weak plot, good acting and steady character development make "Move Along Home" a split decision; ultimately recommended to fans only.


Star Trek Deep Space Nine's rocky start on the airwaves wasn't boosted by this unoriginal episode. Actually, that's not entirely fair for me to say. "Move Along Home" feels rehashed, but it's mostly in retrospect. If you've seen the film The Game (reviewed here!), this episode will seem like a disappointment in that the two end almost identically. It's hard to remember that this episode of Star Trek Deep Space Nine precedes the Michael Douglas film by a good four years.

How, then, is it fair for me to criticize the episode on a plot level? It might not be - but the episode feels like a science fiction standard. Watching the episode, it feels like an episode. Whereas other episodes, even episodes before this one drew the viewer in ("Past Prologue," "Captive Pursuit") and made it possible to escape into the episode, this episode feels like a television show.

Sigh. Outside that, there's nothing particularly wrong with this episode. In fact, one of the nice things about this episode is the continuation of creating strong characters. There are some delightful lines wherein Kira, as the three Starfleet officers who are with her deduce they are part of some form of experiment, declares that while they might find it all fascinating, she's an administrator "and this is not what [she] signed up for!"

"Move Along Home," the episode's title, comes from the alien visitors to the station. The Wadi, upon making first contact on Deep Space Nine, head right to Quark's and after being swindled at Dabo, set up their own game. Quark begins playing a table game in his bar, but Dax, Bashir, Kira and Sisko disappear from the station. The quartet awakens inside what they think might be a holosuite, but quickly find that there is no escape. They begin wandering through caves, rooms and solving puzzles without understanding quite why. Soon, Odo and Jake Sisko realize that there is a correlation between the disappearance of the officers and the lives of the four missing people appear to be in serious jeopardy!

I'd like to take this opportunity to write a notation on the larger Deep Space Nine experience because it occurs to me that I've written eight other reviews without ever mentioning this; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a dark series. If you've been watching, you know what I'm talking about. I should have mentioned it earlier, but Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a series that must be watched in the dark. Not just with the lights off, but with no external light. It's a dark series and being in darkness acts as a conduit to the station or whatever setting is on. Plus, I can tell you, there are times that even minor glare will obscure important details. Not in this episode or any that I've yet reviewed, but trust me, they're out there! If you're following any of my recommendations and actually watching any of these shows, it's essential you watch them in the dark.

That said, "Move Along Home" is a basically fun episode and because outside having a completely lame plot, I honestly can't put my finger on what's wrong with it, I'm going to actually recommend it for the serious Star Trek Deep Space Nine fans only.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete First Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the first season by clicking here!
Thanks!]


5/10

For other reviews of Star Trek episodes, please check out my index page!

© 2011, 2007, 2001 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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"Dax" Is On Trial For Her Backstory

The Good: Character building, Establishes xenobiological details, Fair acting, Lack of political correctness.
The Bad: Weak plot, Lack of resolution
The Basics: Exceptionally useful for building future plots using Jadzia Dax (and the planet Trill), but slow and inbred for non-fans.


Following a delightful attempt to woo Jadzia Dax, Dr. Bashir follows her back to her quarters only to witness her being assaulted and getting himself knocked unconscious in the process. So begins "Dax," an episode that features remarkably few lines from the title character.

Rather quickly, "Dax" turns into an extradition hearing. It turns out a foreign government wants to charge Dax (the worm-like symbiont) with treason, and Sisko, being the pal that he is, decides to fight the deportation of his officer by pointing out that they're trying to extradite Jadzia, a woman who wasn't even alive when the crime was committed.

Confused? Most people not into Star Trek's modern incarnations would be. Jadzia Dax is a Trill, a joined species introduced in the Star Trek The Next Generation episode "The Host" (reviewed here!) and the point of the episode "Dax" is mostly to explain what the Trill are (though we saw the symbiont briefly in the pilot "Emissary"). Using a courtroom setting, various characters flesh out the Trill race and explain what exactly a "joined species" is.

This episode does a whole lot of exposition and occasionally it feels that way. One of the guest stars (the only other Trill in the episode) is thoroughly bland on the witness stand. On the other hand, the aged Bajoran arbiter is wonderful.

One of the things I did enjoy about this episode is a refreshing change from most other Trek episodes or series'; a distinct lack of political correctness. I actually like the sheer number of distinctions that are made between men and women in the episode. Bashir, for instance, is making a pretty heavy pass at Jadzia in the beginning and rather than getting uppity and crying "sexual harassment," she seems somewhat charmed and that's nice because Julian is fairly charming (or he's supposed to be!). In the fight scene, Bashir hesitates when he realizes one of the assailants is a woman and that costs him. But, basically, there's a nice sense that there are differences in the genders and that's a good thing here. I liked that.

