“Darkling” + “Dreadnought” = “Warhead,” An Entirely Derivative Episode Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine!

The Good: I want to say the acting, Harry Kim character development, Special effects, Concept
The Bad: Entirely derivative plot, Predictable resolution
The Basics: “Warhead” could have been audacious had the components of it not already been used in other episodes of Star Trek: Voyager.


Arguably the most serious issue with Star Trek: Voyager was that it was a series that was almost entirely derivative. The characters were basically the “best of” Star Trek: The Next Generation’s guest character aspects, but when the series began, the show refused to do heavily serialized episodes and the writers did not seem to know what they wanted to do with the eclectic and interesting characters they had created. As a result, far more frequently than not, Star Trek: Voyager simply recycled prior plots from the Star Trek franchise into new episodes. “Warhead” is one of the most unfortunately obvious episodes that utilizes entirely recycled plot components, though in this case, they are Star Trek: Voyager episodes that are gleaned from.

“Warhead” might have been an incredible episode, had the series not previously released “Dreadnought” (reviewed here!) and “Darkling” (reviewed here!). “Warhead” is, in many ways, simply a mash-up of those two episodes.

On the anniversary of Tom Paris and B’Elanna Torres’s first date, Harry Kim is in command of the night shift when he receives an automated distress call and makes a course correction to find the source of the message. Beaming down to a deserted world with the EMH, they discover a mechanical device that communicates to the Doctor and has bioneural circuitry. At the Doctor’s urging, Kim agrees to beam the wounded artificial intelligence aboard. When they rescue the device and study the area that it claims its comrade was sent to, they realize that the artificial intelligence is actually a missile.

Taken to Sickbay, the artificial intelligence takes control of the Doctor and holds B’Elanna and Harry Kim hostage. The controlled Doctor becomes enraged, but refuses to try to change its nature from the weapon of mass destruction it is told it is. While Neelix helps the crew find an alien who might know how to deactivate the technology of the alien weapon, a fleet of similar missiles heads toward Voyager, looking for their comrade to lead them to the target they may no longer be responsible for attacking!

“Warhead” is just far too late for even the appearance of greatness. The plot is frustratingly familiar – Harry Kim may get the crap kicked out of him more often than not, but it seems B’Elanna Torres is the show’s resident hostage for almost any circumstance! – and there is no real character development. Harry Kim has been commanding the night shift for some time now and this is merely the first episode to concretely illustrate that. The Doctor has had a willingness to stand with alternative life forms before now and “Warhead” does nothing to fundamentally alter that. Instead, it very quickly turns into yet another “possession of the Doctor” episode.

In a similar fashion, “Warhead” is underwhelming on the acting front. Robert Picardo is not at all bad in the episode, but he is not showing any range or emotions that he has not illustrated before. The altered Doctor has Picardo playing a pretty basic variation on the character that he has played before. Even Garrett Wang is not adding anything extraordinary with his performance. He is long beyond playing Harry Kim as naïve or idealistic. Instead, he has played Kim as smart and professional for quite some time and “Warhead” does not add to that.

Ultimately, “Warhead” does not ask any interesting philosophical questions, nor does it recycle previously used plot or character elements in an even remotely interesting way. It can safely be skipped.

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

4/10

For other Star Trek episode and movie reviews, please visit my Star Trek Review Index Page!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Minimizing The Character Conflicts, Star Trek: Voyager’s “Once Upon A Time” Is Star Trek: Voyager For The Kids!

The Good: Moments of character conflict for Neelix and character struggle for Samantha Wildman, Decent direction
The Bad: Oddly simple plot set-up, Oversimplifies both character aspects within the episode
The Basics: “Once Upon A Time” starts as an appropriately complicated episode of Star Trek: Voyager, but too neatly resolves all of the character aspects it explores.


One of the coolest things about going through the Star Trek franchise to review all of the episodes is catching the episodes I did not in the first-run. Actually, when I sat down to “Once Upon A Time,” I realized that this was the very first episode of Star Trek: Voyager that aired after I gave up on the show. By this point, Star Trek: Voyager had disappointed me to the extent that I came to believe that I was watching it more for continuing my reputation as an Alpha Geek (and to be able to win trivia contests at Star Trek conventions) than because I was actually enjoying the show. In fact, by this point, I had reached the conclusion that the series was never going to truly surprise or impress me. Watching “Once Upon A Time” for the first and second times for review, I realized that I gave up the show at the right time.