"Dax" isn't terribly entertaining for non-Trek, especially non-DS9, fans. It's like an episode of The Practice in space, but without the intensity. It tries to be more important than it is, exploring the ethical dilemma as thoroughly as possible, but basically coming off as a wonderful potential pilot for a "Dr. Bashir's Adventures In Xenobiology" spin-off. If you're into Star Trek Deep Space Nine or getting into the series, this episode answers some essential questions that come up in far more important episodes. This does serve as an excellent example of how the show plans ahead. Certain details about the relationship between the host and symbiont are brought out.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete First Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the first season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

5/10

For other Star Trek reviews, please check out my index page!

© 2011, 2007, 2001 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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"Emissary:" Every Epic Starts Somewhere And This Is It For Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!

The Good: Excellent beginning, Good initial characterization
The Bad: The "eye scenes" get grating quickly, Some effect work looks less refined (usual "pilot problems").
The Basics: A good-enough beginning strong in the fundamentals, "Emissary" makes it worth committing to the series (though viewers need to be patient)!


Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is arguably the best of the Trek franchise because it is the most adult Trek series. It's refreshing to have a series that treats its viewers with intelligence and "Emissary" does that from the beginning by presenting adult characters who have extensive histories and they are not all happy. In fact, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine begins filled with angst.

Following the battle of Wolf 359 where Commander Benjamin Sisko loses his wife to the Borg attack, the young first officer retreats to the shipyards on Utopia Planitia for years to simply work on starships. Then, the day comes that he is reassigned to an alien outpost in the backwater of space and he grudgingly takes the assignment. Reporting in as the StarFleet leader of Deep Space Nine, Sisko finds the Cardassian station is disrepair with its denizens fleeing rapidly. After receiving officers and small starships called Runabouts from the U.S.S. Enterprise, Sisko soon finds himself alone, raising his son on an alien station around an alien world, feeling pretty miserable.

That misery changes when he meets a Bajoran spiritual leader named Kai Opaka, who informs him that he has a destiny to fulfill. He grudgingly accepts her mission to find the Temple of the Prophets (the Bajoran gods) and he takes an artifact back to Deep Space Nine with him to study. With his new science officer and old friend (sort of), Dax, Sisko soon traces the artifact to a region of space near the station where he and Dax soon find a spatial anomaly that ought not to exist. The discovery of a stable wormhole is potentially the biggest find in the history of the area, but when Sisko and Dax are lost in the anomaly, it is up to the Bajoran first officer, Major Kira, to take control of Deep Space Nine and secure the claim for her people.

The fundamentals of the series are established here: Commander Sisko meets some aliens in a celestial body called a Wormhole as he attempts to reconcile the loss of his wife and Major Kira represents the ravaged Bajor aboard the space station Deep Space Nine. The rest of the series fundamentally deals with these two things: the wormhole/Dominion and the Bajoran/Cardassian relationship. The third main plot - which is actually a mediation of the two major ones - also begins here: the relationship between Benjamin Sisko and Gul Dukat. All are begun here.

The plot of "Emissary" relies on some very specific Star Trek franchise knowledge. For example, the beginning of the episode illustrates the Battle of Wolf 359, which was fought in "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II" (reviewed here!), though in that Star Trek The Next Generation episode, all the viewer saw were the effects of the battle. Similarly, a lot of information on what wormholes are in the Star Trek universe (especially how unstable they are) is dealt with in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Price" (reviewed here!). This is not to say that "Emissary" is particularly derivative or that it is difficult to get into (the opening scroll well establishes the circumstances of the Battle of Wolf 359 and there is ample technobabble to inform viewers of what wormholes are all about), only that this new chapter in the Star Trek franchise is enhanced by some knowledge of what has come before.

The particularly brilliant thing about "Emissary" is in beginning the story of Deep Space Nine, it doesn't feel so much like a beginning. We are meeting people very clearly in transition in their lives, but who aren't just starting. They come to the station with a head on their shoulders, for the most part.

The essential characters introduced are:
Benjamin Sisko - widower, father, leader of Deep Space Nine,
Kira Nerys - Bajoran former-terrorist, first officer, religious fundamentalist,
Odo - Security chief and shape shifter,
Miles O'Brien - (Essentially) Engineer, husband, father,
Jadzia Dax - Science Officer, Trill, babe and reigning sense of humor,
Julian Bashir - Human doctor with delusions of becoming a hero,
Quark - Ferengi, capitalist, local bar owner,
Jake Sisko - Son of Ben, student,
Nog - Ferengi, nephew of Quark, petty thief,
Gul Dukat - Cardassian, Opportunistic former leader of Deep Space Nine.
Oh, and Morn - local barstool occupant. :)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine does what all good adult shows do - it builds upon itself, it starts at a beginning and it progresses from there. This is the beginning of a highly serialized storyline. While the first and second season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine have an extensive number of "bottle" episodes (or self contained), they largely do character work and the overall story progresses and develops. That is, as an adult series, commitment is required.

"Emissary" is the story of how everyone arrives at Deep Space Nine, the discovery of the first stable wormhole, and the first stabilizing elements of the Bajoran government. The nice thing is this episode is more setting up the board than moving the pieces. Instead of coming up with cheap answers, this episode sets up the questions that will rule the series. Who are the Prophets? What does it mean that they exist outside time? Why did the Cardassians finally leave Bajor, a planet they had enslaved for over fifty years? What will the Cardassians do now that something of true value has been found in the area they only recently abandoned? What does it mean that Benjamin Sisko is a spiritual figure to the Bajorans? How does that work when he is also the head of the StarFleet presence on space station Deep Space Nine? Will Morn ever speak?

The acting is competent, though it's hard to tell in the case of Avery Brooks as Sisko, whose character is traumatized and coming out of a long shock. He seems listless and boring. It takes a while for him to come out of that, but by the end of the episode, the viewer is given a glimpse of the stronger man he re-becomes! Brooks is playing a deep game as Sisko and it is important in "Emissary" that he not grow so much as to make his character arc appear worthless to begin with. Brooks plays Sisko as a many plagued by demons that are not easily exorcised. He does that extraordinarily well.

The downside of the episode is twofold: 1. Being that it is the beginning of an adult series, it requires some trust and patience, 2. For non-Trek fans, it asks a lot of that with the recurrence of "eye scenes." Eye scenes are in the wormhole with the heartbeat going and they're just too much for a beginning. Basically, inside the wormhole, where Sisko encounters the Prophets, there is an abstract sense of reality and the establishment of those scenes involves long, slow pans in to Sisko's eyes and the sound of his heartbeat thumping in the viewer's ears. These scenes become repetitive quickly. They do, however, establish a very different and compelling alien presence.

Forgive the producers and writers and stick with the series! This is the best show out there, or it was for years, on a consistent basis. It has a good, but rocky start. It's a long term investment on an adult series!

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete First Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the first season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

7.5/10

For other Star Trek episode, movie or DVD set reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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A Ghost Story, Star Trek The Next Generation Style Is "The Next Phase!"

The Good: Clever Premise, Good Acting, Interesting Character Development
The Bad: Well, why DON'T they fall through the floors?!
The Basics: When Ro and LaForge fall out of phase, they learn of a Romulan plot to destroy the Enterprise and the Federation and must work to let their friends know!


Sometimes when Star Trek The Next Generation innovated, they did great things. They managed to take several standards and put out great pieces, from psychological thrillers ("Frame Of Mind") to invasion stories ("Conspiracy") to romance ("The Perfect Mate") to comedy ("Q-Pid"). Star Trek The Next Generation had a way of making a distinctive piece out of material that had been done or overdone. In "The Next Phase," the series took on the classic ghost story.

When the Enterprise encounters a damaged Romulan scout ship, they render assistance and promptly lose Ensign Ro and Chief Engineer Geordi LaForge. As the crew of the Enterprise mourns the loss of their officers and saves the Romulan ship, Ro and LaForge awaken on the Enterprise, but no one can see or hear them. Geordi soon realizes that the two of them have somehow been pushed out of phase, that their type of matter is able to pass through all other matter, kind of like the difference between gaseous and liquid states. Fearing the implications of a Romulan phasing device that would make Federation shields and defensive networks obsolete, Ro and LaForge work to return themselves while being hunted by a Romulan in the same predicament.

The reason a ghost story where people pass through walls and cannot be seen by anyone else works is because we don't know what ghosts are or how they exist. There are certain aspects of disbelief that may be suspended under the guise, "It's a ghost, so it can do that." The problem in "The Next Phase" is that Ro and Geordi are not ghosts. Therefore, their ability to pass through walls and objects ought not to be limited to walls. So, why Geordi and Ro (who still seem to be victims of gravity) do not simply get sucked through the floors of the ship to the source of the Enterprise's gravity is a mystery that is unsatisfactorily resolved. Indeed, the writers shirk from even addressing this rather important issue.