“Once Upon A Time” is another example of a good set-up for an episode in the Star Trek franchise that fails on the follow-through. The episode sets up two important and potentially compelling character struggles or conflicts, but then wimps out on both of them. Unlike many episodes of Star Trek: Voyager that simply steals from Star Trek: The Next Generation, “Once Upon A Time” is essentially a combination of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s “The Ship” (reviewed here!) and Star Trek: Voyager’s own “Jetrel” (reviewed here!).

Neelix pulls Naomi Wildman out of her children’s holodeck program, The Adventures Of Flotter to get a message from her mother, Samantha. After talking with her daughter, Samantha reveals to Neelix that the Delta Flyer has encountered an ion storm that is unusually severe and they are having difficulties. The Delta Flyer crashes on a planet where is sinks exceptionally deep. With Samantha Wildman wounded and the air in the Delta Flyer running out, Voyager works to find the lost shuttle.

Also on Voyager, Naomi continues visiting her holodeck program, one which takes a dark turn as the water elemental, Flotter, is vaporized by the Ogre Of Fire. Neelix becomes very protective of Naomi, fearing that the girl is too sensitive to deal with real life death when the loss of the fictional character hits her hard. Projecting his own insecurities and fears onto Naomi, Neelix begins to unspool, leaving Janeway questioning his decisions as her guardian.

“Once Upon A Time” has a decent character idea and could have been another worthwhile episode for Neelix that followed in the tradition of “Mortal Coil” (reviewed here!). But instead of delving beyond the simple exposition of Neelix’s issue – that his experience of watching his family and people die, especially his younger sister has led him to shelter Naomi Wildman – the episode fills with scenes like Neelix replicating a stuffed Flotter for Naomi (surprisingly, this was a merchandising ploy that was never followed up on aggressively!). In fact, for fans of Star Trek: Voyager, “Once Upon A Time” is particularly disappointing. The loyal viewer gets Neelix’s character conflict almost immediately. A far more interesting turn for the episode might have been the exact opposite; Neelix scaring the hell out of Naomi by speaking to her too graphically about death (which should be something Naomi should have some experience with, considering she has been through so many space battles and alien invasions!).

Similarly, when the crash occurs, Samantha Wildman’s prognosis is remarkably poor. Tom Paris gives the Ensign a stimulant and her condition is hardly presented is as mortal a wound as it initially was. Star Trek Voyager cops out in a way that even Star Trek: The Next Generation seldom did. Instead of keeping with a darker tone, like “The Ship,” and saddling Neelix with the continued care of Naomi Wildman, much like Worf was with Alexander in “New Ground” (reviewed here!), “Once Upon A Time” opts for a safe, easy way out for the peril of Samantha Wildman.

Outside that, the only real issue with “Once Upon A Time” comes with the characterization of Tuvok and Paris on the Delta Flyer and the strength of the Delta Flyer itself. The Delta Flyer was built as a powerful replacement shuttlecraft and that it is so easily knocked about by a simple ion storm minimizes the significance of the new vessel. Tuvok explaining that he will not record a message for his wife, favoring writing instead, is utterly illogical. After all, it is entirely logical that a Vulcan security officer would have a recorded message for his family on Voyager and would not need a supplemental one for the specific circumstances that led to his loss (i.e. the sentiments he wants to express have been expressed in a recorded message on Voyager, freeing him up to actually work until the very last possible moment on a solution to any problem he encounters.

Samantha Wildman accents the rather lame idea in the Star Trek franchise that only the main crewmembers whom we see on the bridge are the only really competent people on the ship.

Ethan Philips does fine as Neelix, though too much of his dialogue forces the actor to tread into the realm of melodrama, as opposed to presenting the character with a realistic sense of balance. “Once Upon A Time” marks the first appearance of Scarlett Pomers as Naomi Wildman and she is the actress who sticks for the role. She is an adequate child actor in the role and when she plays the character with literal wide-eyed surprise it is as close to real as such things actually are.