Outside that rather glaring flaw, "The Next Phase" is a great episode. Instead of being some form of ridiculous "this is how we should live our lives" type ghost story, this becomes an interestingly plotted show that has a problem and solution that are closely related.

Add to that, this is a good use of most of the characters. While Ro is convinced she is dead and attempts to make amends, Geordi becomes closely involved with Data's investigation of the phenomenon and seeing the two working together, though separately, is intriguing. Add to that, Riker's comments on Ro and Data's attempts to make a worthwhile memorial to the fallen officers is both funny and realistic.

The episode hinges on two performances, those of Levar Burton and Michelle Forbes. Burton does a great job at playing LaForge as energized and enthusiastic in a way that he has never done before. Unlike prior episodes where Geordi has to solve a problem ("Galaxy's Child," for example), here Geordi seems in control and competent at the least. His solution to the problem is great and it reminds us that Geordi has a purpose. I suspect much of Burton's performance as Geordi is simply Burton expressing appreciation for being used. He was easily the most neglected talent on Star Trek The Next Generation.

But this is also Michelle Forbes' time to shine. Forbes has played Ro as angry, acerbic, seductive and outright mean. Here she has the chance to employ her acting abilities to infuse Ro with deep remorse. She manages to take the emotions far beyond the simple lines given to her and convey a very genuine sense that Ro is sorry for her mistakes and even the life that she's had. She gives a performance that reads as very true for anyone who has ever had a regret.

If you're not a fan of science fiction or action films, there is little to recommend here. "The Next Phase" is part political thriller, part conspiracy drama, part action/chase story and it comes together quite well because it is focused on the characters. Anyone who enjoys immersing themselves in a place other than Earth will find "The Next Phase" a nice distraction.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Fifth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the fifth season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

7.5/10

For other Star Trek episode or movie reviews, please visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"Redemption, Part 2:" War Among The Warriors

The Good: Character, Pace, Acting, Special effects
The Bad: Obvious plot resolutions
The Basics: Picking up where the season finale left off, "Redemption, Part 2" begins a more serialized season with a series of important plot and character developments.


When the fourth season of Star Trek The Next Generation ended, Worf had left to go join the Klingons and the Klingon Empire had degenerated into a Romulan-inspired Civil War. This left a rather compelling cliffhanger and a lot for the series to resolve right away. Indeed, trying to top the previous season's "The Best of Both Worlds" cliffhanger, "Redemption, Part 1" (reviewed here!) gave it a run for its money by setting up more threads, if not better threads.

"Redemption, Part 2" does what it needs to in resolving the various plots. The Klingon Civil War is a huge obstacle to overcome and it takes most of the episode. Worf's participation in that gives us an anchor; it provides us with someone to watch that we actually care about. As Worf debates between his StarFleet sensibilities and his Klingon heritage, the mysterious Romulan figure introduced as the end of the first part is encountered by the Enterprise and explored. As Picard engineers a Federation blockade of the Romulan/Klingon border, a new thread is created which is Data taking command of a ship in the blockade. As Worf fights for Gowron and the legitimate Klingon government, the Romulan-led insurgency threatens to destabilize the Quadrant. And Data is put in command of a starship that might be all that can stand between hope and failure.

With all of the different threads, the last choice seems an odd one for the writers and producers to pursue. The conflict between Data and his first officer, Commander Hobson, seems somewhat forced and tacked on, as if the episode fell about five minutes short and they needed to add something to it. However, fans of the series, at the beginning of this season which is more serialized than the show has been, will appreciate Data's first command experience and the results of his place in the blockade will be alluded to again.

The genuine problem with Hobson and Data is that it seems like it ought to be old news. Data is such a well-defined character by this point in the series that the viewer often needs a reminder that he is an android. As a result, he is put in situations where he might take a piece of his equipment out of his arm to cause a distraction or have his head detached or such, but here we're reminded of his lack of humanity by a simple anti-racism message. It's pretty tired for the Star Trek universe as established. This is supposed to be a colorblind future where people are judged on their merits, yet Hobson uses some of the oldest rhetoric in the book. That said, it's a very short portion of the episode, which is why it has a somewhat tacked on feel.

The explanation of the mysterious Romulan is dealt with as well as it could be. Harkening to the events of "Yesterday's Enterprise" (reviewed here!), the new Romulan Commander makes an auspicious entrance and her arrival makes for a good story and ultimately works. Commander Sela is the logical consequence of the convoluted time-travel episode and it's the best idea that the writers could come up with if they were going to use that storyline. Fortunately, the machinations of the genesis of the Romulan commander are not belabored and instead the episode simply uses her. She is an intriguing character.

Worf's character is challenged the greatest here and as he experiences the Klingon Civil War, he grows by a strange integration of his initial characterization with his experiences over the prior four years. That is, Worf comes to acknowledge that he is an outsider and accept it better than he did while he was discommendated. So, rather than simply tie up the loose ends, this episode nicely progresses the Worf character. Worf actually grows! That's the best we may hope for from television and it also sets Worf up as a more serialized character (things in his character arc tend to have consequences).

The acting in "Redemption, Part 2" is a nice use of the talents of those involved. Tony Todd plays Kurn, Worf's brother, far more aggressively than in the first part and it works quite well, creating a vital character through harsher tones and more physical acting. Todd wonderfully contrasts Dorn's cooler, more depressed and conflicted portrayal of Worf.

Barbara March and Gwynyth Walsh create memorable characters of Lursa and B'Etor, which is probably they continue to return to the Star Trek universe. Even more compelling is the portrayal by Denise Crosby of Sela. Crosby makes Sela an interesting villain and creates a coolly hostile character distinctly different from her first season character Tasha Yar.

This episode is an essential part of the Worf character story and the plot is integral to the Klingon and Romulan plots that are developed in the future. "Redemption, Part 2," however, is almost impossible to view without the first part and is almost entirely inaccessible to those who are not fans of Star Trek The Next Generation. This is very insular, alluding to specific events in the Star Trek universe and the characters that have not been explored in the two parter but are essential to understanding why the characters do what they do.

Featuring a cameo by Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg), "Redemption, Part II" compellingly opens the fifth season with an exploration of consequences and the nature of being an outsider among ones own people.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Fifth Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the fifth season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

7.5/10

For other Star Trek episode and movie reviews, please be sure to check out my index page on the subject by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.




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A Fitting End To An Already Dead Character: "Yesterday's Enterprise" Is Clever!

The Good: Acting, Interesting plot, Tone, Special effects
The Bad: Occasionally slow pacing, Belaboring the point
The Basics: A fair episode, "Yesterday's Enterprise" puts the Enterprise in an alternate universe where the Klingons and Federation are at war and Tasha Yar lives.


When Tasha Yar was killed in the first season of Star Trek The Next Generation, it had the effect of balancing the cast off. Worf was given a purpose and the resulting shift moved Geordi into the position of Chief Engineer. In the long run, Tasha's death in "Skin Of Evil" (reviewed here!) served the series well. Still, each season, there is the obligatory Tasha Yar reference. In season two, it's "The Measure Of A Man" and "Shades Of Gray." In season three of Star Trek The Next Generation, the Tasha Yar episode is "Yesterday's Enterprise." For a character who was not around for terribly long, Tasha Yar resonated with the fans and the producers of the series.

"Yesterday's Enterprise" finds the Enterprise altered when it encounters a time/space anomaly. Suddenly, Tasha Yar is alive once more and working on the bridge and the Enterprise is a warship and the Federation is at war with the Klingon Empire. The anomaly deposits the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-C from the past. Rumored to be destroyed protecting a Klingon outpost from a Romulan attack, the Enterprise-C is heavily damaged and Captain Rachael Garret is seriously wounded. After discussions with Picard, Garret learns that the war is going badly and the Enterprise C's presence in the war is likely to make little difference. They theorize that had the Enterprise-C been destroyed in the past, the war might have been prevented. The Enterprise-C prepares to go back into the past and certain death when Klingons attack the two ships. Garret is killed and Lieutenant Castillo, a man who has fallen in love with Tasha Yar, is forced to take command. Yar, for her part, has been getting odd looks from Guinan, who understands that the timeline has been altered and reveals to Yar that she ought to be dead.

Often, "Yesterday's Enterprise" rates as one of the best episodes of the series. I believe, honestly, that it is mostly nostalgia over seeing Tasha Yar alive, because while "Yesterday's Enterprise" is not a bad episode, there are many that are better. This episode is an example of not using a good premise to its best ability. And this is an episode that cannot be blamed on Brannon Braga!

That is to say that "Yesterday's Enterprise" has a wonderful idea; the whole war idea, the time travel elements, the relationship Tasha Yar has in this setting. They all are good ideas. The problem is that the story is written to point out the good ideas almost constantly, rather than actually experience them. So, for example, the Tasha Yar plot is explained by Guinan far more than Yar actually DOES anything. Yar mulls her death in the alternate universe far more than she comes alive as a vibrant character. In short, it feels like she is out of place, coming back to a setting rather than like she has been on the Enterprise for years.