In the end, “Once Upon A Time” is a tightly average episode of Star Trek Voyager that skimps on the depth of the original conflicts the episode establishes, making it far less compelling for adults than it could have been. That said, for those when young Trekkers progress beyond Star Trek: The Animated Series this episode makes a decent entre into the live-action Trek for children.

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

4.5/10

For other Star Trek episode and movie reviews, please visit my Star Trek Review Index Page!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Gul Dukat Resurfaces With A New “Covenant” And Some Old Appetites!

The Good: Decent character development, Good acting
The Bad: Very predictable plot.
The Basics: When Kira is transported to Empok Nor, she finds Dukat in charge of a Pah-wraith cult that he is hoping she will join.


Sometimes, the fundamental problem with an episode of television or a movie is not so much what is in the work as what is lacking from it. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had remarkably few episodes that could be characterized as “formulaic” or “predictable,” but “Covenant” in the seventh season certainly was one of them. While the episode is not actually bad, it lacks a certain spark to allow one to consider it anywhere near extraordinary.

Even so, “Covenant” is not bad and it marks the return of Gul Dukat to the Star Trek universe. For the first time since “Tears Of The Prophets” (reviewed here!), Dukat appears and there is a sense that he has been on a somewhat singular quest since he was last seen. Like a few episodes before, “Covenant” is very much a piece that focuses on Dukat and Kira Nerys. This time, they square off as a very different sort of adversary; people coming from diametrically opposed religious beliefs!

After being moved by a sermon on the importance of forgiveness, Kira meets with Vedek Fala, one of the religious figures from her youth. Begging her forgiveness, Fala gives Kira a transponder and she is immediately beamed away. Materializing in Empok Nor, Deep Space Nine’s abandoned sister station in Dominion space, Kira is shocked to find a community of Bajorans. The group is an organization that worships the Pah-wraiths and Kira is even more surprised to discover that Dukat is their religious leader.

Shocked that Bajorans would be willing to lay down their lives to protect Dukat and distressed that Fala is one of Dukat’s followers, Kira interacts with the followers and attempts to challenge them. One of the Bajoran women, a married woman named Mika, is very pregnant and when her child is born, it confirms that Dukat has not changed all of his ways. As Dukat attempts to spin the birth of a half-Cardassian baby to his followers, Kira works to stop him and escape from the distant outpost.

What is most disappointing about “Covenant” is how the writers of the episode mortgage a real opportunity for character growth for the character of Dukat in favor of a remarkably predictable Jonestown-style cult story. The first half of the episode, wherein Kira is forced to wrestle with the idea that Dukat may well have turned over a new leaf and is actually leading a community of Bajorans successfully is remarkably engaging. However, when Mika gives birth, the episode takes a turn into the unfortunately obvious. Dukat is, once again, backed into a corner and it is hard to stomach given how he has been touched by the Pah-wraiths before now and in the final arc of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, he is truly their most devout follower.

As a result, it seems irksome that Dukat, who was initially characterized as a deeply determined individual, would not be able to control his own libido. Dukat makes a reasonably convincing spiritual leader in “Covenant” and while I usually thrill over seeing a televangelist brought down by their own hypocrisy, in “Covenant,” it just seems lazy. The debate between the role the Prophets have played in Bajor’s history versus the role the Pah-wraiths could play is an intriguing one. That debate is cut short by problems with the messenger (Dukat) as opposed to a fundamental issue with the philosophies.

That said, Marc Alaimo makes an electric return to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as (no longer Gul ) Dukat. Alaimo is articulate and presents Dukat without anger (until the final scene) in a way that makes it undeniable that the character believes in the faith he is espousing. While it is difficult to assess whether or not he truly cares about Bajor, Dukat is completely invested in the Pah-wraiths and Alaimo eliminates any trace of Dukat’s former craziness from the presentation to sell that.

Nana Visitor, as always, plays opposite Alaimo with an excellent adversarial chemistry. In “Covenant,” Kira cannot simply take a swing a Dukat or shoot him (as she quickly discovers). Visitor, then, is forced to play Kira throughout the episode with a quiet rage and she tightens her body language to help embody that constant anger. She does that remarkably well.

It is also worth noting that “Covenant” has one of the wonderful scenes that illustrates genuine chemistry between Odo and Kira. As the episode opens, Odo laments to Bashir and Dax how his lack of faith means that he has less time to spend with Kira. It’s a nice scene and it illustrates well how Odo’s character has grown. It also affords Rene Auberjonois and Nana Visitor a nice opportunity to play some mature on-screen chemistry and that works out nicely.