The episode belabors Yar's presence, as if to say "Look! It's Tasha Yar! She's back!" It treats Yar like a spectacle to be observed as opposed to a real and vibrant character that has been around, alive and doing things in the alternate timeline. So, while the viewer might feel like Yar's appearance is a novelty, the problem with the episode is that it makes the appearance feel like a novelty, in part by continually pointing Yar out.

Outside the obvious problem of spending more time focusing on the mechanics of the episode as opposed to actually developing the plot and characters naturally, the episode goes overboard in presenting Tasha Yar. The whole idea that Tasha Yar ought to be dead in the "normal" universe is reiterated over and over and over again.

To its credit, the episode is fun to watch. The differences between the Enterprise-D we are accustomed to and the alternate universe Galaxy Class ship are subtle and enjoyable to watch. The space battles are incredible. "Yesterday's Enterprise" employs new sets for the bridge and the special effects in the space battles are suitably impressive even today. This is a well-designed episode in terms of production values.

In addition, the acting is good. Patrick Stewart does an excellent job as Picard, taking the character from determined skepticism to understanding. Stewart evolves his character's understanding slowly and subtly and he slowly softens throughout the episode. And when he has to play commanding, he switches right into that mode, literally leaping over consoles to embody an enraged and defensive Picard.

Whoopi Goldberg gives a great performance as Guinan in her attempts to articulate the differences in the universes. Goldberg must give a simple performance that reiterates the plot and do it with the idea that her character has some perception that transcends normal space-time. As someone who grew up watching Goldberg's comedy routines, it's astonishing to watch her understated performance as Guinan and this episode is one of her better ones.

The real gem of the episode is Denise Crosby. She brings Tasha Yar to life in a way that seems obvious to say in a review. When Tasha Yar was killed in the first season, she had little development and the magnitude of the loss is disproportionate to the references following it. Crosby lends a dignity and force of character to a role that is essentially flat. She makes us believe Yar possesses the strength of character to want to die with dignity doing something big and grand.

"Yesterday's Enterprise" is a great time travel episode that serves to expand the Star Trek Universe, going a long way to filling in the gap between Star Trek and Star Trek The Next Generation. And while the episode is technically heavy, with a lot of jargon, it is accessible on that level. However, this episode is difficult to watch without understanding who Tasha Yar was and who Guinan is. They are the characters - and actors - on which this episode hinges.

A must for those into Star Trek The Next Generation, as it has repercussions that are later revisited, "Yesterday's Enterprise" revived a dead member of the crew as a result of a time travel accident and offers a lot to come back to again and again.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Third Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the third season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

8/10

For other Star Trek episode reviews, please visit my index page!

© 2011, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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This Time, The Romulans Have REALLY Returned: "The Enemy!"

The Good: Good adversaries, good acting, good pacing, good character development
The Bad: Weak plot stretched into an hour show
The Basics: A surprisingly rewatchable episode, "The Enemy" pits Worf in a moral dilemma and Geordi in a struggle for survival.


In the uninspired first season finale to Star Trek The Next Generation, "The Neutral Zone" (reviewed here!), the Romulans make a reappearance and explicitly announce that they have returned. Yipee. Now, almost two years later, they actually do.

In "The Enemy," the Enterprise arrives at the stormy planet Galorndon Core, where they have received a distress call. This planet is on the Federation side of the Neutral Zone and as it turns out, the downed craft is a Romulan scoutship. One Romulan is recovered from the surface and, in the process, Geordi is lost in an electromagnetic storm. The Romulan on the Enterprise is dying and Worf has necessary ribosomes to save him, but he's refusing as his parents were killed by Romulans. Geordi, meanwhile, discovers another Romulan, Bochra, on the surface of Galorndon Core, who is dying. The two must work together to survive.

"The Enemy" succeeds largely because it takes a fairly weak plot and populates it with interesting character work. That is, the "lost on a planet" and "save a dying enemy" plots are both not enough to fill the time and combining them barely adds more. Fortunately, a lot of the time is not spent belaboring the actual situations, but working their way out of them with character.

To that end, the Worf plot, one worth exploring, is often under-rated in favor of the Geordi plot. But the name "The Enemy" tends to refer to the Worf plot, as Geordi and Bochra quickly become allies to survive. In a simplistic way, this episode is a simple metaphor for cooperation: Geordi and Bochra work together and survive, Worf and the dying Romulan refuse one another and one does not survive (guess which one). Fortunately the episode "reads" as more interesting than that.

Levar Burton gives a wonderful performance as Geordi, making the wounded, lost officer convincing on what we rationally know is a soundstage. Burton infuses a desperate quality to Geordi's body language and voice that is difficult in a character that is unable to use his eyes to convey information.

Michael Dorn, as well, shines as Worf, bringing the Klingon to life with resentment and anger that is more than simply the words on the page to a script. It's too bad there were never acting awards given to those on Star Trek The Next Generation; Dorn and Burton ought to have been nominated for this episode.

In fact, the acting carries this episode further than the plot does. And the actors are playing characters in compelling struggles and that is enough to bring us back to this episode again and again.

"The Enemy" does not make explicit a lot of the Romulan/Federation backstory, making it difficult for non-fans of Star Trek The Next Generation. Nevertheless, the essential character conflicts and struggles are enough to make it interesting to those unfamiliar with Star Trek.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete Third Season on DVD, which is also a better economical choice than buying the VHS. Read my review of the third season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

7/10

For other Star Trek episode reviews, please visit this index page by clicking here for the listing of reviews!

© 2011, 2008, 2002 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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The Passing Of The Torch With The Passing Of The Captain Is Star Trek: Generations!

The Good: Decent acting, Moments of character, Sense of resolution, DVD Bonus features
The Bad: Plot is very standard, Character issues, Technical issues of the plot device
The Basics: When Star Trek passes the cinematic torch to the Next Generation crew, the result is a poorly conceived plot-heavy movie that fails to illustrate understanding of the characters involved.


There are few series' that have the difficulty that the Star Trek franchise did. Unable to sell his pilot episode, but having so much money tied up in its production, Gene Roddenberry was given a second chance, and a third to create Star Trek. After three years, it was canceled and years later it found its audience in syndication and with Star Trek: The Animated Series. After a few successful films, Star Trek: The Next Generation was launched and after seven years of being the top-rated syndicated television show, that series called it quits. Before it was off the air, Paramount confirmed that there would be a new Star Trek movie and that it would feature the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Star Trek: Generations was always going to be a film that passed the torch from Star Trek to Star Trek: The Next Generation and the intent was to finally seal off the Star Trek storyline somewhat conclusively. The thing is, it feels like that. It feels like a movie that has the very real goal of establishing the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D as being as larger than life and heroic as the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 (and -A). I recall being very excited when I first went to see Star Trek: Generations and offending a very close friend of mine who was working tech on a school play the same night Star Trek: Generations premiered. Sure, I went to see her play, but it was after I saw the film and I was ambivalent to both the movie and her play (though I liked the quilt she made for it!). In retrospect, I know I ought to have paid much more attention to her play and her hard work in it, but at the time, I guess I just didn't know how to prioritize people that way.

What I did know how to do was evaluate things, like films and that objective mindset is what left me ambiguous to the experience of Star Trek: Generations.

When the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-B is being launched under the command of Captain John Harriman, Captains Kirk and Scott and Commander Chekov come aboard as part of a press tour of the launching of the historic ship. When two refugee ships are caught in a mysterious energy ribbon, Kirk encourages Harriman to rescue them, as it is the only ship in the area. This has disastrous results as the Enterprise is severely damaged, one of the refugee ships is destroyed and Captain Kirk is killed.

Approximately seventy years later, the U.S.S. Enterprise-D is out exploring the galaxy when Picard learns his brother has been killed in a fire and a Federation scientific outpost has been attacked. Investigating the outpost, Picard's crew rescues Dr. Tolian Soran, an El-Aurian who was rescued by the Enterprise-B. While Lt. Commander Data deals with suddenly having emotions as a result of Dr. Soong's emotion chip, Soran launches a probe at a nearby star, destroying it, a brash act that results in him abducting Geordi and teaming up with the Klingon sisters, Lursa and B'Etor. Overcome by guilt, Data tries to help Picard determine how to recover Geordi and what Soran's goals are, which all seem tied to the energy ribbon which is nearby again!

Star Trek: Generations is riddled with both problems and allusions to Star Trek: The Next Generation, the latter of which will be lost on non-fans. For example, Data's emotion chip is not just a plot-convenient device contrived for the film, it was first introduced in the fourth season episode "Brothers.” Similarly, knowing that the Enterprise has a history with the Duras sisters from such episodes as "Firstborn,” enhances the viewer's understanding of the position they are in and the grudge they have for the members of the Enterprise crew.

The problem is, if one understands those allusions, Star Trek: Generations is significantly less of a film than one would want it to be. Take, for example, the presence of the Duras Sisters in the film. Their purpose is to use Soran's technical knowledge to develop a trilithium bomb. This makes no sense for two reasons. Trilithium is introduced in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Starship Mine" where it is characterized as a common by-product of warp engines and highly unstable, if one does not use an inhibitor on any case carrying trilithium resin. So, trilithium is neither unknown, uncommon, nor undeveloped as a potential weapon. The Duras sisters don't need their relationship with Soran to know how to build a trilithium bomb. But more than that, it makes no sense because one of the last times the Duras sisters were seen, in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Past Prologue" their whole deal was SELLING a bomb of about the same magnitude as a trilithium weapon. Knowing the series ruins Star Trek: Generations.