Ultimately, though, “Covenant” is a simple, predictable story that leaves little room for analysis or debate. This is simply another important step in moving the characters on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine to their fates at series’ end.

[Knowing that the season is a much better investment, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Complete Seventh Season on DVD, which provides the full story for the conclusion to the series. Read my review of the final season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

7.5/10

For other Star Trek episode reviews, please be sure to visit my organized listing of them through the Star Trek Review Index Page!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Never Have I Cared So Much For Seeing A 60 Year-Old Get Laid As “A Simple Investigation!”

The Good: Good character development, Nice acting
The Bad: Somewhat obvious (i.e. the point of the episode is way too clear)
The Basics: When Odo becomes personally involved with a witness he is trying to protect, love blossoms in “A Simple Investigation.”


For the past few seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, there have been some pretty solid characterizations and none seem so firm as those of Security Chief Odo. Since day one (okay, more like episode four) we've known that he has never "coupled" and he finds the humanoid predilection for romance a bit out of his league. Since his transformation into a human, however, Odo has opened up to more humanoid things. In "A Simple Investigation," his solid feelings about not being interested in lovemaking melt away. And the reason it's a big deal is that it is not Kira he is coupling with!

When a mysterious woman named Arissa arrives on Deep Space Nine looking for a friend, she arouses Security's attention by trying to hack into the main computer. Odo quickly discovers that Arissa's contact on the station has been killed and learns that she is involved with the dangerous, mysterious Orion Syndicate and a particularly ruthless criminal mastermind named Draim. Drawn to her for her desire to leave the life of crime and intrigued by the mysterious data crystal that appears to be the target of the assassins that are after Arissa, Odo forms a bond with the Idanian and the two fall in love. Naturally, nothing is as it seems and as the assassins close in on Odo's new love, the Security Chief's world will be shaken up.

The only real drawback to "A Simple Investigation" is that it's obvious. The purpose of the episode is for Odo to have an excuse to have sex and as such, the episode follows a pretty standard arc of an hour long drama and that is disappointing considering how long they have built up Odo's love for Kira. The hard-core Trekkers might argue that this is the introduction of the important Orion Syndicate, but the truth is, it never gets too important and the only lasting benefit of "A Simple Investigation" is to watch Odo lose his Changeling virginity.

That said, it is not an unpleasant episode and, in fact, it is a welcome character growth for Odo. Always one of the most intriguing characters on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, it is refreshing to see Odo happy for a change, without losing his status as an outsider. Indeed, "A Simple Investigation" feels far less contrived than the episode where Odo and Kira eventually do hook up ("His Way," in the sixth season). So the growth of Odo into a more emotive individual feels organic and the relationship - not the "relating" - between Odo and Arissa reads as very true given Odo's previous character conflicts about having worked for the Cardassians.

A lot of the credit for the episode must go to Dey Young, who plays Arissa. Young is not classically, obviously Hollywood beautiful and it makes it easier to watch her character and Odo fall in love. That is, it engages the viewer to see two relatively normal looking people having a relationship, as opposed to two people who look like they fell out of a movie or a magazine. Outside the physical chemistry, Young has enough acting gravitas to share the screen with Rene Auberjonois and hold her own. The two get into a good cadence and make some real on-screen sexual tension.

In the end, much of the episode hinges on Rene Auberjonois and he does not fail to deliver. Here he presents Odo with a great deal of emotion, but never betraying the sense of order and stiffness he keeps as his public facade. Instead, we see Rene balance the two aspects of Odo's personality to create more character depth without betraying the fundamental principles of the character. He does it well, especially through the use of body language.

While the episode is completely accessible to anyone who likes a decent romance, non-DS9 fans will probably not appreciate the magnitude of Odo having sex. That doesn't mean it is unenjoyable to non-Trek fans, it is just a little less impressive. The political intrigue of the Orion Syndicate may also make the episode enjoyable to fans of mob stories. While an essential part of Odo's character arc, it is difficult to classify this as part of the essential Star Trek: Deep Space Nine because it lacks consequences.

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

6/10

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

© 2012, 2007, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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