But within the context of Star Trek: Generations, the technical aspects undermine the story. The energy ribbon, we are told throughout the film, is a gateway to the Nexus, a place of pure bliss. Soran is destroying stars to get back to the Nexus. This is perhaps the biggest overreaction to the problem that the writers could have conceived. Dr. Soran makes no sense because his methods make no sense. He is a man searching for bliss. How does he accomplish that? Wiping out stars and star systems. Hmm . . . okay. Once the mechanics of the energy ribbon were explained, Soran makes no sense; in order to get to bliss, all he has to do is beam in front of the ribbon in an environmental suit or fly a shuttlecraft into it. Sure, it's not as villainous, but it fits the rules of the phenomenon the writers provided!

In other words, the plot contrivances overcome any sense of reasonable plot. You know, the more I write about Star Trek: Generations, the less I like it! And I haven't even gotten to the character aspects yet! Star Trek: Generations tries to disguise its weak plot with the appearance of character work, specifically by radically altering Data's character. Data as an android overcome with emotions is an attempt to deliver comic relief to the film and it often seems rather obvious and simple, like Data swearing when the ship takes a serious tilt toward a nearby planet. I understand the idea of Data being like a child, overcome with emotions and thus unable to regulate them. His character works, while somewhat contrived, make sense at least.

The problem is, the three biggest characters in the movie do not make sense. Dr. Soran is a generic villain, megalomaniacal and twisted and the "why" just does not fit. In the novelization of the film, we see Soran's perspective, his paradise that he was removed from and he makes a little more sense (not enough to justify all the carnage he perpetrates). Similarly, Captain Picard is wounded beyond ability to function reasonably as the result of the death of his estranged brother and nephew. Not to be heartless or anything, but Picard was never that close to his family and as a Captain, he's got the ability to compartmentalize. It seriously dumbs down his character to have him so unable to function following the news that Robert and Rene have died in an accident.

But it's Captain James T. Kirk whose character makes no sense in Star Trek: Generations and I understand why. In order to have Kirk make sense, the budget for the film would have been blown on the cast. It was too cost prohibitive to show James Kirk's ideal paradise. I'm of the mindset that if you can't do something right, don't bother doing it at all. Hold out for making a quality product.

In other words, you can't take a legendary pop culture character who has entertained audiences for over eighty hours and expect that you can do just anything with him. Kirk is committed and he's always been happiest when he has a purpose and is exploring the unknown. He's broken every rule and fought harder than any ten men to retain control of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Yet, when we see him in the Nexus, he's chopping wood. Man, that's lame. That's so lame, it . . . it's so lame I can't even make an analogy it lamed me so bad!

So, once Kirk's idea of bliss is undermined, Star Trek: Generations is undermined completely, as it had been since pretty much the moment Soran started being "Ridiculous Movie Villain!"

The acing is fine throughout Star Trek: Generations, despite the gutting of some of the characters. No one stands out as incredible - including Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Soran - but no one is awful either. Indeed, Brent Spiner is finally able to exploit his sense of comic timing as Data and he plays the over-the-top childlike ridiculousness of having emotions quite well.

This plot-heavy film is ideal for those looking for pretty mindless entertainment. There are many explosions and it's probably fine if you just don't think about it. If you're not invested in the characters or the franchise, the inconsistencies are much less annoying. Fans of Star Trek might like it because it has a pretty classic sense of adventure.

But for fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the film is bound to disappoint. Gone is the promise of the last moments of "All Good Things" where the series promised to take viewers into the exploration of the human potential. Then what? The next time we see the crew, it's another obvious "Kill The Villain" film. Star Trek can do better, Star Trek: The Next Generation should have.

On DVD, fans get a commentary track, behind-the-scenes featurettes and deleted scenes (several of which are not finished for cinematic release). None of them truly fix the problems of the film. The bonus disc is packed with featurettes that put the film in context . . . poorly.

At least the torch was effectively passed. Wow, I wish I had actually paid attention to that play now; it must have been better than this movie!

For the other Star Trek films, please click here for the review of the movie franchise!

For other science fiction epics, please check out my reviews of:
Star Wars – Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
Battlefield Earth
Inception

5/10

For other Star Trek film and episode reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2010, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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